Vocabulary

Teri Lynn TossponEnglish 10, Heald

College

All Ready / Already• All ready (two words) means "ready," with

the word all. We were all ready to study grammar.

• Already, an adverb, means "by now," "even now," or "by then."

The plane had already left when we arrived.

Tip: if 2 separate words then refers to All of us being ready.

Altar / Alter

• Altar means a platform where sacrifices are made to a god or a platform at the front of a house of worship. – When it was time for the bride to walk the aisle to

the altar, she began to tremble as she was so nervous.

• Alter means to change or amend.– My new jeans were too long, so I took them to a

seamstress who alters all my clothes.

Amount / Number

• Amount words relate to quantities of things that are measured in bulk; – Do not use up too great an amount of space.

• Number to things that can be counted.– I have a number of cakes to eat!

• Tip: Numbers can be counted, amounts are measured in bulk.

Beside/Besides

• “Besides” can mean “in addition to” – Besides the puppy chow, Spot scarfed up my

steak!

• “Beside,” in contrast, usually means “next to.” – I sat beside the girl.

Capitol/Capital

• Capitol is Always a building– Can remember this! COngress meets in the CapitOl

• Capital - Cities which serve as seats of government,– The big letter that start a sentence or common noun

Accept/Except

• Accept – "to receive." – He accepted the gift. (He received it.)

• Except is usually a preposition meaning "but" or "leaving out." However, except can also be a verb meaning "to leave out." – He liked everyone except Jere.

– Tip to remember – EX is like your EX that you want to LEAVE OUT!

Excess/Access

• Access – a way to enter. – You can access the internet here. The main access

point is the front door.• Excess – too much/extra– We had an excess of food at our wedding.

• Tips to remember– EX = TOO MUCH Extra

Adopt/Adapt

• Adopt means "to take as one's own." – Marc and Judy adopted two orphans.

• Adapt means "to change." Usually we adapt to someone or something. – They adapted to the hot weather.

– Tips to remember: Most often you don’t adapt orphans, you adopt them. So remember the O’s

Advice/Advise

• Advice is what is given.– Don’t trust her, she gives bad advice!

• Advise- the act of giving advice. – I would advise you to make the most of college.

Affect/Effect• Affect– to influence or alter in some way.– We have been badly affected by heavy rain.– Smoking will affect your health.

• Effect – the result of being affected– The effect of the rain has been local flooding.– The effects of the hurricane were evident.

–Remember that "affect" is a verb, so if the subject is taking action, use affect. (Remember: Action = Affect) –Remember that nouns usually are paired with "the." So

remember "thE Effect" flows well together when said aloud.

Beside/Besides

• “Besides” can mean “in addition to” – Besides the puppy chow, Spot scarfed up my

steak!

• “Beside,” in contrast, usually means “next to.” – I sat beside the girl.

Capitol/Capital

• Capitol is Always a building– Can remember this! COngress meets in the CapitOl

• Capital - Cities which serve as seats of government,– The big letter that start a sentence or common noun

Close/Clothes

• Close – to shut, end or conclude– The events are at a close. – We closed the door.

• Clothes – garments to be worn– I spilled and had to change clothes.

Way to Remember: CLOTHES are made of Cloth.

Choose/chose

• Choose is PRESENT TENSE– You choose to take a Tylenol right now.

• Chose is PAST TENSE– You chose tequila last night.

Cite/Site/Sight• Cite – to quote, summon, commend or call.

Cite the author in an endnote.• Site – location, area, computer website, or to

place something in an area You visit a Web site or the site of the crime.

• Sight – the act of seeing, a view, a glimpse/ observation, to look in a direction.

You sight your beloved running toward you in slow motion on the beach (a sight for sore eyes!).

Complement/Compliment• compliment: nice things said about someone – "She paid me the compliment of admiring the way I shined my

shoes.” • complement- matching or completing. – Alice’s love for entertaining and Mike’s love for washing dishes

complement each other.– the full number of something needed to make it complete:

“My computer has a full complement of video-editing programs.” If it is preceded by “full” the word you want is almost certainly “complement.”

