I wrote a blog just over a year ago to shine an important light on a few common phrases everyone keeps getting wrong in writing and everyday conversation.
Things like "I could care less" and "She's biting her time."
We all think those are correct. But they're not. They've been butchered so often over the years – including by yours truly – that it comes as a complete shock when we find out we've been saying them wrong the entire time.
Needless to say, my post was pretty popular – so much that readers have wanted more.
So, back by popular demand, here is an extended list of 30 common phrases everyone keeps getting wrong in writing and what they should be.
What you wrote: Cut and dry
What you should have written: Cut and dried
What you wrote: Statue of limitations
What you should have written: Statute of limitations
What you wrote: Wet your appetite
What you should have written: Whet your appetite
What you wrote: Get down to brass tax
What you should have written: Get down to brass tacks
What you wrote: Hunger pains
What you should have written: Hunger pangs
What you wrote: Peak my interest
What you should have written: Pique my interest
What you wrote: On accident
What you should have written: By accident
What you wrote: Could care less
What you should have written: Couldn't care less
What you wrote: Chomping at the bit
What you should have written: Champing at the bit
What you wrote: One in the same
What you should have written: One and the same
What you wrote: Nip it in the butt
What you should have written: Nip it in the bud
What you wrote: For all intensive purposes
What you should have written: For all intents and purposes
What you wrote: Tough road to hoe
What you should have written: Tough row to hoe
What you wrote: Biting my time
What you should have written: Biding my time
What you wrote: Passes mustard
What you should have written: Passes muster
What you wrote: By and large
What you should have written: By in large
What you wrote: Tow the line
What you should have written: Toe the line
What you wrote: Chock it up to
What you should have written: Chalk it up to
What you wrote: Slight of hand
What you should have written: Sleight of hand
What you wrote: Deep-seeded
What you should have written: Deep-seated
What you wrote: Baited breath
What you should have written: Bated breath
What you wrote: Mute point
What you should have written: Moot point
What you wrote: Do a 360
What you should have written: Do a 180
What you wrote: Shoe-in
What you should have written: Shoo-in
What you wrote: All for not
What you should have written: All for naught
What you wrote: Beckon call
What you should have written: Beck and call
What you wrote: Scott-free
What you should have written: Scot-free
What you wrote: Case and point
What you should have written: Case in point
What you wrote: At naseum
What you should have written: Ad naseum
What you wrote: Tongue and cheek
What you should have written: Tongue in cheek
Call Edit This in Denton, TX, for all your writing and editing needs
It's fun to tease friends on Facebook for grammar mistakes or point out errors in other written copy. But any spelling or grammar error in business writing – brochures, website copy, blog posts, press releases, newsletters, etc. – wreak havoc on your company's image.
In fact, studies consistently show that when choosing between two companies, customers prefer the one with clear and error-free written communication.
We hope you enjoyed today's blog. If you're interested in having Edit This handle your company's content writing and editing needs, give us a call today! We can write content from scratch or spruce up what you've already written. When it comes to grammar, everyone could use an extra set of eyes.
*STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This, a writing and editing services company located in Denton, TX. Steve also wrote the new book, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion for the Written Word. He handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.
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