Commonly Confused Words

Carrie Fraser

Chapter 6: Perfecting Your Writing: Grammar

Just as a mason uses bricks to build sturdy homes, writers use words to build successful documents. Consider the construction of a building. Builders need to use tough, reliable materials to build a solid and structurally sound skyscraper. From the foundation to the roof and every floor in between, every part is necessary. Writers need to use strong, meaningful words from the first sentence to the last and in every sentence in between.

You already know many words that you use every day as part of your writing and speaking vocabulary. You probably also know that certain words fit better in certain situations. Letters, emails, and even quickly jotted grocery lists require the proper selection of vocabulary. Imagine you are writing a grocery list to purchase the ingredients for a recipe but accidentally write down cilantro when the recipe calls for parsley. Even though cilantro and parsley look remarkably alike, each produces a very different effect in food. This seemingly small error could radically alter the flavour of your dish!

Having a solid everyday vocabulary will help you while writing, but learning new words and avoiding common word errors will make a real impression on your readers. Experienced writers know that deliberate, careful word selection and usage can lead to more polished, more meaningful work. This chapter covers word choice and vocabulary-building strategies that will improve your writing.

Commonly Confused Words

Some words in English cause trouble for speakers and writers because they share a similar pronunciation, meaning, or spelling with another word. These words are called commonly confused words. For example, read aloud the following sentences containing the commonly confused words new and knew:

I liked her new sweater.
I knew she would wear that sweater today.

These words may sound alike when spoken, but they carry entirely different usages and meanings. New is an adjective that describes the sweater, and knew is the past tense of the verb “to know.”

Recognizing Commonly Confused Words

New and knew are just two of the words that can be confusing because of their similarities. Familiarize yourself with the following list of commonly confused words. Recognizing these words in your own writing and in other pieces of writing can help you choose the correct word to avoid confusing the reader and, ultimately, being incorrect in your writing.

Examples of Commonly Confused Words
Common Confused Words	What do they mean?	Examples
A, An, And	A (article). Used before a word that begins with a consonant. An (article). Used before a word that begins with a vowel. And (conjunction). Connects two or more words together.	A key, a mouse, a screen. An airplane, an ocean, an igloo Peanut butter and jelly, pen and pencil, jump and shout
Affect, Effect	Affect (verb). Means to create a change. Effect (noun). Means an outcome or result.	Hurricane winds affect the amount of rainfall. The heavy rains will have an effect on the crop growth.
Are, Our	Are (verb). A conjugated form of the verb to be. Our (pronoun). Indicates possession, usually follows the pronoun we.	My cousins are all tall and blonde. We will bring our cameras to take pictures.
By, Buy	By (preposition). Means next to. Buy (verb). Means to purchase.	My glasses are by the bed. I will buy new glasses after the doctor’s appointment.
Its, It’s	Its (pronoun). A form of it that shows possession. It’s (contraction). Joins the words it and is.	The butterfly flapped its wings. It’s the most beautiful butterfly I have ever seen.
Know, No	Know (verb). Means to understand or possess knowledge. No. Used to make a negative.	I know the male peacock sports the brilliant feathers. I have no time to visit the zoo this weekend.
Loose, Lose	Loose (adjective). Describes something that is not tight or is detached. Lose (verb). Means to forget, to give up, to fail to earn something, or to fail to find something.	Without a belt, their pants are loose on their waist. She is known to regularly lose her keys.
Of, Have	Of (preposition). Means from or about. Have (verb). Means to possess something. Have (linking verb). Used to connect verbs.	I studied maps of the city to know where to rent a new apartment. I have many friends to help me move. I should have helped him with that heavy box.
Quite, Quiet, Quit	Quite (adverb). Means really or truly. Quiet (adjective). Means not loud. Quit (verb). Means to stop or to end.	My work will require quite a lot of concentration. I need a quiet room to complete the assignments. I will quit when I am hungry for dinner.
Right, Write	Right (adjective). Means proper or correct. Right (adjective). Also means the opposite of left. Write (verb). Means to communicate on paper.	When bowling, she practises the right form. The ball curved to the right and hit the last pin. After the team members bowl, I will write down their scores.
Set, Sit	Set (verb). Means to put an item down. Set (noun). Means a group of similar objects. Sit (verb). Means to lower oneself down on a chair or another place.	She set the mug on the saucer. All the mugs and saucers belonged in a set. I’ll sit on the sofa while she brews the tea.
Suppose, Supposed	Suppose (verb). Means to think or to consider. Suppose (verb). Means to suggest. Supposed (verb). The past tense form of the verb suppose, meaning required or allowed.	I suppose I will bake the bread, because no one else has the recipe. Suppose we all split the cost of the dinner. She was supposed to create the menu.
Than, Then	Than (conjunction). Used to connect two or more items when comparing. Then (adverb). Means next or at a specific time.	Registered nurses require less schooling than doctors. Doctors first complete medical school and then obtain a residency.
Their, They’re, There	Their (pronoun). A form of they that shows possession. They’re (contraction). Joins the words they and are. There (pronoun). Indicates the presence of something	The dog walker feeds their dogs everyday at two o’clock. They’re the sweetest dogs in the neighbourhood. There are more treats if the dogs behave.
To, Two, Too	To (preposition). Indicates movement. To. A word that completes an infinitive verb. Two. The number after one. It describes how many. Too (adverb). Means also or very.	Let’s go to the circus. to play, to ride, to watch. Two clowns squirted the elephants with water. The tents were too loud, and we left.
Use, Used	Use (verb). Means to apply for some purpose. Used. The past tense form of the verb to use Used to. Indicates something done in the past but not in the present	We use a weed whacker to trim the hedges. He used the lawnmower last night before it rained. He used to hire a team to landscape, but now he landscapes alone.
Who’s, Whose	Who’s (contraction). Joins the words who and either is or has. Whose (pronoun). A form of who that shows possession.	Who’s the new student? Who’s met him? Whose schedule allows them to take the new student on a campus tour?
Your, You’re	Your (pronoun). A form of you that shows possession. You’re (contraction). Joins the words you and are.	Your book bag is unzipped. You’re the girl with the unzipped book bag.

