Commonly Confused Words

Accept / Except Accept is a verb that means to receive or take or to give a positive answer to a proposition or offer. Do you accept VISA? She gladly accepted the job offer. Except is a preposition meaning with the exception of. Everybody except John went to the party.

Advice / Advise Advise is a verb meaning to give counsel or inform. The report advised the apartment complex to install a sprinkler system. Advice is a noun referring to counsel or information we give to others. It is a vice to assume everyone wants our advice.

Affect /Effect Affect is a verb meaning to influence. Lack of sleep affects the quality of your work. Effect is most often used as a noun meaning the result. The effect of five late nights was that she slept through most of Saturday.

All ready / Already All ready is an adjective phrase meaning completely ready. We were all ready to leave for the game.

Commonly Confused Words 2 Already is an adverb of time meaning by or before a specific time. They had already left by three oclock. They had already eaten when I arrived at the restaurant late from work.

Altogether / All Together Altogether is an adverb meaning completely. I am altogether impressed with your New Years Resolution. All together is an adjective phrase meaning in a group. We attended the seminar all together.

Apart / A part Apart is most often used as an adverb meaning to be separated. The fence that kept the dogs apart fell apart last spring. A part is a noun phrase meaning to be joined with. The new course was a part of the required training. A part of this new running routine means getting up earlier.

Ascent / Assent Ascent is a noun meaning the climb. The plane's ascent made my ears pop. Assent can be used as a verb or noun and means to agree or be in agreement. I gave my assent to the home inspection.

Besides / Beside Besides is a preposition meaning except. Everyone besides Jillian went to the party.

Commonly Confused Words 3 Beside is also a preposition but means next to. Nadia was standing beside me.

Breath / Breathe Breath is a noun meaning air inhaled or exhaled. You could see his breath in the cold air. Breathe is a verb meaning to inhale or exhale. I cant breathe through my nose when I have a cold.

Choose/Chose Choose (pronounced chewz) is a present tense verb meaning to select. I will always choose chocolate over vanilla. Chose is the past tense of this verb. She chose to work all last summer.

Cite / Sight / Site Cite is a verb meaning to quote or document. The report documents seven safety violations. Sight is a noun referring to vision. The sight of blood makes some people queasy. Site is a noun referring to a position or place. The construction site is fenced off.

Complement / Compliment Complement can be used as a verb or noun and means to complete. Dessert would be a nice complement to this meal.

Commonly Confused Words 4 Her organizational skills complement his business background. Compliment can be used as a verb or noun meaning to praise. I complimented her creative problem solving. The compliment meant a lot to her.

Conscience / Conscious Conscience is noun referring to a persons sense of right and wrong. The student's conscience kept him from cheating on the exam. Conscious is often used as an adjective and means to be awake or aware. I was conscious of whispered voices coming from behind the door.

Council / Counsel Council is a noun referring to a group that consults or advises. The council voted in favor of budgeting for a skate park. Counsel is a verb meaning to advise. The doctor counseled the patient to cut back on coffee.

Differ from / Differ with To differ from is to be dissimilar. Men differ from women physically. To differ with is to disagree with. I differ with my parents on many political issues.

Elicit / Illicit Elicit is a verb meaning to draw or bring out. The teacher elicited examples from the class.

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Illicit is an adjective meaning illegal. She was arrested for illicit possession of narcotics.

Eminent / Imminent Eminent is an adjective meaning famous, respected. The eminent researcher was honoured at the dinner. Imminent is an adjective meaning soon to take place. A crackdown in this neighborhood is imminent.

Farther / Further Farther means towards a more distant point in actual space or distance. The beach is a few miles farther away. Further means towards a more distant figurative point in time, degree, or quantity. Let us consider this problem a bit further. (time) Be careful not to excite the children any further. (degree) We should do further research on this matter. (quantity)

Formally / Formerly Formally means in a formal way. He was formally asked to join the department. Formerly means previously or at an earlier time. She was formerly a prize box fighter.

Illusion / Allusion An illusion is a false idea or unreal image. The magicians illusion was easy to see through.

Commonly Confused Words 6 An allusion is an indirect reference. The report made an allusion to an earlier court case.

Imply / Infer To imply is to suggest without saying directly. (A speaker or a writer can imply.) Susan implied that she was not happy with her studies. To infer is to to make a conclusion based on evidence not stated. (Only a listener or reader can infer.) I inferred from the report that our taxes would be raised again.

Its / Its Its is the singular possessive pronoun for things. The car had its tires stolen last night. Its is the contraction for "it is." Its freezing outside. (It is freezing outside.)

Lead / Led Lead is a noun that refers to a type of metal. Is that pipe made of lead? Led is a the past tense of the verb to lead. She led us through a series of team-building exercises.

Lie / Lay Lie is a verb meaning to recline, stay or rest. It does not require a direct object. I have a headache, so I'm going to lie down for a while. The mail is lying on the table.

Commonly Confused Words 7 Past tense: Lay as in The dog lay in the sun yesterday. Past participle: Lain as in I have lain in this hammock all vacation. Lay is a verb meaning put or place. It requires a direct object (a noun directly after it). Lay the book on the counter. Past tense: Laid as in I thought I laid my wallet on the dresser. Past participle: Laid as in I though I had laid my wallet on the dresser.

