ACCEPT-to receive He accepts defeat well.

EXCEPT-to take or leave out Please take all the books off
the shelf except for the red one.
AFFECT-to influence Lack of sleep affects the quality of your work.EFFECT-n., result, v., to accomplish
The subtle effect of the lighting made the room look ominous. Can the university effect such a change
without disrupting classes?

A LOT (two words)-many. ALOT (one word)-Not the correct form.

ALLUSION-an indirect reference The professor made an allusion to Virginia Woolf's work. ILLUSION-a
false perception of reality They saw a mirage: that is a type of illusion one sees in the desert.

ALL READY-prepared Dinner was all ready when the guests arrived. ALREADY-by this time The turkey
was already burned when the guests arrived.

ALTOGETHER-entirely Altogether, I thought that the student's presentation was well planned. ALL
TOGETHER-gathered, with everything in one place We were all together at the family reunion last spring.

APART-to be separated The chain-link fence kept the angry dogs apart. OR My old car fell apart before
we reached California. A PART-to be joined with The new course was a part of the new field of study at
the university. OR A part of this plan involves getting started at dawn.

ASCENT- climb The plane's ascent made my ears pop. ASSENT-agreement The martian assented to
undergo experiments.

BREATH-noun, air inhaled or exhaled You could see his breath in the cold air. BREATHE-verb, to inhale
or exhale If you don't breathe, then you are dead.

CAPITAL-seat of government. Also financial resources.The capital of Virginia is Richmond.The firm had
enough capital to build the new plant.CAPITOL-the actual building in which the legislative body meetsThe
governor announced his resignation in a speech given at the capitol today.

CITE-to quote or document I cited ten quotes from the same author in my paper. SIGHT-vision The sight
of the American flag arouses different emotions in different parts of the world. SITE-position or place The
new office building was built on the site of a cemetary.

COMPLEMENT-noun, something that completes; verb, to complete A nice dry white wine complements a
seafood entree. COMPLIMENT-noun, praise; verb, to praise The professor complimented Betty on her
proper use of a comma.

CONSCIENCE-sense of right and wrong The student's conscience kept him from cheating on the exam.
CONSCIOUS-awake I was conscious when the burglar entered the house.
COUNCIL-a group that consults or advises The men and women on the council voted in favor of an
outdoor concert in their town. COUNSEL-to advise The parole officer counseled the convict before he
was released.

ELICIT-to draw or bring out The teacher elicited the correct response from the student. ILLICIT-illegal
The Columbian drug lord was arrested for his illicit activities.
EMINENT-famous, respected The eminent podiatrist won the Physician of the Year award. IMMANENT-
inherent or intrinsic The meaning of the poem was immanent, and not easily recognized. IMMINENT-
1
ready to take place
A fight between my sister and me is imminent from the moment I enter my house.

ITS-of or belonging to it The baby will scream as soon as its mother walks out of the room. IT'S-
contraction for it is It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
LEAD-noun, a type of metal Is that pipe made of lead? LED-verb, past tense of the verb "to lead" She led
the campers on an over-night hike.

LIE-to lie down (a person or animal. hint: people can tell lies) I have a headache, so I'm going to lie down
for a while. (also lying, lay, has/have lain--The dog has lain in the shade all day; yesterday, the dog lay
there for twelve hours) .
LAY-to lay an object down. Lay down that gun, Bubba!" The sheriff demanded. The town lay at the foot of
the mountain. (also laying, laid, has/have laid--At that point, Bubba laid the gun on the ground).

LOSE--verb, to misplace or not win Mom glared at Mikey. "If you lose that new lunchbox, don't even think
of coming home!" LOOSE--noun, to not be tight; verb (rarely used)--to release The burglar's pants were
so loose that he was sure to lose the race with the cop chasing him. While awaiting trial, he was never
set loose from jail because no one would post his bail.

NOVEL-noun, a book that is a work of fiction. Do not use "novel" for nonfiction; use "book" or "work."
Mark Twain wrote his novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn when he was already well known, but before
he published many other works of fiction and nonfiction.

PASSED-verb, past tense of "to pass," to have moved The tornado passed through the city quickly, but it
caused great damage. PAST-belonging to a former time or place Who was the past president of
Microsquish Computers? Go past the fire station and turn right.

PRECEDE-to come before Pre-writing precedes the rough draft of good papers. PROCEED-to go forward
He proceeded to pass back the failing grades on the exam.

PRINCIPAL-adjective, most important; noun, a person who has authority The principal ingredient in
chocolate chip cookies is chocolate chips. The principal of the school does the announcements each
morning. PRINCIPLE-a general or fundamental truth The study was based on the principle of gravity.

QUOTE-verb, to cite I would like to quote Dickens in my next paper. QUOTATION-noun, the act of citing
The book of famous quotations inspired us all.

STATIONARY-standing still The accident was my fault because I ran into a stationary object.
STATIONERY-writing paper My mother bought me stationery that was on recycled paper.

SUPPOSED TO-correct form for "to be obligated to" or "presumed to" NOT "suppose to" SUPPOSE-to
guess or make a conjecture Do you suppose we will get to the airport on time? When is our plane
supposed to arrive? We are supposed to check our bags before we board, but I suppose we could do that
at the curb and save time.

THAN-use with comparisons I would rather go out to eat than eat at the dining hall. THEN-at that time, or
next
I studied for my exam for seven hours, and then I went to bed.

2
THEIR-possessive form of they Their house is at the end of the block. THERE-indicates location (hint:
think of "here and there") There goes my chance of winning the lottery! THEY'RE-contraction for "they
are" They're in Europe for the summer--again!

THROUGH-by means of; finished; into or out of He plowed right through the other team's defensive line.
THREW-past tense of throw She threw away his love love letters. THOROUGH-careful or complete John
thoroughly cleaned his room; there was not even a speck of dust when he finished. THOUGH-however;
nevertheless
He's really a sweetheart though he looks tough on the outside. THRU-abbreviated slang for through; not
appropriate in standard writing We're thru for the day!

TO-toward I went to the University of Richmond. TOO-also, or excessively He drank too many
screwdrivers and was unable to drive home. TWO-a number Only two students did not turn in the
assignment.

WHO-pronoun, referring to a person or persons Jane wondered how Jack, who is so smart, could be
having difficulties in Calculus. WHICH-pronoun, replacing a singular or plural thing(s);not used to refer to
persons Which section of history did you get into? THAT-used to refer to things or a group or class of
people I lost the book that I bought last week.

WHO-used as a subject or as a subject complement (see above) John is the man who can get the job
done. WHOM-used as an object Whom did Sarah choose as her replacement?

affect / effect Effect is usually a noun that means a result or the power to produce a result: “The sound
of the falling rain had a calming effect, nearly putting me to sleep.” Affect is usually a verb that means to
have an influence on: “His loud humming was affecting my ability to concentrate.” Note that effect can
also be a verb meaning to bring about or execute: “The speaker's somber tone effected a dampening in
the general mood of the audience.”
all right / alright Although alright is widely used, it is considered nonstandard English. As the American
Heritage Dictionary notes, it's not “all right to use alright.”
all together / altogether All together is applied to people or things that are being treated as a group. “We
put the pots and pans all together on the shelf.” All together is the form that must be used if the sentence
can be reworded so that all and together are separated by other words: “We put all the pots and pans
together on the shelf.” Altogether is used to mean entirely: “I am altogether pleased to be receiving this
award.”
allusion / illusion Allusion is a noun that means an indirect reference: “The speech made allusions to the
final report.” Illusion is a noun that means a misconception: “The policy is designed to give an illusion of
reform.”
alternately / alternatively Alternately is an adverb that means in turn; one after the other: “We alternately
spun the wheel in the game.” Alternatively is an adverb that means on the other hand; one or the other:
“You can choose a large bookcase or, alternatively, you can buy two small ones.”
beside / besides Beside is a preposition that means next to: “Stand here beside me.” Besides is an
adverb that means also: “Besides, I need to tell you about the new products my company offers.”
bimonthly / semimonthly Bimonthly is an adjective that means every two months: “I brought the cake
for the bimonthly office party.” Bimonthly is also a noun that means a publication issued every two
months: “The company publishes several popular bimonthlies.” Semimonthly is an adjective that means
happening twice a month: “We have semimonthly meetings on the 1st and the 15th.”
capital / capitol The city or town that is the seat of government is called the capital; the building in which
the legislative assembly meets is the capitol. The term capital can also refer to an accumulation of wealth
or to a capital letter.

3
cite / site Cite is a verb that means to quote as an authority or example: “I cited several eminent scholars
in my study of water resources.” It also means to recognize formally: “The public official was cited for
service to the city.” It can also mean to summon before a court of law: “Last year the company was cited
for pollution violations.” Site is a noun meaning location: “They chose a new site for the factory just
outside town.”
complement / compliment Complement is a noun or verb that means something that completes or
makes up a whole: “The red sweater is a perfect complement to the outfit.” Compliment is a noun or verb
that means an expression of praise or admiration: “I received compliments about my new outfit.”
comprise / compose According to the traditional rule, the whole comprises the parts, and the parts
compose the whole. Thus, the board comprises five members, whereas five members compose (or make
up) the board. It is also correct to say that the board is composed (not comprised) of five members.
concurrent / consecutive Concurrent is an adjective that means simultaneous or happening at the same
time as something else: “The concurrent strikes of several unions crippled the economy.” Consecutive
means successive or following one after the other: “The union called three consecutive strikes in one
year.”
connote / denote Connote is a verb that means to imply or suggest: “The word ‘espionage’ connotes
mystery and intrigue.” Denote is a verb that means to indicate or refer to specifically: “The symbol for ‘pi’
denotes the number 3.14159.”
convince / persuade Strictly speaking, one convinces a person that something is true but persuades a
person to do something. “Pointing out that I was overworked, my friends persuaded [not convinced] me to
take a vacation. Now that I'm relaxing on the beach with my book, I am convinced [not persuaded] that
they were right.” Following this rule, convince should not be used with an infinitive.
council / councilor / counsel / counselor A councilor is a member of a council, which is an assembly
called together for discussion or deliberation. A counselor is one who gives counsel, which is advice or
guidance. More specifically, a counselor can be an attorney or a supervisor at camp.
discreet / discrete Discreet is an adjective that means prudent, circumspect, or modest: “Her discreet
handling of the touchy situation put him at ease.” Discrete is an adjective that means separate or
individually distinct: “Each company in the conglomerate operates as a discrete entity.”
disinterested / uninterested Disinterested is an adjective that means unbiased or impartial: “We
appealed to the disinterested mediator to facilitate the negotiations.” Uninterested is an adjective that
means not interested or indifferent: “They seemed uninterested in our offer.”
elicit / illicit Elicit is a verb that means to draw out. Illicit is an adjective meaning unlawful. “No matter
how hard I tried to elicit a few scandalous stories from her, she kept all knowledge of illicit goings-on
discreetly to herself. ”
emigrant / immigrant Emigrant is a noun that means one who leaves one's native country to settle in
another: “The emigrants spent four weeks aboard ship before landing in Los Angeles.” Immigrant is a
noun that means one who enters and settles in a new country: “Most of the immigrants easily found jobs.”
One emigrates from a place; one immigrates to another.
farther / further Farther is an adjective and adverb that means to or at a more distant point: “We drove
50 miles today; tomorrow, we will travel 100 miles farther.” Further is an adjective and adverb that means
to or at a greater extent or degree: “We won't be able to suggest a solution until we are further along in
our evaluation of the problem.” It can also mean in addition or moreover: “They stated further that they
would not change the policy.”
few / less Few is an adjective that means small in number. It is used with countable objects: “This
department has few employees.” Less is an adjective that means small in amount or degree. It is used
with objects of indivisible mass: “Which jar holds less water?”
figuratively / literally Figuratively is an adverb that means metaphorically or symbolically: “Happening
upon the shadowy figure, they figuratively jumped out of their shoes.” Literally is an adverb that means

4
actually: “I'm not exaggerating when I say I literally fell off my chair.” It also means according to the exact
meaning of the words: “I translated the Latin passage literally.”
flammable / inflammable These two words are actually synonyms, both meaning easily set on fire. The
highly flammable (inflammable) fuel was stored safely in a specially built tank. Use nonflammable to
mean not flammable.
flaunt / flout To flaunt means to show off shamelessly: “Eager to flaunt her knowledge of a wide range of
topics, Helene dreamed of appearing on a TV trivia show.” To flout means to show scorn or contempt for:
“Lewis disliked boarding school and took every opportunity to flout the house rules.”
foreword / forward
Foreword is a noun that means an introductory note or preface: “In my foreword I explained my reasons
for writing the book.” Forward is an adjective or adverb that means toward the front: “I sat in the forward
section of the bus.” “Please step forward when your name is called.” Forward is also a verb that means to
send on: “Forward the letter to the customer's new address.”
founder / flounder In its primary sense founder means to sink below the surface of the water: “The ship
foundered after colliding with an iceberg.” By extension, founder means to fail utterly. Flounder means to
move about clumsily, or to act with confusion. A good synonym for flounder is blunder: “After floundering
through the first half of the course, Amy finally passed with the help of a tutor.”
hanged / hung Hanged is the past tense and past participle of hang when the meaning is to execute by
suspending by the neck: “They hanged the prisoner for treason.” “The convicted killer was hanged at
dawn.” Hung is the past tense and participle of hang when the meaning is to suspend from above with no
support from below: “I hung the painting on the wall.” “The painting was hung at a crooked angle.”
historic / historical In general usage, historic refers to what is important in history, while historical
applies more broadly to whatever existed in the past whether it was important or not: “a historic summit
meeting between the prime ministers;” “historical buildings torn down in the redevelopment.”
i.e. / e.g. The abbreviation e.g. means for example (from Latin exempli gratia): “Her talents were legion
and varied (e.g., deep sea diving, speed reading, bridge, and tango dancing).” The abbreviation i.e.
means that is or in other words (from Latin id est): “The joy of my existence (i.e., my stamp collection)
imbues my life with meaning.”
it's / its It's is a contraction for it is, whereas its is the possessive form of it: “It's a shame that we cannot
talk about its size.”
laid / lain / lay Laid is the past tense and the past participle of the verb lay and not the past tense of lie.
Lay is the past tense of the verb lie and lain is the past participle: “He laid his books down and lay down
on the couch, where he has lain for an hour.”
lend / loan Although some people feel loan should only be used as a noun, lend and loan are both
acceptable as verbs in standard English: “Can you lend (loan) me a dollar?” However, only lend should
be used in figurative senses: “Will you lend me a hand?”
lightening / lightning Lightening is a verb that means to illuminate; lightning is a noun referring to the
electrical charges the cause flashes of light during storms: “The lightning struck, lightening the sky.”
nonplussed Meaning perplexed or bewildered, nonplussed is very often thought to mean just the
opposite—calm, unruffled, cool-as-a-cucumber. A common mistake is to think the word means not
“plussed,” but no such word exists. Nonplussed originates from the Latin non (no) and plus (more,
further), and means a state in which no more can be done—one is so perplexed that further action is
impossible. “The lexicographer grew increasingly agitated and nonplussed by the frequency with which
she noted the misuse of nonplussed.”
passed / past Passed is the past tense and past participle of pass. Past refers to time gone by; it is also
a preposition meaning beyond. “In the past decade, I passed over countless opportunities; I was
determined not to let them get past me again.”