• If you’re “making nice” you might be “Li”ing (compliment)

Conscience/Conscious• Conscious – aware, having mental faculties, known.

– If you are awake, you are conscious. – Although it is possible to speak of your “conscious mind,” you can’t

use “conscious” all by itself to mean “consciousness.”

• Conscience – inner sense of right and wrong.– Your conscience makes you feel guilty when you do bad things.

“Science” makes you feel guilty!

Council/Counsel

• Council– an assembly, a body of people– I went to the city council meeting. It was boring.

• Counsel– advice, to give advice– I could counsel you not to speak to him anymore.

– You go to visit a COUNSELOR for help, and a city has a council.

Continually/Continuously

• Continually means "repeated again and again." – I was continually interrupted by the telephone.

• Continuously means "uninterrupted." – It rained continuously for forty-eight hours.

– When you think –ually, think USUALLY. When you see -ously, think without interruption (uninterrupted).

Coarse/Course

• Coarse is always an adjective meaning “rough, crude.”– Don’t use that coarse language in here!

• Course – N. or v. many meanings! Path, track, procedure, mode of conduct, to hunt or chase, etc. ALSO used in many idioms – Of course, we do charge a fee for that.

Disburse/Disperse

• Disburse – to distribute, give out– You disburse money by taking it out of your purse

(French “bourse”) and distributing it.

• Disperse – scatter, drive off, dispell– If you refuse to hand out any money, the eager

mob of beggars before you may disperse.

Eligible/Illegible

• Eligible – available, qualified, fit or proper– He was quite the eligible bachelor.

• Illegible not readable, impossible to read, bad handwriting. – I cannot take this paper, your writing is illegible!

Eminent/Imminent

• Eminent - prominent, famous, most important. – The government exercises eminent domain.– WTR: Some people call the Queen “your EMINENCE”

• Imminent – threatening, facing immediate disaster. From Latin minere, meaning “to project or overhang.” – The cave in was imminent, as was the movie premiere.

Ensure/Insure• Ensure- to secure or guarantee: to make sure or

certain: measures to ensure the success of an undertaking. to make secure or safe, as from harm– This letter will ensure you a hearing.– Old people drink Ensure to ensure good health.

• Insure – to guarantee against loss or harm, to secure indemnity to or on, in case of loss, damage, or death, to issue or procure an insurance policy on or for. – Some INSURANCE can Insure you for less.

Everyday / Every day• Everyday is an adjective that means commonplace,

ordinary, or normal.– These shoes are great for everyday wear– You shouldn't wear an everyday outfit to the wedding– Don't use the everyday dishes - it's a special occasion

Every day• Every day means "each day.“ WTR if you can replace

it with “each day” use two separate words.– I go to the park every day– I have to work every day this week except Friday– Every day I feel a little better

Farther / Further• Farther refers to length or distance. It is the

comparative form of the word far when referring to distance. – London is farther north than Juneau.

• WTR: FAR refers to distance

• Further means "to a greater degree," "additional," or "additionally." It refers to time or amount. It is the comparative form of the word far when meaning "much." – This plan requires further study.

• (Meaning "additional study," refers to amount) – According to my timetable, we should be further along.

• (Refers to time)

Formerly/Formally• Formerly means earlier, or previously (adv.)– Formerly, I was a farmer. – I formerly weighed 200 pounds.

• Formally means properly or officially (adv.)– My attendance was formally requested. – I quit my job formally through a letter.

– WTR you’d wear your FORMAL to a formal.

Its/It’s• It's is a contraction for it is or it has. – It's been good to know you. Contraction: it has– It's a bird! It's a plane! Contraction: it is

• Its is a possessive pronoun meaning, more or less, of it or belonging to it. – The dodo bird is known for its inability to fly.

• A simple test– If you can replace it[']s in your sentence with it is or it

has, then your word is it's; otherwise, your word is its.

