Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
REIGN / REIN
Each of these words can be either a noun or a verb, but it is the verb form that we are concerned with here. The verb rein is a transitive verb, meaning it takes an object (as in rein the horse back to a trot), while reign is an intransitive verb, meaning it cannot take a direct object. The king can reign over his subjects, but he cannot simply reign them.
Although each of these verbs has several definitions, the confusion comes from a particular pair of similar definitions: rein can mean control or direct as one would a horse by using reins, and reign can mean exercise authority in the manner of monarchs who rule over the land.
An especially troubling phrase is “give free rein” as in the teacher gave the students free rein to choose what they would do for their science projects. Drop the G for this one.
INCORRECT: You’d best reign in your emotions if you want to avoid a fight.
CORRECT: You’d best rein in your emotions if you want to avoid a fight.
INCORRECT: If the king dies, then who will rein over us?
CORRECT: If the king dies, then who will reign over us?
ALSO CORRECT: If we could only rein in our aggressive tendencies, peace could reign over the land.
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