Choosing the Correct Word: Clearing Up
Common Confusions (A-Z)
From Richard Nordquist,
Your Guide to Grammar & Composition.
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http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/correctword.htm
1.
a, an, and
Use the indefinite articles a and an before nouns: a before a noun that begins with a
consonant sound (a doctor, a horse, a university); an before a noun that begins with a vowel
sound (an envelope, an hour, an umbrella). And is a conjunction: use it to join words,
phrases, and clauses.
Examples:
A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it
begins to rain.
Practice:
(a) Writing is just having ______ sheet of paper, ______ pen, ______ not a shadow of
______ idea what you are going to say.
(b) ______ good coach is ______ understanding tyrant ______ a hard-headed friend.
2.
accept, except, expect
Accept is a verb that means "to take in." The preposition except means "other than." The verb
expect means to "depend on" or "await."
Examples:
Everyone except the elves accepted the wage offer. We expect to return to work soon.
Practice:
(a) Because nobody _____ Shrek would _____ your excuse, I _____ an apology.
(b) I _____ you to pay the rent by Friday, and I'll _____ no more excuses.
3.
advice, advise
The noun advice means "guidance. The verb advise means to "recommend" or "counsel."
Examples:
Em's father advised her not to see Sam. She should have followed his advice.
Practice:
(a) _____ after injury is like medicine after death.
(b) I _____ you to mind your own business.
4.
affect, effect
Affect is usually a verb meaning "to influence." Effect is usually a noun meaning "result."
When used as a verb, effect means "to cause."
NOTE: If you're in a professional field related to psychology or psychiatry, you are probably
familiar with a special use of affect (pronounced with the accent on the first syllable) as a
noun meaning "an expressed or observed emotional response." However, this technical term
seldom appears in everyday (non-technical) writing.
Examples:
Peace is a natural effect of trade. War affects trade in various ways.
Practice:
(a) Scientists continue to study the _____ of sweeteners on humans.
(b) Controversies over sweeteners have not seriously _____ the sales of diet soft drinks.
5.
aggravate, irritate
Aggravate is a verb that means "to make worse." The verb irritate means "to annoy."
Examples:
Many of the government's actions aggravate rather than alleviate the stresses on families.
Government interference can be extremely irritating to ordinary citizens.
Practice:
(a) I try to be patient with Charles, but his loud laugh ______ me.
(b) Since grief only ______ your loss, grieve not for what is past.
6.
all ready, already
The phrase all ready means "completely prepared." Already is an adverb meaning
"previously" or "by this time."
Examples:
Our bags have already been inspected. We are all ready to board the plane.
Practice:
(a) The ballplayers have _____ taken batting practice.
(b) The players are _____ to start the game.
7.
all together, altogether
The phrase all together refers to people or things gathered in one place. The adverb
altogether means "entirely" or "wholly."
Examples:
When fifty Elvis impersonators appeared all together at Windsor Palace, the queen observed
that this was "altogether inappropriate."
Practice:
(a) The clowns stood ______ at the front of the chapel.
(b) Despite their painted smiles, the clowns' sorrow was ______ clear.
8.
allusion, illusion
The noun allusion means an indirect reference to a person, event, or thing. Illusion is a noun
that means "false impression."
Examples:
The president spoke of "hills to climb" and seeing "the valley below," biblical allusions to
Israel's escape from slavery. Some listeners felt that his hopeful message was based,
unfortunately, on an illusion.
Practice:
(a) A pleasant ______ is better than a harsh reality.
(b) The mayor's remark "Ich bin ein Springfielder" was an ______ to President John
Kennedy's famous speech in West Berlin.
9.
a lot (much, many)
Spell a lot as two words, not one. In formal writing (such as essays and exams), avoid a lot
in favor of much or many.
Examples:
A lot of students finished the exam early. (informal)
Many students finished the exam early. (formal)
Practice:
(a) Professor Legree received _____ of complaints. (informal)
(b) Professor Legree received _____ complaints. (formal)
10.
amount, number
Use amount to refer to a quantity. Use number to refer to people or things that can be
counted.
Examples:
An enormous amount of energy was exerted by a small number of people.
Practice:
(a) Expect a certain _____ of madness when you marry someone with pets.
(b) A great _____ of pets can drive you mad.
11.
anyone, any one
The indefinite pronoun anyone refers to people but not to particular individuals. Any one is an
adjective phrase that refers to specific but unidentified things or individuals. (A similar
distinction applies to anybody and any body, nobody and no body.)
Examples:
The enemy is anyone who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on. Any one of
your buddies, if he's careless enough, could turn out to be your enemy.
Practice:
(a) Does ______ know who first said, "You can't trust anybody over 30"?
(b) If ______ of the 25 barons should die, the remaining barons shall choose a replacement.
ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES (A)
1.
(a) a, a, and, an; (b) a, an, and
2.
(a) except, accept, expect; (b) expect, accept
3.
(a) Advice; (b) advise
4.
(a) effects; (b) affected
5.
(a) irritates; (b) aggravates
6.
(a) already; (b) all ready
7.
(a) all together; (b) altogether
8.
(a) illusion; (b) allusion
9.
(a) a lot; (b) many
10.
(a) amount; (b) number
11.
(a) anyone; (b) any one
1.
beside, besides
Beside is a preposition meaning "next to." Besides is a preposition meaning "except" or "in
addition to." As a conjunctive adverb, besides means "also."
Examples:
Merdine was too proud to sit beside Gus; besides, she preferred to sit outside.
Practice:
(a) Thoreau lived ____ a pond.
(b) Few people _____ his aunt ever visited him.
2.
breath, breathe
Breath is a noun. Breathe is a verb.
Examples:
Finding it hard to breathe inside the submarine, I stepped out for a breath of fresh air.
Practice:
(a) I held my ______ as I watched Merdine shinny up the flag pole.
(b) I was too anxious to ______.
3.
capital, capitol
Capital has multiple meanings: (1) a city that serves as the seat of government; (2) wealth
in the form of money or property; (3) an asset or advantage; (4) a capital letter (the type of
letter used at the beginning of a sentence).
Capitol refers to the building in which a legislative assembly meets. (Remember that the o in
capitol is like the o in the dome of a capitol.)
Examples:
The dome of the United States Capitol may well be the most famous man-made landmark in
America.
Juneau is the capital of Alaska.
Practice:
(a) The United States Capitol is the ______ building that serves as the location for the United
States Congress.
(b) It is located in Washington, D.C., the ______ of the United States.
4.
choose, chose, chosen
Choose is an irregular verb, with chose as the past form and chosen as the past-participle
form.
Examples:
Last week I chose my classes for next semester, but I haven't yet chosen a major. It's hard
to choose between podiatry and penology.
Practice:
(a) Fate chooses our relatives, but we _____ our friends.
(b) Last year, she _____ to ignore me, but now I have _____ to ignore her.
5.
clothes, cloths
The noun clothes means "clothing." Cloths is the plural of cloth ("fabric").
Examples:
Put your filthy clothes in the hamper, and then wipe your face with a damp cloth.
Practice:
(a) Crazy Jane's ______ appear to have been made out of old ______ sewn together.
(b) Gus left his new work ______ hanging on the line during the snowstorm.
6.
complement, compliment
Complement means "something that completes or brings to perfection." Compliment is an
expression of praise.
Examples:
He said that men and women have strengths that complement each other. She did not take
his remark as a compliment.
Practice:
(a) Last night I _____ Jocko on the fine meal that he had prepared.
(b) The fine meal was _____ by the fine service and warm atmosphere.
7.
conscience, conscious
The noun conscience means "the sense of what is right and wrong." The adjective conscious
means "being aware" or "deliberate."
Examples:
Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response. My conscience tells me so.
Practice:
(a) No pillow is as soft as a clear _____.
(b) I am always _____ of my faults.
8.
continual, continuous
Continual means "frequently repeated" (that is, going on with occasional interruptions).
Continuous means "unceasing" (going on without interruption).
Examples:
Merdine grew accustomed to the continuous hum of the power line. It was far less annoying
than Gus's continual requests for money.
Practice:
(a) Throughout her four years as a college student, Emma was in a ______ state of debt.
(b) She faced ______ threats from bill collectors.
9.
device, devise
The noun device means "a gadget." The verb to devise means "to plan."
Examples:
Reading is sometimes a clever device for avoiding thought. We need to devise a new way of
thinking.
Practice:
(a) We must _____ a way to rescue Lassie from the well.
(b) Maybe a _____ involving pulleys and kittens will work.
ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES (B-E)
1.
(a) beside; (b) besides
2.
(a) breath; (b) breathe
3.
(a) capitol; (b) capital
4.
(a) choose; (b) chose, chosen
5.
(a) clothes, cloths; (b) clothes
6.
(a) complimented; (b) complemented
7.
(a) conscience; (b) conscious
8.
(a) continuous; (b) continual
9.
(a) devise; (b) device
1.
farther, further
Farther usually refers to physical distance. Further refers to an extension of time or degree.
Examples:
We traveled farther in one week than any of us had expected.
The trip had taken us further into debt.
Practice:
(a) We need to explore this problem ______.
(b) Simon walked ______ into the woods.
2.
few (fewer), little (less)
Few and fewer refer to people or objects that can be counted. Little and less refer to a small
quantity.
Examples:
"I'm a woman of few words," Mae West said. I have even less to say than Mae.
Practice:
(a) I have _____ money than I thought. A _____ bills are missing from my wallet.
(b) Now that I'm broke, I have _____ time to argue and _____ friends than before.
3.
formally, formerly
The adverb formally means "in a formal way." The adverb formerly means "at an earlier
time."
Examples:
Formerly an art movement, surrealism is no longer distinguishable from everyday life. I have
never studied art formally.
Practice:
(a) This cafe was _____ a swank restaurant.
(b) Guests were _____ greeted at the door.
4.
have, of
Use have, not of, as an auxiliary verb with could, must, should, would, may, and might. Of is
a preposition.
Examples:
One of the first things that you should have done was call me.
Practice:
(a) One _____ us made a mistake.
(b) It must _____ been you.
5.
hoping, hopping
Hoping is the present-participle form of hope ("to wish for"). Hopping is the present-participle
form of hop (like a bunny).
Examples:
Alice was hopping on one foot, hoping that she wouldn't fall.
Practice:
(a) She saw him _____ along the pier.
(b) She was _____ that he wouldn't trip.
6.
imply, infer
A speaker implies ("suggests") something; a listener infers (or "deduces").
Examples:
The manager implied that I was a bad risk. I inferred from her remarks that she thought I was
lazy.
Practice:
(a) The reporter _____ in her article that an employee started the fire.
(b) I _____ from the article that the police have a suspect.
7.
in, into
A person who is in a room may decide to move into another room. Into suggests movement.
