Archive of ‘Writing‘

I’m proud of my English. I’m not the most punchy or eloquent, but I’m technically correct – most of the time. That being said, it’s painful to learn that I’ve been saying something wrong for years:

“For all intensive purposes”? “For all INTENTS AND purposes.” Ugh. How embarrassing.

“For all intents and purposes” (formally “for all intents, constructions, and purposes) is a phrase used in English law, originating from the 1500s. In both law and common use, the phrase means “for all practical purposes”.

Got other phrases that drive you crazy? Do share in the comments!

P.S. I’m running on four hours of sleep, and I have a feeling there’s a typo (or a series of them) hidden in this post. So much for being technically correct.

Photo Credits: e-magic