We all have pet peeves—minor annoyances that consistently irritate us, even though others are unfazed. Many of my pet peeves involve writing, and high on my list is the incorrect use of the word “insure.” Unless your message refers to “compensation if a person dies or property is damaged” (www.oxforddictionaries.com), the word you should use is ensure. Two easy tricks will help you eliminate this particular grammatical faux pas: