If you are American, or if you use some sort of electronic payment system, you may never have to worry about “cheque”. But it’s still good for you to know in case you see it in someone else’s writing.
Monday Muddle: cheque, check
Tag: #MonMud
Monday Muddle: ladder, latter
If someone asks if you want to take the stairs or the elevator, saying you’ll take the ladder will probably confuse them.
The term “ladder” can also be used metaphorically–to climb the corporate ladder or the ladder to success, for example. Whereas a physical ladder allows one to climb up and down, most people don’t want to go down a metaphorical ladder.
Monday Muddle: rap, wrap
Both these words can also be used as verbs and adjectives.
If you take the rap, you take the blame or the responsibility for an undesired, possibly illegal, activity. If you beat the rap, that undesired activity still happened, but you didn’t have any consequences from it.
To get a bad rap means to get punishment or consequences that you didn’t deserve. To get a bad wrap probably means that your tortilla was filled with things that were not to your liking.
Bubble wrap is a protective packing material made of plastic with air sealed into it in small compartments.
Bubble rap might be a new version of rap music, or possibly having a casual conversation through soap bubbles. Neither has made it to mainstream popularity levels yet, so I’m just speculating.
Monday Muddle: discreet, discrete
The trick I use to remember whether to use discreet or discrete is based on the placement of the Es. In discreet, which is used for keeping things quiet, the two Es are close together as if they are whispering in each other’s ears telling a secret. In discrete, which is used for things that are separate, the two Es are separated by a T. Let me know if that also helps you remember which is which.
Monday Muddle: tenet, tenant
Monday Muddle: feat, feet
The expression “no small feat” is used to point out a big accomplishment. The expression “no small feet” is used to point out big feet.
Monday Muddle: meringue, merengue, méringue
Monday Muddle: forward, foreword
The meaning of forward can change depending on the context and the part of speech, but a foreword is only one thing. Memory trick: A foreword is the WORD that comes beFORE.
Monday Muddle: when, whenever, when ever
“When” should be used if you are referring to a specific time.
“Whenever” should be used if the time is less specific or repetitive.
“When ever” should only be written as two words if the meaning is “when, if ever”.
Example: When ever will you answer your email?
Monday Muddle: viola, voilà
“Voilà is used in English to call attention to something, or to present some kind of accomplishment. For example, if you worked all day to plant a beautiful garden, you might present it to the rest of your family with a sweeping arm gesture and an enthusiastic “voilà!” “Viola” clearly doesn’t make sense in this context, but at least senseless violas are better than senseless violins.
“Voilà” is also frequently misspelled in ways that don’t confuse it with another word (but do indicate a mispronunciation). I’ve seen it as wala, wa-lah, wah-lah, and similar variations. Still spelled wrong, but perhaps not as confusing. If you have trouble remembering how to spell “voilà”, remember that it Very Often Isn’t Lettered Accurately.
