Is it Tuesday already? Uh-oh ...
Did someone lose some loose horses? photo by Marti Carlson

Is it Tuesday already? Uh-oh ...

Which annoys you more – the mixing up of lose vs. loose, or affect vs. effect? Or does it even bother you at all, never occurred to you to wonder about it?

For me, reading lose where it should be loose, and vice versa is exasperating. Where affect/effect sound somewhat alike, it’s not the case with lose/loose.

(How funny. Grammarly wants me to "correct [my] spelling" of loose to lose. Even Grammarly can get confused!)

They don’t sound the same when you read them in your head, let alone said out loud. So why is this mistake so common?

Proofing is part of the writing process. And part of proofing is reading your copy aloud. Print it out and read it, starting at the bottom, and work your way up.

This is to get your brain to look at what you’ve written in a fresh way. It’s spent a goodly amount of time writing this wonderful piece, and it’s practically memorized by now. So reading it from beginning to end is just running on the same track, making a rut. But going backward, your remarkable brain may find things it missed the 5th or 19th time through.

But that doesn’t answer the question of why the words are confused in the first place. And frankly, I don’t know the answer to that.

Just For Fun

November 8 is Tongue Twister Day. I’m going with “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Because I recently picked over a pound each of jalape?os and green chiles that I grew, with more to harvest. And yes, I’m going to pickle some of those jalape?os!

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next week.


Crystal Burton

Personal Development Blog Copywriter | AWAI Trained | I help others analyze complex, frequently evolving situations and teach strategies to adapt to the changes while determining and navigating their ideal solution

1 年

They say you shouldn't proof your own writing. But, you should ALWAYS read it out loud! You're bound to miss mistakes, though, when you proof your own work. It is always a better idea to have a friend or family member to look it over.

Crystal Burton

Personal Development Blog Copywriter | AWAI Trained | I help others analyze complex, frequently evolving situations and teach strategies to adapt to the changes while determining and navigating their ideal solution

1 年

You wrote "goodly" amount of time instead of godly. Was that on purpose?

Patti Hermes

Copywriter & Storyteller Specializing in Spiritual and Witchcraft Practitioners: Creating Magical Newsletters, Enchanting Blogs, and Spellbinding Email Marketing Strategies to Elevate Your Brand and Grow Your Community

1 年

I'm with you, can't stand when people use lose in place of loose. But as you saw Grammarly wanted to correct it, so also do autocorrectors on phones, and in other places. So often it gets "corrected" even when you've already spelled it correctly in the first place. ??

Allyson S.

Are you looking for loyal customers and pleased clients who keep coming back for more of your offerings? Let me cheer for you with stories that sell. Message me now to start our conversation: 225-390-3175

1 年

I envy your harvest! Those peppers make me think of "yummy goodness" treats with gooey melted cheese. Well, did that affect you? I don't know about you, but my mouth is watering. ????? {no green chili or jalapeno peppers in the emojis... but we know who to ask.} Thanks for some levity.

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