Commonly Confused Words
accept vs. except:
Accept is the opposite of "to decline."
Except means "aside" or "apart from."
Examples:
He had to accept his employee's resignation.
They could do nothing except wait.
adjourning vs. adjoining:
Adjourning means to "postpone."
Adjoining means "next to each other."
Examples:
The meeting is adjourned.
They had adjoining rooms.
advise vs. advice:
Advice is a noun. She gave advice.
Advise is the verb. She advised him to save his money.
affect vs. effect:
Affect is most often used as a verb. It means "to influence" or "to have an effect on".
Example:
Alcohol affects rational thinking.
Ray sensed that this was one of those cases that affected her on more than a professional level.
Effect is most often used as a noun. It means "result".
Example:
She could see the effect that being the victim of a hateful crime again had on Dawn.
He was well aware of his effect on women.
Effect can also be a verb, though. It means "to cause" or "to bring about".
Example:
The new law effected a drop in crime rate.
Affect can also be a noun. It's a term used in psychology. It means "emotional state".
Example:
People with depression and schizophrenia often show flat affect.
all together vs. altogether:
All together means a group will be or do something in one place at one time together.
Altogether means "entirely" or "completely".
Example:
We were able to walk all together.
Del secretly loved that Kade wasn't giving up her fierce independence altogether.
already vs. all ready:
Already is an adverb of time.
All ready refers to the readiness or preparation of a group.
Example:
They were all ready to go.
Ray, already halfway out of the door, waved her over.
anymore vs. any more:
Anymore is an adveerb. It means "any longer" or "at the present."
Any more functions as an adjective; it modifies a noun and means "any additional."
Examples:
She doesn't have any more time.
We're not in Kansas anymore.
He doesn't watch the show anymore.
She doesn't need any more complaints.
anyone vs. any one:
Any one emphasizes the word "one" and means "any single person" or "any single thing." Usually followed by "of."
Example:
It could be any one of us.
Do you recognize any one of these men?
She didn't know anyone at the party.
She didn't know any one of the guests.
Did anyone see my keys?
awhile vs. a while:
More often than not, "a while" is the correct term.
Awhile is an adverb and means "for a while".
A while is a noun and usually follows the preposition "for" (or "in").
Example:
I'm exhausted and just want to curl up on my couch for a while
"Okay," Dawn said after a while.
"I'll stay awhile."
beside vs. besides:
Beside means "next to."
Besides means "in addition to."
Examples:
There were three other guests besides Mary.
She's walking beside him and not lagging behind.
blister vs. bluster:
Blister is something that your skin does.
Bluster means "throwing a fit."
Examples:
The skin on his hands blistered.
He blustered with indignation.
blond vs. blonde:
Blonde is the noun. Only use it for women with blond hair.
Blond is the adjective. Also use it for men with blond hair.
Examples:
She's a blonde.
She has blond hair.
breath vs. breathe:
Breath is the noun.
Breathe is the verb.
Examples:
His breath caught.
She could finally breathe again.
build vs. built:
Build is a verb, meaning "to construct." It can also be a noun, meaning "physique."
Built is the past tense of "build."
Examples:
He is building a house.
He built a house last summer.
She's a slightly built woman.
compare to vs. compare with
Use compare to to say that two (or more) things are alike.
Use compare with to point out similarities and differences.
compliment vs. complement:
To complement means to "suit" or to "set off nicely" or to "complete."
To compliment means to "praise" someone, to offer compliments.
Example:
The red shirt complemented the color of her eyes.
He complimented her for the color of her eyes.
different from vs. different than:
"Different from" is correct in most cases, but not always.
Different from is used when a noun (or a phrase that functions as a noun) is used. You can use different from with a clause if the clause starts with a conjunction and so functions as a noun.
Different than can be the correct form when a full clause follows.
Example:
She didn't look that much different from the witness Kade had questioned on the stand.
The date was different than she had thought it would be.
The date was different from what she had thought it would be.
The city is different from how it was ten years ago.
discreet vs. discrete:
Discreet means someone is cautious not to be too obvious; someone who is good at keeping secrets.
Discrete means "distinct" or "separate".
Example:
Had they been that obvious? She had tried to be really discreet when Aiden stopped by at her office.
The organisation is split into several discrete departments.
disinterested vs. uninterested:
Uninterested means "indifferent" or being "bored".
Disinterested means being "impartial", "neutral", or "having no personal interest in the outcome".
Example:
A referee should be disinterested.
She was uninterested in sports.
each other vs. one another:
Use each other when two people are involved
Use one another when three or more people are involved.
Example:
Aiden and Dawn looked at each other.
Aiden, Dawn, and Kade gave one another worried glances.
every day vs. everyday:
Every day is an adverbial phrase and describes when an action occurs. It means something is done every single day.
