Hello,
If words are to enter men's minds and bear fruit, they must be the right words shaped cunningly to pass men's defenses (sic) and explode silently and effectually within their minds.
—J. B. Phillips
In this issue:
1. 19 common confusions in English
2. Tickled my funny bone
3. Interesting Web site
4. Writing prompt
1.19 common confusions in English
Many, I would guess most, writers have some confusion about English. Certainly the people I have edited do, and so do I.
First, an encouraging word that I hope will erase any shame you may feel in being confused if English is your first language. The English language easily and often absorbs vocabulary and other aspects of language from others. Also, English changes at different rates in different places both geographic and on rungs of the social ladder. There is no one final word on many issues in usage, grammar, and spelling, so there
are genuine differences among educated people. Finally, so many people are confused about some things that we hear, and even read, that we can unlearn correct forms we once knew and used.
As writers, we have a duty to use the best language for the task at hand. With that in mind, I’m offering you a list of some common confusions in English along with what I hope is a brief helpful explanation or a way to recall the correct usage.
- a moral, amoral, immoral
A moral person does the right thing according to a moral code. The immoral person knows the code, but does the wrong thing. The amoral person has no understanding of the moral code.
- advice, advise
Advice is a noun. Advise is a verb. For people who know which is which in oral language but are confused about the spelling, look at the end of the word. The word ice comes at the end of the word advice.
- affect, effect
This pair is particularly crazy-making. For example, Roget’s Thesaurus lists influence as a synonym of effect as a noun and as a synonym for affect as a verb. Both affect and effect can be a noun or a verb, although affect is usually a verb and effect is usually a noun. Unless you are confident that you are using either word correctly in any specific situation, my best advice is to change to another word or find an online resource that clarifies the difference for your specific situation.
- allude, elude
Allude means to hint at something. Elude means to avoid or escape.
- alright, all right
All right means okay. There is no word alright.
- biannual, biennial
Biannual means twice every year. Biennial means every two years.
- cancelled, canceled
This depends on geography. North
Americans, who play soccer, need only one l. The rest of the world, who call the game footbaLL, need two ls.
- capital, capitol
A capitol is a specific building of government. All other uses are capital.
- could care less, couldn’t care less
Could care less means that you care. Couldn’t care less means that you do not care.
- ensure, insure
Ensure makes certain. Insure relates to finance.
- fewer, less
Fewer indicates a lower number. The neighbour’s dog has fewer fleas than my dog. Less indicates a lower degree. There has been less sunshine this year than last year.
- farther, further
Farther describes physical distance. All other cases call for further.
- may, might
Both words mean almost exactly the same. May can be interpreted as indicating a stronger chance of
something happening than might indicates.
- myriad, myriad of
If you want to use myriad of, precede it with a, making it a myriad of, which means a great number of. Myriad by itself means many or exactly 10,000.
- passed, past
The -ed suffix signals that passed is a verb. Past is for all other uses.
- peak, peek, pique
Peak is the highest point, like a mountain peak. Peek is to take a quick or surreptitious look. It has two es, like both words eye and see. Pique is a French word that means to poke or stimulate.
- principal, principle
Your princiPAL is a person who could be your friend. Principle means a high standard.
- stationary, stationery
These words differ in only one letter. The word with the e, which is the first letter in
envelope, means paper, envelopes, pens and related products.
- toward, towards
In North America, there is no s, which I remember because the tendency here is to simplify where possible.
Were any of these helpful? In my own case, whenever I learn a way to resolve the confusion, I write the resolution on a 3x5 card that I keep where I do most of my writing.
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2.Tickled my funny bone
I’m friends with 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know Y.
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3. Interesting Web site
Here are more words that frequently confuse people. Some are repeats of what is above, but there are others that might be among your personal bugbears.
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/commonly-confused-words/
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4. Writing prompt
Pick five to seven of the confusing words
above (or others that routinely bother you). Write a piece using those words correctly.
I would love to see your result.
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