As a frequent critiquer and avid reader, I often find that an author used one word when he should have used a different, though similar, one. Some of the more common such errors are discussed below:
• Lie vs. Lay
The forms of “to lie” are lie, lay, and lain. The forms of “to lay” are lay, laid, and laid.
This is probably the most common such error I encounter in drafts that I critique, as well as published works. Sentences may read something like the following: “Mary laid on the floor.” Or “Joe was laying on the bed.” Both are incorrect.
“Lie” means to take a horizontal position on a flat surface. “Lay” means to place something down. Adding to the confusion is the fact that “lay” is the past tense of “to lie.” The above sentences should have read: “Mary lay on the floor.” And “Joe was lying on the bed.” A correct use of “to lay” would be: “Tom laid the hammer on the workbench.”
A handy way to determine which is correct is to remember that “lay” is always a transitive verb, i.e., takes a direct object, unless the subject is a hen, but “lie” is always intransitive.
• I vs. Me (when joined by “and” with another noun or pronoun)
When I was in school decades ago, fellow students would say something like: “Me and my dad went to the football game Friday night.” Teachers and, sometimes, parents made a point to correct the error by saying: “My dad and I…”
In my opinion, because of the overemphasis on this type of correction, many people now use “I” when combined with a noun or pronoun, regardless of its function in the sentence. The above correction was right because “I” was part of a compound subject of the sentence, i.e., nominative case. However, “me” is correct when used as a direct object or the object of a preposition. “Dad took my brother and me to the game.” Or “Mom bought gifts for my sister and me.”
If you are uncertain whether I or me is correct, use one of the following quick and easy techniques. Either:
(1) Drop the other word(s) joined by “and” then see whether “I” or “me” makes sense. “Dad took I to the game” just seems wrong, because it is; or
(2) Substitute “we” (nominative) or “us” (objective) and see which makes sense. “Us” went to the football game” makes no sense, but “we” fits, so the nominative singular “I” is correct.
• Less vs. Fewer
Less is used when an amount is measured. Fewer is used when a number of things can be counted.
Consider the following sentence: “There was less traffic on the roads, less pedestrians on the sidewalks, and less tourists asking for help.” “Less” is correct only as to the first item. The other two should use “fewer.”
• Jive vs. jibe
This error is less common than the others above, but in my experience, writers almost always choose “jive,” as in the following example: “His story just doesn’t jive with the facts.”
“Jive” refers either to swing music or glib, deceptive, or foolish talk. The word the writer wanted was “jibe,” which means to agree or be in accord.
Avoidance of such errors will help writers present cleaner manuscripts, which will help them make more favorable impressions on contest judges, as well as editors and publishers.
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