Mistake: Eminent vs Imminent
eminent = famous; imminent = about to happen.
Examples
- Danger is imminent.
Key rules
- Eminent means famous and respected: an eminent scientist
- Imminent means about to happen very soon: imminent danger
- The words look similar but refer to very different things
Common mistakes
- Danger is eminent → Danger is imminent
- An imminent professor → An eminent professor
Use cases
- News and academic writing
- Describing events
- Describing people
💡 Tip: Ask: is it about a person's fame (eminent) or about something happening soon (imminent)?