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In learning any language, you need to understand its rules. This makes it confusing, then, when a language breaks those rules—and English does that plenty. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the most common confusing irregularities in the English language, along with tips for navigating your way around them.
Plural nouns don’t always end in “s”
The English language is lousy with irregular plural nouns. Typically, adding an “s” to a noun will make it plural—like tree(s), book(s), and toy(s). However, there are many words that have their own plural forms.
Irregular plural nouns can be difficult to pick up on while writing, but you can often hear the difference between the correct form and one incorrectly having an “s” tacked onto the end. For example, the plural of child is children. When you hear “childs”—which is incorrect—you may confuse it for “child’s” (possessive) and so may your word processing software. When in doubt, double-check the spelling if you’re having doubts.
Words can sound alike but be spelled differently
When learning new words in English, you’d think it would be as easy as memorizing their spelling and definition. Enter: homophones. These are words that sound alike, but are spelled differently, such as “meat” (food that’s usually derived from animals) and “meet” (a verb meaning to be introduced to someone or something)
Words can be spelled the same but aren’t alike in other ways
Another challenge to English learning that’s similar to homophones is heteronyms. Unlike homophones, heteronyms are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings. Let’s compare a few common heteronyms:
Wind (noun): moving air
Wind (verb): to turn
Object (noun): a material thing one perceives with the senses
Object (verb): to firmly oppose something
Notice the different pronunciations? Since these words are spelled exactly the same, you need to be wary of the context in which they are used. These words pose more difficulty when reading rather than when writing English and can affect the flow of a sentence if a reader has to backtrack.
