English words that often get confused

Sometimes people get words confused because they look or sound similar; some are confused because they are rarely used or because people hear other people misusing them.

We have 110 items in the database. idle / idol If you are idle, you are lazy and inactive. An idol is something that is loved or worshipped. She was my idol. I worshipped her.

illegal / illicit Illegal means that something is against the law. The word illicit refers to an action which may be against the law or it may simply be not generally acceptable in terms of general social norms.

abdicate / abrogate To abdicate means that a monarch resigns from office, e.g. The king abdicated in favour of his son. The word abrogate means to end an official agreement or law.

accede / exceed To accede to a re uest is to agree to it; to exceed something is to go over!above a specific limit in terms of such things as speed or uantity.

accept / except "e accept something when we agree to take it. The word except points out someone or something that is different. We all agreed except for John.

adjacent / adjoining Adjacent means nearby but adjoining means directly connected.

advice / advise Advice is a noun #She gave him some good advice.$ and the second is a verb #I advise yo to.....$.

affect / effect Affect relates to someone or something having an influence% !is illness affected him badly. The noun effect concerns the res lt of something. "he effect of the stoc# mar#et crash was disastro s. &ess commonly, effect is used as a verb meaning to cause something to happen "he company will effect these changes immediately.

afflict / inflict Something bad afflicts someone #!e was afflicted by malaria.$. Someone inflicts themselves or something else on someone. #"he A stralians inflicted a st nning defeat on the $nglish cric#et team.$

aggravate / exacerbate Aggravate means to annoy someone, probably in an on'going way not (ust one'off; exacerbate means to make a situation worse. all ready / already We are all ready to go; in other words, all prepared. This is different from already as in "hey have already left% something has happened previously.

all right / alright &o r answers are all right 'correct(. )ontrast this with the adverb alright which means things are fine or generally *+ but perhaps not e,cellent.

altar / alter A church or other religious building has an altar; the word alter means to change something. She altered the design of the jac#et.

ambiguous / ambivalent Ambig o s means that there are two or more possible meanings to a sentence #)elow the garage was b rning.$. Ambivalent refers to someone who is unsure about something; !e was ambivalent abo t the proposal.

amiable / amicable Amiable - friendly and easy going, generally used for people; amicable also relates to easy going relationships and describes the relationship between two people or perhaps it describes an agreement or even disagreement. #"hey agreed to have an amicable disagreement.$

amoral / immoral Amoral means that a person has no morals; immoral means that someone has low or poor morals.

annex / annexe Annex is a verb # Japan annexed part of *hina before WW+. $ An annexe is a place which is ad(acent to a larger building.

antagonist / protagonist An antagonist is an enemy; someone you are fighting. A protagonist describes a main character in a novel or play, or it could be used to describe someone pushing a particular social or political agenda, or viewpoint. "hey are the main protagonists in this political battle.

assure / insure Ass re means to make certain yourself or to overcome someone else.s uncertainty; I,d li#e to ass re yo that I am well. Insure has to do with protecting yourself again loss or damage or in(ury. I want to ins re my car. astronomy / astrology Astronomy is a science and it deals with observing stars and planets while astrology is a belief that life is influenced by the stars and planets. atheist / agnostic An atheist believes that god does not e,ist; an agnostic is not sure whether god e,ists or not.

aural / oral The word a ral relates to what we hear and the word oral to what we say.

backward / backwards If my son does poorly at school someone could regard him as bac#ward. The word bac#wards simply describes the direction of movement. !e tried to wal# bac#wards.

bale / bail !e has many bales of hay on his farm. The word bail relates to emptying a boat of water to stop it sinking. Another meaning relates to the payment that someone makes to a court so that person can stay out of prison while waiting for a case to come to court.

beside / besides /eside relates to position; She sat beside me in the train. Besides means in addition to.)esides oranges- what other fr it do yo li#e.

burned / burnt "hen we use the verb b rn in the past tense we use b rned. !e can,t coo#. !e b rned a chic#en last wee#. "e use b rnt as an ad(ective to describe something% the b rnt chic#en.

cannon / canon A cannon is used by soldiers and it fires bullets or shells; the word canon is used in various ways to do with )hristianity, formal rules or laws, collections of literature or a type of choral music.

canvas / canvass *anvas is a type of strong cloth #used in &evis (eans$. To canvass votes is to approach people to persuade them to vote for your political party; to canvass opinions is to ask people for their view on specific topics.

carat / carrot *arat is a measurement for gold or diamonds; a +/0carat gold watch. A carrot is a root vegetable.

censor / censure A censor is someone who, for e,ample, classifies films and decides if they aere suitable for public viewing. It can also be a verb% !is letters were censored while he was in the army. To cens re something is to criticise it officially; "he opposition cens red the government over the war in Ira1. cereal /serial *ereal is breakfast food made of things like wheat and barley. A serial often relates to a programme on the radio or tv which goes on for a long time and is built around a set of characters.

chord / cord *hord relates to music and is a combination of notes; cord is a type of thick'ish string or rope.

cloths/ clothes The first is pieces of cloth e.g. cleaning cloths; the second is the clothes or garments that we wear.

complement / compliment *omplement means to enhance something else; to make it better by adding something suitable to it. "hat jac#et really complements the colo rs of yo r s#irt. council / counsel A council is a ruling body, committee or other group of representatives, "he *o ncil for $nvironmental *hange. .council. is never used as a verb.*o nsel is advice that we give someone else. A counsel is also a type of lawyer. .counsel. is used a noun or verb depending on conte,t.

credible / creditable credible means believable. "he story he told me was not credible. Incredible means unbelievable or to emphasise the e,ceptional nature of something. She is incredibly hardwor#ing. *reditable relates to an action that deserves credit or praise.

credulous / incredulous A cred lo s person is one who will believe anything however silly. Someone is incred lo s if they see or hear something they are unwilling or unable to believe. !e was incred lo s when I told him how m ch I had won on the lottery.

crevice / crevasse A crevice is a small to medium crack in rock; a crevasse is a large crack in an ice'sheet or glacier which people could fall in to.

criterion / criteria The former is singular and the latter plural because of the &atin base. "he most important criterion is honesty. "he other criteria are less important.

