The English language contains some contentiously confusing words and rules.
Some can even stump a word-smith.
1.
One of the curliest conundrums would have to be when to use affect and effect.
Affect is normally a verb, so it wants to do something.
How will this affect me?
Effect is a noun. So it is the result or thing that happens.
The effect of the heavy rain was flash flooding.
2.
A rule that is followed religiously, but unfortunately often in error, is the use of I and me. I think I can quite fairly blame my parents for this one.
I had it drummed into me to put the other person first in a sentence.
Paula and I went to the park.
So when should I use me?
You should join Paula and me next week.
It's still correct to place the other person before you. But the trick for I or me is to imagine the sentence without the other person in it.
I went to the park.
You should join me next week.
Both of these sentences still work without including Paula.
3.
And finally, forward and foreword. This one is simple to clear up.
Moving forward has become an overused cliché in many businesses.
The foreword is the preface or introduction to a book.
There you have it: forward is the direction of future plans and foreword refers to the words before chapter one.
