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Common Errors in English Usage and More The Web Site of Professor Paul Brians

Paul Brians in profile

Paul Brians (1942-) earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Indiana University and joined the Department of English at Washington State University in 1968. He taught literature, interdisciplinary humanities, and world civilizations courses. He retired in 2008 and now lives on Bainbridge Island.

This is the new website featuring Brians’ Common Errors in English Usage, photography, and various study guides and other helpful resources.

Books by Paul Brians | Paul Brians Vita | “Politics & Me”: 2008 Retirement address | Illustrated History of WSU Student Activism in the 60s | Paul Brians’ Weekly Podcast

Paul Brians’ e-mail: paulbrians@gmail.com

Common Errors in English Usage

What is an error in English?

The concept of language errors is a fuzzy one. I’ll leave to linguists the technical definitions. Here we’re concerned only with deviations from the standard use of English as judged by sophisticated users such as professional writers, editors, teachers, and literate executives and personnel officers. The aim of this site is to help you avoid low grades, lost employment opportunities, lost business, and titters of amusement at the way you write or speak.


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