WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

Above or Over
When we use above as a preposition, it means ‘higher than’. Its meaning is close to that of the
preposition over. In the following sentences, over can be used instead of above:

The waves came up above her head and she started screaming. (or … came up over her head …)

She is a nervous flier. But once the plane got above the clouds, she started to relax. (or … got
over the clouds …)

We use above, but not over, to refer to things that are at an upper or higher level:

[a ‘chalet’ is a small wooden building usually found in mountainous areas]

Do they live in that chalet above the village?

Not: Do they live in that chalet over the village?

We usually use above, but not over, when there is no contact between the things referred to.
Over or on top of have a more general meaning, and can be used when one thing touches or
covers another:

They made her comfortable and put a blanket over her.

Not: They made her comfortable and put a blanket above her.

We normally use over not above with numbers:

I get over sixty emails a day.

Not: I get above sixty emails a day.

If you weigh over 100 kilograms, then you may need to start a diet.

Not: If you weigh above 100 kilograms

Warning:

When we talk about temperatures in relation to zero or (the) average, we use above not over:

It was three degrees above zero.

Not: It was three degrees over zero.

When we refer to temperatures in other contexts, we can normally use above or over:

The temperature is already above 30 degrees. (or … over 30 degrees.)

Typical errors

 We don’t use over to mean ‘higher level’.

Most of the race is 500 metres above sea level.

Not: Most of the race is 500 metres over sea level.

 We don’t use above when one thing touches or covers another.

Pour some cream over the tart and serve it warm.

Not: Pour some cream above the tart

 We don’t use above with numbers.

Over 100 people complained about the programme.

Not: Above 100 people complained.

Across, over or through?

Grammar > Easily confused words > Across, over or through?
from English Grammar Today

Across
We use across as a preposition (prep) and an adverb (adv). Across means on the other side of
something, or from one side to the other of something which has sides or limits such as a city,
road or river:

We took a boat [PREP]across the river.

[PREP]Across the room, she could see some old friends. She got up and went to join them.

My neighbour came [ADV]across to see me this morning to complain about our cat.

The road was so busy that we found it difficult to get [ADV]across.

We also use across when something touches or stretches from one side to another:

The Ponte Vecchio is a beautiful old bridge across the river Arno in Florence.

She divided the page by drawing a red line across it. Then she cut it in two.

Especially in American English, across from is used to refer to people or objects being ‘opposite’
or ‘on the other side’:

The pharmacy is across from the Town Hall.

Helen’s office is just across from mine.

We use across to emphasise that something is happening at the same time in many places, e.g.
within an organisation, a city or a country:

She’s opened coffee shops across the city and they’re very successful.

Across the country, people are coming out to vote for a new president.

We also use across to refer to the width or diagonal measurement of something:

The size of a television screen is measured from the higher corner of one side to the lower
corner of the other side, that is, from one corner across to the opposite corner.

Across comes after measurements when we talk about diameter or width:

The building is 157 metres long, 92 metres across and the façade is 68 metres wide.

Over
We use over as a preposition and an adverb to refer to something at a higher position than
something else, sometimes involving movement from one side to another:

From the castle tower, you can see [PREP]over the whole city.

We toasted marshmallows [PREP]over the fire.

We drove high up [PREP]over the mountains on a narrow dangerous road.

Suddenly a plane flew [ADV]over and dropped hundreds of leaflets.

Come over often means to come to the speaker’s home:

You must come [ADV]over and have dinner with us some time.
Especially when we use them as adverbs, over can mean the same as across:

We walked over to the shop. (or We walked across to the shop – the shop is on the other side of
the road)

I was going across to say hello when I realised that I couldn’t remember his name. (or I was
going over to say … meaning ‘to the other side of the street or room’)

Across or through?
Movement

When we talk about movement from one side to another but ‘in something’, such as long grass or
a forest, we use through instead of across:

I love walking through the forest. (through stresses being in the forest as I walk)

Not: I love walking across the forest.

