The Problem is (is) and other Common Mistakes in English

I’ll admit, English is not the easiest language to master. Take this sentence:

Because there’s no time like the present, Megan decides to present her present to Meredith.

WTF

Below are a few common mistakes made in the English language.

Is-Is


Irregardless


The misuse of apostrophes (‘)


In fairness, who could perfect this crazy language?

When the English tongue we speak,
Why is break not rhymed with freak?
Will you tell me why it’s true
We say sew but likewise few?
And the maker of the verse,
Cannot rhyme his horse with worse?
Beard is not the same as heard
Cord is different from word.
Cow is cow but low is low
Shoe is never rhymed with foe.
Think of hose, dose, and lose
And think of goose and yet with choose
Think of comb, tomb and bomb,
Doll and roll or home and some.
Since pay is rhymed with say
Why not paid with said I pray?
Think of blood, food and good.
Mould is not pronounced like could.
Wherefore done, but gone and lone -
Is there any reason known?
To sum up all, it seems to me
Sound and letters don’t agree.

- Lord Cromer, published in the Spectator on August 9th, 1902

About Tom O'Leary

I am a vegetarian VP of sales and marketing and brand ambassador for GroupMail, the award-winning email marketing software that is loved by awesome people in over 160 countries around the world. I <3 canoeing, kayaking, hiking, beach combing, going on road trips and planning the (wildly anticipated) annual All-Night-Stay-Up-Night with my daughters!
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