ABBREVIATION, ACRONYM
This is a fine distinction that some consider nitpicking. Terms such as FBI, HMO, and NAACP, although widely called acronyms, are actually abbreviations. The difference is in how they are spoken. An abbreviation, also called an initialism, is pronounced letter by letter. An acronym is pronounced as if it were a word. The abbreviation FBI is pronounced "eff-bee-eye." The acronym NASA is pronounced "nassa."
ACCEPT, EXCEPT
Accept means "to acknowledge" or "to agree to."
Except is usually a preposition used to specify what isn't included: I like all fruits except apples.
ACRONYM
See abbreviation, acronym.
AD, ADD
Ad: short for "advertisement."
Add: to include; to perform addition.
ADAPT, ADOPT
To adapt is to take something and change it for a special purpose. A screenwriter adapts a book to make it work as a movie. An organism adapts (itself) to a new environment.
To adopt is to take something and use it or make it your own. A government adopts a different policy. A family adopts an orphan.
ADVERSE, AVERSE
Adverse: unfavorable: an adverse reaction to the medication.
Averse: not fond of; seeking to avoid: averse to risk.
ADVICE, ADVISE
Advice: guidance.
Advise: to suggest; to recommend.
AFFECT, EFFECT
Affect as a verb means "to influence": It affected me strangely. As a noun, it is a technical term used in psychology to describe someone's emotional state.
Effect as a noun means "result": It had a strange effect on me. As a verb, it means "to bring about" or "to cause": He's trying to effect change in government.
AID, AIDE
An aid is a thing that helps.
An aide is a living helper or assistant: His aide brought first aid.
AIL, ALE
Ail: to be ill.
Ale: an alcoholic beverage.
AISLE, ISLE
Aisle: a corridor.
Isle: an island.
ALL READY, ALREADY
All ready means that everything or everyone is now ready.
Already refers to something accomplished earlier: We already ate.
ALL TOGETHER, ALTOGETHER
All together: in a group: We're all together in this.
Altogether: entirely: It is not altogether his fault.
ALLUDE, ELUDE, REFER
Allude means "to mention indirectly." Do not confuse allude with refer. If we say, "Good old Joe is here," we refer to Joe. If we say, "That man with the ready laugh is here," we allude to Joe, but we never mention his name.
Allude is also sometimes confused with elude, which means "to escape" or "avoid capture."
ALLUSION, ILLUSION
Allusion, the noun form of allude, is an indirect, sometimes sly, way of talking about something or someone.
An illusion is a false perception.
ALLOWED, ALOUD
Allowed: permitted.
Aloud: said out loud.
ALTAR, ALTER
Altar: a pedestal, usually religious.
Alter: to modify; to change.
AMBIGUOUS, AMBIVALENT
Something is ambiguous if it is unclear or has more than one meaning.
Ambivalent describes a mixed or undecided state of mind: Her ambiguous remark left him feeling ambivalent about her.
AMIABLE, AMICABLE
Both words mean "friendly," but amiable generally describes a pleasant person; amicable generally describes a cordial situation: The amiable couple had an amicable divorce.
AMID, AMIDST
Either is acceptable, but many writers prefer the more concise amid.
AMOUNT, NUMBER
Use amount for things that cannot be counted and number for things that can be counted: This amount of water is enough to fill a number of bottles.
The culprit is amount. Some might incorrectly say "a large amount of bottles," but no one would say "a large number of water."
a.m., p.m.
The abbreviation a.m. refers to the hours from midnight to noon, and p.m. refers to the hours from noon to midnight. Careful writers avoid such redundancies as three a.m. in the morning(delete in the morning) or eight p.m. this evening (make it eight o'clock this evening).
To avoid confusion, use midnight instead of twelve a.m. and noon instead of twelve p.m.
The terms also are frequently written as A.M., P.M.; AM, PM; and am, pm.
AND/OR
"Objectionable to many, who regard it as a legalism," says Roy H. Copperud in A Dictionary of Usage and Style. Either say and or say or.
ANECDOTE, ANTIDOTE
An anecdote is a brief, amusing tale.
An antidote counteracts or reduces the effects of something unpleasant or even lethal. There are antidotes for snakebites, but there is no known antidote for boring anecdotes.
AN HISTORIC
Some speakers and writers use an with certain words starting with an audible h—the wordhistoric heads the list. But why do those who say an historic occasion say a hotel, a hospital, a happy home? There is no valid reason to ever say an historic, an heroic, an horrific, etc., and anyone who does so is flirting with pomposity.
ANXIOUS, EAGER
In casual usage, anxious has become a synonym for eager, but the words are different. Whereas eager means "excited" or "enthusiastic," anxious, like anxiety, denotes uneasiness.
ANY MORE, ANYMORE
Use the two-word form to mean "any additional": I don't need any more help.
Use anymore to mean "any longer": I don't need help anymore.
ANY TIME, ANYTIME
Traditionalists do not accept the one-word form, anytime. But it is everywhere, and there's no turning back.
There does seem to be a difference between You may call anytime and Do you have any time? Always use the two-word form with a preposition: You may call at any time.
APPRAISE, APPRISE
A school district official was quoted as saying, "We have been appraised of all the relevant issues." Bad choice. The word appraise means "to decide the value of." The gentleman clearly meant apprised, which means "informed."
ASCENT, ASSENT
Ascent: a climb; movement upward.
Assent: an agreement (noun); to agree (verb).
ASSUME, PRESUME
Assume: to take for granted without evidence.
Presume: to believe based on evidence.
ASSURE, ENSURE, INSURE
To assure is to promise or say with confidence. It is more about saying than doing: I assure you that you'll be warm enough.
To ensure is to do or have what is necessary for success: These blankets ensure that you'll be warm enough.
To insure is to cover with an insurance policy.
What you insure you entrust to a business. What you ensure results from your personal efforts.
AURAL, ORAL
Since the two words are pronounced the same, be careful not to write oral (having to do with the mouth) if you mean aural (having to do with hearing).
AVERSE
See adverse, averse.
BAIL, BALE
Both words do double duty as noun and verb. As a noun, bail commonly refers to money deposited to gain a prisoner's freedom, or bail that prisoner out.
