Commonly Misused or Misspelled Words Beginning with the Letter "O" #GrowYourVocab

Words Beginning with the Letter "O" Commonly Misused, Confused or Misspelled

I'm back with yet another list of commonly confused, misused, or misspelled words. This time I focused on words beginning with the letter "O".

Object vs. Subject (use, meaning): The object of a sentence is the noun or pronoun that receives the action that is named by the main verb in the sentence. Object pronouns include me, you, them, or us. The noun that is doing the action in a sentence is the subject. Subject nouns include I, you, we, or they. For instance, "I" is the subject of the sentence: I ate lunch. Here "I" does the eating. "Me: is the object of the sentence: She thanked me. Here "me" is the thing that is thanked. 

Obscure (spelling, meaning): As an adverb means unclear, imperfectly understood or expressed. As a verb it means to conceal or hide something. 

o'clock (spelling): Is an adverb used to describe or indicate the position of the shorter hand on a watch or clock. Six o'clock means the shorter hand is pointed at six.

Onomatopoeia (spelling, meaning): The use of words that imitate or sound like what they are, mean, or are describing. For example rustle, bang, buzz, or hiss.

Opaque (spelling, meaning): Means not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy. 

Organize vs. Organise (use, spelling): Both spellings are correct but "organize" is typically the North American spelling, whereas "organise" is more popular in Britain and outside or North America. 

Oscillate (spelling, meaning): Means to move or swing from side to side regularly. 

Ossify (meaning): Means to make rigid or settle into a conventional pattern. 

Ought vs. Aught (use, meaning): Ought is a special kind of auxiliary verb, meaning that it is added to the main verb. This special kind of auxiliary verb is called a modal verb. Modal verbs (may, must, can, ought, shall) express states of possibility, permission, obligation, or advisability. They do not change their form. They are always added to an infinitive verb. Take the sentence: You ought to eat your vegetables. The main verb is the infinitive "to eat", to which the modal verb "ought" is added to convey a sense that eating is an advisable course of action. Aught used as a noun means nothing or zero. Used as a pronoun it can also mean anything or all.

Outrageous vs. Outragous (spelling): Outrageous is always spelled with an "e". It is the adjectival cognate of the verb "to outrage", meaning to provoke anger or indignation, and is used to qualify persons (or their behaviour) as scandalous or contrary to conventional norms of social conduct. 

Overdo vs. Overdue (use, meaning): Overdo is the verb meaning to do something to excess, such as exercise or eat. Overdue is an adjective meaning unpaid, late, or delinquent, such as a bill or a library book.

Oxymoron (spelling, meaning): A rhetorical trope or figure in which contradictory terms are paradoxically conjoined, as in the phrase: "an honest thief". (Tee hee, yes trope will be on the Letter "T" Grow Your Vocab list)

If you haven't already (like that could ever happen), be sure to check out Grow Your Vocab posts brought to you by other letters. Definitions referenced via The Free Dictionary

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the Letter "O".

Special thanks to my brother/in-house language expert for his insights and help with my Grow Your Vocab posts. If you find parts in the posts that include lots of grammar and academic-like words, yet still manage to be clear and easy to understand they're probably written by, or at the very least improved by his editing skills. He takes my incomprehensible and transforms it into something useful. 

Disclosure: I receive no compensation for my Grow Your Vocab posts. The purpose of these posts is merely to share information I think might be of interest to my readers. 

Commonly Misused or Misspelled Words Beginning With The Letter N #GrowYourVocab

Words Beginning With the Letter N Commonly Misused, Confused or Misspelled.

I'm back trying to clarify and demystify more words that are commonly confused, misused or misspelled. This post has been brought to you by the Letter "N".

Naive vs. Naivete: (usage) Naive is used to describe a person or action showing a "lack of worldly experience and understanding" or "lack of sophistication or critical judgement" (adjective) "Naivete is the state of being naive" or unsophisticated, inexperienced, uncritical, innocent or even gullible. It refers to a naive person or action. (noun)

Naught vs. Not vs. Knot: (usage) Naught means nothing or nonexistent. Not is used to express negation, denial or refusal. Knot refers to a nautical unit of speed, fastening something by tying two parts together, a tightening of something, or a circular hard section or lump of a tree that is visible in cut lumber. 

Nebulous: (meaning) Nebulous means "hazy, vague, indistinct or confused". Not clearly defined or easily understood. 

Necessitate vs. Necessity: (usage) Necessitate means to "require, compel, force or to make necessary or unavoidable". Necessary means "needed to achieve a certain effect or result".

Nefarious: (meaning) Nefarious means to be extremely evil or wicked. 

Neighbour vs. Neighbor: (spelling) Neighbour is the British spelling, whereas Neighbor is the American spelling and refers to someone living nearby. Both spellings are correct. 

