A

accidently, slip, mistake  Accidently means to happen by chance:  I accidently dropped the cup. Slip means to reveal something unintentionally; as in a slip of the tongue. Mistake means to err in identifying; misjudge; misevaluate; an error in opinion, judgement, or perception due to inadequate knowledge, carelessness or the like; an act done unintentionally.  This text may contain mistakes.

adapt, adopt  Adapt means suited to the purpose, therefore, adapt means to make suitable:  The movie, Gone With The Wind, was adapted from the novel by Margaret Mitchell. Adopt means to choose or to make one's own selection:  Will the NFL adopt Canadian Football rules?

adverse, averse  Adverse means opposing:  The adverse weather made driving hazardous. Averse means disinclined, not wanting to:  She was averse to my suggestion.

advert, avert  Advert means refer:  The teacher adverted to an earlier examination. Avert means to ward off:  The Bank of Canada narrowly averted a run on the dollar.

affect, effect  Affect mean to influence:  His attitude at work affected the way his colleagues spoke to him. Affect is never used as a noun except in psychological terminology. Effect as a noun means result:  The effect of the snowstorm was to create slippery roads. Effect as a verb mean to accomplish:  Buying a new car effected a decided improvement in his driving skills.

aggravate, irritate  Aggravate means to make a bad situation worse:  He aggravated the situation by slamming the door. Irritate means to annoy:  He irritated the rash by rubbing it.

aid, aide  Aid means to assist and can be a verb:  John will aid Bill with the newsletter. Aid can also be a noun:  The rich should give aid to the poor. Aide is always a noun and means an assistant:  The Prime Minister's aide refused to answer any more questions.

aloud, allowed  Aloud means to vocalize:  He read the poem aloud. Allowed means to permit:  He was allowed to go to the library.

already, all ready  Already means previously: She had already eaten lunch.  All ready means everyone is ready, or prepared:  They were all ready to go to the theatre.

allusion, illusion, delusion  An allusion is an indirect reference to a statement by another (written or verbal):  The reporter alluded to the mayor's speech. An illusion is something that appears to be real, but isn't:  A magician's art is nothing more than illusion because it is based on misdirection. A delusion is a false perception of self or others based on false beliefs:  Jason though he was attractive to women, but it was only a delusion.

alternate, alternative  Alternate (verb) means to take turns or to work every other time:  They alternated drivers every two hours. Alternate (noun) means one who takes the place of another:  She ran as an alternate candidate on the ballot. Alternative is a noun meaning to choose between two possibilities, one of which must be rejected:  The only alternative was to take the bus or wait for the fog to lift so the airplane could take off.

ambiguous, ambivalent  Ambiguous is a statement that can be misinterpreted because it is not clear:  The politician was so ambiguous that no one new what he was promising to do. Ambivalent means to have mixed feelings about a person or an idea:  Jayne's ambivalence over choosing what to order for lunch was annoying.

amend, emend  Amend means to alter for the better:  The minutes were amended to show the correct number of members present. Emend means to remove errors from text:  Philip spent hours emending the grammatical errors in his essay.

amiable, amicable  Amiable is used to describe people who are kind, friendly and gentle:  The amiable, old man wrapped the sobbing child in his embrace. Amicable is used to describe peaceful settlements or arrangements between two parties:  Management and strikers came to an amicable agreement over the contract.

among, between  Among is used in connection with more than two:  His will divided his assets equally among all of his children. Between is used with two people or things:  The candy was divided between Alice and Mary. EXCEPTIONS:  If more than two are united in a situation, between is used:  They ran fifty miles in one hour between the ten of them. If a comparison or opposition is involved, between is used:  He could not choose between the grey suit or the black one. There are vast cultural differences between the ten Canadian provinces.

amount, number  Amount refers to quantity:  A large amount of money is wasted by the government. Number refers to things which are thought of a individual units:  She bought a large number of oranges, pears, grapes and apples. Words following amount are usually singular, those following number are usually plural.

and/or  And/or is a legal term that is quickly becoming common in current English. It is a fad best to be avoided. The word or carries the same meaning (in most cases) and does not draw attention to itself.

