Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Confusiao : Part 1 :)

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.

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.


Source: askoxford

Intentionally posting only from a-d. Please learn this before we move on to other alphabets.
Hope that helps.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Present Perfect USAGE...important!!!

Present Perfect Tense - When to use Present Perfect Tense - How to form Present Perfect Tense - Already and Yet Present Perfect Tense - For and Since Present Perfect and Past Simple tenses

[ Present Perfect Tense - When to use ] [ Present Perfect Tense - How to form ] [ Present Perfect Tense - Already and Yet ] [ Present Perfect Tense - For and Since ] [ Present Perfect and Past Simple tenses ]


Present Perfect The Present Perfect Tense - When to use

  1. We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about experiences. It is important if we have done it in our lives or not. It is not important when we did it.

    Examples
    I have been abroad two times.
    Anna has never broken a leg.
    Have you ever eaten sushi?

  2. Tip! We often use never and ever with the Present Perfect Tense to talk about experience.

  3. We use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about an action which started in the past and continuous up to now.

    Examples
    I have been a teacher for more than ten years.
    We haven't seen Janine since Friday.
    How long have you been at this school?

  4. Tip! We often use since and for to say how long the action has lasted.

  5. We also use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about a past action that has the result in the present.

    Examples
    I have lost my wallet. = I don't have it now.
    Jimmy has gone to South America. = He isn't here now.
    Have you finished your homework? = Is your homework ready?

  6. Tip! We often use just, already and yet with the Present Perfect Tense for an action in the past with the result in the present.


Present Perfect Uses of the Present Perfect - Practice

Exercise: chose for or since.

  1. You have broken my watch!
  2. I have never been to Paris.
  3. How long have you been here?
  4. Angela has bought a new flat.
  5. How many times have you been married?
  6. We haven't worked on a farm.
  7. This building has been an office since 1998.

Quick Spelling Hint: Make sure you DO NOT spell this tense as Present Pefect that appear to be a very typical spelling mistake.


Learn how to form the Present Perfect Tense.

http://www.eclecticenglish.com/grammar/PresentPerfect1A.html



Artilcles' Usage

Using Articles

Summary: This handout discusses the differences between indefinite articles (a/an) and definite articles (the).

Contributors:Paul Lynch, Allen Brizee
Last Edited: 2010-04-17 05:55:27

What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles modify nouns.

English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns. We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.

the = definite article

a/an = indefinite article

For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.

Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.

"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.

Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely.

Indefinite Articles: a and an

"A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:

  • "My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This refers to any dog. We don't know which dog because we haven't found the dog yet.
  • "Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a specific policeman; we need any policeman who is available.
  • "When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a single, non-specific thing, in this case an elephant. There are probably several elephants at the zoo, but there's only one we're talking about here.

Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So...

  • a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog
  • an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan
  • a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle
  • In some cases where "h" is pronounced, such as "historical," use an:
An historical event is worth recording.

In writing, "a historical event" is more commonly used.

Remember that this rule also applies when you use acronyms:

Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP) handles first-year writing at the University. Therefore, an ICaP memo generally discusses issues concerning English 106 instructors.

Another case where this rule applies is when acronyms start with consonant letters but have vowel sounds:

An MSDS (material safety data sheet) was used to record the data. An SPCC plan (Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures plan) will help us prepare for the worst.

If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:

  • a broken egg
  • an unusual problem
  • a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound)

Remember, too, that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:

  • I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group known as teachers.)
  • Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.)
  • Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people known as Buddhists.)

Definite Article: the

The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example:

"The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.

"I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular policeman. Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a particular policeman because it is the one who saved the cat.

"I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.

Count and Noncount Nouns

The can be used with noncount nouns, or the article can be omitted entirely.

  • "I love to sail over the water" (some specific body of water) or "I love to sail over water" (any water).
  • "He spilled the milk all over the floor" (some specific milk, perhaps the milk you bought earlier that day) or "He spilled milk all over the floor" (any milk).

"A/an" can be used only with count nouns.

  • "I need a bottle of water."
  • "I need a new glass of milk."

Most of the time, you can't say, "She wants a water," unless you're implying, say, a bottle of water.

Geographical use of the

There are some specific rules for using the with geographical nouns.

Do not use the before:

  • names of most countries/territories: Italy, Mexico, Bolivia; however, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the United States
  • names of cities, towns, or states: Seoul, Manitoba, Miami
  • names of streets: Washington Blvd., Main St.
  • names of lakes and bays: Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie except with a group of lakes like the Great Lakes
  • names of mountains: Mount Everest, Mount Fuji except with ranges of mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn
  • names of continents (Asia, Europe)
  • names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands

Do use the before:

  • names of rivers, oceans and seas: the Nile, the Pacific
  • points on the globe: the Equator, the North Pole
  • geographical areas: the Middle East, the West
  • deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas: the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black Forest, the Iberian Peninsula

Omission of Articles

Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:

  • Names of languages and nationalities: Chinese, English, Spanish, Russian
  • Names of sports: volleyball, hockey, baseball
  • Names of academic subjects: mathematics, biology, history, computer science

Saturday, April 24, 2010

past tense questions


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Past tenses (English exercise n°5884 - Please quote this number when contacting us)


Other English exercises on the same topic

Past tenses
Use the correct past tense.



Advanced
English exercise "Past tenses" created by bridg (23-01-2006) with The test builder
Click here to see the current stats of this English test


1. As we were talking we (to be interrupted) by a phone call.
2. I (to start) learning Spanish... but I suddenly stopped 2 months ago.
3. (you / ever/ to be) to Scotland ?
4. They (to buy) a new car recently.
5. He seemed tired. He (to wander) in town all day.
6. No sooner (to wash + my mother) the windows than it started raining.
7. A huge amount of money (to be stolen) but the employees remained tight-lipped.
8. She (to work) there for 30 years until she retired.
9. Tom (not to do) the washing-up yet! You must do it!
10. John (just + to arrive) at home when it started raining.

LINKS

Best site for grammar--

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/601/02/

Using the correct sequence of tenses

Using the correct sequence of tenses

Sometimes you combine parts of a sentence that are in different tenses - one part may be in the present tense and the other part may be in the future tense; for instance, like this one:

Using the correct sequence of tenses

This sentence is fine - there’s a logical progression of tenses. The first part says what I am doing right now, the next part tells what I will be doing in the future. But there are tenses that you can’t combine. For instance:

I was running in the park, although it is snowing.

Whoa! Doesn’t quite sound right when you read it aloud. This is because there’s an error with the tenses - the main clause is in the past progressive tense - ‘was running’, but the dependent clause that comes after it is in the simple present tense - ‘it is snowing’.

Here are some tree diagrams that show you what tense combinations are acceptable. The tense on the left of the diagram is the tense of the main independent clause, and the tense options on the right are what you can use for the subordinate or dependent clauses in the sentence. An example sentence is given with each one.

Using the correct sequence of tenses
Using the correct sequence of tenses
Using the correct sequence of tenses
Using the correct sequence of tenses
Using the correct sequence of tenses
Using the correct sequence of tenses

One of the tricky tense things I’ve always had problems with is combining the simple past or progressive past with the present tense, like in this sentence.

Using the correct sequence of tenses

You can do this when the present tense clause is saying something that is a general belief about something. Of course, you may disagree, but as long as it’s something that could be a general belief, it’s fine. Usually the ‘something’ that you’re describing is from the first part of the sentence and hasn’t changed significantly from the past until now. This sort of tense combination often comes up when you’re writing historical essays, and you’re talking about what the people of the time believed:

A few hundred years ago, people believed the world was flat, even though it is round.

Tenses

tense Affirmative/Negative/Question Use Signal Words
Simple Present A: He speaks.
N: He does not speak.
Q: Does he speak?
  • action in the present taking place once, never or several times
  • facts
  • actions taking place one after another
  • action set by a timetable or schedule
always, every …, never, normally, often, seldom, sometimes, usually
if sentences type I (If I talk, …)
Present Progressive A: He is speaking.
N: He is not speaking.
Q: Is he speaking?
  • action taking place in the moment of speaking
  • action taking place only for a limited period of time
  • action arranged for the future
at the moment, just, just now, Listen!, Look!, now, right now
Simple Past A: He spoke.
N: He did not speak.
Q: Did he speak?
  • action in the past taking place once, never or several times
  • actions taking place one after another
  • action taking place in the middle of another action
yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
if sentence type II (If I talked, …)
Past Progressive A: He was speaking.
N: He was not speaking.
Q: Was he speaking?
  • action going on at a certain time in the past
  • actions taking place at the same time
  • action in the past that is interrupted by another action
when, while, as long as
Present Perfect Simple A: He has spoken.
N: He has not spoken.
Q: Has he spoken?
  • putting emphasis on the result
  • action that is still going on
  • action that stopped recently
  • finished action that has an influence on the present
  • action that has taken place once, never or several times before the moment of speaking
already, ever, just, never, not yet, so far, till now, up to now
Present Perfect Progressive A: He has been speaking.
N: He has not been speaking.
Q: Has he been speaking?
  • putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)
  • action that recently stopped or is still going on
  • finished action that influenced the present
all day, for 4 years, since 1993, how long?, the whole week
Past Perfect Simple A: He had spoken.
N: He had not spoken.
Q: Had he spoken?
  • action taking place before a certain time in the past
  • sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
  • putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)
already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day
if sentence type III (If I had talked, …)
Past Perfect Progressive A: He had been speaking.
N: He had not been speaking.
Q: Had he been speaking?
  • action taking place before a certain time in the past
  • sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
  • putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action
for, since, the whole day, all day
Future I Simple A: He will speak.
N: He will not speak.
Q: Will he speak?
  • action in the future that cannot be influenced
  • spontaneous decision
  • assumption with regard to the future
in a year, next …, tomorrow
If-Satz Typ I (If you ask her, she will help you.)
assumption: I think, probably, perhaps
Future I Simple

(going to)

A: He is going to speak.
N: He is not going to speak.
Q: Is he going to speak?
  • decision made for the future
  • conclusion with regard to the future
in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future I Progressive A: He will be speaking.
N: He will not be speaking.
Q: Will he be speaking?
  • action that is going on at a certain time in the future
  • action that is sure to happen in the near future
in one year, next week, tomorrow
Future II Simple A: He will have spoken.
N: He will not have spoken.
Q: Will he have spoken?
  • action that will be finished at a certain time in the future
by Monday, in a week
Future II Progressive A: He will have been speaking.
N: He will not have been speaking.
Q: Will he have been speaking?
  • action taking place before a certain time in the future
  • putting emphasis on the course of an action
for …, the last couple of hours, all day long
Conditional I Simple A: He would speak.
N: He would not speak.
Q: Would he speak?
  • action that might take place
if sentences type II
(If I were you, I would go home.)
Conditional I Progressive A: He would be speaking.
N: He would not be speaking.
Q: Would he be speaking?
  • action that might take place
  • putting emphasis on the course / duration of the action
Conditional II Simple A: He would have spoken.
N: He would not have spoken.
Q: Would he have spoken?
  • action that might have taken place in the past
if sentences type III
(If I had seen that, I would have helped.)
Conditional II Progressive A: He would have been speaking.
N: He would not have been speaking.
Q: Would he have been speaking?
  • action that might have taken place in the past
  • puts emphasis on the course / duration of the action

Doubts not yet clarified

Doubts not yet clarified-

1. SC

Question of the Day (23-Apr-10)




Given below are 5 sentences. One or more of these sentences is grammatically, contextually incorrect or inappropriate. Select the option that indicates the total number of such sentences.
  1. The resentments, grievances and national divisions would not have grown and multiplied if the preferences had been based on household income.
  2. The hundreds of unsuccessful candidates would not fault their own inadequacies in an open system, but end up nursing grievances against the system and the polity in a quota based system.
  3. It is an anomaly that in an assembly of leading powers, China and India, the countries with the largest economies of the world in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, are not represented.
  4. I can hear the bass line of retro music pounding through the foundation and overpowering the strain of classical music.
  5. It is impossible, Kant argues, to extend our currant knowledge to the realm of metaphysics- the characteristics of the human mind restrict us to the empirical realm of space and time.

OPTIONS

1)1

2)2

3)3

4)4

5)5

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Solution

In sentence 2, the comparison is not made between two similar entities. The statement can be repaired in two ways
  1. By removing not - "The hundreds of unsuccessful candidates would fault their own inadequacies in an open system, but end up nursing grievances against the system and the polity in a quota based system".
  2. By keeping the comparison of their own faults in both the parts of the sentence - "The hundreds of unsuccessful candidates would not fault their own inadequacies in an open system, but end up accepting the same in a quota based system"
In sentence 5, current has been mis-spelled as currant which changes the meaning entirely and is contextually incorrect.
2 sentences have issues.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.


Didn't get the explanation for sentence 2??



Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Doubts and clarifications

Correct Answer: C The group of children from that school has never seen the ocean.

Explanation: "Group" is a singular collective noun so takes a singular verb. With "has" or "have," use "seen," not "saw." "Never" could be considered part of the complete verb.

Your Answer: B The group of children from that school have never seen the ocean.






Capitalization


Rule 1. Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence.
Examples: He said, "Treat her as you would your own daughter."
"Look out!" she screamed. "You almost ran into my child."

