Commonly Misspelt/Misused Words in Singapore

Below are some of the most commonly misspelt or misused words in Singapore, but not pertaining to Singlish.

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Words/Phrases	Part of Speech	Common Meaning (mostly in Chinese)	Remarks
adj. Adjective adv. Adverb determiner n. Noun n.c. Count noun (countable noun) n.u. Mass noun (uncountable noun, non-count noun) prep. Preposition pron. Pronoun v. Verb v.i. Intransitive verb v.t. Transitive verb
AmE American English BrE British English
a blessing in disguise		塞翁失马	Not “a blessing in the skies”
across	prep.	在……的那边；在……对面	Not “acrossed”
across	adv.	横过，穿过；在对面	Not “acrossed”
advice	n.u.	忠告，劝告	cf. advise
advise	v.	劝告，向……提建议；通知	cf. advice
a lot		非常多	No such word as “alot”
amount	n.	数量	Used with uncountable nouns, cf. number
amount	v.i.	相当于；总计	Not used in progressive aspect
auxiliary	adj.	辅助的；补助的	Two i’s
barbiturate	n.	巴比妥酸盐（镇静催眠药）	Do not miss the “r”
biannual	adj.	一年两次的	cf. biennial
biennial	adj.	两年一次的	cf. biannual
bimonthly	adv., adj.	两月一次的；每月两次	aff. biweekly
biweekly	adv., adj.	两周一次的；每周两次	aff. bimonthly
calculating	adj.	（尤指专为自己打算的）深谋远虑，精明的	Usually derogative; no such word as “calculative”
category	n.c.	种类；范畴	Not “catagory”
champ at the bit		急不可待	May be written as “chomp at the bit” in AmE
changeable	adj.	（尤指天气）易变的；不定的	Do not miss the “e”; aff. noticeable
complement	n.	补足物；足额	cf. compliment
complement	v.t.	补充	cf. compliment
compliment	n.	赞美；恭维；敬意	cf. complement
compliment	v.t.	赞美；恭维；向……致意	cf. complement
comprise	v.t.	包含；由……组成	“comprise” or “be comprised of,” but not “comprise of” nor “be comprising”
dateline	n.	国际日期变更线；日期栏	cf. deadline
deadline	n.	截止时间，期限	cf. dateline
defer	v.t.	推迟，拖延；使延期	cf. differ
differ	v.i.	不同，相异	cf. defer
discipline	n.u.	训练；纪律；惩罚	Do not miss the “c”
discipline	v.t.	训导；惩戒	Do not miss the “c”
distinct	adj.	独特的，截然不同的；清楚的，明显的	cf. distinctive, distinguished
distinctive	adj.	与众不同的，有特色的	cf. distinct, distinguished
distinguished	adj.	卓越的，杰出的，以……著名的	cf. distinct, distinctive
dumbbell	n.	哑铃	Two b’s; usually plural (“dumbbells”)
elicit	v.t.	得出，引出（事实，情况等）	cf. illicit
embarrass	v.t.	使窘迫；使为难；使焦急	Two r’s
emigrate	v.i.	移居外国，移民	cf. immigrate
espresso	n.	（用蒸汽加压煮出的）蒸馏浓咖啡	Not “expresso”; plural: espressos
every day		每一天	cf. everyday
everyday	adj.	日常的；平常的；普通的	cf. every day; no comparative degree
fair	adj.	正直的，公正的；相当好（大、美等）的；（皮肤）白晰的，（头发）淡色的；外表端庄的；品质纯正的；（指女性）美貌的，动人的	cf. fare
	adv.	公正地，公平地
	n.	（出售农副产品的）定期集市；大型展销会，商品交易会
fare	n.	车费；（尤指出租车的）乘客；食品（尤指伙食）	cf. fair
fare	v.	（正式）进行；进展；过活；成功	cf. fair
February	n.	二月	Two r’s in total
fewer	determiner, pron.	较少数的	Comparative of “few”; cf. less
foreign	adj.	外国的；无关的；外来的	Not “foriegn”; no comparative degree
fort	n.	堡垒，要塞	cf. forte
forte	n.	长处，优点	cf. fort; pronounced as [ˈfɔːrteɪ]; usually singular
forte	adv., adj.	【音乐】强音	cf. fort; pronounced as [ˈfɔːrteɪ]; usually singular
gauge	n.	测量仪表；（重量、尺寸等的）标准规格	Not “guage”; take note of the pronunciation
gauge	v.t.	用仪表测量；（对某事或某人的行为）判定，估计	Not “guage”; take note of the pronunciation
hierarchy	n.	等级制度
illicit	adj.	违法的	cf. elicit; no comparative degree
immigrate	v.i.	（从外国）移居入本国	cf. emigrate
indispensable	adj.	不可或缺的；必需的	Not “indispensible”
ingenious	adj.	机灵的；有创造性的	cf. ingenuous
ingenuous	adj.	单纯的；直率的，无经验的	cf. ingenious
innocuous	adj.	（尤指行动、声明等）无害的；无冒犯之意的	Double n’s; cf. inoculate
inoculate	v.	（给……）接种；灌输	Only a single n; cf. innocuous
in spite of		不管	No such phrase as “inspite ...”
