Download - Commonly Confused Words
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