If you think you can sleep through your English class, think again. Communication is key for all fields, including STEM. Check out these commonly misused words!

We all have at least one of those friends – the person who is incredibly smart, yet sounds uneducated when speaking. Language doesn’t always have to be formal, but misusing words in conversation or writing can make you sound unprofessional to most and even unintelligent to some. Using words that actually mean what you think they mean can be the difference between winning and losing a scholarship, getting accepted or rejected at your first-pick school, and even getting hired or passed over for your dream job. Words matter. Here are some of the most commonly misused words to start mastering today.

Literally

What you think it means: a filler word, an alternative to “really” or “figuratively”

What it actually means: actually, without exaggeration or inaccuracy

Could you please use that in a sentence?
I literally can wait for summer, but I literally cannot wait for my heart to pump blood throughout my body.

commonly misused wordsIronic

What you think it means: a funny situation

What it actually means: an outcome contrary to what is expected, or opposite its literal (see, already coming in handy) meaning

Could you please use that in a sentence?
It’s ironic that the Titanic’s nickname was the Unsinkable Ship.

Disinterested

What you think it means: a lack of interest

What it actually means: unbiased

Could you please use that in a sentence?
A scientific theory would be considered pseudoscience if the scientist didn’t use disinterested research.

Ultimate

What you think it means: the best, the most

What it actually means: though you can use it to mean the best, it also can mean the last or the end

Could you please use that in a sentence?
The ultimate element on the Periodic Table is Ununoctium.

i.e.

What you think it means: for example

What it actually means: that is

Could you please use that in a sentence?
Mae Jemison is a pioneer in her field, i.e. she paved the way for future African American female astronauts.

Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons

Photo Credit: Flickr Creative Commons

Random

What you think it means: crazy, funny, weird

What it actually means: without aim, reason, or pattern

Could you please use that in a sentence?
If you role a pair of dice three times, the resulting numbers will be random.

Affect v. To Affect v. Effect v. To Effect

What you think all of them mean: to make a change

To Affect: to produce a change; verb

Affect: the mood someone can have in psychology

Effect: result, consequence; noun

To Effect: to bring about or accomplish

Could you please use that in a sentence?
His serious affect positively affected his study habits, effecting a new scientific discovery which had a domino effect on the STEM community.

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Communication is key for college applications, job searches, and life overall. Even if English and writing isn’t your “thing,” communicating clearly will set you apart from your peers, especially in STEM fields. While it might seem overwhelming, take it one step at a time, like fixing these commonly misused words in your mental dictionary. If you need some more help with your vocab, check out these tips for writing the best college essay!

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