Examples:
After waiting in the hallway for 20 minutes, I finally walked into the manager's office.
Practice:
(a) Doctor Who stepped _____ the Tardis, and ______ a moment he was gone.
(b) The chief value of money lies ______ the fact that one lives ______ a world ______ which
it is overestimated.
8.
its, it's
Its is a possessive pronoun. It's is a contraction of "it is."
Examples:
When it's hot, the dog sleeps in its hiding place under the porch.
Practice:
(a) Although _____ not yet fall, this tree is already losing _____ leaves.
(b) Either _____ dying, or _____ a sign that cold days are coming soon.
ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES (F-K)
1.
(a) further; (b) farther
2.
(a) less, few; (b) little or less, fewer
3.
(a) formerly; (b) formally
4.
(a) of; (b) have
5.
(a) hopping; (b) hoping
6.
(a) implies; (b) infer
7.
(a) into, in; (b) in, in, in
8.
(a) it's, its; (b) it's, it's
1.
later, latter
Use later when referring to time. Use latter when referring to the second of two persons or
things mentioned previously.
Examples:
Though Amy said that she would join me later, I never saw her again.
"There are two kinds of worries: those you can do something about and those you can't.
Don't spend any time on the latter." (Duke Ellington)
Practice:
(a) "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers,
or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the ______."
(Thomas Jefferson)
(b) Merdine told Gus a joke, and two minutes ______ he began laughing.
2.
lay, lie
The verb lay means "to put"; it takes a direct object. The verb lie means "to rest"; it does not
take a direct object. Don't confuse the past and past participle forms of these verbs:
o
LAY (present), laid (past), and laid (past participle)
o
LIE (present), lay (past), and lain (past participle)
Examples:
The pumpkin that I had laid on the porch lay there for a month.
Practice:
(a) The cat always _____ curled up under the table.
(b) Don't shout when you _____ your cards down.
(c) Linda _____ down for a nap after yoga last night.
3.
lead, led
Led is both the past and past participle form of the verb lead (which rhymes with bead).
Examples:
We led the game until the eighth inning. Now the Cubs lead.
Practice:
(a) Your advice will _____ me into trouble.
(b) Your advice has _____ me into trouble many times before.
4.
leave, let
The verb leave means "go away from" or "put in a place." Let means "permit" or "allow."
Examples:
"I never let schooling interfere with my education." (Mark Twain)
"Leave me alone."
Practice:
(a) Don't ______ the children unattended.
(b) Don't ______ the children play near the grill.
5.
loose, lose
The adjective loose means "not tight." The verb lose means "not to win" or "not to keep."
Examples:
Because your belt is loose, you will probably lose your pants.
Practice:
(a) The button on my sleeve is _____.
(b) If I _____ that button, I'm in trouble.
6.
many, much
Many refers to people or objects that can be counted. Much refers to a large quantity.
Examples:
Because so much of the food had spoiled, many of the picnickers went home either hungry or
sick.
Practice:
(a) ______ reviewers praised Emma's first novel.
(b) Emma's first novel received ______ praise from the reviewers.
7.
maybe, may be
Maybe is an adverb meaning "perhaps." May be is a verb phrase showing possibility.
Examples:
I heard that our instructor may be absent today. Maybe class will be canceled.
Practice:
(a) I'm not sure, but I think Gus ______ hiding in the shed.
(b) ______ Merdine is hiding with him.
ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES (L-O)
1.
(a) latter; (b) later
2.
(a) lies; (b) lay; (c) lay
3.
(a) lead; (b) led
4.
(a) leave; (b) let
5.
(a) loose; (b) lose
6.
(a) many; (b) much
7.
(a) may be; (b) maybe
1.
passed, past
Passed is both the past and past-participle form of the verb pass.
Past is a noun (meaning "a previous time"), an adjective (meaning "ago"), and a preposition
(meaning "beyond").
Examples:
The past two weeks have been hard for Sally. She has not passed any of her exams. When
she walked past me, I told her to forget the past and look toward the future.
Practice:
(a) We drove _____ the exit five minutes ago.
(b) We _____ the exit five minutes ago.
(c) In the _____, students wore caps and gowns.
(d) In _____ years, students had to do kitchen chores.
2.
precede, proceed
Precede means "to come before." Proceed means "to go forward."
Examples:
Bill Clinton preceded George W. Bush in the White House. Bush proceeded with his plans to
increase military spending.
Practice:
(a) After keeping us for an hour, the guard let us _____.
(b) The storms of April _____ the gentle rains of May.
3.
principal, principle
As a noun, principal commonly means "administrator" or "sum of money." As an adjective,
principal means "most important." The noun principle means "basic truth" or "rule."
Examples:
According to the Peter Principle, a worker will rise to his or her level of incompetence.
Ms. Benson said that boredom was her principal reason for retiring.
Practice:
(a) Mr. Bill retired as school _____.
(b) His _____ ambition now is to tend to his garden.
(c) The _____ of gardening is the same as the _____ of teaching: to provide nourishment.
4.
quiet, quit, quite
Quiet means "silence." Quit means "to leave." Quite means "very" or "actually."
Examples:
I was quite tired and wanted a quiet place to nap. I asked the boys to quit playing games.
Practice:
(a) Henry needed peace and _____.
(b) He _____ his job and moved to the woods.
(c) Now he is _____ content.
5.
quotation, quote
In formal English, quotation is a noun, quote a verb.
Examples:
"I hate quotations. Tell me what you know." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
She defended her case by quoting passages from the Bible.
Practice:
(a) Merdine began each of her essays with a familiar ______.
(b) When he can't think of an answer, Gus ______ from a song lyric.
6.
should, would
Use should to express an obligation. Use would to express a customary action.
Examples:
We should learn to enjoy doing nothing. As a child, I would sit for hours by the river, doing
nothing.
Practice:
(a) When I was younger, I ______ often take the long way home after school.
(b) We ______ be more patient with one another.
ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES (P-S)
1.
(a) past; (b) passed; (c) past; (d) past
2.
(a) proceed; (b) precede
3.
(a) principal; (b) principal; (c) principle, principle
4.
(a) quiet; (b) quit; (c) quite
5.
(a) quotation; (b) quotes
6.
(a) would; (b) should
1.
than, then
Use than to make a comparison. Use then when referring to time.
Examples:
The quiz was harder than I had expected.
I answered two questions and then got stuck.
Practice:
(a) I filled out a form and _____ waited in the lobby.
(b) I had to wait much longer _____ you did.
2.
their, there, they're
Their is the possessive form of they. There is an adverb (meaning "at that place") and a
pronoun used to start a sentence. They're is a contraction of they are.
Examples:
There are three kids in our family. They're all girls. Two of them are sitting over there. Their
sister is at home.
Practice:
(a) _____ are geese in the garden.
(b) _____ nibbling the roses.
(c) _____ honking can be heard for miles.
3.
to, too
The preposition to refers to a place, direction, or position. To is also used before the verb in
an infinitive. The adverb too means "also" or "excessively."
Examples:
Meg was too tired to walk home. I was tired, too. We walked to a phone booth and called a cab.
Practice:
(a) I have wanted _____ visit Boise for years.
(b) I have always been _____ busy _____ go.
(c) Next week I am driving _____ Boise, and you may come _____.
4.
were, we're, where
Were is a past form of the verb to be. We're is a contraction of we are. Where refers to a place.
Examples:
We were lost in the middle of Timbuktu. No one knew where we were. Next time we travel,
we're going to bring along a map.
Practice:
(a) ______ going to Savannah for St. Patrick's Day.
(b) We don't know ______ we'll be staying.
(c) Last year we ______ forced to sleep in the van.
5.
which, who
The pronoun who refers to people; which refers to things.
Examples:
The man who just left drives a Pacer, which once was called "the car of the future."
Practice:
(a) Nan's book, _____ was published in May, is now a bestseller.
(b) A writer is a lucky person _____ has found a way to talk without being interrupted.
6.
who, whom
Use who when a sentence requires a subject pronoun (equivalent to he or she). In formal
English, use whom when a sentence requires an object pronoun (equivalent to him or her).
Contemporary usage, however, increasingly favors the use of who in both cases.
Examples:
"A circus is like a mother in whom one can confide and who rewards and punishes." (Burt
Lancaster)
Practice:
(a) Any man ______ hates dogs and babies can't be all bad.
(b) It's human nature to want to protect the speech of people with ______ we agree.
7.
whose, who's
Whose is the possessive form of who. Who's is the contraction of who is.
Examples:
Whose turn is it to drive? Who's driving tomorrow?
Practice:
(a) _____ car was damaged?
(b) _____ going to pay for repairs?
8.
you're, your
Your is the possessive form of you. You're is the contraction of you are.
Examples:
You're responsible for your own behavior.
Practice:
(a) _____ car is blocking mine.
(b) _____ going to have to move your car.
ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES (T-Z)
1.
(a) then; (b) than
2.
(a) There; (b) They're; (c) Their
3.
(a) to; (b) too, to; (c) to, too
4.
(a) We're; (b) where; (c) were
5.
(a) which; (b) who
6.
(a) who; (b) whom
7.
(a) Whose; (b) Who's
8.
(a) Your; (b) You're
Common Mistakes and Confusing Words in English
advice vs advise | accept vs except | affect vs effect | a lot/alot/allot
all ready vs already | all right vs alright | alone vs lonely
altogether vs all together | any vs some | apart vs a part
been vs gone | beside vs besides | bored vs boring | bought vs brought
borrow vs lend | by vs until
check vs control | complement vs compliment |
concentrate vs concentrated | council vs counsel
councillor vs counsellor
data vs datum | discreet vs discrete | don't have to vs mustn't
downside vs underside
effect vs affect | either vs as well / too | every day vs everyday | excited vs exciting
experience vs experience(s)
fewer vs less | for vs since (time) | good vs well | gone vs been
hear vs listen | heroin vs heroine | he's vs his
holiday vs the weekend | "How do you do?" vs "How are you?"
I vs me | interested vs interesting
lay vs lie | lay down vs lie down | less vs fewer
look after vs look for | look at vs watch | look over vs overlook
loose vs lose
me vs I | me vs my | most vs the most | nor vs or
overtake vs takeover / take over | personal vs personnel | practice vs practise
principal vs principle
raise/rise | remember vs remind
said vs told | see vs watch | shortage vs shortness | so vs such
some vs any | stationary vs stationery
take care vs take care of | that/which/who | to/too/two| there/their/they're
trainer vs trainee | travel/trip/voyage/journey
used to vs used to do | what vs which | who vs whom
Tests and Quizzes
If you want the definition of any of the words below just double click on the word.
accept vs
except
Accept is a verb, which means to agree to take something .
For example: "I always accept good advice."
Except is a preposition or conjunction, which means not including.
