Common misconceptions:

• SAT Test
  • The word test adds redundancy, SAT stands for "Scholastic Aptitude Test"--you don't say "Scholastic Aptitude Test Test".
• ATM Machine
  • Same reasoning as above, ATM stands for "Automated Teller Machine".
• ?! VS !?
  • When you use "?!" it's a question being asked in an excited manner.
    • e.g., "Why are you yelling at me?!"
  • When using "!?" it's a statement in an excited manner.
    • e.g., "No way!? Congratulations!"
• i.e. VS e.g.
  • I.E., literally translates to "id est" = "that is"
  • E.G., literally translate to "exlempi gratia" = "for example"
• Could/Would/Should "OF"
  • It's not "of", it's "have". "Of" is a preposition and "have" is a verb. Think about it.
• When talking about someone and yourself, using "Person A and I" is always correct
  • Not necessarily true. You can say “My mom bought food for my friend and me.” In fact, if you had said “My mom bought food for my friend and I”, that would be incorrect. A trick to help you remember this is by covering “my friend” and reading outloud which sounds more correct. “My mom bought food for I”? Or “My mom bought food for me”? You choose. And please...choose wisely.
• Itch VS Scratch
  • It’s an “itch” and not a “scratch”. You don’t “itch” it, you “scratch” it.
• Lose VS Loose
  • Lose = to have lost, aka be without something
  • Loose = stretched out
• The phrase is "I couldn't care less" and not "I could care less".
  • Think hard about it...if you "could care less" that means you DO care. Which sorta defeats the purpose of this sentence, eh?

Apostrophes:

• Making something plural does not require the apostrophe
  • Birds =/= bird's
• When using apostrophe to show possession, if it belongs to more than one person (and ends with the letters "s") the "s" after the apostrophe is omitted
  • Carl Bob's lawnmower
  • The Bobs' lawnmower
    • This applies to possessive nouns that end in "s" regardless if it is plural or singular, too
• If noun is plural but does not end with "s", add one
  • Children's bookstore

Homonyms:

• Your = possession / You’re = you are
• Then = related to time / Than = related to comparisons
• There = place / Their = possession / They’re = they are
• To = directed at, action / Too = also, including
• Whose = possession / Who’s = who is
• Effect = noun / Affect = verb
  • A way to remember this is “affect” has an “A”, so think of the word “action”. Verb = Action.
• Accept = to allow, approve / Except = besides, excluding
• Apart = to be rid of, exclusion / A part = associated or affiliated with

Common misspellings:

• whoa, NOT "woah"
• weird, NOT "wierd"
• absence, NOT "absense"