currant / current "e eat currants #dry grapes$. )urrents are flows especially of li uids, gases and electricity. The thermal currents carried the hot'air balloon far from home. The strong currents carried the swimmer out to sea. The ampere is a measure of electrical current. deduce / induce "e ded ce something when we work out the meaning from the evidence. "e ind ce something when we cause something to happen; often in the passive form. I was ind ced into handing over the papers.

definite / definitive A definite answer is one that is one taken when a decision has been made and that decision will not be changed. A definitive answer is one that is #as far as we can tell$ absolutely and unchallengeably correct. "he j dge gave a definitive j dgement in the case.

defuse / diffuse /ombs are def sed #made safe$. 2iff se light is light that is spread so that it produces a soft glow not a hard, bright light.

dependent / dependant )hildren are dependent on their parents; a child is therefore adependant. In other words, the former is an ad(ective and the latter a noun.

derisive / derisory If someone laughs or shouts in a derisive way this is intended to hurt and to humiliate. If something is derisory, then people may shout in this way.

desert / dessert "e can cross a desert on a camel; we eat dessert after our main meal.

device / devise A device #noun$ is an ob(ect for doing something; I have a device for saving files more 1 ic#ly. 0evise #verb$ relates to producing or investing something with a special purpose; I have devised a new way to win in the casino. disc / disk "e have discs between the bones of the spine, we also have music discs. 1owever, we generally talk about a dis# when referring to computers. discreet / discrete She won,t say anything% she is very discreet. In other words, it is safe to tell her something; she won.t tell other people. The word discrete refers to something specific which is separate from and significantly different from something else in some way or other. "here are discrete departments in o r company- altho gh all with the same overall objective. disinterested / uninterested 2isinterested means that a person has no specific involvement; We need a disinterested j dge to ma#e the decision. draft / draught The first refers to a bank transfer or bank draft; the second relates to cold wind blowing under a door or between windows.

dual / duel "e talk about a road with four lanes #two in each direction$ as a d al carriageway. A d el is word to describe a fight with guns or swords in the past. Sometimes it is used to describe what the protagonists in a debate are doing with the sharp cut and thrust of verbal debate.

dying / dyeing The first refers to the end of life and the second to colouring hair or cloth. "e also use the first if we want something badly; I,m dying to go to the toilet3

eatable / edible If something is *+ to eat it is eatable; Is that apple eatable. "e use edible to refer to something that it is possible to eat without ill'effects. Are those berries edible. elder / older "e use elder to pick out an individual within a family as older in comparison with others. !e,s my elder brother. The word older is the comparative form of old; I,m ten years older than my sister. emigrant / immigrant 2igrants are people who move from one country to another for residence #often permanent$. 3migrants leave a country and immigrants enter a country. 4or e,ample, the 5+ receives thousands of immigrants each year but many people emigrate from the 5+ to Australia and elsewhere. eminent / imminent $minent people are well known and often famous for something serious like politics or science. Something that is imminent is something that is about to happen; "he fall of the bridge is imminent. enquiry / inquiry In /ritish 3nglish, an en1 iry is something that that we make; *an I ma#e an en1 iry abo t the price of yo r cars. An in1 iry is something that is held by a body or group; "he *o ncil is holding an in1 iry into the sale of co ncil ho ses. In American 3nglish, the usual term is in uiry rather than en uiry. farther / further 4arther is to do with distance; It,s farther from 4ottingham to 5ondon than it is from 6lasgow to $dinb rgh. 7 rther has to do with, for e,ample, additional tasks; !e,s got f rther investigations to carry o t before he can be s re. fictional / fictitious The word fictional is used to describe, for e,ample, imaginary characters. It,s a fictional story abo t two people who fly to the 8oon. The word fictitio s has to do with truth. !e came p with a fictitio s story to explain his absence. flare / flair A flare is something that produces a bright light and it is often used on boats or by climbers. If someone has a flair for something, it means that they have a talent for doing something. !e has a flair for m sic.

flaunt / flout If we flaunt something we show it off in a confident way. She fla nted her new clothes. The word flout is generally to do with ignoring a rule or a law. !e flo ted the law and sold the watches on the pavement. flounder / founder "e flo nder around when we have problems and we don.t know what to do sp we think about all sorts of options. A ship fo nders when it is overcome by the waves and sinks. for ever / forever These words have various meanings, typically .for all time. or .permanently. #eg. 7ood does not last forever. or #informally$ taking .a long time. #as in% I have been waiting for the b s forever.; I want to stay here for ever. .forever. sometimes has a different meaning such as .always.,.typically. or .e,tremely fre uently.. #e.g. !e is forever ma#ing jo#es means that makes (okes very often, perhaps too often6 formally / formerly The word formally means officially or in an official way. "he b ilding was formally opened by the 8ayor. The word formerly has to do with things that happened in the past. !e was formerly a ship,s captain before he retired. fulfil / fulfill These are two spellings of the same word, and both are accepted. The past tense for both is f lfilled. gaol / jail These are two spellings of the same word, and both are accepted in the 5+. The former is not used in the 5SA. gorilla / guerrilla The former is a large mammal and the latter is a fighter in an informally organised army. hangar / hanger 7lanes are kept on a large building called a hangar. A hanger is used to put clothes on, for e,ample, in a cupboard. hanged / hung The word hanged is only used when we are referring to someone who was e,ecuted. The word h ng is the past tense form and past participle of the verb to hang.

hoofs / hooves These are two spellings of the same word, and both are accepted in the 5+. horde / hoard A horde relates to groups of people. !e was s rro nded by a horde of a tograph h nters. "he 8ongol horde swept down on the town. The word hoard relates to a collection of hidden coins, gold or food. illusion / delusion Ill sions are ideas which are wrong; !e has the ill sion that he,s good loo#ing. The word del sion is used for ideas which are illogical and against all evidence, and is often linked to mental illness. imply / infer I imply and you infer. In other words, I hint at something and you pick up on my meaning. !e implied that I was fat3I inferred from what he said that she was not to be tr sted. ingenious / ingenuous The former means clever or inventive; !e invented an ingenio s way to open bottles. The latter means lacking in any false thoughts or dishonest motives. its / it's The word its indicates possession; !e loo#ed at its paws. It,s - it is. leeward / windward The leeward side of a boat is the sheltered side; the windward side is e,posed to the wind.