When my dog runs through long grass, it’s difficult to find him. (through stresses that the dog is
in the grass)

Not: When my dog runs across long grass …

Time

When referring to a period of time from start to finish, American English speakers often use
through where British English speakers say from … to/till …:

The office is open Monday through Friday, 9 am–5 pm. (preferred British form: from Monday to
Friday)

Warning:

We use over, not through, to refer to periods of time from start to finish when a number is
specified (of days, weeks, etc.):

Over the last few days, I have been thinking a lot about quitting my job.

Across, over and through: typical errors

 When moving from one side to another while surrounded by something, we use through
not across:

We cycled through a number of small villages.

Not: We cycled across a number of small villages.

 When we talk about something extending or moving from one side to another, we use
across not on:

The papers were spread across the table.

Not: The papers were spread on the table.

 We don’t use through when we’re talking about periods of time from start to finish and
we mention a specific number of days, weeks, etc:

We haven’t seen each other much over the last four years.

Not: We haven’t seen each other much through the last four years.

Advice or advise?
Grammar > Easily confused words > Advice or advise?
from English Grammar Today

Advice /ədˈvɑɪs/ is a noun and means a suggestion about what someone should do. It is
uncountable:

Let me give you some advice: stay away from Margaret.

Not: Let me give you an advice

She gave him a lot of advice, but I don’t think he listened.

Not: …a lot of advices …

If we want to use advice in a countable way, then we use the phrase a piece of advice:

I have two pieces of advice for you about the holiday.

We use the verb advise /ədˈvɑɪz/ to mean ‘to give someone advice’:

I strongly advise you to lose weight.

They finally did what we advised.

Affect or effect?
Grammar > Easily confused words > Affect or effect?
from English Grammar Today

Affect is a verb meaning ‘influence or cause someone or something to change’:

The cold weather has really affected her health.

New technologies continue to affect how we live.

Effect is a noun that means ‘the result of an influence’:

The pollution in the city had a bad effect on me.

Most people these days understand the serious effects of smoking.

All or every?
Grammar > Easily confused words > All or every?
from English Grammar Today

All and every are determiners.

We use both all and every to refer to the total number of something. All refers to a complete
group. Every refers to each member of a complete group:

The questionnaire was sent to all employees.

The questionnaire was sent to every employee.

We can use every to focus on each individual member.

Compare
All passengers must turn off their mobile phones. refers to the whole group
Every passenger must turn off their mobile phone.
focuses on each individual
(We use their instead of his or her to refer back to a singular noun member of the whole
(passenger) because we are referring to both male and female group
passengers.)

We can use all, but not every, on its own without a noun. We use everyone/everybody/everything
instead:

The meeting is at Oriel Hall. It begins at 8 pm and all are welcome.

Not: … every is welcome

Everyone is welcome to join the village social club.

See also:

 Every

All and every + nouns

The meaning of all and every is very similar but we use them in different ways. We use all with
plural and uncountable nouns and every with singular nouns:

All donations will be sent to the earthquake relief fund.

All equipment must be returned by the end of June. (uncountable)

Every donation is appreciated.

We can use all and all of before determiners, but we don’t use every before determiners:

I invited all (of) my friends.

Not: … every my friends

All (of) the

We can use all and all of before articles (the, a/an), demonstratives (this, that) and possessives
(our, his) but we can’t use every before them:

[talking about a library]

It has got all (of) the books that have ever been published.

Not: It has got every the book or It has got the every book

She’s gone to all (of) their concerts this year. She hasn’t missed one.

Not: … every their concerts

See also:

 All of
 All without of

All day, every day

We use all day, all week, all month to mean ‘one entire day/week/month’:

We spent all day at the beach yesterday.

Every day (week/month) focuses on each individual day (week/month):

We spent every day at the beach in the holidays.

Not: We spent all days at the beach

Fuel prices are rising every week.

Not: Fuel prices are rising all weeks.

All or every: typical errors

 We don’t use every before determiners:

He sold all (of) his books.

Not: … every his books.

 We don’t use every with uncountable nouns:

All (the) information can be saved in the computer memory.

