Words and Expressions

Used and Misused

Words and Expressions used

can affect the quality of your
writing and by identifying this
commonly used and misused
words and phrases can help
your writing efficiently

Misspelled Words and

Phrases
Misspelled

Alright
Alot
Rite
Should of
Suppose to

Correct

All right
A lot
Right or Write
Should have
Supposed to

Distinctions among related

words
Between only 2
Among 3 or more
Ex . We are conducting
research among my
fellow associates
Good Adjective
Ex. A good pleading

Explicit Evident
(unambiguous)
Ex. The law explicitly
provides for penalties in
the Revised Penal Code

people
Ex. Between me and my
co-counsel
Well Adverb
Ex. He defends well
Implicit Implied
(ambiguous)
Ex. The government may
consent to the suit
implicitly

Difference apostrophe can

make
Its possesive pronoun
and belonging to it.
Ex. The defendant totally lost
its case
Whose belonging to
whom; possesive pronoun
Ex. Whose evidence is
rendered inadmissible in
court?
Your possesive pronoun;
belonging to you
Ex. This is your evidence

Its contraction for It is

or It has
Ex. Its the defendants
failure to file and answer
that declared him in
default
Whos contraction for
Who is or Who has
Ex. Whos the defendant in
this case?
Youre contraction for
you are
Ex. Youre the witness

Change to a single letter can make

Advice - noun
Ex. I gave her an advice to
pursue the case.
Effect noun
Ex. It is the effects of legal
separation.
Than Indicates
comparison
Ex. The inheritance of the
illegitimate children isonly
one-half than that of the
legitimate children.

Advise - verb
Ex. I am advising my client
to pursue the case.
Affect verb
Ex. The children are
affected during the
litigation process.
Then Next
Ex. She then filed an
appeal before the
reglamentary period
prescribes.

Homonyms
- Word that is spelled and pronounced like another
word but different in meaning

Accept Agree to or
receive
Ex. I accept your proposal

Precede Go before
Ex. The 1973 Constitution
precedes the 1987
Constitution

Except leave out

Ex. Children born under
void marriage is
illegitimate except
those born under Article
36 and 54
Proceed Carry On
Ex. Sen. Drilon proceeds
with the investigation of
the Extrajudicial Killings

 Sense sight, touch,

hearing, smell and
taste
Ex. The judge can sense
that the witness is
uneasy.

Since Preposition

Threw- past tense

threw
Ex. The counsel threw
the evidence since it is
rendered inadmissible

Through Beyond
Ex. The judge can sense
through the witnesses
lies

Ex. Since the

defendants evidence
weighs the same from
that of the plaintiff the
judge should apply the
equipoise rule.

There, Their and Theyre

There use as an expletive, a placeholder to delay
the subject or to indicate place.
Ex. There is a counter-affidavit filed by Matobato.
Their use as a possesive pronoun
Ex. Their counter-affidavit is filed in the fiscals office.
Theyre Contraction for they are
Ex. Theyre also discussing about the possibility of
material concealment.