Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse writers. I have found the following to be among them:
PORE / POUR
The verb pore can mean to gaze at intently while the verb pour means to flow or cause to flow:
When doing historical research, it is wise to pore over many reference books but not to pour over them in case they might get wet.
I had heard such expressions as “she pored over the book” for years but, not having seen it written, didn’t know which way to spell that word pore. Unless you’ve seen it properly written or looked it up in the dictionary, it’s easy to be confused. So take note:
Incorrect: He poured over every word until he figured out the key to the code.
Correct: He pored over every word until he figured out the key to the code.
© 2016 Ann Henry. All Rights Reserved.