expensive, cheap
A costly item is expensive, but the price itself is not expensive; neither does a cheap item have a cheap price. Prices are high or low, not expensive or cheap.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
pause for concern/cause for concern, pause: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, March 10, 2014
pause for concern/cause for concern, pause
Something worrisome can give you pause, or cause for concern. But some people confuse these two expressions and say they have “pause for concern.”
Something worrisome can give you pause, or cause for concern. But some people confuse these two expressions and say they have “pause for concern.”
Friday, March 7, 2014
daylight savings time/daylight saving time: The Weekend Edition—Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Friday–Sunday, March 7–9, 2014
daylight savings time/daylight saving time
The official term is “daylight saving time,” not “savings time.”
___________
The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "What’s Not Happening?" (November 16, 2012).
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The official term is “daylight saving time,” not “savings time.”
___________
The Week's End Extra from the Archives: "What’s Not Happening?" (November 16, 2012).
Follow along on Twitter.
Follow along on Facebook, too!
Thursday, March 6, 2014
avocation/vocation: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Thursday, March 6, 2014
avocation/vocation
Your “avocation” is just your hobby; don’t mix it up with your job: your “vocation.”
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Your “avocation” is just your hobby; don’t mix it up with your job: your “vocation.”
________
Follow along on Twitter.
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Wednesday, March 5, 2014
revelant/relevant: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Wednesday, March 5, 2014
revelant/relevant
“Relevant” matters are related to the subject at hand. “Revelant” is both spoken and written frequently when “relevant” is intended.
________
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“Relevant” matters are related to the subject at hand. “Revelant” is both spoken and written frequently when “relevant” is intended.
________
Follow along on Twitter.
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Tuesday, March 4, 2014
sometimes not always: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Tuesday, March 4, 2014
sometimes not always
Expressions like “not always,” “don’t always,” and “aren’t always” overlap in meaning with “sometimes,” but don’t belong in the same phrase with this word—they’re redundant.
“Sometimes I don’t always feel like jogging” doesn’t make any sense. Say either “sometimes I don’t feel like jogging” or “I don’t always feel like jogging.”
____________
Paul Brians' latest blog post explains "once in a blue moon."
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Expressions like “not always,” “don’t always,” and “aren’t always” overlap in meaning with “sometimes,” but don’t belong in the same phrase with this word—they’re redundant.
“Sometimes I don’t always feel like jogging” doesn’t make any sense. Say either “sometimes I don’t feel like jogging” or “I don’t always feel like jogging.”
____________
Paul Brians' latest blog post explains "once in a blue moon."
Follow along on Twitter.Follow along on Facebook, too!
Monday, March 3, 2014
all goes well/augurs well: Common Errors in English Usage Entry for Monday, March 3, 2014
all goes well/augurs well
Some folks who don’t understand the word “augur” (to foretell based on omens) try to make sense of the common phrase “augurs well” by mangling it into “all goes well.” “Augurs well” is synonymous with “bodes well.”
____________
Paul Brians' latest blog post explains "once in a blue moon."
Some folks who don’t understand the word “augur” (to foretell based on omens) try to make sense of the common phrase “augurs well” by mangling it into “all goes well.” “Augurs well” is synonymous with “bodes well.”
____________
Paul Brians' latest blog post explains "once in a blue moon."
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