prone/supine PRONE/SUPINE “Prone” (face down) is often confused with “supine” (face up). “Prostrate” technically also means “face down,” but is most often used to mean simply “devastated.” See also “prostate/prostrate.” List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/prone.html03/09/2005 15:39:30 pronounciation PRONOUNCIATION PRONUNCIATION “Pronounce” is the verb, but the O is omitted for the noun: “pronunciation.” This mistake ranks right up there in incongruity with “writting." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/pronounciation.html03/09/2005 15:39:30 prophecy/prophesy PROPHECY/PROPHESY “Prophecy,” the noun, (pronounced “PROF-a-see") is a prediction. The verb “to prophesy” (pronounced “PROF-a-sigh") means to predict something. When a prophet prophesies he or she utters prophecies. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/prophecy.html03/09/2005 15:39:30 prostate/prostrate PROSTATE/PROSTRATE The gland men have is called the prostate. “Prostrate” is an adjective meaning “lying face downward." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/prostate.html03/09/2005 15:39:30 protray PROTRAY PORTRAY There are a lot of words in English that begin in “pro ” This is not one of them. When you make a portrait, you portray someone. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/protray.html03/09/2005 15:39:30 proved/proven PROVED/PROVEN For most purposes either form is a fine past participle of “prove,” though in a phrase like “a proven talent” where the word is an adjective preceding a noun, “proven” is standard. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/proved.html03/09/2005 15:39:31 purposely/purposefully PURPOSELY/PURPOSEFULLY If you do something on purpose (not by accident), you do it purposely. But if you have a specific purpose in mind, you are acting purposefully. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/purposely.html03/09/2005 15:39:31 g/q G/Q Lower-case “q” is the mirror image of lower-case “g” in many typefaces, and the two are often confused with each other and the resulting misspelling missed in proofreading, for instance “quilt” when “guilt” is intended. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/GQ.html03/09/2005 15:39:31 quantum leap QUANTUM LEAP The thing about quantum leaps is that they mark an abrupt change from one state to a distinctly different one, with no in-between transitional states being possible; but they are not large. In fact, in physics a quantum leap is one of the smallest sorts of changes worth talking about. Leave “quantum leap” to the subatomic physicists unless you know what you’re talking about. List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/quantum.html03/09/2005 15:39:31 queue QUEUE If you’re standing in a queue you’ll have plenty of time to ponder the unusual spelling of this word. Remember, it contains two “U” s." List of errors file:///C|/Temp/livres/commonerrors/errors/queue.html03/09/2005 15:39:32