Everyday is an adjective and always modifies a noun. It means "ordinary".
Example:
She had stayed late every day for the last week.
She could only imagine how frightening even everyday things in her life suddenly were for Dawn.
Being shot isn't an everyday occurrence.
She wasn't shot every day.
every one vs. everyone:
Every one means "every single person/thing" and emphasizes every individual in the group. It's an emphatic way of saying "each."
Everyone means "everybody" and refers to all the people in the group.
Example:
Everyone knew that Aiden's workaholic tendencies were surpassed only by Kade's own.
Each and every one of them wore clothes that were worth more than Del's old, battered car.
exercise vs. exorcize:
Exercise means to engage in an activity.
Exorcise means "to drive out."
Examples:
He exercised regularly, so he didn't put on weight.
They exorcized his demons.
farther vs. further:
Farther is used for physical distances.
Further is used for figurative distances (time, amount, etc.)
Example:
The police cruisers had blocked the Parker's driveway, so she had parked farther down the road.
Aiden let her gaze wander over Dawn's body, checking for further injuries.
forgo vs. forego:
Forgo means "to do without".
Forego means "to go before", often in the expression "foregone conclusion".
Example:
She had decided that she would forgo her usual Sunday-morning run.
His reputation foregoes him.
Hung vs. hanged:
Hung is the past tense of the verb "to hang" if you're referring to hanging pictures etc.
Hanged is used when you're referring to executing someone by hanging him.
I vs. me:
Use I as the subject of the sentence.
Use me as the object of the sentence.
After a preposition (against, for, to, from, with, by...), the objective case me is correct.
Example:
"There's nothing between Dawn and me!"
To find the correct form, eliminate the other pronoun and put the preposition directly before the problematic pronoun.
After a form of "to be", use I.
Example:
The only persons present were Dawn and I.
intent on vs. intend to:
Intent is the noun and adjective form.
Intend is the verb form.
To be intent on doing something means to be really determined to do it.
To intend to do something means to plan on doing something or to have a purpose in mind.
Examples:
"And now that you've found one, what are you intending to do with her?"
Kade shifted her briefcase to her other shoulder, a simple tactic intended to buy her a little more time.
She hadn't intended to tell her mother.
She was intent on being the best.
Then there are intention of doing something and intention to do something .
Examples:
It isn't my intention to continue this discussion.
It was his intention to take Wednesday off.
He stated his intention to retire.
She announced her intention to divorce him.
She never had any intentions of marrying.
She left with the intention of returning soon.
She had every intention of going to bed early.
She had no intention of giving away information on her private life
in to vs. into:
Into is a preposition. It indicates entry, insertion, inclusion, or transformation, e.g. she went into the kitchen.
In to is a combination of the adverb "in" + the prepositon "to." It's often part of phrasal verbs, e.g. she gave in to his demands.
its vs. it's:
It's is short for "it is" (or, less often, "it has").
Its is a possessive pronoun and means "belonging to it".
Examples:
"I'm not sure if your old apartment has been released yet or if it's still taped off as a crime scene."
Aiden regained her balance and pulled her gun from its holster.
Latter vs. later:
Latter refers to the last-mentioned of two alternatives.
Later refers to a time.
led vs. lead:
Lead is the present tense of a verb and can also mean a metal or the first place.
Led is the past tense of the verb "to lead."
less vs. fewer:
Fewer means a smaller number of countable things, e.g. fewer dollars, fewer women, fewer cars. Use "fewer" if you'd use "many."
Less means a smaller quantity or degree of uncountable nouns, e.g. less money, less water, less time, less patience. Use "less" if you'd use "much." Use less with singular nouns or when you refer to a sum of money or period of time etc. as a unit, e.g. less than twenty hours, less than forty dollars, less than four percent, less than twenty miles.
lie vs. lay:
Lie is an intransitive verb that means "to recline". It requires no direct object.
Lay is a transitive verb that means "to place". It requires a direct object.
What makes things more difficult is that lay is also the past tense of lie.
| present tense | past tense | past participle | |
| to recline | lie | lay | lain |
| to place |
lay | laid | laid |
Example - intransitive verb to lie :
Present tense: "Then at least lie down for a while."
Past tense: Dawn's glasses lay on the bedroom floor.
Past participle: She had lain there for hours.
Example - transitive verb to lay :
Present tense: I tried to lay a hand over my eyes.
Past tense: Dawn laid down the sketch pad.
Past participle: Ruben looked down at the photos he had laid out on his desk.
Like vs. as:
Like is a preposition. As and as if (or as though) are conjunctions.
Use like when followed by a noun.
In formal writing, use as (or as if) when followed by a clause (subject + verb).
Be careful: some sentences might look as if the "as if" rule applies because a verb follows. That's a good rule of thumb, but it's not always right.
Examples:
She managed to make it sound like a neutral question, not as if she was telling Evan off.
