how to learn confusing words

1. This presentation is
brought to you by
Grammar Bytes!,
©2022 by Robin L.
Simmons.

2. Confused and Misused
Words and Phrases
Dude, the
right
word is
affect,
with an a.
No, you’re
wrong. The
word should
be effect,
with an e.

3. This presentation
advices you on
words or
phrases that are
commonly
misused or
confused.
Dude,
that’s
advises,
with an s,
not a c.

4. On an objective test, an
item evaluating the skill
might look like this ...

5. Sample Item
My friends ate at Tito’s Taco Palace, so they’re
hoping that their lunch stays down, for their are
rumors that health inspectors cited the filthy kitchen.
A. their
B. they’re
C. there
D. No change is necessary.
My friends ate at Tito’s Taco Palace, so they’re
A
hoping that their lunch stays down, for their are
B C
rumors that health inspectors cited the filthy kitchen.
A. their
B. they’re
C. there
D. No change is necessary.
My friends ate at Tito’s Taco Palace, so they’re
A
hoping that their lunch stays down, for there are
B C
rumors that health inspectors cited the filthy kitchen.
A. their
B. they’re
C. there
D. No change is necessary.
Is the word
confused or
misused at A,
B, or C?
At C, you need
there, the
expletive, or
placeholder,
form.

6. Recognize misspelled/correctly
spelled words and phrases.
Alright ● All right
Alot ● A lot
Rite ● Right, write
Should of ● Should have
Suppose to ● Supposed to
X
X
X
X
X
Spelled
correctly!
Spelled
wrong!

7. Recognize the distinctions
among related words.
3 or more;
Among my
friends
 Among ● Between  2 only;
Between
Fred and me
Noncount;
Amount of
butter
 Amount ● Number  Count;
Number of
cookies
Adjective;
A good essay
 Good ● Well  Adverb;
He writes
well.
Evident,
unambiguous
 Explicit ● Implicit  Implied,
ambiguous
Know these
differences!

8. Know the difference that a
single new letter can make.
Before a word
beginning with a
consonant [sound]
 A ● An  Before a word
beginning with a
vowel [sound]
Before  Already ● All ready  Completely
prepared
A thought or
conception
 Idea ● Ideal  The concept of
something
perfect
To suffer the
deprivation of
 Lose ● Loose  Free from
restraint
Verb; past tense of
are
 Were ● Where  A place
More to
learn!

9. Know the difference that an
apostrophe can make.
Possessive
pronoun;
belonging to it
 Its ● It’s  Contraction for
it is or it has
Possessive
pronoun;
belonging to
whom
 Whose ● Who’s  Contraction for
who is or
who has
Possessive
pronoun;
belonging to
you
 Your ● You’re  Contraction for
you are
Possessive pronouns
never contain an
apostrophe.
Contractions do
contain an apostrophe.

10. Know the difference a change to
a single letter can make.
Noun form  Advice ● Advise  Verb form
Usually a verb  Affect ● Effect  Usually a noun
City, wealth,
important
 Capital ● Capitol  The building for
lawmaking
To quote  Cite ● Site  A location
Rough  Coarse ● Course  Path, route
Praise  Compliment ● Complement  Goes well with
Put in place  Set ● Sit  Be seated
Unchanging  Stationary ● Stationery  Paper
Indicates
comparison
 Than ● Then  Next
Why is English so
complicated?

11. Don’t let these homonyms
[sound alike words] confuse you.
Agree to or receive  Accept ● Except  Leave out
Plural present of the
verb be
 Are ● Our  Possessive pronoun;
belonging to us
Past tense of pass  Passed ● Past  Gone, by
Go before  Precede ● Proceed  Carry on
Chief [person], main  Principal ● Principle  Truth or rule
Correct, a just claim,
a direction
 Right ● Write  Make letters with an
instrument
Sight, touch, hearing,
smell, taste
 Sense ● Since  Adverb, conjunction,
or preposition
View, glimpse  Sight ● Site  A location
Past tense of throw  Threw ● Through  Beyond
State of the
atmosphere
 Weather ● Whether  Introduces an
alternative

12. My brain
is getting
full! Relax,
dude, we’re
almost
there!

13. To, Too, Two
• Use to as a preposition.
Jonathan drove to the seafood shop.
• Use to to begin an infinitive.
He hoped to buy fresh squid.
• Use too to show degree.
The squid was too expensive to purchase.
• Use too as a synonym for also.
So too was the fresh octopus.
• Use two when you mean the number.
Jonathan bought two flounder filets instead.

14. There, Their, They’re
• Use there as an expletive, a placeholder to
delay the subject.
There is a turtle in the road.
• Use there to indicate place.
Across the road is a lake. The turtle hopes to get
there before a car hits him.
• Use their as a possessive pronoun.
Most drivers don’t see the turtle; their eyes are glued
to their cell phones.
• Use they’re as a contraction for they are.
They’re also distracted by other devices, like the
radio and navigation system.

15. At many objective exams, you
cannot use a dictionar y!
X

16. When in doubt, rely on
“gut” feelings.
Your eyes have seen in print—and your
brain has registered—all of the possible
words that you will encounter for this skill. If
you don’t recognize the right answer, go
with the one that feels right.
Hey, I’ve seen
that word
before!

17. Quick Test
Directions: In the items that follow, choose
the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”
Your
turn!
Let’s see
what you
can do!

