Commonly Misspelt/Misused Words in Singapore

Below are some of the most commonly misspelt or misused words found in Singapore, but not pertaining to Singlish. Hope the list can serve as a constant reminder to us non-native English users. :^)

Words/Phrases	Part of Speech	Common Meaning (mostly in Chinese)	Remarks
adj. Adjective adv. Adverb determiner → n. Noun n.c. Count noun (countable noun) n.u. Mass noun (uncountable noun, non-count noun) pl. Plural form prep. Preposition pron. Pronoun v. Verb v.i. Intransitive verb v.t. Transitive verb
a blessing in disguise		塞翁失马	Not “a blessing in the skies.”
across	prep.	在……的那边；在……对面	Not “acrossed.”
across	adv.	横过，穿过；在对面	Not “acrossed.”
advice	n.u.	忠告，劝告	cf. advise.
advise	v.	劝告，向……提建议；通知	cf. advice.
a lot		非常多	No such word as “alot.”
amount	n.	数量	Used with uncountable nouns, cf. number.
amount	v.i.	相当于；总计	Not used in progressive aspect.
auxiliary	adj.	辅助的；补助的	Note that there are two i’s.
barbiturate	n.	巴比妥酸盐（镇静催眠药）	Do not miss the ‘r.’
biannual	adj.	一年两次的	cf. biennial.
biennial	adj.	两年一次的	cf. biannual.
bimonthly	adv.	两月一次的；每月两次	aff. biweekly.
bimonthly	adj.	两月一次的；每月两次	aff. biweekly.
biweekly	adv.	两周一次的；每周两次	aff. bimonthly.
biweekly	adj.	两周一次的；每周两次	aff. bimonthly.
calculating	adj.	（尤指专为自己打算的）深谋远虑，精明的	Usually derogative; no such word as “calculative.”
category	n.c.	种类；范畴	Not “catagory.”
champ at the bit		急不可待	May be written as “chomp at the bit” in AmE.
changeable	adj.	（尤指天气）易变的；不定的	Do not miss the ‘e’; aff. noticeable.
complement	n.	补足物；足额	cf. compliment.
complement	v.t.	补充	cf. compliment.
compliment	n.	赞美；恭维；敬意	cf. complement.
compliment	v.t.	赞美；恭维；向……致意	cf. complement.
comprise	v.t.	包含；由……组成	Use comprise or be comprised of, but not “comprise of” nor “be comprising.”
dateline	n.	国际日期变更线；日期栏	cf. deadline.
deadline	n.	截止时间，期限	cf. dateline.
defer	v.t.	推迟，拖延；使延期	cf. differ.
differ	v.i.	不同，相异	cf. defer.
discipline	n.u.	训练；纪律；惩罚	Do not miss the silent ‘c.’
discipline	v.t.	训导；惩戒	Do not miss the silent ‘c.’
distinct	adj.	独特的，截然不同的；清楚的，明显的	cf. distinctive, distinguished.
distinctive	adj.	与众不同的，有特色的	cf. distinct, distinguished.
distinguished	adj.	卓越的，杰出的，以……著名的	cf. distinct, distinctive.
dumbbell	n.	哑铃	Note the double b’s; usually in plural form (dumbbells).
elicit	v.t.	得出，引出（事实，情况等）	A single ‘l’ only; cf. illicit.
embarrass	v.t.	使窘迫；使为难；使焦急	Note the double r’s.
emigrate	v.i.	移居外国，移民	A single ‘m’ only; cf. immigrate.
espresso	n.	（用蒸汽加压煮出的）蒸馏浓咖啡	Not “expresso” (pl. espressos).
every day		每一天	A phrase, cf. everyday.
everyday	adj.	日常的；平常的；普通的	A single word, cf. every day; no comparative degree.
fair	adj.	正直的，公正的；相当好（大、美等）的；（皮肤）白晰的，（头发）淡色的；外表端庄的；品质纯正的；（指女性）美貌的，动人的	cf. fare.
	adv.	公正地，公平地
	n.	（出售农副产品的）定期集市；大型展销会，商品交易会
fare	n.	车费；（尤指出租车的）乘客；食品（尤指伙食）	cf. fair.
fare	v.	（正式）进行；进展；过活；成功	cf. fair.
February	n.	二月	Two r’s in total.
fewer	determiner	较少数的	Comparative of few; cf. less.
fewer	pron.	较少数的	Comparative of few; cf. less.
foreign	adj.	外国的；无关的；外来的	Not “foriegn”; no comparative degree.
fort	n.	堡垒，要塞	cf. forte.
forte	n.	长处，优点	cf. fort; pronounced as [ˈfɔːrteɪ]; usually singular.
	adv.	【音乐】强音
	adj.	【音乐】强音
gauge	n.	测量仪表；（重量、尺寸等的）标准规格	Not “guage”; take note of the pronunciation, too.
gauge	v.t.	用仪表测量；（对某事或某人的行为）判定，估计	Not “guage”; take note of the pronunciation, too.
hierarchy	n.	等级制度
illicit	adj.	违法的	Double l’s, cf. elicit; no comparative degree.
immigrate	v.i.	（从外国）移居入本国	Double m’s, cf. emigrate.
indispensable	adj.	不可或缺的；必需的	Not “indispensible.”
ingenious	adj.	机灵的；有创造性的	cf. ingenuous.
ingenuous	adj.	单纯的；直率的，无经验的	cf. ingenious.
innocuous	adj.	（尤指行动、声明等）无害的；无冒犯之意的	Double n’s, cf. inoculate.
inoculate	v.	（给……）接种；灌输	A single ‘n’ only, cf. innocuous.