Rule 2. Capitalize a proper noun.
Example: Golden Gate Bridge

Rule 3. Capitalize a person's title when it precedes the name. Do not capitalize when the title is acting as a description following the name.
Examples: Chairperson Petrov
Ms. Petrov, the chairperson of the company, will address us at noon.

Rule 4. Capitalize the person's title when it follows the name on the address or signature line.
Example:

Sincerely,

Ms. Haines, Chairperson


Rule 5. Capitalize the titles of high-ranking government officials when used before their names. Do not capitalize the civil title if it is used instead of the name.
Examples: The president will address Congress.
All senators are expected to attend.
The governors, lieutenant governors, and attorneys general called for a special task force.
Governor Fortinbrass, Lieutenant Governor Poppins, Attorney General Dalloway, and Senators James and Twain will attend.

Rule 6. Capitalize any title when used as a direct address.
Example: Will you take my temperature, Doctor?

Rule 7. Capitalize points of the compass only when they refer to specific regions.
Examples: We have had three relatives visit from the South.
Go south three blocks and then turn left.
We live in the southeast section of town.
Southeast is just an adjective here describing section, so it should not be capitalized.

Rule 8.

Always capitalize the first and last words of titles of publications regardless of their parts of speech. Capitalize other words within titles, including the short verb forms Is, Are, and Be.

Exception: Do not capitalize little words within titles such as a, an, the, but, as, if, and, or, nor, or prepositions, regardless of their length.
Examples: The Day of the Jackal
What Color Is Your Parachute?
A Tale of Two Cities

Rule 9. Capitalize federal or state when used as part of an official agency name or in government documents where these terms represent an official name. If they are being used as general terms, you may use lowercase letters.
Examples: The state has evidence to the contrary.
That is a federal offense.
The State Board of Equalization collects sales taxes.
We will visit three states during our summer vacation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been subject to much scrutiny and criticism lately.
Her business must comply with all county, state, and federal laws.

Rule 10. You may capitalize words such as department, bureau, and office if you have prepared your text in the following way:
Example: The Bureau of Land Management (Bureau) has some jurisdiction over Indian lands. The Bureau is finding its administrative role to be challenging.

Rule 11. Do not capitalize names of seasons.
Example: I love autumn colors and spring flowers.

Rule 12. Capitalize the first word of a salutation and the first word of a complimentary close.
Examples: Dear Ms. Mohamed:
My dear Mr. Sanchez:
Very truly yours,

Rule 13. Capitalize words derived from proper nouns.
Example: I must take English and math.
English is capitalized because it comes from the proper noun England, but math does not come from Mathland.

Rule 14. Capitalize the names of specific course titles.
Example: I must take history and Algebra 2.

Rule 15. After a sentence ending with a colon, do not capitalize the first word if it begins a list.
Example: These are my favorite foods: chocolate cake, spaghetti, and artichokes.

Rule 16. Do not capitalize when only one sentence follows a sentence ending with a colon.
Example: I love Jane Smiley's writing: her book, A Thousand Acres, was beautiful.

Rule 17. Capitalize when two or more sentences follow a sentence ending with a colon.
Example: I love Jane Smiley's writing: Her book, A Thousand Acres, was beautiful. Also, Moo was clever.

Writing Numbers

Rule 1.

Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.

Correct Examples:

I want five copies.

I want 10 copies.


Rule 2.

Be consistent within a category. For example, if you choose numerals because one of the numbers is greater than nine, use numerals for all numbers in that category. If you choose to spell out numbers because one of the numbers is a single digit, spell out all numbers in that category.

If you have numbers in different categories, use numerals for one category and spell out the other.

Correct Examples:

My 10 cats fought with their 2 cats.
My ten cats fought with their two cats.

Given the budget constraints, if all 30 history students attend the four plays, then the 7 math students will be able to attend only two plays. (Students are represented with figures; plays are represented with words.)

Incorrect Example:

I asked for five pencils, not 50.



Rule 3. Always spell out simple fractions and use hyphens with them.
Examples: One-half of the pies have been eaten.
A two-thirds majority is required for that bill to pass in Congress.

Rule 4. A mixed fraction can be expressed in figures unless it is the first word of a sentence.
Examples: We expect a 5 1/2 percent wage increase.
Five and one-half percent was the maximum allowable interest.

Rule 5. The simplest way to express large numbers is best. Round numbers are usually spelled out. Be careful to be consistent within a sentence.
Correct: You can earn from one million to five million dollars.
Incorrect: You can earn from one million to $5,000,000.
Correct: You can earn from five hundred to five million dollars.
Correct: You can earn from $5 hundred to $5 million.
Incorrect: You can earn from $500 to $5 million.
Incorrect: You can earn from $500 to five million dollars.

Rule 6. Write decimals in figures. Put a zero in front of a decimal unless the decimal itself begins with a zero.
Examples: The plant grew 0.79 of a foot in one year.
The plant grew only .07 of a foot this year because of the drought.

Rule 7. With numbers that have decimal points, use a comma only when the number has five or more digits before the decimal point. Place the comma in front of the third digit to the left of the decimal point. When writing out such numbers, use the comma where it would appear in the figure format. Use the word and where the decimal point appears in the figure format.

Examples:

Examples:

$15,768.13: Fifteen thousand, seven hundred sixty-eight dollars and thirteen cents

$1054.21: One thousand fifty-four dollars and twenty-one cents

Note: If the number has no decimal point, authorities disagree on whether to begin using the comma with four-digit numbers or to begin using the comma with five-digit numbers. When writing out these numbers, I recommend using the comma where it appears in the numerical form.

1,054 schools OR 1054 schools: one thousand, fifty-four schools OR one thousand fifty-four schools

12,154 schools: twelve thousand, one hundred fifty-four schools


Rule 8. The following examples apply when using dates:
Examples: The meeting is scheduled for June 30.
The meeting is scheduled for the 30th of June.
We have had tricks played on us on April 1.
The 1st of April puts some people on edge.

Rule 9. When expressing decades, you may spell them out and lowercase them.
Example: During the eighties and nineties, the U.S. economy grew.

Rule 10. If you wish to express decades using incomplete numerals, put an apostrophe before the incomplete numeral but not between the year and the s.
Correct: During the '80s and '90s, the U.S. economy grew.
Incorrect: During the '80's and '90's, the U.S. economy grew.

Rule 11. You may also express decades in complete numerals. Again, don't use an apostrophe between the year and the s.
Example: During the 1980s and 1990s, the U.S. economy grew.

Rule 12. Normally, spell out the time of day in text even with half and quarter hours. With o'clock, the number is always spelled out.
Examples: She gets up at four thirty before the baby wakes up.
The baby wakes up at five o'clock in the morning.

