For most of us, English is still a challenge. With all its irregularities, exceptions and rules, it is a very difficult language to master. With that in mind, rediff.com presents our English Bloopers series. Here, we publish written and spoken mistakes spotted and sent to us by observant Get Ahead readers.
It's a great way to review the basics, clarify a few issues and share a laugh or two! So, stop by three times a week for another fresh batch of English Bloopers.
Today, we present the first half of a list of bloopers that have become so common, they're hardly even recognised as errors! Later this week, we'll publish the second half, so stay tuned.
Let's get started:
|
What was said |
What was meant |
|
a stigmatism |
astigmatism |
|
abolishment |
abolition |
|
acrosst |
across |
|
ad homonym |
ad hominem |
|
aerobic numbers |
Arabic numbers |
|
affidavid |
affidavit |
|
afterall |
after all |
|
all goes well |
augurs well |
|
all of the sudden |
all of a sudden |
|
alphabeticalise |
alphabetise |
|
altercations |
alterations |
|
alterior |
ulterior |
|
anachronism |
acronym |
|
ambliance |
ambulance |
|
anticlimatic |
anticlimactic |
|
anchors away |
anchors aweigh |
|
antivenom |
antivenin |
|
aperpo |
à propos |
|
apples and organs |
apples and oranges |
|
arm's way |
harm's way |
|
artical |
article |
|
as a pose to |
as opposed to |
|
ashfault |
asphalt |
|
assessible |
accessible |
|
assumably |
presumably |
|
at leased |
at least |
|
balling out |
bawling out |
|
based around |
based on |
|
batter an eyelid |
bat an eyelid |
|
bear the blunt |
bear the brunt |
|
beautify a saint |
beatify a saint |
|
beckon call |
beck and call |
|
begs belief |
beggars belief |
|
besiege |
beseech |
|
beyond approach |
beyond reproach |
|
bids well |
bids fair, bodes well |
|
binded |
bound |
|
bled like a stuffed pig |
bled like a stuck pig |
|
blessing in the sky |
blessing in disguise |
|
blindsighted |
blindsided |
|
a board of director |
member of a board of directors |
|
boom to the economy |
boon to the economy |
|
bonafied |
bona fide |
|
bored of |
bored with |
|
bowl in a china shop |
bull in a china shop |
|
bran new |
brand new |
|
built off of |
built on or upon |
|
buttox |
buttocks |
|
BVD player |
DVD player |
|
by in large or enlarge |
by and large |
|
Cadillac converter |
catalytic converter |
|
card shark |
cardsharp |
|
carport tunnel |
carpal tunnel |
|
case and point |
case in point |
|
cease and decease |
cease and desist |
|
cease the day |
seize the day |
|
chalked full |
chock-full |
|
cheap at half the price |
cheap at twice the price |
|
chester drawers |
chest of drawers |
|
chicken pops |
chicken pox |
|
chomp at the bit |
champ at the bit |
|
chow |
ciao |
|
circus sized |
circumcised |
|
clearified |
clarified |
|
cohabitate |
cohabit |
|
collaborating evidence |
corroborating evidence |
|
component |
opponent |
|
conversate |
converse |
|
conservative effort |
concerted effort |
|
copywrite |
copyright |
|
copywritten |
copyrighted |
|
coronated |
crowned |
|
coronet |
cornet |
|
cortage |
cortege |
|
coruscating |
excoriating |
|
a couple guys |
a couple of guys |
|
coup de gras |
coup de grace |
|
cream de mint |
creme de menthe |
|
crimp my style |
cramp my style |
|
crossified |
crucified |
|
culvert sack |
cul de sac |
|
cumberbun |
cummerbund |
|
cut to the chaff |
cut to the chase |
|
darkest before the storm |
darkest before the dawn |
|
dead wringer |
dead ringer |
|
debockle |
debacle |
|
deformation of character |
defamation of character |
|
deja vous |
deja vu |
|
detrius |
detritus |
|
diabolically opposed |
diametrically opposed |
