Download “Confusables”

“Confusables”
Solving Usage Problems—Part 1
1. Than/ Then
Than is a comparison word while Then signals time or order.
Example:
Mark is taller than me.
I am going to the store and then home.
2. It’s/Its
It’s is a contraction for “it is,” while Its is a possessive form of the word.
Example:
It’s going to be a nice day today.
The cat licked its paws.
3. Accept/Except
Accept is a verb meaning “to receive,” while except is a preposition meaning “other than.”
Example:
I accept your gift willingly.
Everyone except Craig was at the dance.
4. Advice/Advise
Advice is a noun meaning “opinion,” while Advise is a verb meaning “to give an opinion to.”
Example:
I asked my friend for advice about my boyfriend.
She advised me to talk to him directly.
5. Affect/Effect
Affect is a verb meaning “to influence” while Effect, usually a noun, means “result.”
Occasionally, Effect is a verb meaning “to bring about” or “to cause.”
Example:
The President’s speech deeply affected me.
The effects of pollution can be deadly. (noun)
The Student Council effected many important changes. (verb)
6. All ready/Already
The two words All ready are used as an adjective meaning “ready.”
Already is an adverb meaning “by or before this time” or “even now.”
Example:
I am all ready to leave for the airport.
I have already packed my suitcase.
7. All right/Alright
Alright is not a word!!!!!!!!!!! It is always All right!
8. Among/Between
Among always implies three or more. Between is generally used with only two.
Example:
The judge split the money between the two of us.
The dog sat among the flowers.
9. All together/Altogether
All together means “together as a group.” Altogether means “completely” or “in all.”
Example:
Let’s sing the song all together.
The old television flickered once or twice then broke altogether.
10. Beside/Besides
Beside means “at the side of” or “close to.” Besides means “in addition to.”
Example:
The garden is beside the house.
Who is going besides me?
11. Lose/Loose
Lose means “to be defeated,” while Loose means “baggy, not tight.” They are not
interchangeable.
Example:
The Raiders will lose the game.
This belt is really loose.
12. Bring/Take
Bring means “to carry from a distant place to a nearer one.” Take means “to carry from a
near to a more distant place.”
Example:
Bring those books here, please.
Take these forms to the Principal’s office.
Solving Usage Problems—Part 2
1. Burst/Bust/Busted
There are no such words as bust and busted. It is always burst!
Example:
The balloon will burst if you poke it.
He poked the balloon and burst it.
2. Farther/Further
Farther refers to distance, while further means “additional” or “to a greater extent.”
Example:
My house is farther away than yours.
I need further advice.
3. Fewer/Less
Use fewer for things that can be counted. Use less for quantities that cannot be counted.
Example:
Fewer calories
Less homework
4. Healthful/Healthy
Things are healthful, people are healthy
Example:
He is healthy since he works out all of the time.
Whole grains are healthful for the body.
5. Leave/Let
Leave means “to allow to remain.” Let means “to permit.”
Example:
Leave the kitten alone.
Please let me go to the movies.
6. In/Into
In refers to position. Into refers to movement.
Example:
The dishes are in the cabinet.
I am walking into the next room.
7. Principal/Principle
A principal is the lead administrator at a school. A principle is a standard, typically high.
Example:
The school is led by our principal.
He has good principles.
8. Raise/Rise
A direct object comes after raise while rise never has a direct object.
Example:
Our landlord raises the rent every year.
The hot air balloons rise above the trees.
9. Set/Sit
Set means “to put something in a certain place.” Sit means “ to be seated.”
Example:
Set the books on the desk.
Sit down!
10. Their/They’re/There
Their is a possessive pronoun, there is an adverb or expletive at the beginning of a sentence
and they’re is a contraction meaning “they are.”
Example:
The girls lost their purses.
There is my bike! It is over there!
They’re my best friends.
11. Unique/Odd
Unique means “one of a kind.” It should never be used in the place of odd. Furthermore, it is
impossible to be “very unique” or “most unique.”
Solving Usage Problems—Part 3
1. Adapt/Adopt
Adapt means “to change;” adopt means “to choose” or “to follow.”
Example:
The teacher adapted to the situation at hand.
The teacher will adopt a new method of teaching the unruly students.
2. Allusion/Illusion
An allusion is an indirect reference to something; an illusion is a mistaken idea or a
misleading appearance.
Example:
In her stories, Flannery O’Connor makes numerous allusions to the Bible.
Make-up can be used to create an illusion.
3. Amount/Number
Use amount to refer to a singular word; use number to refer to plural words.
Example:
The library has a large amount of resource material on the Civil War.
The library has a large number of magazines on the racks.
4. Anyways/Anywheres/Everywheres/Nowheres/Somewheres
Omit the final “s” on these words!! They are grammatically incorrect in a plural form.
5. Can/May
The word can means “able to do something,” the word may is used when asking permission.
Example:
Can you swim across the lake?
Mom, may I go swimming?
6. Lay/Lie
Lay means “to put” or “to place” and always has a direct object. Lie means “to rest” or “to be
in a lying position.” Lie never takes a direct object. NOTE: The past tense of lie is lay.
Example:
Lay the map on the table.
Gretchen laid the map on the table.
Lie down and go to sleep.
Olivia lay down and kept quiet.
7. Emigrate/Immigrate
Emigrate means “to leave a country to live somewhere else.” Immigrate means “to come
into a country to live.”
Example:
My family emigrated from Germany and immigrated to the United States.
8. To/Too/Two
To is a preposition that means “in the direction of.” Too is an adverb that means “extremely,
overly” and “also.” Two=2
Example:
Take the basket to Grammy’s house.
Leo has too many fish in his tank.
I want to go too!
I have two wishes left.
9. Who/Which/That
Who refers to persons only, which refers to things only, that may refer to either persons or
things.
Example:
Isn’t Michelangelo the one who/that painted the Sistine Chapel?
First editions of Poe’s first book, which/that is titled Tamerlane and Other Poems are worth
thousands of dollars.
10. Speak/Talk
Speak is seen as formal or serious. Talk is informal, meaning a “chat” or brief conversation.
We use speak when we are talking about how people use words. We use talk when people
are communicating.
Example:
“I speak Japanese.”
“I speak quickly.”
“I was talking (chatting or having a conversation) with Jane this morning.”
11. Capitol/Capital
Capitol is the spelling used for the government building, while capital is the correct spelling
for all other uses.
Example:
We could see the capitol from our hotel building.
What is the capital of Colorado?
12. Proceed/Precede
To proceed is to “go forward;” to precede means “to go ahead of.”
Example:
The blockers preceded the runner as the football team proceeded toward the goal line.
13. Whether/Weather
Use whether as in the phrase “whether or not” and use weather when referring to
atmospheric or climatic conditions.
Example:
I don’t know whether I want pizza or fries for lunch.
I hate rainy weather.