| By Tara Shekouri |
Who versus whom
In a sentence, “who” represents the subject, whereas “whom” refers to the object.
Example: Who put the plates and bowls in the sink?
Example: To whom should I return this pencil?
2. Who’s versus whose
“Who’s” is a contraction of “who is” (meaning they can be used interchangeably), whereas “whose” is a possessive version of “who.”
Example: Who’s attending the gaming event this Friday?
Example: Whose headphones were left on the bench?
3. Its versus It’s
This one is particularly tricky, as “‘s” typically refers to something being possessive. However, in this instance, “its” is possessive and “it’s” is a contraction of “it is.”
Example: Its bold brush strokes caught my eye.
Example: It’s freezing outside today.
4. Affect versus effect
When referring to the act of changing (verb), you’d use “affect,” whereas “effect” refers to the change itself (noun).
Example: My dog’s passing affected me for a long time.
Example: Watching that motivational speech had a massive effect on my outlook.
5. To versus too
“To” often gets placed before a noun or verb to describe a destination, recipient, or act. However, “too” is used in the place of “as well” or “also,” though it can additionally be used to describe an adjective.
Example: I flew to California during the holidays.
Example: I enjoyed the cookie dough ice cream too.
6. Me versus I
“Me” should be used when you’re the object of a sentence, whereas “I” should be used when you’re the subject.
Example: She asked me to watch her belongings as she used the restroom.
Example: I informed my teacher about my dentist appointment.
7. Semicolons
Semicolons are most commonly used to divide independent clauses within a sentence. They are also used to split articles in a list that have punctuation of their own (typically commas).
Example: I’m going for a walk at the park; I want to get some fresh air.
Example: The bakery offers pastries including croissants and macarons; cakes such as lemon and red velvet; and breads including baguettes and rye.
8. Title capitalization
The first and last words are always capitalized, as well as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Example: The Impact of Screen Time on Sleep Schedules
9. Incomplete comparisons
All the things being compared should be mentioned when making a comparison.
Incorrect example: That blanket is way softer.
Correct example: That blanket is way softer than mine.
10. Em dash versus en dash versus hyphen
The em dash is used often to add emphasis to the tone in your writing when other punctuation like a comma doesn’t quite suffice. It can also be used to indicate an aside.
Example: He couldn’t believe her luck—he won the arcade game!
The en dash is used to indicate time and date changes. It can additionally be used to join complex compound adjectives when one of the elements is a multi-word noun or an open compound adjective, or when the two halves are hyphenated.
Example: The restaurant is open Monday–Friday.
The hyphen is used to link words together, typically to create a compound modifier. It can also be used to link two surnames.
Example: He was put on a two-year business contract.
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