It was not like Aiden to forget asking a witness a question that could be essential to solving the case.
Kade strode toward the witness box, closing in on Ballard like a tigress going after its prey.
Grace's apartment looked like something she had thought only existed in picture books and movies.
Dawn was staring at the front entrance as if it were her mortal enemy.
Sometimes, you might want to use " such as" instead of "like." While "like" means "similar to," "such as" means "amont them," errors such as spelling mistakes.
Loath vs. loathe:
Loath is an adjective. It means "reluctant" or "unwilling."
Loathe is a verb. It means to "hate" or to "despise."
lose vs. loose
Loose can be an adjective that means "not tight" or a verb that means "to release" or "to set free"
Loosen is a verb and means "to untie" or "partially release" / "make it less tight".
Lose is a verb and means "to fail" or "to misplace".
Example:
Aiden was leaning in the doorway in jeans and a loose shirt.
Aiden loosened her grip on the railing.
"Do you lose the keys to your handcuffs very often, Detective?"
nauseous vs. nauseated
Nauseous means "causing nausea" .
Nauseated means "to feel sick" or "suffering from nausea".
Example:
Roller coasters make me nauseated.
on to vs. onto
On to is the adverb "on" + the prepositon "to." It can be part of a phrasal verb (e.g. move on to..., pass on to..., hold on to...)
Onto is a preposition. It indicates movement atop of something, e.g. she jumped onto the couch.
Example:
They sank back onto the bed.
Dawn shifted onto the edge of her chair.
She held on to the punching bag with both gloved hands, stopping its movements.
Her father passed the medaillon on to Dawn.
peak vs. peek vs. pique
Peek can be a verb or a noun. It means "quick glance" or "take a quick look".
Peak can be a verb or a noun. It means "high point" (maximum) or "reach a high point".
Pique means "to stimulate" or "arouse" (someone's interest etc.) or to "annoy."
Example:
The shirt that peeked out from under the blanket was wrinkled.
Grace cracked the door open and peeked into her kitchen.
The story piqued her interest.
They reached the peak of the mountain.
Oil demand reached its peak.
pluck vs. plug:
Pluck is to "pull" or "snatch."
Plug means "to put into" or to "stuff."
Examples:
He plucked a stray hair off his sleeve.
He plucked the book from the shelf.
She plugged her ears with her fingers.
Precede vs. proceed:
Precede means "to go before" or "come before."
Proceed means "to continue" or "go forward."
Example:
Winter procedes spring.
He proceeded with the examination.
price vs. prize:
Price means "cost" or "charge."
Prize means "award" or "win."
Examples:
The price of coffee went up.
She was awarded first prize.
rein vs. reign
to reign is a verb and means "to rule." The noun "reign" refers to the period in which a regent occupies the throne.
to rein is a verb and means "to control". The noun "rein" refers to the leather strap fastened to a horse's bridle.
Example:
Dawn's cat Kia reigned over the apartment.
Aiden felt her emotions and her passion rage out of control, and she fought to rein them in.
safe vs. save:
Safe is an adjective and means "not in danger."
Save is a verb, meaning "to rescue."
Examples:
Your secret is safe with me.
He put the money in the safe.
Save me a seat.
Saved by the bell.
sat vs. set:
Sat is past tense of "sit." It's a intransitive verb. It requires no direct object.
Set means "to put down" or "to place." It's a transitive verb. It requires a direct object.
Examples:
He sat down on the couch.
He set the book down on the table.
sensual vs. sensuous
Sensual refers to physical desire and often means "sexy."
Sensuous refers to something that is "appealing to the senses."
Example:
The sensuous experience of eating chocolate.
Sensual fully body massage
shake vs. tremble:
Shaking and trembling are synonyms, but "to tremble" is a finer motion.
Examples:
He was shaking all over.
His hands were trembling.
shutter vs. shudder
Shutter can be a noun (meaning "movable screen for a window/door" or a camera component) or a verb (meaning "to close by shutters").
Shudder can be a verb (meaning "to tremble convulsively") or a noun (refering to the "act of shuddering").
Example:
He shuddered as the icy water chilled his skin.
A shuttered look
sick vs. sic:
Sick means "ill," "not healthy."
Sic means "to set on."
Examples:
I'm siccing the dogs on you.
She's out sick.
sight vs. site
Site means "place".
Sight has to do with "seeing" something.
Example:
Kade lost sight of her for a moment in the mass of guests.
The apartment was a site of a crime.
staple vs. steeple:
Staple means to put together with a stapler.
Steeple means "pile up" or "stack."
Examples:
He steepled his fingers.
He stapled the pages together.
steal vs. steel:
Steal means to "rob" or "filch."
Steel is the material.
Examples:
The baby is stealing everyone's attention.
He steeled his troops for battle.