A bale is a large, bound or wrapped package of unprocessed material. To bale is to make into a bale.
BALL, BAWL
Ball: a round object; a gala event.
Bawl: to cry; howl.
BARE, BEAR
Bare as an adjective means "unconcealed": bare arms. As a verb it means "expose": to bare one's feelings.
Bear as a noun refers to a wild animal. As a verb it has many meanings, from "carry" (bear arms) to "tolerate" (I can't bear it) to "steer" (bear right at the corner).
BERTH, BIRTH
Berth: a built-in bed on a train or boat; a space for a boat to dock.
Birth: being born; a beginning.
BESIDE, BESIDES
Besides as an adverb means "in addition" or "moreover": It's Albert's birthday, and besides, you promised.
Besides is also a preposition meaning "other than" or "except": Who besides me is hungry?
Compare that with The person beside me is hungry. Beside is a preposition that means "next to," "near," "alongside."
A lot of people say something is "besides the point." They mean beside the point. When a statement is beside the point, it misses the mark and settles nothing.
BITE, BYTE
Don't confuse what your teeth do with byte, a computer term for eight bits of information. Adding to the confusion, sound bite—a brief excerpt from a longer work—is sometimes mistakenly written "sound byte."
BOARD, BORED
When the board called the roll, he was too bored to speak up.
BOY, BUOY
Few if any would write boy instead of buoy, a nautical beacon or marker. Nonetheless, both words are traditionally pronounced the same. In Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, author Bill Bryson says, "Unless you would say 'boo-ee-ant' for buoyant, please return to pronouncing it 'boy.' "
CANVAS, CANVASS
Canvas is a durable fabric.
Canvass as a noun or a verb refers to the door-to-door gathering of votes or opinions.
CAPITAL, CAPITOL
Just remember: the o means it's a building. A capitol is a government building where a state legislature meets, and the Capitol is the building where the U.S. Congress meets.
A capital is a city that serves as the seat of government. We got a tour of the capitol when we went to the capital.
CARAT, CARET, KARAT
Most of the confusion is caused by carat and karat because both are associated with jewelry. The purity of gold is measured in karats. Twenty-four-karat gold is 99.9 percent pure, but so soft that it is considered impractical for most jewelry.
A carat is a weight measurement for gemstones: a two-carat diamond set in an eighteen-karat gold ring.
A caret has nothing to do with any of this. It is a mark an editor makes in a document to show where additional material should be inserted.
CAST, CASTE
Cast: a group of actors or individuals.
Caste: a social class; a rigid system of social distinctions.
CEMENT, CONCRETE
People constantly refer to "cement" sidewalks, driveways, walls, etc. However, cement is a powder that, when mixed with sand or gravel and water, becomes concrete.
CENSOR, CENSURE
They sound similar, and both words deal with negative criticism. Censor as a verb means "to remove unacceptable material." As a noun, it means "someone who censors."
Censure as a verb means "to disapprove of" or "to criticize strongly." As a noun, it means "disapproval," even "scorn."
CENTER AROUND
The lecture will center around the economy. The center is the middle point. Would you say "point around"? This common, muddleheaded expression results from scrambling center onand revolve around. Because those idioms are roughly synonymous, if you use them both enough, they merge in the mind.
CEREAL, SERIAL
Cereal: a breakfast food.
Serial: a story told in regular installments (noun); ongoing, in a series (adjectives).
CHILDISH, CHILDLIKE
Both are comparisons with children. The difference is that childish is unflattering; it's equivalent to infantile and only a small improvement on babyish. Someone is childish when acting unreasonable or bratty.
Not so with childlike, a word that extols youthful virtues, such as sweetness, purity, and innocence.
CHORD, CORD
When two or more musical tones are sounded simultaneously, the result is a chord.
A cord is a rope or strand of flexible material.
CITE, SIGHT, SITE
Cite: to quote; to praise; to mention; to order to appear in court.
Sight: the ability to see; a scene or view.
Site: a location or position.
CLASSIC, CLASSICAL
Classic, adjective or noun, is a term of high praise: "of the finest quality" or "a prime example of": a classic play, a classic pizza.
The adjective classical applies to traditions going back to the ancient Greeks and Romans:The house featured an array of classical influences.
Classical music is marked by formal, sophisticated, extended compositions.
CLICK, CLIQUE
A click is a brief percussive noise, but some mistakenly write it when they mean clique, a close, exclusive group of people.
CLIMACTIC, CLIMATIC
Climactic—note that middle c—means "exciting" or "decisive." It is often confused with climatic, which means "resulting from or influenced by climate."
COARSE, COURSE
Coarse means "rough, lacking in fineness of texture" or "crude, lacking in sensitivity."
Course is usually a noun and has several meanings, mostly having to do with movement or progress, whether it be a course taken in school or the course of a river.
COLLIDE, CRASH
A collision involves two moving objects. A car does not collide with a lamppost; it crashes into a lamppost.
COMPLEMENT, COMPLIMENT
As both noun and verb, complement refers to an added element that enhances, rounds out, or puts a final touch on something.
Compliment, noun and verb, is about nice words or gestures. Try this perfect complement to your order, with our compliments.
COMPRISE
Possibly the most abused two-syllable word in English. It means "contain," "consist of," "be composed of." Most problems could be avoided by remembering this mantra: The whole comprises its parts.
Consider this misuse: Vegetables comprise 80 percent of my diet. The correct sentence isEighty percent of my diet comprises vegetables. My diet consists of vegetables; vegetables do not consist of my diet.
This sentence looks right to most people: Joe, John, and Bob comprise the committee. But it's the other way around: The committee comprises Joe, John, and Bob.
Another common misuse is the phrase comprised of, which is never correct. Most people usecomprised of as an elegant-seeming alternative to composed of. An ad for a cleaning service states, "Our team is comprised of skilled housekeepers." Make it "Our team comprises skilled housekeepers," "Our team is composed of skilled housekeepers," or, perhaps the best choice, "Our team consists of skilled housekeepers."
Since comprise already means "composed of," anyone using comprised of is actually saying "composed of of."
CONFIDANT, CONFIDENT
Confidant: a trusted adviser.
