Edit This Grammar Lesson: Is It Err or Error on the Side of Caution?
- Steve Gamel
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
As my wife and I were relaxing in front of the television last weekend, she came across a social media post that didn’t quite sit right with her. It began with the line, “I’m going to error on the side of caution and not get involved in this one.” In an instant, she turned to me excitedly, as if she'd won a million dollars, and said, "Error? Shouldn't this say err?"
"Yes!" I said with a laugh. "Great catch!"
If you're reading this with a confused look on your face, don't worry. We won't call you out for making this mistake—just like we chose not to pick on her friend, either.
The reality is that this is a very common flub that practically everyone makes. And truthfully, I can't blame them. For one, it sounds like it should be "error." Secondly, is "err" even a word? Yes. It is. And it's another textbook example of how the English language has a habit of setting these little traps for even the most careful writers.
Err vs. Error: Why You Should be Cautious!
Err and error are easy to confuse for a few reasons. They’re both pronounced with the same “er” sound, so our brains naturally reach for the more familiar spelling, error. But beyond that, both words are tied to the same idea: making a mistake.
This is where nuance comes into play. Err is a verb, and it means to "make a mistake." For instance, you turned down the wrong street, or a waiter got your order wrong.
Meanwhile ... and this is the tricky part for many people ... error is almost always a noun and refers to the mistake itself. For instance, the waiter didn’t error your order; the order contained an error.
The act of making the mistake (err) vs. the mistake itself (error).
I know ... it's annoying.
So, in the Phrase, "Err on the Side of Caution" ...
Using err is correct because it's describing the act of possibly being wrong. When someone says this (or writes it), they are saying that they will choose to risk a small mistake now to avoid making a bigger one down the line.
If you wrote “error on the side of caution,” you’d be turning the action into a thing, which isn't grammatically correct—even though it still sounds right and looks correct on the page.
One is an action. The other is the result of that action.
And English, being English, loves to hide that difference in plain sight.
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It's fun to tease friends for grammar mistakes or point out other errors in written copy. But any spelling or grammar error in business writing—brochures, website copy, blog posts, press releases, newsletters, and more—can wreak havoc on your company's image.
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STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This®, a writing and editing services company in Denton, TX. He is also the author of Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.