licence / license "ith the noun, the former is the 5+ spelling and the latter is the 5S spelling. In the 5+ , the latter is the verb; "he boat is licensed to carry 10 passengers. lie / lay If we place ourselves horizontally on the floor, then we lie down #verb tolie$. If we did this yesterday, then we lay on the floor. I lay on the floor for an ho r this morning doing my relaxation exercises. There is also the verb to lay which refers to, for e,ample, laying a table. I laid the table at 9 o,cloc#.

lose / loose If you drop something and cannot find it then you may lose it. If you have a tooth which is wobbly, then it is a loose tooth. may be / maybe /oth mean perhaps but the word maybe can be replaced by perhaps.Are yo coming tonight. Wellmaybe- b t we,ll decide later. 1owever, may be cannot be directly replaced by perhaps. We may be late tonight so don,t wait p for s. meter / metre A meter is a device for measuring something such as a par#ing meter or a speedometer. Metre, millimetre and kilometre are units of measurement of length. moral / morale )hildren.s stories often have a moral to them. The moral of 8ed 8iding 1ood may be that young girls should not go wandering in woods by themselves. If we say something is immoral we mean it is evil or wicked. 2orale has to do with attitudes especially feelings of confidence, or lack of it. "he army,s morale is low after several major defeats. motive / motif A motive is a reason for doing something, either good or bad. I s spected his motives when he offered to give her a lift. A motif is a particular decorative pattern, often one that is repeated on printed cloth or carved wood. naval / navel The word naval relates to the ships and the navy. "here were many naval battles in the 7irst World War. The word navel relates to someone.s tummy, specifically the .belly button.. no one / no one /oth of these are widely used. notable / noticeable If something or someone is notable it is worthy of respect and viewed as important. It was a notable victory and the first of many. If something #usually a thing$ is noticeable it is a thing that is easy to see and likely to be seen. It was noticeable that his hair had t rned white in the year he,d been away.

nutritional / nutritious /oth are ad(ectives #describing words$ but n tritional has to do with broader issues of food processing and absorption. "he n tritional impact of eating plenty of fr it and vegetables is nchallengeable. The word n tritio s deals with whether or not foods contain the minerals and vitamins that can keep us healthy. :ranges are far more n tritio s than a hamb rger. passed / past ;assed is a verb and behaves in the normal way that verbs do. !e passed his driving test on " esday and now he li#es to pass other cars. The word past relates to time that has gone by. In the past he was very advent ro s. patient !patience" / patient !in hospital" It.s the same spelling6 !e waited for an ho r b t he was very patient. I was a patient in the hospital for a wee#. "he patients will be seen by the doctor soon. She needed great patience to deal with his annoying habits. perfunctory / peremptory The first word has the meaning of an action being done without any real feeling, in a casual way. !e gave her a perf nctory #iss. The word peremptory has to do with an action taken in a dictatorial, rather unfriendly, unsympathetic manner. !e dismissed my re1 est with a peremptory gest re towards the door. plane / plain ;lanes fly. A plain is an area of fairly flat land. Someone can be plain which means not very attractive at first sight. A plane is also a carpenter.s tool and a mathematical term6 practice / practise The former is the noun; !e wanted some practice every day. The latter is the verb; !e wants to practise every day. pray/ prey "e pray in a church, mos ue, temple or other holy place. The word prey relates to the food that animals like to eat. "he lions watched their prey b t the antelope were naware.

principal / principle A principal is the head of an institution, normally an educational one. !e is the principal of 8arang "eachers, "raining *ollege . It can also be used for important people or institutions. !e is one of the principal cond ctors in this co ntry. If I have a principle, it is an important rule by which I try to direct my life. If someone has no principles, we might say that they are nprincipled. recipe / receipt A recipe is something that we use as a guide when we are cooking. A receipt is something that we collect when we purchase something in a shop. recount / re count "hen we reco nt a story we re'tell it. !e reco nted his exploits in 8orocco . "hen we re'co nt something, we count it again. This happened when /ush was elected. recover / re cover "hen we recover, we get better after an accident or illness. It too# him a month to recover after the illness. "hen we re0cover something we cover it again. I wanted to re0cover my chairs and so I went to b y some material. regal / royal The word regal really means royal in appearance and so could be used to refer to someone in a royal family as well as someone who had nothing to do with royalty. She loo#ed very regal whenever she dressed p for the theatre. The word royal is generally to do with a family with historical connections which enable them to be described as royal. "here have been a n mber of scandals in the )ritish royal family. role / roll <ole has to do with position or (ob or post. What role did he have in the last play yo p t on. A roll is round and made of bread. It can also be a verb; !e rolled down the hill. sarcastic / sardonic A sarcastic comment is designed to hurt someone. The words used are often contemptuous or mocking. "ords are sometimes used in precisely the opposite of what they normally mean. :h- yes3 She loo#ed so ,elegant, when she came in. It,s a pity she fell over3 It is sometimes described as the lowest form of wit. A sardonic comment is not so hurtful but it is also mocking and can sometimes be hurtful.

sceptic / septic A sceptic is someone who does not believe most of the things that s!he is told. If you cut yourself you must try to ensure that the cut does not become infected and turn septic. sew / sow "e sew with needle and cotton. "e sow seeds in a field. some time / sometime / sometimes The words some time mean for a little while. !e wanted to stay in =an>ibar for some time. The word sometime is often used interchangeably but really it means at an indeterminate point in the f t re. Why don,t we meet p for a coffee sometime. Sometimes means occasionally or from time to time. We sometimes meet for coffee at l nch. stationary / stationery If you are stationary, you are not moving. Stationery consists of paper and envelopes and similar office items. story / storey "e often read a story to children at night time. The word storey relates to the height of a building. It,s a ten0storey office bloc#. swap / swop Two spellings of the same word6 swat / swot "e swat a fly when we kill it with a newspaper or something similar. "hen we swot we work hard for an e,amination. wave / waive Waves are found in the sea and sometimes in large lakes. "e also wave to someone when we see them in the distance, perhaps at a railway station. "hen the bank waives a payment that you are supposed to make, it means that you will not be charged. 8y ban# waived my ban# charges after I wrote a letter of complaint. http%!!www.waylink'english.co.uk!9page-::;<<=pw-::

