TIPS: VOCAB
     Here is a list of commonly mistaken words, their definitions and proper uses. I'm not going to be too picky here, but generally if you're unsure of a word, look it up! www.dictionary.com is exellent for that. You don't even need to get up! If you're looking for something that's not here, email me and I'll put it up!
Basics
THERE --- THEIR --- THEY'RE
There - Location. Over there. The opposite of here. Go over there and slap her in the face!
Their - Someone else owns. It is not mine, it is theirs. I stole their shoes. I laughed at their stupidity.
They're - "They are" when something follows. They're all idiots! But not I'm better than they're.
     If you can't quite tell which one it should be, read the relevent part of the sentence and ask if it could be replaced with "they are","your", or "here" and still make sense. They are=they're; your=their; here=there.
     eg. T___ all so smug over t____, with t___ smiles of triumph.
• Your all so smug (refer to "your vs "you're). Here all so smug. They are all so smug. = they're
• Over your. Over you are. Over here. = there
• Here smiles. They are smiles. Your smiles. = their
YOUR --- YOU'RE
Your - The person you are speaking to owns. You, and not me or them. I poked your face.
You're - "You are" when something follows. You're psycho! But not She's prettier than you're.
     If you don't know which one it should be, read the relevent part of the sentence and ask if it could be replaced with "you are", or "her" and still make sense. You are=you're; her=your.
     eg. Y___ not as good as y___ friends think you are. (note: at the end of a sentence, you are cannot be made you're)
• Her not as good. You are not as good. = you're
• You are friends think. Her friends think. = your
IT'S --- ITS
It's - "It is" only. It's a fine day for prodding people.
Its - Aything that isn't "it is". The rat ate its babies.
     Every time that you can't stick in "it is" must be its without the ' - this even goes for posessive things that do have a ' for everything else. eg. Shirly's car. Betty's pen. Bob's beeper. It's hair = this does not have a ' on it, much like these ones: your fan club. My boots. His caravan. Her stalker. Don't be tricked into putting a ' on "its" because "it" owns something!
TO --- TOO --- TWO
To - An action. Going towards. Indicating posession. I went to the dugeons. I couldn't find the key to the handcuffs.
Too - More than enough; Also. I have too much time and too few victims! Then I shall torture myself too!
Two - The number. I have two victims!
     Two is pretty easy to remember; if it's a number, it's "two". The other two can be tricky. Just try to remember that "too" mean's "more than enough" which is why it has more O's that "to". That's the best I can give you.
Common Mistakes
ACCEPT --- EXCEPT
Accept - To take something. I accept the apology you gave for cutting my thumb off.
Except - But not... other than. I like all forms of torture, except those that don't involve pain.
     A good way to remember which one is which is to look at the first letter. You would accept an apology, and ex meant not eg exclude (means "not included"), except ("not accepted").
EVERY DAY --- EVERYDAY
Every Day - Each day. All days. I take one life every day.
Everyday - Common. The rack is an everyday torture device.
     See if you can replace either of those with "common" or "each day" and you'll have your answer.
• I take one life common. I take one life each day. = every day
• The rack is a each day torture device. The rack is a common torture device. = everyday
ALL READY--- ALREADY

All Ready - Completely prepared. Are the periwinkes all ready?
Already - By now. So soon. An exclamation. Haven't you killed him already? Just die already!
     See if you can substitute this word for "prepared", "previously" or "now" and you should find your answer.
     eg. I got the periwinkes a___, but my victim had died a____. "Get me another one a___!" I screamed at Igor.
• I got the periwinkes now. I got the periwinkes previously. I got the periwinkes prepared. = all ready
• My victim had died now. My victim had died prepared. My victim had died previously. = already
• Get me another one previously! Get me another one prepared! Get me another one now! = already
A LOT --- ALLOT
A Lot - Several. Ample. Asignificant amount. There's a lot of alcohol in my blood.
Allot - Assign. Designate. I allotted one hour to the task.
     There's no real way to remember these except to remember them... sorry folks!
RAIN --- REIN --- REIGN

Rain - Weather pattern consisting of water falling from the sky. It rained and rained, and the storm raged on.
Rein - Leather straps attached to a horse's harness. I pulled on the reins and the horse stopped.
Reign - To tule over. The King reigns over the land from here to Dumthwait.
     Haven't got any suggestions for this one yet...

