Definition of CONFUSED WORDS

FOLLOWING, IN THE RULES SECTION, ARE SOME COMMONLY CONFUSED OR MISUSED WORDS AND SOME SIMPLE RULES TO HELP YOU USE EACH WORD CORRECTLY.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with A

a, an

Examples:

Use a before a word that begins with a consonant (a party) or a consonant sound (a one o’clock meeting—“w” sound) a long u sound (a union) or a pronounced h (a history class) Use an before a word that begins with a silent h (an hour) or a vowel or vowel sound other than a long u (an usher) Use of a or an before an abbreviation depends upon how the abbreviation is pronounced (a M.A.D.D. member—pronounced as one word, with an initial consonant sound, m) or (an M.D.—read as two separate letters, with an initial vowel sound [em-dee])

adapt, adopt, adept

Examples:

Read the sentence and mentally substitute modify, take over/take on, or skillful. If you can substitute modify, use the word adapt. (We need to modify/ adapt the rules.) If you can substitute take over or take on, use adopt. (We need to take on/ adopt a new policy in the unit.) If you can substitute skillful, use adept. (Sara is sk illful/ adept at handling problems.)

adverse, averse

Examples:

Adverse means opposing or contrary. (Curfews had an adverse effect on crime; the crime rate went up.) Averse means unwilling or reluctant. (Julie will never be promoted; she is averse to working late.)

affect, effect

Examples:

Affect is usually used as a verb; effect is a noun. Read the sentence and mentally substitute the word influence or result. If the word influence fits in the sentence, use affect. (Wearing seatbelts can influence/ affect your chances of surviving an accident.) If result sounds better, use effect. (The result/ effect of wearing seatbelts is survival.)

aggravate, annoy, irritate

Examples:

Aggravate means to make something worse. (Scratching a mosquito bite will only aggravate the itching.) Annoy means to cause slight anger or mental distress. (The flies in the summertime really annoy me.) Irritate means to arouse impatience or anger. (I was irritated that he kept whispering during the presentation.) In terms of degree, annoy is the mildest word, irritate is a bit stronger, and aggravate is the strongest word.

all ready, already

Examples:

All ready means everyone or everything is prepared. (We are all ready to go to the beach.) Already means before now or by this time. (We already had dinner.)

all together, altogether

Examples:

All together means all of us are assembled in a group. (The group was all together in the conference room.) Altogether means completely. (The group was altogether wrong about its investment choices.)

a lot, alot, allot, lots

Examples:

A lot and lots are informal. In business or academic writing, use many or much. (I have submitted many reports to my manager.) Alot is a misspelling. Allot means to distribute something or to divide it into portions. (The judge will allot each of us a fair share of the proceeds.)

allude, elude

Examples:

Allude means to mention or refer. (Whenever he spoke to the boss, Henry seemed to allude to a possible promotion.) Elude means to evade or escape. (The boss, however, tried to elude Henry by slipping into the elevator.)

allusion, delusion, illusion

Examples:

An allusion is a mention or indirect reference to something. (Clare made an allusion to the play she was directing.) A delusion is a false belief or self-deception (as in the case of a mental disorder). (Bill suffers from delusions of grandeur.) An illusion is a deceptive appearance or something imagined. (The magician performed an i llusion in which the tiger disappeared.)

alot

Examples:

See a lot. Alot is a misspelling.

already

Examples:

See all ready .

alright

Examples:

See all right. Alright is a misspelling.

altar, alter

Examples:

An altar is a table used for worship. (Place the flowers on the altar before the wedding.) Alter means to change. (Jo had to alter her plans because the president was in town.)

among, between

Examples:

Use between to refer to two items or persons. (Divide the apple between Mary and Judy.) Use among to refer to three or more items or persons. (Divide the apple among Mary, Judy, and John.)

amount, number

Examples:

Use amount to refer to items that cannot be counted or that are referred to as a whole. (The amount of noise in the room was deafening.) Use number to refer to items that can be counted. (The number of people in the room was small.)

an

Examples:

See a.

angry, mad

Examples:

Use angry when you mean extreme displeasure or resentment. You can be angry about a situation, angry at an animal or inanimate object, and angry with (not at) a person. (I was angry about the court ruling. I was angry at the dog for chewing the chair.) (I was angry w ith my child for skipping school.) The word mad suggests an abnormality. A mad person is insane; a mad dog has rabies.

annoy

Examples:

See aggravate.

anxious, eager

Examples:

Use anxious to refer to nervousness, anxiety, worry, or something fearful. (I was anx ious to learn the results of my lab tests.) Use eager to refer to excitement or to mean look forward to something with enthusiasm. (I was eager to learn which team won the game.)

any one, anyone

Examples:

Use any one (two words) when you are referring to specific people or things. Any one is usually followed by the word of. (Any one of the ideas will work.) Use anyone (one word) when you mean anybody. (Can anyone hear me?)

as, like

Examples:

Use as, as if, or as though before a complete statement (one that contains a noun and a verb). (You should do as I told you.) (He acts as though he owns the place.) Like is a preposition that is followed by a noun or a pronoun and means similar to. (She looks like her mother.)

assume, presume

Examples:

These two words are very similar; however, they have slightly different meanings. Assume means to take for granted, to speculate, or to take on. (I assume you made a list of the items you want to order.) (Who will assume the duties of the manager in her absence?) Presume means to conclude or to anticipate with confidence. (When Stanley found another explorer in Africa in 1871, he said, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” because he was confident the man could be no one else.)

assure, ensure, insure

Examples:

Use assure to mean promise. (I assure you I will read the report.) Use ensure to mean make certain, guarantee, or confirm. (I backed up my files to ensure the data would not be lost.) Use insure only in connection with insurance. (I asked the broker to insure my car for collision damage.)

averse

Examples:

See adverse.

a while, awhile

Examples:

Both a while and awhile refer to a short period of time. However, a while is used after a preposition (in a while, for a while). (I’ll be in the meeting for a while.) Awhile is an adverb that modifies or follows a verb. (I read awhile, then I took a break.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with B

bad, badly

Examples:

Bad is an adjective that answers the question what kind? (We had a bad flood in January.) Bad is also used after a non-action or linking verb (a form of the word be or the words seem, appear, become, grow, remain, stay, prove, feel, look, smell, sound, or taste). (The test results look bad.) Badly is an adverb that modifies a verb and answers the question how? (He performed badly on the test.)

beside, besides

Examples:

Beside means next to. (He sat beside me on the plane.) Besides means except for, in addition to, or other than. (Jon has no girlfriend besides me.)

between

Examples:

See among.

bi-, semi-

Examples:

Bi- is a prefix that means two. (Our company magazine is published bi-monthly: in January, March, May, July, September, and November.) Semi- is a prefix that means half or partly. (I receive a paycheck semi-monthly, on the 15 th and at the end of the month.)

biannual, biennial, semiannual

Examples:

Biannual and semiannual both mean twice a year. Biennial means once every two years or lasting for two years.

breath, breathe, breadth

Examples:

Breath is a noun that refers to the air itself that is taken into or expelled from the lungs. (It was so cold I could see my breath.) Breathe is a verb that means to take in or exhale air. (Breathe deeply and you will feel relaxed.) Breadth means distance or width. (The breadth of the river was incredible.)

bridal, bridle

Examples:

Use bridal to refer to a wedding. (The bridal party was quite large.) Use bridle to mean a horse’s harness or, as a verb, to mean express resentment. (I need a new bridle for my horse.) (He bridled at the suggestion that he work on the weekend.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with C

capital, capitol

Examples:

Use capitol to refer to a building. (The state capitol, with its golden dome, is very impressive.) In all other cases, use capital. (The company needs to raise capital for its expansion program.) (The capital of Michigan is Lansing.) (The sightseeing bus toured the capital.)

carat, caret, carrot, karat

Examples:

Carat refers to the weight of gems. (The diamond was described as one carat.) A caret is a mark used to insert a character in printing. (The caret shows where the missing letter should be placed.)

