A listener question forces us to take a hard look at how we use prepositions, including whether we do things "by" accident or "on" accident, and Fletcher asks why we can't just do things "by" purpose.

We did it by (on?) accident!

From KMUW Studios and part of the NPR Podcast Network, You're Saying It Wrong is a podcast that looks at what we get wrong—and what we sometimes get right—when it comes to this English language. Hosted by KMUW's Fletcher Powell, each episode features a conversation with the sister and brother who wrote the book on it. Literally. You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse is by Kathryn Petras and Ross Petras.On June 24, 2022, You’re Saying It Wrong received first place in Division B for Interview Podcasts from the Public Media Journalists Association. The awards recognize the best work in public media journalism from across the country.You're Saying It Wrong is available to public radio stations through PRX.

Share We did it by (on?) accident!

Sign up to save your podcasts

We did it by (on?) accident!

We did it by (on?) accident!

More shows like You're Saying It Wrong

Fresh Air

The New Yorker Radio Hour

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

On the Media

BirdNote Daily

KERA's Think

Science Friday

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

Sidedoor

Proof

Throughline

Short Wave

The Atlas Obscura Podcast

NPR's Book of the Day

Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris