WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

PART I

accept (verb) to receive willingly.

Mary accepted my apology.

except (preposition) As a preposition except means excluding or leaving out.

Everyone except Tom was present.
(or as a verb) As a verb except means to exclude or to leave out.
Tony was excepted from the list of players.
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affect (verb) to influence.

Did the horror movie affect you?

effect (verb) As a verb effect means to accomplish.

New classes effected a great change in his vision.
(or a noun) As a noun effect means the result of some action.
What effect did the last test have on your grade?

Hint: affect with an “a” is an action. Effect with an “e” is an end-result.

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all right This is the only acceptable spelling.

I asked her if she was all right after her fall.
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already (adverb) previously.

We had already painted the sets for the play.

all ready all are ready.

We are all ready for the dance.
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among (preposition) connects more than two.

Divide the Skittles among the girls in the class.

between (preposition) connects only two.

Divide the cookies between Ray and Mark.
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bring (verb) carry to the speaker.

Bring the package to me right now.

take (verb) carry in any other direction.

Take your equipment with you.
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capital this is the only correct spelling except when the word means a government building.
What is the capital of Massachusetts?
Does this word require a capital letter?

Capitol government building (usually capitalized)

We could see the Capitol building from our hotel.
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coarse (adjective) rough or crude.

Sandpaper is coarse.

course (noun) path of action.

There is a new golf course in our town.
My English course helped my writing.
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Exercise # 1 Select the correct word and be prepared to defend your choice.

1. The illness had a strange (affect effect) on Barbara.

2. Please (bring take) your pen when you come to class each day.

3. My cousin knows the (capital capitol) of every state in our country.

4. The (course coarse) material was uncomfortable against her skin.

5. Of (course coarse) Abby burned the (desert dessert) again.

6. Elizabeth (accepted excepted) my invitation.

7. Despite all of her worrying, everything turned out (all right alright).

8. A computer (course coarse) is recommended for anyone who wants to go to college.

9. We traveled three days across the (dessert desert).

10. The actors were (all ready already) to audition for the play.

11. We divided the books (among between) the five classes.

12. Please (bring take) this notice home to your parents and (bring take) it back here tomorrow.

13. The (effect affect) of the snow was that the roads were closed.

14. His broken foot (effected affected) his running speed.

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PART II

complement (verb) to make whole.

The bag complements her new outfit.
(or noun) the thing that makes something whole.
The complement of 60 degrees is 30 degrees.

compliment (verb) to praise.

I complimented her on the dinner she made.
(or noun) praise, affection or esteem.
I gave my compliments to the artist.
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consul (noun) a diplomat appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country.
When my passport was stolen in Paris, the American consul in France helped me get
home.

council (noun) a group that meets to discuss matters related to a specific group.
The student council discussed the pep rally.
councilor (noun) a member of such a group.
The town councilors voted to build a new school.

counsel (verb) to advise.

Jake’s therapist counseled him after the car accident.
counselor (noun) an advisor.
You should speak with your guidance counselor about your schedule.
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could have these are the only acceptable spellings. No could of, would of, or should of.
should have
would have
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formally (adverb) in a formal matter.

For a wedding, one should dress formally.

formerly (adverb) in the past.

Mr. Smith was formerly the principal of Westbrook High School.
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illusion (noun) a false idea or belief.

The afternoon sunlight gave the illusion that the building was on fire.

allusion (noun) reference.

In The Human Comedy there are many allusions to The Odyssey.
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its possessive of it.

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 The dog ate out of its bowl.

it's contraction for it is.

It’s not time to get up for school yet.

Hint: Possessive its never splits (as in, there is no apostrophe splitting it.)
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lead present tense of the verb to lead, which means to go first.

Jennifer will lead us since she knows the way.

led past tense of the verb to lead.

Andrew led us on the hike.
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lay (verb) to place or to put. (this verb takes a direct object)

I am going to lay the book on the table.

lie (verb) to rest or recline. (this verb does not take the direct object)
I am going to lie down on the couch.
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loose (adjective) not firmly in place.

He has two loose teeth.

lose (verb) to suffer loss.

Do not lose your science textbook.
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moral (adjective) concerned with right or wrong.

Everyone admires a moral person.
(or noun) a lesson.
The moral of the story is to look before you leap.

morale (noun) spirit.

Even after two defeats, the morale of the team was high.
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desert (noun) a dry area. Pronounced DES-ert

Because of the heat, they crossed the desert at night.

desert (verb) to leave. Pronounced des-ERT like the end of a meal.

He deserted the car on the road.

dessert (noun) the last part of a meal.

For dessert we had ice cream.

Hint: There is more than one s in dessert because you always want more dessert.
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Exercise # 2 Select the correct word and be prepared to defend your choice.
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1. As I (lay laid) on the couch yesterday, I had a strange dream.

