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This presentation is brought to you by

Grammar Bytes!,

©2014 by Robin L.

Simmons.

Confused and Misused

Words and Phrases

Dude, the

right

word is

affect,

with an a.

No, you’re

wrong. The

word should be effect,

with an e.

This presentation

advices you on words or

phrases that are

commonly

misused or

confused.

Dude, that’s

advises,

with an s,

not a c.

On an objective test, an

item evaluating the skill

might look like this ...

Sample Item

My friends ate at Tito’s Taco Palace, so they’re

hoping that their lunch stays down, for their are

rumors that health inspectors cited the filthy kitchen.

A. their

B. they’re

C. there

D. No change is necessary.


A

hoping that their lunch stays down, for their are

B C


A. their

B. they’re

C. there



A

hoping that their lunch stays down, for there are

B C


A. their

B. they’re

C. there


Is the word

confused or misused at A,

B, or C?

At C, you need

there, the

expletive, or

placeholder,

form.

Recognize misspelled/cor rectly

spelled words and phrases.

Alright ● All right

Alot ● A lot

Rite ● Right, write

Should of ● Should have

Suppose to ● Supposed to

X

X

X

X

X

Spelled correctly!

Spelled wrong!

Recognize the distinctions

among related words.

3 or more; Among my

friends

Among ● Between 2 only;Between

Fred and me

Noncount;Amount of

butter

Amount ● Number Count;Number of

cookies

Adjective;A good essay

Good ● Well Adverb;He writes

well.

Evident,

unambiguous Explicit ● Implicit Implied,

ambiguous

Know these differences!

Know the dif ference that a

single new letter can make.

Before a word

beginning with a

consonant [sound]

A ● An Before a word

beginning with a

vowel [sound]

Before Already ● All ready Completely

prepared

A thought or

conception

Idea ● Ideal The concept of

something

perfect

To suffer the

deprivation of

Lose ● Loose Free from

restraint

Verb; past tense of are

Were ● Where A place

More to

learn!

Know the dif ference that an

apostrophe can make.

Possessive

pronoun; belonging to it

Its ● It’s Contraction for it is or it has

Possessive

pronoun; belonging to

whom

Whose ● Who’s Contraction for who is or

who has

Possessive

pronoun;

belonging to you

Your ● You’re Contraction for

you are

Possessive pronouns

never contain an

apostrophe.

Contractions do

contain an apostrophe.

Know the dif ference a change to

a single letter can make.

Noun form Advice ● Advise Verb form

Usually a verb Affect ● Effect Usually a noun

City, wealth,

important Capital ● Capitol The building for

lawmaking

To quote Cite ● Site A location

Rough Coarse ● Course Path, route

Praise Compliment ● Complement Goes well with

Put in place Set ● Sit Be seated

Unchanging Stationary ● Stationery Paper

Indicates

comparison Than ● Then Next

Why is English so

complicated?

Don’t let these homonyms

[sound alike words] confuse you.

Agree to or receive Accept ● Except Leave out

Plural present of the

verb be

Are ● Our Possessive pronoun;

belonging to us

Past tense of pass Passed ● Past Gone, by

Go before Precede ● Proceed Carry on

Chief [person], main Principal ● Principle Truth or rule

Correct, a just claim,

a direction Right ● Write Make letters with an

instrument

Sight, touch, hearing,

smell, taste Sense ● Since Adverb, conjunction,

or preposition

View, glimpse Sight ● Site A location

Past tense of throw Threw ● Through Beyond

State of the

atmosphere Weather ● Whether Introduces an

alternative

My brain

is getting

full! Relax,

dude, we’re

almost

there!

To, Too, Two

• Use to as a preposition.

Jonathan drove to the seafood shop.

• Use to to begin an infinitive.

He hoped to buy fresh squid.

• Use too to show degree.

The squid was too expensive to purchase.

• Use too as a synonym for also.

So too was the fresh octopus.

• Use two when you mean the number.

Jonathan bought two flounder filets instead.

There, Their, They’re

• Use there as an expletive, a placeholder to

delay the subject.

There is a turtle in the road.

• Use there to indicate place.

Across the road is a lake. The turtle hopes to get

there before a car hits him.

• Use their as a possessive pronoun.

Most drivers don’t see the turtle; their eyes are glued

to their cell phones.

