The most confusing 4 letter words...

[Dancing Fire]

Lose, Loss and Lost...

I got lost in the wilderness.

We loss the ball game? or we lost the ball game?

I lost money at the casino? or I lose money at the casino?

I lose 10 lbs?

 

[kenny]

I got lost in the wilderness.

Correct

We loss the ball game? or we lost the ball game?

lost

I lost money at the casino? or I lose money at the casino?

Both can be correct since they say different things.
The first is in the past.
The second can refer to every time you go you lose money.

I lose 10 lbs?

This can be correct if this is the tense you are talking about.
For example you can say, "I lose 10 lbs whenever I start smoking."
If you lost the weight in the past you'd say, I lost 10 lbs.

 

[kenny]

I get tripped up on lay, lie, lain, and laid.

I've tried many times to get them straight and I've given up.
Maybe this means I have to vote for Trump.

 

[AGBF]

I get tripped up on lay, lie, lain, and laid.

I've tried many times to get them straight and I've given up.
Maybe this means I have to vote for Trump.

A person may be tired and want to lie down.
A person then lies down.
If a person has gone to lie down in the present tense we may say that he lay down in the past tense.
If we speak about that in the future we may say he has lain down.

A person lays an object down.
If we speak about that in the past we say he laid the object down.
A hen lays an egg.
If we speak about it in the past tense we say she laid an egg.
A person who deliberately does not tell the truth lies.
If we speak about it in the past tense we say he lied.

Have I left anything out?

Deb

 

[Jambalaya]

DF, at least you know that they are all four-letter words! It drives me insane the way that so many people these days spell the simple "lose" (as in "I'm going to lose my mind") as "loose"! Arghhh! I'd say about two-thirds of the time on the internet it's spelled wrongly. "Loose" is a completely different word with a different pronunciation. And the internet is full of people who apparently think that "loose" and "lose" are the same word and pronounced the same. I mean, I'm no expert myself but come on, "lose" is an extremely simple word and the meanings and pronunciations of "loose" and "lose" are distinct.

Rant over.

 

[AGBF]

DF, at least you know that they are all four-letter words! It drives me insane the way that so many people these days spell the simple "lose" (as in "I'm going to lose my mind") as "loose"! Arghhh! I'd say about two-thirds of the time on the internet it's spelled wrongly. "Loose" is a completely different word with a different pronunciation. And the internet is full of people who apparently think that "loose" and "lose" are the same word and pronounced the same. I mean, I'm no expert myself but come on, "lose" is an extremely simple word and the meanings and pronunciations of "loose" and "lose" are distinct.

Rant over.

What a good point, Jambalaya! Thank you for recognizing Dancing Fire's strengths in what is his second language. I am ashamed that it did not occur to me to do so.

My daughter has told me (I am not attuned enough to common parlance to notice) that people have now begun to use "then" for "than" all the time. She says that since they do not know when to use one and when to use the other, they have simply stopped using "than".

Then there is the way people use "there"; "their"; and "they're". But that discussion probably belongs in kenny's grammar thread: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/hows-youre-grammar.216468/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/hows-youre-grammar.216468/[/URL]

AGBF

 

[kenny]

Pet Peeve Rant: Insure vs. ensure.

Insure is the business.
Ensure is to make something certain.
Misuse is very widespread.

 

[kenny]

Deb, I'm going to print that out and put it under my pillow.
That's the only way.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I get tripped up on lay, lie, lain, and laid.

I've tried many times to get them straight and I've given up.
Maybe this means I have to vote for Trump.

Kenny lost his mind? or Kenny loss his mind?

 

[chrono]

Kenny has lost his mind.

 

[packrat]

Kenny has done lost his ever lovin mind.

 

[packrat]

And Kenny, I agree, that whole lie/lay thing drives me bonkers. Less and fewer messes w/me too.

 

[AGBF]

Kenny has done lost his ever lovin mind.

I thought it was: Kenny has done gone and lost his ever lovin' mind. I just can't keep up.

Deb

 

[Dancing Fire]

DF, at least you know that they are all four-letter words! It drives me insane the way that so many people these days spell the simple "lose" (as in "I'm going to lose my mind") as "loose"! Arghhh! I'd say about two-thirds of the time on the internet it's spelled wrongly. "Loose" is a completely different word with a different pronunciation. And the internet is full of people who apparently think that "loose" and "lose" are the same word and pronounced the same. I mean, I'm no expert myself but come on, "lose" is an extremely simple word and the meanings and pronunciations of "loose" and "lose" are distinct.

Rant over.

I know the difference b/t these two words...My ring is loose.. not lose..

 

[packrat]

Kenny has done lost his ever lovin mind.

I thought it was: Kenny has done gone and lost his ever lovin' mind. I just can't keep up.

Deb

Goh dangit, you're right Deb! Maybe even has plum done gone lost it.

 

[packrat]

Aaaand I totally just was typing out a response on a tattoo forum and changed lay to lie. Cuz see, I'm not a chicken.

 

[Gypsy]

Wary and Weary. The second is not a four letter word. I wish people wouldn't mix them up.

Moot is another people get wrong all the time.

 

[arkieb1]

But that would be a moot point....

 

[Gypsy]

But that would be a moot point....

 

[AGBF]

Aaaand I totally just was typing out a response on a tattoo forum and changed lay to lie. Cuz see, I'm not a chicken.

And, like Shakespeare, you like puns. 'Nuff said?

Deb

 

[amc80]

Wary and Weary. The second is not a four letter word. I wish people wouldn't mix them up. Moot is another people get wrong all the time.

You mean a moo point.
(Friends reference)

 

[chrono]

Plain, vanilla or chocolate?

 

[AGBF]

Moot is another people get wrong all the time.

Gyps, I don't know that one. I mean I know the word, "moot", but I don't know how people mix it up. Please elucidate.

Deb, who really gets most of these instantaneously (because she is orientated, as kenny put it).

 

[kenny]

Are the words continuously and continually interchangeable?

 

[AGBF]

Are the words continuously and continually interchangeable?

I think this explanation is comprehensive, kenny. In the end, it is really up to the writer to decide whether he will simply use them interchangeably or be a stickler for current correct usage.

continuously versus continually...http://grammarist.com/usage/continual-continuous/

AGBF

 

[kenny]

Thank you.

 

[dk168]

Kenny has lost his mind.

Assuming he has a mind to lose in the first place!

DK
... runs and hides from kenny

 

[UrsTx]

Moot is another people get wrong all the time.

Gyps, I don't know that one. I mean I know the word, "moot", but I don't know how people mix it up. Please elucidate.

Deb, who really gets most of these instantaneously (because she is orientated, as kenny put it).

There are two people at my office who say "mute" instead of "moot" all the freakin time!!

Eta: no matter if they say or it write it. "It's a mute point."

 

[stracci2000]

Thank goodness we had Rick Springfield in 1980's "Jesse's Girl" to expose the uneducated to the word "moot".
I just love teaching songs!
Remember when Jim Morrison told us all about funeral pyres? My girlfriend said "what's a funeral pyre?" I had to explain it to her.

 

[manderz]

Wary and Weary. The second is not a four letter word. I wish people wouldn't mix them up. Moot is another people get wrong all the time.

You mean a moo point.
(Friends reference)

YESSS!!!!