Commonly Confused Words

In your notebooks or the grammar section of your binders, you will write the definitions of

twenty pairs of commonly confused words AND your own sentences that correctly use both

affect/effectaffect effect

usually a verb means “to impress” or

“to influence”Try not to let unkind

remarks affect you.

can be noun or verbnoun means “the result

of some action”The effects of Hurricane

Sandy are terrible to see.

verb means “to accomplish, to bring about”

The school board effected changes in the curriculum.

all right/alrightall right alright

means satisfactory, adequate; unhurt; correct

The collection of gifts was all right, although they had hoped for a better response.

THIS IS NOT A WORD. DONE.

it’s/itsit’s its

This is a contraction: a shortened combination of two words: it is

It’s my fault that the sink overflowed.

This is the possessive form of the pronoun “it,” meaning that or those belonging to it

The community is proud of its school.

everyday/every dayeveryday every day

This is an adjective. It needs a noun to modify.

It means suitable for ordinary days; usual; common

Losing his keys was an everyday event.

Two words: every (an adjective meaning each and all) and day (a noun meaning a 24 hour period)

Every day = each and all days

He went to Starbucks for coffee every day.

then/thanthen than

an adverb means at “that time”We are going to the

bank, and then we are going to Portillo’s.

a conjunction that joins words in comparisons

He is taller than Sheila.

loose/loseloose lose

adjectivemeans free; not confined

or restrained; not tightThey grabbed handfuls

of the loose candy in the bowl.

verbmeans to misplace; to

get rid of; to suffer lossWhen did you lose the

book?

to/too/two

there/their/they’re

your/you’re

whose/who’s

moral/morale

council/counsel/consul

formally/formerly

definitely/defiantly

principal/principle

quiet/quite

may be/maybe

passed/past

all together/altogether

further/farther