A carrot is a root vegetable. (We ate peas and carrots with dinner.) Karat is used to refer to the weight of gold. (The chain was 24-karat gold.)

censer, censor, censure, sensor

Examples:

A censer is an incense burner. Censor means to edit or delete objectionable material. (The movie was censored because of its violent content.) Censure means to give a formal scolding, to criticize, or to condemn. (Some members of Congress wanted to censure the president.) A sensor is an electronic signaling or sensing device. (The sensor was malfunctioning.)

cite, sight, site

Examples:

Cite is a verb that means acknowledge, quote, or commend. (You must cite your sources in your research papers.) (The study cited a previous study by Rogers.) (The police officer was cited for bravery.) Sight is both a noun that means the ability to see or a view and a verb meaning observe. (Helen Keller accomplished many things without sight.) (A sunset at the ocean is a beautiful sight.) (On his first voyage, Columbus sailed for over two months before he was able to sight land.) Site is a noun that means place or location. (My hometown was near the site of a Miwok Indian burial ground.)

coarse, course

Examples:

Coarse means rough textured. (The material was very coarse, and the dress made me itch.) Course means a path of continuous movement or a line along which something moves. (The plane veered off course.)

complement, compliment

Examples:

Complement means to complete or to blend. (The wine complemented the dinner.) A compliment is a flattering remark or, as a verb, it means to praise or flatter. (Julie complimented the hostess on the choice of wine for dinner.)

conscience, conscientious, conscious

Examples:

Conscience means a sense of right and wrong. (My conscience would bother me if I stole something from a store.) Conscientious means dilligent or dedicated. (Jason was very conscientious about submitting his assignments on time.) Conscious means mentally aware or awake. (The football player was barely conscious after the tackle.)

continual, continuous

Examples:

Continual means repetitious or ongoing, with brief interruptions. (The continual complaints caused us to change our customer service policies.) Continuous means constant, without interruption. (The continuous noise from the air conditioner was disturbing everyone in the office.)

core, corps

Examples:

Core means the central part of something. (The earth’s core is not solid.) The word corps refers to a trained military group with special duties. (The elite corps was called to active duty.)

council, counsel

Examples:

Council refers to a group elected or appointed to make or enforce laws. (The city council approved the new zoning restrictions.) Counsel is used as a verb to mean give advice and as a noun to refer to an attorney. (Please counsel your client not to make any written agreements with the salesperson.) (Suspects are entitled to counsel when they appear in court.)

credible, creditable, credulous

Examples:

Credible means believable. (He told a credible story about his adventures in the woods.) Creditable means worthy or deserving credit. (Her service as ambassador was very creditable.) The opposite of credible is incredible; the opposite of creditable is discreditable.

Credulous means willing to believe too easily or gullible. Its opposite is incredulous. (The credulous jury believed everything the witness said.)

course

Examples:

See coarse.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with D

delusion

Examples:

See allusion.

deprecate, depreciate

Examples:

Deprecate means to express disapproval. (He seemed to deprecate the hasty decisions of others.) Depreciate means to lower in value. (My automobile depreciated several thousand dollars in a year.)

direct, directly

Examples:

Direct means in a straight line with no intervening person or factor. (Give this report direct to Jon.) Directly means at once, without delay. (Give this report directly to Jon.) Directly can also mean in a straight line; however, direct is preferred.

discreet, discrete

Examples:

Discreet means to be careful, trustworthy, or tactful. (The administrative assistant was very discreet about who visited the office.) Discrete means separate and distinct. (A report has many discrete parts or sections.)

disinterested, uninterested

Examples:

Disinterested means impartial. (Alice was a disinterested third party to the dispute.) Uninterested means lacking interest or bored. (Robert was uninterested

in the professor’s lecture.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with E

eager

Examples:

See anxious.

effect

Examples:

See affect.

elude

Examples:

See allude.

eminent, imminent

Examples:

Eminent means distinguished. (Our eminent colleague in the legislature will preside over the meeting.) Imminent means about to happen. (A tornado is imminent.)

ensure

Examples:

See assure.

e.g., i.e.

