The Ultimate Semi-Helpful Grammar Extravaganza Fun Fest

     I absolutely love grammar. Yes, nerdy, I know- I'm owning it. ;)
I posted on my twitter (@jadynsca) asking if anyone would be interested in a post with grammar tips, and there was an overwhelming amount of enthusiasm regarding such- so here I am!

This post could end up being pretty messy, but hopefully legible and helpful!

First off, we'll start with misused words. 

Effect vs. Affect: Simply, "effect" is a noun, and "affect" is a verb. For this one, you need to recognize the context and find out which one is correct.

     Example: One effect of listening to Enya is experiencing pure bliss. Fact. (Noun)
                     This heat is really affecting me. Seriously, it's hot out. AC please. (Verb)

Genius vs. Ingenious: This one is confusing, especially if you know the difference between "famous" and "infamous". No, "ingenious" is not referring to an evil scientist. "Ingenious" is used to describe something, therefore, it is an adjective. "Genius" is a noun, referring to someone of intellect.

     Example: Your idea would have been ingenious if we had escaped without fourteen collective broken limbs.
                     Wow, Johnny! You found out how to make non-melting ice cream! You're a genius!

Famous vs Infamous: Famous means someone who is well known, whereas infamous means someone who is well known as well, but for a bad reason.

     Example: Hi, I'm Poppy. Do you want to be famous?
                     Sure, everyone will know your name, but you'll be infamously known as the guy who eradicated manatees from the planet.

Ironic vs Coincidental: This one can be difficult to grasp; I see it used incorrectly all the time. Irony is when the exact opposite of what you would expect to happen happens. Coincidence is when something happens at the same time as another thing. I know, that was worded very badly- please refer to the examples.

     Example: The fire station burned down. So irony! Much wow!
                     She walked in just as you were talking about her! What a coincidence! (Also, "speak of the devil")

Terrific: You probably use "terrific" in the context of something being great or wonderful. However, look at the root of the word. Terror. "Terrific" means something of terror.

     Example: That nightmare was terrific! Danny DeVito was in it... *shivers*

Literally: People have used this word as a hyperbole for so long that it's used incorrectly in almost every circumstance. Unless you have a stab wound and you're losing blood quickly, you are not "literally dying" because Netflix took Hannah Montana off of Netflix (I know, it's terrible, but you're not literally dying). The opposite of "literally" is "figuratively".

     Example: *is suffering from a stab wound in a vital organ* I'm literally dying.

Lose vs Loose: I see this one misspelled often and it makes me cry at night. "Lose" is a verb meaning to not win. "Loose" is an adjective describing something that is not tight.

     Example: I think we're going to lose the game on Sunday. (Way to think positively, Steve.)
                     The cap on the apple juice was loose but I hadn't realized, so I shook it and now there is apple juice everywhere. Grand.

Now, onto frequently misspelled words and confusing homophones!

Separate vs Seperate: Separate is correct. The way I remember this is that there is "a rat" in separate. Not much relevance, but hey, it's worked since second grade.

A lot vs alot: A lot is correct. You're probably going to look this up and find "alot" in the dictionary and accuse me of libel, but "alot" has been added to many dictionaries purely because it's used so frequently. However, if you wish to be grammatically correct, which, you know, is the point of this post, go with "a lot".

Definitely vs Defiantly: This is usually just a typo, but boy does it drive me crazy. Both are words; "definitely" meaning something that is for sure, and "defiantly" meaning of rebellious nature. Be sure to double check your spellings and definitely don't be defiant towards this tip. ;)

     Example: She is definitely going to slip on that banana peel. Should I tell her? OH- oh... Too late.
                     He stood defiantly in front of the "do not touch" sign and gently poked it with his index finger.

There vs They're vs Their: I didn't want to have to do this, but I've seen it on professional forms, articles, even ads, and I can't handle it. So here we go. "There" is a preposition, meaning it gives something a position. "They're" is a contraction of the words "they" and "are". The apostrophe takes the "a"'s place. "Their" is a possessive term that gives an something an owner.

     Example: I think I saw a hard-boiled egg on that bench over there!
                     Do you think they're going to eat the egg?
                     Well, it is their egg.

Each other vs Eachother: Each other is correct. Very similar to "a lot" and "alot", this two word phrase has been incorrectly mashed into a single word.

Fiancée vs Fiancé: I know, right? I only discovered this one rather recently, but for those who like their grammar, hang with me here. Fiancée is a woman who is engaged to be married, and fiancé is a man who is engaged to be married.

     Example: Oh, that's Jimbob Joe! He's my fiancé.
                     That bombshell over there? Yeah, that's Claire de Lune, my fiancée. Back off, dude.

Stationary vs Stationery: Stationary is an adjective which means to not be moving. Stationery is cute paper! Yay!

     Example: That man over there has been stationary for five hours... Should we be worried?
                     I love writing on my new ~stationery~ with my ~bedazzled~ ~pen~.

Well, friends, that was a sufficiently long blog post and I didn't even cover half of what I would have liked to, but I'm tired and I know that most of you probably won't be able to get through this post without dying of grammar overload. If you made it, congrats! You have earned the "not as much of a jerk as you could have been" award. Zuko would be proud. 

Happy 2018!
Wishing you joy, courage, & hope,
Jadyn