Does "your" instead of "you're" drive anyone else nuts?

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...or do I just have PMS?

Specializes in Oncology, Medical-Surgical.

YES!

Our Nurse Educator spelled the word VIAL, V-I-L-E.

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Speaking of work, it's Press-Ganey. Not Press-Gainey.

And HIPAA , not HIPPA.

Thank goodness JCAHO changed to TJC.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
YES!

Our Nurse Educator spelled the word VIAL, V-I-L-E.

She's probably had one of those vile vials break in her hand. Happened to me once. Glass all over the med room, what a mess.

I knew one doctor who couldn't spell "agitation" for the life of him. He always put an extra "g" in there. It made me wonder what else the docs were trying to cover up with their sloppy handwriting. ;)

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She's probably had one of those vile vials break in her hand. Happened to me once. Glass all over the med room, what a mess.

I knew one doctor who couldn't spell "agitation" for the life of him. He always put an extra "g" in there. It made me wonder what else the docs were trying to cover up with their sloppy handwriting. ;)

I work with a nurse who writes it the same way "aggitation". But if I had to go to the ER or I was in labor, I would want her. She is extremely knowledgeable. A superior nurse.

steph

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Although I am guilty of probably most of these, given the nature of the thread I thought y'all might enjoy.

32 most common misused words and phrases.

1. Accept/Except- Although these two words sound alike (they're homophones), they have two completely different meanings. "Accept" means to willingly receive something (accept a present.) "Except" means to exclude something (I'll take all of the books except the one with the red cover.)

2. Affect/Effect- The way you "affect" someone can have an "effect" on them. "Affect" is usually a verb and "Effect" is a noun.

3. Alright- If you use "alright," go to the chalkboard and write "Alright is not a word" 100 times.

4. Capital/Capitol- "Capitol" generally refers to an official building. "Capital" can mean the city which serves as a seat of government or money or property owned by a company. "Capital" can also mean "punishable by death."

5. Complement/Compliment- I often must compliment my wife on how her love for cooking perfectly complements my love for grocery shopping.

6. Comprise/Compose- The article I'm composing comprises 32 parts.

7. Could Of- Of the 32 mistakes on this list, this is the one that bothers me most. It's "could have" not "could of." When you hear people talking, they're saying "could've." Got it?

8. Desert/Dessert- A desert is a hot, dry patch of sand. Dessert, on the other hand, is the sweet, fatty substance you eat at the end of your meal.

9. Discreet/Discrete- We can break people into two discrete (separate) groups, the discreet (secretive) and indiscreet.

10. Emigrate/Immigrate- If I leave this country to move to Europe, the leaving is emigrating and the arriving is immigrating.

11. Elicit/Illicit- Some people post illicit things on message boards to elicit outrageous reactions from others.

12. Farther/Further- Farther is used for physical distance, where as further means to a greater degree.

13. Fewer/Less- Use fewer when referring to something that can be counted one-by-one. Use less when it's something that doesn't lend itself to a simple numeric amount.

14. Flair/Flare- A flair is a talent, while a flare is a burst (of anger, fire, etc.)

15. i.e/e.g- I.e. is used to say "in other words." E.g. is used in place of "for example."

16. Inflammable- Don't let the prefix confuse you, if something is inflammable it can catch on fire.

17. It's/Its- It's= it is. Its=a possessive pronoun meaning of it or belonging to. Whatever you do, please don't use its'.

18. Imply/Infer- A reader infers what an author implies. In other words, when you imply something, you hint at it. When you infer something, you draw a conclusion based on clues.

19. Literally- If you say "His head literally exploded because he was so mad!" then we should see brains splattered on the ceiling.

20. Lose/Loose- If your pants are too loose you may lose them. That would be almost as embarrassing as misusing these two words.

21. Moral/Morale- Morals are something you want to teach your kids. If your team's morale is low, you need to do something to boost their confidence.

22. Percent/Percentage- The word "percent" should only be used when a specific number is given. "Percentage" is more of a general term.

23. Stationary/Stationery- You are stationary when you aren't moving. Stationery is something you write on.

24. Then/Than- "Then" is another word for "after." Incidentally, the word "then" makes for boring writing. "Than" is a comparative word (e.g. I am smarter than you).

25. There/Their/They're- There are few things as frustrating as when I look at my students' writing and they're misusing these words in their writing.

26. Unique- Something can't be "kind of unique" or even "very unique." It's either one-of-a-kind or it isn't. There is no in between when it comes to unique.

27. Your/You're- If I had a nickel for every time I saw this one... yeah, you know the rest. "Your" shows ownership and you're is a contraction meaning "you are." Get it right.

28. To/Too/Two- Two is a number. "To" is used in instances such as, "I am going to the store." If you are supposed to use the word "too," try inserting the word "extra" or "also." If one of those fits, you need to also add the extra "o" to make "too."

29. Lie/Lay- After you lay the books on the table, go lie down on the couch.

30. Sit/Set- Set your drink on the table and sit in your chair. Got it?

31. Whose/Who's- Whose is the possessive form of who. Who's is a contraction meaning "who is."

32. Allude/Elude- When someone alludes to something in conversation (indirectly references), if you aren't paying attention the meaning may elude you (escape you).

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Specializes in Psych and Substance Abuse.

Finally! Someone else that can't stand this either! It drives me crazy. I can't believe how many well educated people continually make this mistake.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Yes, it (and other grammatical mix-ups) drives me nuts too. But unless it's on something critical, I try to let it go.

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Aggitation just means EXTREMELY agitated *winks*. Most of the time however it is spelled doesn't bother me as long as I can understand the meaning, those that are unclear are the most irritating. For instance I would have to stop and think on reading of a patient's "seazur" if I didn't know the patient. The "vile" would give a pause. The capital letter "shout" makes the words just run together.

leeenterance.th.jpg

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
20. Lose/Loose- If your pants are too loose you may lose them. That would be almost as embarrassing as misusing these two words.

During our school orientation, our DON confused those two words and told everyone to write on their skills book "Do not loose this!"

What's worse: more than half the class actually wrote it just like that.

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Specializes in ICU.

Yes, yes, and yes! I am a nut for proper speaking and writing, though. One of my biggest pet peeves is the use of double negatives : "I ain't got no money." AHHHH!!! It makes me want to pull my hair out! :chuckle

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

The misuse of principal and principle gets on my nerves also.

Easy way to remember: the princiPAL is your PAL at school.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
The misuse of principal and principle gets on my nerves also.

Easy way to remember: the princiPAL is your PAL at school.

What school did you go to? :stone :p j/k

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