ante-, anti-  These prefixes, though similar, are very different in meaning:  Ante means before, as in: antechamber (a small room that comes before a larger one) Anti means against or opposed to, as in: AntiChrist, antitoxin.

appraise, apprise  Appraise means to give value to:  The goldsmith appraised the necklace at over one thousand dollars. Apprise means to tell or inform: Joan went in to shock when apprised of the necklace's value.

apprehend, comprehend  Comprehend means only to understand:  He comprehended the fiscal report. Apprehend means understanding with fear or anxiety:  She was apprehensive about getting back up on the horse. Comprehensive means means covering completely: He purchased comprehensive collision insurance.

apt, likely, liable  Apt refers to a habit:  Because of his big feet, he was apt to trip over the stairs. Liable infers the probability of something unfortunate:  The President is liable to lose the next election. Likely means possible:  It is likely to rain tomorrow.

as, like  When used as a preposition, like should never begin a clause:  NOT like I said. When introducing a clause, as is used:  As he said yesterday, . . .

ascent, assent  Ascent is a noun referring to climbing or upward movement:The ascent to the peak was delayed by the weather. Assent is a noun or verb having to do with agreement:  The senate gave their assent to the President's budget.

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B

beside, besides  Beside means next to or by the side of:  Jimmy put the paper beside the printer. Besides means in addition to:  Besides cooking dinner, Mom had done the laundry and cleaned the house.

bimonthly, semimonthly  Bimonthly means every two months, Semimonthly refers to twice a month.

bring, take  Bring refers to coming toward the writer or speaker:  Bring me the newspaper. Take refers to action away from the writer or speaker:  When you are finished, take the report to the office.

burst, bust  Burst means to explode from inward pressure: The balloon burst when June sat on it. Bust (slang) means to arrest, to break, to cause financial ruin to. Bust should not be used in place of burst, it is slang and is incorrect.

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C

can, may  May denotes permission:  May I go to the dance? Can implies you are able to:  I can dance. In informal speech, where the meaning is clearly understood, both can and may are used to denote permission.

capital, capitol  Capital refers to the seat of government of a state, province or nation. Capitol refers to the building where the legislative body meets.

censure, criticize  To censure always expresses disapproval. To criticize may be neutral, expressing approval of some parts and disapproval of others.

cents, scents, sense  Cents refers to money, usually small coins  I have a few cents in my pocket.. Scents refers to smell, or odors:  The scents of roses and wood smoke dominated the evening breeze.Sense refers to one of the five senses; to feel something:  I sensed his approach even though I could not see him

chose, choose   Chose in legal terms means an incorporeal right enforceable by legal action, as in a franchise. Chose is also used to indicate someone has made a choice: He chose the red truck.  The Choose means to select from a number, or in preference to another or others. Choose one of the following: Red, Blue, Green, or Yellow.

cite, site, sight  To cite is to make a reference to a specific original source. The noun site refers to a specific piece of ground where a building is or will be erected:  The site of the new playground. Sight refers to:   vision, a field of vision, something worth seeing, a shocking or spectacular event, an observation from surveying instruments or sextants, the guides on a firearm.

claim, assert  Claim refers to a legal or justified demand:  He claimed the first piece of cake. Assert means to come forward and assume one's rights:  The President asserted that he was innocent of all charges.

compare to, compare with  Compare to is used to indicate a definite resemblance:  Compared to last year, this year's sales are better. Compare with is used to indicate an examination of similarities and dissimilarities:  He compared Bill Gates with Socrates.

complement, compliment  Complement is something that fills up or completes:  Black Forest Cake is a decadent complement to any meal! A compliment is an expression of praise:  He complimented her new hair style.

comprehensible, comprehensive   Comprehensible means able to be understood:  Although the manual contained technical language, it was comprehensible. Comprehensive means to include all, or covering a wide range:The comprehensive study of the art of writing does not necessarily lead to a best selling novel.

