Commonly Confused Words Week #2 Anderson & Bult

Lose vs. Loose  Lose = to have no longer; to misplace; to fail to win  Loose = free; not firmly attached; not fitting tightly  If we don’t practice, we will ______the game.  Close the door or the cat will get _______.  Don’t ______your place in the book.  The button is really _______.  Don’t ______ your patience or come _______ at the seams. lose loose lose loose

Passed vs. Past  Passed = the past tense of the verb “to pass”  Past =  Adjective: to describe something  Noun: a thing  Preposition: to indicate the relation between  Adverb: to describe how something is done  San Antonio is a city with an interesting _______.  I paid many bills this _______month.  The challenger in the race ________the leader.  Make a sharp right turn _______the bank.  When did the bus drive _______? past passed past

Precede vs. Proceed  Precede = to go or come before  Proceed = to continue, to move along  When counting, five __________ nine.  The dictionary entry for airplane __________that for airship.  An airplane can __________at a faster speed than an airship.  One must __________ with caution. precedes proceed

Fewer vs. Less  Fewer = used for things that can be counted  Less = used for things that cannot be counted  We had _______ snow in Cedar Lake than they did in Valparaiso.  We had ________ inches of snow in Cedar Lake than they had in Valparaiso.  I am _______ worried now than before.  I have ________ worries now than before. less fewer less fewer