Not: Every information can be saved …

 We don’t use every with plural nouns:

We should organise a trip for all students.

Not: … for every students

 We don’t use every on its own without a noun; we use everyone, everybody or everything
instead:

He suggested cancelling the trip and everyone agreed.

Not: … every agreed

See also:

 Every
 Everyone, everybody, everything, everywhere
All or whole?
Grammar > Easily confused words > All or whole?
from English Grammar Today

All and whole are determiners.

We use them before nouns and with other determiners to refer to a total number or complete set
of things in a group.

Compare
All the cast had food poisoning. They were forced to cancel the show. all + determiner + noun
The whole cast had food poisoning. They were forced to cancel the determiner + whole +
show. noun

All my family lives abroad. or My whole family lives abroad.

We often use all and the whole with of the:

She complains all of the time. or She complains the whole of the time.

We use a/an with whole but not with all:

I spent a whole day looking for that book and eventually found it in a little old bookshop on the
edge of town.

Not: … all a day …

All or whole for single entities

We use the whole or the whole of to refer to complete single things and events that are countable
and defined:

The whole performance was disappointing from start to finish. (or The whole of the performance
was disappointing …)

When we can split up a thing into parts, we can use either whole or all with the same meaning:

You don’t have to pay the whole (of the) bill at once.

You don’t have to pay all (of) the bill at once.

She ate the whole orange.

She ate all of the orange.

We often use the whole of with periods of time to emphasise duration:

We spent the whole (of the) summer at the beach.

All the with uncountable nouns

We use all the and not the whole with uncountable nouns:

She was given all the advice she needed.

Not: She was given the whole advice …

All the equipment is supplied.

All and whole with plural nouns

We usually use all the and all of the with plural nouns:

It’s funny when all the actors come in dressed up in their costumes.

She opens all the cupboard doors and doesn’t close them after her.

You have to try all of the activities.

When we use whole with plural nouns, it means ‘complete’ or ‘entire’.

Compare
Whole families normally shared one room in the nineteenth century. entire families
each and every
All families normally shared one bedroom in the nineteenth century.
family

All and whole: typical errors

 We don’t use all before a and an:

She ate a whole bar of chocolate in one go.

Not: She ate all a bar …

 We can’t omit the before whole with a singular noun:

We travelled throughout the whole country.

Not: … throughout whole country.

Allow, permit or let?

Grammar > Easily confused words > Allow, permit or let?
from English Grammar Today

Allow, permit and let are verbs that all have a similar meaning: ‘give permission or make it
possible for somebody to do or have something’.

Permit is more formal than allow. Allow is more formal than let:

The University has established a Museums Committee to permit more formal discussion of
common problems amongst its museums.

The plan for Heathrow will allow airport operator BAA to build a third, shorter runway.

Will you let me pay for the meal?

Let me show you how to open it. It’s a bit tricky.

Permit/allow someone + to do something

We use a direct object + to-infinitive after permit and allow:

[from a newspaper report about a rugby player]

He has not decided yet whether his leg injury will permit him to play this weekend.

I would not allow a child to have a TV or a computer in their room.

Let someone + do something

We use an infinitive without to after let:

[child to parent]

Why don’t you let me go? All my friends are going.

We don’t let employees use the office telephone for personal calls.

Passive with permit and allow

We often use the passive with permit and allow. Permit is often used for official public notices:
Photography is permitted for non-commercial use only.

[talking about a diet]

You’re allowed to eat as much fruit as you like.

We’re not allowed to put posters on the walls.

Warning:

We don’t usually use the passive with let:

The children were allowed to do whatever they wanted.

Not: The children were let do …

See also:

Almost or nearly?
Grammar > Easily confused words > Almost or nearly?
from English Grammar Today

We use almost and nearly to refer to the progress of things, especially if we are measuring and
counting things. In these examples, almost and nearly can both be used:

[someone has been running five miles on a running machine in a gym]

Don’t give up! You’re almost there.

It’s time for bed. It’s nearly 10 o’clock.

Their CD has sold almost 90,000 copies in the last week.

Nearly all my friends were in the photograph.

