Are you BAZAAR or BIZARRE?

I thought I'd post a short list of commonly made errors in English usage.

Both native speakers and non-native speakers commit these "English crimes."

It is time to put on your investigator's uniform and solve them, once and for all.

1. Bizarre is an adjective that means strange or odd. It's usually used to describe a person, a person's behavior or a situation.

A bazaar, however, is a marketplace where different things are sold.

Isn't it bizarre that the popping sound that you hear when you crack your knuckles  is a bubble of gas bursting?

That man in the business suit is so bizarre; why do you think he has Hello Kitty stickers all over his expensive suit?

Yes, I went to the street bazaar, but what was truly bizarre is that no one was selling anything!

2. The phrase "calm, cool and collected" is often mistakenly said as "calm, cool and collective."

It's a simple phrase to use.

The bank robber acted strangely calm, cool and collected immediately after he escaped being caught by the police. He was covered in ink from the exploding bag of money, yet he was sitting in McDonald's happily eating a hamburger Happy Meal!

3. Could of, Should of and Would are ALWAYS wrong!

I know these errors are rooted in quick, informal speech, but take care not to write them as they sound.

The contractions "could have," "should have," and "would have" sound like "could of," "should of," and "would of," when said too quickly. They sound slurred together in informal speech. It's OK to speak informally with your friends, but avoid getting in the habit of writing these as they sound.

Okey dokey?

Heather

Bizarre:

Bazaar: