A, AN

0 A is used before 0 An is used before vowel

consonant sounds. sounds

Example: Example:
I saw a flock of birds from He is an honor student.
my window.
 ACCEPT, EXCEPT
0 Accept (a verb) means 0 Except (a preposition)
to receive means other than

Example: Example:
The business man She enjoyed the challenge
accepted the offer. of the game except the
part when cheating
started.
 ADAPT, ADOPT

0 Adapt means to 0 Adopt means to take as

change ones own

Example:
Example: Sheryls father adopted a
They migrated to other dog for her.
country since last year so
they adapted the living
there.
 ADVICE, ADVISE

0 Advice (a noun) means 0 Advise (a verb) means

opinion to give an opinion to

Example: Example:
Maria seek an advice to Rayvers guardian advise
her parents. him not to join the trip.
 AFFECT, EFFECT

0 Affect (a verb) means to 0 Effect (a noun) means

influence
Example:
Exposing oneself to places
that are polluted may
affect our health.
result or (a verb)
means to cause
Example:
The effect of the
experiment showed two
days after we have done it.
(noun)
 ACCUSE, ALLEGE
0 Accuse (a verb) means 0 Allege means to claim
to blame or to bring a something that has not
charge against yet been proved

Example: Example:
The state has accused the The defense will try to
man of murder. prove that the alleged
crime never actually
occurred.
 AINT
0 Originally a contraction of am not but it is no longer
considered standard English.

Example:
He aint joining them. ( nonstandard)

He isnt joining them.

 ALLOT, A LOT, ALOT
Allot (a verb) means to divide in parts or to give out in
shares.
A lot is an informal expression meaning a great many
and should never be spelled in one word.
(it should never be spelled as one word)

Example:
Each of us has been allotted five thousand to spend.
They visited a lot of church last summer.
 ALL READY, ALREADY
0 All ready, two separate 0 Already (an adverb)
words used as adjective. means even now,
before this time.
Example: Example:
His colleagues were all All the sports equipment
ready to leave when he got are already in place.
there.
 ALL TOGETHER, ALTOGETHER

0 All together (an adverb) 0 Altogether (an adverb)

means together as a means completely or
group in all

Example: Example:
We sing our school hymn We were altogether
all together. disappointed with our
presentation.
 AMONG, BETWEEN

0 Among (a preposition) 0 Between (a preposition)

that implies three or used with only two
more
Example: Example:
She is the bravest among The argument is between
them. Valerie and Mae.
 AWHILE, A WHILE

0 Awhile (an adverb) 0 A while (an article and a

means for a while noun) usually used after
the preposition for.
Example: Example:
Let them rest awhile. Can we talk for a while?
 ANYWHERE, EVERYWHERE,
NOWHERE, SOMEWHERE
0 Never end anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, and
somewhere with an s.

Example:
The baby is nowheres in sight.

The baby is nowhere in sight.

 ANXIOUS
0 Anxious (an adjective) implies uneasiness, worry or fear.
0 Should not be used as a substitute for eager.

Example:
I am anxious about driving at night.
 AS TO
0 Replace as to with about.

Example:
Mira doesnt have any idea as to what happened yesterday.
Mira doesnt have any idea about what happened yesterday.
 AT
0 Do not use at after where.

Example:
We followed the footprint in the forest, eventually we
became lost and dont know where we were at.

We followed the footprint in the forest, eventually we

became lost and dont know where we were.
 BECAUSE

0 Never used because after the reason, use that instead.

Example:
The reason for her sadness is because she lost her
necklace.

The reason for her sadness is that she lost her she lost her
necklace.
 BESIDE, BESIDES

0 Beside (a preposition) 0 Besides (a preposition)

means at the side of means in addition to

Example: Example:
Place the letter beside the Besides my family, my
lamp. cousins will also watch the
game.
 BRING, TAKE

0 Bring (a verb) means to 0 Take (a verb) means to

carry from a distant carry from a near place
place to a nearer place to a distant place

Example: Example:
Bring that tool box to me. Take the food with you.
 BURST, BUST, BUSTED

0 Burst has the same present, past, and past principle. Bust
and busted are not used in formal writing or speaking.

Example:
The balloons burst because the children played with them.
 BEING AS, BEING THAT

0 Do not use either expression (being as or being that)

0 Use because or since instead

Example:
Since he wanted to be in the honors list, he gave more
effort in studying.
 CANT HELP BUT

0 Do not say cant help but instead use cant help plus a
gerund (-ing)

Example:
He cant help but feel sleepy in the class.

He cant help feeling sleepy in the class.

 DUE TO

0 Due to is a substitute for caused by

Example:
Miles is late today due to a heavy traffic.
 DUE TO THE FACT THAT

0 Do not use due to the fact that instead use since or

because.

Example:
He didnt attend the practice due to the fact that he was sick.

He didnt attend the practice because he was sick.

 DOESNT, DONT

0 Doesnt is the correct 0 Dont is used with all

verb form for third- other subjects.
person singular subjects.

Example: Example:
Sheila doesnt want to join I dont want to get in
the trip because she trouble.
thinks it is not safe. They dont permit me to
join the game.
 DIFFERENT FROM, DIFFERENT
THAN
0 Different from is preferred

Example:

Finns work is different than Smiths work.

Finns work is different from Smiths work.

 EMIGRATE, IMMIGRATE

0 Emigrate means to 0 Immigrate means to

move out of the move into a country
country.

Example: Example:
Veronica emigrated from They immigrated to
California to Europe. Canada.
 ENTHUSED, ENTHUSIASTIC

0 Enthusiastic is more preferred to use. Enthused is

nonstandard.