Confident: certain, self-assured.
CONNIVE, CONSPIRE
One who connives pretends not to know while others are collaborating on something sneaky, wrong, or illegal.
To conspire is to work together on a secret scheme.
CONNOTE, DENOTE
Denote is used for descriptions that stick to the facts. The word "dog" denotes a domesticated animal.
Connote reveals additional meanings beyond what is clinical or objective. It is used when expressing what a word implies or reminds us of. The word "dog" connotes loyalty.
CONTINUAL, CONTINUOUS
The difference between continual and continuous is the subtle difference between regular andnonstop. If your car continually breaks down, it also runs some of the time.
A faucet that drips continuously never stops dripping, twenty-four hours a day. If a faucet dripscontinually, there are interludes when it's not dripping.
CONVINCE, PERSUADE
To many, these two are synonyms, but there are shades of difference. Someone might be persuaded, while at the same time, not convinced: She persuaded me to do it, but I'm still not convinced it was right. When something or someone persuades us to act, it might be by using reason or logic, but it could also be by using force, lies, or guilt.
Convince refers to an unforced change of mind and heart that precedes action. We consider the evidence, and if it is strong enough, it convinces us and changes our perspective.
In formal writing, convince never takes an infinitive, but persuade almost always does. You cannot be convinced to do something; you can only be convinced that something, or be convinced of something.
COUNCIL, COUNSEL
Council: a group of people meeting for a purpose.
Counsel: advice (noun); an attorney (noun); to give advice or guidance (verb).
DESERT, DESSERT
The noun desert refers to a desolate area. As a verb, it means "to abandon."
A dessert is the final course of a meal.
Many misspell the phrase just deserts, meaning "proper punishment." In that usage, deserts is derived from deserve.
DEVICE, DEVISE
Device: an invention.
Devise: to invent.
DISBURSE, DISPERSE
To disburse is to distribute or pay out money or other financial assets.
Use disperse when something other than money is being distributed: The agency dispersed pamphlets after the meeting.
Disperse also means "to scatter" or "make disappear": The police dispersed the unruly mob.
DISCREET, DISCRETE
Discreet: careful not to attract attention, tactful.
Discrete: separate, detached.
People often write discrete when they mean discreet. The situation is not helped by discretion, the noun form of discreet.
DISINTERESTED, UNINTERESTED
You can be both uninterested and disinterested, or one but not the other. Disinterested means "impartial"; uninterested means "unconcerned" or "apathetic."
Many would interpret The judge was disinterested to mean that the judge didn't care. But the sentence actually means that the judge was unbiased. Huge difference there. Would you rather have a judge who's fair or one who wants to go home?
DRUG (DRAGGED)
She drug Joe out of his office at midnight. When did "drug" replace dragged as the past tense of drag? The answer is: It didn't, and it couldn't, and it better not.
DUAL, DUEL
Dual: double; having two parts.
Duel: a two-sided conflict (noun); to fight a duel (verb).
FAIR, FARE
Fair: an exhibition (noun); just, impartial (adjectives).
Fare: payment for travel (noun); to have an experience (verb); to go through something (verb):How did you fare on your test?
FARTHER, FURTHER
The general rule: farther refers to real, physical distance: Let's walk a little farther.
Further deals with degree or extent: Let's discuss this further.
FAZE, PHASE
When something or someone fazes you, you are disturbed or troubled: Her behavior doesn't faze me.
A phase is a period or chapter: He's going through a difficult phase right now.
FEAT, FEET
Feat: an extraordinary act or accomplishment.
Feet: twelve-inch increments; appendages below the ankles.
FEWER, LESS
Here's a seemingly innocent sentence: I now have two less reasons for going. Make it two fewer reasons. If you can count the commodity (two reasons), less will be wrong. You have less justification, but fewer reasons.
Exception: When the amount is one, such a sentence should read, "I now have one reasonfewer" or "one less reason, but not "one fewer reason." Admittedly, this is a head-scratcher, but that's English for you.
Use less for specific measurements of money, distance, time, or weight: It costs less than a million dollars. We walked less than fifty feet. Less than thirty minutes had passed. It weighs less than five pounds. The book Modern American Usage explains why: "We take a million dollars as a sum of money, not as a number of units; fifty feet as a measure of distance, not as one foot added to forty-nine other feet; thirty minutes as a stretch of time, exactly like half an hour … and the quantitative less is therefore correct in comparisons; fewer would sound absurd."
FIR, FUR
Fir: a type of tree.
Fur: animal hair.
FLAIR, FLARE
Flair: style; talent.
Flare: to erupt; to blaze.
FLAMMABLE, INFLAMMABLE
Let's see: flammable means "combustible." Inflammable means "combustible." Any questions?
FLAUNT, FLOUT
He was a rebel who flaunted the rules. That sentence is incorrect. Make it flouted the rules. Toflout is to ignore, disregard, defy.
To flaunt is to make a big display: She flaunted her diamond necklace.
FLOUNDER, FOUNDER
One way to avoid confusing these two verbs is to think of flounder, the fish. Something that isfloundering is thrashing around helplessly, like a fish out of water.
Founder means "to fail." If a business is floundering, it is in distress but may yet be saved. If a business founders, nothing can revive it.
FLOUR, FLOWER
Flour: an edible powder prepared by grinding grains.
Flower: the bloom of a plant.
FOREGO, FORGO
Many permissive editors allow forego in place of forgo. But forego means "to go before," "precede": A good stretching session should forego rigorous exercise.
To forgo is to abstain from, do without: If you forgo a good stretching session, you might pull a muscle.
FOREWORD, FORWARD
A foreword is an introduction, usually to a book. It's sometimes confused with forward, meaning "ahead," "forth."
FORTH, FOURTH
Forth: onward.
Fourth: coming directly after whatever is third.
FORTUITOUS, FORTUNATE
Fortuitous is a chronically misunderstood word. To purists, it most emphatically does not mean "lucky" or "fortunate"; it simply means "by chance." You are fortunate if you win the lotteryfortuitously, but you can also get flattened by a truck fortuitously.
FOUL, FOWL
Foul: tainted; sickening.
Fowl: edible bird or birds.
