Common Mistakes

For a country that's known for our English proficiency, I'm surprised how we tend to repeat certain grammatical and spelling lapses. Sometimes, I think it might just be a typographical error or an editorial lapse, but when I see it more than 10 times, that's another story.

Take this news article in one of our websites, for example.



I'm not sure if he wanted to say "wrecked" or "wreaked havoc", but as it is, it looks like the writer mixed up the words can came up with a hybrid. Even some of my students make this mistake, and I point it out immediately. Looks like no one pointed it out to this writer.



Another common mistake is the use of "Sneak Peek." Gosh! Yesterday, there was a Plains & Prints sign that invited people to check out the "Sneak Peak of their Fall 2009 collection." I wanted to get a pentel pen and correct it immediately. There's another billboard along EDSA that made the same mistake. IN A BILLBOARD FOR EVERYONE TO SEE! Someone call the copywriter, quick!

People should start to take a sneak peek at our lesson plans to prevent these things from wreaking havoc.