Frequently confused word pairs are one of the most common mistakes you will come across when correcting English grammar. From standard essay writing right up to undergraduate dissertations and even in a masters dissertation it is not uncommon to find a student mixing up pairs such as less and fewer, practice and practise, or irritate and aggravate. Read on for a quick and simple guide to correct grammar and choosing the right word every time.

Should I use less or fewer?

There is a very easy explanation to the English grammar behind this one: you use less when you are referring to something that isn’t measured in individual units, such as sunshine, happiness, music.

For example:

It was lovely and warm yesterday, but there seems to be less sunshine today.

You use fewer when you are talking about something in the plural, so lots of individual units, such as people, sweets, cars.

For example:

It rained yesterday, so there were fewer people out playing tennis.

Less or fewer grammar top tip:

Also use less for expressions of measurement, for example:

I live less than a mile from the town

His weight dropped to less than 7 stone

Should I use practice or practise?

Again it is quite a simple rule to remember here. Practice is used whenever the word is being used as a noun (or thing).

For example:

Have you done your piano practice today? or Has netball practicebeen cancelled?

Practise is used whenever the word is being used as a verb (or doing word).

For example:

I practise my violin every day.

American and English grammar top tip:

Don’t forget spelling rules differ and where a ‘c’ is used in English grammar, the American spelling often replaces it with an ’s’, so you may find in American texts practise is actually used as a noun.

Should I use irritate or aggravate?

Once more the grammatical distinction here is much clearer than the myriad English grammar mistakes made by students might suggest! The verbs are not in fact interchangeable at all but have different meanings. As most students already know, to irritate has the meaning to annoy, provoke or inflame, but to aggravate actually means to worsen an already existing condition, not to create irritation initially at all.

For example:

My skin was irritated by the mosquito bite

The itchiness of my mosquito bite was aggravated by the woolen sweater

or

The arrival of the mob aggravated the already tense stand-off

Follow these simple rules to perfect English grammar and end the misuse of confusing word pairs in English writing assignments for good.