2. You can (lead led) a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.

3. If you (loose lose) the directions, we’ll never get there.

4. For the (past passed) week he had done nothing but work on a term paper.

5. The general spoke to the troops to improve their (moral morale).

6. The President made an (allusion illusion) to the Midwest during his speech.

7. My horse (lead led) all the others around the track.

8. (Lay Lie) down and go to sleep.

9. If (its it’s) not too much trouble, would you mail this package for me?

10. After she went on a diet, her clothes were too (loose lose).

11. Maine was (formerly formally) part of Massachusetts.

12. (It’s Its) raining in Florida today.

13. I am going to (lay lie) the letter on the desk and then (lie lay) in bed for a while.

14. I have lost so much weight that my jeans are becoming (loose lose).

PART III

personal (adjective) individual.

The coach gave the player some personal attention.

personnel (noun) a group of people employed at the same place.

The bosses added four new employees to the personnel.
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principal (noun) head of school.

The principal of our school is Mr. Stephens.
(or adjective) most important.
The principal reason we left was because of the bad weather.

principle (noun) a rule of conduct.

Jake based his decision on the principles of right or wrong.
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quiet (adjective) still or silent.

The birds outside my window were quiet.
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quite (adverb) completely, rather or very.
Are you quite certain that you shut the garage door?
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raise (noun) an increase.

He got a raise last year.
(or verb) to lift up. (this verb takes the direct object)
The teacher asked us to raise our hand if we had a question.

rise (verb) to come up. (this verb does not take a direct object)
The river next to our house rises whenever there is a storm.
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stationary (adjective) in a fixed position.

The desk was stationary since it was connected to the floor.

stationery (noun) writing paper.

Amanda wrote her thank you notes on pink stationary.
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than (conjunction) used for comparisons.

He is smarter than I am.

then (adverb) at that time.

We didn’t know each other then.
(conjunction) next.
We swam for an hour then we went home.
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their (adjective) possessive of they.

Their new car is a Volkswagen.

there (noun) a place.

I haven’t been there in three years.

they're (contraction) they are.

They’re visiting New York next month.
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passed (verb) past tense of to pass.

We passed the papers to the front.

past (noun) a previous time.

We study the past in History class.
(or adjective) relating to a previous time.
The past year was difficult.
(or preposition) from one side to another.
The dog walked past the cat without noticing.
Exercise # 3 Select the correct word and be prepared to defend your choice.

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1. Mary doesn’t understand any of the (principals principles) of physics.

2. My father (rises raises) many objections to me going to Paris alone.

3. During the last minutes of the game, we all stayed (stationery stationary).

4. Josh asks much older (than then) he really is.

5. Adam spoke in a (quiet quite) voice, which is (quiet quite) different from his normally loud voice.

6. Rob asks too many (personal personnel) questions.

7. When the sun (rises raises) we will pack up the tent.

8. On should never bother animals when (there their they’re) eating.

9. “Do you have any (principals principles)?” the (principal principle) asked the student.

10. The bookstore is having a large sale on (stationary stationery).

11. We are going to (there their they’re)

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PART IV

to (preposition) expressing motion to a particular location

We must return the books to the library
(or with the infinitive form of a verb)
Kate began to run

too (adverb) to a higher degree than is desirable, or more than enough.

Jose is too young to drive.
Mary is going to the gym and Ann is going too.

two (adjective) one plus one

Heidi will graduate in two years.
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waist (noun) the midsection of the body

He put the belt around his waist.

waste (noun) a foolish or needless expense.

The United States produces a lot of waste every year.
(or a verb) to spend foolishly.
He wasted his allowance on candy.
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weather (noun) the conditions outside

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 The weather this summer has been nice.

whether (conjunction) indicating a choice between alternatives

Andrew didn’t know whether he wanted to play hockey or basketball
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who’s (contraction) who is or who has

He asked who’s behind the door and who’s taken the last cookie.

whose possessive of who

Whose dog is that?
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your possessive of you

Your watch is on the desk.

you're (contraction) you are

You’re never on time.
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Exercise # 4 Select the correct word and be prepared to defend your choice.

1. Billy wore a leather belt around his (waist waste).

2. (You’re Your) guidance counselor wants to see you today.

3. (Weather Whether) or not you can take Advanced Geometry next year depends on your grades.

4. Because there was (two to too) much traffic on the highway, we got to the party late.

5. (Who’s Whose) going to buy his ticket now?

6. If you want to pass Biology (your you’re) going to have to work harder.

7. I don’t really care (whose who’s) fault it was, someone must repair the damage.

8. I liked the concert (to too two).

9. This is good (weather whether) for sailing.

10. (Your You’re) sure that Mr. Thompson wanted to see me?

11. We can never have (to too two) many people working on the project.