Commonly Confused Words- NoRedInk
A lot vs alot
A lot
A vs an
A: comes before words with consent sounds An: comes before words that begin with a vowel sound
accept vs except
Accept: to receive Except: to exclude.
allowed vs aloud
Allowed: Granting Permission Aloud: To say out loud
Altar vs alter
Altar: ALTAR is confused with ALTER Alter: to change
Because vs cause
Because: example- he asked me to pick him up because he was drunk Cause: noun: a reason; verb: to make happen
Biased vs bias
Biased: unfairly prejudiced for or against someone or something. Bias: give a bias too. example- bias the ball
Buy vs by vs bye
Buy: to buy something at a store By: ownership: ex. this book was by... Bye: saying goodbye to someone
everyday vs every day
Everyday: modifies noun Everyday: does not modify noun
farther vs further
Farther: Measureable distance Further: Greater degree or greater extent
fewer vs less
Fewer: refers to a number you can count Less: refers to an amount of something.
Have vs of
Have: to possess; example- they have beautiful daughters Of: connects a noun with a preceding word; example- most of the books
Hole vs whole
Hole: example- you dig a hole Whole: example- you have a whole pizza in front of you
Into vs in to
Into: indicates movement toward the inside of a place In to: it does NOT indicate actual movement
It's vs Its
It's: it is Its: ownership
Knot vs not
Knot: a tied rope Not: expresses denial
Know vs no
Know: to understand. No: the opposite of yes.
Later vs latter
Later: something that will happen in the future Latter: situated or occurring nearer to the end of something than to the beginning. example- the latter half of 1989
Lay vs lie vs laid vs lain
Lay: to put down Lie: be in or assume a horizontal or resting position on a supporting surface Laid: PAST TENSE OF LAY Lain: PAST PARTICAPLE OF LIE
lay vs lie
Lay: to put something down Lie: to recline yourself
Loose vs lose
Loose: release something that has been restrained Lose: to be deprived of something
Metal vs medal vs meddle vs mettle
Metal: a solid material that is typically hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, and ductile Medal: a metal disk with an inscription or design, made to commemorate an event or awarded as a distinction to someone Meddle: interfere in or busy oneself unduly with something that is not one's concern. Mettle: a person's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way.
number vs amount
Number: Countable Amount: Uncountable
Passed vs past
Passed: indicates motion Past: refers to a prior time period or direction
Right vs write
Right: the opposite of wrong Write: you write down words
To vs too vs two
To: Often used in a sense of going to a place/person. Too: Another way of saying also. Two: A number
Who's vs whose
Who's: who is Whose: possessive/belongingness
You're vs your
You're: you are your: belonging to any person
advice vs advise
advice: recommendation advise: the act of giving recommendation
affect vs effect
affect: verb effect: noun
allusion vs. illusion
allusion: an indirect mention of something illusion: false perception
already vs all ready
already: before or by now or the time in question all ready: completely prepared; example- trisha was all ready to go and see bobby
altogether vs all together
altogether: a total, a sum all together: a time reference,
Among vs Between
among: surrounded by; in the company of between: at, into, or across the space separating (two objects or regions)
anyone vs any one
anyone: any person any one: any single thing
anyway vs anyways
anyway
apart vs a part
apart: (of two or more people or things) separated by a distance a part: a piece of a segment of something
beside vs besides
beside: next to besides: in addition to
cite vs sight vs site
cite: to quote sight: vision site: a place
Desert vs dessert
desert: dry sandy place dessert: sweet food that comes right after dinner
Discreet vs discrete
discreet: quiet discrete: individually separate and distinct
everyone vs every one
everyone: every person every one: each one
good vs well
good: to be desired or approved of. well: in a satisficatory way.
Hear vs here
hear: listen here: this place
idle vs idol
idle: to leave behind; suspension idol: someone you look up to
maybe vs may be
maybe: perhaps; possibly. may be: The words 'may' expresses possibility and sometimes suggests permission. example- Dr. Hueves may be here. = It is possible that Dr. Hueves is here.
morning vs mourning
morning: the beginning of the day mourning: you are mourning the loss of someone
plain vs plane
plain: not fancy plane: a flat or level surface
Prejudice vs prejudiced
prejudice: noun prejudiced: adjective
principal vs principle
principal: head of school, chief principle: a fundamental belief
quiet vs quite
quiet: silent quite: just, very
role vs. roll
role: example- you have a role to play as a mature student at this middle school roll: example- to roll away
scene vs seen
scene: the place where an incident in real life or fiction occurs seen: past participle of see
than vs then
than: example- he was much smaller than his son then: at that time; at the time in question. example- I was living in Cairo then
their vs there vs they're
their: belonging to them there: that place they're: they are
weather vs whether
weather: climate outside whether: in either case
who vs whom
who: subject whom: object
