COMMON CONFUSED WORDS

WORDS	DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES
a lot allot	A lot is two words meaning "much": A lot of bologna was left over from the party.
a while awhile	A while is two words meaning "a short period of time": I will meet you in a while.
a an and	A is an indefinite article to be used before nouns beginning with a consonant: a photograph, a tree, a horse.
	An is to be used before nouns beginning with a vowel (or vowel sound): an apple, an hour, an elephant.
	And is a conjunction used between nouns in a list: A blanket and picnic basket are needed for the afternoon.
accede exceed	Accede means "to agree or allow": Hiram Cheaply finallyacceded to accepting the presidency of the company.
	Exceed means "to go beyond, to surpass": The amount of alcohol in his blood exceeded the previous record.
accept except	Accept means "to take willingly": Miss Deeds accepted the cup of hot tea even without a saucer.
	Except is a preposition meaning "excluding": Everyone was disappointed with the party except Ida Goodtime.
adapt adept adopt	Adapt means "to adjust": Minnie Miles quickly adapted to living away from home.
	Adept means "skilled": Lucille is adept at speaking languages.
	Adopt means to "accept as your own": It was difficult to adopt only one puppy from the animal shelter.
adverse averse	Adverse means "unfavorable, hostile": Those driving in adverse winter conditions may be putting themselves at risk.
	Averse means "unwilling or repelled": She was immediately averse to the idea.
advice advise	Advice is a noun meaning "an opinion given with the intention of helping": My mother still gives me advice even though I'm 40 years old.
	Advise is a verb meaning "to give counsel or advice": The meteorologist advised listeners to stay indoors because of the extremely cold temperatures.
affect effect	Affect is most often used as a verb meaning "to influence": The president's speech affected his views of the upcoming election.
	The verb effect means "to cause": Batting her eyes so flirtatiously effected a strong desire in Rathbone to embrace Mirabelle.
aid aide	Aid is help or assistance given: Every Christmas the community gives aid to those less fortunate.
	An aide is a person who helps: Frieda Gogh worked five years as a teacher's aide.
airs heirs	Airs refers to snobbish and artificial behavior: Portia Radclyffe put on airs at the fine dinner party just because she had a few diamonds.
	Heirs are people who, because they are family, will inherit an estate or title.
all right alright	All right is a phrase meaning "everything is right": Is all right here?
	Alright is a single word meaning "OK": Is everything alright here?
all together altogether	All together is applied to people or things that are being treated as a whole: We always had fun when we were all together. To double check this usage, try separating the two words: We all had fun when were together.
	Altogether is an adverb that means "completely or totally": Using a flashlight in bed is an altogether new approach to reading.
all ways always	All ways means "by every means or method": Dirk tried all ways to navigate the storm.
	Always means "forever": Sue St. Marie always responded calmly during emergency situations.
allude elude	Allude means "to suggest indirectly": Leticia can't speak to her husband without alluding to his affair with Martha Snodgrass.
	Elude means "to dodge or escape": Serious relationships always seemed to elude him.
allusion illusion	An allusion is a subtle reference or hint: Rita Book made an allusion to the most recent novel she read in our conversation yesterday.
	An illusion is a deception, mirage, or a wild idea: The teacher said she had no illusions about how much work teaching demands.
almost most	Almost means "nearly all": Almost all my friends have graduated from college by now.
	Most is superlative of more, meaning "the greatest or to the highest degree": Chuck is the most computer savvy guy I know, or Chuck cooked a most delicious supper.
aloud allowed	Aloud means "speaking so that someone else can hear you": Read this paragraph aloud.
	Allowed means "having permission": His boss allowed him to take the weekend off.
already, all ready	Already is an adverb that indicates an action is completed by a certain time: Herschel had already finished that whole pie.
	All ready means "everything is completely prepared": The children were all ready and bundled up warmly to go caroling on the snowy evening.
alternately alternatively	Alternately means "taking turns": We paddled alternately so neither of us would get too tired.
	Alternatively means "as an option": Instead of going by train, we could have gone alternatively by car.
ambiguous ambivalent	Ambiguous is describes a phrase or act with more than one meaning, or one that is unclear: The ending of the short story is ambiguous; we don't know if he died or continue his journey.