PLAIN --- PLANE

Plain - Simple. Lacking distinction. A large flat area. Why did I leave my human leish in plain view? I had only plain water. Zebra roam the plains of Africa.
Plane- An aircraft. A carpenter's tool. A level of existance. I watched the plane jet across the sky. He picked up his plane and scraped away at the timber until it was perfectly flat. I let go of my mortal body and entered the astral plane.
     Because both of these have a bunch of different meanings, you really just need to look it up and check. Sorry!
DESERT --- DESSERT

Desert - Abandon. Barren area, typically all sand and cacti. The soldier deserted his post. I died in the desert of Egypt.
Dessert- The meal after dinner, typically icecream and cakes. We had icecream and cakes for dessert.
     Again, this is just a matter of learning the meanings. But if it's not a meal after dinner, it'll be desert. Remember that.

MANOR --- MANNER

Manor - An estate or mansion. A large homestead. Rumour had it Dracula lived in the manor on Cold Creek Lane.
Manner - Attitude. Behaviour. His manner was elusive and annoying.
     Just think of your parents always telling you to behave and mind your manners.
HUNG --- HANGED

Hung - Did hang in the past. Carcasses hung off gleaming hooks in the ceiling.
Hanged - Executed at the gallows. With a noose around his neck, he was seconds away from being hanged.
     "Hanged" is only ever used in reference to the action of execusion.
     eg. A body hung on the end of the noose - another witch had been hanged for her alleged crimes.
Getting Picky
AFFECT --- EFFECT

Affect - (Verb) To have influence on. Cholesterol affects the heart.
Effect - (Noun) The result. The effects of cholesterol include a build-up of fat on artery walls.
     This is really pedantic, and almost everyone gets it wrong. Try to remember that affect is an action, and effect is a result of something. You'd probably do better if you just learned the difference between a verb and a noun.
RUNG --- RANG -----------------also---------------- SWUM --- SWAM
Rung - Past tense of ring, but even further in the past. I told him that I had rung the bell.
Rang - Past tense of ring, happening now in the scene. She went into the tower and rang the bell.
     It's really a pretty pedantic difference, and tricky to remember (I had to look this one up!). It doesn't really matter that much, but a publisher will look more favourably on someone who has a pretty good grasp on language. One is used in the past perfect tense (an action done in the past before another action done in the past), and the other in the past simple tense (an action done in the past). In the following example of a story in past tense, I'll use both "ring" and "swim" because they both act in the same way (rung/swum; rang/swam). See if you can pick from this when to use which form.
     She ran into the church and took the steps that led to the tower. She knew she must hurry if she was to ring the bell and summon the forces waiting in the castle keep. She reached the tower and, grasping the rope, she rang the bell. A soldier appeared in the tower, drenched from head to toe. There was only one way he could have followed her so quickly; he had swum the moat.
     Can you see from this that, in past tense, if it is happening currently in the scene, the word is rang/swam, but if it is in reference to something done before this scene, it is rung/swum. Almost always you will say "had swum" or "had rung" so chances are if your sentence includes "had (swim/ring)" then it will be in the "u" form, and others would be in the "a" form.
DEVICE --- DEVISE

Device - (de-vice) An invention. A machine. -or- a symbol. The device was hand-held, and emitted a strange whirring noise. His cloak was emroidered with the device of the McFagnan clan.
Devise - (de-vize) To form or plan in the mind. I devised a cunning plan involving trained cocroaches and lots of TNT.
     It's mainly in the pronunciation, so if you can just remember "ice" is "device" you should be right. If not, remember that those who devise are wise (use of the mind).

PROPHECY --- PROPHESY

Prophecy - (proh-feh-see) A prediction of the future. According to prophecy, the chosen one will come as a child.
Prophesy - (proh-feh-sye) The act of creating a prophecy. (past tense is "prophesied" NOT "prophesized") "You mock me now, but one day you will see that what I prophesy is true and you will rue the day you forsook me!" the old seer sneered.
     Not a whole lot of difference, and "prophesy" is rarely used, so chances are "prophecy" will be the one you're after. Just remember the past tense is "prophesied" and you should do fine. Nostradamus prophecied that.....
CONTINUAL --- CONTINUOUS

Continual - Recurring regularly, with a break between. Days are continual, broken by night. She continually pokes me!
Continuous - uninterrupted sequence. I continuously have my music playing - I never pause it for anything!
     Just a matter of learning the difference, but it's not a huge deal.
LAST UPDATED 13 Aug 2004