Common_Errors_in_English_usage

interesting couple"; but normally "the" is not used before "both," as in
"both of them have purple hair."
THEIRSELVES/THEMSELVES
There is no such word as "theirselves" (and you certainly can't spell it
"theirselfs" or "thierselves"); it's "themselves." And there is no
correct singular form of this non­word; instead of "theirself" use
"himself" or "herself."
THEM/THOSE
One use of "them" for "those" has become a standard catch phrase: "how
do you like them apples?" This is deliberate dialectical humor. But "I
like them little canapes with the shrimp on top" is gauche; say instead
"I like those little canapes."
THEORY
In ordinary speech, a theory is just a speculation. The police inspector
in a Miss Marple mystery always has a theory about who committed the
murder which turns out to be wrong.
But in science the word "theory" plays a very different role. What most
of us call "theories" are termed "hypotheses" until enough evidence has
been accumulated to validate them and allow them to assume the status of
theories: scientifically acceptable explanations of phenomena. Examples:
the theory of gravity, the wave theory of light, chaos theory.
Foes of evolutionary science often insist that the theory of evolution
is invalid because it is "only a theory." This merely demonstrates their
lack of knowledge of scientific usage and hence will not impress any
scientifically literate person.
THEREFOR/THEREFORE
The form without a final "E" is an archaic bit of legal terminology
meaning "for." The word most people want is "therefore."
THERE'S
People often forget that "there's" is a contraction of "there is" and
mistakenly say "there's three burrs caught in your hair" when they mean
"there're" ("there are"). Use "there's" only when referring to one item.
Remember if you don't contract "there is" that it also can only be used
with something singular following. It's not "There is many mistakes in
this paper" but "there are many mistakes in this paper."
See also "THERE'S."
THESE ARE THEM/THESE ARE THEY
Although only the pickiest listeners will cringe when you say "these are