5
penultimate Meaning “next to last,” penultimate is often mistakenly used to mean “the very last,” or the
ultimate: “The perfectionist was crestfallen when he was awarded the penultimate prize; the grand prize
went to another.”
precede / proceed The verb precede means to come before. Proceed means to move forward. “He
preceded me into the room; once I caught up with him I proceeded to tell him off.”
principal / principle Principal is a noun that means a person who holds a high position or plays an
important role: “The school principal has 20 years of teaching experience.” Principal is also an adjective
that means chief or leading: “The necessity of moving to another city was the principal reason I turned
down the job offer.” Principle is a noun that means a rule or standard: “They refused to compromise their
principles.”
stationary / stationery Stationary is an adjective that means fixed or unmoving: “They maneuvered
around the stationary barrier in the road.” Stationery is a noun that means writing materials: “We printed
the letters on company stationery.”
their / there / they're Their is the possessive form of they; there refers to place; and they're is the
contraction of they are. “They're going there because their mother insisted they become proficient in
Serbo-Croatian.”
venal / venial Venal is an adjective that means corruptible; venial is an adjective that means a slight flaw
or offense: “In the Catholic church, a venial sin is one that is minor and pardonable, whereas a mortal sin
is a serious transgression involving more venal or depraved behavior.”
who's / whose Who's is the contraction of who is. Whose is the possessive form of who. “Who's going to
figure out whose job it is to clean the stables?”
your / you're Your is the possessive form of you; you're is the contraction you are. “If you're planning on
swimming, then be sure to bring your life vest and flippers.”
DO NOT CONFUSE
adoptive with adopted: children are adopted, but parents are adoptive.
adverse, 'unfavourable, bad', with averse, which means 'strongly disliking or opposed to', as in I am not
averse to helping out.
affect and effect: affect means 'make a difference to', whereas effect means 'a result' or 'bring about (a
result)'.
ambiguous with ambivalent: ambiguous primarily means 'having more than one meaning, open to
different interpretations', while ambivalent means 'having mixed feelings'.
amoral with immoral: amoral means 'not concerned with morality', while immoral means 'not
conforming to accepted standards of morality'.
appraise with apprise: appraise means 'assess', while apprise means 'inform'.
augur, 'be a sign of (a likely outcome)', with auger (a tool used for boring).
censure with censor: censure means 'express strong disapproval of', whereas censor means 'suppress
unacceptable parts of (a book, film, etc.)'.
climactic, 'forming a climax', with climatic, which means 'relating to climate'.
complacent, 'smug and self-satisfied', with complaisant, which means 'willing to please'.
complement, 'a thing that enhances something by contributing extra features', with compliment, which
means 'an expression of praise' or 'politely congratulate'.
continuous and continual: continuous primarily means 'without interruption', and can refer to space as
well as time, as in the cliffs form a continuous line along the coast; continual, on the other hand, typically
means 'happening frequently, with intervals between', as in the bus service has been disrupted by
continual breakdowns.