18. Item 1
Even though we warned Jake not to eat a hole
pie at one sitting, he sat at the kitchen table and
proceeded to consume slice after slice.
A. whole
B. set
C. preceded
D. No change is necessary.
Even though we warned Jake not to eat a hole
A
pie at one sitting, he sat at the kitchen table and
B
proceeded to consume slice after slice.
C
A. whole
B. set
C. preceded
D. No change is necessary.
Even though we warned Jake not to eat a whole
A
pie at one sitting, he sat at the kitchen table and
B
proceeded to consume slice after slice.
C
A. whole
B. set
C. preceded
D. No change is necessary.

19. Item 2
Give Jerrod a compliment because his shoe
laces complement the colors in his plaid shirt.
His fashion since is gradually improving.
A. complement
B. compliment
C. sense
D. No change is necessary.
Give Jerrod a compliment because his shoe
A
laces complement the colors in his plaid shirt.
B
His fashion since is gradually improving.
C
A. complement
B. compliment
C. sense
D. No change is necessary.
Give Jerrod a compliment because his shoe
A
laces complement the colors in his plaid shirt.
B
His fashion sense is gradually improving.
C
A. complement
B. compliment
C. sense
D. No change is necessary.

20. Item 3
If you go by the supermarket, buy a package of
hotdog buns. Than we can grill the sausage for
dinner.
A. buy
B. by
C. Then
D. No change is necessary.
If you go by the supermarket, buy a package of
A B
hotdog buns. Than we can grill the sausage for
C
dinner.
A. buy
B. by
C. Then
D. No change is necessary.
If you go by the supermarket, buy a package of
A B
hotdog buns. Then we can grill the sausage for
C
dinner.
A. buy
B. by
C. Then
D. No change is necessary.

21. Item 4
Heed my advice, and don’t loose your receipt.
The college bookstore will not accept any excuse
if you need to return those books.
A. advise
B. lose
C. except
D. No change is necessary.
Heed my advice, and don’t loose your receipt.
A B
The college bookstore will not accept any excuse
C
if you need to return those books.
A. advise
B. lose
C. except
D. No change is necessary.
Heed my advice, and don’t lose your receipt.
A B
The college bookstore will not accept any excuse
C
if you need to return those books.
A. advise
B. lose
C. except
D. No change is necessary.

22. Item 5
The heard of gazelle leaped through the air as
the animals tried to elude the cheetah.
A. herd
B. threw
C. allude
D. No change is necessary.
The heard of gazelle leaped through the air as
A B
the animals tried to elude the cheetah.
C
A. herd
B. threw
C. allude
D. No change is necessary.
The herd of gazelle leaped through the air as
A B
the animals tried to elude the cheetah.
C
A. herd
B. threw
C. allude
D. No change is necessary.

23. Item 6
Maybe Gerald is caught in traffic, or he maybe
flirting with the cute cafeteria cashier. Either way,
don’t accept any excuse for his tardiness.
A. May be
B. may be
C. except
D. No change is necessary.
Maybe Gerald is caught in traffic, or he maybe
A B
flirting with the cute cafeteria cashier. Either way,
don’t accept any excuse for his tardiness.
C
A. May be
B. may be
C. except
D. No change is necessary.
Maybe Gerald is caught in traffic, or he may be
A B
flirting with the cute cafeteria cashier. Either way,
don’t accept any excuse for his tardiness.
C
A. May be
B. may be
C. except
D. No change is necessary.

24. Item 7
When there are fewer students in a class, the
professor has less worries that everyone is
getting individual attention.
A. their
B. less
C. fewer
D. No change is necessary.
When there are fewer students in a class, the
A B
professor has less worries that everyone is
C
getting individual attention.
A. their
B. less
C. fewer
D. No change is necessary.
When there are fewer students in a class, the
A B
professor has fewer worries that everyone is
C
getting individual attention.
A. their
B. less
C. fewer
D. No change is necessary.

25. Item 8
We were successful baking 300 cupcakes for
the charity event, but today we’re exhausted after
spending all night preparing the desserts.
A. we’re
B. were
C. deserts
D. No change is necessary.
We were successful baking 300 cupcakes for
A
the charity event, but today we’re exhausted after
B
spending all night preparing the desserts.
C
A. we’re
B. were
C. deserts
D. No change is necessary.
We were successful baking 300 cupcakes for
A
the charity event, but today we’re exhausted after
B
spending all night preparing the desserts.
C
A. we’re
B. were
C. deserts
D. No change is necessary.

26. Item 9
Gregory passed his chemistry final, so now he
won’t loose his scholarship. As he walked past
the diner, he rewarded himself with a milkshake.
A. past
B. lose
C. passed
D. No change is necessary.
Gregory passed his chemistry final, so now he
A
won’t loose his scholarship. As he walked past
B C
the diner, he rewarded himself with a milkshake.
A. past
B. lose
C. passed
D. No change is necessary.
Gregory passed his chemistry final, so now he
A
won’t lose his scholarship. As he walked past
B C
the diner, he rewarded himself with a milkshake.
A. past
B. lose
C. passed
D. No change is necessary.

27. Item 10
Mr. Ramos hopes to except the bid on the house.
He has agreed to all of the buyer’s conditions
except retiling the master bathroom since it
would be too much work.
A. accept
B. accept
C. sense
D. No change is necessary.
Mr. Ramos hopes to except the bid on the house.
A
He has agreed to all of the buyer’s conditions
except retiling the master bathroom since it
B C
would be too much work.
A. accept
B. accept
C. sense
D. No change is necessary.
Mr. Ramos hopes to accept the bid on the house.
A
He has agreed to all of the buyer’s conditions
except retiling the master bathroom since it
B C
would be too much work.
A. accept
B. accept
C. sense
D. No change is necessary.

28. Grammar Bytes!
provides additional
handouts and exercises on
commonly confused
words.
Go to
chompchomp.com!

29. The End.
Watch where
you’re going,
fool!