For example: "I teach every day except Sunday(s)."
advice vs
advise
Advice is a noun, which means an opinion that someone offers you about
what you should do or how you should act in a particular situation.
For example: "I need someone to give me some advice."
Advise is a verb, which means to give information and suggest types of
action.
For example: "I advise everybody to be nice to their teacher."
!Often in English the noun form ends in ...ice and the verb form ends
in ...ise.
affect vs
effect
Affect and effect are two words that are commonly confused.
affect is usually a verb (action) - effect is usually a noun (thing)
Hint: If it's something you're going to do, use "affect." If it's something
you've already done, use "effect."
To affect something or someone.
Meaning: to influence, act upon, or change something or someone.
For example: The noise outside affected my performance.
To have an effect on something or someone
!Note: effect is followed by the preposition on and preceded by an article
(an, the)
Meaning: to have an impact on something or someone.
For example: His smile had a strange effect on me.
!Effect can also mean "the end result".
For example: The drug has many adverse side effects.
all right vs All right has multiple meanings. It can mean ok, acceptable, unhurt.
alright
The single word spelling alright has never been accepted as standard.
However in a search on Google you'll get around 68,700,000 hits for
alright and 163,000,000 for "all right". So, it might become a respected
alternative spelling. Personally I have no problem with it, but what do
other people think:Kingsley Amis The King's English 1997: "I still feel that to inscribe
alright is gross, crass, coarse and to be avoided, and I now say so. Its
interdiction is as pure an example as possible of a rule without a reason,
and in my case may well show nothing but how tenacious a hold early
training can take."
Bill Bryson Troublesome Words 1997: "A good case could be made for
shortening all right to alright. ... English, however, is a fickle tongue and
alright continues to be looked on as illiterate and unacceptable and
consequently it ought never to appear in serious writing."
Robert Burchfield The New Fowler's Modern English Usage 1997:
"Alright ... is the demotic form. It is preferred, to judge from the evidence
I have assembled, by popular sources like the British magazines The
Face ... New Musical Express and Sounds, the American magazine Black
World, the Australian journal Southerly, the Socialist Worker, by popular
singers ... and hardly ever by writers of standing ... It is commonplace in
private correspondence, especially in that of the moderately educated
young. Almost all other printed works in Britain and abroad use the more
traditional form ... "
(At which point in there did you first get the urge to smack him?)
Graham King The Times Writer's Guide 2001: If we accept already,
altogether and almost, why not alright? Although it carries with it the
whiff of grammatical illegitimacy it is and has been in common use for a
century ..."
alone / lonely Alone, can be used as an adjective or adverb. Either use means without
other people or on your own.
For example: "He likes living alone."
"I think we're alone now." = There are just the two of us here.
Lonely is an adjective which means you are unhappy because you are not
with other people.
For example: "The house feels lonely now that all the children have left
home."
!Note - Just because you're alone, doesn't mean you're lonely.
a lot / alot / A lot, meaning a large amount or number of people or things, can be used
to modify a noun.
allot
For example:"I need a lot of time to develop this web site."
It can also be used as an adverb, meaning very much or very often.
For example:"I look a lot like my sister."
It has become a common term in speech; and is increasingly used in
writing.
Alot does not exist! There is no such word in the English language. If
you write it this way - imagine me shouting at you - "No Such Word!"
Allot is a verb, which means to give (especially a share of something) for
a particular purpose:-
For example: "We were allotted a desk each."
all ready vs All ready means "completely ready".
already
For example: "Are you all ready for the test?"
Already is an adverb that means before the present time or earlier than
the time expected.
For example: "I asked him to come to the cinema but he'd already seen
the film."
Or
"Are you buying Christmas cards already? It's only September!"
altogether vs All together (adv) means "together in a single group."
all together
For example: The waiter asked if we were all together.
Altogether (adv) means "completely" or "in total ".
For example: She wrote less and less often, and eventually she stopped
altogether.
!To be in the altogether is an old-fashioned term for being naked!
any vs some Any and some are both determiners. They are used to talk about
indefinite quantities or numbers, when the exact quantity or number is
not important. As a general rule we use some for positive statements, and
any for questions and negative statements,
For example:I asked the barman if he could get me some sparkling water. I said,
"Excuse me, have you got any sparkling water?" Unfortunately they
didn't have any.
!Note - You will sometimes see some in questions and any in positive
statements. When making an offer, or a request, in order to encourage the
person we are speaking to to say "Yes", you can use some in a question:
For example: Would you mind fetching some gummy bears while you're
at the shops?
You can also use any in a positive statement if it comes after a word
whose meaning is negative or limiting:
For example:A. She gave me some bad advice.
B. Really? She rarely gives any bad advice.
apart vs
a part
Apart (adv) separated by distance or time.
For example: I always feel so lonely when we're apart.
A part (noun) a piece of something that forms the whole of something.
For example: They made me feel like I was a part of the family.
been vs gone been is the past participle of be
gone is the past participle of go
Been is used to describe completed visits. So if you have been to England
twice, you have travelled there and back twice. If you have gone to
England, you have not yet returned.
! Now you've been and gone and done it!
beside vs
besides
beside is a preposition of place that means at the side of or next to.
For example: The house was beside the Thames.
besides is an adverb or preposition. It means in addition to or also.
For example: Besides water, we carried some fruit. = "In addition to
water, we carried some fruit."
bored vs
boring
bored is an adjective that describes when someone feels tired and
unhappy because something is not interesting or because they have
nothing to do.
For example: She was so bored that she fell asleep.
boring is an adjective that means something is not interesting or exciting.
For example: The lesson was so boring that she fell asleep.
!Note Most verbs which express emotions, such as to bore , may use
either the present or the past participle as an adjective, but the meaning of
the participles is often different.
borrow vs
lend
To lend:
Meaning: to hand out usually for a certain length of time.
Banks lend money.
Libraries lend books.
For example: "My mother lent me some money, and I must pay her back
soon."
To borrow:
Meaning: to take with permission usually for a certain length of time.
You can borrow money from a bank to buy a house or a car.
You can borrow books for up to 4 weeks from libraries in England.
For example: "I borrowed some money off my mother, and I must pay
her back soon."
! For a happy life - Never a borrower nor a lender be.
bought vs
brought
bought past tense of the verb to buy
For example: "I bought a newspaper at the newsagents. "
brought past tense of the verb to bring
For example: "She brought her homework to the lesson."
!There is an 'r' in brought and an 'r' in bring = they belong together.
by vs until
Both until and by indicate “any time before, but not later than.”
Until tells us how long a situation continues. If something happens until a
particular time, you stop doing it at that time.
For example:
They lived in a small house until September 2003.
(They stopped living there in September.)
I will be away until Wednesday.
(I will be back on Wednesday.)
We also use until in negative sentences.
For example:
Details will not be available until January.
(January is the earliest you can expect to receive the details.)
If something happens by a particular time, it happens at or before that
time. It is often used to indicate a deadline.
For example:
You have to finish by August 31.
(August 31 is the last day you can finish; you may finish before this
date.)
We also use by when asking questions.
For example:
Will the details be available by December?
(This asks if they will be ready no later than December.)
check (v)
vs
control (v)
To check means to examine. To make certain that something or someone
is correct, safe or suitable by examining it or them quickly.
For example: "You should always check your oil, water and tyres before
taking your car on a long trip."
To control means to order, limit, instruct or rule something, or someone's
actions or behaviour.
For example: "If you can't control your dog, put it on a lead!"
What you shouldn't do is use the verb control in association with people
and the work they do.
For example: "I check my students' homework, but I can't control what
they do!"
!Note
In Business English there is often a lot of confusion because of the term
control in accounting.
In most organizations the controller is the top managerial and financial
accountant. The controller supervises the accounting department and
assists management in interpreting and utilizing managerial accounting
information.
complement
Complement is a verb, which means to make something seem better or
vs
compliment more attractive when combined.
For example: "The colours blue and green complement each other
perfectly."
Compliment is a noun, which means a remark that expresses approval,
admiration or respect.
For example: "I am often complimented on this web site."
Tip! Having problems with your spelling? Try these mnemonics:-
I like compliments. (With an i.)
If it complements something it completes it. (With an e.)
concentrate The verb - When you concentrate you direct all your efforts towards a
particular activity, subject or problem.
vs
concentrated
For example: You need to concentrate harder when you listen to
something in another language.
The adjective - If something is concentrated it means it has had some
liquid removed.
For example: I prefer freshly squeezed orange juice to concentrated.
!Note The simple past of "to concentrate" is "concentrated" this is where
the confusion may arise.
For example: She concentrated very hard in the exam.
council vs
counsel
Council is a group noun. It refers to a group of people elected or chosen
to make decisions or give advice on a particular subject, to represent a
particular group of people, or to run a particular organization.
For example: "The local council has decided not to allocate any more
funds for the project."
Counsel can be a verb, which means to give advice, especially on social
or personal problems.
For example: "She counsels the long-term unemployed on how to get a
job."
Counsel can also be a noun, which means advice.
For example: "I should have listened to my father's counsel, and saved
some money instead of spending it all."
councillor vs Councillor is a noun which means an elected member of a local
counsellor government.
For example: "He was elected to be a councillor in 1998."
Counsellor is a noun, which means someone who is trained to listen to
people and give them advice about their problems.
For example: "The student union now employs a counsellor to help
students with both personal and work-related problems."
Thanks to Daniel Hugo
data vs
datum
This isn't so much a common mistake as a common cause for arguments
(as is often the case with words of Latin origin).
The dictionaries treat data as a group noun, meaning information,
especially facts or numbers, collected for examination and consideration
and used to help decision-making, or meaning information in an
electronic form that can be stored and processed by a computer.
Then they go on to confuse matters by giving the following kind of
example:The data was/were reviewed before publishing.
So, which is it, was or were? Strictly speaking 'datum' is the singular
form of and 'data' is the the plural form.
If you're writing for an academic audience, particularly in the sciences,
"data" takes a plural verb.
For example:The data are correct.
But most people treat 'data' as a singular noun, especially when talking
about computers etc.
For example:The data is being transferred from my computer to yours.
discreet vs
discrete
Discreet is an adjective.
It means to be careful or modest, not to cause embarrassment or attract
too much attention, especially by keeping something secret.
For example: To work for the royal family you have to be very discreet.
See it in action.
Discrete is an adjective.
It means something is distinct and separate or has a clear independent
shape or form.
For example: She painted using strong colours, discrete shapes, and
rhythmic patterns.
don't have to Don't have to = Do not have to We have to use don't have to to say that
vs mustn't there is no obligation or necessity to do something.
For example: "You don't have to do the exercises at the end of this page."
Mustn't = must not is a modal verb used to show that something is not
allowed. When you use mustn't you are telling people not to do things. It
has the same force as don't , as in: Don't do that!
