Tucson Writers Workshop - Resources For Writers
This is designed to be a resource center for those of us who like to write. The Internet is such a vast place that we can only begin to cover all the excellent sites out there. But we'll sample them together, and learn from the experience. This is also the place to share your favorite books with the rest of the group, using the comments section to leave your own list, and to tell us the reasons why.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Writing Lessons - Part 1
Commonly Confused
As writers, we tend to be formal in the way that we articulate lanquage.
However, spoken language tends to be a lot less formal than the way we write.
When we try to translate spoken ideas into writing, it is often hard to remember correct grammar.
In addition, we hear incorrect grammar used so often that correct grammar is starting to sound wrong...or at least odd.
To make things even more interesting for us writers, common phrases are also likely to be written incorrectly.
I'm always noticing that words used in speech are shortened or slurred together.
This results in letters that aren't all pronounced, which makes it easy to inadvertently leave these letters out when writing.
Knowing which word to use or how to write a phrase correctly can make a big difference in your writing.
It's easier for readers to take a piece of writing more seriously when the grammar is correct.
So I've been working on a list of
A) words that DO sound alike,
B) words that DON'T sound alike but confuse many people anyway
C) problem phrases that bug me enough to want to vent about them here...where I'm sure to get some sympathy/empathy responses from all of you.
Here's the list:
(in the order of the ones that bug me the most to least)
A)
Than, Then
There, Their, They're
To, Too, Two
Your, You're
B)
Who, Which, That
Lie, Lay
Set, Sit
C)
Supposed to as opposed to: Suppose to
(without the D is incorrect)
Toward
(there is no s at the end)
Anyway
(also has no s at the end)
For all intents and purposes
(Not intensive purposes)
I'm sure I'll think of more...
but let's see what else you'll come up with!