Neither vs. Either: (usage) Neither can mean "not one or the other" or "also or similarly not". For example: Neither movie appeals to Joan, and if she doesn't want to go to the movies neither do I. Either can mean "one or the other" or "likewise or also". For example: We can either stay in and watch TV or go out to the movies, but if you're not going out I won't either. 

Neophyte: (meaning) Neophyte refers to someone recently or "newly converted to a belief or religion", or a "novice or beginner". 

Nine, Ninth, Ninety, Ninetieth: (spelling) Notice that only when spelling ninth is the e dropped. Most tricky of all is the spelling of ninetieth. 

Nonfiction vs. Non-fiction vs. Non Fiction: (spelling, usage) Both nonfiction and non-fiction are correct. I referred this to an expert in the field and he explained it this way: "This question is exemplary of a broader question concerning the use of hyphens in compound words. My impression is that the use of hyphenated words greatly increased in the twentieth century as the jargon from very technical vocabularies entered common parlance: military-industrial, socio-economic, crypto-fascist etcetera. I notice that spellcheck regularly recommends the use of hyphens." So there you have it folks both options are correct and look for parlance to be in the upcoming Letter "P" Grow Your Vocab post.  

Nonplussed: (spelling, usage) Nonplussed means to be bewildered and unsure how to react, or at a loss as to how to react, or to think say or do in reaction to.

Noticeable: (spelling) Noticeable is spelt with an e. 

If you haven't already (like that could ever happen) be sure to check out the Grow Your Vocab posts brought to you by other letters.
Definitions via Free Dictionary 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the letter "N".

Special thanks to my brother for his expertise and insights on my Grow Your Vocab posts.

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. The purpose of the post is merely to share with my readers information I think might be of interest to my readers. 

Commonly Misused or Misspelled Words Beginning With The Letter "M" #GrowYourVocab

Ten Words Beginning with the Letter "M" Commonly Misused, Confused or Misspelled. 

I'm back with another #GrowYourVocab post trying to clarify and demystify more words commonly misused, confused and misspelled. This post has been brought to you by the Letter "M".

Main vs. Mane: (usage) Main refers to the chief or largest part, or the most important or principal part of something, where as Mane refers to a long growth of hair on mammals such as horses, or on people.

Mall vs. Maul: (usage) Mall refers to "a large enclosed shopping complex, or a street lined with shops and closed to vehicles", where as Maul refers to a "type of hammer, a Rugby play, or to cause harm or treat roughly and injure or mutilate".

Maritime: (spelling) Related to, or adjacent to the sea. The term "The Maritimes" is used to refer specifically to Canada's eastern provinces as a collective or region. 

Maybe vs. May be: (usage) Maybe is "used to indicate uncertainty" possibly or perhaps. The rule seems to be if you can substitute perhaps then you use the single word maybe. May be is used to imply something is possible, could be or might be. If you can substitute could be then you use the the two words may be. 

Medieval: (spelling) It means "relating or belonging to the Middle Ages".

Mischievous: (spelling) It's meaning is "causing mischief, playful in a naughty or teasing way". 

Misspelled vs. Misspelt: (spelling/usage) To spell incorrectly. Spelled and spelt are interchangeable and are both correct spellings, with spelled being the American and spelt the British form. American usage sometimes regularizes the past principle of irregular verbs (e.g., pled/pleaded, dreamt//dreamed, shone/shined).

Momentary vs. Momentarily: (usage/meaning) Momentary means lasting for only a moment, or very brief" amount of time. Momentarily means "at any moment or very soon".

Moot vs. Mute: (usage) Moot means of no practical importance, or to render (a subject or issue) irrelevant". It can also mean "to bring up (a subject or issue) for discussion or debate. Mute means "refraining from producing speech or vocal sound, or not giving out sound or speech; silent". 

More vs. Mores: (usage/meaning) More means "greater number, size, amount, extent or degree". Mores refers to "accepted traditional customs of a particular social group" and "the customs and conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group". "Moral attitudes, manners and ways".  

Be sure to check out the Grow Your Vocab posts brought to you by other letters. 

Definitions via Free Dictionary.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking about the Letter M. 

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. The purpose of this post is merely to share with my readers information I think might be of interest to them.  

Commonly Misused or Misspelled Words Beginning With Letter "L" #GrowYourVocab

Ten Words Beginning with the Letter "L" Commonly Misused, Confused or Misspelled.

This post was brought to you by the letter "L".

Label: "Descriptive term, or item used to identify someone or something".

Legible: "Possible to read or decipher, Plainly discernible, apparent".

Liaison: "Means of communication, One that maintains communication".

Licence: (License - British spelling) "Permission to engage in a regulated activity, Document, card, plate or tag issued as proof of official or legal permission".

Liquefy: "To cause to become liquid".

Latter: "Person or thing mentioned second of two". 
vs
Ladder: Tool made of "bars, rungs or steps fixed between two supports".