Rule 13. Use numerals with the time of day when exact times are being emphasized or when using A.M. or P.M.
Examples:

Monib's flight leaves at 6:22 A.M.
Please arrive by 12:30 sharp.

She had a 7:00 P.M. deadline.


Rule 14. Use noon and midnight rather than 12:00 P.M. and 12:00 A.M.

Rule 15. Hyphenate all compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine.
Examples: Forty-three persons were injured in the train wreck.
Twenty-three of them were hospitalized.

Rule 16. Write out a number if it begins a sentence.
Examples:

Twenty-nine people won an award for helping their communities.
That 29 people won an award for helping their communities was fantastic!
OR

That twenty-nine people won an award for helping their communities was fantastic!

Spelling, Vocabulary, and Confusing Words


Page 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Because many words in English sound or look alike, frequently causing confusion, this list will be very helpful.


a vs. an

Rule. Use a when the first letter of the word following has the sound of a consonant. Keep in mind that some vowels sound like consonants when they’re sounded out as individual letters.

Examples:

  • a finger
  • a hotel
  • a U-turn (pronounced You-turn)
  • a HUD program
  • a NASA study

Rule. Use an when the first letter of the word following has the sound of a vowel. Remember that some consonants sound like vowels when they’re spoken as individual letters.

Examples:

  • an FBI case (F is pronounced ef here)
  • an honor (H is silent here)
  • an unusual idea
  • an HMO plan (H is pronounced aitch here)
  • an NAACP convention (N is pronounced en here)

Deciding whether to use a or an before abbreviations can be tricky. The abbreviation for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) causes confusion because it can be pronounced as a word (fak), or one letter at a time (F-A-Q). Using the guidelines above, one would say a FAQ when it is pronounced as one word, and an FAQ when it is pronounced one letter at a time.

accept

except

to agree; to receive

but, with the exception that

ad

add

advertisement

to perform addition

ades

aides

AIDS

aids

fruit drinks

people who help; assistants

acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

helps, assists

adverse

averse

unfortunate; strongly opposed (refers to things, not people)

Examples: an adverse reaction to the medication

adverse weather conditions

having repugnance (refers to people)

Example: He is averse to a military draft.

advice (noun)

advise (verb)

recommendation

the act of giving a recommendation

affect vs. effect

Rule 1. Use effect when you mean bring about or brought about, cause or caused.

Example: He effected a commotion in the crowd.

Meaning: He caused a commotion in the crowd.

Rule 2. Use effect when you mean result.

Example: What effect did that speech have?

Rule 3. Also use effect whenever any of these words precede it: a, an, any, the, take, into, no. These words may be separated from effect by an adjective.

Examples: That book had a long-lasting effect on my thinking.

Has the medicine produced any noticeable effects?

Rule 4. Use the verb affect when you mean to influence rather than to cause.

Example: How do the budget cuts affect your staffing?

Rule 5. Affect is used as a noun to mean emotional expression.

Example: She showed little affect when told she had won the lottery.

ail

ale

to be ill; to cause pain or distress

malt beverage more bitter than beer

air

err

heir

what we breathe

make a mistake

one who inherits something

aisle

I’ll

isle

passageway

contraction for I will

a small island

all

awl

entire, everything

a tool

allot

a lot

to parcel out

always two words meaning many

allowed

aloud

gave permission to

said out loud; spoken

all ready

already

means all are ready

Example: We are all ready to go.

refers to time

Example: Is it summer already?

all together

altogether

refers to a group; all of us or all of them together

Example: It is wonderful to be all together to celebrate your birthday.

entirely

Example: It is not altogether his fault.

altar

alter

pedestal, usually religious

Example: They exchanged wedding vows at the altar of the church.

to modify

Example: Please don't alter your plans until we have the final schedule approved.

allude

elude

illude

to refer indirectly

Example: He alluded to his past as a spy.

avoid capture

Example: The fugitive eluded the police for a month.

mislead

Example: He illuded her about his age.

allusion

illusion

an indirect mention of something

false perception

ambiguous

ambivalent

to have more than one meaning

Example: The law was ambiguous.

to have mixed feelings

Example: She is ambivalent about her wedding dress.

amicable

amiable

friendly (refers to things, not people)

friendly (refers to people)

Example: The amiable couple had an amicable divorce.

among

between

involves three or more

Example: Who among us has not lied?

involves just two

Example: She couldn’t decide between Chinese and Thai food.

amount

number

used for things not countable

Example: We couldn't handle that amount of ill will.

used for things that can be counted

Example: The number of accidents increased by ten percent.

ant

aunt

a bug

the sister of a parent

ante

auntie

a bet placed before playing

affectionate term for a parent’s sister

anxious

eager

to have anxiety or worry

Example: She is anxious about taking the test.

excited

Example: She is eager to get a puppy.

any more

anymore

something additional or further

Example: It didn’t rain any more this year than last year.

any longer, nowadays

Example: Harry doesn’t travel anymore.

appraise

apprise

to put a value on something

to notify

arc

ark

arch, crescent, half moon

a vessel or a refuge

ascent (noun)

assent (noun or verb)

consent

movement upward

enthusiastic agreement; to agree

agreement

assistance (noun)

assistants (noun)

help

people who help

assumption

presumption

an idea not based on evidence

an idea based on evidence

assure

ensure

insure

to promise or say with confidence

to make sure something will/won't happen

to issue an insurance policy

ate

eight

past tense of eat

the number after seven

aural

oral

having to do with hearing

having to do with the mouth

averse (see adverse)

awed

odd

in a state of amazement

unusual; opposite of even when referring to numbers

aye

eye

I

yes

organ one sees with

pronoun

bald

bawled

having no hair

cried

ball

bawl

a sphere

to cry or wail loudly

band

banned

a group, sometimes a group of musicians

forbidden

bare

bear

naked, unconcealed, plain

the animal

base

bass

the bottom; vulgar; headquarters (singular)

low vocal or instrumental range (pronounced like lace); a type of fish (pronounced like lass)

based

baste

be dependent or supported

to moisten; to criticize or lash out at

bases (noun, verb)

basis (noun)

headquarters (plural of base); builds on

foundation; belief

be

bee

to exist or live

insect

beach

beech

sandy area with water

type of tree with smooth, gray bark

beat

beet

to strike violently; to flutter or flap; to pound as with a drum; to defeat; to stir vigorously

a plant with a fleshy red or white root

beau

bough (noun)

bow (noun)

bow (noun, verb)

boyfriend (pronounced like owe)

branch of a tree (pronounced like cow)

part of a set with arrows (pronounced like owe)

boat front, a male's form of curtsy, bending at the waist; comply (pronounced like cow)

because vs. since

Rule. Because and since can be used almost interchangeably although because always indicates cause and effect and since is used for a relationship or time.

