Common Mistakes

 

Comprise
A common mistake when using this transitive verb is to say comprised of or comprised by. To comprise means to consist of or to be made up of. Thus, the Organization of American States comprises 34 member states, or the U.S. Supreme Court comprises one chief justice and eight associate justices.

Content v. contents

The two are sometimes confused.

• Contents: the things that are contained in something:

The contents of the bag flew across the room.

• Contents: the different sections that are contained in a book:

According to the contents, the chapter on faith healing starts on page 16.

• Content: the subject matter of a book, speech, program, etc.:

The content of the course depends on what the students would like to study.

• Content (following a noun): the amount of a substance contained in something:

That sandwich has a high vitamin content.

• Content: happy or satisfied:
  He had to be content with third place.

​

Descendant v. descendent
The former is the noun, the latter, the adjective. Thus, “the rights of Afro-descendants”* but “Afro-descendent population.” However, it is correct to say “Afro-descendant rights.”

* People/person of African descent is a more elegant alternative.

 

Historic v. historical
Historic means historically significant or important, while historical means pertaining to history:

The Battle of Waterloo was the scene of Napoleon’s historic defeat.
Many minorities have to cope with the legacy of historical discrimination.