English · Usage

English: Commonly Confused Words

24 terms · by ineedtostudy · updated 21 hours ago

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Terms in this set

affect / effect

Affect is almost always the verb, effect the noun. The rain affected the match; the effect was a two-hour delay.

its / it's

It's is only ever "it is" or "it has". Its is the possessive and takes no apostrophe — like his and hers.

your / you're

You're is "you are". Your is the possessive.

their / there / they're

Belonging to them / a place / "they are".

then / than

Then is about time or sequence. Than is for comparisons.

to / too / two

Direction or an infinitive / also or excessively / the number.

lose / loose

Lose is the verb, rhyming with news. Loose is the adjective, rhyming with goose.

practice / practise

British English: practice is the noun, practise the verb. American English spells both practice.

advice / advise

Advice is the noun and rhymes with ice. Advise is the verb and rhymes with wise.

principal / principle

The principal is the head of a school, or the main thing. A principle is a rule or belief.

complement / compliment

A complement completes something. A compliment praises somebody.

stationary / stationery

Stationary means not moving. Stationery is paper and pens — e for envelope.

who's / whose

Who's is "who is" or "who has". Whose is the possessive.

fewer / less

Fewer for things you can count, less for quantities you cannot. Fewer cards, less time.

accept / except

To accept is to receive. To except is to exclude, and except is usually a preposition meaning "apart from".

allusion / illusion

An allusion is an indirect reference. An illusion is a false impression.

discreet / discrete

Discreet means tactful. Discrete means separate and distinct.

e.g. / i.e.

E.g. introduces an example (exempli gratia). I.e. restates what came before (id est, "that is").

farther / further

Farther for physical distance, further for degree or extent. British English often uses further for both.

imply / infer

A speaker implies. A listener infers.

elicit / illicit

To elicit is to draw out. Illicit means unlawful.

cite / site / sight

To quote a source / a place / the sense of vision.

assure / ensure / insure

Assure a person, ensure an outcome, insure against a loss.

compose / comprise

The whole comprises the parts; the parts compose the whole. "Comprised of" is widely considered an error.