#ften $onfused %ords and %ordy &hrases

. *ften )onfused "ords
Word Accept (v) Except (prep) Affect (v) Effect (v) Effect (n) Adapt (v) Adept (ad!.) Adopt (v) Aggravate (v) Irritate (v) All ready Already (ad!.) Anyone (pronoun) Any one Appraise (v) Apprise (v) Assure (v) Definition to receive or approve other than, but to produce a change to cause to happen result of some influence to change proficient, good at to select, choose to ma#e orse Example I accept you apology. Everyone except Tom is going. Stress affects health of mothers. Effect a peace treaty to end ar. The had little effect on its outcome. Adapt your methods to succeed. Tom is adept at tennis. "ou should adopt a plan of action. $is fall aggravated his in!ury. $is negative attitude irritates me. %e&re pac#ed and all ready to go. %e already did that. Anyone can histle that tune.

to anger or annoy prepared before the present time any person' anybody a single person or thing decide the value to inform or notify declare, promise

(hoose any one of the chocolates. $e appraised the house for the client. Apprise me of the situation )rian. I assure you e are ma#ing ith

progress. Ensure(v) Insure(v) )eside (prep) )esides (adverb) (apital (n) ma#e certain protect by insurance Ensure you or# area is safe for everyone. Insure your car for the resale price.

at the side of' next Sit beside me at the movie. to in addition' moreover city of government place government meets )esides a dog cat. e also have a

The capital of Texas is Austin. The capitol in Austin is do nto n. *nly the +. S. (apitol is capitali,ed. The +. S. is comprised of fifty states. A float is composed of soda and ice cream. .eorgeto n is farther than /fluggerville. -urther consideration is needed to decide. 0ay the pot of ste table. on the

(apitol (n)

(omprise (v) (omposed of -arther -urther 0ay (v) 0ie (v) /ersonal (ad!.) /ersonnel (n) /recede (v) /roceed (v) /rincipal (ad!.) /rincipal (n) /rinciple (n)

include, contain made up of, formed by more distant or remote to a greater degree put or place to recline or rest private, individual employees go ahead of, be before continue action ith an

0ie do n on the bed and rest. The diary contains my personal thoughts. The company&s personnel got raises. The band precedes the float on the route. /roceed ith the staff meeting.

first in importance

A principal goal of the program is nutrition.

person in charge of Tommy as sent to the a school principal&s office. a basic truth, la or code 1ar in&s principle of natural selection is controversial.

2aise (v) 2aise (n) 2ise (n) Stationary (ad!.) Stationery To (prep) Too (prep)

bring to a higher level increase in ages

2aise the price on candy for 3alentines 1ay. Tim got a raise for good performance. 2ise hen the !udge enters the courtroom. The guard remained stationary at his post. Send a letter to him on that stationery. The train to )oston arrives at noon. The shirt is too big since my diet.

to extend up ard or stand not moving' still riting paper in the direction of' to ard also, overly, very

Wordy Phrases
Wordy Phrase A considerable number of A number of According to our data Ade4uate number of Affords the opportunity Am of the opinion Are in receipt Are of the same opinion Arrived at the conclusion As a conse4uence As a means of As long as As to As hether Alternate many some, several e find enough allo s, let thin# have agree concluded because to if hether and, also because #no both

ell as

)ased on the fact that )e a are of the fact that )oth of these

)rief in duration )y means of, by virtue of )y the use of (ame to a reali,ation (ome to an agreement (oncerning the matter of (onsidering the fact that (osts a total of 1espite the fact that 1ra to your attention

brief by, using reali,ed agree about, regarding because, since costs although, though point out hen invite describe re4uires, needs can probably to near, close ith ith since, because often, usually never to about, regarding although, despite ithout during if in finally ith

1uring the time that Extend an invitation to .ive an indication of $as a re4uirement for $as the ability to In all li#elihood In an effort to In close proximity to In con!unction5connection In light of the fact that In many cases5instances In no case In order to In relation to, in respect to, in regard to In spite of the fact that In the absence of In the course of In the event that In the field of In the final analysis

In the form of In the light of In the ma!ority of instances In the midst of In the near5not too distant future In the neighborhood5vicinity of In this day and age In vie of the fact of

as considering usually during, amid soon in, near, close to, about currently because since, because #no s can can

Inasmuch as Is a are of the fact that Is capable of In a position to

Quiz on 20 Commonly Confused Words

)y 2ichard 6ord4uist, About.com .uide

:.

Adverse or Averse3 A recent study found that many air fresheners are high in chemicals that have been lin#ed to 77777 health effects in high doses.

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Allude or Elude4 The young hoc#ey star

as dubbed 8the phantom8 for his ability to 77777 defenders.

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Complement or Compliment5 The malty flavor of buc# heat honey ma#es it a nice 77777 to blue cheese.

@.

Device or Devise6 Ama,on unveiled the 9indle, its digital:boo# reading 77777, at the end of ;<<=.

;.

Discreet or Discrete7 The genes, 77777 bits of 16A on the chromosomes in each cell, control all body activities by directing the production of essential chemicals.

A.

loundered or oundered! %hen his ship 77777 on the coast of Scotland in >??@, the 1anish captain thought he sa pointed star in the s#y.

a seven:

B.

"istoric or "istorical# In >AB?, a Spanish photographer accompanied -idel (astro and his band of revolutionaries during their 7777 push to $avana.

C.

$mply or $nfer%& 8The fact that some geniuses geniuses.8 ((arl Sagan)

ere laughed at does not 77777 that all

ho are laughed at are

D.

$ncredi'le or $ncredulous%% All births are 77777 moments, but some are more momentous than others.

:<.

(ater or (atter%) -aceboo# has about @<< million users and T itter a tenth of that number, but the 77777 has been inning the headline battle in recent months.

::.

Pored or Poured%3 6ight after night, the president 77777 over memos arguing for and against the choice that confronted him.

:>.

Principal or Principle%4 A higher salary as Sol&s 77777 reason for accepting the !ob offer.

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*ac+ed or Wrac+ed%5 $e 77777 his brains to remember, but he could not call to mind a single thingC

:@.

,ensual or ,ensuous%6 8The beauty of Doroccan palaces is made up of details of ornament and refinements of 77777 delight too numerous to record.8 (Edith %harton)

:;.

,hear or ,heer%7 8English usage is sometimes more than mere taste, !udgment, and education::sometimes it&s 77777 luc#, li#e getting across a street.8 (E.). %hite)

:A.

,imple or ,implistic%! Duch of hat e thought e #ne out rong.

about the evolution of dinosaurs turns out to be 77777 or out:and:

:B.

