20 misused words that make smart people look dumb - CareerEnlightenment.com

Ironic  vs. CoincidentalA lot of people get this wrong. If you break your leg the day before a ski trip, that’s not  ironicâ€"it’s  coincidental  (and bad luck).Ironic  has several meanings, all of which include some type of reversal of what was expected. Verbal irony is when a person says one thing but clearly means another. Situational irony is when a result is the opposite of what was expected.Henry was a master of situational irony. In “The Gift of the Magi,” Jim sells his watch to buy combs for his wife’s hair, and she sells her hair to buy a chain for Jim’s watch. Each character sold something precious to buy a gift for the other, but those gifts were intended for what the other person sold. That is true irony.If you break your leg the day before a ski trip, that’s  coincidental.  If you drive up to the mountains to ski, and there was more snow back at your house, that’s  ironic.Imply  vs. InferTo  imply  means to suggest something without saying it outright. To  infer  means to draw a conclusion from what someone else implies. As a general rule, the speaker/writer  implies, and the listener/reader  infers.Nauseous  vs. NauseatedNauseous  has been misused so often that the incorrect usage is accepted in some circles. Still, it’s important to note the difference.  Nauseous  means causing nausea;  nauseated  means experiencing nausea.So, if  your  circle includes ultra-particular grammar sticklers, never say “I’m  nauseous” unless you want them to be snickering behind your back.Comprise  vs. ComposeThese are two of the most commonly misused words in the English language.  Comprise  means to include;  compose  means to make up.It all comes down to parts versus the whole. When you use  comprise, you put the whole first: “A soccer game  comprises  (includes) two halves.” When you use  compose, you put the pieces first: “Fifty states  compose  (make up) the United States of America.”Farther  vs. FurtherFarther  refers to physical distance, while  further  describes the degree or extent of an action or situation. “I can’t run any  farther,” but “I have nothing  further  to say.”If you can substitute “more” or “additional,” use  further.Fewer  vs. LessUse  fewer  when you’re referring to separate items that can be counted; use  less  when referring to a whole: “You have  fewer  dollars, but  less  money.”Bringing it all togetherEnglish grammar can be tricky, and, a lot of times, the words that sound right are actually wrong.With words such as those listed above, you just have to memorize the rules so that when you are about to use them, you’ll catch yourself in the act and know for certain that you’ve written or said the right one.This post appeared on The Ladder on March 14, 2017. It was written by  Dr. Travis Bradberry, who  is the co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and the cofounder of TalentSmart.