Example: Since I have some extra money, I will buy shoes. (not cause and effect)

Example: I will go to the game because my daughter is on the team. (cause and effect)

Example: I have wanted to talk to you since yesterday. (time)

been

bin

form of be used with has or have

container

bell

belle

chime or alarm; a signal

beautiful or charming woman

berth

birth

a boat dock; bedroom or bed

being born; beginning

better

bettor

of higher quality

someone who places bets

between (see among)

biannual

biennial

semiannual

twice a year

every two years

twice a year (same as biannual)

bite

byte

to use one’s teeth to tear food

computer term for eight bits of information

billed

build

charged a fee

construct

blew

blue

past tense of blow

the color

bloc

block

a group united for a particular purpose

city street; a cube-shaped object

boar

bore

male pig

someone or something not interesting

board

bored

piece of wood; a group of people

uninterested

boarder

border

someone who pays for room and food

perimeter; boundary

bode

bowed

predict

bent (pronounced like owed)

bold

bowled

daring

to have gone bowling; knocked over

bolder

boulder

more daring

a large rock

boos

booze

sounds made by disapproving audience

alcohol

bough (see beau)
bow (see beau)

boy

buoy

male child

a naval beacon or marker

brake

break

stop

separate into pieces

bread

bred

a food; slang for money

past tense of breed; raised

brewed

brood (verb, noun)

fermented

mull over; a cluster or family

brews

bruise

ferments

a black-and-blue mark, contusion

bridal

bridle

relating to brides

a harness, usually for a horse

bring

take

you bring something towards

you take something away

broach

brooch

to raise a topic

a bauble; a piece of jewelry

brows

browse

the hairs in the arch above the eyes

search for, peruse

but

butt (noun/verb)

except

bottom; joke object; to ram

buy

by

bye

purchase, acquire

near, next to

short for goodbye

cache

cash

hidden stash

money

calendar

colander

chart of days and months

sieve to drain off liquids

can

may

able to

permission to

cannon

canon

large, mounted gun

rule, commandment

canvas

canvass

awning cloth, tarp

to poll; a poll

capital

capitol

assets; essential; main city

statehouse

carat

caret

carrot

karat

unit of weight in gemstones

a proofreading mark to show insertion (^)

edible root

a unit for measuring the fineness of gold

cast (noun, verb)

caste

group of actors; to throw

a social class, a rigid system of social distinctions

cay

key

quay

a small, low island (also spelled key)

a small, low island; instrument for opening locks

(pronounced key) wharf, dock, pier

cede

seed

to surrender

reproductive germ

cell

sell

prison room; basic structural unit of an organism

to exchange for money

censor (verb, noun)

censure

sensor

disallow; person who disallows

Example: The soldier's letters were censored before mailing.

to disapprove of; criticize strongly

Example: The children were censured by the principal.

a device that measures heat, light, etc. and transmits a signal to a control or measuring instrument

cent

scent

sent

a penny

a smell, aroma

transmitted

cereal

serial

breakfast food

a series or array

chance

chants

accident(al)

chorus, melody

chased

chaste

went after

pure, virginal

chews

choose

how one eats food with teeth

to pick

childish

childlike

immature

innocent

Chile

chili

chilly

a country in South America

a type of pepper; a dish with peppers in it

cold, brisk

choral

coral

chorale

corral

a cappella, singing without instruments

material that makes up reefs; orange color

a hymn, a choir

horse pen

chord

cord

cored

three or more musical tones sounded simultaneously; line segment joining two points on a curve

a rope or strand of flexible material

removed the center of something

chute

shoot (verb, noun)

an inclined shaft

to discharge from a weapon; a stem

cite

sight

site

to assert; to quote from; to subpoena

vision, the power to see

a location or position

classic

classical

important; fundamental

having to do with Greek or Roman antiquity; pertaining to eighteenth-to nineteenth-century music

clause

claws

in grammar, a group of words containing a subject and verb; part of a contract

an animal’s nails

click

clique

a sound

a group

climactic

climatic

having to do with the climax

having to do with the climate

close (verb, adjective)

clothes

to shut (pronounced like rose); nearby (pronounced like dose)

apparel

coarse

course

rough, lacking in fineness of texture; crude

a class; a path

colander (see calendar)

colonel

kernel

an officer in the military

a seed

complement

compliment

completing part of an order

praise

confidant

confident

someone confided in

certain, sure

connote

denote

to suggest, imply

Example: A growling dog connotes danger.

to be a sign of

Example: Certain clouds denote rain on the way.

consent (see assent)

continual

continuous

repeated but with breaks in between; chronic

Example: The continual problem of our car not starting forced us to sell it.

without interruption in an unbroken stream of time or space

Example: The continuous dripping of the faucet drove me crazy.

core

corps

corpse

center or crucial part

trained group

dead body

cosign

cosine

to sign along with

a trigonometry term

council

counsel (verb, noun)

a group of people meeting for a purpose

advise; advice, an attorney

creak

creek

a sound

a stream

crews

cruise

many groups

a trip or vacation by sea

criteria

criterion

plural of criterion

a standard for evaluating or testing something

cue

queue

a hint; a stimulus

a line of people waiting

currant

current

type of small berry

up to date

curser

cursor

someone who swears or wishes misfortune on another

a blinking symbol indicating position on a computer screen




Spelling, Vocabulary, and Confusing Words


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dam

damn

a barrier obstructing the flow of liquid

a swear word or curse

dammed

damned

blocked from flowing

doomed

days

daze

twenty-four-hour periods of time

to stun or overwhelm

dear

deer

affectionate term

the animal

denote (see connote)







desert (noun, verb)

dessert

a desolate area; to abandon

extra s for sugary treat

desperate

disparate

lost all hope, in despair

entirely dissimilar

device (noun)

devise (verb)

an invention

to invent

dew

do

due

condensation in the morning

to take action

owed by a certain date

die

dye

to cease to live; the singular of dice

to stain or color using an agent

different from vs. different than vs.

differently than

Rule. Use different from not different than.

Example: The weather was different from what we expected.

You may use differently than when a clause precedes and follows the expression.

