Commonly Confused Words Notes for Grammar and Mechanics

Commonly Confused Words Notes for Grammar and Mechanics Toolkit

alot / allot • alot – NOT ONE WORD • a lot – many • allot – to give or share in arbitrary amounts

accept / except • accept – to recognize • except - excluding

advice / advise • advice – a recommended opinion • advise – to give advice; to inform

affect / effect • affect – to influence • effect – result ; to bring about

all ready / already • all ready– completely prepared • already– by or before a specified or implied time

all together / altogether • all together– in a group; in unison • altogether– completely or thoroughly

beside / besides • beside – next to • besides – in addition to

capital / capitol • capital – money invested ; a town or city where a government sits • capitol – a government building

choose / chose • choose – to select • chose – the past tense of choose

complement / compliment • complement – match • compliment – praise; to give praise

desert / dessert • desert – arid, sandy region • dessert – sweet served after a meal

farther / further • farther – beyond • further - additional

lose / loose • loose – not restrained; not fastened • lose – to fail to win; to be deprived of

principal / principle • principal – main ; person in charge • principle - standard

quiet / quite • quiet – still ; calm • quit – to stop ; to discontinue • quite – very ; fairly ; positively

stationary / stationery • stationary – not moving • stationery – writing paper

than / then • than – in contrast to • then - next

their / there / they’re • their – belonging to them • there – in a place • they’re – contraction for “they are”

to / too / two • to – in the direction of • too – also ; in addition • two – the number between one and three

weather / whether • weather – atmospheric conditions; to last or ride out • whether – if it be the case ; in either case

who / which • who – refers to people • which – refers to nonliving objects or to animals (which should never refer to people)

who’s / whose • who’s – contraction for “who is” • whose – possessive pronoun

your / you’re • your – possessive pronoun (belonging to you) • you’re – contraction for “you are”