3 More Types of Usage Errors

3 More Types of Usage Errors 3 More Types of Usage Errors 3 More Types of Usage Errors By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, a word has been misused or is ambiguous, affecting the clarity of the statement. Each example is followed by a discussion explaining the problem and a solution to it. 1. His follow-up comment only further inflamed their passions about his perceived sleight against the higher art. The error in this sentence is homophonic; a word that sounds like but is spelled differently from another word (and, more significantly, has a different meaning) has been used in its place. Sleight is a noun meaning â€Å"craftiness† or â€Å"skill†; it stems from a Norse word meaning â€Å"sly,† seldom seen except in the phrase â€Å"sleight of hand,† which refers to deception or an act of deception, usually in the concept of a magic trick. However, the writer is referring to a discourtesy, so the word intended is slight, which derives from an Old English word meaning â€Å"smooth†: â€Å"His follow-up comment only further inflamed their passions about his perceived slight against the higher art.† 2. This assessment should hone in on how decisions are made, how people collaborate, and how work is conducted. Here, the error is of substitution of a near-homophonic word. To hone is to sharpen or otherwise improve (as in developing a skill); to home in on is to focus on a target. The latter meaning is intended, so the latter word should be used: â€Å"This assessment should home in on how decisions are made, how people collaborate, and how work is conducted.† 3. This approach will help organizations gain operational efficiencies that lower costs and facilitate an increase in loan volume. In this case, an ambiguous word is used at a key juncture- lower can serve as either an adjective or as a verb, and it might be misread as the former when it functions as the latter here. For greater clarity, replace it with an unambiguous synonym: â€Å"This approach will help organizations gain operational efficiencies that decrease costs and facilitate an increase in loan volume.† You can read 3 more types of usage error here. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Usage Review category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcDriver License vs. Driver’s License8 Great Podcasts for Writers and Book Authors