Common_Errors_in_English_usage

capital, and in science fiction it drops the introductory article and
becomes "Earth," just like Mars and Venus. A similar pattern applies to
Earth's satellite: "shine on, harvest moon," but "from the Earth to the
Moon." Because other planets also have moons, it never loses its
article.
EASEDROP/EAVESDROP
The area under the eaves right next to the front of a building used to
be called the "eavesdrop," and somebody listening in secretively from
such a position came to be called an "eavesdropper." Unfortunately, so
few people distinctly pronounce the V in "eavesdrop" that many are
misled into misspelling it "easedrop."
ECOLOGY/ENVIRONMENT
"Ecology" is the study of living things in relationship to their
environment. The word can also be used to describe the totality of such
relationships; but it should not be substituted for "environment" in
statements like "improperly discarded lead batteries harm the ecology."
it's not the relationships that are being harmed, but nature itself: the
batteries are harming the environment.
ECONOMIC/ECONOMICAL
Something is economical if it saves you money; but if you're talking
about the effect of some measure on the world's economy, it's an
economic effect.
ECSTATIC
Pronounced "eck­sta­tic," not "ess­ta­tic."
ECT./ETC.
"Etc." is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase et cetera, meaning "and
the rest." ("Et" means "and" in French too.) Just say "et cetera" out
loud to yourself to remind yourself of the correct order of the "T" and
"C." Also to be avoided is the common mispronunciation "excetera." "And
etc." is a redundancy.
NEEDS ­ED/­ING
In some dialects it is common to say "my shoes need shined" instead of
the standard "my shoes need shining" or "my shoes need to be shined."
­ED/­T
You have learnt your lessons only in UK­influenced countries, you've
learned them in the US There are several common verbs which often have
"T" endings in Britain which seem a little quaint and poetic in American
English, where we prefer "­ED." Other examples: "dreamt/dreamed,"
"dwelt/dwelled," "leant/leaned," "leapt/leaped," and "spelt/spelled."
However, the following alternatives are both common in the US: