Plentiful company is no excuse for common mistake: In your Mrs. Language Person’s immanently (imminently) obvious opinion, its (it’s) an affect (effect) of lazy reading habits. Playing so fast and lose (loose) with they’re (their) choice of words should greater tax the people’s conscious (conscience) then (than) it apparently does. Is there no one to who (whom) linguistic principals (principles) remain immanent (eminent)?

Yes, Dear Reader, that last one stretched grammar beyond it’s (its) intended limits, but between (among) the examples you can except (accept) the point, yes? You’re (Your) MLP laments. How many words are chosen in error, and worse — ignorance of their definitions, and how increasingly often does this occur? So while many of these your MLP has once, twice, or (shudder) thrice repeated, she lies (lays) them again at your feet, in a pleading tone. Attention, s’il vous plait; attention!

Immanent (inherent, fundamental), imminent (coming soon), eminent (famous, singular): The eminent despot’s downfall is imminent. Civil liberties are immanent in the constitution.

Its (possessive), it’s (it is; it has): It’s a shame how little attention grammar is given, now that its principles are lost in texts and tweets.

Affect (to influence), effect (n. impact; v. to bring about): One effect of change is positive. Change can affect outlook. To effect personal growth, use change as a test of mettle.

There (location), their (possessive), they’re (they are): There is the dictionary. Their use of it is poor. They’re not interested in effective communication.

Lose (to misplace or not win), loose (not tight): Lose the inclination to play loosely with spelling.

Conscience (sense of ethics), conscious

(awake, aware): Consciously ignoring meaning should violate one’s conscience.

Then (time sequence), than (comparison): More concerning than a single error is making a mistake, then repeating it.

Who (subject person), whom (person as direct object), that (refers to things, not people): Who is the expert to whom MLP refers when in grammatical doubt? She consults “Elements of Style” by Strunk and White. They’re the experts whom she respects, and the book that she consults.

Principle (n. truth or ideal), principal (adj. main; n. leader): “In principle, the principal task of a school principal is to lead,” said Principal Rutherford.

Between (if two), among (if three or more): Between the second and third levels, you’ll see many among them who won’t make it.

Accept (to receive), except (to leave out): Your MLP can accept mistakes, except when made without care.

Your (possessive), you’re (you are): Your attention is appreciated, Dear Reader. If you’re still reading this, MLP is grateful.

Lie (for people or animals as subject), lay (an object, or a body as direct object), laid (past): You lie down, but you lay your book upon the table and lay your body upon the bed. Your MLP laid (herself, the book, her body) down last night.

Do you suppose (to guess or surmise), Dear Reader, that these reminders will effect linguistic improvements? They’re certainly supposed to (correct form of presumed or obligated), in principle. Your MLP retains a mere glimmer of hope of imminent change among those who write in such dubious English as is commonly found. (What a pretentious mouthful from a Snitty Old Biddy!)

• • •

Mrs. Language Person and Sholeh Patrick are columnists for the Hagadone News Network. Suggestions, corrections, and lamentations welcome at Sholeh@cdapress.com.