en English es español fr française it italiano de deutsche ja 日本語 pl polski cs česky sv svenska tr Türkçe nl Nederlands

Why "a lose" is not a win for your grammar

Reviewed and edited by Anwar Kareem 06/10/2024, 22:36
English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

A lose or a loss. What's correct?

It is a spelling and grammatical error.

Why do people make this mistake?

People often mistakenly use "lose" as a noun due to phonetic similarity with "loss" and misunderstanding of their grammatical roles.

What is correct?

The correct usage for the noun form is "a loss". "Lose" is a verb, which is used in contexts like "to lose something".

Examples of correct usage

  • a loss
  • experiencing a loss
  • suffering a loss

Recommended posts in Grammar

Why you should never say "oftenly"

Why you should never say "oftenly"

People may mistakenly believe that "often" is an adjective and ... Learn more →

The singular mistake: understanding why "criteria was" is incorrect

The singular mistake: understanding why "criteria was" is incorrect

People often make this error because "criteria" is commonly mistaken ... Learn more →

Why "heared" is incorrect: a detailed explanation

Why "heared" is incorrect: a detailed explanation

People often make this error because in English, many verbs ... Learn more →

Waking up to grammar: why "laying awake" is a mistake

Waking up to grammar: why "laying awake" is a mistake

People often confuse "lay" and "lie" because their past tenses ... Learn more →