compulsion, compunction   Compulsion means forced to comply or a strong, irresistible impulse to carry out an act:  She was compelled to eat the cherries. Compunction (noun) means to feel shame, unhappiness, guilt, or regret for one's actions:  He filled with compunction at the thought of cheating on his wife.

confidant, confident  A confidant (confidante, if female) is a trusted friend. Confident means you are certain:  You were confident that your story would sell.

congenital, congenial  Congenital means existing in an individual from birth. Congenial refers to a person who is agreeable, pleasing, compatible, or sympathetic.

connotation, denotation  Denotation refers to the exact meaning of a word as found in a dictionary. Connotation refers to what the word suggests beyond it's dictionary meaning:  Damsel denotes a young woman, but connotes a a beautiful maiden from the center ages who is usually in distress.

consensus  Consensus means a general agreement or majority of opinion. Many of today's respected newspapers misspell the word as concensus. Note:  The phrase:  Concensus of opinion is redundant and should NOT be used.

contemptible, contemptuous  Contemptible means worthy of contempt; deserving scorn or disdain; mean; vile:  When Jason punched his wife, his actions were contemptible. Contemptuous means to express contempt or disdain; scornful:  He stared at the politician with a contemptuous frown.

continual, continuous  A continual action is one that occurs over a long period of time, with pauses or intermissions:  He continually called attention to her poor posture. A continuous action occurs without the the pauses:  The tap leaked in a continuous stream.< p> council, counsel  To counsel is to give advice:  He counselled her to wait for the bylaw to be passed. As a noun, counsel means advice:  I sought legal counsel after the car accident. Council is a group of people who act in an advisory capacity, or meet for discussions or decision making:  They submitted their proposal to the mayor's council

credible, credulous  Credible means capable of being believed:  He gave a credible rendition of Elvis' love song, Love Me Tender. Credulous means willing to believe without sufficient evidence, easily deceived, gullible:  a con man's credulous victim

councilor, counselor  A councilor is a member of a council. A counselor is one who gives advice.

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D

deadly, deathly  Deadly means causing or likely to cause death:  The rattlesnake bite was deadly. Deathly means to be like death, but does not kill:  The room was deathly quiet as she walked to the podium.

deduce, deduct  Deduce means to draw a conclusion from something known or assumed:  That may be deduced from the statistics. Deduct means to subtract, or infer:  Deduct my contribution from my pay check.

deprecate, depreciate  Deprecate means to plead or argue against; express strong disapproval:  His deprecatory speech had the audience in an uproar.Depreciate means to bring down the price or value of:  The accountant depreciated the value of the truck.

desert, dessert  This is usually a spelling error. Desert means a region of rock or sand that receives very little or no precipitation. Dessert means something (usually sweet) that is served after the main course.

detract, distract  Detract means to take away a part or lessen:  Her gaudy clothes detract from her beauty. Distract means to divert, confound, or harass; to provide a diversion:  Her attention was distracted by the birds in the feeder.

different from  Different from is the correct idiom, NOT different than.

differ from, differ with  Differ from applies to differences between one person or things and others:  My stove differs from hers because it is self-cleaning. Differ with means to have a difference in opinion:  His views on politics differed with mine.

discover, invent  To discover is to find or uncover something already in existence, but unknown:  Franklin discovered electricity.To invent is to create something new:  Edison invented the light bulb.

discreet, discrete  Discreet means prudent in conduct; cautious; heedful; guarded:  He was discreet with his money. Discrete means separate or distinct from others:  Each grain of rice was discrete, not clinging to the rest in a sticky pile.

disinterested, uninterested  Disinterested means impartial; unconcerned:  He was disinterested with the weather report. Uninterested means not interested; indifferent; not personally concerned:  He sat like a lump, uninterested in the world around him.

dual, duel  Dual always refers to two things. Duel refers to a formal contest with guns or pistols.

due to  Due to replaces the phrases attributable to and because of:  The flood was attributable to (due to) the heavy rain. Because of the accident, (Due to) he was late for work.

