Unique

Unique means that whatever is being described is the only thing of its kind. Many people will add very, truly, absolutely, or other words before unique (i.e. That painting is very unique) in an attempt to make the object being described stand out even more. However, this is grammatically incorrect. Unique does not need and should not have any other modifying word (adjective) before it. The word unique should stand alone when describing something.

• Example: The actor portrayed Hamlet in a unique way.

Memorization tip: Remember, unique stands alone. By the nature of its definition, it is one of a kind.

Drink, Drank, Drunk

Everyone knows what drink means. The confusion comes in when figuring out when to use drank and when to use drunk (as a verb, not the other meaning mostly everyone is familiar with). It's actually pretty simple.

Drank is the simple past of drink.

• Example: I drank two glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice this morning.

Drunk is also the past tense of drink but is only used with the verb "have."

• Example: Instead of orange juice, I had drunk two glasses of wine and promptly felt the effects. I have drunk my way through this bottle of wine in record time.

Memorization tip: If you do not use the verb have you do not use drunk.

Irregardless

Irregardless is, in fact, not a word. As far as I can tell, it seems to be a misuse of the words regardless and irrespective. Somewhere along the line, someone probably combined the two words and it stuck.

Actually, when irregardless is broken down, it actually means the opposite of what the speaker intends. Regardless means "despite the present circumstances" or "not paying attention to the present situation." The prefix ir means "not" or "before." When ir and regardless are combined the new word, irregardless, actually means "regarding." This is the exact opposite of what the speaker means.

Since irregardless is not a word, there are no example sentences. Stick to something like this instead: I bought the shoes regardless of how they fit.

Memorization tip: Most of the time, when people say irregardless they mean regardless.

Hang vs. Hung

Hang means to suspend from above, attach to a wall, droop, or fold in a specific way.

• Example: Will you please hang the painting four feet from the ceiling? When you finish with that, please hang the drapes over the windows.
  

Hung is the past tense of hang. However, hanged is also the past tense.

And therein lies the confusion. The most common mistake regarding these two past tenses comes when talking about the act of killing someone and describing the private parts of a man. Hanged is always used to describe how someone died. Hung always refers to the private parts of a man.

• Example: The executioner hanged the criminal at midnight yesterday. (versus) He told the girl at the bar that he was her ideal man because he was well hung.
  

Memorization tip: The man was hanged because he was hung. With his best friend's wife he had way too much fun

May vs. Can

May asks permission. It is often connected to a question.

• Example: May I borrow your car for the weekend? Yes, you may.
  

Can asks about an ability.

• Example: I bet I can make 20 free throws in a row.

Memorization tip: When asking a question the default word is may.