in spite of		不管	No such phrase as “inspite ...”
itinerary	n.c.	旅行计划；旅程，旅行路线	Five syllables in total, note the ‘i-i-e-a’ sequence.
it’s		it is; it has	cf. its.
its	determiner	它的	Possessive case of “it”; cf. it’s.
jewellry	n.u.	（衣服上或身上戴的镶嵌宝石的）饰物；珠宝	Do not spell or pronounce as “jewellery.”
leisure	n.u.	闲暇；空闲	Not “liesure.”
less	adv.	不如，不及；较少，更少	Comparative of “little”; cf. fewer.
	determiner	较小（少）的；更小（少）的
	pron.	较小（少）的；更小（少）的
	prep.	扣除；不计在内
maintenance	n.u.	维修；保养	Not “maintainence.”
many	determiner	许多，很多	cf. much.
many	pron.	许多，很多	cf. much.
memento	n.c.	纪念品	Not “momento” (pl. mementos).
millennium	n.c.	一千年；太平盛世	Double l’s and double n’s (pl. millennia).
miniature	n.	缩影；缩样	Do not miss the ‘a.’
miniature	adj.	微型的；缩小的	Do not miss the ‘a.’
mischievous	adj.	调皮的；恶作剧的；有危害的	Not “mischievious”; take note of the pronunciation, too.
much	adv.	多；很；几乎，差不多	cf. many.
	determiner	许多，大量
	pron.	许多，大量
neighbour	n.	邻居	Not “nieghbour.”
never	adv.	从不，决不	Singaporeans tend to use this word in place of “do not” for expressing negation, which is not correct.
noticeable	adj.	显而易见的；值得注意的	Do not miss the ‘e,’ aff. changeable.
number	n.	数，数字；号码，编号；数量，总数	Used with countable nouns, cf. amount.
number	v.t.	给……编号；总共；把……列入	Used with countable nouns, cf. amount.
occasion	n.	时刻，时机	Double c’s, but only a single ‘s.’
occurrence	n.	（偶发）事件，事变	Both double c’s and double r’s.
ostensibly	adv.	表面地，假装地	No such word as “ostensively.”
pastime	n.	消遣，娱乐	Both single ‘s’ and single ‘t.’
perseverance	n.u.	坚持；坚忍不拔；不屈不挠	Four syllables in total, note the ‘er-e-e-a’ sequence.
playwright	n.c.	剧作家	Not “playwrite” (“wright” is from “work” in Old English).
precede	v.	先于……；居前，领先	Note the ‘-cede’ spelling in this word, cf. proceed, supersede.
principal	adj.	首要的；主要的	cf. principle; no comparative degree.
principal	n.	（某些大学、学院或学校的）校／院长；本金；主角，主奏者	cf. principle.
principle	n.c.	原理；原则；法则；定理	cf. principal, principles.
principles	n.pl.	原理；原则；道义，节操	cf. principal, principle.
proceed	v.i.	进行；（停顿后）继续进行；前进，行进	cf. precede.
pronunciation	n.	发音；发音法；口音	Not “pronounciation.”
questionnaire	n.c.	意见征求表；问卷	Double n’s; ends in ‘-naire.’
referred to		提及；参照；应用于	Double r’s.
regardless	adv.	不顾一切地；无论如何	No such word as “irregardless.”
relevant	adj.	有关的；贴切的；中肯的	Note the ‘e-e-a’ sequence.
rhyme	n.	韵脚；押韵；韵文	cf. rhythm.
rhyme	v.i.	押韵；同韵	cf. rhythm.
rhythm	n.	（说话、舞蹈、音乐等的）韵律；节奏	cf. rhyme.
separate	v.	分开，分离；分隔，隔开；分散成（若干部分）；（夫妻通过正式协议）分居	Note the ‘e-a-a’ sequence.
separate	adj.	不同的，各别的；单独的，各自的；分开的，分离的	Note the ‘e-a-a’ sequence.
sergeant	n.c.	军士；中士；警官，巡佐	One ‘e’ in each of the two syllables.
split image		相像的人或物；翻版	Also split and image, but no such phrase as “splitting image.”
supersede	v.t.	淘汰；取代	Note the ‘-sede’ spelling in this word, cf. precede.
stationary	adj.	不动的，静止的	cf. stationery.
stationery	n.u.	文具（总称）	cf. stationary.
suit	n.	一套衣服；同花色的一组纸牌	cf. suite; take note of the pronunciation, too.
suit	v.	适合，满足，对……方便；跟……相称，相配	cf. suite; take note of the pronunciation, too.
suite	n.c.	（尤指旅馆中的）一套房间；一套家具（尤指一件长靠椅和两把椅子等三件一套）	cf. suit; take note of the pronunciation, too.
their	determiner	他（她、它）们的	Possessive case of “they”; cf. there, they’re.
there	adv.	在那里；往那里；在那方面；（用以引起注意）；（用以安慰某人或表示满足、鼓励、胜利等）	cf. their, they’re.
there	pron.	（用以表示存在或发生）	cf. their, they’re.
they’re		they are	cf. their, there.
track	n.c.	行踪；轨迹；足迹；径，小道；铁轨；跑道；（唱片或磁带中的）乐曲	cf. trek.
track	v.t.	跟踪；追踪	cf. trek.
trek	v.i.	徒步长途跋涉	cf. track.
trek	n.	徒步长途跋涉	cf. track.
weird	adj.	怪诞的；不自然的；离奇的；不可思议的；不能接受的	Not “wierd.”
you’re		you are	cf. your.
your		你的；你们的	Possessive case of “you”; cf. you’re.