Commonly Confused Words
________ in trouble because they left ________ toys over _______.
Their, they're, there
They're, their, there
there, their, they're
They're, their, there
The cat licked __________ paw while lounging on the couch.
its or it's
Please wait for me __________; I'll be there in a minute.
hear or here
its and here
Use "it's" (with an apostrophe) for a contraction of "it is" or "it has". Use "its" (without an apostrophe) for a possessive pronoun, showing ownership or belonging, similar to "his" or "her"
"Here" refers to a place or location, while "hear" refers to the act of perceiving sound.
The girlfriend of her brother drives a trailer truck.
brother's
My mother-in-laws house is messy.
mother-in-law's
What are the five prewriting techniques?
freewriting
questioning
making a list/brainstorming
clustering/diagramming/mapping
scratch outline/informal outline
This game will ______ our standings in the league.
effect or affect
affect
The experienced hiker __________ the group through the mountain trails.
lead or led
The __________ helped him navigate through his personal issues.
councilor or counselor
led and counselor
"Lead" and "led" are different forms of the same verb, with "led" being the past tense and past participle of "lead". "Lead" can also be a noun, meaning a metal or a position of advantage.
A councilor is a person elected or appointed to a council, a deliberative or governing body, while a counselor is a person who provides advice, guidance, or therapy
We heard the voices of the children clearly in the lounge.
children's
Everyones presentations were due yesterday.
Everyone's
PW 200 on Powerpoint
Freewriting and Questioning
Rather ________ just __________ the consequences of her actions, she made it worse by lying.
than, accept
then, except
than, except
then, accept
than, accept
I had __________ seen that movie before my friends recommended it
all ready vs already
The loud thunder had a profound __________ on the dog's behavior.
affect or effect
already and effect
"All ready" is a two-word phrase meaning completely prepared, while "already" is a single-word adverb meaning by a certain time or previously
Affect is usually a verb meaning "to influence or produce a change," while Effect is usually a noun meaning "a result or consequence". A helpful mnemonic is RAVEN: Remember Affect Verb, Effect Noun.
The report, supported by the accounts of two witnesses, proves he did not commit the crime.
witnesses'
The six chickens eggs fell on the floor.
chickens'
PW 300 on Powerpoint
Clustering/ Diagramming/ Mapping
and Making a List/Brainstorming
She __________ greeted the guests at the reception.
formally or formerly
If you don't tie the knot securely, the boat will come __________.
loose or lose
formally and loose
Formerly means "in the past" or "at an earlier time," while formally means "in a formal manner," such as officially, properly, or according to rules and etiquette.
"Loose" (with two 'o's) is primarily an adjective meaning "not tight" or "not secure," while "lose" (with one 'o') is a verb meaning "to misplace," "to suffer a loss," or "to fail to keep"
The couple lit candles at the __________ during the wedding ceremony.
alter or alter
They sang __________, creating a beautiful harmony.
all together or altogether
altar and all together
"Altar" is a noun referring to a raised structure used for religious ceremonies, while "alter" is a verb meaning to change or make something different.
"Altogether" means entirely or completely, while "all together" means everyone or everything in a group. To determine which to use, try replacing the phrase with "completely" or "as a group"; if "completely" fits, use "altogether," and if "as a group" fits, use "all together"
The guess of anybody is as good as mine
anybody's
The womens dressing room is on the second floor.
women's
PW 400 on Powerpoint
Scratch Outline
The town __________ debated the proposed construction project.
council or counsel
She decided to __________ her dress before the important event.
altar or alter
council and alter
Council (with an 'L') is always a noun referring to a group of people who make decisions or laws, like a city council. Counsel (with an 'S') can be a verb meaning "to give advice" or a noun referring to that advice, especially legal advice, or to a person who gives advice, such as a lawyer
Altar is a noun that refers to a raised structure for religious ceremonies, while alter is a verb meaning to change or adjust. To remember the difference, you can associate the "a" in "altar" with "pray," or the "e" in "alter" with "edit" or "change".
The wine __________ the flavor of the meal.
complements or compliments
The team's __________ was at an all-time low after their defeat.
moral or morale
complements and morale
Compliment (with an i) means to praise or express admiration for someone or something, like saying "I like your new shoes". Complement (with an e) means to complete, enhance, or go well with something else, like a red wine complementing a savory dish. A simple trick is to associate the "i" in "compliment" with the "I" in "I like your new shoes," and the "e" in "complement" with the "e" in "complete".
The key difference is that moral relates to principles of right and wrong, acting as an adjective (ethical) or a noun (a lesson or personal beliefs), while morale is a noun referring to the enthusiasm, confidence, and spirit of a group of people.
The cat played with the toy belonging to it.
its
The three schools secretaries organized all the students files.
schools'/students'
Specific details are given, but a general idea is unstated. Fill in the blank with a general reading that accurately describes the list provided.
General Idea:_______
Specific ideas: convenient work hours
short travel time to job
good pay
considerate boss
Features of a Good job