,tationary or ,tationery%# The train passengers spent the night in the ma#eshift hotels of 7777 carriages par#ed on rail ay sidings.

:C.

-emerity or -imidity)& Eay:F al ays sounds bold and confident, but then of course 77777 is rarely a character trait in the orld of hip:hop.

:D.

.eracious or .oracious)% )e it a Eeep (hero#ee or a -ord Explorer or supersi,ed to a $umvee, the S+3 soon became the 77777 and luxurious symbol of boomer excess throughout the >AA<s.

;<.

Who or Whom)) 877777 the gods ish to destroy they first call promising.8 ((yril (onnolly)

>. ;. @. G. B. H. =. ?. A. ><. >>. >;. >@. >G. >B. >H.

adverse@ eludeG complementB deviceH discrete= foundered? historicA imply>< incredible>> latter>; pored>@ principal>G rac#ed>B sensuous>H sheer>= simplistic>?

>=. >?. >A. ;<.

stationary>A timidity;< voracious;> %hom;;

'ccept vs( Except

Incorrect% EI except your gift.E )orrect% EI accept your gift.E 'ccept means to receive something. Except means to e,clude something. 3,ample% EI accept everything you.re offering, e,cept for the fruitcake.E

'dvice vs( 'dvise

Incorrect% EI didn.t ask for your advise.E )orrect% EI didn.t ask for your advice.E 'dvise is a verb. 'dvice is a noun. Fou can advise someone, but you can.t advice him.

'ffect vs( Effect

Incorrect% EThe rain has a bad affect on my mood.E )orrect% EThe rain has a bad effect on my mood.E The one that starts with an a, affect, is a verb. This is when something is A)TIGH upon something else. 4or e,ample, E"e don.t know how the rising cost of pizza will affect the economy.E Effect is a noun. It.s passive, not doing anything in particular; it.s (ust there. 4or e,ample, EThe rising cost of pizza didn.t have much effect.E Tip for remembering the difference% A is for Action6 Action - Affect.

'll )ight vs( 'lright

Sorry, but alright is incorrect. It.s correctly spelled as two words% 'll right( 1owever, it could be argued that alright is appropriate for dialogue. It.s closer to the way it sounds. Also, nobody should beat you up for writing alright in an online forum or chat room. All right9

'lternately vs( 'lternatively

Incorrect% E'lternately, we could buy a (et instead of a helicopter.E )orrect% E'lternatively, we could buy a (et instead of a helicopter.E 'lternatively is a word you use when you refer to an option, an alternative. 'lternately is where you do one thing after another in turn.

' *ot vs( 'lot

' lot is correct. 'lot, on the other hand, is G*T a real word. Sorry, I can.t even bring myself to defend alot from a creative writing standpoint.

'ssume vs( 's +oon

Incorrect% EI.d (ust assume kiss a wookie.E )orrect% EI.d (ust as soon kiss a wookie.E To assume means you.re either making a supposition or taking possession of something. 3,ample% EI assume she.s kissing a wookie right now. /y the way, I.m now assuming authority over the 4alcon.E

Bare vs( Bear

Incorrect% EBare with me.E )orrect% EBear with me.E 1ardly anyone chooses the wrong word if they.re talking about grizzlies or teddy bears. /ut remember, the word bear has multiple meanings% It can refer to the animal, or it can mean carrying a burden. "hen you ask someone to bear with you, that means you.re asking them to be patient.

Bare, on the other hand, means uncovered or naked. So when you write E/are with me,E you.re really asking your readers to get naked. 1ow embarrassing.

Ba,aar vs( Bi,arre

Incorrect% EThere.s something ba,aar about that duck.E )orrect% EThere.s something bi,arre about that duck.E A ba,aar is a marketplace. Bi,arre is another word to describe something that looks weird or outlandish.

Breach vs( Breech

Incorrect% E4ailing to remove your shoes in a Iapanese home is a serious breech of eti uette.E )orrect% E4ailing to remove your shoes in a Iapanese home is a serious breach of eti uette.E Breech refers to your bottom, or to something that covers your bottom, i.e. a pair of pants. Breach refers to an opening, a gap, or a vulnerability. It can also refer to infraction of some law or custom. Fou could have a breach in your breeches, but not the other way around.

$ensor vs( $ensure

Incorrect% EThe president was censored.E )orrect% EThe president was censured.E $ensure is a strong, often formal reprimand.

$ensor describes when something is suppressed or banned. It might also mean editing out things that people find offensive, such as swearing or racial slurs. )lassic books such as To +ill a 2ockingbird and 1uckleberry 4inn have been censored by schools.

$heap vs( $heep

Incorrect% EI bought this parrot for a cheep price.E )orrect% EI bought this parrot for a cheap price.E $heep is a chirp or a peeping noise, something you.d e,pect small birds to do. $heap means something that doesn.t cost much. It can have negative meanings too, like miserly, shabby, of no value, etc.

$ite vs( +ight vs( +ite

Incorrect% EFou.re a site for sore eyes.E )orrect% EFou.re a sight for sore eyes.E +ight refers to either your vision or to something you see. 4or e,ample, seeing the sights around town. +ite refers to a physical location, such as a house or a neighborhood. There are construction sites, for e,amples. $ite means to uote something, usually something of authority. )iting can also be a case of mentioning supporting facts. )hristians, for e,ample, fre uently cite the /ible as the foundation for their beliefs.

$limactic vs( $limatic

Incorrect% E+ind of anti'climatic.E )orrect% E+ind of anti'climactic.E

$limactic is the word you use to refer to a clima,, the culmination, the high point. $limatic refers to the climate, or weather conditions.

$oach vs( $ouch

Incorrect% E)inderella.s fairy godmother turned the pumpkin into a couch.E )orrect% E)inderella.s fairy godmother turned the pumpkin into a coach.E A couch is a large piece of furniture you lounge around on when you watch TJ. A coach is a horse'drawn carriage.

$ompliment vs( $omplement

Incorrect% EI complemented her on her good cooking.E )orrect% EI complimented her on her good cooking.E "hen you pay someone a compliment, you are e,pressing admiration for something. Fou are complimenting someone when you tell him he gave a great speech, or when you tell him you like his 2ickey 2ouse watch. 1owever, a complement is something that enhances or completes something else. A nice tie complements a suit. A dessert of pumpkin pie complements a great turkey dinner.

