"I could care less" and more goofs

[gypsumflower]

I thoroughly enjoy this topic. Improper spelling and grammar can interrupt the flow of a book. Some of these examples that have been shared show that word meanings have changed or are evolving over time. I love "piqued my interest", I think it's a beautiful expression; however, in a world where reading is odd, the media makes up new words, and we use about five descriptors a day (awesome, amazing, the worst, hilarious, and literally), you can see how "peaked" may make more sense to many people. I do find these errors pretty funny.

“It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.”
― George Orwell, 1984

[moderntimes]

I just saw another one: "waiting with baited breath" which is incorrect. It should be "bated" and that's a very common error.

[Nicole]

This is funny! Reminded me of a Forbes article I read months ago, but I couldn't find it anymore.

Someone please tell me why some people get confused with peek/peak/pique. Common mistake: peaked my interest

[moderntimes]

Why are people confused by that? Same reason they don't know the difference between "their" vs "there" vs "they're" -- too much TV and not enough reading.

Homonyms (words which are spelled differently but pronounced the same) cannot be detected upon hearing them. Only by reading does the difference arise.

[Nicole]

too much TV and not enough reading.

Funny but true! I'm glad I don't watch TV.

[moderntimes]

I watch my share of TV. I keep up on politics and other news, and I've got a big shelf of movie DVDs which I watch. Insofar as "regular" TV programs? Naw.

[bookowlie]

This is such an interesting topic. In indie books, I often come across homophones even when the writing is otherwise smooth and relatively error-free.

[moderntimes]

This specific grammatical error is, I firmly believe, caused by not enough reading.

[bookowlie]

One of the most common mistakes I see is the incorrect use of an apostrophe for the words "its". The possessive use of this word should NOT have an apostrophe.

Example:
I recognized the house by its front door. - correct
I recognized the house by it's front door. - incorrect

The only time an apostrophe should be used is for a contraction for "it is" or "it has."

[Nicole]

Definitely @bookowlie! Same with your/you're. The funniest I've seen yesterday: you'res or youre's (forgot where the apostrophe was actually placed) when the person wanted to say yours.

[moderntimes]

I see and hear this all the time: "preventative" where correct is "preventive".

[MsMartha]

One of the most common mistakes I see is the incorrect use of an apostrophe for the words "its". The possessive use of this word should NOT have an apostrophe.

Example:
I recognized the house by its front door. - correct
I recognized the house by it's front door. - incorrect

The only time an apostrophe should be used is for a contraction for "it is" or "it has."

Thanks for posting this--it's not only a common mistake, it is one I find very annoying.

[bookowlie]

One of the most common mistakes I see is the incorrect use of an apostrophe for the words "its". The possessive use of this word should NOT have an apostrophe.

Example:
I recognized the house by its front door. - correct
I recognized the house by it's front door. - incorrect

The only time an apostrophe should be used is for a contraction for "it is" or "it has."

Thanks for posting this--it's not only a common mistake, it is one I find very annoying.

I also find it annoying, although I see this error so often that I wonder if the vast majority of writers ever learned this exception to the possessive apostrophe.

[DATo]

I have done the its it's mistake before on numerous occasions. I KNOW what the proper spelling is but I keep doing it anyway for some reason probably because I am so excited to get what I want typed out and over with.

Which brings me to a little story about the word "excited".

When I was about 25 years old I bought my first house. It was on a very quite cul-de-sac and I spent a lot of time in the front yard gardening and taking care of the lawn etc. I got to know all the kids in the area quite well. They all would come over, the youngest ones early in the morning, the teen agers with their cars in the early evening.

Well one morning I was trimming the lawn and little Yvonne (7 years old) came by to show me her doll. As was my custom I put everything on hold to talk to her about it (which was probably why all the kids came over in the first place - I took them seriously). Anyway, in the course of the conversation Yvonne told me that she had a new boyfriend in school named Robert. I asked her if Robert was a nice boy and she replied, "Yes, but sometimes I have to bend his fingers backwards till he screams because he gets too excited." Yvonne could never figure out why I was laughing so hard that I had to sit on the curb wiping the tears from my eyes *LOL*. From the mouths of babes! *LOL*

[dakimmel]

One that I say all the time that drives my wife nuts is "anyways" - knowing full well the word is "anyway" with no "s" at the end. ?? "Towards/Toward" also...