Writing It Right For You

Discussed / Disgust

soniaf — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:37:03 +0000

“Discussed” is the past tense of the verb “discuss.” Don’t substitute for it the noun “disgust” in such sentences as “The couple’s wedding plans were thoroughly discussed.” If you need writing or editing assistance with the very confusing English language rules, Contact the professionals at Writing It Right For You. We’re here to help because “It Matters …

Tic / Tick

soniaf — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:54:39 +0000

Tic refers to (1) a habitual spasmodic muscle movement, and (2) a recurrent trait or quirk. The word is only a noun. Tick is both a noun and a verb. Its definitions include (1) a clicking sound, (2) a second or a moment, (3) a mark used to check off an item, and (4) a …

Soar / Sore

soniaf — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:43:32 +0000

soar or sore? Do not confuse the spelling of soar and sore, which sound similar. Soar is chiefly used as a verb, meaning “increase rapidly” or “fly or rise high in the air”: The plane soared into the clouds.Prices are soaring. Sore is an adjective meaning “painful” (as in a sore finger) or a noun meaning “a painful skin infection or wound” …

Exact same / Exactly the same

soniaf — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:53:22 +0000

In casual speech we often say things like, “The shirt he gave me was the exact same kind I’d thrown away the week before”; but in formal English the phrase is “exactly the same,” as in, “The shirt he gave me was exactly the same kind I’d thrown away the week before.” If you need …

Crevice / Crevasse

soniaf — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:45:43 +0000

Crevices are small, usually narrow cracks or gaps in a surface. Think of the word as a synonym of split, crack, rent, and cranny. A crevasse is a large fissure, especially in a glacier. The word’s synonyms include abyss and chasm. Crevice and crevasse are not actually homophones—as crevice is pronounced KREV-iss, while crevasse is …