itinerary	n.c.	旅行计划；旅程，旅行路线	Five syllables in total, note the i-i-e-a sequence
it’s		it is; it has	cf. its
its	determiner	它的	Possessive case of “it”; cf. it’s
jewellry	n.u.	（衣服上或身上戴的镶嵌宝石的）饰物；珠宝	Do not spell/pronounce as “jewellery”
leisure	n.u.	闲暇；空闲	Not “liesure”
less	adv.	不如，不及；较少，更少	Comparative of “little”; cf. fewer
	determiner, pron.	较小（少）的；更小（少）的
	prep.	扣除；不计在内
maintenance	n.u.	维修；保养	Not “maintainence”
many	determiner, pron.	许多，很多	cf. much
memento	n.c.	纪念品	Not “momento”; plural: mementos
millennium	n.c.	一千年；太平盛世	Double l’s and double n’s; plural: millenia
miniature	n.	缩影；缩样	Do not miss the “a”
miniature	adj.	微型的；缩小的	Do not miss the “a”
mischievous	adj.	调皮的；恶作剧的；有危害的	Not “mischievious”; take note of the pronunciation
much	adv.	多；很；几乎，差不多	cf. many
much	determiner, pron.	许多，大量	cf. many
neighbour	n.	邻居	Not “nieghbour”
never	adv.	从不，决不	Do not use “never” in place of “do not” for expressing negation
noticeable	adj.	显而易见的；值得注意的	Do not miss the “e”; aff. changeable
number	n.	数，数字；号码，编号；数量，总数	Used with countable nouns, cf. amount
number	v.t.	给……编号；总共；把……列入	Used with countable nouns, cf. amount
occasion	n.	时刻，时机	Double c’s, but only a single s
occurrence	n.	（偶发）事件，事变	Both double c’s and double r’s
ostensibly	adv.	表面地，假装地	No such word as “ostensively”
pastime	n.	消遣，娱乐	Both single s and single t
perseverance	n.u.	坚持；坚忍不拔；不屈不挠	Four syllables in total, note the er-e-e-a sequence
playwright	n.c.	剧作家	Not “playwrite” (“wright” is from “work” in Old English)
precede	v.	先于……；居前，领先	cf. proceed, supersede
principal	adj.	首要的；主要的	cf. principle; no comparative degree
principal	n.	（某些大学、学院或学校的）校／院长；本金；主角，主奏者	cf. principle
principle	n.c.	原理；原则；法则；定理	cf. principal, principles
principles	n.	原理；原则；道义，节操	Plural; cf. principal, principle
proceed	v.i.	进行；（停顿后）继续进行；前进，行进	cf. precede
pronunciation	n.	发音；发音法；口音	Not “pronounciation”
questionnaire	n.c.	意见征求表；问卷	Double n’s; ends in “-naire”
referred to		提及；参照；应用于	Double r’s
regardless	adv.	不顾一切地；无论如何	No such word as “irregardless”
relevant	adj.	有关的；贴切的；中肯的	Note the e-e-a sequence
rhyme	n.	韵脚；押韵；韵文	cf. rhythm
rhyme	v.i.	押韵；同韵	cf. rhythm
rhythm	n.	（说话、舞蹈、音乐等的）韵律；节奏	cf. rhyme
separate	v.	分开，分离；分隔，隔开；分散成（若干部分）；（夫妻通过正式协议）分居	Note the e-a-a sequence
separate	adj.	不同的，各别的；单独的，各自的；分开的，分离的	Note the e-a-a sequence
sergeant	n.c.	军士；中士；警官，巡佐	One “e” in each of the two syllables
split image		相像的人或物；翻版	Also “split and image,” but no such phrase as “splitting image”
supersede	v.t.	淘汰；取代	cf. precede
stationary	adj.	不动的，静止的	cf. stationery
stationery	n.u.	文具（总称）	cf. stationary
suit	n.	一套衣服；同花色的一组纸牌	cf. suite; take note of the pronunciation
suit	v.	适合，满足，对……方便；跟……相称，相配	cf. suite; take note of the pronunciation
suite	n.c.	（尤指旅馆中的）一套房间；一套家具（尤指一件长靠椅和两把椅子等三件一套）	cf. suit; take note of the pronunciation
their	determiner	他（她、它）们的	Possessive case of “they”; cf. there, they’re
there	adv.	在那里；往那里；在那方面；（用以引起注意）；（用以安慰某人或表示满足、鼓励、胜利等）	cf. their, they’re
there	pron.	（用以表示存在或发生）	cf. their, they’re
they’re		they are	cf. their, there
track	n.c.	行踪；轨迹；足迹；径，小道；铁轨；跑道；（唱片或磁带中的）乐曲	cf. trek
track	v.t.	跟踪；追踪	cf. trek
trek	v.i., n.	徒步长途跋涉	cf. track
weird	adj.	怪诞的；不自然的；离奇的；不可思议的；不能接受的	Not “wierd”
you’re		you are	cf. your
your		你的；你们的	Possessive case of “you”; cf. you’re