We also use almost and nearly with extreme adjectives such as perfect, impossible or frozen:

That guy is almost impossible.

The chicken is still nearly frozen. I thought you’d taken it out of the freezer.

We use almost (but not nearly) to soften statements:

I almost wish I hadn’t offered to pay his fine.

We use almost before any and before negative words such as no, none, never, nobody, nothing.
We don’t use nearly in this way:

[describing computer software which traces the history of towns]

Using this special software, you can find the history of almost any building.

They’ve almost no confidence that they can use the new phone properly.

She almost never raises her voice.

Not: She nearly never raises her voice.

Alone, lonely, or lonesome?

Grammar > Easily confused words > Alone, lonely, or lonesome?
from English Grammar Today

Alone or lonely?
Alone is an adjective and an adverb meaning that no other person is with you. When we use
alone as an adjective, it never comes before the noun (predicative adjective):

She was alone when she heard the sad news. (adjective)

It’s impossible to discuss as a committee. The chairman alone will decide. (adverb)

Did they travel alone or did they take the children with them? (adverb)

Do you live alone? (adverb)

Lonely means that no other person is with you and that you are sad and unhappy as a result. We
may choose to be alone but generally we do not choose to be lonely:

Without her friends, it was a long and lonely journey.

She says she feels very lonely and depressed living in that big house.

We don’t use lonely as an adverb:

I prefer going to lunch alone.

Not: I prefer going to lunch lonely.

Lonesome
In American English, lonesome means the same as lonely:

If they’re away from home, they get lonesome. (If they’re away from home, they get lonely).

Along or alongside?
Grammar > Easily confused words > Along or alongside?
from English Grammar Today

Along and alongside are prepositions or adverbs.

Along
As a preposition, along means ‘in a line next to something long and thin’, e.g. a road, a path:

There were lots of shops along the main street.

I saw three different boats along the bank of the river.

We use along as an adverb with verbs of motion meaning ‘together with’:

Why don’t you come along with us to the party?

They said they’d bring the bikes along and we can ride to the swimming pool.

Alongside
As a preposition, alongside means ‘close beside’, ‘next to’ or ‘together with’:

The trees alongside the fence have all been damaged by the wind. (near)

Put your bike alongside mine. (next to)

I find it difficult to cope with this illness alongside all my other problems. (together with)

We also use alongside as an adverb, meaning ‘along the side of’ or ‘next to’ something:

I parked my car in the drive and William parked his alongside.

Already, still or yet?

Grammar > Easily confused words > Already, still or yet?
from English Grammar Today

Already or yet?
We use already to refer to something which has happened or may have happened before the
moment of speaking. Already can sometimes suggest surprise on the part of the speaker, that
something is unexpected:

Is it seven o’clock already? (The speaker didn’t expect it to be so late.)

We use yet most commonly in questions and negatives, to talk about things which are expected
but which have not happened:

Is it seven o’clock yet? (The speaker thinks that probably it’s almost seven o’clock.)

A:

Where will you be staying?

B:

I haven’t decided yet, but somewhere in the city centre.

Already refers to things which have happened or which people think may have happened. Yet
refers to things which have not happened or which people think may not have happened.

Already, yet or still?

We use still not yet or already to refer to the continuation of a situation:

I still meet my friends from my schooldays now and then. (I continue to meet my friends)

Not: I already meet my friends or I yet meet my friends

Compare
A:

Is your sister still at university?

I know she was at university. Does that continue
to be true?
B:

Yes. She’s got one more year to do.

A: I expect that she will go to university. Is she there
now?
Is your sister at university yet?

B:

No. She’s only 17. She’ll go next year.

A:

Is your sister already at university? She’s

only 17!
I’m surprised if your sister is at university. I did
not expect it to happen until later.
B:

Yes. She started this year. She’s so clever

they let her enter a year early.

Negatives with already, still, yet

Negatives with yet mean that something has not happened up to now:

I haven’t spoken to Henry about the car yet.

