Tip 637: Troublesome Words Three

From the Writing Workshops: Words That Can Get You in Trouble Three 

We’re still exploring words that can get you in trouble if you use them incorrectly. The words of nightmares. “Isn’t irregardless a word? I thought it was . . . .” 

Farther and further

Farther involves physical distance: “The site is farther away than we thought.” Yards. Miles. Whatever.  

Further involves figurative distance: “The answers are further away than we thought.” Research. Investigation. Whatever.  

Imply and infer

Speakers and writers imply. They hint. They suggest. “The CEO implied we’d get a raise next year.” 

Listeners and readers infer. They assume. They understand. “The workers inferred they’d get a raise next year.” 

Bears dress in fur. We like that joke.

Insure, ensure, and assure

Insure refers to insurance: “Insure the package before you ship it.” Think of the I as the crossbar of a dollar sign: “$nsure the package before you ship it.” You buy insurance with dollars.      

Ensure means to make sure: Think of “Ensure Grampa drinks his Ensure.”   

(Be careful: British writers will use insure and ensure interchangeably. That’s one of the reasons we had a revolution.)   

Assure means to comfort or guarantee: “I assure you the package will arrive on time. I guarantee it.” 

Let us know your thoughts. We love this stuff.

Still more words next week.