Frequently Confused Words

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abhorrent		despicable
aberrant		deviating from a widely accepted form of behavior
ability		the legal, mental, or physical power to complete a task
capability		similar to ability
capacity		limit
abjure		to renounce under oath
adjure		to earnestly urge or advise
accept		to receive or admit
except		to omit or exclude
access		the right to use or enter
excess		more than is needed or requested
adapt		to make or become suitable for a new use
adopt		to accept or take as one’s own
adverse		unfavorable or hostile
averse		repugnant or distasteful
advice		recommendation regarding a decision
advise		to give advice
affect		to influence or produce an effect
effect		a result or change
aid		to help or assist
aide		an assistant
all ready		all items or persons are ready
already		before this time
all together		all items or persons are together
altogether		completely or entirely
all ways		all directions or methods
always		every time
allude		make indirect reference
elude		evade
alternate		occurring in turns
alternative		a choice between two or more options
allusion		a reference
illusion		something that misleads or deceives
ambiguous		doubtful, uncertain, having two or more meanings
ambivalent		showing mixed or confused feelings
among		used when refering to more than two
between		used when speaking of only two
amoral		without morals
immoral		contrary to accepted morals
any one		a particular person
anyone		any person
appraise		to evaluate
apprise		to inform
as regards		a reference
in regard		a reference
in regards		an unacceptable combination
regarding		the simplest way to use regard
assure		to declare confidently
ensure		to make sure, be sure of something
insure		to protect with an insurance policy
beside		at the side of
besides		in addition to
bi-		occurring twice
semi-		occurring every other time
brake		stop
break		shatter or destroy
breath		to inhale and exhale from the lungs
breathe		to take a breath
can		able to
may		to permit or allow
might		a choice or decision
capital		funds, or a city serving as a seat of government
capitol		a building where a legislature meets
choose		present tense - to make a choice
chose		past tense - to have made a choice
cite		to refer to or make reference of
sight		a scene or scenery, or the ability to see
site		a place
coarse		rough
course		ordinary procedure, line of study, path
complement		to fill, match up, or complete
compliment		to make a favorable remark
continual		frequent with interruptions
continuous		without interruptions
could		was able to act (past tense)
probably		likely to act
should		morally or ethically obligated to act
would		very likely to act
decent		respectable, appropriate
descent		downward movement
dissent		objection
desert		an arid, barren land; to leave
dessert		a sweet dish
disinterested		unbiased or neutral
uninterested		without interest
e. g.		exempli gratia - for example
i. e.		id est - that is, therefore
elicit		to draw out
illicit		illegal
every day		daily
everyday		commonly used
explicit		fully revealed
implicit		implied or inferred
farther		a greater distance
further		to promote or advocate
fewer		refers to the number of items
less		refers to degree or comparison
formally		in accordance with accepted custom or rule
formerly		previously
good		of favorable character - “She is a good swimmer.”
well		in a good or proper manner - “She swims well.””
imply		to hint, to say indirectly
infer		to draw a logical conclusion
in a moment		within a minute
momentarily		lasting only a moment
incidence		rate at which something occurs
incidents		multiple occurrences
into		to enter or go inside - “She went into the house.”
in to		"to" and a verb show action - “She went in to answer the phone.”
irregardless		an unacceptable form of regardless
regardless		without concern, neglectful, despite
it's		it is
its		shows possession (violates the 's rule)
laid		past tense of lay - “I laid down to rest.”
lay		to put or set down, to set at rest - “We will lay out the carpet tomorrow.”
lie		to be or stay at rest in a horizontal position, or to not tell the truth - “If you don’t feel well, you should lie down.”
lead		(pronounced “led”) a dense metal
lead		(pronounced “leed”) to direct followers
led		past tense of lead (direct)
liable		A possibility or probability of incurring (as in a fine or fee).
libel		A written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression.
slander		An oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression. Generally, radio and television broadcasts that are defamatory are considered to be libel, rather than slander.
loose		to unfasten
lose		to fail, to misplace
maybe		perhaps, could be
may be		should be "might be" - shows an alternative
moral		lesson or principle
morale		overall attitude of a group
more than		greater than another quantity “Our sales were more than 12 percent.”
over		above or on top of “Our sales were over the top.”
patience		the ability to be patient
patients		individuals under medical care
peace		tranquil
piece		a portion of
persecute		harass
prosecute		carry out legal action
personal		private or individual
personnel		staff or group of employees
principal		a person or thing that is chief or most important, or capital/wealth
principle		a truth, concept, or code
presence		state of being present
presents		two or more gifts
rain		precipitation
reign		rule
rein		device used to control horses or oxen
raise		to adjust to an upright position, or to grow or increase
raze		destroy
rise		to assume an upright position, or to adjust above other objects
right		correct, or opposite of left
rite		religious or solemn ritual
write		to scribe
stationary		not moving
stationery		writing materials
than		used to show comparison
then		shows a chronological relation of events
that		introduces phrases that must remain part of the sentence
which		introduces explanatory or supplementary phrases
their		shows group possession
there		indicates a location
they're		they are
were		past tense of 'to be'
we're		we are
where		in what place?
who's		who is or who has
whose		the possessive form of who
your		belonging to you
you're		you are

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