Negatives with still suggest that the situation should have changed, but it has not:

I still haven’t found my passport. I know it’s here somewhere. (I’ve been looking for it for a long
time. I should have found it by now)

Warning:

We usually put yet after the main verb, whereas we usually put still after the subject.

Compare
I haven’t finished yet. I still haven’t finished.
You know, it’s dark now and she hasn’t arrived You know, it’s dark now and she still hasn’t
yet. arrived.

Negatives with already are far less common than negatives with yet and still. They usually refer
to things which should have happened before they did happen:

If you’ve already registered, the price is 50 pounds. If you haven’t already registered, it’s 75
pounds for late registration.

I was surprised that they hadn’t already told me the news.

Also, as well or too?
Grammar > Easily confused words > Also, as well or too?
from English Grammar Today

Also, as well and too are adverbs and mean ‘in addition’.

Also
Also is commonly used in writing, but is less common in speaking. Also occupies different
positions in a sentence.

We use also in front position to emphasise what follows or to add a new point or topic:

It’s very humid. Also, you can easily get sunburnt.

[on the telephone]

OK, I’ll phone you next week and we can discuss it then. Also, we need to decide who will be
going to Singapore.

We use also in the normal mid position for adverbs, between the subject and main verb, or after
the modal verb or first auxiliary verb, or after be as a main verb. In this position, the meaning of
also usually connects back to the whole clause that comes before:

She works very hard but she also goes to the gym every week.

I’ve been working in the garden this week, and I’ve also been reading a lot.

In end position, also normally connects two phrases. We use as well and too instead of also, in
end position, especially in speech:

She contacted him in the office but he didn’t answer the phone. His mobile phone was silent
also. (or His mobile phone was silent too. or … was silent as well.)

As well
Spoken English:

As well is much more common in speaking than in writing, and is more common in speaking
than also.

As well almost always comes in end position:

[In a restaurant. Customer (A) is ordering from a waiter (B)]

A:

I’ll have steak please.

B:

Yes.

A:

And I’ll have the mixed vegetables as well.

See also:

 As well (as)

Too
We usually put too in end position:

Gill’s having chicken. I’ll probably have chicken too.

She looks really tired and she must be really hungry too.

Too can occur immediately after the subject, if it refers directly to the subject. It does not
normally occur after a modal or auxiliary verb. We sometimes write commas before and after
too:

I too thought she looked unwell.

We, too, have been very pleased to receive the prize on her behalf.

Not: We have too been very pleased …

Too is especially common in responses to fixed expressions such as giving good wishes, and in
responses consisting of a single object pronoun:

A:

Enjoy the play.

B:
Thanks. You enjoy your evening too. (preferred to You enjoy your evening as well. or You also
enjoy your evening.)

A:

I need to go to the gym.

B:

Yeah, me too. (preferred to Yeah, me also. or Yeah, me as well.)

In imperative clauses, as well and too are normally preferred to also:

[customer in a post office, buying books of first and second class stamps]

Give me a book of ten first and a book of ten second as well then please. (preferred to … and a
book of ten second also then please.)

Linking negatives
We use either not also, as well or too to connect two negative ideas:

Bill’s not here. I don’t think Dave is either, is he?

Not: I don’t think Dave is also/as well/too.

A:

That’s not in paperback yet. It’s not been in any book clubs either, has it?

B:

No.

Not: It’s not been in any book clubs also/as well/too, has it?

Also, as well and too: typical error

 We don’t use as well at the beginning of a clause. As well usually comes at the end of a
clause:

I just ignored it. I think everybody else did as well.

Not: As well I think everybody else did.

Alternate(ly), alternative(ly)
Grammar > Easily confused words > Alternate(ly), alternative(ly)
from English Grammar Today

Alternate(ly)
The adjective alternate and the adverb alternately mean ‘first one thing, then another thing and
then the first thing again’. When we refer to time, we can also use the phrase every other day,
every other week, etc.

The trouble is you can only park in the hospital on alternate days. (or … in the hospital every
other day.)

Not: on alternative days

She was alternately pleased and angry.