Example: He works differently than she does.

discreet

discrete

careful, confidential

individual, distinct

discussed

disgust

talked over

repulsion

does

does

female deer (plural) (pronounced like hose)

a form of to do (pronounced like fuzz)

doughs

doze

unbaked loaves of bread

to sleep

dual

duel

two-fold

fight

eager (see anxious)
effect (see affect)

e.g.

i.e.

for example

Example: My living expenses have increased, e.g., rent, food, and utilities.

that is, in other words

Example: My living expenses have drained my finances, i.e., I have less money in the bank at the end of every month.

eight (see ate)

elicit

illicit

evoke, extract, draw out

illegal

elude (see allude)

elusive

illusive

difficult to describe, evasive

Example: The point of the novel is elusive to me.

plausible or possible; deceptive

Example: She had the illusive dream of finding happiness by traveling. (plausible, possible)
Example: She had an illusive idea that she was qualified for the job. (deceptive, delusional)

emigrate

immigrate

to exit one country in order to live in another country

to enter a new country to live

empathy

sympathy

to understand another's feelings

to feel compassion or sadness for another

ensure (see assure)

epic

epoch

saga

a period of time, an age

err (see air)

every day (every, adjective; day, noun)

everyday (adjective)

each day

Example: I learn something new every day.

ordinary

Example: These are my everyday clothes.

except (see accept)
eye (see aye)

facts

fax

objective data

short for facsimile; technology that sends images by phone

faint

feint

to go unconscious

pretense

fair (adjective, noun)

fare

impartial; an exhibition

payment or expense for travel

fairy

ferry

imaginary being possessing magical powers

type of boat

farther

refers to physical distance only

Example: We had to walk farther than the map indicated.

further (adverb, adj.)

refers to physical distance like farther; moreover; in addition; to a greater extent
Examples:
We need to discuss this further.
Nothing could be further from the truth.

We had to walk further.

further (verb)

To help forward, advance, or promote a work, undertaking, cause, etc.

Example: Elisa had more desire to further her own interests than to further the mission of the organization.

faux

foe

fake, imitation

enemy, opponent

faze

phase

to perturb or fluster

a period or situation

feat

feet

an extraordinary act or accomplishment

twelve-inch increments; appendages at end of legs

feted

fetid

celebrated, honored

noxious, gross

fewer

less

under

refers to a number that can be counted

Example: Fewer days off.

refers to an uncountable amount

Example: Less rain, less fear.

used for direction

Example: Under the mattress, not under $100.

find

fined

discover

penalized

fir

fur

type of tree

hairy coat of an animal

flair

flare

style

erupt

flea

flee

insect

to run away

flew

flu

flue

past tense of fly, to have moved through the air with wings

a virus

part of a chimney

floe

flow

sheet of floating ice

pour, proceed, spew

flour

flower

grain

the bloom of a plant

for

fore

four

preposition

ahead

the number after three

forego

forgo

to go in front of, precede

to do without

foreword

forward

introduction to a book written by someone other than the author

opposite of backward

fort

forte

a military fortification

someone’s strong point, talent

forth

fourth

forward

number after third

foul

fowl

offensive, disgusting

certain birds

frees

freeze

frieze

releases

to make cold

a decorative band on the wall

further (see farther)

gait

gate

a manner of walking or stepping, stride

Examples: trotting, galloping, limping

barrier

gilt

guilt

gold-covered

blame

gone

went

used with has or have

Examples: Ella has gone to the store.

Barry and Ella have gone to the beach.

past tense of go

Examples: Ella went to the store.

Barry and Ella went to the beach.

gored

gourd

stabbed with a horn or tusk

hard-shelled fruit

gorilla

guerrilla

largest of the apes

soldier using surprise raids; irregular tactics

graft

graphed

attach; acquisition of money dishonestly

diagrammed

grate

great

a cover or partition of parallel or crossed bars

excellent

grill

grille

method of cooking; barbecuing

an openwork barrier for a gate

groan

grown

a low, mournful sound of pain or grief

to have increased in size

guessed

guest

conjectured, offered an opinion

company, honoree

guise

guys

appearance or assumed appearance

men

hair

hare

what grows on one’s head and body

rabbit

hall

haul

passageway or large room

to pull, drag, or lower

halve

have

divide into two

to possess

hangar

hanger

shed or shelter for housing airplanes

something to hang a garment on in the closet

haut/haute

hoe

high-class, fancy as in haute couture (pronounced oh or oht)

flat-bladed gardening tool

have vs. of should’ve, could’ve, and would’ve are contractions for should have, could have, and would have. No such wording as should of, could of, would of

hay

hey

dried grass

interjection used to call attention

heal

heel

to alleviate or cure

back part of the foot; scoundrel

healthful

healthy

something that promotes health

Example: Organic food is thought to be healthful.

to have good health

hear

here

to listen; to give an official hearing

in this spot

heard

herd

listened

a flock of animals

heir (see air)

heroin

heroine

a narcotic derived from morphine

female admired for courage or ability

hi

high

a greeting, informal for hello

elevated

higher

hire

more elevated

to pay for services

him

hymn

pronoun referring to male person or animal

song in praise of religious deity

hoard

horde

stockpile, amass

a large group, crowd

hoarse

horse

cracked voice

animal

hoes

hose

flat-bladed gardening tools

a flexible tube for conveying liquid

hole

whole

an opening

entire, complete

holy

wholly

religious

entirely, completely

hostel

hostile

boarding house or inexpensive lodging

antagonistic

hour

our

sixty minutes

possessive pronoun

I (see aye)

idle

idol

idyll or idyl

not active; unemployed

someone admired

interlude, breathing space; romance, fairy tale

i.e. (see e.g.)
I'll (see aisle)
illicit (see elicit)
illude (see allude)
illusion (see allusion)
illusive (see elusive)
immigrate (see emigrate)

imply

infer

to indicate without being explicit

to conclude from evidence

in

inn

preposition; inside

small hotel

inc.

ink

abbreviation for incorporated

fluid in pens

incite

insight

to prompt to action

understanding, comprehension

incredible

incredulous

astonishing

Example: Her gymnastic moves were incredible.

skeptical

Example: Citizens are incredulous about the reason for the increase in the price of gas.

ingenious

ingenuous

clever

naive or simple

innocence

innocents

to be without guilt

people who are without guilt

insure (see assure)

irregardless

regardless

no such word exists

in spite of, without regard

isle (see aisle)

it's

its

contraction for it is or it has

Example: It’s for a good cause.

possessive pronoun

Example: The cat hurt its paw.

jewel

joule

gem

in physics, a unit of work or energy

karat (see carat)
kernel (see colonel)
key (see cay)

knead

kneed

need

work with bread dough

hit with one’s knee

to require

knew

new

past tense of know, to have understood

opposite of old

knight

night

a soldier in the Middle Ages

period between sunset and sunrise

knot

not

interlacing of cord or rope

used to express negation

know

no

understand, comprehend

a negative to express dissent

knows

nose

understands

part of the body one smells with





Spelling, Vocabulary, and Confusing Words


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lacks

lax

is deficient in

slack, easy-going

ladder

latter

the thing with rungs that you climb

the second of two

Example: If given a choice between vanilla and chocolate ice cream, I'll take the latter.

lain

lane

past participle of lie as in lie down

narrow road or passage

lay vs. lie

lay vs. lie chart

Present

Past

Participle (A Form of Have)

To recline

lie, lying

lay

has/have/had lain

To put or place
(verb followed by an object)

lay, laying

laid

has/have/had laid

To tell a falsehood

lie, lying

lied

has/have/had lied

Examples in the Present Tense:

I like to lie down for a nap at 2:00 p.m.
I am lying down for a nap today.
The hens lay eggs.
The hen is laying eggs.
I am tempted to lie about my age.
I am not lying about my age.

