Editors: Look Out for These Commonly Confused Words
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As an editor, I see commonly confused words all the time. There are the super common ones we all know (to/too/two, etc.), but lately I've been spotting a handful of less commonly confused words over and over again while copyediting manuscripts.
Whether it's the result of speech-to-text software, typing too quickly, or our brains simply filling in what we expect to see, these mistakes seem to be popping up for me lately. I figured I should highlight them in an episode of The Modern Editor so that you can watch out for them too!
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Hey there, friends. So today's episode is inspired by the last few books that I've copyedited, and for whatever reason, most of them have had the same errors with commonly confused words. And it was enough that I'm like, "What is going on?"
Like, commonly confused words, you know, there, their, they're, to, too, two, things like that, those aren't a new thing by any stretch, and I come across them all the time. But the same exact ones popped up, like, five times in a row, and they're not...some of them are common, but some of them are a little less common, and I'm trying to figure out why.
Maybe it's due to speech-to-text software, but I can't confirm that, and it's just weird that it was the same exact ones, right? So I wanted to record this episode because, one, I wanna see if it's happening to you, too, and two, just so that you know what to look out for because apparently these are pretty common. Maybe they're just common to me, I don't know, but I figured you should all be aware, right?
And this is gonna be super short and sweet, but hopefully it gets your brain a little bit more aware so the next time that you're copyediting, if you're a copyeditor, or a proofreader, or an author, you can have a look for these.
Welcome to The Modern Editor Podcast, where we talk about all things editing and what it's like to run an editorial business in today's world. I'm your host, Tara Whitaker. Let's get to it.
All right, so the first one is stalk and stock. Stalk, S-T-A-L-K, like a corn stalk, and S-T-O-C-K, like you're stocking a grocery shelf. That one is not very common to me, and that one is what made me think that this is speech-to-text. But I think that one, in one book it was in there multiple times, and then in another book it was in there just a couple.
And I actually had to stop and sit for a second like, "Wait, what? That doesn't make sense." And I finally figured it out. But that one, that one I think is the catalyst for all of these other ones that I saw and really this episode. So stalk and stock.
And then we've got breaks. So B-R-E-A-K, as in, "Oh my gosh, I need a break," and B-R-A-K-E, as in, "They slammed on the brakes." That one, I will be honest, I'm good at catching that one. That one just leaps off the page for me for whatever reason. Other ones don't, which you'll see in a second. But that one is pretty common for me and something that I see quite a bit.
But the next one is “phased.” So there's P-H-A-S-E, as in, "Okay, let's move on to the next phase, the next step," and then F-A-Z-E, as in, "Oh, that loud noise didn't phase them at all."
I missed one of these in a copyedit recently and I was like, "Ugh." That one should've popped out at me. I'm not quite sure why it didn't, but that was in the last couple too, and I know I got them in one copyedit but then I missed it in another. So it happens. We all make mistakes. We are all human. The world continues to turn.
All right, next one. This is a very common one, but again, it's popped up a lot, is “peak.” So there's three of these, but I've only actually come across two recently. So there's P-E-A-K, as in, you know, the top of a mountain, and then there's P-E-E-K, which is, like, “She took a peek around the corner.”
Of course, there's also P-I-Q-U-E. That one, I think because, I don't know, is it because there's a Q in there where it's just not as commonly used, I don't come across a lot. But the other two versions for sure. The last one is a little bit of an odd one. It's not common for me at all, but when I find it, I am like, "I am the best copyeditor alive." Just kidding.
Next iss casualty and causality. Casualty, as in, you know, someone passes away, and causality is the relationship between cause and its effect. Now, you know, there's a couple words swapped in there. But if you're reading semi-quickly, it's very easy to skim over and miss, so that's why I say when I do find it, I'm like, "Woo-hoo!" But that one I've found in the last few books too, and that's not common at all for me.
So I don't know what's happening, y'all. But those are just some of the few that I've come across recently in multiple books, and it's kind of bringing me back because when I first started copyediting, I would come across these and I'm like, "Oh, I gotta keep track."
Like, "Oh, that one's tricky," or, you know, the there, they're, their, and to, too, two, I've got that nailed down. But there are some others, like I just mentioned, that are tricky. So I started making a list so that every manuscript that I copyedited, I would check this list to make sure that there were no confused words in there.
That list grew, grew, grew, and I created an ebook out of it actually, and it's now a bonus for Freelance Editors Club members. But you know what? I've gotta make some updates to it because it's been a while, and apparently commonly confused words is coming back with a vengeance in my sphere. Not that it ever went away, but I don't know. Something is happening.
So have you noticed this in your own copyediting and proofreading? Or if you're an author, have you noticed any speech-to-text software confusing these words? Are you finding any words that are not on this particular list? I think I'm gonna share more in future episodes because they just seem to be cropping up everywhere, and they're so tricky, and I don't know what's happening.
So let me know what you think. Are you experiencing this? Do you have some that you're like, "Oh, those are so tricky. I always miss them," or, "Oh, I love finding these. I'm really good at finding these in particular." I wanna know. Shoot me an email, Hello@TaraWhitaker.com.
And until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and keep those eyes sharp.
Thank you so much for tuning in to today's episode. If you enjoy The Modern Editor Podcast, I would be so grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts or wherever you consume podcasts. And don't forget, you can head to TaraWhitaker.com to connect with me and stay in touch. We'll chat again soon.
Why Are Similar Words So Easy to Miss in Copyediting?
Our brains are incredibly good at reading for meaning instead of accuracy. When we know what a sentence is supposed to say, we often read right over a word that's technically incorrect because it's spelled correctly.
While they're legitimate words, they're wrong for the context.
Five Commonly Confused Words to Look Out For
Here are some of the commonly confused word pairs I've been seeing repeatedly in recent manuscripts:
Stock and Stalk
Stock = Stocking a grocery store
Stalk = A stalk of celery
This one really confused me when I saw it multiple times in two different books. My best guess is that it’s due to voice-to-text technology.
Break and Brake
Break = I need a break.
Brake = They slammed on the brakes.
Unlike some of the other ones that are harder to catch, I’m pretty good at catching this one. Out of all the words on this list, this is probably the most common mix-up.
Phase and Faze
Phase = Let’s move on to the next phase.
Faze = That loud noise didn’t faze them at all.
This is a trickier one I’ve missed, so I stay extra vigilant and look out for it now.
Peak, Peek, and Pique
Peak = The peak of a mountain
Peek = She took a peek around the corner.
Pique = It piqued her interest.
The first two are more commonly mixed up, but every once in a while, I’ll see the third one in a manuscript.
Casualty and Causality
Casualty = When someone passes away
Causality = The relationship between cause and effect
This is an easy one to skim over and miss!
Keep a List of the Commonly Confused Words You Encounter While Copyediting
Back when I first started editing, I kept a list of commonly confused words I would check for in every project. Every time I copyedit a new project, I run through the list to make sure I’ve checked each word.
The list has grown over the years (and continues to grow), so I turned it into an ebook for other editors to reference. It’s now a bonus inside the Freelance Editors Club.
I recommend grabbing the ebook or keeping a list of your own so that you don’t overlook any of these words. I’d also love to hear from you: What words do you often see mixed up I didn’t mention?
Important Sections:
(1:32) Stock and Stalk
(2:17) Break and Brake
(2:45) Phase and Faze
(3:21) Peak, Peek, and Pique
(4:06) Casualty and Causality
(4:42) Keep a List of the Commonly Confused Words You Encounter While Copyediting
