Commonly confused words

Rule 19 Learn the Most Commonly Confused Words,... 

Commonly confused words sound or look similar, but have different meanings. 

The following list contains 20 of the most commonly confused word pairs or groups, along with a brief definition of each. Check your essay for them, making sure you have used the correct word. You might want to make flash cards for each pair or group, and use the cards to learn the definitions so your future writing improves as well. 

GOOF-PROOF EXAMPLE COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS CLARIFIED... 

Learn the meanings of commonly confused words (those that sound or look similar, but have different meanings) and end the confusion in your writing. 

QUIZ 1 LEARN THE MOST COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS, AND USE THEM PROPERLY... 

Like punctuation, the misuse of commonly confused words (e.g., its/it s, affect/ effect, comprise/compose, fewer/less) can result in miscommunication and undermine the message conveyed in your writing. 

See appendix A for more information on these commonly confused words. 

Farther and further are commonly confused words. Using the ACS Journals Search, we found that further was used roughly 60 times more often than farther nevertheless, it is important to learn to distinguish these two words and use them correctly. Most often, further signals quantity or degree and farther signals literal or figurative distance. 

Proofreading Tip Don t count on your computer spellchecker to catch commonly confused words. When you read over your final draft and run across principle and/or principal, stop for a moment. Make sure you ve used the words correctly. Ultimately, you are responsible for getting them right ... 

Pay attention to the meaning of every word that you use in your writing. If you are unsure that the word you are using is correct, look it up in your dictionary (or refer to the list below of commonly confused words). 

The list provided here contains some of the most commonly confused words, along with a brief definition of each. Some of the words below are homophones, which you read about in Section One. Do yourself a favor and learn all the words below, as well as the homophone list in Section One, and practice using them correctly. As you read through the lists, ask yourself if you are guilty of incorrectly using any of the words. If you are, make a list of your personal confusing words. Spend extra time learning the words on your list (flash cards will come in handy here, too ). 

Commonly Confused Words. There are many words that are frequently confused and used incorrectly. The confusion arises because the words use the same root, or sound similar, or have similar meanings. 

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