Confusing Words

Criteria and criterion are two words that show the evolution of modern English. Strictly defined, the word criterion is a singular noun, and criteria is the plural form. However, it is rare to see this applied in writing today. Unless you are a stickler for accuracy in your writing, the plural form is now generally…

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, the spelling baited breath instead of bated breath is a common mistake. It also says that nearly a third of citations for this idiom in the Oxford English Corpus use incorrect spelling. The confusion about the correct form of this idiom is because the word bated is not…

Is it a moot point or a mute point? The correct answer is a moot point. We use the word mute to mean silent or unable to speak. You use a mute button to silence a television or computer. But moot as an adjective means having little or no practical relevance. Moot can also mean something…

Is it bare your soul or bear your soul? The correct expression is bare your soul. Bear your soul is incorrect. There are many fixed expressions that use either bare or bear, so it’s easy to make a mistake. But if you understand the meaning of each word, it will make things easier. Bare vs.…

When do you use may be or maybe? These two parts of speech often cause confusion, but it’s quite easy to get them right. The key is to remember that maybe is an adverb and may be is a verb phrase. It uses a modal verb plus a verb. As long as you know when…

Being a writer is exciting and fun. But we have so many confused words to work with to express our ideas and imagination. We have such a vast vocabulary to play with. However, certain words that sound alike or have similar meanings can cause problems for even the best writers. One of the most common…

What’s the difference between blond vs. blonde? Why do we use two different nouns and adjectives for fair hair color? The word blond is a noun or adjective that is masculine, and blonde is the feminine form. Using gender-specific grammar and vocabulary in the English language is most unusual today. But the alternative spellings of…

There really are some weird names for things in English. Take, for instance, the day before yesterday. Most of us would probably use phrases like the day before the day before, or two days ago. But believe it or not, there’s a perfectly good word for it: ereyesterday. Who would know that? However, if you…

What’s the difference between further vs farther? It’s easy to mix up these two confusing words, even for native English speakers. But there is a simple way to remember the difference between further and farther. We use farther when we are referring to a distance that is real. You want to indicate a physical distance that…