$onceited vs( $oncerted

Incorrect% E"e have to make a conceited effort.E )orrect% E"e have to make a concerted effort.E $onceited means arrogant, full of yourself.

$oncerted means doing something through cooperation. 2any people working together for a common goal is a concerted effort.

$onfidant vs( $onfident

Incorrect% EI.m confidant this will work.E )orrect% EI.m confident this will work.E Fou use the word confident when you.re trying to say that you have a strong belief in something, or when you.re feeling self'assured. A confidant, on the other hand, is someone you confide in. Fou tell your confidant about your secrets and personal issues. Fou (ust want to make sure you.re confident that your confidant will keep your secrets.

$opyright vs( $opywrite

Incorrect% E1e writes for a living. I think he.s a copyrighter.E )orrect% E1e writes for a living. I think he.s a copywriter.E $opyright refers to legalities and e,clusive rights. If something is copyrighted, that means you can.t copy it or plagiarize it unless you want to risk getting in legal trouble. A copywriter is someone who writes copy. )opy is written material, usually an ad of some kind.

-essert vs( -esert

Incorrect% E"e had chocolate cake for desert.E )orrect% E"e had chocolate cake for dessert.E -essert refers to the scrumptious pies, cakes, and ice cream we get to eat if we finish dinner. A desert is a dry, barren, often hot and sandy place.

It.s easy to get the two mi,ed up, so here.s how I remember the difference% 0essert comes A4T38 dinner, so it.s second. The word dessert has T"* S.s.

E(.( vs( /(E(

The difference between 3.H. and I.3. is subtle, but let.s look at their root meanings% 3.H. stands for the &atin exempli gratia, which means Efor e,ample.E So you might use it like this% EI love many different kinds of desserts, e.g. apple pie or chocolate cake.E I.3. is &atin for id est, which stands for Ethat isE or Ein other words.E So you might use it like this% E2y favorite dessert is pie, i.e. apple pie.E

Exercise vs( Exorcise

Incorrect% E"e must exercise the demon6E )orrect% E"e must exorcise the demon6E Exercise is what you do on a treadmill. If you e,ercise a demon, it probably means you.re taking him for a nice little (og. Exorcise is when you banish or e,pel demons and ghosts, usually through a religious ceremony.

0air vs( 0are

Incorrect% E"hoever said life was fare9E )orrect% E"hoever said life was fair9E

0air refers to being free from bias or in(ustice. It can also mean pale or light'colored. 0are refers to the price of a ticket for transportation #such as airfare$, or it can refer to how something worked or played out. 4or e,ample, E1e fared well as a pirate.E

0lair vs( 0lare

Incorrect% EThe dress had some flare.E )orrect% EThe dress had some flair.E 0lair means a special talent or aptitude. It can also refer to elegance or style. Fou might have a flair for playing the piano, for e,ample, or maybe that snappy tie gives your suit a certain flair. 0lare is something that fire does when it gets stronger. Fou would also use this word to describe something that starts suddenly and violently, such as a bad argument.

0launt vs( 0lout

Incorrect% EThey flaunted the rules.E )orrect% EThey flouted the rules.E "hen you flaunt something, that means you.re showing it off. &ike a little girl parading around and flaunting her doll to everyone she meets. 0lout is very different. It means showing disdain or scorn for something. "hile there are very few cases where people flaunt the rules, I.m sure you can name many incidents where someone flouted the rules.

0oul vs( 0owl

Incorrect% EI suspect fowl play.E )orrect% EI suspect foul play.E

0oul means something very bad, filthy, or disgusting''like a foul stench. It can also refer to ill intent or dishonesty. 0owl is a chicken. If you detect Efowl play,E that must mean the chickens are up to something.

1ear vs( 1ere

Incorrect% E1ere2 here3E )orrect% E1ear2 hear3E 1ere is a location; it refers to wherever we happen to be right now. 1ear refers to one of your five senses, the ability to recognize sound. 7eople confuse these words. The issue mostly comes up with the phrase E1ear, hear6,E which is meant to call attention to a speaker.s words. It also implies fervent agreement. It evolved from phrases like E1ear him6E and E1ear ye6E

/ts vs( /t's

Incorrect% E/ts mine.E )orrect% E/t's mine.E /ts is possessive. /t's is a contraction of it is. "henever you see that apostrophe, always translate it's to it is. Sound out the sentence in your head. If sounds dumb to say it is in the sentence, then it's is incorrect.

*ay vs( *ie

Incorrect% EGow lie me down to sleep.E )orrect% EGow lay me down to sleep.E *ay is used when something is being acted upon. *ie is something you do without anyone or anything doing something to you. 3,ample% EI decided to lie down on the floor.E 1ere.s where things get more confusing% The past tense of lie is lay. The past tense of lay is laid.

3,amples% EI laid down the piggy bank.E EThe piggy bank lay there yesterday.E 3ven I have a hard time keeping these words straight. 2i,ing up lay and laid isn.t likely to get you barbecued by grouchy grammarians. Iust remember that layed is a misspelling, which means it.s flat out wrong no matter what6

*oose vs( *ose

Incorrect% EI (ust know I.m going to loose this race.E )orrect% EI (ust know I.m going to lose this race.E Fou can.t use these spellings interchangeably% Got only are the meanings subtly different, they also S*5G0 different. *ose has more of a K sound, while loose has more of a hiss to it.

Me vs( /

Incorrect% E/ob, /ill and me are going to the lake.E )orrect% E/ob, /ill and / are going to the lake.E The official e,planation of / vs. me makes my head hurt, so (ust follow this trick to figure out if EIE or EmeE is correct in the sentence% 8ephrase the sentence. &et.s take E2e and /ill are going to the lakeE as an e,ample. It.s incorrect. "hy9 Het rid of /ill from this sentence for a minute. 0oes E2e is going to the lakeE sound right9 *f course not6 E2eE does not agree with the structure of the sentence. That.s why E/ill and I are going to the lakeE is correct. "hat about E/ob loves fried chicken more than I9E Fou.re saying that you don.t love fried chicken as much as /ob does. 1owever, if you were to say, E/ob loves fried chicken more than me,E you.re implying that /ob loves fried chicken more than he loves you. *uch.

Moot vs( Mute

Incorrect% EThe point is mute.E )orrect% EThe point is moot.E "hen you say something is mute, that means it can.t speak. Moot, on the other hand, refers to something that is debatable or has little practical value.

