misused words

Unit 14MISUSED WORDS

AcceptTo take or receive

ExceptWith the exclusion

of

ACCEPT VS. EXCEPT

I (accept, except) your apology.

Everyone arrived on time (accept, except) Todd.

EXAMPLES

AdviceNOUNA recommended

opinion

AdviseVERBTo give counselTo offer an opinion

ADVICE VS. ADVISE

Libby, I need your (advice, advise).

Bennett was unable to (advice, advise) me.

EXAMPLES

AffectVERBTo produce a change

inTo influence To assume, pretend

EffectVERBTo bring about

NOUNThe result,

impression

AFFECT VS EFFECT

In place of the words affect and effect, mentally substitute their meanings.

The sentence will make sense only if the correct meaning is substituted.

My low grades will (affect, effect) my average.

Andrew (affects, effects) a French accent with ease.

Congress tried to (affect, effect) a change in the tax system.

My past eating habits had an adverse (affect, effect) on my health.

EXAMPLES

All ReadyFully prepared

AlreadyBy this timepreviously

ALL READY VS. ALREADY

I am (all ready, already) to begin my presentation.

The presentation has (all ready, already) been made.

EXAMPLES

All TogetherCollectivelyIn a group

AltogetherCompletelyEntirely

ALL TOGETHER VS. ALTOGETHER

The tour group is (all together, altogether) at the entrance.

You speak (all together, altogether) too rapidly.

EXAMPLES

AmongUsed when referring

to more than two items

BetweenUsed when referring

to just two items

AMONG VS. BETWEEN

The responsibilities were divided (among, between) three assistants.

The responsibilities were divided (among, between) two assistants.

EXAMPLES

AngryEnraged

MadInsane

ANGRY VS. MAD

I became (angry, mad) when Shakira revealed my secret.

The doctors determined that the woman was (angry, mad).

EXAMPLES

AnyRefers to one or

more of several persons or things

EitherRefers to one of two

persons or things

ANY VS. EITHER

You may sit in (any, either) of these three seats.

(Any, Either) of the two seats is available.

EXAMPLES

BadSorryWickedOffensiveIllHint: Use after the

verb feel or look

BadlyIn a bad mannerpoorly

BAD VS. BADLY

I felt (bad, badly) after drinking the sour milk.

The dog behaves (bad, badly) when left alone.

EXAMPLES

BesideAt the side of

BesidesIn addition toIn addition,

moreover

BESIDE VS. BESIDES

Please sit (beside, besides) me.

(Beside, Besides) Lorraine, Ellie has two other good friends.

(Beside, Besides), Lorraine knows Ellie’s stepfather.

EXAMPLES

Unit 15MISUSED WORDS

BetterUsed when

comparing two items

BestUsed when

comparing more than two items

BETTER VS. BEST

Of the two scarves, the striped one looks (better, best).

Of the three scarves, the striped one looks (better, best).

EXAMPLES

Differ FromRefers to persons or

things

Differ WithRefers to opinions or

thoughts

DIFFER FROM VS. DIFFER WITH

Today’s test results (differ from, differ with) those of yesterday

I must (differ from, differ with) you, Hector, on that decision.

EXAMPLES

FartherRefers to distance

FurtherRefers to timeQuantityDegree

FARTHER VS. FURTHER

The rescuers walked (farther, further) into the woods.

As I read (farther, further), I became more interested.

EXAMPLES

FewerUsed with nouns

that can be counted

LessUsed with nouns

that cannot be counted

FEWER VS. LESS

I read (fewer, less) books this week than usual.

You have offered (fewer, less) proof than is required.

EXAMPLES

LayTo put or place

Present Tense=layPresent

Participle=layingPast=laidPast Participle=laid

Usually followed by an object.

LieTo rest or recline

Present Tense=liePresent Participle=lyingPast=layPast Participle=lain

LAY VS. LIE

In place of the words lay and lie, mentally substitute their meanings.

The sentence will make sense only if the correct meaning is substituted.

I (lay, lie) the book on the table.He (lays, lies) down every day at three o’clock. I am (laying, lying) the book on the table.He is (laying, lying) down now. I (laid, lay) the book on the table.He (lay, laid) down today at three o’clock. I have (laid, lain) the book on the table.He has (laid, lain) there since three o’clock.

EXAMPLES

LooseFreeNot tight

LoseTo misplace or leave

behindTo fail to win a game

LOOSE VS. LOSE

The screw became (loose, lose) and fell out.

If you aren’t careful, you may (loose, lose) that pen.

EXAMPLES

May beVERB

MaybePerhaps

MAY BE VS. MAYBE

The winning essay (maybe, may be) selected today.

(Maybe, May be) the winning essay will be selected today.

EXAMPLES

PassedVERB

Went by or moved by Completed successfully

PastADJECTIVE

Gone by in timeNOUN

Time gone by The events that

happened formerly

PASSED VS. PAST

I (past, passed) Chelsea on my way here.

Alicia (past, passed) the English test.

I enjoyed myself this (past, passed) summer.

My grandfather has fond memories of the (past, passed).

EXAMPLES

RealGenuine

HINT: Real is an adjective

VeryThe extreme (to a

high or low degree)Exceedingly

HINT: Very usually modifies

an adjective

REAL VS. VERY

That is a (real, very) diamond.

That is a (real, very) pretty diamond ring.

EXAMPLES

RecentADJECTIVEOf late occurrenceNot long past

ResentVERBTo feel or show

displeasure from a sense of injury or insult

RECENT VS. RESENT

I met Miguel during a (recent, resent) trip.

Bo is sure to (recent, resent) your intrusion.

EXAMPLES

Some timeA specified period of

time

SometimeAt some unspecified

or indefinite time

SOME TIME VS. SOMETIME

Make the appointment for (some time, sometime) in October.

Let’s meet (some time, sometime) soon.

EXAMPLES