Skip to Content

Bias? or Biased?

It’s time for my weekly 5 Minute Grammar Rant. Bias or biased is an error I come across a lot in my college composition classes and in blogs I read. It drives me nuts, honestly.

Bias or Biased - A quick Grammar Lesson

Bias? or Biased?

Here’s the deal. BIAS is a noun. BIASED is an adjective.

A person should never be described as BIAS because ADJECTIVES describe nouns.

It’s proper English to talk about BIASED PEOPLE. A person can BE biased or HAVE a bias. For instance:

  • I am a biased mom and think my kids are the cutest kids on earth.
  • I have a BIAS and think my kids are the cutest kids on the earth.  OR
  • I am BIASED – my kids are the cutest kids on earth.

It’s NOT proper to say –

  • I am bias – my kids are the cutest kids on the earth.

It’s simple! Just remember AM BIASED or HAVE A BIAS. That’s all there is to it. 🙂

More grammar posts you may like:

Your welcome or You’re welcome?

How to make the word PEOPLE possessive

Do to or Due to?

Less or Fewer?

Should have gone or Should have went?

Which is correct - Bias or Biased? Here's a quick grammar lesson to teach you the difference between these two commonly confused words!

If you’re looking for helpful grammar resources, here are my top picks:

Strunk & White Elements of Style

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation 

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation 

The Grammar Girl’s Quick & Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Bonolo

Sunday 2nd of April 2017

Hi Michelle

Sparky

Saturday 14th of March 2015

Hi michelle.actually I am a limited speaker..I have been learing english for a year..anyway I just see your thread and understand what the difference between bias and biased! But I also have seen a word such as bias (vt)..and I am confused..you was like"just remember am biased and have a bias"but how does it work when it comes to bias (vt)

Vince

Friday 20th of November 2015

Bias (vt) means to create a bias in the object of the verb. For example: "If we administer our political survey only to people with facial piercings, it might bias the results." In this example, the survey results would be biased / have a bias.

Kevin

Saturday 17th of January 2015

This is going to be a tough one... The example is: The judge was biased but he was unbias in his adjudication. Many, including Google and many autocorrects, do not observe unbias as a word. In my view when you take an action you are acting in an unbias manner and when you have a belief you are unbiased or biased. the -ed signifies a past relationship with the belief. Thoughts?

Alex Dizon

Monday 24th of January 2022

@Kevin, if bias is a verb or a noun, it does not appear correct to add the prefix un ( unbias) to make it an adjective.

Michelle Marine

Sunday 18th of January 2015

Hi Kevin, definitely add the -ed and make it unbiased. :-)

Wayne Fairley

Tuesday 25th of November 2014

An irritating error very common nowadays is the use of "loose"instead of "lose". Well worth a post.

Regards

jai

Monday 13th of January 2014

Love your 5 minute lessons!!! I learn so much! Since I ignored my teachers in English class when it came to the grammar part. Just give me a story!! My biggest pet peeve is anyway vs. anyways. ARGH!

Michelle Marine

Monday 13th of January 2014

:-) I learned most when I started teaching college classes!!!

As an Amazon Associate Michelle Marine, Exclusive member of Mediavine Food. SimplifyLiveLove, earns from qualifying purchases. SimplifyLiveLove is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.