GAIT, GATE
Gait: stride; the way a person or animal walks or runs.
Gate: a barrier.
HAIR, HARE
Hair: what grows on the head and body.
Hare: a rabbit.
HALL, HAUL
Hall: a passageway; a large room.
Haul: to pull or drag.
HALVE, HAVE
Halve: to divide in two.
Have: to possess; to hold.
HANGAR, HANGER
Many think that a shed or shelter for housing airplanes is a "hanger," rather than a hangar (the correct spelling).
A hanger is something to hang a garment on, or someone who hangs things.
HANGED, HUNG
Speakers and writers who value precision know that the past tense of hang, when it means "to put to death using a rope," is hanged, not hung. This applies to both the active and passive voice: They hanged the prisoner and The prisoner was hanged.
For inanimate objects, use hung. Under unusual conditions, people also hung or are hung, e.g., He hung from the tree with one hand or He found himself hung upside down.
HEAL, HEEL
Heal: to repair; to restore to health.
Heel: the back part of the foot; a scoundrel.
HEAR, HERE
There is an ear in hear, and here is 80 percent of where.
HEROIN, HEROINE
Heroin: a drug derived from morphine.
Heroine: a woman admired for courage or ability.
HOARD, HORDE
Hoard: to stockpile; to amass.
Horde: a large group; a crowd.
HOARSE, HORSE
Hoarse: raspy; sore-throated.
Horse: a type of animal.
HOLE, WHOLE
Hole: an opening.
Whole: entirety (noun); entire (adjective).
HOLY, WHOLLY
Holy: sacred.
Wholly: entirely.
IDLE, IDOL, IDYLL
Idle: not active; unemployed.
Idol: an effigy; a beloved celebrity.
Idyll: a happy interlude; prose or poetry describing rural serenity.
IMMIGRATE
See emigrate, immigrate.
IMMINENT
See eminent, imminent.
IMPLY, INFER
Infer is not a synonym for imply. Imply is done by a speaker or writer—specifically, one who is being indirect: She implied that I'm a fool means that she didn't come right out and say it, but she got her point across.
Infer is done by a perceptive listener or reader who "catches" your meaning: I infer that you think I'm a fool.
Imply is akin to suggest and insinuate; infer is akin to deduce and conclude.
INCITE, INSIGHT
Incite: to provoke; stir up.
Insight: understanding; comprehension.
INCREDIBLE, INCREDULOUS
Something incredible is beyond belief, so when we experience it, we are incredulous.
Incredulous refers to a state of astonishment or disbelief. It is not a deft synonym forincredible.
INGENIOUS, INGENUOUS
What a difference one letter makes. Ingenious refers to worldly brilliance; ingenuous refers to otherworldly innocence.
IT'S, ITS
It's: a contraction for it is or it has.
Its: a possessive pronoun meaning "belonging to it."
LESSEN, LESSON
Lessen: to decrease.
Lesson: something learned or studied.
LIABLE, LIBEL, LIKELY
Liable has a negative connotation: He's liable to have an accident if he doesn't slow down.
Libel is a malicious attack on someone's character.
Likely refers to simple probability: She is likely to be on time.
LIGHTENING, LIGHTNING
That flash in an overcast sky is a bolt of lightning, which is sometimes misspelled lightening.
Lightening is the process of making something lighter in color or weight.
LOAN, LONE
Loan: something given temporarily.
Lone: only; solitary.
LOATH, LOATHE
Loath: reluctant.
Loathe: to dislike intensely.
I am loath to work for anyone I loathe.
LOOSE, LOSE
Loose: opposite of tight.
Lose: to misplace; to be defeated.
MAIL, MALE
Mail: correspondence.
Male: masculine.
MAIZE, MAZE
Maize: corn.
Maze: a labyrinth.
MANNER, MANOR
Manner: a method; a behavior.
Manor: a palatial residence.
MARQUEE, MARQUIS
Marquee: a projection over a theater entrance.
Marquis: an aristocrat; a nobleman.
MARRY, MERRY
Marry: to wed.
Merry: cheerful.
MARSHAL, MARTIAL
Marshal: a law officer (noun). To assemble (verb). Note the spelling: one l.
Martial: warlike.
MATERIAL, MATERIEL
Material: whatever something is made from.
Materiel: military equipment and supplies.
MEDAL, MEDDLE, METAL, METTLE
Medal: a decoration; a badge.
Meddle: to interfere.
Metal: an earth element.
Mettle: boldness; grit.
MINER, MINOR
Miner: one who works in a mine.
Minor: someone under the legal age of adulthood (noun); of less importance (adjective).
MORAL, MORALE
Moral: a lesson (noun); ethical (adjective).
Morale: spirit; level of enthusiasm.
MORNING, MOURNING
Morning: the start of the day, between night and afternoon.
Mourning: sorrow over a tragedy.
PAIL, PALE
Pail: a bucket.
Pale: lacking color.
PAIN, PANE
Pain: physical or emotional suffering.
Pane: a glazed piece or section of a door, window, etc.
PALATE, PALETTE, PALLET
Palate: the roof of the mouth; taste.
Palette: a range of colors; a board to hold and mix paint colors.
Pallet: a low, portable platform.
PARISH, PERISH
Parish: a district with its own church and clergy.
Perish: to stop existing; to die.
PARODY, SATIRE
A parody is a humorous imitation of a book, film, song, poem, etc., meant to poke fun at the original's style or intentions.
A satire uses biting humor, hyperbole, sarcasm, irony, etc., to lay bare the toxic absurdity of civilization.
PASSED, PAST
Passed: gone ahead of; approved.
Past: a former time; beyond.
PAST HISTORY
A curious term for history.
PASTIME, PAST TIME
A pastime is a leisurely pursuit or hobby.
The phrase past time refers to something that should have happened or been done by now.
It's past time that people realized that pastime is one word.
PEACE, PIECE
Peace: tranquility.
Piece: a portion.
PEAK, PEEK, PIQUE
Peak: a summit.
Peek: a glance (noun); to steal a glance (verb).
Pique: ill humor (noun); to arouse or annoy (verb).
PEAL, PEEL
Peal: to ring.