Example:
I am enthused about going to Vietnam.

I am enthusiastic about going to Vietnam.

 FARTHER, FURTHER

0 Farther refers to the 0 Further means to a

length or distance. greater degree or
extent
Example: Example:
Kim is making her essay Geralds teacher
farther away from the motivated him that he can
noise of her classmates. further develop his
comprehension skills.
 FEWER, LESS

0 Fewer is used for 0 Less is used for

countable objects. quantities that cannot be
counted.
Example: Example:
fewer students less excitement
fewer books less water
 FORMER, LATTER

0 Former refers to the first 0 Latter refers to the

of two previously second.
mentioned items.

Example: Example:
We visited Mexico City the latter is a modern
and Acapulco. The former seaside resort.
is a bustling city;
 GONE, WENT

0 Gone is the past 0 Went is the past tense of

participle of go and is go.
always used with a
helping verb. Example:
We went to the SM mall
Example: last night.
She would have gone to
the office earlier.
 HEALTHFUL, HEALTHY

0 Healthful refers to 0 Healthy refers to people.

things.

Example: Example:
Too much candy is not Anne managed herself to
healthful. be healthy.
 IN, INTO

0 In refers to placement. 0 Into refers to motion.

Example: Example:
She placed her id in the She went into the family
drawer. room before she slept.
 IRREGARDLESS

0 Putting ir- on the word regardless makes it double

negative.
0 Use regardless instead.

Example:
Their presentation seems unpleasing, regardless of their
costumes.
 JUST

0 When used as an adverb meaning no more than, it

should be placed right before the word it modifies.

Example:
Felicity wants just half of the cheesecake.
 KIND OF, SORT OF

0 Kind of and sort of should not be used to mean rather or

somewhat

Example:
I am kind of disappointed.

I am rather disappointed.
 LAY, LIE

0 Lay means to put 0 Lie means to recline.

something down

Example: Example:
The nurse lay down the I lay down yesterday to
injured player in the bed. have some sleep.
 LEARN, TEACH

0 Learn mean to receive 0 Teach means to give

knowledge knowledge

Example: Example:
Stephanie learned how to Stephanies mother
cook pasta. teaches her few household
chores.
 LEAVE, LET

0 Leave means to allow to 0 Let means to permit

remain

Example: Example:
Leave them alone so that They let me decide what I
they can talk privately. want to pursue my own
goals.
 LIKE

0 Like (a preposition) should not be used in place of the

conjunction as.

Example:
The pie doesnt taste like it should.

The pie doesnt taste as it should.

 OF
0 Do not use of in place of the verb have.
Example:
Hannah would of wanted that role.

0 Do not place of after outside, inside, or off. Eliminate it.

Example:
She kept the paper inside of her bag.
She kept the paper inside her bag.
 ONLY

0 Place only near the word it modifies to avoid confusion.

Example:
Berna only wanted to go swimming.

Only my sister wants to eat.

 RAISE, RISE

0 Raise usually takes a 0 Rise never takes a direct

direct object. object.

Example: Example:
He raise his pet The sun rises in the east
responsibly. everyday.
 SEEN

0 Seen (a past participle), can be used as a verb only with a

helping verb.

Example:
I have seen the projects of our batch.
 SO

0 So (a conjunction), should be avoided when you mean so

that.

Example:
Linda focuses on what she is doing so she can finish it early.

Linda focuses on what she is doing so that she can finish it

early.
 SET, SIT

0 Set means to put 0 Sit means to be seated

something in a certain
place
Example:
Example: Caroline prefers to sit on
Arielle set his books the front row.
neatly on his table.
 THAN, THEN

0 Than is used in 0 Then (an adverb),

comparisons. usually refers to time.

Example: Example:
He is taller than you. Faye finished her
assignments then
proceeded on making her
projects.
 THAT THERE, THIS HERE
0 That there and this here should never be used.
0 Leave out there and here

Example:
That there clothes in signature stores are expensive.

That clothes in signature stores are expensive.

 THAT, WHICH, WHO
0 That, which, who are relative pronoun.
That refers to things or people
Which refers to things only
Who refers to people only

Example:
The bag that Mimi lost has been found.
The bracelet which Diana wear is from someone.
He is the only one who was reelected.
 THEIR, THEYRE, THERE
Their (a possessive pronoun) comes before a noun.
Theyre is a contraction of they and are.
There is used either as an expletive or as an adverb.

Example:
That design is their own idea.
Theyre currently preparing for the game tomorrow.
There are the players in basketball.
 TO, TOO, TWO
To is used as a preposition and as a part of an infinitive.
Too is used an adverb.
Two is used in quantity.

Example:
to talk two notebooks
to play two talents

too expensive
too fragile
 THEM
0 Do not use them as a substitute of those

Example:
Lend me them posters.

Lend me those posters.

 UNIQUE

0 Never use unique with most, very, or extremely.

Example:
That was a very unique strategy!

That was a unique strategy!

 WHEN, WHERE

0 Never use when and where right after linking verb.

Example:
A new year is when you get to start over.

A new year will allow you to start over.

 WIN, BEAT

Win means to achieve victory in

Beat means to overcome (an opponent)

Example:
I finally beat him in the game yesterday.
 WAYS

0 Ways (a plural) should not be used after the article a.

Example:
All of the candidates have a great ways to project
themselves.

All of the candidates have a great way to project themselves.

 -WISE

0 Do not create new words using the suffix wise.

Example:
Schoolwise
Financialwise