Don Cram

I have been a teacher of one sort or another for over fifty years. I am highly educated, having done thirteen years in primary and secondary schools followed by four years of undergraduate work at university and six years of post-graduate work. This does not make me better than anyone else. But when educated people hear you say any of the following three words, which are actually not real words, they think you are uneducated. The word “ignorant” may also come to mind. Maybe that doesn’t matter to you. Fine. It may matter to the person doing your next job interview.

irregardless

sherbert

and the worst,

supposably

If any of those look correct to you, read more and get a book on the Most Misspelled Words. Please.

Thank you.

The Q-problems first. Just some tips.

It’s quandary not quandry.
It’s quadriplegic not quadraplegic.
It’s quadruped not quadriped.

And there are many P problems.

A Pyrrhic victory is not an empty one. It is a victory that has come at a huge cost.

Proved is the correct past tense form, but proven is used when an adjective.

Protagonist and antagonist are not opposites. Protagonist is the first character, the one who drives the story. It comes from Greek “Protos” and “Agonistes.” Of antagonists, there can be many. It comes from the Greek “antagonidzo,” to struggle against.

Please. Prophecy is a noun, and prophesy is a verb.

And prodigal means profligate and wasteful not wandering or disobedient.

Why use “preventative” when “preventive” means precisely the same thing and is shorter. Think of all the ink you’ll save over a life time.

Premier is an official of the government; premiere is a debut.

Pour means a flow; pore means to read carefully.

“Over the next short period of time” is gobbledygook that means “I’m not saying when, but I want you to think it will be soon.”

To parley means to join in conference; to parlay means to trade one gain for another.

If ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which you will not put, then it is time to learn the truth about this “rule.” In the mid-1700’s Robert Lowth, Bishop of London, promulgated this “rule” in his “Short Introduction to English Grammar” which was full of crazy ideas like this. He was broadly attempting to make English follow more closely the grammar of Latin. Didn’t work then; doesn’t work now.