<p>A study by <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543826/" rel="noreferrer">Rainer <em>et al</em>. (2011)</a> has shown that words are skipped and apparently filled in mentally quite often (in the order of 8 to 30% of times).</p>

<p>Two important factors that increased skipping rates were the <em>length</em> of the word and the <em>predictability</em> of the word due to contextual constraints. Both cases apply on the word '<em>the</em>', because it is <strong>short</strong> and <strong>highly predictable</strong>, being a common <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/the" rel="noreferrer">adjective</a> and in fact one of the <a href="http://www.trussel.com/the.htm" rel="noreferrer">most used words</a> in the English language. In other words, besides being short and predictable, it is also a very common word that has relatively little impact on the meaning of a sentence.    </p>

<p><sub><strong>Reference</strong><br>
<strong>-</strong> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543826/" rel="noreferrer">Rainer <em>et al</em>., <em>J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform</em> (2011); <strong>37</strong>(2): 514–28</a></sub></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-19T08:35:35.290Z
2016-05-19T12:59:26.930Z
2016-05-19T12:59:26.930Z
AliceD
<p>For example, in this sentence by the the time you are done reading you will have already skipped over the double "the". </p>

<p>I have searched this on the internet a little, but I have found nothing that focuses on why this happens and shows actual proof and not just a hunch someone has on why it happens.  Would someone explain this and post a link to a trustworthy website that explains it in more detail.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/aS9YV.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/aS9YV.png" alt="double the illusion"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-20T00:01:31.550Z
Related: [Omitting word(s) when typing](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/18442/7001), [Is there a name for reading things how you meant to write them?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/8636/7001)
Arnon Weinberg
<perception><language><reading><language-processing>
Why does the brain skip over repeated "the" words in sentences?
Caleb
# Why does the brain skip over repeated "the" words in sentences?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-17)

For example, in this sentence by the the time you are done reading you will have already skipped over the double "the".

I have searched this on the internet a little, but I have found nothing that focuses on why this happens and shows actual proof and not just a hunch someone has on why it happens. Would someone explain this and post a link to a trustworthy website that explains it in more detail.

[![double the illusion](https://i.sstatic.net/aS9YV.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/aS9YV.png)

**Tags:** perception, language, reading, language-processing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: [Omitting word(s) when typing](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/18442/7001), [Is there a name for reading things how you meant to write them?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/8636/7001)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-05-19. Score: 15

A study by [Rainer *et al*. (2011)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543826/) has shown that words are skipped and apparently filled in mentally quite often (in the order of 8 to 30% of times).

Two important factors that increased skipping rates were the *length* of the word and the *predictability* of the word due to contextual constraints. Both cases apply on the word '*the*', because it is **short** and **highly predictable**, being a common [adjective](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/the) and in fact one of the [most used words](http://www.trussel.com/the.htm) in the English language. In other words, besides being short and predictable, it is also a very common word that has relatively little impact on the meaning of a sentence.

**Reference**  
**-** [Rainer *et al*., *J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform* (2011); **37**(2): 514–28](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543826/)


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