Hypercorrection: Definition and Examples

Do you ever find yourself reaching for a word that you’re not really sure how to use, but it sounds more intellectual so you go for it?

Many of us have made such hypercorrections before, when we incorrectly used a term or phrase that we thought sounded right, but actually was an overreach.

In this post, we’ll look at some common examples of hypercorrections and what you should really write or say instead.

What Is a Hypercorrection?

A hypercorrection is the incorrect use or pronunciation of a word based on the perception that the hypercorrection is more prestigious, formal, or appropriate.

Basically, it’s when you try to sound like a smarty pants but don’t really know what you’re saying or why, other than you think it sounds smarter. You overcompensate in your effort to avoid an error, and actually make an error.

In many cases, you might make a hypercorrection because you know the rules of your language, but you apply them in more cases than you actually should.

Hypercorrections are innocent mistakes, and ones most of us have been guilty of at some point. But despite our good intentions to sound smarter, hypercorrections can achieve quite the opposite effect if used around someone who knows better.

Examples of Hypercorrections

Below are several examples of common hypercorrections. If you’re guilty of using these, don’t worry: it happens to the best of us! We’ll show you the much simpler solutions that will make your life easier and more grammatically correct.

I Instead of Me

In grade school, teachers constantly corrected you to say and I rather than and me. But there are specific rules for when you need to make that switch—sometimes the correct wording is and me.

Here’s the actual rule: I is a subject pronoun, and me is an object pronoun. Therefore, you cannot use I when the pronoun is receiving an action, only when it is doing the action. And the reverse goes for me: me can’t do an action; it can only be acted upon.

Let’s look at an example where I is right:

Kaitlyn and me went to the concert. (incorrect)
Kaitlyn and I went to the concert. (correct)

If you removed Kaitlyn, could you simply say “me went to the concert”? Of course not. Since me can’t carry the sentence on its own, use I instead.

Now let’s look at an example where me would actually be correct:

Kelly came with Kaitlyn and I. (incorrect)
Kelly came with Kaitlyn and me. (correct)

Because the speaker is the object (whereas Kelly is the subject) in this sentence, you need to use me. Whom did Kelly come with? She came with me. Not with I.

Double Adverbs

Not all adverbs need the suffix -ly tacked onto the end. Flat adverbs can get by just fine without it; in fact, adding -ly would be redundant, and technically incorrect.

For example: “She seldom comes by the cafe anymore” is perfectly correct; there’s no need to say “seldomly.” In fact, it’s been retired as an “archaic” word and should be avoided.

Whom Instead of Who

Another favorite among hypercorrecters, whom is often used in place of who, even when who is correct. This usually happens when someone is aware of the word whom and knows that it has a proper use, but doesn’t really understand its rules. So, to be “safe,” they use whom, which sounds like who’s fancier sister.

To summarize the rule, who is a subject, while whom is an object. (Sound familiar? It’s basically the same rule that governs the I vs. me dilemma in #1 above.

Here are some examples:

Whom is coming to the show tonight? (incorrect)
Who is coming to the show tonight? (correct)

With who are you going to the show? (incorrect)
With whom are you going to the show? (correct)

See more examples and tips for remembering the difference in our complete post on who vs whom.

As Instead of Like

Similes typically use either as or like to highlight similarities between two otherwise unlike things. But somewhere along the way, some of us got the idea that “as” was more intellectual.

If I had to guess, I’d say it’s because we’re often told to avoid saying “like” too much as a filler word. (Like, seriously, I’m from California and we say it, like, every other word.)

But when it comes to making comparisons, plain old “like” can get the job done, and is sometimes the only word that can.

For example, saying “she eats as a bird” is not the same thing as “she eats like a bird.” The first one means she literally transforms into a bird to eat as a bird. While you could say, “she eats in the manner of a bird,” that just seems so clunky and unnecessary when regular old “like” will do.

“A Number Of” Followed by a Singular Verb

Okay, so you put on your smarty pants and you start thinking: Why do we say “a number of [members/individuals/any plural noun] are..” when “a number” is singular? It must be “a number of members is…”.

While your logic isn’t exactly wrong, alas, in the case of “a number of,” you should always use “are” with plural nouns. That’s because the focus, and the subject performing the action, is on the thing you’re quantifying, not the actual quantity. The same rule applies when using terms like “a handful” or “a majority.”

Nonexistent Greek and Latin Plurals

Few things are funnier than English speakers trying to guess at Latin plurals. For Latin-derived words ending in -us, the correct plural is formed with either -uses or -i (often only one is correct).

Take alumnus, for example. Any graduated college student knows that the plural is alumni (thanks to all those emails they likely get from the alumni center). But if you try applying that rule to octopus, you’ll get a made-up plural that sounds rather silly, yet so many of us use.

The ending of octopus is not derived from the Latin –us, but rather the Greek pous (which means “foot”). So, the moral of this etymology lesson is to always check your dictionary.

When In Doubt, Keep It Simple

There’s a solution to avoiding hypercorrections, and it’s really easy to implement: When in doubt, keep it simple. Don’t reach for words that “sound smart” if you aren’t sure how to use them. It’s better to use plain language but have confidence and full command over your words than take a shot in the linguistic dark and hope you’re using them right.

(And I’ll let you in on a little secret: sometimes people who try to sound the smartest have no idea what they’re talking about.)

Even if you aren’t in doubt, as a general writing rule, it’s often better to state things plainly. Your writing or speech will be more effective at reaching people and communicating your ideas clearly.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

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