Peel: to strip.
PEDAL, PEDDLE
Pedal: a foot-activated lever (noun); to operate something with pedals, such as a bicycle or organ (verb).
Peddle: to sell or publicize.
PEER, PIER
Peer: a person who is an equal (noun); to look attentively (verb).
Pier: a structure extending out over water.
PERPETRATE, PERPETUATE
Perpetrate: to commit a crime.
Perpetuate: to prolong or sustain.
PERSECUTE, PROSECUTE
To persecute is to go after in an intimidating, bullying manner.
To prosecute is to go after in a legal manner.
PISTIL, PISTOL
Pistil: the female organ of a flower.
Pistol: a gun.
PLAIN, PLANE
Plain: a treeless area of land (noun); not fancy; evident (adjectives).
Plane: a flat or level surface; short form of airplane.
PLUM, PLUMB
Plum: a type of fruit.
Plumb: to examine (verb); upright; vertical (adjectives); totally; precisely (adverbs).
POLE, POLL
Pole: a long, cylindrical piece of wood or metal.
Poll: a collection of opinions; a survey.
POOR, PORE, POUR
Poor: deprived.
Pore: a small opening (noun). To study carefully (verb).
Pour: to send liquid flowing.
Be careful not to say "pour over" if you mean pore over.
PRAY, PREY
Pray: to speak to a deity.
Prey: a victim (noun); to hunt, to exploit (verbs).
PREMIER, PREMIERE
Premier is generally an adjective meaning "the best," "of unsurpassed quality, skill, or importance." As a noun, it refers to a head of government.
A premiere is an opening night or first performance.
PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPLE
Principal: a major participant; the head of an institution (nouns); of first importance; chief (adjectives).
Principle: a fundamental belief; a fundamental fact.
PROFIT, PROPHET
Profit: gain.
Prophet: a predictor; a seer.
QUOTATION, QUOTE
To purists, quote is a verb only. When we quote, we repeat or reproduce someone's exact words.
The correct term for quoted material is a quotation. In casual usage, a quotation is often called a "quote," but quote as a noun is still not acceptable in formal writing.
RACK, WRACK
As a verb, rack means "to afflict," "oppress," "torment."
To wrack is to cause the ruin of.
A lot of people mistakenly write things like "nerve-wracking" and "I wracked my brains." Drop the w in both cases. Both expressions derive from that device in the torture hall of fame called the rack.
REAL, REEL
Real: actual, authentic.
Reel: a spool (noun); to stumble; falter (verbs).
REASON BEING IS
One hears this odd phrase frequently, in statements like The economy is in trouble; the reason being is profligate spending.
Make it either the reason being profligate spending or the reason is profligate spending.
REASON IS BECAUSE
The reason is because we spend too much. Make it The reason is that we spend too much. Saying the reason is makes because unnecessary.
REEK, WREAK
Reek: to smell bad.
Wreak: to inflict.
REIGN, REIN
Reign: period in power (noun); to be in power (verb).
Rein: a strap to control horses (noun); to control or guide (verb).
REST, WREST
Rest: to relax.
Wrest: to take forcibly.
RETCH, WRETCH
Retch: to heave.
Wretch: a lowly being; a scoundrel.
RIGHT, RITE, WRITE
Right: an entitlement (noun); correct, opposite of left, opposite of wrong (adjectives).
Rite: a ritual; a ceremony.
Write: to compose letters or words.
RING, WRING
Ring: the sound of a bell; jewelry worn around a finger.
Wring: to twist.
ROAD, RODE, ROWED
Road: a street; a path; a highway.
Rode: past tense of ride.
Rowed: past tense of row.
ROLE, ROLL
Role: a position; a part in a play or film.
Roll: a baked food; a flowing movement (nouns); to rotate; to flow with a current (verbs).
SCENT, SENT
Scent: an aroma; a fragrance.
Sent: taken; moved.
SECONDLY, THIRDLY, FOURTHLY
As noted earlier, few people say "firstly," and fewer yet say "fifthly," "sixthly," "seventeenthly," etc. Many adverbs do not end in -ly. It makes more sense to use second, third, and fourth rather than secondly, thirdly, and fourthly.
SENSUAL, SENSUOUS
Sensual: relating to sexual pleasure.
Sensuous: relating to or affecting the physical senses.
SET, SIT
Set: to place something somewhere.
Sit: to take a seat.
SEW, SO, SOW
Sew: to stitch.
So: as a result; in the manner indicated.
Sow: to scatter or plant seed.
SHEAR, SHEER
Shear: to cut; to clip.
Sheer: pure; steep; translucent.
SLEIGHT, SLIGHT
Sleight: dexterity; skill.
Slight: slender; of little substance.
SOAR, SORE
Soar: to fly high.
Sore: painful; in pain.
SOLE, SOUL
Sole: the bottom of a foot; a type of fish (nouns); single; solitary (adjectives).
Soul: essence; the spirit apart from the body.
SOME, SUM
Some: an unspecified number.
Sum: the total from adding numbers.
SON, SUN
Son: male offspring.
Sun: the star that is the central body of our solar system.
STAID, STAYED
Staid: solemn; serious.
Stayed: remained; waited.
STAIR, STARE
Stair: a step.
Stare: to gaze intently.
STAKE, STEAK
Stake: a wager; an investment; a pole.
Steak: a cut of meat.
STATIONARY, STATIONERY
Stationary: in one place; inactive.
Stationery: writing paper.
STEAL, STEEL
Steal: to rob.
Steel: an iron alloy (noun); to toughen (verb).
TACK, TACT
Lessen: to decrease.
Lesson: something learned or studied.
Liable has a negative connotation: He's liable to have an accident if he doesn't slow down.
Libel is a malicious attack on someone's character.
Likely refers to simple probability: She is likely to be on time.
That flash in an overcast sky is a bolt of lightning, which is sometimes misspelled lightening.
Lightening is the process of making something lighter in color or weight.
Loan: something given temporarily.
Lone: only; solitary.
Loath: reluctant.
Loathe: to dislike intensely.
I am loath to work for anyone I loathe.
Loose: opposite of tight.
Lose: to misplace; to be defeated.