6
council, an administrative or advisory body, with counsel, advice or guidance.
councillor with counsellor: a councillor is a member of a council, whereas a counsellor is someone
who gives guidance on personal or psychological problems.
credible with creditable: credible means 'believable, convincing', whereas creditable means 'deserving
acknowledgement and praise'.
definite ('certain, sure') with definitive, which means 'decisive and with authority'.
defuse, 'remove the fuse from (an explosive device)' or 'reduce the danger or tension in (a difficult
situation)', with diffuse, which means 'spread over a wide area'.
desert (a waterless area) with dessert (the sweet course)!
discreet, 'careful not to attract attention or give offence', with discrete, which means 'separate, distinct'.
draft and draught. In British English draft means 'a preliminary version' or 'an order to pay a sum',
whereas a draught is a current of air or an act of drinking; in North American English the spelling draft is
used for all senses. The verb is usually spelled draft.
draw, which is primarily a verb, with drawer meaning 'sliding storage compartment'.
egoism and egotism: it is egotism, not egoism, that means 'excessive conceit or self-absorption';
egoism is a less common and more technical word, for an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the
foundation of morality.
envelop with envelope: envelop without an e at the end means 'wrap up, cover, or surround completely',
whereas an envelope with an e is a paper container used to enclose a letter or document.
exceptionable ('open to objection; causing disapproval or offence') with exceptional ('not typical' or
'unusually good').
fawn with faun: a fawn is a young deer, and a light brown colour; a faun is a Roman deity that is part
man, part goat.
flaunt with flout; flaunt means 'display ostentatiously', while flout means 'openly disregard (a rule)'.
flounder with founder: flounder generally means 'have trouble doing or understanding something, be
confused', while founder means 'fail or come to nothing'.
forego and forgo: forego means 'precede', but is also a less common spelling for forgo, 'go without'.
grisly with grizzly, as in grizzly bear: grisly means 'causing horror or revulsion', whereas grizzly is from
the same root as grizzled and refers to the bear's white-tipped fur.
hoard with horde: a hoard is a store of something valuable; horde is a disparaging term for a large
group of people.
imply and infer. Imply is used with a speaker as its subject, as in he implied that the General was a
traitor, and indicates that the speaker is suggesting something though not making an explicit statement.
Infer is used in sentences such as we inferred from his words that the General was a traitor, and
indicates that something in the speaker's words enabled the listeners to deduce that the man was a
traitor.
the possessive its (as in turn the camera on its side) with the contraction it's (short for either it is or it
has, as in it's my fault; it's been a hot day).
loath ('reluctant; unwilling') with loathe, 'dislike greatly'.
loose with lose: as a verb loose means 'unfasten or set free', while lose means 'cease to have' or
'become unable to find'.
luxuriant, 'rich and profuse in growth', with luxurious, which means 'characterized by luxury; very
comfortable and extravagant'.
marital, 'of marriage', with martial, 'of war'!
7
militate, which is used in the form militate against to mean 'be an important factor in preventing', with
mitigate, which means 'make (something bad) less severe'.
naturism (nudism) and naturist (a nudist) with naturalism and naturalist: naturalism is an artistic or
literary approach or style; a naturalist is an expert in natural history, or an exponent of naturalism.
officious, 'asserting authority or interfering in an annoyingly domineering way', with official, which
means 'relating to an authority or public body' and 'having the approval or authorization of such a body'.
ordinance, 'an authoritative order', with ordnance, which means 'guns' or 'munitions'.
palate and palette: the palate is the roof of the mouth; a palette, on the other hand, is an artist's board
for mixing colours.
pedal and peddle. Pedal is a noun denoting a foot-operated lever; as a verb it means 'move by means of
pedals'. Peddle is a verb meaning 'sell (goods)'. The associated noun from pedal is pedaller (US
pedaler), and the noun from peddle is pedlar or peddler.
perquisite and prerequisite: a perquisite is a special right or privilege enjoyed as a result of one's
position; prerequisite is something that is required as a prior condition for something else; prerequisite
can also be an adjective, meaning 'required as a prior condition'.
perspicuous, 'expressing things clearly', with perspicacious, which means 'having a ready
understanding of things'.
principal, 'first in order of importance; main', with principle, which is a noun meaning chiefly 'a basis of a
system of thought or belief'.
proscribe with prescribe: proscribe is a rather formal word meaning 'condemn or forbid', whereas
prescribe means either 'issue a medical prescription' or 'recommend with authority'.
regretful, 'feeling or showing regret', with regrettable, which means 'giving rise to regret; undesirable'.
shear, 'cut the wool off (a sheep)', with sheer, which as a verb means 'swerve or change course quickly'
or 'avoid an unpleasant topic', and as an adjective means 'nothing but; absolute', 'perpendicular', or '(of a
fabric) very thin'.
stationary and stationery: stationary is an adjective with the sense 'not moving or changing', whereas
stationery is a noun meaning 'paper and other writing materials'.
story and storey: a story is a tale or account, while a storey is a floor of a building. In North America the
spelling story is sometimes used for storey.
titillate and titivate: titillate means 'excite', whereas titivate means 'adorn or smarten up'.
tortuous, 'full of twists and turns' or 'excessively lengthy and complex', with torturous, which means
'characterized by pain or suffering'.
turbid and turgid: turbid is generally used in reference to a liquid and means 'cloudy or opaque'; turgid
tends to mean 'tediously pompous' or, in reference to a river, 'swollen, overflowing'.
unexceptionable, 'that cannot be taken exception to, inoffensive', with unexceptional, 'not exceptional;
ordinary'.
unsociable with unsocial and antisocial: unsociable means 'not enjoying the company of or engaging
in activities with others'; unsocial usually means 'socially inconvenient' and typically refers to the hours of
work of a job; antisocial means 'contrary to accepted social customs and therefore annoying'.
venal ('susceptible to bribery; corruptible') with venial, which is used in Christian theology in reference to
sin (a venial sin, unlike a mortal sin, is not regarded as depriving the soul of divine grace).
who's with whose; who's is a contraction of who is or who has, while whose is used in questions such
as whose is this? and whose turn is it?
wreath and wreathe: wreath with no e at the end means 'arrangement of flowers', while wreathe with an
e is a verb meaning 'envelop, surround, or encircle'.
8
your with you're; you're is a contraction of you are, while your is a possessive determiner used in
phrases such as your turn.

accept = verb meaning to receive or to agree: He accepted their praise graciously. except
= preposition meaning all but, other than: Everyone went to the game except Alyson. For
more information on these words, plus exercises, see our document on accept/except
and

Affect, Effect affect = verb meaning to influence: Will lack of sleep affect your game?
effect = noun meaning result or consequence: Will lack of sleep have an effect on your
game?effect = verb meaning to bring about, to accomplish: Our efforts have effected a
major change in university policy. A memory-help for affect and effect is is RAVEN:
Remember, Affect is a Verb and Effect is a Noun.For more information on these words,
plus exercises, see our document on accept/except and affect/effect.