Leave / Let To leave means, to go away from. He leaves work at five oclock every day. To let means, to permit. Jane let me borrow her desk for the afternoon.

Loose / Lose Loose is an adjective that means not tight. This shirt is too loose. I need a smaller size. Lose is a verb meaning to leave behind (forget) by accident. I often lose my house keys.

Most / Almost Most is an adjective like many or much and refers to the largest. amount. Most coffee comes from Brazil. Almost is an adverb meaning not quite or very nearly or nearly all. Almost everyone is here. He is almost ready to leave. He almost won the race.

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Passed / Past Passed is the past tense verb of "to pass" meaning to have moved. The tropical storm passed through quickly. Past means to belong to a former time or place or beyond in place or time. Who was the past project manager? Go past the fire station and turn right.

Precede / Proceed Precede means to come before. Brainstorming precedes the draft for many writers. Proceed is a verb meaning to go forward. He proceeded to explain the drill in detail.

Principal / Principle Principal can be an adjective meaning chief or very important or a noun meaning the chief official. The principal reason for his success was the school principals support. Principle is a noun meaning fundamental truth. He is studying the principles of accounting.

Quit / Quiet / Quite Quit is a verb meaning to leave or discontinue. She quit the team and then quitted the building. Quiet is an adjective meaning not noisy. It was a very quiet party.

Commonly Confused Words 9 Quite is an adverb meaning completely or to a degree. You have to be quite patient to work with children all day.

Respectfully / Respectively Respectfully means with respect. The audience rose respectfully when the Prime Minister entered. Respectively means in the order given. We lived in Chicago, Halifax, and Toronto respectively.

So / So that So is a conjunction joining a clause of result to a main clause. It rained a lot last month, so the farmers predict a good crop. (result) So that joins a clause of purpose to a main clause. We wore raincoats so that we would not get soaked. (purpose)

Stationary / Stationery Stationary means in a fixed position. The engine was running, but the car remained stationary. Stationery refers to writing supplies. That stationery store sells writing paper, envelopes and office supplies.

Supposed to / Suppose Supposed to means "to be obligated to" or "presumed to" (Not suppose to). When is our plane supposed to arrive? We are supposed to check our bags before we board. Suppose means to guess or make a conjecture.

Commonly Confused Words 10 Do you suppose we will get to the airport on time? I suppose we could check our bags at the curb and save time.

Than / Then Than is used with comparisons. I would rather go out to eat than eat anything in our fridge. Then is used to refer to the next item in a sequence of events. I worked late on the report, and then the computer crashed.

Their / There / Theyre Their is the third-person plural possessive pronoun. They sold their car yesterday. There is (1) an adverb of place or (2) an expletive that tells of existence. Your package is there on the counter; there is something smelly in it. Theyre is the contraction of they are. Theyre ready to meet anytime.

Through / Thru / Threw/ Thorough / Though Through has a number of meanings including by means of or by way of, past, and from beginning to end. We traveled through the U.S. to get to Vancouver Island. He plowed right through the other team's defensive line. She read through the manual quickly. Thru is abbreviated slang for through and is not appropriate in standard writing. We're thru for the day! Threw is the past tense verb of throw.

Commonly Confused Words 11 She threw away junk mail without even opening it. Thorough means careful or complete. John thoroughly cleaned his room. Though means however or nevertheless. He's really a sweetheart though he acts like a grouch.

To / Too / Two To is part of the infinitive verb (to be, to sit) or it can be used as a preposition. I like to walk in the snow. I walked to the park on Saturday. Too is an adverb indicating excess or an extreme. It is too cold to go swimming. Two is a number (2). I have two cats.

Weather / Whether Weather is a noun referring to the atmospheric conditions. The weather was not nice enough to go out. Whether is a conjunction meaning if. I dont know whether he will take vacation in June or July.

Whos / Whose Whos is the contraction for who is. I dont know whos coming tonight. Whose can be used as a question word or as a possessive relative pronoun. Whose pen is this? I think I know whose pen it is.

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Who / Whom Who is only used to refer to a person or persons (which cannot be substituted) and always refers to the subject of the sentence (the person doing the action). *Helpful hint: if you can replace or answer the question with he, then use who. If youd replace or answer the question with him, then use whom (both him and whom end with m to help you remember). I wondered how Jack, who is so smart, could have trouble with Math (Jack is the subject having trouble with Math: he has trouble with Math). John is the man who can get the job done (John is the subject who can get things done: he can get things done). Who is coming on Saturday? (Who refers to the subject of the sentence: he will come on Saturday). Whom is also only used to refer to a person or person, but it always refers the object of a sentence (the person receiving the action). *Helpful hint: Choose whom if the word will be preceded by a preposition. For example: To whom it may concern; God, in whom we trust; of whom, for whom, with whom, by whom, to whom, on whom, at whom Whom did Marc choose as his replacement? (Marc chose him, the object of the action). The people with whom you work may know you best. (You work with him the object of the action).