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Confusing Words
Can you identify the problems in
these sentences?
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I’m excited wear going to the beach!
My sister where’s the strangest sweaters!
Their going to win the race!
You’re dog is very cute.
Your going to go the movies tonight?
Words may sound similar, but have different meanings.
Common mistakes are made when we don’t pay
attention to how the term is used in the sentence.
Make sure to use the following terms correctly in your
writing.
Your & You’re
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YOUR: is a possessive adjective.
e.g.) Your assignment was late.
(The assignment belongs to you)
•
YOU’RE: is a contraction, made from YOU ARE.
e.g.) You’re a good cook!
(This is a compliment, you are a good cook!)
Its & It’s
• ITS: is a possessive adjective.
e.g.) Pick up the container and its lid.
• IT’S: is a contraction of IT IS.
e.g.) It’s cold tonight!
(It Is cold tonight)
We’re, Wear & Where
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WE’RE: is a contraction of WE ARE.
e.g.) We’re going to win this game! (We are going to
win this game!)
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WEAR: is a verb.
e.g.) What jacket will you wear tonight?
(To wear in this sentence is to put on a piece of
clothing).
•
WHERE: in this case, “where” is a pronoun.
e.g.) Where would you like to meet up tonight?
(Where indicates the location of the meeting.)
There, Their & They’re
• THERE: is an adverb, pronoun, noun, adjective, or
interjection:
e.g.) I put the book on the table, right there. (adverb)
e.g.) There are clouds in the sky. (pronoun)
• THEIR: is a possessive adjective.
e.g.) They forgot their lunch at home.
• THEY’RE: is a contraction of THEY ARE.
e.g.) They’re going to win the grand prize.
(They are going to win the grand prize).
Pronoun Usage
• Subjective (subjects in the sentence OR
predicate nouns after linking verbs)
• I, You, He, She, It, Who, They, We
• Joe and I went to the mall. 
• Joe and me went to the mall. 
Pronoun Usage, continued.
• Objective (direct objects, indirect objects,
objects of prepositions)
• Me, You, Him, Her, It, Whom, Them, Us
• He went with I and Rufus. 
• He went with me and Rufus. 
More common mistakes:
LAY/ LIE
Wrong: I was exhausted and had to lay down.
Correct: I was exhausted and had to lie down.
THEN/THAN
Correct: I finished washing the car, then a bird pooped on
it.
Correct: No one had a harder assignment than we did.
LOOSE/LOSE:
Correct: My cat escaped and is on the loose.
Correct: I always lose my assignments!