Confused and Misused words
accept, except
Accept means to receive: "Please accept my apologies."
Except means to leave out or omit: "Will you please except the last chapter
of the manuscript?"
adapt, adopt
Adapt means suited to the purpose, therefore, adapt means to make suitable
Adopt means to choose or to make one's own selection
adverse, averse
Adverse means opposing
Averse means disinclined, not wanting to
advert, avert
Advert means refer
Avert means to ward off
affect, effect
Affect mean to influence
Effect as a noun means result
aggravate, irritate
Aggravate means to make a bad situation worse
Irritate means to annoy
aid, aide
Aid means to assist and can be a verb: John will aid Bill with the newsletter.
Aid can also be a noun: The rich should give aid to the poor.
Aide is always a noun and means an assistant: The Prime Minister's aide refused
to answer any more questions.
all right
(two words) Alright is not all right.
aloud, allowed
Aloud means to vocalize
Allowed means to permit
already, all ready
Already means previously
All ready means everyone is ready, or prepared
allusion, illusion, delusion
An allusion is an indirect reference to a statement by another (written or
verbal)
An illusion is something that appears to be real, but isn't
A delusion is a false perception of self or others based on false beliefs
alternate, alternative
Alternate (verb) means to take turns or to work every other time
Alternate (noun) means one who takes the place of another
Alternative is a noun meaning to choose between two possibilities, one of
which must be rejected
ambiguous, ambivalent
Ambiguous is a statement that can be misinterpreted because it is not clear
Ambivalent means to have mixed feelings about a person or an idea
amend, emend
Amend means to alter for the better
Emend means to remove errors from text
amiable, amicable
Amiable is used to describe people who are kind, friendly and gentle
Amicable is used to describe peaceful settlements or arrangements between
two parties
among, between
Among is used in connection with more than two
Between is used with two people or things.
* EXCEPTIONS: If more than two are united in a situation,
between is used: They ran fifty miles in one hour between the ten of them.
If a comparison or opposition is involved, between is used: He could not choose
between the gray suit or the black one. There are vast cultural differences
between the 50 American States.
and/or
And/or is a legal term that is quickly becoming common in current English.
It is a fad best to be avoided. The word or carries the same meaning (in most
cases) and does not draw attention to itself.
ante-, anti-
These prefixes, though similar, are very different in meaning:
Ante means before, as in: antechamber (a small room that comes before a larger
one)
Anti means against or opposed to, as in: antichrist, antitoxin.
appraise, apprise
Appraise means to give value to
Apprise means to tell or inform
aptitude, attitude
Aptitude is inclination or talent
Attitude is a mental position.
as, like
When used as a preposition, like should never begin a clause: NOT like I said.
When introducing a clause, as is used: As he said yesterday, . . .
ascent, assent
Ascent is a noun referring to climbing or upward movement
Assent is a noun or verb having to do with agreement
beside, besides
Beside means next to or by the side of
Besides means in addition to
complacence, complaisance,
compliance
Complacence means self-satisfaction
Complaisance means affability
Compliance means conformity or a disposition to give in to others
capital, capitol
Capital refers to the seat of government of a state, province or nation.
Capitol refers to the building where the legislative body meets
confidant, confident
Confidant
(confidante, if female) is a trusted friend
Confident means you are certain
continual, continuous
A continual action is one that occurs over a long period of time, with pauses
or intermissions
A continuous action occurs without the the pauses
deprecate, depreciate
Deprecate means to plead or argue against; express strong
disapproval
Depreciate means to bring down the price or value
dual, duel
Dual always refers to two things.
Duel refers to a formal contest with guns or pistols
ensure, insure, assure
These overlap when used to mean "make certain a
specific outcome."
Ensure means generally guarantee
Insure implies taking specific measures to do so
Assure has the connotation of "give support or comfort."
farther, further
Farther means more remote; more distant
Further means at or to a more advanced point in time
forceful, forcible
Forceful means powerful; vigorous; effective
Forcible means exercising force or by force or violence
fortuitous, fortunate
Fortuitous means an event which happens by accident that may or may not be
favorable.
Fortunate means lucky or receiving good from an uncertain or unexpected source.
hypercritical, hypocritical
Hypercritical means over critical or excessively exact
Hypocritical means insincere or feigning feelings or beliefs
its, it's
Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive
case of it
It's is the contraction of it is
imply, infer
To imply means to suggest
To infer means to draw a conclusion
lay, lie
Lay, laid, laid are the principal parts of the verb which means to
put down or to place
Lie, lay, lain are the principal parts of the verb which means to recline
meantime, meanwhile
Meantime refers to action taking place while waiting for another
action or event to occur
Meanwhile has the same meaning
oral, verbal
Oral is spoken
Verbal means having to do with words, either written or spoken
precede, proceed
Precede means to go ahead of or to go before
Proceed means to go ahead with an action
principle, principal
Principle means an aim or ideal
Principal means main or chief (as the principal of a school)
respectively, respectfully
Respectively means individually, in their respective or given order
Respectfully means showing respect, courtesy, regard for something or someone
else
rightfully, rightly
Rightful or rightfully means having a right or just claim,
as to some possession or position
Rightly means properly or correctly, without the legal claim
stationary, stationery
Stationary means motionless
Stationery means writing materials; especially paper
to, too, two
To means toward, specifying a point or
person to be approached and reached
Too means likewise; also; in addition
Two is the cardinal number between one and three
wary, weary
Wary means suspicious
Weary means tired
who's, whose
Who's is the contraction for who is and who has: I know
who's coming to visit.
Whose is the possessive pronoun of who: Whose paper is this?