• Use they’re as a contraction for they are.

They’re also distracted by other devices, like the

radio and navigation system.

At many objective exams, you

cannot use a dictionary!

X

When in doubt, rely on

“gut” feelings.

Your eyes have seen in print—and your

brain has registered—all of the possible

words that you will encounter for this skill. If you don’t recognize the right answer, go

with the one that feels right.

Hey, I’ve seen

that word before!

Quick Test

Directions: In the items that follow, choose

the option that corrects an error in the

underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose

“No change is necessary.”

Your

turn!Let’s see what you

can do!

Item 1

Even though we warned Jake not to eat a hole

pie at one sitting, he sat at the kitchen table and

proceeded to consume slice after slice.

A. whole

B. set

C. preceded


Even though we warned Jake not to eat a hole

A


B


C

A. whole

B. set

C. preceded


Even though we warned Jake not to eat a whole

A


B


C

A. whole

B. set

C. preceded


Item 2

Give Jerrod a compliment because his shoe

laces complement the colors in his plaid shirt.

His fashion since is gradually improving.

A. complement

B. compliment

C. sense



A


B

His fashion since is gradually improving.

C

A. complement

B. compliment

C. sense



A


B

His fashion sense is gradually improving.

C

A. complement

B. compliment

C. sense


Item 3

If you go by the supermarket, buy a package of

hotdog buns. Than we can grill the sausage for

dinner.

A. buy

B. by

C. Then



A B

hotdog buns. Than we can grill the sausage for

C

dinner.

A. buy

B. by

C. Then



A B

hotdog buns. Then we can grill the sausage for

C

dinner.

A. buy

B. by

C. Then


Item 4

Heed my advice, and don’t loose your receipt.

The college bookstore will not accept any excuse

if you need to return those books.

A. advise

B. lose

C. except


Heed my advice, and don’t loose your receipt.

A B


C


A. advise

B. lose

C. except


Heed my advice, and don’t lose your receipt.

A B


C


A. advise

B. lose

C. except


Item 5

The heard of gazelle leaped through the air as

the animals tried to elude the cheetah.

A. herd

B. threw

C. allude


The heard of gazelle leaped through the air as

A B


C

A. herd

B. threw

C. allude


The herd of gazelle leaped through the air as

A B


C

A. herd

B. threw

C. allude


Item 6

Maybe Gerald is caught in traffic, or he maybe

flirting with the cute cafeteria cashier. Either way,

don’t accept any excuse for his tardiness.

A. May be

B. may be

C. except


Maybe Gerald is caught in traffic, or he maybe

A B



C

A. May be

B. may be

C. except


Maybe Gerald is caught in traffic, or he may be

A B



C

A. May be

B. may be

C. except


Item 7

When there are fewer students in a class, the

professor has less worries that everyone is

getting individual attention.

A. their

B. less

C. fewer



A B

professor has less worries that everyone is

C


A. their

B. less

C. fewer



A B

professor has fewer worries that everyone is

C


A. their

B. less

C. fewer


Item 8

We were successful baking 300 cupcakes for

the charity event, but today we’re exhausted after

spending all night preparing the desserts.

A. we’re

B. were

C. deserts



A


B


C

A. we’re

B. were

C. deserts



A


B


C

A. we’re

B. were

C. deserts


Item 9

Gregory passed his chemistry final, so now he

won’t loose his scholarship. As he walked past

the diner, he rewarded himself with a milkshake.

A. past

B. lose

C. passed



A

won’t loose his scholarship. As he walked past

B C


A. past

B. lose

C. passed



A

won’t lose his scholarship. As he walked past

B C


A. past

B. lose

C. passed


Item 10

Mr. Ramos hopes to except the bid on the house.

He has agreed to all of the buyer’s conditions

except retiling the master bathroom since it

would be too much work.

A. accept

B. accept

C. sense


Mr. Ramos hopes to except the bid on the house.

A



B C


A. accept

B. accept

C. sense


Mr. Ramos hopes to accept the bid on the house.

A



B C


A. accept

B. accept

C. sense


chomp!

chomp!

Grammar Bytes!

provides additional

handouts and exercises on commonly confused

words. Go to

chompchomp.com!

The End.

Watch where

you’re going, fool!

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