For example: "You mustn't drink if you're going to drive."
downside vs Downside is a noun that means the disadvantage of a situation.
underside
For example: "One of the downsides of living in London, of course, is
that it is very expensive."
Underside is a noun that means the side of something that is usually
nearest the ground.
For example: "Look at the underside of your iMac display. If you see an
Ambient Light Sensor, you have a second generation iMac G5."
either vs as Either is used with a negative verb when you are agreeing with
well / too something someone doesn't do or like etc.
For example:- B agrees with A in the negative
A - "I don't like cheese." B - "I don't like it either."
A- "I haven't seen Lord of the Rings." B - "I haven't seen it either."
As well / Too are used with an affirmative verb when you are agreeing
with something someone does or likes etc.
For example:- B agrees with A in the positive
A - "I love ice cream." B - "I love it too." / "I love it as well."
A- "I've seen Gladiator." B - "I've seen it too." / " I've seen it as well."
every day vs Every day - here every is a determiner and day is a noun.
everyday
When you say every day you mean each day without exception.
For example: You have been late for school every day this week.
Everyday is an adjective.
When you say everyday you mean ordinary, unremarkable.
For example: My culture pages offer an insight into the everyday life of
Britain.
excited vs
exciting
Excited is an adjective that describes when someone feels happy and
enthusiastic about something.
For example: She was so excited that she couldn't sleep.
Exciting is an adjective that means something is making you excited.
For example: The football match was so exciting that she couldn't wait to
tell everyone about it.
experience vs Experience can be an uncountable noun. You use it when you're talking
experience(s) about knowledge or skill which is obtained from doing, seeing or feeling
things.
For example: Do you have any experience of working internationally?
Experience(s) can be a countable noun. You use it when you are talking
about a particular incident or incidents that affect you.
For example: It was interesting hearing about his experiences during the
war.
Experience can also be a verb. It means something that happens to you,
or something you feel.
For example: When I first moved to Germany I experienced a lot of
problems.
fewer vs less Everyone gets this wrong - including native speakers. The general rule is
to use fewer for things you can count (individually), and less for things
you can only measure
For example:
There were fewer days below freezing last winter. (Days can be counted.)
I drink less coffee than she does. (Coffee cannot be counted individually
it has to be measured).
!Note - "Less" has to do with how much. "Fewer" has to do with how
many.
See the grammar pages for more information on countable/uncountable
nouns.
for vs since The prepositions for and since are often used with time expressions.
For indicates a period of time.
For example:
I have been working here for 2 years.
Since indicates a point in time.
For example:
I have been working here since the year before last.
See the grammar pages for more information on prepositions of time.
good vs well Good is an adjective. We use good when we want to give more
information about a noun.
For example:
My dog Sam is very good. He's a good dog.
She didn't speak very good English. Her English isn't very good.
Well is usually used as an adverb. We use well when we want to give
more information about a verb.
For example:
He usually behaves very well.
She didn't speak English very well.
Note! The exception to this can be when you talk about someone's health:
For example:She wasn't a well woman.
and when you describe sensations:
For example:This pizza tastes/smells/ looks good.
If you say "You look good." It means they look attractive.
If you say "You look well." It means they look healthy.
Note! Younger people might reply to the question "How are you?" with
"I'm good." This is what I call MTV English.
hear vs listen hear is a verb that means to receive or become aware of a sound using
your ears, so you don't have to make an effort in order to just hear
something.
For example:She heard a noise outside.
listen is a verb that means to give attention to someone or something in
order to hear them, so you make an make an effort in order to hear
something properly.
For example:She listened to the noise and realised it was only a cat.
Note! In some circumstances we use hear when we listen to someone or
something attentively or officially.
For example:I heard a really interesting speech on the radio this morning.
These people need to be heard.
heroin vs
heroine
Heroin is a noun, it is a powerful illegal drug, obtained from morphine
and is extremely addictive.
For example: "He was arrested for supplying heroin, a class A drug."
Heroine is a female person who is admired for having done something
very brave or having achieved something great. The male equivalent is
hero.
For example: "Grace Darling is one of England's best known heroines."
he's vs his
He's is the short form of 'he is' or 'he has'.
For example: " Don't be scared - he's very friendly."
His is a possesive pronoun, it is used to show something belonging to or
connected with a man, boy or male animal that has just been mentioned.
For example: " Mark just phoned to say he'd left his coat behind. Do you
know if this is his?"
See the grammar pages for more information on possessive pronouns.
holiday vs
weekend
A holiday (noun), a time, often one or two weeks, when someone does
not go to work or school but is free to do what they want, such as travel
or relax. You usually have to book your holiday with your boss.
For example: "Where are you going on holiday this year? Somewhere
nice I hope."
The weekend (noun) - the time from Saturday and Sunday, or Friday
evening until Sunday night. It's the part of the week in which most paid
workers living in the West do not go to work. It is a time for leisure and
recreation, and/or for religious activities. ...
For example: "What are you doing this weekend? Anything nice?"
"How do you If I had a Euro for every time someone got this one wrong - I'd be a rich
bunny!
do?"
vs
"How are
you?"
How do you do?
This is not a question. It is another, very formal way of saying "Hello." It
is also very British.
The correct response is; "Pleased to meet you." or "How do you do." or
just "Hello."
We only really use it the first time we meet someone.
How are you?
This is a question.
A polite response is; "I'm fine thanks. And you?"
For more on this topic see here.
I vs me
Usually we choose the correct form by instinct.
For example;I am a teacher. (not me)
Give that to me. (not I)
There are other times when people make mistakes with these two
pronouns. I/me is difficult when it is coupled with another pronoun or
with a noun. This is when you have to think about the subject/object in a
sentence.
For example;"It was I who did the homework," or "It was me who did the homework."
Make the statement simpler:"I did the homework." so "It was I who did the homework," is correct.
The teacher gave the homework to my friend and me. (Not I)
!If you don't understand why the above sentence is correct, simplify the
sentence again.
Deal with the two people separately.
The teacher gave the homework to my friend.
+
The teacher gave the homework to me.
= The teacher gave the homework to my friend and me.
interested vs Interested is a past participle. When used as an adjective it says how
interesting someone feels.
For example: "I was very interested in the lesson."
Interesting is a present participle. When used as an adjective it describes
the people or things that cause the feelings.
For example: "It was an interesting lesson ."
lay vs lie
Lay is an irregular transitive verb (lay / laid/ laid - laying). It needs a
direct object. It means to put something or someone down (often in a
horizontal postion).
For example: "Lay your head on the pillow."
Lie is an irregular intransitive verb (lie / lay / lain - lying). It does not
take a direct object. It means to rest in a horizontal position1 or to be
located somewhere2.
For example: "If you are tired lie here and have a rest."1
"Nottingham lies in the Midlands."2
!Lie also means to say something that isn't true but it takes the following
form (lie / lied / lied - lying).
lay down vs Lay down has several different meanings.
lie down
If you lay something down it can mean you officially establish a rule, or
officially state the way in which something should be done.
For example:Please follow the rules laid down by the administrator.
If you lay something down your weapons it means you stop fighting.
For example:They laid down their guns and surrendered.
If you lay wine down it means you are storing it for drinking in the
future.
For example:I laid down this bottle in 1998, it should be perfect for drinking now.
Lie down means to move into a position in which your body is flat,
usually in order to sleep or rest.
For example: "If you are tired lie down and have a rest."
look after vs To look after; means to take care of or be in charge of something or
someone.
look for
For example: "I often ask my mother to look after the children."
To look for; means to try to find something or someone.
For example: "I am looking for my keys. Have you seen them?"
look at vs
watch
In this context look is usually followed by the preposition at.
When you look at someone or something you are interested in the
appearance.
Generally we look at things that are static.
For example:
Look at these photos, they're really good.
I went to the art gallery to look at the exhibition of paintings.
Watch is a verb.
When you watch someone or something you are interested in what
happens.
Generally we watch things that move or change state.
For example:
I watch TV every night.
The security guard watched the shoplifter steal the clock.
!If I say to you "Look at him!" I mean for you to check out his
appearance. But, if I say to you "Watch him!" I mean it as a warning.
look over vs Look over is a phrasal verb.
overlook
When you look over something or someone you quickly examine it or
them.
For example:I asked my teacher to look over what I had written.
Overlook is a verb.
When you overlook someone or something you fail to notice or consider
it or them.:
For example:
I think my teacher overlooked some of my mistakes.
!Look over is two separate words, overlook is one word.
loose vs lose Loose is an adjective. If something isn't fixed properly or it doesn't fit,
because it's too large, it's loose.
For example:My headphones weren't working, because a wire was loose.
Lose is a verb that means to no longer possess something because you do
not know where it is, or because it has been taken away from you.
For example:
A lot of people will lose their job if there is a recession.
nor vs
or
nor (conjunction) nor is always used in the negative, usually before the
second or last of a set of negative possibilities, after 'neither'.
For example: He drinks neither wine nor beer.
or (conjunction) or is used to connect different possibilities.
For example: Is it Tuesday or Wednesday today?
me vs my
As in I vs me we usually choose the correct form by instinct.
Me is used as the object of a verb or preposition. You use me to refer to
yourself.
In short answers, we usually use this form.
For example:

Knock at the door - "Who's there?" ~ "It's me!"
"I want to buy that new DVD." ~ "Me too!"
My is a possessive adjective.
For example:-
My mother loves me.
Now consider the following sentences:"I'm going to me and Margaret's room." or "I'm going to my and
Margaret's room."
Which is correct? Me or my?
Simplify the sentence by removing the second person:"I'm going to my room." So, "I'm going to my and Margaret's room," is
correct.
A real point of confusion arises when considering the use of "my" or
"me" as the "subject" of a gerund.
The teacher didn't like me telling jokes in class.
The teacher didn't like my telling jokes in class.
But which is correct? Well they both are - sort of, but the use of the
possessive, "my telling jokes in class " serves to isolate the telling of
jokes as the object of my teacher's anger. It's hopefully not "me" at whom
she/he has become upset, but the telling of jokes. In the sentence, "me
telling jokes in class", it might seem as though the teacher doesn't like me
personally. The rule is that the subject of a gerund is supposed to be in
the possessive case.
Remember though that this is a purists view. Both are now becoming
acceptable through common usage. However, you can avoid any
confusion by writing the sentence in a different way:"The teacher didn't like the way I told jokes in class."
most vs the Most without an article is usually used as an adjective, which means
almost all.
most
For example:

They ate most of the cake.
Most days I go for a jog.
The most is usually used to form the superlative of many adjectives and
adverbs.
For example:-
Paul earns the most money.
The Miss World competition is held every year to find the most beautiful
woman in the world.