	Ambivalent means "uncertainty and having conflicting attitudes and feelings": He was ambivalent as to which candidate to vote for.
amiable amicable	Amiable refers to a person who is friendly, good-natured, and pleasant: Susan was very amiable and liked immediately.
	Amicable means "friendly and peaceable", and is used to describe agreements or relationships between groups or people: After years of disagreement, the two countries came to an amicable agreement.
among between	Among is used for three or more: Shirley had to choose among three universities she might attend.
	Between is used for two things: I couldn't decide between blue and green.
amoral immoral	Amoral means "having no principles at all, good or bad": Percy is totally amoral; he is either helping others or helping himself at their expense.
	Immoral means "bad, lacking good principles": Everything his brother does harms others whether it benefits him or not.
amount number	Amount is used with uncountable and abstract nouns: a large amount of money, amount of work, amount of happiness or amount of dirt.
	Number is used with countable and concrete plural expressions: a number of people, a number of attempts, a number of novels, a number of trials.
amused bemused	Amused is when something is entertaining: The children were amused by watching the kittens play.
	Bemused means "bewildered" or "lost in thought": George was bemused by the unexpected ending to the movie.
annual annul	Annual means "yearly": We must pay an annual tax.
	Annul means "to make void or invalid": They want to annul the marriage.
any one anyone	Any one means "any one person": Any one of you may go, but not all of you.
	Anyone means "anybody, any person at all": Anyone can chew gum and walk at the same time.
anyway anywhere nowhere anyways anywheres nowheres	Anyway, anywhere, and nowhere are the correct forms.
apart a part	Apart is an adverb meaning "in pieces": My plan for my vacation fell apart.
	A part is a noun meaning "one section of": A part of my heart left when he did.
appraise apprise	Appraise is to assess or estimate the worth of: to appraise a diamond.
	Apprise is to inform or notify: the officer apprised us of our rights.
arcane archaic	Arcane refers to things known and understood by few people: Amanda Lynn teaches arcane theories of modern music at the college.
	Archaic refers to things very, very old and outdated: The Oxford English Dictionary contains many words that are archaic.
as like	As may be used as a conjunction that introduce dependent clauses: George talks as his father does. Informally, it may also be used as a preposition in comparative constructions like: Jean-Claude is as forgetful as me (or as I am).
	Like is a preposition is followed by a noun or pronoun: George looks like his mother. It may also be used as an adjective meaning "similar": George and I have like minds.
ascent assent	Ascent is an upward movement: Leo's ascent to the presidency of the company came slowly.
	Assent means "to agree to": Greta could not begin the project unless management assented.
ascetic aesthetic	An ascetic is a person who renounces all material comforts, often for religious devotion: the young man lead his ascetic lifestyle despite his parents' plans for him. It can also be used as an adjective: Ethan Asia led an ascetic lifestyle.
	Aesthetic refers to the philosophy of beauty or the pleasing qualities of something: The statuette Leander created was lacking in aesthetic qualities.
ascribe describe	Ascribe means "to attribute to": She ascribed her feelings of jealousy to insecurity.
	Describe means "to show what something is by drawing a picture with words": Describe in detail what the man looked like.
aspersion dispersion	Aspersion is slander, a damaging remark: The campaign was filled with one aspersion after another.
	Dispersion is the act of scattering: The dispersion of seeds was irregular because he sowed the seeds by hand.
assent ascent	See ascent, assent.
assistance assistants	Assistance is help or aid: the nurses gave assistance to the patients.
	Assistants are more than one assistant, a person who gives help: the emergency room assistants were ready to help anyone who came through the door. (See also patienceand patients.)
assure ensure insure	Assure means "to guarantee": He assured her it was a quality item.
	Ensure means "to make sure by double checking": The custodian ensured the doors to the school were locked at night.
	Insure means "to provide insurance": It is wise to insure your house against flood, fire, or theft.
auger augur	An auger is a tool used for digging holes: If you want to ice fish, you need to first drill a hole in the ice with an auger.
	Augur means "to predict, forecast": Leroy's inheritance augured happiness for him in the future.