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E

elicit, illicit  Elicit means to bring out or draw forth:  His comments elicited groans from the audience. Illicit means unlawful:  His illicit affair broke up their marriage.

eminent, imminent  Eminent means famous or prominent as in:  His Eminence, The Pope. Imminent means soon to take place:  The Christmas concert is imminent.

enormity, enormousness  Enormousness refers to something of extraordinarily large size. Enormity, used to describe something monstrously evil should never be confused with enormousness.

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F

farther, further  Farther means more remote; more distant:  He threw the ball farther than anyone else. Further means at or to a more advanced point in time; to forward , as a work:  He was further along with the count than expected.

fewer, less   Fewer pertains to a smaller number:  fewer oranges, fewer girls, fewer cars. Less means a smaller amount or quantity:  less money, less coal, less weight.

flotsam, jetsam  Flotsam means wreckage found afloat. Jetsam means objects thrown overboard and then washed ashore.

forceful, forcible  Forceful means powerful; vigorous; effective:  His forceful personality dominated the interview. Forcible means exercising force or by force or violence:  He made a forcible entry into the hose by kicking down the door.

former, latter  Former and latter are used to designate one of two persons or things:  When given a choice between chocolate and ice cream, I prefer the former to the latter.If more than two things or people are involved: He had the choice of coffee, tea, juice or milk. He preferred the first and last to the others.

fortuitous, fortunate  Fortuitous means an event which happens by accident that may or may not be favorable. Fortunate means lucky or receiving good from an uncertain or unexpected source.

founder, flounder  Founder is a nautical term referring to the collapsing or sinking of a boat. Flounder means to move clumsily or to struggle to gain footing:  The horse floundered in the deep snow.

fulsome  Fulsome means excessive and insincere. NEVER use it to mean plentiful.  The critic gave fulsome praise to the sculpture, which angered the artist.

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H

had ought  Ought is a defective verb because it has only one form and cannot be used with an auxiliary:  They ought (NOT had ought) to have brought their coats.

hanged, hung  Hanged is used solely in connection with executions:  He was sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead. Hang refers to any other type of suspension: Don't leave your clothes on the floor, hang them up.

hardly  Hardly refers to a negative, as do barely and scarcely. Do not use a double negative such as not hardly:  He was hardly able to see. He could not see.

healthful, healthy  Healthy means enjoying or having good health:  He was a healthy man.Healthful means full of health or promoting good health:The healthful climate reduced his asthma attacks.

hypercritical, hypocritical  Hypercritical means over critical or excessively exact:  His hypercritical review had the writer in tears. Hypocritical means insincere or feigning feelings or beliefs:  The hypocritical teacher ranted against smoking even though he was a smoker himself.

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I

in spite of, despite  In spite of means in opposition to all efforts of; notwithstanding:  We held the picnic in spite of the rain. Despite means the same, but is written or spoken as:  Despite the rain, we held the picnic. Despite also means extreme malice; contemptuous hate; and act of spite or contempt:  His voice full of despite, he said, "You will pay for that!"

imply, infer  Imply means to indicate more than the words plainly say; to hint:  The politician's smile implied he could be trusted to keep his promises. Infer means to draw a conclusion; as by reasoning; to deduce; to indicate as a conclusion:  The reporter inferred from his manner that the politician was sincere.

impracticable, impractical  Impracticable means unfeasible; unmanageable; not useful for an intended purpose. Impractical means not taking a common sense view; not workable:  He was impractical, always wasting his allowance on candy.

intense, intensive  Intense means stretched out or tight; existing or occurring in a high or or extreme degree:  She blushed, unable to endure the intense passion in his gaze. Intensive means increasing in intensity or degree, more laborious. expensive or concentrated methods of cultivation:   As in Intensive Care Unit of a hospital.

invaluable, priceless  Invaluable means having a value so great that its worth cannot be evaluated. Priceless means having a value beyond all price; or in slang, very amusing or absurd.

its, it's  Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive case of it: Its tail was too long. It's is the contraction of it is: It's too soon to tell.

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K

kind of, sort of, type of, variety of  Never use a or an after these expressions:  Variety of an apple is confusing because an is used for one particular member of a class. Variety of apple is preferable because apple by itself correctly refers to the general idea of apple.