How to Avoid Making Common Errors in Word Usage

English can be a confusing language. Here is a list of words that cause many people problems. If you find any here that you have had problems with, consider writing a reminder of the correct usage on a sticky note and posting it near your computer. With a little time and practice and luck, the correct usage will become second nature, and you can throw the reminders away.

For my examples, I will use an American Idol theme, for no particular reason other than that I just finished watching the show.

Affect and Effect

The difference between these words is very confusing in part because either one can be a noun or a verb.

These are examples of correct usage:

1. Use affect as a verb meaning to influence: Getting drunk affected her ability to function as a judge.

2. Use effect as a noun meaning result: The effect of her drinking was to slow down her speech.

Those are the most common correct usages. Affect can also be used as a noun meaning emotion, but you probably won't come across that usage outside of a Psychology class. Effect can be used as a verb meaning to bring about, but that also is an unusual usage. These unusual usages complicate the issue.

Rule of thumb: Use affect when you want a verb, and use effect when you want a noun. A handy acronym to help remember this is VANE, which stands for Verb Affect, Noun Effect.

Imply and Infer

Imply means to indicate something by saying it indirectly. Infer means to draw a conclusion from something that was said.

Examples: Simon implied that America would not vote for her. The poor singer inferred that Simon wanted her to lose.

Rule of thumb: The person speaking or writing implies; the person listening or reading infers. The giver implies; the taker infers.

Raise and Rise

The meaning of these words is similar, but raise is a transitive verb and rise is an intransitive verb. That means that raise must have an object, and that rise cannot have an object. An object of raise answers the question "What was raised?"

Examples: Seacrest raised his hand and asked to be excused. ("his hand" is the object of "raised.") When her name was called, she rose from her seat and walked to the center of the stage. ("rose" has no object -- "she rose" is complete by itself.)

Rule of thumb: Rise stands alone. Raise must have an object.

Lie and Lay

"Lie" has two meanings. The first is to tell something that is not true, and the second is to be or to move into a horizontal position. The first meaning doesn't cause any confusion, but the second one does because it is so similar to the meaning of "lay," which is to put something into a horizontal position.

The difference, as with raise and rise above, is in whether the word is used as a transitive or an intransitive verb. Lie is intransitive and cannot take an object. Lay is transitive and must have an object.

To make things even more confusing, the past tense of lie is the same as the present tense of lay.

Here are some examples of correct usage:

Paula lies on the judging table. (Present tense of lie, no object.)

Paula lay on the judging table last night. (Past tense of lie, no object.)

Paula has lain on the judging table more often than anyone else. (Present perfect tense of lie, no object.)

Paula lays down the law. (Present tense of lay, object is "the law.")

Paula laid down the law. (Past tense of lay.)

Paula has laid down the law. (Present perfect tense of lay.)

Rule of thumb:

Use lie/lay/lain (where the first is present tense, the second past, and the third present perfect) to mean to recline. Use lay/laid/laid, with an object, to mean put or place (something) down.

If you have trouble with any of these words, take consolation in the fact that you are hardly alone. These words trip up a lot of people. And if you do master them, you are sure to dazzle your teachers, your editors, and eccentric threesomes sitting behind a table drinking large cups of Pepsi. Go for it, Dawg!