!Note - This is only a general rule - as ever there are exceptions.
overtake vs Overtake is a verb.
takeover /
take over It can mean to go beyond something by being better, or if you're driving
to come from behind another vehicle or a person and move in front of it.
For example: You should always check your rear view mirror before you
overtake another car.
Takeover as a noun is used when one organisation gains control of a
company by buying most of its shares.
For example: In September 2006 Merck announced their takeover of
Serono SA.
Take over as a phrasal verb means to get control of a company by buying
most of its shares.
For example: Merck finally took Serono over in 2007.
personal vs Personal is an adjective.
personnel
It can mean relating to or belonging to someone.
For example: Your personal belongings are the things that belong to you.
It can relate to the private parts of someone's life, including their
relationships and feelings.
For example: If you have personal problems, it means you have problems
that are private and sensitive to you. Perhaps problems in a relationship.
It can also mean something that is designed for or used by one person.
For example: a personal computer or stereo.
And it can relate to your body
For example: when talk about personal hygiene.
!If you are rude about or offensive towards someone it could be said that
you are being personal.
Personnel is a noun.
The people who work for an organisation are the personnel.
For example: military personnel are the members of an army.
The department of an organisation that deals with finding people to work
there, keeping records about them, etc is the Personnel Department. The
head of that department is the personnel manager.
For example: "I need to speak to someone in Personnel."
!Many businesses have renamed their Personnel Department to 'The
Human Resources Department' or HRD for short.
practice vs Practice is a noun
practise
For example: We need to put these ideas into practice.
Practise is a verb
For example: To learn English well you have to practise.
!Note - This is only true in British English.
!Often in English the noun form ends in ...ice and the verb form ends
in ...ise.
principal vs Principal as an adjective means first in order of importance:
principle
For example: The Mississippi is the principal river of the United States.
Principal as a noun can mean the head teacher in a school or college:
For example: The teacher sent the unruly student to see the principal.
Principal as a noun can also mean the original amount of a debt on which
interest is calculated
For example: She lives off the interest and tries to keep the principal
intact.
Principle is a noun which means a basic idea, standard of behaviour or
rule that explains or controls how something happens or works:
For example: The country works on the principle that all citizens have
equal rights.
raise vs rise When used as a verb they both have the same general meaning of "to
move upwards", the main difference is that rise is an intransitive verb (it
does not take an object), while raise is a transitive verb (it requires an
object):
As you can see from these examples, (nobody is pushing up the sun!),
whereas (Mary moved her hand upwards/The government make laws to
increase taxes).
rise (v) Something rises by itself
For example:The sun rises in the east.
The chairman always rises to the occasion.
I will rise tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. to walk the dog.
Rise is an irregular verb: rise / rose / risen
raise (v) Something else is needed to raise something.
For example:Lynne raised her hand.
The government is going to raise taxes.
They can't raise the Titanic.
Raise is a regular verb: raise / raised / raised
remember vs To remember v. meaning to be able to bring back a piece of information
into your mind, or to keep a piece of information in your memory.
remind
For example:- I remember when every home had clotheslines in the back
yard or garden.
To remind v. meaning to make someone aware of something they have
forgotten or might have forgotten.
For example:- Could you remind me to check the forum?
!Note - If you remind someone of something, then they'll remember it.
say / said
vs
tell / told
Said v. is the past simple and past participle of to say.
It can be used in direct speech:
For example: "I am sorry", said the criminal.
It can be used in indirect (reported) speech (followed by that).
For example: "The criminal said that he was sorry.
Said adj. is used before the name of a person or thing you have already
mentioned:
For example: "The said party denied the charges"
Told v. is the past simple and past participle of to tell.
It is normally used in reported speech, i.e. it is used to talk about what
people say (followed by an object + that:):
For example: I told him that I would be late.
When told has the meaning of "instruct", it can be followed by an object
and an infinitive.
For example: He told me to leave.
to see vs
to watch
To see means to be aware of what is around you by using your eyes.
For example: "I can see the smoke from here."
To watch means to look at something for a period of time, especially
something that is changing or moving.
For example: "I watched the cricket."
!Note - We watch things that move, such as TV, a film, sport. We look at
static things, such as a photograph, a painting, the stars.
shortage vs Shortage is a noun meaning when there is not enough of something.
shortness
For example: There is a shortage of skilled workers in the industry.
Shortness is a also a noun meaning the condition of being short spatially.
For example: Shortness in children and young adults nearly always
results from below-average growth in childhood.
so vs such
So when used as in front of an adjective or an adverb means very.
For example: "My English teacher is so patient. She teaches us so well."
Such when used as a determiner can be used in front of a noun or an
adjective and a noun to show extremes, you can't use it in front of
adverbs.
For example: "She is such a patient teacher."
!Note - Remember that without the noun you need to use "so."
such + a + patient + teacher
so + patient
stationary vs Stationary means standing still or not moving
stationery For example: "The car was stationary."
Stationery means the items needed for writing, such as paper, pens,
pencils and envelopes.
For example: "It is the secretary's job to order the stationery?"
!'e' is for envelopes 'a' is for automobiles.
take care Take care is used when saying goodbye to someone. It actually means
"Take care of yourself."
vs
take care of
For example: "Bye! Take care. "
Take care of means to look after someone or something:
For example: "You should take care of your new car, it cost a lot of
money."
that, which, "Who" (or whom) is a pronoun, and is used as the subject or object of a
verb to show which person you are referring to, or to add information
who
about a person just mentioned. It is used for people, not things.
"Which" is a pronoun, and is used as the subject or object of a verb to
show what thing or things you are referring to, or to add information
about the thing just mentioned. It is used for things, not people.
"That" is a pronoun, and is used as the subject or object of a verb to show
which person or thing you are referring to, or to add information about a
person or thing just mentioned. It can be used for people and things. It
can sometimes be omitted.
Example:
The girl who was hungry.
The boy whom I talked to.
The dog that wagged its tail.
The software ( that) I wrote.
The company, which / that hired me.
there, their, There can be used as an adjective of place:For example: "The car is over there in the car park."
they're
There can also be used as the introductory subject in sentences:For example: "There are some grammar pages on this web site."
They're is the a contraction of "they are".
For example: "They're always surfing the Internet."
Their is a possessive pronoun like "her" or "our".
For example: "Have they done their homework?"
Example: "There's a large family in this town. Look they're over there by
their car."
!If you've written "they're," ask yourself whether you can substitute
"they are." If not, you've made a mistake. There" has "here" inside it to
remind you it refers to a place, while "their" has "heir" buried in it to
remind you that it has to do with possession.
trainee vs
trainer
A trainee is a person who is learning and practising the skills of a
particular job.
For example: "There is a shortage of trainee dentists in the UK."
A trainer is a person who teaches skills for a particular job, activity or
sport.
For example: "I like to think of myself as an English trainer, not an
English teacher."
to, too or
two?
To is the most common form. When to is used before a verb it forms part
of the infiinitive:-
For example: to learn, to do, to be, to drink...
"I need to visit the dentist."
To is also a preposition, often used to indicate direction, which begins a
prepositional phrase.
For example: to the limit, to hell and back
Example: "I need to go to the dentist."
Too is an adjective meaning "extra or more than necessary" - after all it
has 2 Os - 1 too many?
For example: too much, too big, too small...
"The film was too long."
Too is also an adjective meaning "also"
For example: me too
"I thought it was too long, too."
Two is a number.
For example: one, two, three...
"I only drank two pints of beer."
More examples: We went to a football match. (preposition)
We like to watch a good film. (infinitive)
We ate too much. (meaning "excessively")
I like baseball, too. (meaning "also")
Six divided by three is two. (number)
They own two cars. (number)
! Many other words in English which reflect the number two are spelled
with tw.
For example: twin, twice, twenty, between, tweezers, etc.
Try this famous song if you are still confused about to and too!
travel, trip Travel (v) is used in general terms as a verb - it usually means to change
voyage or location. The word travel is very rarely used as a noun.
journey?
For example: I have to travel a lot for work.
Trip (n) is often substituted for the word 'holiday' when the travelling
distance was short.
For example: How was your trip?
It is often used in connection with business.
For example: I have to travel a lot for work. I am off on another business
trip next week.
Trip (v) has a totally different meaning. It means to nearly fall over.
For example: I tripped over the carpet and sprained my ankle.
Voyage (n) is usually a long journey by boat. The word voyage is very
rarely used as a verb.
For example: The voyage to South Africa took over six weeks.
Journey (n) is used more in British English than American English. It
means the 'piece' of travel between 2 or more points. The word journey is
very rarely used as a verb.
For example: The journey from Darmstadt to Nottingham takes 12 hours.
used to vs
used to do
Used to can be used as an adjective and we use it to talk about things that
have become familiar, and are no longer strange or new.
For example: "I am used to mistakes now."
You can also be used to doing something.
For example: "I am used to making mistakes now."
More here
Used to do - If we say something used to happen we are talking about
repeated events and actions in the past, usually things that happened a
long time ago and are now finished.
For example: "I used to smoke."
More here
what vs
which
Which and what are both used in questions:-
What is used to ask a question when there are an unknown number or
infinite possibilities for an answer. You know that there are many, many
ways that exist to address your question, and you want to find out—from
all those possibilities that you might not even know about—the best way.
For example: "What movie did you go to see?"
Which is used if you are choosing between two items, already defined, in
a different sentence, like this:
For example: "Which shoes should I wear with this dress—my blue ones
or my black ones?"
You can use which when you have a very small or limited field to choose
from. Certainly use which, not what, when there are only two choices, or
if both speaker and listener can visualize all the items under
consideration:
For example: "Which foot did you break?"
Often, either which or what can be used for several choices, depending
on what is in the speaker’s mind:
For example:a - "Which bus goes into the centre?"
b - "What bus shall I take?"
Both sentences are fine. The speaker is probably thinking about fewer
buses in sentence (a) than in sentence (b).
who vs whom Who is used as the subject of a verb. Basically anytime "I", "she" or "he"
'feels' right, who can be used.
For example:She is the one who built that funny English website.
In questions who is used when asking which person or people did
something, or when asking what someone's name is. In fact in informal
writing and speech who is used most of the time.
For example:"Who is that girl over there?"
"Who let the dogs out?"
"She asked me if I knew who had got the job."
Whom is used in formal writing as the object of a verb or preposition.
For example:"He took out a photo of his son, whom he adores."
"There were 500 passengers, of whom 121 drowned."
!Note - Whom is rarely used in questions. For example:
"To whom do you wish to speak?" (This sounds very old-fashioned and
stilted.)
! If in doubt, try the “he or him” test:Try rewriting the sentence using “he or him ”.
For example:
"He took out a photo of his son, whom he adores." - "He adores he"
should 'feel"'wrong. So it must be "He adores him."
If you're still not sure, go with who, 99.9% of the time you'll be right.