MAIL, MALE
Mail: correspondence.
Male: masculine.
MAIZE, MAZE
Maize: corn.
Maze: a labyrinth.
MANNER, MANOR
Manner: a method; a behavior.
Manor: a palatial residence.
MARQUEE, MARQUIS
Marquee: a projection over a theater entrance.
Marquis: an aristocrat; a nobleman.
MARRY, MERRY
Marry: to wed.
Merry: cheerful.
MARSHAL, MARTIAL
Marshal: a law officer (noun). To assemble (verb). Note the spelling: one l.
Martial: warlike.
MATERIAL, MATERIEL
Material: whatever something is made from.
Materiel: military equipment and supplies.
MEDAL, MEDDLE, METAL, METTLE
Medal: a decoration; a badge.
Meddle: to interfere.
Metal: an earth element.
Mettle: boldness; grit.
MINER, MINOR
Miner: one who works in a mine.
Minor: someone under the legal age of adulthood (noun); of less importance (adjective).
MORAL, MORALE
Moral: a lesson (noun); ethical (adjective).
Morale: spirit; level of enthusiasm.
MORNING, MOURNING
Morning: the start of the day, between night and afternoon.
Mourning: sorrow over a tragedy.
PAIL, PALE
Pail: a bucket.
Pale: lacking color.
PAIN, PANE
Pain: physical or emotional suffering.
Pane: a glazed piece or section of a door, window, etc.
PALATE, PALETTE, PALLET
Palate: the roof of the mouth; taste.
Palette: a range of colors; a board to hold and mix paint colors.
Pallet: a low, portable platform.
PARISH, PERISH
Parish: a district with its own church and clergy.
Perish: to stop existing; to die.
PARODY, SATIRE
A parody is a humorous imitation of a book, film, song, poem, etc., meant to poke fun at the original's style or intentions.
A satire uses biting humor, hyperbole, sarcasm, irony, etc., to lay bare the toxic absurdity of civilization.
PASSED, PAST
Passed: gone ahead of; approved.
Past: a former time; beyond.
PAST HISTORY
A curious term for history.
PASTIME, PAST TIME
A pastime is a leisurely pursuit or hobby.
The phrase past time refers to something that should have happened or been done by now.
It's past time that people realized that pastime is one word.
PEACE, PIECE
Peace: tranquility.
Piece: a portion.
PEAK, PEEK, PIQUE
Peak: a summit.
Peek: a glance (noun); to steal a glance (verb).
Pique: ill humor (noun); to arouse or annoy (verb).
PEAL, PEEL
Peal: to ring.
Peel: to strip.
PEDAL, PEDDLE
Pedal: a foot-activated lever (noun); to operate something with pedals, such as a bicycle or organ (verb).
Peddle: to sell or publicize.
PEER, PIER
Peer: a person who is an equal (noun); to look attentively (verb).
Pier: a structure extending out over water.
PERPETRATE, PERPETUATE
Perpetrate: to commit a crime.
Perpetuate: to prolong or sustain.
PERSECUTE, PROSECUTE
To persecute is to go after in an intimidating, bullying manner.
To prosecute is to go after in a legal manner.
PISTIL, PISTOL
Pistil: the female organ of a flower.
Pistol: a gun.
PLAIN, PLANE
Plain: a treeless area of land (noun); not fancy; evident (adjectives).
Plane: a flat or level surface; short form of airplane.
PLUM, PLUMB
Plum: a type of fruit.
Plumb: to examine (verb); upright; vertical (adjectives); totally; precisely (adverbs).
POLE, POLL
Pole: a long, cylindrical piece of wood or metal.
Poll: a collection of opinions; a survey.
POOR, PORE, POUR
Poor: deprived.
Pore: a small opening (noun). To study carefully (verb).
Pour: to send liquid flowing.
Be careful not to say "pour over" if you mean pore over.
PRAY, PREY
Pray: to speak to a deity.
Prey: a victim (noun); to hunt, to exploit (verbs).
PREMIER, PREMIERE
Premier is generally an adjective meaning "the best," "of unsurpassed quality, skill, or importance." As a noun, it refers to a head of government.
A premiere is an opening night or first performance.
PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPLE
Principal: a major participant; the head of an institution (nouns); of first importance; chief (adjectives).
Principle: a fundamental belief; a fundamental fact.
PROFIT, PROPHET
Profit: gain.
Prophet: a predictor; a seer.
QUOTATION, QUOTE
To purists, quote is a verb only. When we quote, we repeat or reproduce someone's exact words.
The correct term for quoted material is a quotation. In casual usage, a quotation is often called a "quote," but quote as a noun is still not acceptable in formal writing.
RACK, WRACK
As a verb, rack means "to afflict," "oppress," "torment."
To wrack is to cause the ruin of.
A lot of people mistakenly write things like "nerve-wracking" and "I wracked my brains." Drop the w in both cases. Both expressions derive from that device in the torture hall of fame called the rack.
REAL, REEL
Real: actual, authentic.
Reel: a spool (noun); to stumble; falter (verbs).
REASON BEING IS
One hears this odd phrase frequently, in statements like The economy is in trouble; the reason being is profligate spending.
Make it either the reason being profligate spending or the reason is profligate spending.
REASON IS BECAUSE
The reason is because we spend too much. Make it The reason is that we spend too much. Saying the reason is makes because unnecessary.
REEK, WREAK
Reek: to smell bad.
Wreak: to inflict.
REIGN, REIN
Reign: period in power (noun); to be in power (verb).
Rein: a strap to control horses (noun); to control or guide (verb).
REST, WREST
Rest: to relax.
Wrest: to take forcibly.
RETCH, WRETCH
Retch: to heave.
Wretch: a lowly being; a scoundrel.
RIGHT, RITE, WRITE
Right: an entitlement (noun); correct, opposite of left, opposite of wrong (adjectives).
Rite: a ritual; a ceremony.
Write: to compose letters or words.
RING, WRING
Ring: the sound of a bell; jewelry worn around a finger.
Wring: to twist.
ROAD, RODE, ROWED
Road: a street; a path; a highway.
Rode: past tense of ride.
Rowed: past tense of row.