Later / Latter

• Later -refers to time. – Though Amy said that she would join me later, I

never saw her again.

• latter -refers to the second of two persons or things mentioned previously.– "There are two kinds of worries: those you can do

something about and those you can't. Don't spend any time on the latter." (Duke Ellington)

Lay / Lie

• Lay means "to place something down." It is something you do to something else. It is a transitive verb. – Lay the book on the table.

• (It is being done to something else.)

• Lie means "to recline" or "be placed." It does not act on anything or anyone else. It is an intransitive verb. – Lie down on the couch.

• (It is not being done to anything else.)

•The reason lay and lie are confusing is their past tenses. • The past tense of lay is laid.

I laid it down here yesterday. (It is being done to something else.)

• The past tense of lie is lay. Last night I lay awake in bed. (It is not being done to anything else.)

Less / Fewer• Use fewer with objects that can be counted one-by-one.

– Incorrect: There were less days below freezing last winter.

• Use less with qualities or quantities that cannot be individually counted. – Correct: I drank less water than she did.

• (Water cannot be counted individually here.)

• When referring to time or money, less is normally used even with numbers. Specific units of time or money use fewer only in cases where individual items are referred to (I have fewer dollar coins in my collection than you).

There were fewer days below freezing last winter. (Days can be counted.)

Liable/Libel

• liable (a three-syllable word) (adj) means subject to, obligated to, or responsible for something. – The court ruled that school officials cannot be held

financially liable for the improper search.

• libel (a two-syllable word) (n. or v.) refers to a false publication that damages a person's reputation.– Because of rising legal costs, regional newspapers may

not be able to defend themselves in libel actions.

Maybe / May be

• Maybe, the compound word, is an adverb meaning "perhaps" or "possibly." – Maybe I will go out tonight.

• May be is a verb phrase meaning "might be" or "could be." – I may be going out tonight.

Passed/Past• Past: previously. a period of time before now or a

distance– The team performed well in the past.– The police car drove past the suspect’s house.

• Passed, is an action. The past tense is “passed“: – When John passed the gravy, he spilled it on his lap.– The teacher was astonished that none of the students had

passed the test.– After a brief illness, he passed away.

Ways to Remember: however you have ”passed the time” you have never “past the time,” not even in the distant past.

Prosecute/Persecute

• Prosecute means "to begin or carry out a legal claim against someone, usually for a crime" or "to carry or accomplish.“ The side carrying out the legal claim is also referred to as the prosecution. – Shoplifters will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

• Persecute means "to harass, or pursue in order to injure or afflict.”– Many early Christians were persecuted.

• Way to Remember: You can prosecute a prostitute, but you persecute the religious. OR the o represents handcuffs!

Personal / Personnel• personal (adj) (with the accent on the first syllable)

means "private" or "individual.“– "The true teacher defends his pupils against his own

personal influence." (Amos Bronson)

• personnel (n) (accent on the last syllable) refers to the people employed in an organization, business, or service.– "Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the

self-esteem of their personnel." (Sam Walton)

Way to Remember: if its PERSONAL its one N, if its for other people its

Principal / Principle• Principal usually refers to a person. Remember that it

ends in ‘pal’, which is a person. A principal can be:– the head of a school, the head of an organization– the main person involved in a contract or financial negotiation– Monday’s class should see the principal immediately!

• Principle - a standard, a law or a rule. This means you can have:– the principles of economics, which are the laws that govern

economic theory– moral principles, which are the rules and standards that

govern your behavior– Your mom should have taught you principles and morals.

Quiet, Quite, Quit• Quiet (adj) “of little activity,” (n.) meaning “tranquility” or

“silence.”(v.) “to cause to be quiet.”– After lunch the children enjoyed an hour of quiet play. (adjective)– We enjoyed the quiet of the countryside. (noun)– The man behind us shouted “Quiet down, can’t you?”– The leader quieted the protesters so the mayor could be heard

• Quite (adv) - “totally” or “completely.”– She was quite exhausted after the warm-up exercise.