Easily Confused or Misused
Words
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0200807.html
affect / effect
Effect is usually a noun that means a result or the power to produce a
result: “The sound of the falling rain had a calming effect, nearly
putting me to sleep.” Affect is usually a verb that means to have an
influence on: “His loud humming was affecting my ability to
concentrate.” Note that effect can also be a verb meaning to bring
about or execute: “The speaker's somber tone effected a dampening
in the general mood of the audience.”
all right / alright
Although alright is widely used, it is considered nonstandard English.
As the American Heritage Dictionary notes, it's not “all right to use
alright.”
all together / altogether
All together is applied to people or things that are being treated as a
group. “We put the pots and pans all together on the shelf.” All
together is the form that must be used if the sentence can be
reworded so that all and together are separated by other words: “We
put all the pots and pans together on the shelf.” Altogether is used to
mean entirely: “I am altogether pleased to be receiving this award.”
allusion / illusion
Allusion is a noun that means an indirect reference: “The speech
made allusions to the final report.” Illusion is a noun that means a
misconception: “The policy is designed to give an illusion of reform.”
alternately / alternatively
Alternately is an adverb that means in turn; one after the other: “We
alternately spun the wheel in the game.” Alternatively is an adverb
that means on the other hand; one or the other: “You can choose a
large bookcase or, alternatively, you can buy two small ones.”
beside / besides
Beside is a preposition that means next to: “Stand here beside me.”
Besides is an adverb that means also: “Besides, I need to tell you
about the new products my company offers.”
bimonthly / semimonthly
Bimonthly is an adjective that means every two months: “I brought
the cake for the bimonthly office party.” Bimonthly is also a noun that
means a publication issued every two months: “The company
publishes several popular bimonthlies.” Semimonthly is an adjective
that means happening twice a month: “We have semimonthly
meetings on the 1st and the 15th.”
capital / capitol
The city or town that is the seat of government is called the capital;
the building in which the legislative assembly meets is the capitol. The
term capital can also refer to an accumulation of wealth or to a capital
letter.
cite / site
Cite is a verb that means to quote as an authority or example: “I cited
several eminent scholars in my study of water resources.” It also
means to recognize formally: “The public official was cited for service
to the city.” It can also mean to summon before a court of law: “Last
year the company was cited for pollution violations.” Site is a noun
meaning location: “They chose a new site for the factory just outside
town.”
complement / compliment
Complement is a noun or verb that means something that completes
or makes up a whole: “The red sweater is a perfect complement to the
outfit.” Compliment is a noun or verb that means an expression of
praise or admiration: “I received compliments about my new outfit.”
comprise / compose
According to the traditional rule, the whole comprises the parts, and
the parts compose the whole. Thus, the board comprises five
members, whereas five members compose (or make up) the board. It
is also correct to say that the board is composed (not comprised) of
five members.
concurrent / consecutive
Concurrent is an adjective that means simultaneous or happening at
the same time as something else: “The concurrent strikes of several
unions crippled the economy.” Consecutive means successive or
following one after the other: “The union called three consecutive
strikes in one year.”
connote / denote
Connote is a verb that means to imply or suggest: “The word
‘espionage’ connotes mystery and intrigue.” Denote is a verb that
means to indicate or refer to specifically: “The symbol for ‘pi’ denotes
the number 3.14159.”
convince / persuade
Strictly speaking, one convinces a person that something is true but
persuades a person to do something. “Pointing out that I was
overworked, my friends persuaded [not convinced] me to take a
vacation. Now that I'm relaxing on the beach with my book, I am
convinced [not persuaded] that they were right.” Following this rule,
convince should not be used with an infinitive.
council / councilor / counsel / counselor
A councilor is a member of a council, which is an assembly called
together for discussion or deliberation. A counselor is one who gives
counsel, which is advice or guidance. More specifically, a counselor
can be an attorney or a supervisor at camp.
discreet / discrete
Discreet is an adjective that means prudent, circumspect, or modest:
“Her discreet handling of the touchy situation put him at ease.”
Discrete is an adjective that means separate or individually distinct:
“Each company in the conglomerate operates as a discrete entity.”
disinterested / uninterested
Disinterested is an adjective that means unbiased or impartial: “We
appealed to the disinterested mediator to facilitate the negotiations.”
Uninterested is an adjective that means not interested or indifferent:
“They seemed uninterested in our offer.”
elicit / illicit
Elicit is a verb that means to draw out. Illicit is an adjective meaning
unlawful. “No matter how hard I tried to elicit a few scandalous stories
from her, she kept all knowledge of illicit goings-on discreetly to
herself. ”
emigrant / immigrant
Emigrant is a noun that means one who leaves one's native country to
settle in another: “The emigrants spent four weeks aboard ship
before landing in Los Angeles.” Immigrant is a noun that means one
who enters and settles in a new country: “Most of the immigrants
easily found jobs.” One emigrates from a place; one immigrates to
another.
farther / further
Farther is an adjective and adverb that means to or at a more distant
point: “We drove 50 miles today; tomorrow, we will travel 100 miles
farther.” Further is an adjective and adverb that means to or at a
greater extent or degree: “We won't be able to suggest a solution
until we are further along in our evaluation of the problem.” It can also
mean in addition or moreover: “They stated further that they would
not change the policy.”
few / less
Few is an adjective that means small in number. It is used with
countable objects: “This department has few employees.” Less is an
adjective that means small in amount or degree. It is used with
objects of indivisible mass: “Which jar holds less water?”
figuratively / literally
Figuratively is an adverb that means metaphorically or symbolically:
“Happening upon the shadowy figure, they figuratively jumped out of
their shoes.” Literally is an adverb that means actually: “I'm not
exaggerating when I say I literally fell off my chair.” It also means
according to the exact meaning of the words: “I translated the Latin
passage literally.”
flammable / inflammable
These two words are actually synonyms, both meaning easily set on
fire. The highly flammable (inflammable) fuel was stored safely in a
specially built tank. Use nonflammable to mean not flammable.
flaunt / flout
To flaunt means to show off shamelessly: “Eager to flaunt her
knowledge of a wide range of topics, Helene dreamed of appearing on
a TV trivia show.” To flout means to show scorn or contempt for:
“Lewis disliked boarding school and took every opportunity to flout
the house rules.”
foreword / forward
Foreword is a noun that means an introductory note or preface: “In
my foreword I explained my reasons for writing the book.” Forward is
an adjective or adverb that means toward the front: “I sat in the
forward section of the bus.” “Please step forward when your name is
called.” Forward is also a verb that means to send on: “Forward the
letter to the customer's new address.”
founder / flounder
In its primary sense founder means to sink below the surface of the
water: “The ship foundered after colliding with an iceberg.” By
extension, founder means to fail utterly. Flounder means to move
about clumsily, or to act with confusion. A good synonym for flounder
is blunder: “After floundering through the first half of the course, Amy
finally passed with the help of a tutor.”
hanged / hung
Hanged is the past tense and past participle of hang when the
meaning is to execute by suspending by the neck: “They hanged the
prisoner for treason.” “The convicted killer was hanged at dawn.”
Hung is the past tense and participle of hang when the meaning is to
suspend from above with no support from below: “I hung the painting
on the wall.” “The painting was hung at a crooked angle.”
historic / historical
In general usage, historic refers to what is important in history, while
historical applies more broadly to whatever existed in the past
whether it was important or not: “a historic summit meeting between
the prime ministers;” “historical buildings torn down in the
redevelopment.”
i.e. / e.g.
The abbreviation e.g. means for example (from Latin exempli gratia):
“Her talents were legion and varied (e.g., deep sea diving, speed
reading, bridge, and tango dancing).” The abbreviation i.e. means
that is or in other words (from Latin id est): “The joy of my existence
(i.e., my stamp collection) imbues my life with meaning.”
it's / its
It's is a contraction for it is, whereas its is the possessive form of it:
“It's a shame that we cannot talk about its size.”
laid / lain / lay
Laid is the past tense and the past participle of the verb lay and not
the past tense of lie. Lay is the past tense of the verb lie and lain is the
past participle: “He laid his books down and lay down on the couch,
where he has lain for an hour.”
lend / loan
Although some people feel loan should only be used as a noun, lend
and loan are both acceptable as verbs in standard English: “Can you
lend (loan) me a dollar?” However, only lend should be used in
figurative senses: “Will you lend me a hand?”
lightening / lightning
Lightening is a verb that means to illuminate; lightning is a noun
referring to the electrical charges the cause flashes of light during
storms: “The lightning struck, lightening the sky.”
nonplussed
Meaning perplexed or bewildered, nonplussed is very often thought to
mean just the opposite—calm, unruffled, cool-as-a-cucumber. A
common mistake is to think the word means not “plussed,” but no
such word exists. Nonplussed originates from the Latin non (no) and
plus (more, further), and means a state in which no more can be
done—one is so perplexed that further action is impossible. “The
lexicographer grew increasingly agitated and nonplussed by the
frequency with which she noted the misuse of nonplussed.”
passed / past
Passed is the past tense and past participle of pass. Past refers to time
gone by; it is also a preposition meaning beyond. “In the past decade,
I passed over countless opportunities; I was determined not to let
them get past me again.”
penultimate
Meaning “next to last,” penultimate is often mistakenly used to mean
“the very last,” or the ultimate: “The perfectionist was crestfallen
when he was awarded the penultimate prize; the grand prize went to
another.”
precede / proceed
The verb precede means to come before. Proceed means to move
forward. “He preceded me into the room; once I caught up with him I
proceeded to tell him off.”
principal / principle
Principal is a noun that means a person who holds a high position or
plays an important role: “The school principal has 20 years of
teaching experience.” Principal is also an adjective that means chief
or leading: “The necessity of moving to another city was the principal
reason I turned down the job offer.” Principle is a noun that means a
rule or standard: “They refused to compromise their principles.”
stationary / stationery
Stationary is an adjective that means fixed or unmoving: “They
maneuvered around the stationary barrier in the road.” Stationery is
a noun that means writing materials: “We printed the letters on
company stationery.”
their / there / they're
Their is the possessive form of they; there refers to place; and they're
is the contraction of they are. “They're going there because their
mother insisted they become proficient in Serbo-Croatian.”
venal / venial
Venal is an adjective that means corruptible; venial is an adjective
that means a slight flaw or offense: “In the Catholic church, a venial
sin is one that is minor and pardonable, whereas a mortal sin is a
serious transgression involving more venal or depraved behavior.”
who's / whose
Who's is the contraction of who is. Whose is the possessive form of
who. “Who's going to figure out whose job it is to clean the stables?”
your / you're
Your is the possessive form of you; you're is the contraction you are.
“If you're planning on swimming, then be sure to bring your life vest
and flippers.”
Commonly Confused Words
http://www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/classicerrors/confused/?view=uk
These are some of the pairs of words that are most often confused with each other.
