Commonly Confused Words

Affect/Effect

Use affect as a verb – to influence Use effect as a noun – a result (cause & effect) The arrow affected the aardvark. The effect was eye-popping.

Try it… 1) The rain (affected/effected) Sarah’s hair. 2) The (affect/effect) of the lecture was obvious the next day in class.

Who/Whom Use who when you are referring to the subject of a clause Use whom when you are referring to the object of a clause. Remember: the subject of the sentence is the person doing something, and the object of the sentence is having something done to them. * If I step on Squiggly, then I am the subject and Squiggly is the object.

Who/Whom Quick Tip! Use the he/him method to decide which word is correct. he /she = who him /her = whom them/they = whom Who/Whom wrote the letter? He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct. For who/whom should I vote? Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct. We all know who/whom pulled that prank. He pulled that prank. Therefore, who is correct. We want to know on who/whom the prank was pulled. The prank was pulled on him. Therefore, whom is correct.

Try it! 1. Susan, [who/whom] was in an ugly mood, pushed past a Girl Scout trying to sell cookies. 2. The Johnsons, [who/whom] everyone in the neighborhood hates, let their noisy dogs bark all night.

Cite/Sight/Site The verb cite means to mention or quote as an authority or example. (Works Cited page) The noun sight refers to something that is seen or the power or process of seeing. The noun site means a particular place.

Try it! Sight, site, cite. 1. The National Palace stands on the _____ of Montezuma’s castle. 2. Every student in the class _____ the same article. 3. "Of all the senses, _____ must be the most delightful." (Helen Keller)

Fewer/Less The basic rule is that you use less with mass nouns and fewer with count nouns. A count noun is something you can count. Mass nouns are things you cannot count individually.

A fewer/less tip! Think of the grocery store express lane. Most of the signs for these lanes read, “10 items or less,” and that's just wrong. The signs should read, “10 items or fewer,” because items are individual, countable things!

Advice/Advise Advice (n): counsel Advise (v): to give advice I (advice/advise) against you going there at night. Listen to my (advice/advise)!

Eminent/Imminent Eminent: prominent or famous Imminent: impending; about to occur Charles Dodgson was an eminent mathematician. The citizens are in imminent danger.

Assure/Ensure/Insure Assure: to remove doubt or anxiety Ensure: to guarantee an event or condition Insure: to provide or obtain financial liability (insurance) "Do not worry about your problems with mathematics. I assure you mine are far greater." (Albert Einstein) The USDA must act to ensure safety in school lunch programs She has not been able to insure her Bugatti, a valuable old car.

Except/Accept Really??

Lie / Lay Lie means “to recline” or “be placed.”  It does not act on anything or anyone else. Lay means “to place something down.”  It is something you do to something else.

Immigrate / Emigrate Immigrate – to move to another country – you go Into another country Emigrate – to leave your own country – you Exit your country

Dear Abby… Dear Abby is the name of the advice column founded in It is still syndicated today and appears in many newspapers.

Dear Abby Example DEAR ABBY: I am 16 but will be 17 in a few months. I have known my boyfriend, "John," for two years. He is my first boyfriend. After four months of dating, John has asked me to marry him, and I said yes. He had been hinting about an engagement, and I didn't have the heart to say otherwise. John is very dear to me, but I keep hearing people say, "Keep your options open." I told John that I am young (he's 18), and I want to take it slowly, but he says if I break up with him to date other guys, he will never date me again. Abby, I want to make sure John is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Sometimes I wish I hadn't started dating him because I feel too young to be engaged or married. I love John dearly. I don't want to break his heart or mine. I am also scared I might mess up this relationship. What should I do to make myself believe that I have found my true love? --- STUCK IN OKLAHOMA

Dear Abby example response.. DEAR STUCK: You should have been absolutely honest with John from the beginning. When you have found your own true love, you won't have to "make yourself" believe it. You will KNOW it. John is pressuring you because he is afraid if you start dating others he won't measure up. For both your sakes, tell him that you are not ready to make the kind of commitment he is demanding. He may not like hearing it, but it is the truth. You won't break his heart, and once you have done it, you will feel a sense of relief. --Dear Abby

Your Assignment You will write a “Dear Abby” letter about a real or fake problem. In the letter, you must use AT LEAST 10 of the Commonly Confused Words we reviewed this week. Underline each word you use. Once you are finished, you will swap with a partner. On your partner’s paper, you will write a response to his or her Dear Abby letter. In your response, you will use at least 5 of the commonly confused words we reviewed this week. Make sure that both of your names are on the paper before you turn it in!!