Respectfully , Respectively• Respectively "one by one in the order

designated or mentioned." – The central roles of ghost and detective are played

respectively by comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer.

• Respectfully "with respect.“– "My cat does not talk as respectfully to me as I do

to her." (Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette)

Stationary / stationery

• Stationary (adj) not moving, still. (n) unmoving or staying in one place.– He stood stationary, waiting for the fight.

• Stationery (n) paper on which one writes or to other related items. (let the E in envelope remind you)– Pass me the flowery stationery?

Than / Then

• Than is a conjunction used with comparisons. It rhymes with pan. – He likes you more than me.

• Then is an adverb that refers to time. It rhymes with pen. – First you take a cup of flour, and then you sift it.

Way to Remember: Than has an a and compares things.

There, Their, They’re• There is an adverb meaning "that location." It is sometimes used with the

verb to be as an idiom. It is spelled like here which means "this location." – I put the collar right there. (that location) – There are five prime numbers less than ten. (with to be)

• Their is a possessive pronoun. It always describes a noun. – Note the spelling of their. It comes from the word they, so the e comes before

the i. – Their dog has fleas. (possessive of they)

• They're is a contraction of they are. – Note the spelling: The a from are is replaced by an apostrophe. – They're number 1! (contraction of they are)

Ways to remember. If you see HERE it is a place! (Where, There, Here)

To, Too, Two• To is a preposition which begins a prepositional phrase or an

infinitive. – We went to a baseball game. (preposition) – We like to watch a good ball game. (infinitive)

• Too is an adverb meaning "excessively" or "also." Way to remember: TOO is extra, also, excessive. It has excessive O’s – We ate too much. (meaning "excessively") – I like baseball, too. (meaning "also")

• Two is a number. Way to remember: Words which reflect the number two are spelled with tw: twin, twice, between, tweezers, etc. – Six divided by three is two. (number) – They own two Brittany spaniels. (number)

Waist/Waste

• Waste: (n) discarded objects, (v) to use carelessly– He wasted too much time.– The waste was toxic!

• Waist – middle portion of the body– His waist is 36” around!

Way to remember: if its on my body, it needs an i.

We’re, Were, Where

• We’re – contraction of we + are. – We’re going to the beach.

• Were – past tense of are. – We were happy playing in the sand.

• Where is at or in what place.– Where is the lotion?

• Remember – when you see HERE it is a place!

Whether, Weather• Weather is usually a noun, can also be verb that means "to be

affected by the weather” or "to get/live through”– How's the weather?– The weather is always great this time of year– That house is really weathered– I know we can weather this crisis

Whether is a conjunction that introduces possibilities or alternatives:– You'll do it whether you like it or not– Whether you win or lose, you'll have done your best

• Ways to remember: whether is more or less interchangeable with "if," while weather indicates the temperature and atmospheric conditions.

Whole/ hole

• Whole (adj) complete– He ate the whole pie

• Hole – (n) opening, (v) to crawl into an opening. – I found a hole in the sock. – Bears hole up for the winter.

Way to remember: if it refers to a complete it needs the whole W.

Whose / Who’s• Whose is a possessive pronoun (shows

ownership).– Jake, whose responsibility it was to lead the

expedition, mislaid the map.

• Who's is a contraction of who (pron.) and is– I am confused; (who's/whose) supposed to retrieve

the kids from daycare?

• WTR: If you can replace with “Who Is” use the ‘ (apostrophe)

Write, Right, Rite• Write (v): to form letters/words, to compose– I will write this paper, I guess.

• Right (adj) correct, conforming to justice/law(n) power or privilege, direction opposite of left. – What is the right answer???!

• Rite (n): traditional (often religious) ceremony. – A bridal shower is a rite of passage.

Your, You’re

• your is a possessive adjective, indicating ownership of something

• That is your sock.• Where is your potato?

• you're is a contraction (combination) of you and are

• Do you know what you're doing?• You're stupid.

• WTR: if you own it, it is yours. If you can replace it with You Are, then it is you’re