Misuse of Common Words and Phrases

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The misuse of common words or phrases by people who ought to know better is definitely among my top pet peeves.  Here is just a sampling of some of my personal favorites:

1) "On tomorrow" or "on yesterday" or "on today."  This one kills me.  It's just "tomorrow" or "yesterday" or "today."  These words imply the prepositions "on" or "to" so it is redundant and unnecessary to insert them.  In fact, "tomorrow" was once written as "to morrow."  The only exception would be if you said (or wrote), "Let's meet later on today."

2) Yeah, yay, yea, yah, ya.  I would estimate these terms are misused about 90% of the time.

Yeah is pronounced ye-uh, as in yes.  "Hey Champ, are you going to the the game?" "Yeah sure, I’ll go."
Yay – it's the opposite of saying "boo" and is a synonym of hooray. It’s used in cases of excitement...
Yea - this is an old school term used to say "yes" or "I agree."  The antonym would be "nay" as used in a business meeting.
Yah – is also an expression of agreement but there is no excitement.  "Hey are you ready to go yet?" "Yah, I'm coming."
Ya - is just slang for "you."  As in, "How are ya?"

3) For all intents and purposes - NOT all intensive purposes...I mean have you ever even thought about what you're saying?? Oh and that reminds me...

4) Your/ You're - This one is really elementary but I see it getting jacked up all the time. Your is a possessive pronoun. It is used to indicate that something belongs to or is owned by something or someone. You're is a contraction for you are.

5) Their/ They're - again, a really elementary error.  Their is a possessive pronoun to indicate that something belongs to two or more people, places, or things. They're is a contraction for they are.

6) Accept/ Except - Accept means to receive something.  Except means to exclude something.  I will accept all the packages except that one.

7) I Couldn't Care Less - NOT "I could care less."  It has to be negative or you're saying something less than what you actually intended to say.  All you have to do is think about it for a second.

8) Sense, Sents, Cents- Sense is a vague feeling or perception.  Sents means an aroma or smell.  Cents is a quantity in which each part has a value equal to 1/100...what is commonly referred to by the US mint as a penny.

9) All Together/ Altogether -  All together means everyone or everything.  Altogether means completely or entirely.  You can be all together singing in one room.  You can decide the facts are altogether compelling.

10) Chester Drawers - Chester who??  It is "Chest of drawers."

There are many, many more but these are probably at the top of my list.  Feel free to click here to add your own.