Verbal 5 - Words and Phrases confused - A

Key Points to Remember:

Some words are often confused with each other because they are

• similar in spelling and different in usage
• similar in spelling and different in pronounciation
• similar in pronunciation but different in spelling or usage
• similar in spelling but different in meaning
• slightly different in spelling but have same usage
• words whose usage is commonly mistaken by the non native speaker

Capitonyms are words that share the same spelling but have different meanings when capitalized. Eg., polish (to make shiny) and Polish (from Poland).

Homographs or Homophones are words that share the same spelling regardless of how they are pronounced. Eg., ball (toy) and ball (a form of dance).

Polysemes are the words with the same spelling and distinct but related meaning.

Homograph - same writing

Homophone - same sound

Hetronym - different name

Hetrophone - different sound

Words in A:

Abdicate / Abrogate

We abandon things when abdicating.

We abrogate things when we abolish them.

Accede / Exceed 

Accede means to agree or to allow.

Exceed means to go beyond or to surpass as in.

Drivers who exceed the speed limit are asking for hefty fines.

Accept (receive) / Except (leave out)

To accept is to agree something or to receive something willingly.

To except is to exclude or omit.

Access (approach) / Excess (too much)

Adapt (change) / Adept (skill) / Adopt (choose)

Adopt means to adjust.

Adept means skilled

Adopt means to take as your own.

Adverse / Averse

 Adverse means inauspicious or hostile.

Averse means disinclined or repelled.

Advice (suggestion) / Advise (to recommend)

Advice is the noun and Advise is the verb.

You advise someone.

What you give that person is advice.

Affluence / Effluence

Affluence is wealth.

Effluence is waste or useless product.

Aisle / Isle

An aisle is a narrow passageway, especially in a church or store.

An isle is an island.

All right / Alright

All right is the correct form.

Alright is grammatically incorrect.

The misspelling alright is non standard usage. Two two words are separate.

Allot (assign, distribute) / A lot (a large amount) 

Allude (suggest) / Elude (escape)

Allusion (suggestion) / Illusion (deception, fantasy)

Allusion is a reference to something literary or historical with which the reader is presumably familiar.

An illusion is a false, misleading, idea.

Aloud / Allowed 

Aloud means out loud or speaking so that someone else can hear you.

Allowed means permitted.

Already (previously) / All ready (completely prepared)

Already means by this time.

All ready means prepared.

Altar (church table) / Alter (change)

Altogether (entirely) / All together (complete group)

Always (at all times) / All ways (all methods)

Among / Between
Between expresses the joining or separation of two people or things.
Among refers to a group of three or more.

Amoral / Immoral
Amoral is a rather technical word meaning unrelated to morality.
When you mean to denounce someone's behavior, call it immoral

Amount / Number 
Write number when things can be counted.
When things are lumped together, write amount.

Annual / Annul
Annual means yearly
Annul means to make void or invalid.

Anxious / Eager
Anxiety is unpleasant.
Eagerness is joyous.
They are not synonyms.

Anyone / Any one
Anyone means anybody, any person at all.
Any one means any one person and is followed by of.

Appraise / Apprise
Appraise is to assess or estimate.
Apprise is to inform or notify.

Ascent (climb) / Assent (agree)
Ascent is an upward movement.
Assent means agreement.

Ascribe / Subscribe
If you agree with a theory of belief, you ascribe to it, just as you.
Subscribe is to a magazine.

Assistance / Assistants
Assistance means help or aid.
Assistants is the plural of assistant which means one who gives help.

Assume / Presume
We assume things in the absence of evidence.
We presume things when it is reasonable to do so and there is no evidence to the contrary.

Assure / Ensure / Insure
Assure means to guarantee.
Ensure means to to make sure.
Insure means to protect against loss or damage.

Attain / Obtain
Attain means reach.
Obtain means get.

Auger / Augur
Auger is a tool.
Augur means to predict or a sort of an omen.

Affect (influence) / Effect (result)
Affect is a verb meaning either to influence or to pretend.
Effect as a verb means to accomplish or to produce as a result and as a noun, effect means result.
Affect is a verb; Effect is more usually a noun.
When used as a verb, it means to achieve or fulfil or realize.

Aid / Aide

We aid people when we help them.
An aide is a special assistant.