CONFUSING ENGLISH WORD PAIRS

        Words that sound alike or nearly alike but have different meanings often cause writers trouble. Here are a few of the most common pairs with correct definitions and examples: ACCEPT-to receive ex: He accepts defeat well. EXCEPT-to take or leave out ex: Please take all the books off the shelf except for the red one. AFFECT-to influence ex: Lack of sleep affects the quality of your work. EFFECT-n., result, v., to accomplish ex: The subtle effect of the lighting made the room look ominous. ex: Can the university effect such a change without disrupting classes? ALLUSION-an indirect reference ex:The professor made an allusion to Virginia Woolf's work. ILLUSION-a false perception of reality ex: They saw a mirage: that is a type of illusion one sees in the desert. ALL READY-prepared ex: Dinner was all ready when the guests arrived. ALREADY-by this time ex: The turkey was already burned when the guests arrived. ALTOGETHER-entirely ex: Altogether, I thought that the student's presentation was well planned. ALL TOGETHER-gathered, with everything in one place ex: We were all together at the family reunion last spring. APART-to be separated ex: The chain-link fence kept the angry dogs apart. OR My old car fell apart before we reached California. A PART-to be joined with ex: The new course was a part of the new field of study at the university. OR A part of this plan involves getting started at dawn. BREATH-noun, air inhaled or exhaled ex: You could see his breath in the cold air. BREATHE-verb, to inhale or exhale ex: If you don't breathe, then you are dead. CITE-to quote or document ex: I cited ten quotes from the same author in my paper. SIGHT-vision ex: The sight of the American flag arouses different emotions in different parts of the world. SITE-position or place ex: The new office building was built on the site of a cemetery. COMPLEMENT-noun, something that completes; verb, to complete ex: A nice dry white wine complements a seafood entree. COMPLIMENT-noun, praise; verb, to praise ex: The professor complimented Betty on her proper use of a comma. CONSCIENCE-sense of right and wrong ex: The student's conscience kept him from cheating on the exam. CONSCIOUS-awake ex: I was conscious when the burglar entered the house. COUNCIL-a group that consults or advises ex: The men and women on the council voted in favor of an outdoor concert in their town. COUNSEL-to advise ex: The parole officer counseled the convict before he was released. ELICIT-to draw or bring out ex: The teacher elicited the correct response from the student. ILLICIT-illegal ex: The Columbian drug lord was arrested for his illicit activities. ITS-of or belonging to it ex: The baby will scream as soon as its mother walks out of the room. IT'S-contraction for it is ex: It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. LEAD-noun, a type of metal ex: Is that pipe made of lead? LED-verb, past tense of the verb "to lead" ex: She led the campers on an over-night hike. LOSE--verb, to misplace or not win ex: Mom glared at Mikey. "If you lose that new lunchbox, don't even think of coming home!" LOOSE--adjective, to not be tight; verb (rarely used)--to release ex: The burglar's pants were so loose that he was sure to lose the race with the cop chasing him. ex: While awaiting trial, he was never set loose from jail because no one would post his bail. PASSED-verb, past tense of "to pass," to have moved ex: The tornado passed through the city quickly, but it caused great damage. PAST-belonging to a former time or place ex: Who was the past president of Microsquish Computers? PRECEDE-to come before ex: Pre-writing precedes the rough draft of good papers. PROCEED-to go forward ex: He proceeded to pass back the failing grades on the exam/ QUOTE-verb, to cite ex: I would like to quote Dickens in my next paper. QUOTATION-noun, the act of citing ex: The book of famous quotations inspired us all. STATIONARY-standing still ex: The accident was my fault because I ran into a stationary object. STATIONERY-writing paper ex: My mother bought me stationery that was on recycled paper. SUPPOSED TO-correct form for "to be obligated to" or "presumed to" NOT "suppose to" SUPPOSE-to guess or make a conjecture ex: Do you suppose we will get to the airport on time? When is our plane supposed to arrive? We are supposed to check our bags before we board, but I suppose we could do that at the curb and save time. THAN-use with comparisons ex: I would rather go out to eat than eat at the dining hall. THEN-at that time, or next ex: I studied for my exam for seven hours, and then I went to bed. THROUGH-by means of; finished; into or out of ex: He plowed right through the other team's defensive line. THREW-past tense of throw ex: She threw away his love letters. THOROUGH-careful or complete ex: John thoroughly cleaned his room; there was not even a speck of dust when he finished. THOUGH-however; nevertheless ex: He's really a sweetheart though he looks tough on the outside. THRU-abbreviated slang for through; not appropriate in standard writing ex: We're thru for the day!