Monday Muddle: collected, collective

collected: (adjective) gathered together, composed, self-controlledUsed in the expression “calm, cool and collected”. collective: (noun) a group with a common interest or objective; (adjective) done or shared by people as a groupNOT used in the expression “calm, cool and collected”.

Monday Muddle: bear, bare

bear: (noun) a large animal; (verb) to carry; to withstand; to support; to provide; to give birthPart of the expression “bear with me”. bare: (adjective) minimal; plain; uncovered; unclothed; (verb) to uncover; to remove clothingNOT part of the expression “bear with me”. It has always been my advice that if …

Monday Muddle: circumstances, circumcisions

If you saw my Facebook post on Friday, you will understand why I’m sharing this muddle. It’s a mistake you don’t want to make, and you especially don’t want to put it on a public sign. circumstances: (noun, plural) situation; conditions; factors affecting a situation or event circumcisions: (noun, plural) …

Monday Muddle: inconvenience, incontinence

inconvenience: (noun) a situation that causes trouble or difficulty; something that is not easily accessible or at a suitable time; something that doesn’t meet your needs incontinence: (noun) inability to control the release of urine or fecal matter from your body It may surprise you how often these two words …

Monday Muddle: duck, duct

duck: (noun) a type of waterbird; meat from that waterbird; a heavy cotton or linen fabric used to make sails and duck tape, now called duct tape unless referring specifically to the brand Duck Tape ® duct: (noun) an enclosed channel that allows the passage of a substanceFor example: heating …

Monday Muddle: you’re, your, yore

you’re: (subject pronoun + verb) contraction of you are

your: (possessive pronoun) shows that you own something;
it belongs to you

yore: (noun) a time long ago

The term yore is not commonly used anymore except in Christmas carols and some literary contexts. It is preceded by the preposition “of” and is used in expressions like days of yore or knights of yore.

Monday Muddle: I’ll, ill

Some people like to put apostrophes into words where they aren’t necessary, but others don’t want to be bothered with the extra keystroke. If you leave the apostrophe out of ill, it will look sickly. 🤪

I’ll: (subject pronoun + verb) contraction of I will

ill: (adjective) unwell, sick;
(adverb) badly, hardly;
(noun) harm, misfortune