Advise, Adviceadvise = verb that means to recommend, suggest, or counsel: I advise you
to be cautious.advice = noun that means an opinion or recommendation about what
could or should be done: I'd like to ask for your advice on this matter.

Conscious, Conscience conscious = adjective meaning awake, perceiving: Despite a

head injury, the patient remained conscious. conscience = noun meaning the sense of
obligation to be good: Chris wouldn't cheat because his conscience wouldn't let him.

Idea, Idealidea = noun meaning a thought, belief, or conception held in the mind, or a
general notion or conception formed by generalization: Jennifer had a brilliant idea --
she'd go to the Writing Lab for help with her papers!ideal = noun meaning something or
someone that embodies perfection, or an ultimate object or endeavor: Mickey was the
ideal for tutors everywhere. ideal = adjective meaning embodying an ultimate standard of
excellence or perfection, or the best; Jennifer was an ideal student.

Its, It'sits = possessive adjective (possesive form of the pronoun it): The crab had an
unusual growth on its shell.it's = contraction for it is or it has (in a verb phrase): It's still
raining; it's been raining for three days. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two
words are being shortened into one.)

Lead, Ledlead = noun referring to a dense metallic element: The X-ray technician wore a
vest lined with lead.led = past-tense and past-participle form of the verb to lead, meaning
to guide or direct: The evidence led the jury to reach a unanimous decision.

Their, There, They'reTheir = possessive pronoun: They got their books.There = that
place: My house is over there. (This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)
They're = contraction for they are: They're making dinner. (Pronouns have apostrophes
only when two words are being shortened into one.)

To, Too, TwoTo = preposition, or first part of the infinitive form of a verb: They went to
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the lake to swim.Too = very, also: I was too tired to continue. I was hungry, too.Two = the
number 2: Two students scored below passing on the exam. Two, twelve, and between
are all words related to the number 2, and all contain the letters tw. Too can mean also or
can be an intensifier, and you might say that it contains an extra o ("one too many")

We're, Where, Were We're = contraction for we are: We're glad to help. (Pronouns have
apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)Where = location:
Where are you going? (This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)Were = a
past tense form of the verb be: They were walking side by side.

Your, You'reYour = possessive pronoun: Your shoes are untied.You're = contraction for
you are: You're walking around with your shoes untied. (Pronouns have apostrophes
only when two words are being shortened into one.)

All ready/alreadyall ready: used as an adjective to express complete

preparednessalready: an adverb expressing timeAt last I was all ready to go, but
everyone had already left.All right/alright

all right: used as an adjective or adverb; older and more formal spelling, more common in
scientific & academic writing: Will you be all right on your own?alright: Alternate spelling of all
right; less frequent but used often in journalistic and business publications, and especially
common infictional dialogue: He does alright in school.

All together/altogetherall together: an adverb meaning considered as a whole, summed

up: All together, there were thirty-two students at the museum. altogether: an intensifying
adverb meaning wholly, completely, entirely: His comment raises an altogether different
problem.

Anyone/any oneanyone: a pronoun meaning any person at all: Anyone who can solve
this problem deserves an award.any one: a paired adjective and noun meaning a specific
item in a group; usually used with of: Any one of those papers could serve as an
example.
Note: There are similar distinctions in meaning for everyone and every one

Anyway/any way anyway: an adverb meaning in any case or nonetheless: He objected,

but she went anyway.any way: a paired adjective and noun meaning any particular
course, direction, or manner: Any way we chose would lead to danger.

Awhile/a whileawhile: an adverb meaning for a short time; some readers consider it
nonstandard; usually needs no preposition: Won't you stay awhile?a while: a paired
article and noun meaning a period of time; usually used with for: We talked for a while,
and then we said good night.

Maybe/may bemaybe: an adverb meaning perhaps: Maybe we should wait until the rain
stops.may be: a form of the verb be: This may be our only chance to win the

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championship.

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