Boot Camp
Commonly Confused Words
Christopher J. Middelhof MBA
Goals
• Review commonly confused words
• Be aware that these words have different
meanings, are different parts of speech,
cannot be used in place of one another
Commonly Confused Words
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Their, they’re, and there
To, too, and two
Effect and affect
Except and accept
Its and it’s
Then and than
Their There They’re
• Their: that they own
– Their car: the car that they own
– Their daughter is in college.
• The daughter that they own
• There: location or adverb
– There, where, here: all location, all have similar
spelling
– Adverb: There are seven tables in this room.
– Where is my favorite shirt? It is over there.
– The location of the shirt—there not close by or here.
• They’re: they are
Their There They’re
• I left __ presents at home. ___ on the
table by the front door. I hope __ not mad
at me when I arrive __ empty-handed. I
can bring the gifts by ___ shop tomorrow.
I’ll be over ___ to visit my friend, Sarah.
Answers
• I left their presents at home. They’re on
the table by the front door. I hope they’re
not mad at me when I arrive there emptyhanded. I can bring the gifts by their shop
tomorrow. I’ll be over there to visit my
friend, Sarah.
• Presents that they own
• Arrive in the location
• Shop that they own
To, Too, Two
• To: preposition or infinitive verb
– To the store
– To his surprise
– To a huge house
– To store: a verb meaning to keep in storage
– To surprise: a verb meaning to catch
someone off guard
– To house: a verb meaning to provide a home
for someone
To: Continued
• I love to read the newspaper to my dog on
Sunday morning.
• I don’t need a reason to drink hot coffee or
to toast the sunrise.
• To my shock, my dog likes to see the
pictures.
Too and Two
• Too: also or in excess
• “I ate too much cake.” Sally confessed. “I
did too.” Rob told her.
• I have a black bag, but I need a brown one
too.
• If you take too many bags with you, you
are carrying them.
• Two: the easy one. 2
Your Turn
• -- his detriment, Sean chose not – study all
week. It was impossible for him – read –
chapters from – different textbooks and
learn the formulas in the handbook --. His
sister tried – help, but he was – stubborn –
listen – her advice.
Answers
• To his detriment, Sean chose not to study
all week. It was impossible for him to read
two chapters from two different textbooks
and learn the formulas in the handbook
too. His sister tried to help, but he was too
stubborn to listen to her advice.
Effect and Affect
• Effect: a noun
– The results
– An effect, the effect, good effect, special effect
– Can be plural: effects
• Affect: a verb meaning to change
– Not studying will affect my grade.
– Can be past tense: affected
– Can be participle: affecting
Your Turn
• The __ of the medicine is unknown. I hope
it doesn’t __ your mood.
• These lights always __ my eyes.
• Poor eyesight can have a negative – on
one’s driving.
• Did the extra credit – your grade?
• My GPA __ my financial aid.
• The writer’s tone can __ the reader
strongly.
Answers
• The effect of the medicine is unknown. I
hope it doesn’t affect your mood.
• These lights always affect my eyes.
• Poor eyesight can have a negative effect
on one’s driving.
• Did the extra credit affect your grade?
• My GPA affects my financial aid.
• The writer’s tone can affect the reader
strongly.
Review
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Their: that they own
To: preposition or infinitive verb
Too: also or in excess
There: location
Affect: a verb meaning to change
– Can be past tense: affected
– Can be participle: affecting
Except and Accept
• Except: preposition; to exclude; to leave
out
– I ate all of my food except the bread.
• Excluding the bread
• Leaving out the bread
– We read all of the chapters except for three
which was ripped from the book.
• Leaving out the missing chapter
• Excluding the missing chapter
Accept
• Accept: a verb meaning to take in; to
allow; to keep
• I accept this award.
– I take this award
– I allow this award to be given to me
• This instructor does not accept late work.
– Does not allow
– Will not take or keep
Your Turn
• If you __ my apology, we can forget all of this.
• Everyone will arrive at 7:00 __ Steve who has to
__ and sign for a package for his mother.
• __ for spiders, I am not afraid of anything.
• The papers are graded __ for the extra credit.
• Take all of the medicine __ the cough syrup
which is expired.
• Never __ info as true until you have researched
it.
Answers
• If you __ my apology, we can forget all of this.
– Accept: take and keep
• Everyone will arrive at 7:00 __ Steve who has to __ and sign for a
package for his mother.
– Except: excluding Steve
– Accept: take a package
• __ for spiders, I am not afraid of anything.
– Excluding spiders, leaving out spiders
• The papers are graded __ for the extra credit.
– Except: Not counting the extra credit
• Take all of the medicine __ the cough syrup which is expired.
– Except: excluding the cough syrup
• Never __ info as true until you have researched it.
– Accept: take in , allow, keep
Its and It’s
• Its: possession, ownership
– That it owns
– The dog is chasing its tail.
• The tail that it—the dog-- owns
– The house needs its windows replaced.
• The windows that it—the house--owns
• It’s: contraction; it is
– It’s December. It is December
– I think it’s time to leave. It is time to leave.
Your Turn
• If __ okay with you, I’m going to tell the
workers that __ too late for them to be
here.
• __ difficult to get around Orlando without a
car. __ just not a city designed for public
transit. __ a shame because __ a fact that
all of these cars are bad for the
environment.
Answers
• If it’s okay with you, I’m going to tell the
workers that it’s too late for them to be
here.
• It’s difficult to get around Orlando without a
car. It’s just not a city designed for public
transit. It’s a shame because it’s a fact
that all of these cars are bad for the
environment.
Then and Than
• Then: a transition word; refers to time;
describes order of events, expresses
cause and effect.
• I ate, then I washed dishes.
• If you insist on not sleeping, then be
prepared for exhaustion.
• Read the title, then read the objectives,
then guess what the chapter will be about.
Then and Than
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Than: comparison
Taller than
Slower than
Work harder than
Read more than
Talk less than
Then and Than
• If you want to earn more money __ Sam,
__ work harder __ him.
• I allowed one late paper, __ six students
missed the next deadline.
• Be in every class, __ you won’t miss
important info.
• I arrive at work early rather __ sit in traffic
to be on time. I’d rather sit in my office __
in my car.
Your Turn
• If you want to earn more money than Sam,
then work harder than him.
• I allowed one late paper, then six students
missed the next deadline.
• Be in every class, then you won’t miss
important info.
• I arrive at work early rather than sit in
traffic to be on time. I’d rather sit in my
office than in my car.