resister/resistor RESISTER/RESISTOR A resistor is part of an electrical circuit; a person who resists something is a “resister." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/resister.html03/09/2005 15:39:49 retch/wretch RETCH/WRETCH If you vomit, you retch; if you behave in a wretched manner or fall into wretched circumstances, you are a wretch. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/retch.html03/09/2005 15:39:49 reticent/hesitant RETICENT/HESITANT “Reticent” most often means “reluctant to speak.” It can also mean "reserved,” “restrained,” though conservatives prefer to use it to apply only to speech. If you’re feeling nervous about doing something, you’re hesitant: “I’m hesitant about trying to ride a unicycle in public.” “Hesitant” is by far the more common word; so if you hesitate to choose between the two, go with “hesitant." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/reticent.html03/09/2005 15:39:49 return back RETURN BACK RETURN A redundancy. Use just “return,” unless you mean to say instead “turn back." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/returnback.html03/09/2005 15:39:49 revelant REVELANT RELEVANT "Revelant” is both spoken and written frequently when “relevant” is intended. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/revelant.html03/09/2005 15:39:49 revue/review REVUE/REVIEW You can attend a musical revue in a theatre, but when you write up your reactions for a newspaper, you’re writing a review. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/revue.html03/09/2005 15:39:50 right of passage RIGHT OF PASSAGE RITE OF PASSAGE The more common phrase is “rite of passage"—a ritual one goes through to move on to the next stage of life. Learning how to work the combination on a locker is a rite of passage for many entering middle school students. A “right of passage” would be the right to travel through a certain territory, but you are unlikely to have any use for the phrase. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/rightofpassage.html03/09/2005 15:39:50 rio grande river/rio grande RIO GRANDE RIVER RIO GRANDE Rio is Spanish for “river,” so “Rio Grande River” is a redundancy. Just write “Rio Grande.” Non-Hispanic Americans have traditionally failed to pronounce the final “E” in “Grande", but they” ve learned to do it to designate the large size of latte, so perhaps it’s time to start saying it the proper Spanish way: “REE-oh GRAHN-day.” Or to be really international we could switch to the Mexican name: “Rio Bravo." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/riogrande.html03/09/2005 15:39:50 risky/risque RISKY/RISQUÉ People unfamiliar with the French-derived word “risqué” ("slightly indecent” ) often write “risky” by mistake. Bungee-jumping is risky, but nude bungee-jumping is risqué. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/risky.html03/09/2005 15:39:50 road to hoe ROAD TO HOE ROW TO HOE Out in the cotton patch you have a tough row to hoe. This saying has nothing to do with road construction. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/road.html03/09/2005 15:39:51