ROLE, ROLL
Role: a position; a part in a play or film.
Roll: a baked food; a flowing movement (nouns); to rotate; to flow with a current (verbs).
Pail: a bucket.
Pale: lacking color.
Pain: physical or emotional suffering.
Pane: a glazed piece or section of a door, window, etc.
Palate: the roof of the mouth; taste.
Palette: a range of colors; a board to hold and mix paint colors.
Pallet: a low, portable platform.
Parish: a district with its own church and clergy.
Perish: to stop existing; to die.
A parody is a humorous imitation of a book, film, song, poem, etc., meant to poke fun at the original's style or intentions.
A satire uses biting humor, hyperbole, sarcasm, irony, etc., to lay bare the toxic absurdity of civilization.
Passed: gone ahead of; approved.
Past: a former time; beyond.
A curious term for history.
A pastime is a leisurely pursuit or hobby.
The phrase past time refers to something that should have happened or been done by now.
It's past time that people realized that pastime is one word.
Peace: tranquility.
Piece: a portion.
Peak: a summit.
Peek: a glance (noun); to steal a glance (verb).
Pique: ill humor (noun); to arouse or annoy (verb).
Peal: to ring.
Peel: to strip.
Pedal: a foot-activated lever (noun); to operate something with pedals, such as a bicycle or organ (verb).
Peddle: to sell or publicize.
Peer: a person who is an equal (noun); to look attentively (verb).
Pier: a structure extending out over water.
Perpetrate: to commit a crime.
Perpetuate: to prolong or sustain.
To persecute is to go after in an intimidating, bullying manner.
To prosecute is to go after in a legal manner.
Pistil: the female organ of a flower.
Pistol: a gun.
Plain: a treeless area of land (noun); not fancy; evident (adjectives).
Plane: a flat or level surface; short form of airplane.
Plum: a type of fruit.
Plumb: to examine (verb); upright; vertical (adjectives); totally; precisely (adverbs).
Pole: a long, cylindrical piece of wood or metal.
Poll: a collection of opinions; a survey.
Poor: deprived.
Pore: a small opening (noun). To study carefully (verb).
Pour: to send liquid flowing.
Be careful not to say "pour over" if you mean pore over.
Pray: to speak to a deity.
Prey: a victim (noun); to hunt, to exploit (verbs).
Premier is generally an adjective meaning "the best," "of unsurpassed quality, skill, or importance." As a noun, it refers to a head of government.
A premiere is an opening night or first performance.
Principal: a major participant; the head of an institution (nouns); of first importance; chief (adjectives).
Principle: a fundamental belief; a fundamental fact.
Profit: gain.
Prophet: a predictor; a seer.
To purists, quote is a verb only. When we quote, we repeat or reproduce someone's exact words.
The correct term for quoted material is a quotation. In casual usage, a quotation is often called a "quote," but quote as a noun is still not acceptable in formal writing.
As a verb, rack means "to afflict," "oppress," "torment."
To wrack is to cause the ruin of.
A lot of people mistakenly write things like "nerve-wracking" and "I wracked my brains." Drop the w in both cases. Both expressions derive from that device in the torture hall of fame called the rack.
Real: actual, authentic.
Reel: a spool (noun); to stumble; falter (verbs).
One hears this odd phrase frequently, in statements like The economy is in trouble; the reason being is profligate spending.
Make it either the reason being profligate spending or the reason is profligate spending.
The reason is because we spend too much. Make it The reason is that we spend too much. Saying the reason is makes because unnecessary.
Reek: to smell bad.
Wreak: to inflict.
Reign: period in power (noun); to be in power (verb).
Rein: a strap to control horses (noun); to control or guide (verb).
Rest: to relax.
Wrest: to take forcibly.
Retch: to heave.
Wretch: a lowly being; a scoundrel.
Right: an entitlement (noun); correct, opposite of left, opposite of wrong (adjectives).
Rite: a ritual; a ceremony.
Write: to compose letters or words.
Ring: the sound of a bell; jewelry worn around a finger.
Wring: to twist.
Road: a street; a path; a highway.
Rode: past tense of ride.
Rowed: past tense of row.
Role: a position; a part in a play or film.
Roll: a baked food; a flowing movement (nouns); to rotate; to flow with a current (verbs).
SCENT, SENT
Scent: an aroma; a fragrance.
Sent: taken; moved.
SECONDLY, THIRDLY, FOURTHLY
As noted earlier, few people say "firstly," and fewer yet say "fifthly," "sixthly," "seventeenthly," etc. Many adverbs do not end in -ly. It makes more sense to use second, third, and fourth rather than secondly, thirdly, and fourthly.
SENSUAL, SENSUOUS
Sensual: relating to sexual pleasure.
Sensuous: relating to or affecting the physical senses.
SET, SIT
Set: to place something somewhere.
Sit: to take a seat.
SEW, SO, SOW
Sew: to stitch.
So: as a result; in the manner indicated.
Sow: to scatter or plant seed.
SHEAR, SHEER
Shear: to cut; to clip.
Sheer: pure; steep; translucent.
SLEIGHT, SLIGHT
Sleight: dexterity; skill.
Slight: slender; of little substance.
SOAR, SORE
Soar: to fly high.
Sore: painful; in pain.
SOLE, SOUL
Sole: the bottom of a foot; a type of fish (nouns); single; solitary (adjectives).
Soul: essence; the spirit apart from the body.
SOME, SUM
Some: an unspecified number.
Sum: the total from adding numbers.
SON, SUN
Son: male offspring.
Sun: the star that is the central body of our solar system.
STAID, STAYED
Staid: solemn; serious.
Stayed: remained; waited.
STAIR, STARE
Stair: a step.
Stare: to gaze intently.
STAKE, STEAK
Stake: a wager; an investment; a pole.
Steak: a cut of meat.
STATIONARY, STATIONERY
Stationary: in one place; inactive.
Stationery: writing paper.
STEAL, STEEL
Steal: to rob.
Steel: an iron alloy (noun); to toughen (verb).
TACK, TACT
Tack and tact are commonly confused when discussing strategy.
A tack is a course of action.
Tact is discretion.
