Common Errors Ch. 05

Errors occur every day in the manner in which words are used. Let's talk about some of the most common.

COUNCIL / COUNSEL

The word,COUNCIL, is a noun and means a group of people that pass laws, ordinances or other laws or standards.She had to go before thecouncil for them to pass judgment on her orThecouncil will take up the wetlands provisions next week are two examples of how to use this word.

COUNSEL is a noun. It can mean a lawyer that offers advice or the advice itself. A few examples of how to use this word correctly are:Thecounsel asked to approach the bench orHiscounsel provided answers for her.

ACCEDE / EXCEED

ACCEDE is a verb and means to agree.I accede with your wishes is an example of how to use the word.

The word,EXCEED, is a verb and means to go beyond what the standard is for that particular situation. A few examples are:Her father told her not toexceed her limitor The cop told her that she could notexceed the speed limit.

ENQUIRE / INQUIRE

This is a good example of a word that has the same meaning with either spelling but one is more common in another country.ENQUIRE / INQUIRE is a verb and means to ask questions about or seek information concerning something.

In the United Kingdom and other U.K. holdings (past and present), the wordENQUIRE is more commonly used. In the United States, the wordINQUIRE is more commonly used.

LEAD / LED

LEAD is both a noun and a verb. In noun form, one of the many meanings of the wordLEAD is a metal that is silvery in color. As a verb, it rhymes with the word REED and means to give someone or a group specific direction.Moses was chosen by God tolead his people out of bondage is a good example of how to use the verb version of the word.

LED is a verb and is the past tense ofLEAD. A few examples are:Iled the horse to water orHe said that the people needed to beled.

DEFUSE / DIFFUSE

In its literal meaning,DEFUSE means to 'remove the fuse' or to remove whatever is present in a situation that could make or makes it volatile.DEFUSE is a verb and should be used as in this example:I told her to leave todefuse the situation.

DIFFUSE can be used as an adjective but its most common use is as a verb and means to disperse or spread something out.I turned on the fan todiffuse the smoke is a good example of proper usage of the verb version of this word. An example of adjective use would be:Hisdiffuse behavior left us wondering if he was on drugs.

PEAK / PEEK / PIQUE

All three of the words are pronounced the same and rhyme with LEAK. The wordPEAK means the highest point of something, either tangible or intangible. Some examples of the use of this word are:Thepeak of the mountain was covered with snow orHe reached hispeak and couldn't lose any more weight.

PEEK is a noun or a verb and means to take a quick look at someone or something.I took apeek at my Christmas present is an example of the correct usage of this word.

The word,PIQUE, is derived from the French language and means to stimulate. An example of the use of this word is:She wore the short skirt topique his interest.

VARY / VERY

Both of these words are pronounced alike and rhyme with the word, MARY.VARY, in this form, is a verb and means to change.Sources of where the items are orderedvary from week to weekis an example of this word.

VERY is an adverb or an adjective that describes the word the follows and adds a higher degree of the word. Some examples of this usage are:She isvery beautiful orHe isvery busy.

DUAL / DUEL

This is another set of words with common pronunciation and they rhyme with the word MULE. The word,DUAL, is an adjective and means having two things that are alike or similar.The character, Molly, is adual role in the movie is an example of how to correctly use the word.

ADUEL is a noun and can also be used as a verb and means to fight, usually with some specific ending in mind, sometimes death. It doesn't have to be a physical fight; it can be a competition as well.He challenged the stranger to aduel at sunriseorThe race was going to be aduel between Gordon and Jarrett.