It was hard as steel.
sweat vs. sweet:
Sweet is the way something tastes, e.g., candy, or to describe something cute or nice.
Sweat means "perspiration."
Examples:
That's very sweet of you.
Drops of sweat were running down his face.
Than I vs. than me:
Either can be correct. It depends on the meaning on the sentence.
Example:
He likes her more than me
means he likes her more than he likes me.
He likes her more than I
means he likes her more than I like her.
though vs. tough:
Though means "although," "in spite of" or "even if."
Tough can mean "hardy" or "difficult."
Examples:
Even though he had no money, he wanted the car.
It's a tough decision.
thread vs. threat:
Thread is a piece of yarn or a string. It can also mean "the subject" of conversation.
Threat means a "danger" or "intimidation."
Examples:
He could follow the thread of conversation.
He threaded his way through the crowd.
She's hanging by a thread.
The war is a threat to civilization.
tuck vs. tug:
Tuck means "to put."
Tug means "to pull" or "yank."
Examples:
He tucked his umbrella under his arm.
She sat with her feet tucked under her.
She tugged his sleeve.
Up to vs. up for:
To be up to doing something means to have the skills, the knowledge, or the physical fitness to do something.
Examples:
It's a long hike. Are you sure you're up to it?
He feels up to the task.
I'm not up to lifting heavier weights.
He wanted the job, but now he finds he's not up to it.
To be up for doing something means to be willing and interested in doing something. There might be a dare, a risk, or something new, unusual, or exciting involved.
Examples:
She never turns down a dare. She's up for anything.
We're going out for dinner and drinks. Are you up for it?
To be up to something means to plan or do something that is wrong, sinister, mischievous, or illegal.
Examples:
He's up to no good.
He's been very suspiciously quiet all day. What is he up to?
To be up to somebody means that it depends on this person or is his responsibility or decision.
Examples:
The success of the project is up to her.
I don't care where we go; it's up to you.
To be up for can also mean being considered, nominated, or available for something.
Examples:
The actor is up for an award.
The house is up for sale.
The contract is up for a renewal.
The question is not up for discussion.
Up to can also indicate a limit or a specified point.
Examples:
He was up to his neck in debt.
The hotel has rooms for up to 1,000 people.
Waist vs. waste:
Waist is a noun. It's the body part between the chest and the hips.
Waste can be a noun or a verb. It can refer to something that is unused or discarded or spend carelessly.
Wave vs. waive:
Wave can be a noun or a verb. It means "to move back and forth."
Waive means to "forgo" or "refrain from claiming."
weak vs. week / weakly vs. weekly:
Weak is the opposite of "strong." Weakly is the adverb.
Week means seven days. "Weekly" means something that happens every week.
Examples:
He went on his weekly shopping expedition.
He weakly lifted his head and looked at her through tired eyes.
Which vs. that:
Both are relative pronouns.
That is used restrictively to identify something. That is never preceded by a comma.
Which is used nonrestrictively to add information about an already identified item. Which is usually preceded by a comma (unless used restrictively when it's preceded by a preposition).
Example:
She had never known the level of motherly comfort that she was witnessing now.
Dawn's gaze, which had always calmly rested on the person to whom she was talking, now darted around the room.
Aiden entered the room in which Dawn had apparently lived as a teenager.
who vs. whom:
Use who when you refer to the subject of the sentence (the person who is doing something).
Use whom when you refer to the object of the sentence (the person who is having something done to them).
When you're trying to decide whether to use who or whom, substitute him or he. If he fits, use who. If him fits, use whom.
Examples:
The rape counselor who held the first lecture at the seminar last week. => she held the lecture.
Whoever did it didn't just steal the radio => he did it.
Aiden waited for two uniformed officers, whom the shop owner had called. => the shop owner had called them.
Dawn Kinsley and an older woman, whom Aiden recognized as Dawn's mother, sat in front of her desk. => Aiden recognized her .
Use whom when the relative pronoun follows a preposition. In dialogue, it's okay to use the more informal who.
Examples:
"Who do they belong to?"
Who's vs. whose:
Who's is short for "who is" (or "who has").
Whose is a relative pronoun and means "of whom" or "belonging to whom".
Examples:
I'm the one who's buying the bed.
I saw a patient today whose story hit a little too close to home.
Wrack vs. rack:
Wrack means "to destroy". It's related to "wreck".
Rack means "to torture" or "to stretch beyond capacity".
Example:
He was racked with pain.
She racked her brain.
The waiting was nerve-racking.
She was injured in a car wreck.
He's a nervous wreck.
Wring vs. ring:
Wring means "to strangle" or "to twist."
Ring means "to put a ring around" something or to "produce the sound of a bell." The noun refers to a round piece of metal.
Example:
I'll wring your neck! (= I'll kill you!)
I'll ring your neck (= I'll put a ring around it)
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