Choosing the correct word is important in written and spoken language. Often, it’s the little homophones that get us into trouble. After all, to the mind’s ear, “you’re” and “your” are identical (there/their/they’re and its/it’s are other common mix-ups). Just train your eye to be more observant that your ear in these situations.
I have a long list of usage pet peeves, and the list gets longer each day. I’m showing below some of the more common (or current) mixed-up terms; some are homophone errors and others are simply the wrong terms for the situation. If you use these in speech or writing, be sure you know when to use each. I’m linking to “Common Errors in English Usage” by Paul Brians, a resource I consult frequently:
Affect / Effect
Comprised / Composed of
Continual / Continuous (and be careful with “Constant”)
Imply / Infer
I’m hearing folks say “laxadaisical” (a made-up term) when they mean “lackadaisical” –– they’re a little too lax in their approach, methinks.
Be careful in choosing “wave” or “waive;” “peak” or “peek” or pique;” “rein” or “reign.”
We could spend hours, maybe over cocktails, discussing our favorite linguistic missteps.
Taking us back to the title of this post, “for all intensive porpoises” is a major overhaul of “for all intents and purposes,” a trite, redundant phrase you should avoid. But everything is better when a porpoise is involved, especially an intensive one ;-)