See also:

 Every

Alternative(ly)
Alternative(ly) means ‘something that is different and unusual and offers a possible choice’:

We can’t use that room for meetings. They’ll have to find us an alternative room.

Not: …an alternate room …

Alternatively, we could just stay in.

Not: Alternately, we could …

Although or though?
Grammar > Easily confused words > Although or though?
from English Grammar Today

Although and though meaning ‘in spite of’

Although and though both mean ‘in spite of something’. They are subordinating conjunctions.
This means that the clause which they introduce is a subordinate clause, which needs a main
clause to make it complete:

[main clause]Everyone enjoyed the trip to the final although [subordinate clause]we lost the
match!

[subordinate clause]Though it was rainy, [main clause]we put on our jackets and went for a
walk.

Spoken English:

Though is more common than although in general and it is much more common than although in
speaking. For emphasis, we often use even with though (but not with although).

Warning:

When the though/although clause comes before the main clause, we usually put a comma at the
end of the clause. When the main clause comes first, we don’t need to use a comma:

Even though I earn a lot of money every month, I never seem to have any to spare!

I still feel hungry even though I had a big lunch.

See also:

 Even if

Although and though with -ing clauses

In formal situations, we can use although and though to introduce an -ing clause:

[a teacher talking about a student]

Peter, although working harder this term, still needs to put more work into mathematics.

[a doctor talking about a patient]

The patient, though getting stronger, is still not well enough to come off his medication.

Although and though with reduced clauses

In formal speaking or writing, we can use although, though and even though to introduce a
clause without a verb (a reduced clause):
Raymond, although very interested, didn’t show any emotion when she invited him to go for a
walk.

[referring to a car]

Though more expensive, the new model is safer and more efficient.

Although and though meaning ‘but’

When the although/though clause comes after a main clause, it can also mean ‘but it is also true
that …’:

Karen is coming to stay next week although I’m not sure what day she is coming.

We didn’t make any profit though nobody knows why.

Though meaning ‘however’

Spoken English:

Especially in speaking, we can use though (but not although or even though) with a meaning
similar to however or nevertheless. In these cases, we usually put it at the end of a clause:

A:

You have six hours in the airport between flights!

B:

I don’t mind, though. I have lots of work to do. I’ll just bring my laptop with me.

A:

It’s expensive.

B:

It’s nice, though.

A:

Yeah, I think I’ll buy it.

As though
As though has a meaning very similar to as if. As if is much more common than as though:

You look as though/as if you have seen a ghost!

He looks as though/as if he hasn’t slept.

Altogether or all together?

Grammar > Easily confused words > Altogether or all together?
from English Grammar Today

Altogether
Altogether means ‘completely’ or ‘in total’:

In 1997 the sales tax was lowered to 4%, then in 2001 it was abolished altogether.

The book was €13.50 and the magazine was €5.25, so it was €18.75 altogether.

All together
All together means ‘with each other’, and is similar to together:

Put your clothes all together in one pile and I’ll wash them for you.

Not: Put your clothes altogether in one pile …

[a group of five people are waiting at the entrance to a restaurant]

Waiter:

Are you all together?

Customer:

Yes. Can you do a table for five?

Amount of, number of or quantity of?

Grammar > Easily confused words > Amount of, number of or quantity of?
from English Grammar Today

Amount of or number of?

We use amount of with uncountable nouns. Number of is used with countable nouns:

We use a huge amount of paper in the office every day.

The amount of time it took to finish the job was very frustrating.

A great number of students volunteer each year for environmental projects.

Not: A great amount of students volunteer …

I have a number of things I want to talk to you about.

A quantity of or quantities of?

Quantity is more formal than amount or number. A quantity of or quantities of can be followed
by a countable noun or an uncountable noun. They are most commonly used with an adjective
such as huge, big, large, small:

The soldiers discovered a large quantity of weapons hidden under the floor of a disused
building. (countable)

You only need a very small quantity of cement to mix with the sand. (uncountable)

Large quantities of illegal drugs had been discovered. (countable)

Aid workers have delivered huge quantities of food to the refugee camps. (uncountable)