Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Writing Wednesday: Lose vs. loose


While I mentioned this grammar pet peeve briefly in this post, I see this error in the blog world all the time, and I thought it deserved its own post again. If you have a hard time remembering the difference between lose and loose, check out the differences below:

  • Lose: Pronounced "looz," this is a verb that means "misplace" or "get rid of." For example, Lindsay will lose her mind if she sees another grammatically incorrect phrase about lost keys.
  • Loose: Pronounced "luce," this is an adjective that means "baggy" or "unattached" (or, the more archaic definition, "promiscuous"). For example, Lindsay's shorts are really loose because she can't seem to find clothes that fit properly.

I cringe when people write things like I really need to loose weight. Here's an easy way to check yourself if you frequently add an extra o when you really mean lose:

  • Think "Double o, let it go." I just came up with that, but it has two meanings. 1) Don't use loose in just any situation (since you most likely mean lose) and (2) Things that are loose have sometimes been "let go" too long. Eh, eh? Work with me here.
  • Sound it out. Honestly, the easiest way to figure out whether you're using lose or loose correctly is to quickly sound it out in your head before you write or type it.

Was that helpful? Do you confuse these words?

2 comments:

  1. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you already understand the difference! I am seeing way too many looses instead of loses right now. :)

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Thanks for sharing your beautiful thoughts! I love reading them.