Tenants vs. Tenets

Tenants vs. Tenets Tenants vs. Tenets Tenants vs. Tenets By Maeve Maddox Both words, tenant and tenet, derive from the Latin verb tenere, â€Å"to hold,† but they are not interchangeable. A tenant is someone who rents or leases a house, apartment, etc. from a landlord. A tenet is a principle, dogma, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true. The following examples of misuse were gathered from sites that offer some kind of professional service: INCORRECT: Generally speaking, people dont know how to teach  leadership, but we can  teach  some  basic tenants.   CORRECT : Generally speaking, people dont know how to teach  leadership, but we can  teach  some  basic tenets.   INCORRECT: Simply put, the  basic tenants  of reading and writing are ignored.   CORRECT : Simply put, the  basic tenets of reading and writing are ignored.   INCORRECT: This course is designed to give the students an overview of the basic tenants of Christian Doctrine. CORRECT : This course is designed to give the students an overview of the basic tenets of Christian Doctrine. INCORRECT: Odierno told our staff about the three  basic tenants  he uses to lead the U.S. Army: competence, commitment  and character. CORRECT : Odierno told our staff about the three  basic tenets he uses to lead the U.S. Army: competence, commitment  and character. I did not find the opposite error in professional texts, but it is quite common in comments on sites related to renting. For example: INCORRECT: most importantly, stay informed about your rights as a  tenet. CORRECT : most importantly, stay informed about your rights as a  tenant. INCORRECT: [The rule is] never enforced, but it does give the owner of the property a pretty quick and easy way to remove troublesome tenets. CORRECT : [The rule is] never enforced, but it does give the owner of the property a pretty quick and easy way to remove troublesome tenants. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to Capitalize Animal and Plant NamesIs There a Reason â€Å"the Reason Why† Is Considered Wrong?How Verbs Become Adjectives