In the past, I’ve written many posts about commonly confused English words. However, I’ve generally shied away from discussing English phrases. This is mainly because English phrases tend to be more colloquial, and that style of writing is discouraged in a scientific context. However, if you’re writing an email (and for many, that’s the majority of their business communication), these phrases are fair game. Particularly in a professional context, minor tweaks in your language can help convey that you understand the phrase you’re saying and use it purposefully. As a result, this post will be devoted to several common phrases that even native speakers often use incorrectly in writing.
For the sake of clarity, correct spellings will be in green and incorrect spellings will be in red.
For All Intents and Purposes vs. For All Intensive Purposes
Like all the entries on this list, this is one of those phrases that you’ll probably hear said more often than you’ll see written, which is why it’s so easy to write the wrong way. But correct usage or no, it’s a little difficult to parse the meaning of the phrase. That’s probably because it comes from 16 th -century legal jargon. Initially, it was written ‘to all intents, constructions, and purposes,’ but was later shortened to for all intents and purposes.
When you write this phrase, what you are saying is ‘in every practical sense.’ It’s just what lawyers do to list every applicable word to cover every possible nuance of a situation. So when using this phrase, remember that you are talking about every intent and every purpose.
Example:
Most year-to-year editions of textbooks are, for all intents and purposes, reissues at an inflated price
One and the Same vs. One in the Same
To explain the correct usage of one and the same, it’s helpful to start by going over the meaning. It turns out, the whole ‘one and’ part is just emphasis. The phrase simply means the same. But why use ‘one and’ instead of ‘one in’?
You see, when you say one and the same, you’re essentially saying the same thing twice in list form for greater impact. These two things are like one, and these two things are the same. This all gets shortened to one and the same. You don’t say ‘one in’ because that implies a different relationship between the two halves of the phrase.
Example:
The pain-relief drug Tylenol and pharmacy-brand acetaminophen are, in fact, one and the same.
I Couldn’t Care Less vs. I Could Care Less
When you say I couldn’t care less, you are using the abbreviated form of ‘I could not care less’. Phrased differently, this means ‘it would not be possible for me to care less than I do’, which is to say ‘I do not care at all’.
Throughout years of repetition and maybe some lazy pronunciation, people sometimes began leaving the n’t off of couldn’t. Unfortunately, this dropped syllable makes the phrase mean the exact opposite of what is intended. I could care less means ‘I do care’. So whenever you use this phrase, make sure to remember that you don’t care.
Example:
I couldn’t care less whether I’m taking Tylenol or generic acetaminophen so long as it gets rid of my headache.
Supposedly vs. Supposably
This one is a massive pet-peeve to English sticklers everywhere. The difference between these two is quite simple. Supposedly (with the -EDLY ending) means ‘according to what is said, claimed, or believed’, and supposably (with the -ABLY ending) is not an English word and doesn’t mean anything at all. Ok, I’ll go into more detail.
Supposedly is the adverb form of the adjective supposed. The ‘-ly’ suffix at the end just tells you that this word now modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Supposab doesn’t mean anything by itself.
The confusion comes from other adverbs like agreeably, which itself is derived from the adjective agreeable. The ‘-ably’ is already part of the original adjective, which is already a combination of the verb ‘agree’ and the suffix ‘-able’.
Example:
Tylenol is supposedly higher quality than generic acetaminophen, causing it to be absorbed into the body faster.
By and Large vs. Buy in Large
You know how sometimes you’ll go years singing the wrong lyrics to a song – even if they’re nonsensical – because you misheard it the first time? That’s what happens with this phrase all the time. By and large is used to mean ‘on the whole’ or ‘for the most part’. How do these all mean the same thing? Surprise! It’s another outdated phrase from the 16th century!
Strangely enough, by and large is derived from sailing terms. ‘Full and by’ refers to the sail position when sailing in the direction of the wind. ‘Large’, on the other hand, refers to the sail position taken when the boat is sailing as directly against the wind as possible. Today’s usage is most accurately described as a figurative language to the effect of ‘whatever way you look at it’.
Example:
Though it has been by and large eradicated, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria have never stopped polio transmission.
To learn more about navigating the pitfalls of written English, contact me.