As illustrated in the examples below, immigrate is used in conjunction with the word to, while emigrate is used with from. Also, be aware that immigrate is spelled with two letter m’s, but emigrate has only one.

He immigrated to the United States as a teenager.

He emigrated from Canada to the United States.

Examples:

1. The food will be served momentarily.
2. The meeting will adjourn momentarily.

Often the context will make it clear which meaning is intended (clearly food is not going to be served for just a moment), but sometimes the meaning can be ambiguous.  In looking at the second example above, one might question whether the meeting will adjourn for a moment or in a moment. To avoid confusion, be sure that your intended meaning is clear from the context, or simply substitute momentarily with “in a moment” or “for a moment.”

Which meaning of momentarily do you use most often? Please share in the comments. (I always use momentarily when I mean “for a moment.”)

If you’re interested in the history of the usage of momentarily, see this post at Motivated Grammar: “In a Moment, for a Moment“.

Incorrect: I hate people that talk on their cell phones while driving.
Correct: I hate people who talk on their cell phones while driving.

Incorrect: If you are a person that can’t sit still for five minutes…
Correct: If you are a person who can’t sit still for five minutes…

Incorrect: He’s a guy that can strike a lot of guys out.
Correct: He’s a guy who can strike a lot of guys out.

Editor’s Note: This is a reader-submitted post. If you would like to submit a post for publication, please visit this page.

This post was submitted by Elliot.

Stationary and stationery are confused probably more by their similar spellings than by their definitions, which are quite different. The one-letter spelling difference in these two words makes them easy to confuse.

Stationary with an “a” means “not moving”: The dog lay stationary in the hot sun.

Stationery (with an “e”) refers to writing materials, usually paper.

The way I remember the difference between the two is by associating the  “e” in stationery with envelopes, because envelopes are often used with writing materials.

My preferred word of choice? Preventive: it has one less syllable and rolls off the tongue more easily.

See also: Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s entries for preventive and preventative.

Affect is a verb meaning “to influence.”

Effect can be both a verb and a noun. Its noun form is related to affect. (Its verb form, meaning “to accomplish” or “to put into operation,” has a different meaning and usage altogether.) In its noun form, an effect is the result of someone or something that is affecting another person or thing.

Here is an example:

Smoking affects health. The effect is lung cancer.

Affect is the verb causing the influence or change (on health). The effect is the result (lung cancer).

Were you paid a compliment or a complement?2

Do peanut butter and jelly compliment or complement each other?3

To compliment (verb form) is to give “an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration.” A compliment (the noun form) is the expression itself.

To complement (verb form) is to “fill up, complete, or make perfect,” and a complement (the noun form) is the object or person that fills up, completes, or makes perfect.

Answers:
1. complimentary
2. compliment
3. complement

For some strange reason, this hideous word has slipped into the English language.Think for a second about the logic behind the construction of the word irregardless: The prefix ir- means “the absence of,” and the suffix -less means “the absence of.” Is it really necessary to indicate the absence of regard twice? I think not.

Remember that regardless is a complete word on its own without the redundant ir- at the beginning.

Example 1: I feel nauseated when I am nervous.

Example 2: I feel nauseous when I am nervous.

In both sentences, the speaker is referring to a feeling of queasiness. It is becoming increasingly common to hear the second example above, which uses nauseous in place of nauseated. Actually, these words have two separate meanings. Nauseous is used when referring to something that actually causes a feeling of sickness, while nauseated is used to refer to the actual sensation of sickness, as illustrated in the following sentences:

Example 3 (nauseous-correct usage): The smell of rotten eggs is nauseous.

Example 4 (nauseated-correct usage): The smell of rotten eggs makes me nauseated.

Example 3 illustrates the correct usage of the word nauseous, because it refers to the smell of rotten eggs–something which causes a feeling of sickness. In Example 4, nauseated is used to refer to the feeling of nausea. Just remember that when you are feeling sick, use nauseated, but when you are referring to something that actually causes you to be sick, use nauseous.

Please note that the word nauseating is synonymous with nauseous in that both refer to something that causes nausea. To say, “The smell of rotten eggs is nauseating” would be as correct as saying, “The smell of rotten eggs is nauseous.” The real confusion, however, lies in the difference between nauseous and nauseated.