The English language contains so many words; no one can say for certain how many words exist. In fact, many words in English are borrowed from other languages. Many words have multiple meanings and forms, further expanding the immeasurable number of English words. Although the list of commonly confused words serves as a helpful guide, even these words may have more meanings than shown here. When in doubt, consult an expert: the dictionary!

Self-Practice Exercise 6.1

H5P: Complete the following sentences by selecting the correct word.

My little cousin turns (to, too, two) years old tomorrow.
The next-door neighbour’s dog is (quite, quiet, quit) loud. He barks constantly throughout the night.
(Your, You’re) mother called this morning to talk about the party.
I would rather eat a slice of chocolate cake (than, then) eat a chocolate muffin.
Before the meeting, he drank a cup of coffee and (than, then) brushed his teeth.
Do you have any (loose, lose) change to pay the parking meter?
Father must (have, of) left his briefcase at the office.
Before playing ice hockey, I was (suppose, supposed) to read the contract, but I only skimmed it and signed my name quickly, which may (affect, effect) my understanding of the rules.
Tonight she will (set, sit) down and (right, write) a cover letter to accompany her resumé and job application.
It must be fall, because the leaves (are, our) changing, and (it’s, its) getting darker earlier.

Answer Key

two
quite
Your
than
then
loose
have
supposed, affect
sit, write
are, it’s

Strategies to Avoid Commonly Confused Words

When writing, you need to choose the correct word according to its spelling and meaning in the context. Not only does selecting the correct word improve your vocabulary and your writing, but it also makes a good impression on your readers. It also helps reduce confusion and improve clarity. The following strategies can help you avoid misusing confusing words.

Use a dictionary. Keep a dictionary at your desk while you write. Look up words when you are uncertain of their meanings or spellings. Many dictionaries are also available online, and the Internet’s easy access will not slow you down. Check out your cell phone or smartphone to see if a dictionary app is available.

Keep a list of words you commonly confuse. Be aware of the words that often confuse you. When you notice a pattern of confusing words, keep a list nearby, and consult the list as you write. Check the list again before you submit an assignment to your instructor.

Study the list of commonly confused words. You may not yet know which words confuse you, but before you sit down to write, study the words on the list. Prepare your mind for working with words by reviewing the commonly confused words identified in this chapter.

Tip: Commonly confused words appear in many locations, not just at work or at school. Be on the lookout for misused words wherever you find yourself throughout the day. Make a mental note of the error and remember its correction for your own pieces of writing.

Self-Practice Exercise 6.2

H5P: In the paragraph below, locate all of the misused words and correct them. There are 11 errors in total. You can refer to the list of frequently misused words in this chapter for help as you work.

The original United States Declaration of Independence sets in a case at the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom as part of the National Archives in Washington, DC. Since 1952, over one million visitors each year of passed through the Rotunda too snap a photograph to capture they’re experience. Although signs state, “No Flash Photography,” forgetful tourists leave the flash on, an a bright light flickers for just a millisecond. This millisecond of light may not seem like enough to effect the precious document, but supposed how much light could be generated when all those milliseconds are added up. According to the National Archives administrators, its enough to significantly damage the historic document. So, now, the signs display quit a different message: “No Photography.” Visitors continue to travel to see the Declaration that began are country, but know longer can personal pictures serve as mementos. The administrators’ compromise, they say, is a visit to the gift shop for a preprinted photograph.

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Academic Writing for Success Canadian Edition Copyright © 2021 by Loyalist College Pressbooks is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.