In another blogpost, I discuss some commonly misused words. Here I want to cover some commonly misused phrases. I don’t care much for clichés and consistently urge their omission in professional work, and their use in fiction to be limited mostly to dialogue. Blame the character. In that spirit, I could say that everything below should be avoided anyway. But to use a cliché (ha-ha), if variety is the spice of life, then writers still need to know how to correctly say these:
- INCORRECT: If they don’t [buy into whatever], I don’t [buy into whatever]. CORRECT: If I don’t [buy into whatever], then they don’t [buy into whatever]. To say “if I don’t, they don’t” is usually referring to persuasion–or a threat. You need to sell me on this. If I’m not sold, then my board won’t be sold. It says my opinion holds sway with important people, so persuade me. To say “if they don’t, I don’t” is silly, if frequent. How can people who aren’t even there persuade the person who actually is there?
- INCORRECT: The exception that disproves the rule. CORRECT: The exception that proves the rule. The first phrase is a frequent misquote of the second, popular because it seems to makes more sense. “The exception that proves the rule” is supposed to mean that for there to be an exception, there must be a rule first. The exception [properly speaking] proves the existence of the rule. I know it doesn’t sound right. Yet to say something is the exception that disproves the rule is abusing the saying. Because it is a cliché and rule number one is don’t use clichés, it is better to skip and find another way of phrasing.
- INCORRECT: Should of, would of, could of. CORRECT: Should have, would have, could have. Because these words are frequently spoken as contractions (i.e. would’ve or could’ve) people type it as they hear it, thus misspelling. [One possibility is to say shoulda, coulda, woulda. But better is just to avoid.]
- INCORRECT: Tongue and cheek. CORRECT: Tongue-in-cheek. The idea is that the tongue is planted pushing against cheek, meaning ironic or saucy.
- INCORRECT: One in the same. CORRECT: One and the same. In other words, it makes no difference.
- INCORRECT: I could care less. CORRECT: I couldn’t care less. Some argue that both are legitimate. While it is true that some people mean the incorrect way in a very confined way, most people aren’t using it that way. They just don’t know better. If you are trying to tell someone that they or their problem is the last thing you care about, then use the phrase correctly. If there is something else you care about even less, don’t use the expression.
- INCORRECT: Case and point. CORRECT: Case in point. It means an example popping up to illustrate one’s point.
- INCORRECT: Make due. CORRECT: Make do. Make do with what you have.
- INCORRECT: Nip it in the butt. CORRECT: Nip it in the bud. Nip it before it blooms, at which point it may be too late. This could be said for writers who commit bad habits.
- INCORRECT: For all intensive purposes. CORRECT: For all intents and purposes. It’s a fancy way of saying “in effect” or “as you see”.
- INCORRECT: Tow the line. CORRECT: Toe the line. Toe the line comes from runners pressing their toes against the starting line and not over. It means don’t break the rules.
- INCORRECT: On accident. CORRECT: By accident. Something you didn’t mean to do.
- INCORRECT: Mind your peas and cues. CORRECT: Mind your p’s and q’s. A similar expression to toe the line, except the latter is more about rules and mind your p’s and q’s is more about minding manners.