Misused Word of the Week

Suppose

Suppose, in all its various forms, is misused so dreadfully that I felt the need to address the issue.

Suppose, as defined by Dictionary.com:

sup·pose (sə-pōz')
v. sup·posed, sup·pos·ing, sup·pos·es

To assume to be true or real for the sake of argument or explanation: Suppose we win the lottery.
To believe, especially on uncertain or tentative grounds: Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in swamps.
To consider to be probable or likely: I suppose it will rain.
To imply as an antecedent condition; presuppose: "Patience must suppose pain" (Samuel Johnson).
To consider as a suggestion: Suppose we dine together.
To imagine; conjecture.

Notice first the use of the word "to." "To assume," "to believe," "to consider," etc. Use of the word "to" in the definiton reveals to us that the word "suppose" is in the present tense. For example, "I suppose that you must think I'm a walking thesaurus, as my friend once told me I am."

Often, this is misused in the past tense, as in "I was suppose to go to the store but I didn't care that much."

If the sentence is past tense, the word needs an "ed" on the end, just as in "jump," "I jumped," "spew," "I spewed," "tense," "I tensed."

Pay special attention to the fact that it ends in an "ed" not any other letter.

Also from Dictionary.com:

sup-posed 

–adjective

Presumed to be true or real without conclusive evidence.
Intended: medication that is supposed to relieve pain.
Required: He is supposed to go to the store.
Permitted: We are not supposed to smoke here.
Firmly believed; expected: You're supposed to be my friend.


supposedly
adverb
believed or reputed to be the case

Notice again the spelling. The "ly" is added after the "ed." The "d" does not change to any other consonant. Ways I have heard this misused/mispronounced are "supposevely," and "supposibly," among others.

Thus ends this week's effort at encouraging the proper use of the English language.