1. INQUIRE/ENQUIRE: Inquire (inquiry) is a formal inquest ie, by legal, formal institutions and boards and are often documented, while enquire (enquiry) is an informal act of questioning.

2. I'M/ AM: I'm is simply a contraction of "I am" ie, it means I am. Example: I'm washing the dishes.

On the other hand, "am" is on its own a first person present form of "be". Example: I really am sorry for your loss.


3. COMPLEMENT/ COMPLIMENT: Complement means "to complete". Example: He complemented the sweet taste with some added salt and spice.

Compliment means a remark, salutation and (but not limited to) flattery. Example: He complimented her beauty all night.


4. KNOW/ NO: Know means to have knowledge of; whilst "no" is simply the opposite of yes. Example: No, I don't know how to dance.


5. SOURCE/ SAUCE: Source is the origin of a thing, trend, phenomenon, etc. Sauce is often an added flavour to a dish/food.
Example: The source of modernity is Africa.
Example: He uses tomato sauce to consume bread.

6. CEASE/ SEIZE: To cease simply is to stop, while to seize is to confiscate, arrest or withhold.

Example: Pray without ceasing.
Example: Their results were seized by the examination body

NB: Seize should as well not be mistaken for "size"

7. INVISIBLE/ INVINCIBLE: Invisible means "not seen" (it has to do with vision), while invincible means powerful and/or untouchable.

Example: He wore an invisible cloak. It made him invincible against enemy attack.


8. REIGN/ RAIN: Reign means a period of domination, while rain refers to waterfall in drops from the sky (or a large quantity of something)

Example: During his reign, rain ceased to fall. Hence, drought and famine.

9. I (capitalized)/ i: I (when capitalized) is simply the first person perspective, while "i" is just the ninth letter of the English alphabet.

Example: I'm running late.


10. WONDER/ WANDER: Wonder means to be amazed, to wish to know, etc. Wander implies movement, to (mentally, physically or emotionally) move about.

Example: He wondered why the dog kept wandering up and about in the house. It made his mind wander—searching for answers.


11. THERE/ THEIR: There simply is a (physical or mental) location (of something), whilst their is a second/third person pronoun.

Example: Their house is right there.

12. SURLY/ SURELY: Surly infers terrible, ugly, arrogant, etc while surely means definite, positive, truthful, etc.

Example: The surly waitress will surely get little or no customer appraisal.


13. IT'S/ ITS: It's is a contraction of "it is", while its is a pronoun that expresses "belonging to".

Example: Its main property is that it's very coerce and tough, slow but stable.

NB: when in doubt of which to use, substitute with "it is" to see if it fits properly in such context. Same applies for "am" and "I'm".

14. YOUR/ YOU'RE: YOUR is a second person pronoun, while you're simply is "you are".

Example: Your dog chewed on the phone. You're therefore responsible for whatever replacement(s) must be made.


15. QUIET/QUITE: To be quiet is to be free of noise (or disturbance); quite means to a degree or extent of.

Example: The quiet reserved lad over there in suit is quite handsome as well.

Others include: LAUNCH/LUNCH, BREAK/ BRAKE




You can add yours

People use 'I'm' and 'Am' wrongly so much. Thank you for this one. Front page please!!

Has/have
Bread / Buredi
Wa / lo
She/he

Buhari = Body language

Nnamdi Kanu = Potopoto

EXTEND/EXTENT
ex·tend

\ik-ˈstend\

: to cause (something, such as your arm or leg) to straighten out or to stretch out: to become longer or to be able to becomelonger: to continue in a specified direction or over a specified distance, space, or time


ex·tent

\ik-ˈstent\

noun

: the range, distance, or space that is covered or affected by something or included in something: the point or limit to which somethingextends or reaches

This one fetch money?

In your attempt to have a long list, you included words that are not meant to be on the list.

For instance: Source and Sauce, Reign and Rain,Wonder and Wander, Surely and Surly are words that is rarely used wrongly,the visible difference is clear and it can't go unnoticed

Wow

I disagree with number 1

Common errors are the errors that the users of
english -language are prone to in written and Spoken english .

(1) CONTINUOUS/CONTINUAL
Continuous: this means going on without a break i.e uninterrupted.
Continual: this means going on all the time with short breaks.. I.e frequently repeated..

(2)Runny/Running
Runny: when a liquid or semi-liquid tending to flow.
Running: the act of a person or animal that runs.

(3)Damage/Damages
Damage: this refers to harm,destruction or injury that causes loss of value
Damages: this refers to the compensation(especially in monetary terms)paid for thr damage suffered.

(4)Since/For
Since: this refers to the starting point or the begining of something.
For: this is used to show the length of time

(5)Fatal/Ghastly
Fatal: this is used when death occur or is involved
in an accident.
Ghastly: this is used when injuries are sustained in an accident


1. Practice makes perfect.
Practice makes perfection

2. Who is banging the door?
Who is banging at the door

3. Say the truth, Who stole the book?
Tell the truth, Who stole the book??

4. The matter is between me and you
The matter is between you and me

5. My pen is with my friend.
My friend has my pen

6. Please,come again
Please,repeat

7. Tony is a trickish boy
Tony is a tricky boy

ok

Una don stat

Thread of the month until I hear of someone using TSTV to watch EPL....

OP I honestly didn't know the difference between "invisible" and invincible".. Thanks alot + All those fb girls using " is like" for " it's like" you won't see them on this page o

na wah,,,, am guilty

Op whats the sauce of this info?

English is oftentimes confusing. Just ensure that your message is passed. That's all that matters.

This/These

Thank you for that I'm and Am. Even some graduates don't know the difference. And some will still argue that it's the short form of Am.

IgedeBushBoy:
Una don stat

U no go learn now

only dumb people didn't know those

These are the type of threads we need on Nairaland. Nice one Op

So true. Nearly everyone commits these errors at one time or the other.

Especially with I'M/AM, QUITE/QUIET, THERE/THEIR, COMPLEMENT/COMPLIMENT, INVINCIBLE/INVISIBLE....... they're so common.

OP Weldone

Nice one OP...Adding to the Reign/Rain comparison...There's also "Rein" This refers to the strap used in guiding a horse. E.g "She held the reins of her horse and rode faster."

May God help this country and it's people [color=#550000][/color]

Abi o

marsoden:
English is oftentimes confusing. Just ensure that your message is passed. That's all that matters.

Ok