Lessen: "To decrease or make less, To become less".
vs
Lesson: "Something to be taught, Something to be learned, An assignment or exercise".

Liable: "Legally responsible for or subject to".
vs
Libel: "Published statement damaging of a person, Discredit by circulation of libelous (alt spelling: libellous) statements".
Libel vs Slander: Libel is a "published or written statement to damage reputation, discredit" or harm a person. Slander is an "utterance of or dissemination of false statements or reports concerning a person in order to defame or injure that person". Legally: Libel is written, whereas Slander is verbal.

Lightening: "To make lighter, Reduce weight of". 
vs
Lightning: "Abrupt discontinuous natural electrical discharge in the atmosphere".

Loose: "To free or release, Not tight".
vs
Lose: "Misplace, Lose your way, Unable to find".

Take a peak at my #GrowYourVocab: Led, Lead, and Lead and put an end to this confusion.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the letter "L".

Definitions via the Free Dictionary.

Lead, Lead and Led: Ending the Confusion: #GrowYourVocab #LearningNeverEnds

When, Where and How to Use Lead, Lead and Led

There's plenty to be confused about when it comes to the use of lead, lead and led. It doesn't help that lead has two pronunciations, one of which is the same as led, or that lead can be used as a verb, noun or adjective. So let me "lead" by saying I'm not an expert. I find writing stuff down and breaking ideas and concepts into smaller parts helps me to better understand them. Maybe it might help you too. 

Lead

Lead can be used as a verb, noun or adjective. 

Pronunciations: Lead (like Bead) Lead (like Bed)

Noun: Pronounced like Bead or Bed depending on use.

Lead (noun) A type of metal or metallic element: Pb is the symbol for Lead on the Periodic Table.

Lead (noun) fishing lead or weight (originally made from lead but also called lead): I attached a fishing lead to my line to sink my lure.

Lead (noun) term for dog leash: This dog lead is made from leather.

Verb: Pronounced like Bead when used as a verb present tense. 

Lead (verb) to show the route or way, guide or direct: I will lead the group to the conference room. Before we begin, I will lead you through the process. This hall will lead you to the lobby.

Lead (verb) at the front, ahead of, first position: She is in the lead to win her school's Spelling Bee. He's currently in the lead for the Innovation Award.

Lead: (verb) to begin: I'll like to lead this lecture with a look at the reading materials I've handed out.

Adjective: Pronounced like Bead or Bed depending on use. 

Lead (adjective) to describe principle or main: That is the lead dancer of the ballet company. Who is the team lead for this project. 

Lead (adjective) to describe an object: Are we using lead pipes instead of plastic pipes for this project?

Led

Past tense of the verb lead.

Led is always used as past tense.

Led (verb) is the past tense of lead - to show the way, guide or direct: I led the team to the conference room. I led the team through the process. We led the dance class with a tango. 

Tips to Help: Ask yourself: Is the past tense being used? Can you replace the word led with a synonym such as guided or directed and still have it make sense? If the answer is yes to both, then you're probably using led correctly. I led the team to the conference room. I guided the team to the conference room. I directed the team to the conference room.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Lead, Lead and Led and ways to Grow Your Vocabulary.

If I've made any errors in this post please remember I'm not an expert. I'm merely sharing my insights from my efforts to find answers to where, when and how to use lead, lead and led correctly. In other words please be respectful in your comments. 

The following were used as reference on this grow you vocabulary journey: 

Lead versus Led: Write Content Solutions  Lead, Lead or Led: Writers Digest.com

Five Commonly Misused or Misspelled Words Beginning With The Letter K. #GrowYourVocab

5 Words Beginning With the Letter "K" That Are Commonly Misused, Confused or Misspelled.

This post was brought to you by the letter "K". 

Knave: "An unprincipled, crafty fellow, Dishonest man, rogue".

Kudos: "Acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement." Interesting Note: Kudos is the singular form of the word although many mistakenly use it as a plural form. 

Kitsch: "Excessively garish or sentimental art, usually considered in bad taste".

Karat: "US and Canadian measure of the proportion of gold in a alloy, expressed as the number of parts of gold in 24 parts of the alloy. Also spelled Carat in Britain and certain other countries."

 vs 

Carat: "A measurement of the weight of precious stones esp. diamonds. International Carat is 0.20 grams."

vs

Caret: "A proofreading symbol (^) used to indicate where something is to be inserted in a line of printed or written matter."

vs

Carrot: A plant, that "the usually tapering elongate, fleshy orange root of this plant, is eaten raw or cooked".

Kernel vs Colonel: A kernel is "a grain or seed, as a cereal grass enclosed in a husk" whereas a Colonel is a military rank that in the US and Canadian Forces is the highest rank of senior officer", but "junior to a Brigadier-General".  

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the letter "K".

Definitions via The Free Dictionary