4aval vs( 4avel

Incorrect% EIt was a great navel battle.E )orrect% EIt was a great naval battle.E 4aval refers to ships, especially warships, or anything having to do with the navy. 4avel refers to the part of your body that collects lint.

4o #ne vs( 4oone

Incorrect% E4oone visits my website.E )orrect% E4o one visits my website.E 4oone is not a word. 5nless it.s a result of someone typing super fast, this one baffles me. /y mushing no one together like this, you.re creating a word that would be pronounced Enoon'ehE or Enoon.E

&eak vs( &eek vs( &ique

&et.s begin by going over what these three words mean% &eak means the highest point of something, such as the peak of a mountain. &eek means to take a uick, often sneaky look at something. &ique means to e,cite interest, but it can also mean being irritated. 3,ample% E1e piqued my interest in the princess who lives on top of the mountain, so I decided to climb to the peak and have a peek for myself.E

&er +ay vs( &er +e

Incorrect% EI didn.t mean that, persay.E )orrect% EI didn.t mean that, per se.E &er se is &atin for Ein and of itself.E &ersay is the way it sounds, but it.s not the correct way to spell it.

)aise vs( )ise

Incorrect% EThat noisy cheerleader could rise the dead6E )orrect% EThat noisy cheerleader could raise the dead6E )aise is the word you use when something is being acted upon. )ise is something you do on your own without any assistance. If the dead come to life on their own, it would be correct to say that the dead are rising from the graves.

1owever, if some necromancer #or cheerleader$ brought the dead to life, it would be correct to say that she raised the dead. /y the way, the past tense of rise is rose.

+eam vs( +eem

Incorrect% EIt (ust seams wrong.E )orrect% EIt (ust seems wrong.E A seam is where two pieces of cloth are stitched together. It can also refer to a long, thin mark. +eem refers to how something looks or appears. EIt seems the elephant put on a tutu this morning.E

+ense vs( +ince

Incorrect% EI haven.t had a phone sense :DD;.E )orrect% EI haven.t had a phone since :DD;.E +ense refers to your senses, such as smell, taste, sight, and touch. It can also mean detecting something% EI sense you.re unhappy with me for not owning a phone.E +ince refers to a time or past event. Specifically, from then till now. It can also be a substitute for the word because. E+ince I don.t have a phone, you might as well write to me more often.E

5aut vs( 5out

Incorrect% E1old it tout...E )orrect% E1old it taut...E 5out means to promote or seek support for something.

5aut means tight or strained.

5hen vs( 5han

Incorrect% EI thought you knew better then that.E )orrect% EI thought you knew better than that.E 7eople get these mi,ed up all the time, driving the poor grammarians batty. These words should not be used interchangeably. 1ere.s the difference% 5hen refers to a point in time, usually after something has happened or some condition is met. E4irst we mi, the flour and sugar, then we add the butter.E 5han is used for comparing things, such as length, height, weight, etc. EI think this dog weighs more than me.E

5here vs( 5hey're vs( 5heir

7eople get these mi,ed up all the time. &et.s look at these words in their correct form% EThe book is over there.E EThat.s their book.E E5hey're getting the book.E 8emember, their is possessive. Fou.re talking about who owns what. 5hey're is a contraction. If the sentence sounds fine when you reword it with they are, you know you.re using the right pronoun. 5here refers to where someone or something is.

6ain vs( 6ane vs( 6ein

Incorrect% EI need to ad(ust the weather vain.E )orrect% EI need to ad(ust the weather vane.E 6ain, or vanity, is when you have an e,cessive amount of pride in yourself. A vane refers to a weather vane, or any similar device with spinning blades that.s powered by wind, steam, water, etc. 6eins are those things that transport blood throughout your body.

%ary vs( %eary

Iust remember that wary is the word to describe suspicion or caution. %eary, on the other hand, is the state of being tired or worn'out.

%eather vs( %hether

Incorrect% EI don.t care weather you like it or not.E )orrect% EI don.t care whether you like it or not.E %eather refers to the state of the atmosphere, whether it.s raining, snowing, windy, cold, etc. %hether is a choice between two or more options.

%ho vs( %hich vs( 5hat

Incorrect% EI saw a boy that was playing a video game.E )orrect% EI saw a boy who was playing a video game.E Fou would use that when you.re referring to a thing, although it.s acceptable to use it when you.re referring to a group of people. 5se who when you.re referring to a person. %hich is a little more tricky, but it.s generally used for a secondary thought or clause. 4or e,ample, EThe video game, which was bloody and violent, was popular with kids.E

%hose vs( %ho's

Incorrect% E%hose the angry octopus guy9E )orrect% E%ho's the angry octopus guy9E %hose is possessive. "e.re talking about something that belongs to someone else. Sometimes it can also refer to which rather than whom. 4or e,ample, you might ask, E%hose angry octopus is this9E %ho's is a contraction. "e could transform it into who is or who has. 4or e,ample, the sentences E%ho's feeding the angry s uid9E and E%ho is feeding the angry s uid9E are both correct.

7ay vs( 7ea vs( 7eah

Incorrect% E1ow do you vote, yay or nay9E )orrect% E1ow do you vote, yea or nay9E 7ea is an archaic word that is rarely used any more. It rhymes with Enay,E and the only time you.d really want to use it is when you.re voting. *r when you want to say Eyea verilyE or something like that. 7eah is that casual version of EyesE that we use all the time. 7ay is an e,clamation of (oy or e,citement.

7our vs( 7ou're

Incorrect% EThis land is you're land.E )orrect% EThis land is your land.E 7our is possessive. There is no apostrophe in this possessive pronoun when you add an EsE at the end. 7ours is correct, your's is wrong. 7ou're is a contraction of Eyou are.E If you ever get confused with your and you're, try rewording the sentence with you are. If you are totally changes the meaning of the sentence and makes it sound stupid #like EThis is you are bookE$, you know you should be using your instead.

