Commonly misused/misspelled words and phrases (Part 73)

For those of you who waited patiently (and for the rest), here are more words and phrases that are often misused:

That vs. Who

Wrong: People that act superior annoy me to no end.

Right: People who act superior annoy me to no end.

Wrong: I hate referees that mess up a penalty call.

Right: I hate referees who mess up a penalty call.

Right: Jets that operate via fly-by-wire are inherently unstable.

When referring to people, use who. When not referring to people (inanimate objects, animals, insects, etc.), use that.

Waited(ing) on vs. Waited(ing) for

Wrong: He waited on her for more than an hour!

Right: He waited for her more than an hour!

Unless you’re referring to a food server who waits on customers, the correct expression is waited for someone, not waited on them.

Want more? I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next time.

Mark.