Examples:

The abbreviation e.g. means for example. (I went to the store and bought groceries, e.g., flour and sugar.) These items are two examples of the groceries you bought. The abbreviation i.e. means that is and is used to rename. (I went to the store and bought groceries, i.e., flour and sugar.) These items were the only groceries you bought.

envelop, envelope

Examples:

Envelop is a verb that means to enclose, surround, or conceal. (The fog seemed to envelop the coastline.) Envelope refers to an enclosure for a written message. (Put a stamp on the envelope.)

every day, everyday

Examples:

Every day (two words) means every single day. (I brush my teeth every day.) Everyday (one word) means ordinary or casual. (I wore my everyday clothes to the party.)

evoke, invoke

Examples:

Evoke means to recall or to bring to mind. (The smell of gardenias evoked memories of my childhood.) Invoke means to call on or to appeal to. (In times of crisis, we may invoke spiritual guidance.)

example, sample

Examples:

An example is an illustration or something that is characteristic of its kind. (This cake is an example of the quality of our baked goods.) A sample is a small pieces of something or a specimen. (Would you like a sample of this cake?)

explicit, implicit

Examples:

Explicit means expressed clearly. (The manual provides explicit instructions for operating the equipment.) Implicit means understood or implied, although not expressed. (The implicit message was that employees could make their own decisions about the dress code.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with F

farther, further

Examples:

Farther means a greater distance. (Los Angeles is farther from San Francisco than it is from San Diego.) Further means additional, to a greater extent, or to move forward. (The offer included further rebates in addition to the store coupon.) (Robin went back to school to further her education.)

fewer, less

Examples:

Use fewer to refer to items that can be counted. (There are fewer cars in the parking lot today.) Use less to refer to items that cannot be counted or that are referred to as a whole. (This recipe has less flour than the other recipe.) Less is also used with abstract ideas and in comparisons of degree or value. (He believes politicians have less integrity than they used to.) (Two is less than four.) We say we have less money, but we have fewer dollars.

former

Examples:

See preceding.

further

Examples:

See farther.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with G

good, well

Examples:

Good is an adjective that answers the question what kind? (I’m having a very good day.) It can also be used after a linking verb such as look, feel, or seem. (I feel good after I exercise.) Well is almost always an adverb that means competently and answers the question how? (Most of our students do well on their writing assignments.) The only time well is used as an adjective is in reference to health. (John did not look well at work today.) You look good means your appearance is pleasing. You look well refers to your health.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with H

hanged, hung

Examples:

Hanged is the past and past participle form of the verb hang when you refer to suspending someone from a noose until dead. (The outlaw was hanged from a tree at sundown.) Any other time you want the past or past participle form of the verb hang, the correct word is hung. (Casey hung his bat on the rack in the dugout.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with I

i.e.

Examples:

See e.g.

illusion

Examples:

See allusion.

imminent

Examples:

See eminent.

implicit

Examples:

See explicit.

imply, infer

Examples:

When you imply, you suggest something without stating it directly. When you infer, you draw a conclusion. An implication is something you give; an inference is something you take. (In his speech, he implied that someone was to blame for the accident.) (From the look on the client’s face, the counselor inferred he was hiding something.)

insure

Examples:

See assure.

invoke

Examples:

See evoke.

irritate

Examples:

See aggravate.

its, it’s

Examples:

Its is the possessive form of the pronoun it. (The dog was chasing its tail.) Most possessives are formed by adding an apostrophe and an -s to a noun or pronoun. Its, however, is an exception to the rule and does not add the apostrophe. It’s is a contraction for it is. (I t’s going to be a cold, rainy day tomorrow.)