Examples in the Past Tense:

I lay down for a nap yesterday at 2:00 p.m.
The hen laid two eggs yesterday.
He lied on the witness stand.

Examples with a Participle (has, have):

I have lain down for a nap every day this week.
The hen has laid two eggs every day this week.
He has lied each day on the witness stand.

lead

led

a metal element (pronounced like red); present tense of led (pronounced like seed)

guided, past tense of to lead

leak

leek

unintended discharge of liquid or gas

type of onion

lean (adjective, verb)

lien

not fatty; to incline

a claim on property to secure debt payment

leased

least

rented

smallest in size or amount

less (see fewer)

lessen

lesson

to make less

a unit to be learned or studied

lie

lye

a falsehood; present tense of lie down (see lay vs. lie chart above)

a caustic substance

lightening

lightning

to make lighter

a brilliant electric spark in the sky

loan

lone

something lent for temporary use

only, solitary

loose

lose

opposite of tight

opposite of win; misplace

Mach

mock (adjective, verb)

ratio with the speed of sound: Mach 1 = the speed of sound Mach 2 = twice the speed of sound

artificial; ridicule

made

maid

created

cleaning lady

mail

male

correspondence

masculine; opposite of female

main

mane

primary, chief, leading

long hair on the back of a horse or lion

maize

maze

corn

labyrinth

mall

maul

plaza, focal point

abuse, claw

manner

manor

behavior

palatial residence

marquee

marquis

canopy, shelter; projection over a theater entrance

aristocrat, nobleman

marry

merry

to wed

cheerful

marshal (verb, noun)

martial

assemble; a judge

militant, aggressive

may (see can)

meat

meet (verb, noun)

mete

animal flesh used for food

to connect, touch; an event

administer, allot

medal

meddle

decoration, badge

to interfere unwantedly

metal

mettle

earth element

boldness

mind (noun, verb)

mined

intelligence; obey

excavated to extract ores

miner

minor (noun, adjective)

one who excavates to extract ores

someone under legal age; small

missed

mist

failed to hit

fog, fine spray

moan

mown

lament; sound of suffering

cut grass

mode

mowed

method, manner

to have cut grass

mood

mooed

an emotional state

the sound a cow made

moose

mousse

an animal

type of dessert

morning

mourning

start of the day, between night and afternoon

sorrow over someone’s death

muscle

mussel

fibrous tissue

edible marine bivalve

mustard

mustered

yellow condiment

assembled, gathered

naval

navel

pertaining to ships

belly button, umbilicus

need (see knead)
new (see knew)
night (see knight)
no (see know)

none

nun

not one, not any

female member of a religious order

nose (see knows)
not (see knot)
number (see amount)

oar

or

ore

a blade for rowing

conjunction

metal-bearing mineral or rock

odd (see awed)
of (see have)
on to vs. onto

Use onto if you can add up before on.

Examples: He climbed (up) onto the roof.

She held on to her child in the crowd.

one

won

single unit

past tense of win

oral (see aural)

ordinance

ordnance

a law

military weapons and ammunition

our (see hour)

overdo

overdue

to do to excess

past due

packed

pact

past tense of pack

an agreement or treaty

pail

pale

bucket

lacking color

pain

pane

physical or emotional suffering

a plate of glass or panel

pair

pare

pear

two of something

to remove or peel

type of fruit

palate

pallet

palette

roof of the mouth; taste

a low, portable platform

a range of colors; a board to hold and mix colors

passed

past

past tense of pass

the time before the present

patience

patients

willingness to wait

people under medical care

pause

paws

a temporary stop

animal feet

peace

piece

calm

a portion of something

peak

peek

pique

top of a mountain

glance furtively

to wound someone’s pride or to excite interest

pealed

peeled

rang bells

removed a layer

pedal

peddle

foot-operated lever

to sell, hawk, or dispense

peer

pier

person who is an equal

a structure extending out over water

perpetrate

perpetuate

to commit, as in a crime

to prolong or sustain

Example: The myth that the sun revolved around the earth was perpetuated for centuries.

phase (see faze)

pi

pie

3.1416, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter

baked food filled with fruit or meat

pistil

pistol

female organ of a flower

type of gun

plain (adjective, noun)

plane

not fancy; evident; simple; treeless area of land

a flat or level surface; short for airplane

pleas

please

cries for help; appeals

a polite word; to satisfy

plum

plumb

a type of fruit

perpendicular

pole

poll

a long, cylindrical piece of wood or metal

a collection of opinions; survey

pore

pour

small hole

to send liquid flowing

praise

prays

preys

express approval

makes requests to God

hunts for food; victimizes

precedence

precedents

presidents

priority

examples, criteria

chief executives

presence

presents (noun, verb)

appearance, being present

gifts; offers

presumption (see assumption)

pries

prize

looks closely; wedges open

award or reward

principal (noun, adjective)

principle

head of school; chief; of first importance

fundamental belief

profit

prophet

gain

predictor, seer

pros

prose

professionals, experts

literature

quarts

quartz

units of liquid measure (four quarts to a gallon)

a mineral

quay (see cay)
queue (see cue)

rain

reign

rein

water that falls in drops from the sky

rule, administration

bit, harness

raise

raze

lift up

flatten, tear down completely

rap (noun, verb)

wrap

a type of music; to strike sharply

to enclose in a covering

rapped

rapt

wrapped

struck sharply

fascinated

enclosed in a covering

read

red

present and past tenses of to comprehend writing

a color

real

reel

actual, authentic

stumble, falter

recede

reseed

to move back, withdraw

to seed again

reek

wreak

to smell bad

to cause trouble wreak havoc

regardless (see irregardless)

rest

wrest

relax

take from

retch

wretch

vomit

lowly being, scoundrel

review

revue

survey

a satirical show

right

rite

write

correct; opposite of left

ritual, ceremony

to compose letters or words

ring

wring

sound of a bell; jewelry worn around a finger

to twist

road

rode

rowed

street, path, highway

past tense of ride

past tense of row

roe

row

fish eggs

aisle (pronounced like oh); propel with an oar (pronounced like oh); fight (pronounced like wow)

role

roll (noun, verb)

part in a play or film

a bun; to rotate

roomer

rumor

one who rents a room

innuendo, gossip

root

rout

route

base of a plant

defeat (pronounced rowt)

