Commonly Confused Wordsby Harrell's

Blog, General January 14, 2010 9:12 am

The Internet is a great way to communicate, but it can also lead to general language laziness. I think most of us could use an occasional English lesson, and we’re in luck today because the professor is in!

Here are some commonly confused words that many of us are guilty of switching at least once in a while.

Accept / Except
Accept is a verb meaning to receive. (I accept your apology.)
Except can be a preposition meaning “excluding” or a verb meaning to exclude. (Everyone is included except John.)

Adapt / Adopt / Adept
Adapt is a verb that means “to adjust to or become accustomed to.” (Employees adapt to changes positively.)
Adopt is a verb that means “to take or to choose something voluntarily.” (They decided to adopt both children even though they already had ten.)
Adept is an adjective that means “thoroughly proficient.” (He is adept at fixing cars.)

Advice / Advise
Advice is a noun. (The value of good advice is not immediately recognized.)
Advise is a verb. (I advise you to read the instruction manual.)

Affect / Effect
Affect is usually a verb meaning “to influence.” (Automobile emissions can affect the earth’s atmosphere.)
Effect is usually a noun meaning “result.” (The effects of global warming are difficult to determine.)
Effect can also be a verb meaning “to bring about.” (The medicine he was taking eventually effected a change in his behavior.)

Allude / Refer
To allude is to mention something indirectly.
To refer is to mention something directly.

Allusion/Illusion
An allusion is an indirect reference. (The poet made an allusion to the Bible.)
An illusion is a misleading image. (David Copperfield employs illusions in his magic tricks.)

Alot/ a lot / allot
A lot is the correct form. Alot is a misspelling.
Allot means to apportion.

Already / All Ready
Already means previously.
All Ready means prepared.

Altogether / All Together
Altogether means entirely.
All Together means gathered together.

Ambiguous / Ambivalent
Ambiguous is an adjective meaning “doubtful” or “unclear.:
Ambivalent is an adjective meaning “uncertain” or “having simultaneous and contradictory feelings.”

Among / Between
Use among when dealing with more than 2 and between when dealing with only 2.

Assure / Ensure / Insure
Assure means “to make safe” or to give confidence to.” (He looked back to assure himself no one was following.)
Ensure means “to make a thing or person sure” and may imply a virtual guarantee. (The government has ensured the safety of the refugees.)
Insure means “to make certain” and sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand. (Careful planning should insure the success of the party.)

Bring / Take
Use bring when something is being brought to you.
Use take when something is being moved away.

Can / May
Use can to express an ability to do something.
Use may to express either permission or possibility.

Cite / Site / Sight
Cite means “to quote from or to refer to an authority.”
Site means “a place.”
Sight means “something that can be seen.”

Coarse / Course
Coarse is an adjective meaning “rough,” “harsh,” or “crude.”
Course is a noun meaning “accustomed procedure” or “unit of study.”

Complement / Compliment
Complement is a verb meaning “to go with” or “to complete.”
Compliment is a verb meaning “to flatter.”

Conscience / Conscious
Conscience is a noun meaning “moral principles.”
Conscious is an adjective meaning “to be awake” or “to be aware.”

Council / Counsel
A council is a group of people who meet to consult, deliberate, or discuss.
Counsel means “to advise or to recommend.”

Desert / Dessert
A desert is made up of sand.
A dessert is a tasty treat.

Elicit / Illicit
Elicit is a verb meaning “to bring out.”
Illicit is an adjective meaning “unlawful.”

Emigrate / Immigrate
Emigrate means “to leave one’s country to go somewhere else.”
Immigrate means “to come into a country.”

Eminent / Imminent
Eminent means “outstanding” or “distinguished.”
Imminent means “about to happen.”

Explicit / Implicit
Explicit means “directly expressed or clearly defined.”
Implicit means “implied or unstated.”

Good / Well
Good is an adjective. (Even though it is two weeks old, the fruit still looks good.)
Well is an adverb. (Did you sleep well?)
Both well and good can be used when referring to a state of health , but there are subtle differences; therefore, well is preferred. (I feel well today.)

Its / It’s / its’
Its is the positive pronoun. (The college will hold its graduation on Thursday.)
It’s is the contraction of it is. (Because the storm clouds are rolling, it’s likely to rain before evening.)
Its’ is an error.

Led / Lead
Led is the past tense of the verb lead. (The performer led the audience in a sing-a-long.)
Lead is a noun that refers to metal. (Many older buildings are contaminated by lead paint.)

Loose / Lose
Loose is an adjective meaning “not tight.”
Lose is a verb meaning “to misplace.”

Passed / Past
Passed is the past tense of the verb pass.
Past usually refers to a former time.

Principal / Principle
Principal is a noun meaning “the head of a school or organization.”
Principle is a noun meaning “a basic truth, rule, doctrine, or assumption.”

Respectively / Respectfully
Respectively is an adverb meaning “singly, in the order designated.”
Respectfully is an adverb meaning “with respect.”

Stationary / Stationery
Stationary means “remaining in one place.”
Stationery refers to paper.

There / Their / They’re
There is an adverb specifying place. (Stand there to have your picture taken.)
Their is a possessive pronoun. (Their house is on the corner.)
They’re is a contraction of they are. (They’re too tired to stay awake.)

To / Too / Two
To is a preposition that also serves as an infinitive marker.
Too is an adverb meaning “also.”
Two is a number.

Weather / Whether
Weather relates to the condition of the atmosphere. (The weather outside is frightening.)
Whether is a conjunction used to introduce the first of two or more alternatives. (Whether you decide to stay or to go is of no concern to me.)

Who / Which / That
Who is used to refer to people and to animals with names.
Which is used to refer only to things and animals.
That is used to refer to things and to most animals, and it may also be used to refer to a group or class of people.

Who’s / Whose
Who’s is a contraction for who is.
Whose is a possessive pronoun.

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