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Weekly Error

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The nonstop buzzing, emanating from the adjacent office, is the type of [continual] noise that drives me crazy.

 

To

 

The nonstop buzzing, emanating from the adjacent office, is the type of [continuous] noise that drives me crazy.

 

Incorrect word choice (usage):

Use continual to describe something that takes place over time at intervals.  Use continuous to describe something that takes place over time without interruption.

 

You might be annoyed, for example, by continual interruptions or by a continuous sound.

 

Note that the phrase Continual Education is in reality more suitable than the commonly used academic expression Continuous Education.

 

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See Error Checklist for a compilation of 75 common writing errors.

For more exercises in identifying common errors,
take the M.B.A. exam and
the Punctuation and Grammar Challenges.