THINGS WE SAY WRONG
http://www.neatorama.com/2010/09/17/things-we-saywrong/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_camp
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University of West Florida
Writing Lab
Created by Mamie Webb Hixon
Writing Lab Director
PowerPoint by Lindsey Manning
Graduate Assistant
©Mamie Webb Hixon
July 10, 2008
Revised June 15, 2010
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
I
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
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x
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“May I have (a, an)
, please.”
an a
ab
ac
ad
an e
an f
ag
an h
an I
aj
ak
an l
an m
an n
an o
ap
aq
an r
an s
at
au
av
aw
anx
ay
az
“May I have (a, an)
, please.”
a URL address
an e-mail address
A
a one-hundred-dollar bill
a university
a historic occasion
an historic occasion
a history class
a Hispanic male
an Hispanic male
READ THESE STATEMENTS
ALOUD
 Which one is correct?
 a UPS guy
 an UPS guy
BOTH ARE CORRECT.
It’s not the initial letter of a word that determines whether to
use “a” or “an” preceding it; it’s the initial sound.
 a UPS guy
 a U-P-S guy

Use “a” before an initial
consonant sound.
 an UPS guy
 An “ups” guy

Use “an” before an initial
vowel sound.
a PR glitch
an ER glitch
an HR glitch
an OR glitch
a standing room only crowd
an SRO crowd
a Master of Business Administration degree
an MBA degree
an STD
an NBC special
an MTV award
a European tour
an electronic device
good advice
advise students
Eat alot for a little.
Eat a lot for a little.
It’s alright.
It’s all right.
Accept my apology.
Everyone except me
Real-World Grammar
 Krystal Marquee, 1980:
EAT ALOT
FOR A LITTLE
?
 Is this sign 
correct, or should it read
NO CHECKS
Excepted
Real-world Grammar
 Sign in local business
Sorry, we
no longer
Except
checks
Special effects
Positive effects
Smoking affects your health.
The entire campus will be
effected by the power
outage.
The president effected
a tax cut program.
Thunderstorm warning
in effect until 6:00 PM.
a small amount of work
a large amount of classes
a large number of classes
a small amount of students
a small number of students
ALTOGETHER, ALL TOGETHER
ALREADY, ALL READY
ALMOST, MOST
We were all ready (everybody ready) for the trip, but the
chartered bus had already (previously) left.
We are not altogether (entirely) certain that we
could bring the family all together (everyone
gathered) for the reunion.
Almost (nearly) everyone in my immediate family went
to the reunion.
Most (Many) of us went to the family reunion.
B
Be sure and call me back.
Be sure to call me back.
CLOSED DUE TO THE HURRICANE
CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE
As a result of
Because of
Caused by
Due to
His absence was due to his illness.
She lost her job due to downsizing.
She lost her job because of downsizing.
This movie is no longer available due to a copyright claim by the
Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization.
This movie is no longer available because of a copyright claim by the
Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization.
An IQ Test Item: TRUE or FALSE
Seven chickens and two cats have
twenty-two feet among them.
a secret between the two of them
unity among the sorority members
C
capital letters
capital punishment
the capital of Florida
inside the state capitol
dark complected
dark complexioned
could care less
couldn’t care less
coulda, woulda, shoulda
could of, would of , should of
could’ve, would’ve, should’ve
could have, would have, should have
can’t help but liking . . .
can’t help liking
only one criteria
only one criterion
D
due to the fact that
because
different from
different than
E
enthused
enthusiastic
F
less than 10 items
fewer than 10 items
fewer people, less confusion
fewer resources, less funding
USAGE NOTE
FROM The American Heritage Usage Board:
 Few and fewer are correctly used in writing only before
a plural noun: few cars, few of the books, fewer
reasons.
 Less is used before a mass noun: less music, less
sugar.
 Less than is also used before a plural noun that
denotes a measure of time, amount, or distance: less
than three weeks, less than sixty years old, less than
$400 dollars.
F
farther than Hawaii
discuss it further
(furthermore)
H
Hopefully, it will not rain.
I hope it will not rain.
I
 “You have reached The Daily Planet, where ‘if you miss
the news, you miss a lot.’ If you’re calling in regards to
billing or home deliveries, press 1.” If you’re calling . . . .
I
in regard to
in regards to
irregardless of the weather
regardless of the weather
College Passes It’s Goal for New Students
College Passes Its Goal for New Students
L
pencil lead
Lead me, guide me.
Through the years, you have lead the way; you were the way.
Through the years, you have led the way; you were the way.
It looks like it’s going to rain.
It looks as if it’s going to rain.
It looks like rain.
Loan me your book.
Lend me your book.
loose pants
lose your wallet
The principal expelled the student for three principal
reasons.
The principal expelled the student for three principle
reasons.
The principle expelled the student for three principal
reasons.
The reason I was absent is because . . .
The reason I was absent is that . . .
rise
rises
rising
} = to go up
rose
(have) risen
Gas prices have risen.
Gas prices are rising.
raise
raises
raising
} = to push up, elevate
raised
(have) raised
Oil companies have raised the price of gas.
Oil companies are raising the price of gas.
T
taller than I am
Press 1, then press the pound key.
They’re going there with their friends.
You can get there from here.
On their own terms
They’re special people.
U
Things my grandmother use to say
Things my grandmother used to say
What you’re suppose to know
What you’re supposed to know
IS WHEN, IS WHERE
W
Rendition is when prisoners are handed over to
countries where torture is allowed.
Rendition is handing over prisoners to countries
where torture is allowed.
A rip current is when water that comes ashore is
channeled back out to sea through a narrow passage.
A rip current occurs when water that comes
ashore is channeled back out to sea through a
narrow passage.