|
dialate |
dilate |
|
differ payment |
defer payment |
|
diswraught |
distraught |
|
documentated |
documented |
|
doggy dog world |
dog-eat-dog world |
|
do to |
due to |
|
down the pipe |
down the pike |
|
dresser draw |
dresser drawer |
|
drownded |
drowned |
|
drownding |
drowning |
|
drudged up |
dredged up |
|
dry reach |
dry retch |
|
electorial college |
electoral college |
|
end justifies the meaning |
end justifies the means |
|
enervate |
energise |
|
escape goat |
scapegoat |
|
esculate |
escalate |
|
exasperated |
exacerbated |
|
excape |
escape |
|
exhilarator |
accelerator |
|
expecially |
especially |
|
expeculation |
speculation |
|
expediate |
expedite |
|
exuberant price |
exorbitant price |
|
eyesaw |
eyesore |
|
fair to midland |
fair to middling |
|
far and few between |
few and far between |
|
fast majority |
vast majority |
|
fate accompli |
fait accompli |
|
final throws |
final throes |
|
first come, first serve |
first come, first served |
|
flustrated |
frustrated |
|
foilage |
foliage |
|
foul swoop |
fell swoop |
|
gave me slack |
gave me flak |
|
gentile manners |
genteel manners |
|
gentlelady |
gentlewoman |
|
genuses |
genera |
|
glaucomole |
glaucoma |
|
glaze over |
gloss over |
|
gleam |
glean |
|
gone array |
gone awry |
|
gorilla warfare |
guerilla warfare |
|
got my dandruff up |
got my dander up |
|
greatfruit |
grapefruit |
|
harbringer |
harbinger |
|
heared |
heard |
|
harps back |
harks back |
|
hearst |
hearse |
|
heart-rendering |
heart-rending |
|
Heineken remover |
Heimlich maneuver |
|
here on end |
here on in |
|
High Iraqi |
hierarchy |
|
hobbiest |
hobbyist |
|
hold down the fort |
hold the fort |
|
hurtles to overcome |
hurdles to overcome |
|
howsomever |
however |
|
I seen |
I saw or I've seen |
|
ice tea |
iced tea |
|
imbedded |
embedded |
|
flaw in the ointment |
fly in the ointment |
|
hare's breath |
hair's breadth |
|
high dungeon |
high dudgeon |
|
ideallic |
ideal or idyllic |
|
impaling doom |
impending doom |
|
imput |
input |
|
in another words |
in other words |
|
in lieu of |
in light of |
|
in mass |
en masse |
|
in sink |
in synch |
|
in the same vane or vain |
in the same vein |
|
incredulous |
incredible |
|
indiscrepancy |
discrepancy |
|
insinnuendo |
insinuation or innuendo |
|
insuremountable |
insurmountable |
|
in tact |
intact |
|
interduce |
introduce |
|
internally grateful |
eternally grateful |
|
intragul |
integral |
|
it's beggars belief |
it beggars belief |
|
ivy tower |
ivory tower |
|
jack of all traits |
jack of all trades |
|
jaundra |
genre |
|
jest of the idea |
gist of the idea |
|
just assume |
just as soon |
|
kindly |
kind of |
|
kit gloves |
kid gloves |
|
lacksadaisical |
lackadaisical |
|
lamblasted, landblasted |
lambasted |
|
land up |
end up, land |
|
landlover |
landlubber |
|
lapse into a comma |
lapse into a coma |
|
larnyx |
larynx |
|
laxidaisical |
lackadaisical |
|
lively hood |
livelihood |
|
love one and other |
love one another |
|
low and behold |
lo and behold |
|
ludicrust |
ludicrous |
|
make ends meat |
make ends meet |
|
make head or tale |
make head or tail |
|
masonary |
masonry |
|
mean time |
meantime |
|
menestrate |
menstruate |
If you'd like to share common bloopers you come across when people speak/ write in English, do mail your list, along with their correct alternatives to englishbloopers@rediffmail.com -- we'll highlight them right here as a helpful guide to those trying to improve their English. Also, make sure you include your FULL NAME, AGE, OCCUPATION and the CITY you are based in.
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