Misused Words
These are pairs of words that are often misused in writing, so it is important to be able to distinguish between them.
About, Around |
Accept, Except |
Adapt, Adept, Adopt |
Advice, Advise |
Affect, Effect |
All ready, Already |
All right, Alright |
All together, Altogether |
Allowed, Aloud |
Allude, Delude, Elude |
Allusion, Illusion |
Almost, Most |
Altar, Alter |
Among, Between |
Amount, Number |
As, Like |
Audience, Spectator |
Avocation, Vocation |
Balance, Remainder |
Beside, Besides |
Brake, Break |
Breadth, Breath, Breathe |
Bring, Take, Fetch |
Broach, Brooch |
Cache, Cash |
Can, May |
Choose, Chose |
Clothes, Cloths |
Coarse, Course |
Complement, Compliment |
Complicit, Explicit, Implicit |
Conscience, Conscious |
Consul, Council, Counsel |
Contemptible, Contemptuous |
Continual, Continuous |
Credible, Creditable, Credulous |
Demur, Demure |
Desert, Dessert |
Device, Devise |
Discover, Invent |
Elicit, Illicit |
Emigrate, Immigrate |
Eminent, Imminent |
Evacuate, Excavate |
Faint, Feint |
Fair, Fare |
Famous, Infamous |
Farther, Further |
Fewer, Less |
Figuratively, Literally |
Flaunt, Flout |
Formally, Formerly |
Forth, Fourth |
Good, Well |
Hanged, Hung |
Hear, Here |
Imply, Infer |
In, Into |
Its, It's |
Lay, Lie |
Lead, Led |
Learn, Teach |
Let's, Lets |
Lighting, Lightening, Lightning |
Loath, Loathe |
Loose, Lose |
Of, Off |
Passed, Past |
Persecute, Prosecute |
Personal, Personnel |
Perspective, Prospective |
Plain, Plane |
Popular, Populous |
Precede, Proceed |
Principal, Principle |
Quiet, Quite |
Raise, Rise |
Respectfully, Respectively |
Set, Sit |
Stationary, Stationery |
Statue, Stature, Statute |
Than, Then |
Their, There, They're |
Threw, Through |
To, Too |
Transparent, Translucent, Opaque |
Verses, Versus |
Waist, Waste |
Weather, Whether |
Who, Whom |
Who's, Whose |
Your, You're |
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Note: For each word we have given one or two main definitions. However, there are other definitions that are not as common. Consult a dictionary for these words.