$lipart from the %i,ard of -raws

The cartoons you see on this lens were created by Ieff /ucchino, EThe "izard of 0raws.E If you.d like to see more of his work, be sure to visit his website% 4ree )artoon )lipart by the "izard of 0raws6 http%!!www.s uidoo.com!misused'words

Commonly Confused Words Worksheet 1

Identify the number of the sentence and the corrected version of the commonly confused word #write down the number of a sentence twice if it contains two commonly confused words$ % 2istakes in each passage% :<

&assage '
:

0id you know that until 2ay ; of every year, your not really working for yourself9 >A

group in "ashington, 0.)., has learned that it takes workers an average of four months and four days to earn enough to pay there ta,es. ?The group found in itLs study that ta,es eat up ?@ percent of all the income in the 5nited States. @So, if workers used theyLre entire income for ta,es, they would not be threw paying them until 2ay. ;/eing that 2ay ; is the first day people really work for themselves, the study group has some advise. AIt would like a bill past naming 2ay ; MTa, 4reedom 0ay.N B*n that day, you would give yourself a brake, irregardless of how hard you worked. C4or, from 2ay ; on, you would finally be youLre own boss. :. OOOOOOO ;. OOOOOOO >. OOOOOOO A. OOOOOOO ?. OOOOOOO B. OOOOOOO @. OOOOOOO C. OOOOOOO

&assage B
:

0id you ever daydream about writing youLre life story9 >0o you think that your life is too

dull, or you canLt right9 ?AnyoneLs life story is filled with fascinating events, and writing them down in the best way you no can give you a sense of accomplishment and, perhaps, leave a valuable inheritance to your family. @The first thing to do is to buy a lose'leaf notebook. ;3ach page of the

book should be titled with a significant milestone in your lifePfrom your first dog to your proudest moment. AFou should than (ot down a few key words in the book whenever a memory comes back to you. BThe idea is not to begin with MI was born . . .N and try to write a chronological history of your hole life. CIust delve into your passed at random; one memory will trigger another. DIt will become uiet easy after a while. the goal. :. OOOOOOO A. OOOOOOO >. OOOOOOO B. OOOOOOO ?. OOOOOOO C. OOOOOOO @. OOOOOOO D. OOOOOOO ;. OOOOOOO :<. OOOOOOO ::. OOOOOOO
:<

Its also important to write in your own language.

::

7lane, honest writing is

"ords often confused Sentence 7ractice : :. The student #council!counsel$ at my high school was uite active. council counsel >. It included representatives from every homeroom #accept!e,cept$ one. accept e,cept ?. In the spring, they sponsored a #fair!fare$ to help pay for the senior class trip. fair fare

@. "e visited St. 7aul, which is the state #capital!capitol$, and spent a weekend seeing plays and art e,hibits. capital capitol ;. The #principal!principle$, si, teachers, and five sets of parents went along as chaperones. principal principle Sentence 7ractice > :. 2ost financial planners #advice!advise$ investors to diversify. advice advise >. 0iversification means that investors should not put all #their!they.re$ eggs in one basket. their they.re ?. The #affect!effect$ of diversifying is to guard against weaknesses in one area of the investment market. affect effect @. Investors must #continually!continuously$ assess their holdings to make sure they have the right balance of investments. continually continuously

;. *therwise, they may #loose!lose$ money. loose lose

Paragraph Practice 1
In the following questions, choose the correct word that completes the corresponding space in the paragraph below. In May, many college seniors start sending their rsums to __1__ (personal/personnel)departments. Howe er, it is an __!__ (allusion/illusion) to thin" that you will be offered a #ob based simply on a rsum the rsum is only one __$__ (peace/piece) of the #ob application pac"age. %ther important elements include a well&written co er letter and an effecti e inter iew style.

Paragraph Practice !
In the following questions, choose the correct word that completes the corresponding space in the paragraph below. 's the campers wandered aimlessly through the woods, they gradually became __1__ (conscience/conscious) of the fact that they were lost. (he __!__ (weather/whether) conditions were worsening, too. )inally, after they __$__ (passed/past) the same tree for the third time, one of them said, *It+s time to brea" out the cell phone and call the forest ranger.*

Paragraph Practice $
In the following questions, choose the correct word that completes the corresponding space in the paragraph below. (ony ,oprano engages in numerous __1__ (elicit/illicit) acti ities. He demands to be treated __!__ (respectfully/respecti ely) by the members of his mob family. Howe er, sometimes this respect __$__ (alludes/eludes) him in his own home, especially when it comes to his daughter, Meadow.

All these >. This

ords cause confusion. (hoose the right ord is used to describe bear bare hat one does

ord to match the definition. hen one uncovers something for all to see. 7777777

;.

This means complete. 7777777 all ready already

@.

This

ord is used to describe a situation that is e4ual, right (or a place to go eat candyfloss). 7777777 fair fayre fare

G.

This

ord is used to describe

hat a group of people

ould be doing. 7777777

they&re their there B. The ord is used to describe something that is not tight. 7777777 loose lose H. This ord is used to describe here hear =. This ord is used to describe something that is spo#en so one can hear it. 7777777 allo ed a loud aloud ?. This ord is used to describe a metal that is heavy. 7777777 led lead A. This ord is used to describe a food that is made from grain and eaten cereal serial ><. This means to state a fact or instruction. 7777777 say tell >>. This ord is used to describe the action of holding, carrying something (or a big animal that li#es honey). 7777777 bear bare >;. This ord is used to describe a lot of cattle. 7777777 heard herd >@. This ord is used to describe a payment, such as fair fayre fare >G. This ord is used to describe they&re their there >B. This means earlier than the time expected. 7777777 all ready already >H. This means to give someone information or instructions. 7777777 say here something is. 7777777 hat you give the conductor on a train. 7777777 ith mil#, especially in the morning 7777777 hat one listens to, hen one ac#no ledges a sound. 7777777

tell >=. This means to be a are of see atch >?. This ord is used to describe the past tense of something you have listened to. 7777777 heard herd >A. This ord is used to describe the act of misplacing something. 7777777 loose lose ;<. This means to loo# at something for a period of time, especially something that is changing or moving. 7777777 see atch ;>. This ord is used to describe the past tense of guiding those led lead ;;. This ord is used to describe they&re their there ;@. This ord is used to describe here hear ;G. This ord is used to describe a television or radio programme or in a ne spaper, etc. separate parts. 7777777 cereal serial ;B. This ord is used to describe allo ed a loud aloud hat you have permission to do. 7777777 hich is broadcast or printed in hat is in front of you. 7777777 hat a group of people o n, possess 7777777 ho follo ed you, 7777777 hat is around you by using your eyes. 7777777