NO CONFUSED WORDS starting with J

CONFUSED WORDS starting with K

karat

Examples:

See carat.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with L

later, latter

Examples:

Later means after the proper time. (Janet said she would get to the report later.) Latter means the second of two things mentioned or towards the end of something. (Matt had the option of dining in or dining out. He chose the latter.) (The report is due in the latter part of July.)

lay, lie

Examples:

Lay means to place or set; lie means to recline. The principal forms of

the word lay are lay (present) (Lay the book on the table.) laid (past) (She laid the book on the table.) laid (past participle) (She had laid the book on the table.) and laying (present participle) (She is laying the book on the table.) The principal forms of the word lie are lie (present) (Lie on the couch.) lay (past) (He lay on the couch.) lain (past participle) (He had lain on the couch.) and lying (present participle) (He is lying on the couch.) Lie also means to be untruthful. The forms of the verb are then lie, (present), lied (past), lied (past participle), and lying (present participle) (He l ied about his age.)

less

Examples:

See fewer.

lie

Examples:

See lay.

like

Examples:

See as.

loose, lose

Examples:

Loose means not tight or unrestrained. (My watch fell off because it was loose on my wrist.) Lose means to misplace or fail to keep. (Did you lose your car keys?)

lots

Examples:

See a lot.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with M

moral, morale

Examples:

Moral refers to issues of right or wrong. (Murder is a violation of society’s moral values.) Morale refers to the spirit of a person or group. (The team’s morale has been high since they won the championship.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with N

number

Examples:

See amount.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with O

O.K., ok, okay

Examples:

These terms are used only in informal writing. In business or academic writing, use another term. (The managers thought the reports were satisfactory.)

orient, orientate

Examples:

Orient means adjust to or become acquainted with a situation. The past tense of orient is oriented. Some dictionaries list the word orientate as a synonym for orient. However, orientate is not standard usage. The word orient is preferred. The word orientation, however, is correct when used as a noun. (Jeanette went to the school’s orientation to become oriented to her new surroundings.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with P

passed, past

Examples:

Passed is the past tense of pass, meaning to go by. (I passed the grocery store on my way to work.) Past means time gone by or ended. (My biggest problems are in the past.) (From past experience, I’ve learned never to say “never.”)

people, persons

Examples:

Both terms refer to a number of individuals, and they can usually be used interchangeably. As a general rule, however, use people for large groups or an undetermined number of individuals. (Thousands of people attended the concert.) Use persons for a small group or an exact number. (Seven persons were allowed to go onstage.)

per cent, percent, percentage

Examples:

All these terms refer to a fraction of one hundred. Use per cent or percent after a numeral. Both spellings are acceptable. (To pass, the ballot initiative requires 51 percent of the votes.) Percentage usually follows an adjective. (A high percentage of people voted in the last election.)

populace, populous

Examples:

Use populace as a noun to refer to people. (The populace can be described as very diverse.) Use populous as an adjective to mean crowded or densely inhabited. (Oahu is a populous island.)

preceding, previous, prior, former

Examples:

All these terms refer to time; however, they have slightly different meanings. Preceding generally means immediately before. (The preceding television program was brought to you by Southwest Airlines.) Previous means occurring earlier in time. (I should not have to submit this application; I submitted one previously.) Prior refers to something that occurred in the past and, thus, influences the present. (His prior conviction meant that his jail time was increased.) Former is used in a comparative sense and assumes that another came later. (The former president attended the annual meeting.)

principal, principle

Examples:

Use principal to refer to the head of a school, a sum of money, or the main or most important. (The principal of Woodcreek High School will be our guest speaker.) (My mortgage payment includes both principal and interest.) (Cost is the principal reason we selected this computer.) Use principle to refer to a value, rule, or basic truth or belief. To help you remember, both principle and rule end in le. (Many people believe honesty is the most important principle by which we should live.)

presume

Examples:

See assume.

previous

Examples:

See preceding.

prior

Examples:

See preceding.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with Q

quote, quotation

Examples:

Quote is a verb that means cite or repeat the words of someone else. (In my presentation, I will quote from one of President Kennedy’s speeches.) The word quote is often used as a noun in casual conversation. However, in formal business or academic writing, use the word quotation to refer to the words you are quoting or to a contractor’s estimate. (This quotation (NOT quote) is from one of President Kennedy’s speeches.) (Please provide a price quotation for 1,000 units.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with R

regardless, irregardless

Examples:

Regardless means carefree or in spite of. (Sandy went to the outdoor show regardless of the rain.) Irregardless is not a standard word. In business or academic writing use regardless.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with S

sample

Examples:

See example.

semi-

Examples:

See bi-

sensor

Examples:

See censer.

set, sit

Examples:

Set means to put or place. (Please set the manual on my desk.) Sit means to place oneself or to be seated. (Please sit and give me a report on the progress of the job.)

sight

Examples:

See cite.

sit

Examples:

See set.

site

Examples:

See cite.

some time, sometime, sometimes

Examples:

When written as two words, the phrase means a period of time. (Our firm will need some time to prepare our proposal.) When written as one word, it means at an indefinite point in time. (I went to that restaurant sometime last week.) Sometimes means occasionally or at times. (I still see my old friend Gregg sometimes.)

stationary, stationery

Examples:

Stationary means standing in one place or not moving. (I exercise on my stationary bicycle in my bedroom.) To help you remember, note the a’s in both stationaryand standing. Stationery refers to writing material, envelopes, and other office supplies. (The company stationery is a high-quality bond paper.) Note the e’s in stationery, letter, and envelope.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with T

than, then

Examples:

Use than when you are comparing. (Your bag is heavier than mine.) Use then when you are referring to time or when you mean next or in that case. (I’ll see you next week, and we can talk about it then.)

(He grabbed his coat, and then he left the room.) (Then I guess we have nothing to discuss.)

that, which, who, whom

Examples:

Use that to introduce information essential for the sentence to be understood. (These are the books that will be donated to the library.) Use which to introduce additional information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. The phrase containing which must always be separated by commas. (These books, which are all paperback, are to be donated to the library.) Use who or whom instead of that or which when you are referring to people. (These are the employees who have volunteered to work on the project.)

toward, towards

Examples:

Both words are acceptable, but toward is preferred.

CONFUSED WORDS starting with U

uninterested

Examples:

See disinterested.

use, usage, utilize

Examples:

Usage refers to customary practices or conventions, usually those of language. (Refer to the guide for correct punctuation usage.) Utilize means to make practical use of. (Most offices util ize fax machines and scanners these days.) For all other instances where you mean place in service or employ, select the word use. (Use caution when you work around heavy machinery.) (Use of flammable liquids is prohibited in an enclosed space.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with W

was, were

Examples:

Both words are forms of the verb to be. Was is used with singular subjects, and were is used with plural subjects. (He was asleep.) (They were asleep.)

However, these words are also used to express a wish, a desire, or speculation about a situation or condition (the subjunctive mood). After the words if, as if, as though, or wish, use were if the situation is untrue, highly unlikely, or impossible. (If I were you, I would submit job applications to several companies.) This situation is impossible; I cannot be you. Use was if the situation could be true. (After the meeting, the boss looked as if he was very upset.) The situation could be true; he could have been upset.

well

Examples:

See good.

were

Examples:

See was.

which, who

Examples:

See that.

who, whom

Examples:

To determine whether to use who or whom, mentally reword the phrase that contains the pronoun and substitute he for who and him for whom. (Bob asked me who I thought should win the election.) The phrase would read: I thought he should win the election. Thus, the correct pronoun is who. (Tom is the person whom I asked for help.) The phrase would read: I asked him for help. Thus, the correct pronoun is whom.

wile, while

Examples:

Wile is usually used as a plural word and means a cunning plan or scheme. (He used his w iles to escape the enemy.) While is used to refer to an interval of time. (While I waited, five buses passed by.)

CONFUSED WORDS starting with Y

yolk, yoke

Examples:

Yolk refers to the yellow part of an egg. (I like the egg yolk to be cooked well.) Yoke can be either a noun or a verb and refers to something tied or linked together. (The yoke held the oxen to the plow.)