We decided to try a new tack is correct, but "a new tact" is what a lot of people say, mistakenly thinking "tact" is short for tactic.
TAIL, TALE
Tail: the hindmost animal appendage.
Tale: a story.
TAUGHT, TAUT
Taught: trained; educated.
Taut: stiff; tightly stretched.
TEAM, TEEM
Team: a group with the same goal (noun); to form a squad (verb).
Teem: to swarm.
THAN, THEN
Than is used for comparison.
Then means "next," "after that."
THEIR, THERE, THEY'RE
Their: belonging to them.
There: in that place.
They're: contraction of they are.
They're in their car over there.
TO, TOO, TWO
To: in the direction of; toward.
Too: also; excessively.
Two: the number after one.
TORTUOUS, TORTUROUS
Tortuous: winding; twisting: a tortuous trail.
Torturous: painful; causing suffering: held under torturous conditions.
TOWARD, TOWARDS
The Associated Press Stylebook insists on toward, but both are acceptable and mean the same thing.
TURBID, TURGID
Turbid means "muddy," or "unclear," literally and figuratively. Both a river and a poem may properly be called turbid.
Turgid means "swollen," literally and figuratively. One may suffer physically from a turgid limb, or mentally from a turgid (i.e., pompous and bombastic) speech.
VAIN, VANE, VEIN
Vain: futile; narcissistic.
Vane: a blade moved by wind: weather vane.
Vein: a blood vessel; a mood.
VENAL, VENIAL
Venal: "corrupt," "able and willing to be bribed."
Venial: "forgivable."
Any writer who inadvertently drops the i in a sentence like Her lapse was venial may want to think about getting a good lawyer.
VERSES, VERSUS
Verses: lines of poetry.
Versus: as compared to another choice; against.
VIAL, VILE
Vial: a small container.
Vile: evil, depraved.
VICE, VISE
Vice: a bad habit; an immoral practice.
Vise: a device used to hold an object firmly.
WAIST, WASTE
Waist: the part of the human body between the ribs and hips.
Waste: garbage (noun); to squander (verb); to spend uselessly (verb).
WAIT, WEIGHT
Wait: to stay; to be available.
Weight: heaviness; significance.
WAIVER, WAVER
Waiver: relinquishment of a right.
Waver: to feel indecisive; to swing unsteadily.
WARN, WORN
Warn: to notify about trouble.
Worn: carried on the body; deteriorated.
WARRANTEE, WARRANTY
Warrantee: a person who is given a written guarantee or a warrant.
Warranty: a written guarantee.
WARY, WEARY
Wary: mistrustful; guarded.
Weary: exhausted; drained.
WAY, WEIGH
Way: a method; a direction; a manner.
Weigh: to measure mass; to mull over.
WEAK, WEEK
Weak: lacking strength.
Week: a period of seven days.
WEATHER, WHETHER
Weather: climatic conditions (noun); to withstand (verb).
Whether: if; in case.
WHILE, WILE
While: during.
Wile: a ploy to fool, trap, or entice.
WHO, WHICH, THAT
Use who only when referring to humans. Avoid such usages as a company who or a country who or a dog who. For those, that or which is correct.
Contrary to superstition, that is perfectly acceptable when applied to people. The Man That Got Away and The Girl That I Marry, two hit ballads from the mid-twentieth century, were written at a time when the popular culture expected literacy from its songwriters. And don't forget the famous quotation from the Gospel of John which begins, "He that is without sin among you …"
Which as a pronoun should never refer to humans. (It's an adjective in sentences like Which man do you mean?)
WHO'S, WHOSE
Who's is a contraction of who is or who has.
Whose is the possessive case of who.YOKE, YOLK
Yoke: a harness for oxen.
Yolk: the yellow part of an egg.
YOU'RE, YOUR
You're: contraction of you are.
Your: belonging to you.
Vain: futile; narcissistic.
Vane: a blade moved by wind: weather vane.
Vein: a blood vessel; a mood.
Venal: "corrupt," "able and willing to be bribed."
Venial: "forgivable."
Any writer who inadvertently drops the i in a sentence like Her lapse was venial may want to think about getting a good lawyer.
Verses: lines of poetry.
Versus: as compared to another choice; against.
Vial: a small container.
Vile: evil, depraved.
Vice: a bad habit; an immoral practice.
Vise: a device used to hold an object firmly.
WAIST, WASTE
Waist: the part of the human body between the ribs and hips.
Waste: garbage (noun); to squander (verb); to spend uselessly (verb).
WAIT, WEIGHT
Wait: to stay; to be available.
Weight: heaviness; significance.
WAIVER, WAVER
Waiver: relinquishment of a right.
Waver: to feel indecisive; to swing unsteadily.
WARN, WORN
Warn: to notify about trouble.
Worn: carried on the body; deteriorated.
WARRANTEE, WARRANTY
Warrantee: a person who is given a written guarantee or a warrant.
Warranty: a written guarantee.
WARY, WEARY
Wary: mistrustful; guarded.
Weary: exhausted; drained.
WAY, WEIGH
Way: a method; a direction; a manner.
Weigh: to measure mass; to mull over.
WEAK, WEEK
Weak: lacking strength.
Week: a period of seven days.
WEATHER, WHETHER
Weather: climatic conditions (noun); to withstand (verb).
Whether: if; in case.
WHILE, WILE
While: during.
Wile: a ploy to fool, trap, or entice.
WHO, WHICH, THAT
Use who only when referring to humans. Avoid such usages as a company who or a country who or a dog who. For those, that or which is correct.
Contrary to superstition, that is perfectly acceptable when applied to people. The Man That Got Away and The Girl That I Marry, two hit ballads from the mid-twentieth century, were written at a time when the popular culture expected literacy from its songwriters. And don't forget the famous quotation from the Gospel of John which begins, "He that is without sin among you …"
Which as a pronoun should never refer to humans. (It's an adjective in sentences like Which man do you mean?)
WHO'S, WHOSE
Who's is a contraction of who is or who has.
Whose is the possessive case of who.YOKE, YOLK
Yoke: a harness for oxen.
Yolk: the yellow part of an egg.
YOU'RE, YOUR
You're: contraction of you are.
Your: belonging to you.
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