DO NOT CONFUSE
adoptive with adopted: children are adopted, but parents are adoptive.
adverse, 'unfavourable, bad', with averse, which means 'strongly disliking
or opposed to', as in I am not averse to helping out.
affect and effect: affect means 'make a difference to', whereas effect
means 'a result' or 'bring about (a result)'.
ambiguous with ambivalent: ambiguous primarily means 'having more
than one meaning, open to different interpretations', while ambivalent
means 'having mixed feelings'.
amoral with immoral: amoral means 'not concerned with morality', while
immoral means 'not conforming to accepted standards of morality'.
appraise with apprise: appraise means 'assess', while apprise means
'inform'.
augur, 'be a sign of (a likely outcome)', with auger (a tool used for boring).
censure with censor: censure means 'express strong disapproval of',
whereas censor means 'suppress unacceptable parts of (a book, film, etc.)'.
climactic, 'forming a climax', with climatic, which means 'relating to
climate'.
complacent, 'smug and self-satisfied', with complaisant, which means
'willing to please'.
complement, 'a thing that enhances something by contributing extra
features', with compliment, which means 'an expression of praise' or
'politely congratulate'.
continuous and continual: continuous primarily means 'without
interruption', and can refer to space as well as time, as in the cliffs form a
continuous line along the coast; continual, on the other hand, typically
means 'happening frequently, with intervals between', as in the bus service
has been disrupted by continual breakdowns.
council, an administrative or advisory body, with counsel, advice or
guidance.
councillor with counsellor: a councillor is a member of a council,
whereas a counsellor is someone who gives guidance on personal or
psychological problems.
credible with creditable: credible means 'believable, convincing',
whereas creditable means 'deserving acknowledgement and praise'.
definite ('certain, sure') with definitive, which means 'decisive and with
authority'.
defuse, 'remove the fuse from (an explosive device)' or 'reduce the danger
or tension in (a difficult situation)', with diffuse, which means 'spread over
a wide area'.
desert (a waterless area) with dessert (the sweet course)!
discreet, 'careful not to attract attention or give offence', with discrete,
which means 'separate, distinct'.
draft and draught. In British English draft means 'a preliminary version' or
'an order to pay a sum', whereas a draught is a current of air or an act of
drinking; in North American English the spelling draft is used for all senses.
The verb is usually spelled draft.
draw, which is primarily a verb, with drawer meaning 'sliding storage
compartment'.
egoism and egotism: it is egotism, not egoism, that means 'excessive
conceit or self-absorption'; egoism is a less common and more technical
word, for an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of
morality.
envelop with envelope: envelop without an e at the end means 'wrap up,
cover, or surround completely', whereas an envelope with an e is a paper
container used to enclose a letter or document.
exceptionable ('open to objection; causing disapproval or offence') with
exceptional ('not typical' or 'unusually good').
fawn with faun: a fawn is a young deer, and a light brown colour; a faun
is a Roman deity that is part man, part goat.
flaunt with flout; flaunt means 'display ostentatiously', while flout means
'openly disregard (a rule)'.
flounder with founder: flounder generally means 'have trouble doing or
understanding something, be confused', while founder means 'fail or come
to nothing'.
forego and forgo: forego means 'precede', but is also a less common
spelling for forgo, 'go without'.
grisly with grizzly, as in grizzly bear: grisly means 'causing horror or
revulsion', whereas grizzly is from the same root as grizzled and refers to
the bear's white-tipped fur.
hoard with horde: a hoard is a store of something valuable; horde is a
disparaging term for a large group of people.
imply and infer. Imply is used with a speaker as its subject, as in he
implied that the General was a traitor, and indicates that the speaker is
suggesting something though not making an explicit statement. Infer is
used in sentences such as we inferred from his words that the General was
a traitor, and indicates that something in the speaker's words enabled the
listeners to deduce that the man was a traitor.
the possessive its (as in turn the camera on its side) with the contraction
it's (short for either it is or it has, as in it's my fault; it's been a hot day).
loath ('reluctant; unwilling') with loathe, 'dislike greatly'.
loose with lose: as a verb loose means 'unfasten or set free', while lose
means 'cease to have' or 'become unable to find'.
luxuriant, 'rich and profuse in growth', with luxurious, which means
'characterized by luxury; very comfortable and extravagant'.
marital, 'of marriage', with martial, 'of war'!
militate, which is used in the form militate against to mean 'be an
important factor in preventing', with mitigate, which means 'make
(something bad) less severe'.
naturism (nudism) and naturist (a nudist) with naturalism and
naturalist: naturalism is an artistic or literary approach or style; a
naturalist is an expert in natural history, or an exponent of naturalism.
officious, 'asserting authority or interfering in an annoyingly domineering
way', with official, which means 'relating to an authority or public body' and
'having the approval or authorization of such a body'.
ordinance, 'an authoritative order', with ordnance, which means 'guns' or
'munitions'.
palate and palette: the palate is the roof of the mouth; a palette, on the
other hand, is an artist's board for mixing colours.
pedal and peddle. Pedal is a noun denoting a foot-operated lever; as a
verb it means 'move by means of pedals'. Peddle is a verb meaning 'sell
(goods)'. The associated noun from pedal is pedaller (US pedaler), and
the noun from peddle is pedlar or peddler.
perquisite and prerequisite: a perquisite is a special right or privilege
enjoyed as a result of one's position; prerequisite is something that is
required as a prior condition for something else; prerequisite can also be
an adjective, meaning 'required as a prior condition'.
perspicuous, 'expressing things clearly', with perspicacious, which
means 'having a ready understanding of things'.
principal, 'first in order of importance; main', with principle, which is a
noun meaning chiefly 'a basis of a system of thought or belief'.
proscribe with prescribe: proscribe is a rather formal word meaning
'condemn or forbid', whereas prescribe means either 'issue a medical
prescription' or 'recommend with authority'.
regretful, 'feeling or showing regret', with regrettable, which means
'giving rise to regret; undesirable'.
shear, 'cut the wool off (a sheep)', with sheer, which as a verb means
'swerve or change course quickly' or 'avoid an unpleasant topic', and as an
adjective means 'nothing but; absolute', 'perpendicular', or '(of a fabric)
very thin'.
stationary and stationery: stationary is an adjective with the sense 'not
moving or changing', whereas stationery is a noun meaning 'paper and
other writing materials'.
story and storey: a story is a tale or account, while a storey is a floor of
a building. In North America the spelling story is sometimes used for
storey.
titillate and titivate: titillate means 'excite', whereas titivate means
'adorn or smarten up'.
tortuous, 'full of twists and turns' or 'excessively lengthy and complex',
with torturous, which means 'characterized by pain or suffering'.
turbid and turgid: turbid is generally used in reference to a liquid and
means 'cloudy or opaque'; turgid tends to mean 'tediously pompous' or, in
reference to a river, 'swollen, overflowing'.
unexceptionable, 'that cannot be taken exception to, inoffensive', with
unexceptional, 'not exceptional; ordinary'.
unsociable with unsocial and antisocial: unsociable means 'not
enjoying the company of or engaging in activities with others'; unsocial
usually means 'socially inconvenient' and typically refers to the hours of
work of a job; antisocial means 'contrary to accepted social customs and
therefore annoying'.
venal ('susceptible to bribery; corruptible') with venial, which is used in
Christian theology in reference to sin (a venial sin, unlike a mortal sin, is
not regarded as depriving the soul of divine grace).
who's with whose; who's is a contraction of who is or who has, while
whose is used in questions such as whose is this? and whose turn is it?
wreath and wreathe: wreath with no e at the end means 'arrangement of
flowers', while wreathe with an e is a verb meaning 'envelop, surround, or
encircle'.
your with you're; you're is a contraction of you are, while your is a
possessive determiner used in phrases such as your turn.
Commonly Confused Words
http://www.rinkworks.com/words/confused.shtml
Abjure and Adjure
Abjure means to "renounce" or "repudiate." Adjure means "request
earnestly." The words have little in common other than their rarity and
similarity of spelling, so they should not be confused.
Adopted and Adoptive
Adopted and adoptive both mean "acquired through adoption," but they
are not synomyms. One is the reciprocal of the other. A child with adoptive
parents is adopted; parents with an adopted child are adoptive. The
difference lies in who is doing the adopting. The parents adopt the child, so
the child is adopted. The child is adopted by the parents, and so the parents
are adoptive.
Adverse and Averse
Adverse means "antagonistic." Averse means "feeling disclined." The word
averse is more recognizable in two more commonly used forms: avert and
aversion.
Affect and Effect
These words are commonly confused, and the rules given to tell them apart
are often wrong. Affect means "to influence" or "to produce an effect in."
Effect means "consequence" or "that which is produced by an agent or
cause."
Many try to differentiate between the two by saying that affect is a verb,
while effect is a noun. Unfortunately, it's not so simple. The word affect can
also serve as a noun, meaning "observed or expressed emotional response,"
and the word effect can also serve as a verb, meaning "to become
operative" or "to carry out," as in, "to effect changes."
Aggravate and Annoy
Aggravate means "worsen." Annoy means "bother" or "exasperate" or
"provoke." Many speakers and writers use aggravate to mean "annoy."
Although aggravate has been used in this manner for four hundred years,
considerable controversy over this use exists today. Some contend that
using aggravate to mean anything other than "worsen" compromises the
effectiveness of the word by blurring the distinction it has from similar words.
Others argue that annoy can be said to mean "worsen one's temper," which
suggests that aggravate is not so inappropriate to use as a synonym for
annoy after all. My recommendation is to understand that aggravate
means "worsen" and not "bother," but then feel free to use aggravate in
contexts where it would be taken to mean "worsen one's temper" rather
than "bother" or "irritate."
Allude and Refer
Allude means to refer to something indirectly or covertly. Refer, without
qualification, implies referring to something directly, by naming. Frequently
allude is misused to mean "refer directly," but this is an abuse of an
otherwise useful, specific word.
Anxious and Eager
Anxious means "troubled" or "worried." Eager means "having keen
interest" or "impatient expectancy." When anxious is used to describe
someone's expectancy, it is often incorrectly used to mean "eager," which
has a far more positive connotation. One may be anxious about an
impending report card, but one would be eager to go on a long-awaited
vacation.
Chafe and Chaff
Chafe means "to make sore by rubbing" or "irritate or annoy" or "become
annoyed." Chaff means "tease good-naturedly." Consequently, one should
not become confused with the other.
Compliment and Complement
Compliment is a "remark of praise." Complement is "something that
completes." Note that free refreshments are complimentary; the word
refers to the phrase "with our compliments."
Continual and Continuous
Both continual and continuous describe an action or process that occurs
over a long period of time. Continual, however, permits that the action may
be interrupted by short breaks. Continuous means that the action never
pauses. We live continuous lives, eating and sleeping continually.
