15 English phrases many people get incorrect

Even though English is one of the top five most spoken languages in the world, it is known to humble even the most fluent of tongues.

There are numerous phrases we all use almost daily, yet many of us have been saying them incorrectly.

Here are 15 examples:

1. It is ‘dog-eat-dog world’, not ‘doggy dog world’.

2. ‘The coast is clear’, not ‘the ghost is clear’.

3. It is ‘an old wives’ tale’, not ‘an old wise tale’.

4. ‘For all intents and purposes’, not ‘for all intensive purposes’.

5. ‘Pay-per-view’ not ‘paper view’.

6. ‘Rest assured’ and not ‘rest to sure’.

7. ‘In layman’s terms’, not ‘in lame man’s terms’.

8. ‘Prima donna’ is commonly mistaken as ‘pre-Madonna’.

9. It is ‘quote, unquote’, not ‘quote on quote’.

10. ‘You’ve got another think coming’ is commonly mistaken as ‘You’ve got another thing coming’.

11. ‘Nip it in the bud’ is often hilariously misused as ‘Nip it in the butt’

12. It is ‘I couldn’t care less’, not – contrary to American usage – ‘I could care less’

13. ‘Nerve-wracking’, not ‘nerve-wrecking’

14. It is ‘first come, first served’ and not ‘first come, first serve’

15. ‘Deep-seated’ as opposed to ‘deep-seeded’.

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