path (pronounced like root or rowt)

rot

wrought

decay, decompose

accomplished

rote

wrote

by memory, formula

past tense of write

rude

rued

impolite, unmannerly

regretted, repented

rye

wry

seed from a grain

mocking, ironic, droll





Spelling, Vocabulary, and Confusing Words


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sacks

sax

large bags

saxophone

saver

savor

one who saves

to appreciate a taste

scene

seen

a view, a setting

to have viewed with eyes

scent (see cent)

sea

see

a body of salt water

to view with eyes

seam

seem

line formed by pieces of fabric sewn together

appear

sear

seer

sere

scorch, burn, or char

one who sees (as in the future)

withered, dry

seas

sees

seize

bodies of salt water

views with eyes

to grab hold of

seed (see cede)
sell (see cell)
semiannual (see biannual)
sensor (see censor)
sent (see cent)

serf

surf (noun, verb)

slave

breaking waves; to ride a surfboard

serial (see cereal)

set

sit

one sets a thing

Example: Please set the table.

one sits oneself

Example: Please sit down at the table.

sew

so

sow

to stitch

in the manner indicated

to scatter or plant seed

sewer

suer

a conduit for carrying off waste

one who sues

shear

sheer

to cut

transparent

shoe

shoo

foot attire

interjection used to scare away an animal

shoot (see chute)

sic

sick

a Latin term used to indicate that something written is intentionally left in the original form, which may be incorrect.

Example: She wrote, "They made there [sic] beds."

ill

sics

six

attacks

a number

sight (see cite)

sign

sine

an indication

a trigonometry term

since see because

sink

synch or sync

to submerge; to descend to a lower level; where you wash dirty clothes

to synchronize, to coincide or match up

site (see cite)

slay

sleigh

kill

snow vehicle, sled

sleight

slight

cunning, skill

slender, of little substance

slew

slough

past tense of slay

swamp (pronounced slew or slau)

soar

sore

to fly at great height

in pain

soared

sword

flew at great height

a bladed weapon

sole

soul

bottom of foot; lone

the spiritual part of humans

some

sum

a certain unspecified number

the total from adding numbers

son

sun

male offspring

star that is the central body of the solar system

sonny

sunny

diminutive of son

lit or warmed by the sun; cheerful

spade

spayed

digging tool

to have removed the ovaries of an animal

staid

stayed

solemn, serious

remained, waited

stair

stare

step

to look without blinking

stake

steak

a pole

cut of meat

stationary

stationery

in one place

writing paper

steal

steel (noun, adjective)

rob

iron alloy; determined

step (verb, noun)

steppe

moving by lifting the foot; degree

vast grasslands

stile

style

turnstile, passageway

fashion

straight

strait

not curved or bent

narrow passage of water connecting two bodies of water

succor

sucker

relief, assistance

fool

suede

swayed

leather finished with a soft, napped surface

past tense of sway; persuaded

suite

sweet

a connected series of rooms

opposite of sour

summary

summery

an abstract or brief account

of the summer

sundae

Sunday

ice cream with syrup

day of the week

sympathy (see empathy)

tacks

tax

short nails

percent of earnings paid to the government

tail

tale

hindmost animal appendage

story

take (see bring)

tare

tear (verb)

allowance for the weight of packaging

rip, pull apart

taught

taut

past tense of teach

tightly stretched

tea

tee

a beverage

a peg from which a golf ball is hit

team

teem

group playing on the same side in a game

swarm

tear (noun)

tier

salt water coming from eyes when sad (pronounced like ear)

a row or layer

tense

tents

nervous strain

portable shelters used for camping

than

then

used for comparison

indicates time, answers when

their

there

they're

possessive pronoun

location

contraction for they are

threw

through

past tense of throw

in one end and out the other

throes

throws

agonizing struggles

tosses, hurls

throne

thrown

royal seat or office

was tossed

thyme

time

herb of the mint family

past, present, future sequences of events

ticks

tics

parasites; sounds of a clock

facial twitches

tide

tied

ebb and flow of the ocean

past tense of tie

to

too

two

in the direction of, toward; used with the infinitive form of verbs (to go, to run, to hit)

also, to an extensive degree
Example: It is too hot to jog.

the number after one

toad

toed

towed

similar to a frog

having a toe

pulled, hauled

told

tolled

said

sounded a bell

tort

torte

a breach of contract

a rich cake made with little or no flour

tracked

tract

followed

an extended area of land; a political or religious pamphlet

troop

troupe

a body of soldiers

a group of traveling performers

vain

vane

vein

excessively concerned about one’s appearance

a blade moved by wind as in weather vane

blood vessel

vary

very

to change or alter

extremely

verses

versus

lines of poetry

as compared to another choice; against

vial

vile

small container for holding liquids

repulsive, depraved

vice

vise

bad habit; immoral practice

device used to hold an object firmly

wade

weighed

to walk through water

to have put on a scale

wail

whale

mournful cry

marine mammal

waist

waste

narrowest part of the human torso (usually)

to squander or spend uselessly

wait

weight

to be available or ready

quantity of heaviness or mass

waiver

waver

a relinquishment of some right

to feel indecisive; vary

warn

worn

to notify

carried on the body; deteriorated

warrantee

warranty

person who is given a written guarantee

written guarantee

way

weigh

direction

to measure mass

weak

week

lacking strength

seven days starting with Sunday

wear

where

to carry on the body

in what place?

weather

whether

state of the atmosphere in a location

if

weave

we've

to interlace thread or yarn to make a fabric

contraction for we have

went (see gone)

were

we're

past tense of are

contraction for we are

wheeled

wield

moved on wheels

to exercise power; to handle a weapon effectively

which

witch

what one?

sorceress

while

wile

during or in the time that

a trick to fool, trap, or entice

whine

wine

complaining cry

fermented grape juice that becomes an alcoholic beverage

whined

wind

wined

past tense of whine, complained

what one does to keep a watch ticking on time (pronounced like kind); air current (pronounced like sinned)

to supply with wine

whirled

world

whorled

spun rapidly

planet Earth

shaped like a coil

whole (see hole)
wholly (see holy)

who's

whose

contraction for who is

Example: Who’s at the door?

possessive case of who

Example: Whose coat is this?

won (see one)

wont (adjective, noun)

won't

accustomed; habit

contraction for will not

wood

would

tree trunk material

expressing an intention

Example: I would if I could.

wrap (see rap)
wrapped (see rapt)
wreak (see reek)
wrest (see rest)
wretch (see retch)
wring (see ring)
write (see right)
wrote (see rote)
wrought (see rot)
wry (see rye)

yoke

yolk

harness for oxen

yellow center of an egg

yore

you're

your

long past

contraction for you are

possessive pronoun

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