Deserts and Desserts
Most English speakers understand that deserts, with the accent on the first
syllable, are a dry, arid lands, while desserts, with the accent on the second
syllable, are a sweet things to eat after a meal. What is often confused is
that when one gets what one is deserves, good or bad, one is getting one's
"just deserts," accent on the second syllable but spelled like the dry, arid
lands.
Discomfort and Discomfit
Discomfort means "uneasiness or hardship" and "make uncomfortable."
Discomfit means "disconcert" and "defeat; thwart." Discomfort comes
from Middle English, from the Old French word desconfort. Discomfit
comes from the Middle English word discomfiten, from the Old French word
desconfit.
Discrete and Discreet
Discrete means "discontinuous" or "individually distinct." Discreet means
"judicious." The words are understandably often confused, but they should
remain distinct.
Effective and Effectual
Effective means "producing an effect" or "in effect." Effectual means
"producing a desired effect." A law that is effective is only effectual when it
is enforced.
Energize and Enervate
Energize means "give energy to," while enervate means "to cause to lose
vitality or energy." Sometimes enervate is mistakenly believed to mean
"energize," and this is a grievous error, as enervate is actually an antonym
of energize.
Enormousness and Enormity
Enormousness means "largeness" or "immensity." Enormity means
"depravity" or "wickedness" and also means a "crime" or "error." Frequently
the word enormity is mistaken to mean "enormousness," which it does not.
The two words do originally derive from the same Latin word, enormis, with
the word enormity being derived through the French word enormite, but
the distinction between the two English words has existed for hundreds of
years.
Flack and Flak
Flack is a noun that means "press agent" or "publicist" and a verb that
means "to act as a press agent." Flak is a noun that means "anti-aircraft
artillery" or "bursting of shells fired form anti-aircraft artillery" or, more
commonly, "excessive or abusive criticism" or "dissension, opposition." If
you criticize someone, you are giving them flak, not flack.
Flaunt and Flout
Flaunt means "display ostentatiously." Flout means to "disobey openly and
scornfully" or "show contempt for." Some use one for the other, but
confusing the two words is still widely seen as an error and best avoided.
Forcible and Forceful
Forcible means "accomplished by force." Forceful means "powerful and
vigorous." Something that is forcible can be accomplished with forceful
effort.
Fortuitous and Fortunate
Fortuitous means "happening by chance" or "accidental." Fortunate
means "lucky." A fortuitous event may be, but is not necessarily, a fortunate
event.
Founder and Flounder
Founder means "to fail completely." Often it is used to refer to a ship, in
which case it means, "to fill with water and sink." Flounder has a less
severe definition; it means "to move clumsily or with difficulty" or "to make
mistakes or become confused." Although the two words are similar in
spelling, they are derived from different sources. Founder comes from the
Latin word fundus, meaning "bottom." Flounder comes from Middle
English, from the Anglo-Norman word floundre, of Scandinavian origin. We
can flounder but recover, but when we founder, it's final.
Full and Fulsome
Fulsome is sometimes mistaken as a synonym for full or fullest, when, in
fact, its meaning bears no resemblance to full whatsoever. Fulsome means
"cloying, excessive, and disgusting." Although both words have similar
etymological roots, the English definitions are divergent enough to cause
some gross misunderstandings when the words are confused, particularly in
incorrect expressions such as "fulsome praise" and "fulsome apologies."
Gambit and Gamut
Gambit is a strategic maneuver. Gamut is a full range or extent.
Imply and Infer
Imply means to "hint or suggest without stating directly." Infer means
"reach an opinion from facts or reasoning." The two terms are sometimes
mistaken to be interchangeable. In actuality, they are quite distinct. The
sender of an indirectly stated message is doing the implying, while a
receiver that reasons what the message is is doing the inferring.
Inanity and Inanition
Inanity means "foolishness" or "senselessness." Inanition means "lacking
vigor."
Incredulous and Incredible
Incredulous means "unbelieving" or "skeptical." Incredible means
"unbelievable" or "hard to believe." If something incredible happens, you
may be incredulous.
Ingenious and Ingenuous
Ingenious means "clever and inventive." Ingenuous means "open, frank,
and sincere" and also "naive, unsophisticated." The words have similar
origins, hence the similar spelling, but their meanings have been distinct for
centuries.
Insulate and Insolate
Insulate means "to cause to be in a detached or isolated position" or "to
prevent passage of heat, electricity, or sound into or out of." Insolate
means "to expose to the sun's rays."
Lightening and Lightning
Lightening refers to something illuminating or brightening. Lightning is
what is accompanied by thunder during storms.
Loath and Loathe
Loath is an adjective, meaning "disinclined" or "reluctant." Loathe is a verb,
meaning "feel hatred or disgust for." Confusion often arises about not only
what they mean but how they are pronounced. Loath has a soft th sound,
while loathe has a hard th sound.
Luxurious and Luxuriant
Luxurious means "supplied with luxuries." Luxuriant means "growing
profusely." Some consider it acceptable to use luxuriant to mean
luxurious, but the best policy is to keep the words distinct.
Mucous and Mucus
Mucous is an adjective, as in, "a mucous gland." Mucus is a noun, as in,
"There is mucus emanating from my mucous glands."
Nauseous, Nauseated, and Nauseating
Nauseated means "caused to feel nausea." Nauseating means "causing to
feel nausea." If you are nauseated, it is because something else is
nauseating. There is no controversy about the meaning of these words, but
there is much controversy over what nauseous means. Commonly, the
word nauseous is used to mean "nauseated," but some maintain that it
should only ever be used to mean "nauseating." In actuality, the word
nauseous has meant both for over 400 years, and there is little reason to
dispute an accepted usage of a word that dates back to the times in which
the English language was at the summit of its development.
Niggard and N***er
The word niggard, which means "miser," and its adjective form niggardly,
have fallen under attack in recent years due to the relatively recent
appearance of n***er, the similarly-spelled racial slur against
African-Americans. The objection to the use of niggard on grounds of racial
discrimination is unfounded. Apart from the similar spelling, the two words
have nothing to do with each other. Historically and etymologically, the two
words have had no relation; one did not derive from the other. Niggard
comes from Middle English, which in turn comes from the Scandinavian word
nig. The racial slur is a much more recent word, originating from the Middle
French word negre, from the Spanish word negro, from the Latin word
niger. These early variations were not considered racial slurs; the
derogatory connotation only started showing up as recently as the
mid-1900s.
Noisome and Noisy
Noisome means "harmful" or "offensive" or "disgusting." Obviously it does
not share any shade of meaning with noisy, and so the two words should
not be confused with one another.
Passable and Passible
Passable means "capable of being passed." Passible means "capable of
feeling or suffering; susceptible of sensation or emotion; impressionable."
Passed and Past
Passed is a past tense verb. Past can be a noun, adjective, adverb, or
preposition -- never a verb.
Peccable and Peccant
Peccable means "capable of sinning." Peccant means "guilty of sinning."
Perspicacious and Perspicuous
Perspicacious means "having or showing insight." Perspicuous means
"easily understood" or "lucid," or, when referring to a person, "expressing
things clearly."
Practicable and Practical
Practicable means "usable," while practical means "useful." Not all
practicable things are practical, and not all practical things are practicable.
Sanguine and Sanguinary
Sanguine means "hopeful" or "optimistic" or "confident." Sanguinary
means "bloody" or "murderous." Obviously these are two words it's better
not to confuse, lest you convey entirely the wrong idea about something.
Stanch and Staunch
Stanch is a verb that means "restrain a flow." Staunch is an adjective that
means "firm in attitude, opinion, or loyalty." Both words are pronounced the
same way. The distinction is actually quite recent; a hundred years ago, the
two words were treated as interchangeable spelling variants. Such is no
longer the case, so it's important to distinguish one from the other.
Stationary and Stationery
Stationary is an adjective that means "not moving." Stationery is a noun
that means "writing paper and envelopes."
Titillate and Titivate
Titillate means "stimulate pleasantly" or "tickle." Titivate means "adorn"
or "spruce up." The similarity in spelling is coincidental. Titillate comes
from the Latin word titillare, which means "tickle." Titivate is a newer word
which comes from the earlier word tidivate, which is likely derived from the
words tidy and elevate.
Tortuous and Torturous
Tortuous means full of twists and turns. Torturous means "causing or
involving torture or suffering." These words are sometimes confused
because of their similar spelling, but there is no further similarity.
Turbid and Turgid
Turbid means "unclear, obscure, confused, disordered" and, when referring
to liquids, "muddy, thick, unclear." Turgid means "enlarged, swollen" and,
when referring to language, "pompous, overblown grandiloquent." Because
the two words are relatively uncommon, one is often confused for the other.
Turbid comes from the Latin word turbidus, meaning "disordered," from
turba, which means turmoil, possibly from the Greek word turbe. Turgid
comes from the Latin word turgidus, from turgere, which means, "to be
swollen."
Venal and Venial
Venal means "open to bribery" and "corruptible" and, when referring to
conduct, "influenced by bribery." Venial means "pardonable," when
referring to a fault or sin, and "trifling, not serious" when referring to
misconduct.
Words Commonly Confused
by V. Bell, J. Cheney, P. J. King & M. P. Moore
http://homepage.smc.edu/reading_lab/words_commonly_confused.htm
Click on the words that you would like to study.
accept,
except
brake, break
desert,
dessert
advice,
advise
breathe,
device,
breath, breadth devise
its, it's
presence,
presents
knew, new,
know, no
principal,
principle
vain, vane,
vein
affect, effect by, bye, buy
faint, feint
later, latter
precede,
proceed
allot, a lot
can, may
farther,
further
lead, led
quiet, quit,
quite
all ready,
already
canvas,
canvass
lay, lie
rain, reign,
rein
waist, waste
capital, capitol fewer, less
leave, let
raise, rise
weak, weak
all together,
formerly,
cite, site, sight
altogether
formally
loose, lose
sea, see
allusion,
illusion
notable,
noticeable
sit, set
wear, were,
where
stationary,
weather,
whether,
altar, alter
clothes, cloths forth, fourth
coarse, course good, well
among,
between
compare,
contrast
hear, here
are, hour,
our
compare to,
compare with
hole, whole
object, subject
passed, past
stationery
statue,
stature,
statute
vociferous,
voracious
rather
whose, who's
your, you're
award,
complement,
reward
compliment
imply, infer
compare to,
consul, council, incidence,
compare
counsel
incidents
with
peace, piece
than, then
plain, plane
their, there,
they're
bad, badly
decent,
descent,
dissent
incite, insight pore, pour
beside,
delusion,
illusion,
instance,
precedence,
instants
precedent
besides
allusion
threw,
through
to, too, two