Alot vs. A lot: 9 Language Crimes to Watch Out For

Dictionary.com ^ | 24 October 2013 | Dictionary.com

[COBOL2Java]

Irregardless

Irregardless is considered nonstandard because of the two negative elements, ir- and -less. Irregardless first appeared in the early 20th century and was perhaps popularized by its use in a comic radio program from the 1930s. Use regardless to keep your grammar-loving friends at bay.

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Thusly

Because both thus and thusly are adverbs, language aficionados find thusly unnecessary. The Chicago Manual of Style discourages the use of thusly altogether. For copyeditors, spotting the word thusly has a cringe-inducing effect similar to hearing fingernails on a chalkboard.

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Everyday

Be careful when using everyday. As one word it's adjectival; spelled out as two words, every day is adverbial. If you remember to do your everyday chores every day, your grammar-savvy roommates will appreciate you.

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Anyways

While it's commonly used in speech and writing, anyways is nonstandard. Always drop the "s" and opt for the standard anyway to impress the language fanatics in your social networks. In a world of 140-letter tweets, that one saved character is valuable real estate.

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Literally

The Internet is literally full of critics of the figurative use of literally. While employing this metaphorical usage might make many casual language lovers' ears bleed, descriptivist lexicographers will hail you as a language innovator. Our advice: be self-aware. Know that if you use literally figuratively, it will sound horrible to some, and perfectly acceptable to others.

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Alot

Alot is a frequent misspelling of a lot. As many middle school English teachers constantly remind their students, "A lot is a lot of words." So make your old English teacher proud.

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Alright

As an informal variant of all right, alright is perfectly acceptable. The popular song and album "The Kids Are Alright" by The Who is evidence of general acceptance of alright. However, note that the creators of the 2010 film The Kids are All Right couldn't bring themselves to use the informal variant even if the title was a clear nod to The Who.

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Fewer

Confusion of the terms fewer and less will set off alarms in the heads of language enthusiasts. Fewer is only to be used when discussing countable things, while less is generally used for singular mass nouns. For example, you can have less salt, money, honesty, or love, but fewer ingredients, dollars, people, or puppies.

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Hopefully

Self-described language buffs might explode with untamed rage if they hear hopefully used as a sentence modifier as in "Hopefully, it won't rain tomorrow." However, since the 1930s, this sense has been folded into acceptable usage. That said, it's important to understand the extreme reaction you might provoke if you use this common sentence starter. If someone gives you guff, just refer them to Dictionary.com's excellent usage note at hopefully. Crisis averted.

[a fool in paradise]

I've already lost the argument...

[Pajamajan]

Grammar police BUMP.

[COBOL2Java]

Well...I understand how you feel, but there are writers for whom these things are important.

Speaking of which, next month starts "National Novel Writing Month" or NanoWrimo for short. See nanowrimo.org.

[Seven_0]

Some of these words when used rightly sound wrongly.

[a fool in paradise]

Because of the shutnado, vulnerables will have fewer moneys to go around this quarter.

[dead]

An event can’t be called ‘annual’ until it occurs a second time, one year after the inaugural event.

Like World War One wasn't properly named until World War Two came along.

[a fool in paradise]

Anyways
While it's commonly used in speech and writing, anyways is nonstandard. Always drop the "s" and opt for the standard anyway to impress the language fanatics in your social networks. In a world of 140-letter tweets, that one saved character is valuable real estate.

Alot
Alot is a frequent misspelling of a lot. As many middle school English teachers constantly remind their students, "A lot is a lot of words." So make your old English teacher proud.

Promptly squandering the saved character. Hrumph.

[stormhill]

That depends; y'all is singular. The plural form equivalent to youse is all y'all.

Foithemore, in Jersey the correct grammatical form is youse guys

[dfwgator]

Hopefully, irregardless of what this article says, anyways everyday I will continue to use these words alot.

[proxy_user]

It was much simpler when ‘you’ was the plural, and ‘thou’ ws the singular. They used to have a dual form, too, which would be ‘yit’ in modern English if it still existed.

[sauropod]

.

[Mears]

If you’re an editor I hope you put the kibosh on the use of “3:00 A.M. in the morning”.

Drives me nuts and I hear it all the time.

.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

“Also, the overuse of “impacted” has replaced good old “affected.”

It’s for the effect.

[Colonel_Flagg]

My own pet peeve is “email” instead of the grammatically correct “e-mail”, which uses the hyphen to explain the type of mail. However, the other usage has unfortunately become acceptable.

Then there is the use of the word “careen” to discuss a fast-moving object when “career” is the proper word. Again, though, common usage now accepts both terms.

[proxy_user]

Well, when’s its 3 P.M. in the morning, you’re really running late!

[matginzac]

One pet peeve:
“Eat Local”
(Adverbs are your friends)

[BuckeyeTexan]

Don’t even get me started!

They’re, their, there
your, you’re
our, are
could’ve, could of
who, whom

neither goes with nor
not only goes with but also

it is between you and ME not between you and I!

/rant

ain’t nobody got time for that! ;p

[JoeFromSidney]

Speaking of which, next month starts "National Novel Writing Month" or NanoWrimo for short.

I might even try it. I have part of one written already.

[petro45acp]

All your grammer are belong to us.....

[Resolute Conservative]

Anyways

I prefer anyhoo...