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58 Commonly Misused Words

Page
501
from
Write Ahead

Commonly Misused Words Section Opener

Start-Up Activity

Show your students a picture of the Olsen Twins. Challenge them to identify which one is Mary-Kate and which one is Ashley. It's tough because they look so similar.

Play a recording of Frank Sinatra and Harry Connick, Jr. Challenge students to identify which is which. They sound very similar, but they are two different singers.

Then tell students that the Engelbert Humperdinck who wrote the opera Hansel and Gretel is completely different from the Engelbert Humperdinck who recorded "Strangers in the Night"

When two different things look the same or sound the same or have the same name, confusion is inevitable. This section helps students sort out commonly misused words, choosing the best ones throughout.

Often, students can create mnemonic devices (memory aids) to help them remember differences. For example, students can remember that accept looks like access (allowing in), while except looks like exit (sending out). Challenge your students to come up with their own mnemonics on this page and those that follow.

Think About It

“Words are how people think. When you misuse words, you diminish your ability to think clearly and truthfully.”

—Margaret Heffernan

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.4

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.4.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.4.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.4.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.4.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.5.B

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.910.L.3.4

LAFS.910.L.3.5

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.36.c.2

110.37.c.2

110.36.c.2.B

110.37.c.2.B

110.36.c.2.A

110.37.c.2.A

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page WAH502 from Write Ahead

Already/All Ready • Anyone/Any One

Help students understand that the distinction between already and all ready is what these words modify. As an adverb, already modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. As an adjective phrase, all ready modifies a noun.

Students will find the same distinction between altogether (adverb) and all together (adjective phrase).

Also review the other commonly misused words, especially alright/all right, among/between, and amount/number.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 503 from Write Ahead

Anyway/Anyways • Beside/Besides

Tell students to avoid using the nonstandard forms anyways and ascared.

The next five sets of misused words are homophones—words that sound the same but have different meanings.

The final pair, beside/besides, depends on the intended meaning.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 504 from Write Ahead

Blew/Blue • Can/May

The commonly confused words blew/blue, board/bored, brake/break, and by/bye/buy are homophones, words with the same sound but different spellings and meanings. Help students sort out the differences between them.

However, borrow/lend, bring/take, and can/may relate to subtleties of meaning. The person who borrows will receive money, while the person who lends will give money. In the same way, you bring things toward the speaker and take things away from the speaker. Can suggests ability, while may requests permission.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 505 from Write Ahead

Capital/Capitol • Coarse/Course

Teach students that the capitol is the building with a dome (the o in both words helps them remember). All other uses are capital.

The difference between choose and chose is most easily remembered by pronouncing both words aloud. The long u (present tense) and long o (past tense) make the difference clear.

The other commonly confused words are homophones. Help students recognize the differences and come up with mnemonics to remember those differences.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 506 from Write Ahead

Compliment/Complement • Die/Dye

Teach students that complement means complete. (The comple in both words can remind students of the meaning.)

The words deer and creek are both things you can see. (The double ee's appear in all three words.) A creak or dear are things you hear. (The ea appears in all three words.)

The words desert and dessert can be distinguished because desert refers to sand (one s), and dessert refers to strawberry shortcake (two ss's). (Of course, desert as a verb sounds like dessert as a noun, so the difference is how the word is used.)

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 507 from Write Ahead

Doesn't/Don't • Hair/Hare

Point out that doesn't is singular (he doesn't) while don't is plural (they don't).

Farther contains far—a reference to distance. Further does not refer to distance, but does mean "more or additional."

Fewer refers to things that can be counted (10 items or fewer is correct; 10 items or less is incorrect). Less refers to things that can't be counted. (less carbon dioxide).

Good is an adjective, and well is an adverb most of the time. (Well is an adjective only when it refers to physical health.)

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 508 from Write Ahead

Heal/Heel • Immigrate/Emigrate

Point out that hear and heard contain the word ear. Also, here ends the same way as there.

Tell students that whole is complete, but hole is missing something—the w (and a hole is where something is missing).

Show students that immigrate starts with the same letter as in, while emigrate starts with the same letter as exit.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 509 from Write Ahead

Its/It's • Lay/Lie

The rule for its/it's works also for whose/who's and their/they're: possessive pronouns do no include apostrophes. If an apostrophe appears, the form is a contraction.

Students can remember knew, know, and knows because of knowledge.

Lay and lie are difficult. Lay is a transitive verb meaning "set down." (The old nursery rhyme "Now I lay me down to sleep" is correct because me is the direct object: "I lay me" is transitive.) Lie is an intransitive verb meaning "recline." (Most people would say, "Now I lie down to sleep.") The real trouble comes in the past tense. The past tense of lay is laid, and the past tense of lie is lay.

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 510 from Write Ahead

Lead/Led • Mail/Male

The verb lead (long e) is present tense; the verb led (short e) is past tense. The noun lead (short e) is a poisonous metal that is spelled and pronounced like dead.

The verb learn means to receive information; the verb teach means to give information.

The adjective loose has two o's, which makes it look loose. The verb lose has lost one o.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics

Page 511 from Write Ahead

Main/Maine/Mane • Oar/Or/Ore

Main has an i, because it is important. Maine has an i and an e because it is an important state in the east.

The difference between moral and morale is most easily remembered by pronouncing them aloud. Moral emphasizes the first syllable, and morale emphasizes the second syllable.

The rest of the commonly misused words on this page are homophones, best learned based on their meanings.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 512 from Write Ahead

One/Won • Plain/Plane

Remind students that won is past tense for win.

Help them see that passed is the past tense of the verb pass. Every other usage should be past.

Point out that piece starts with the word pie, as in a piece of pie.

The word personnel contains an e near the end, for employees.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 513 from Write Ahead

Pore/Pour/Poor • Read/Red

Teach students that the principal is their pal. That person is also the most important, which is why principal means that as well.

Have students pronounce quiet, quit, and quite aloud to tell the difference between them.

Point out how strange English is with raise (lift up) and raze (tear down).

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 514 from Write Ahead

Real/Very/Really • Set/Sit

Real is an adjective, while really and very are adverbs.

Seen, see, and seem all contain two ee's and all relate to the appearance of things.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 515 from Write Ahead

Sew/So/Sow • Steal/Steel

Point out to students that stationery contains an e for envelope.

Have them review the other words on this page and come up with their own mnemonic devices (memory aids) to tell the differences. Have students share their ideas with each other, and encourage them to use the devices that work for them.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 516 from Write Ahead

Tail/Tale • Vain/Vane/Vein

Point out that every tale has an ending with an e.

Their is a possessive pronoun (which never have apostrophes), they're is a contraction (which always have apostrophes), and there ends the same way as here.

Tell students that threw is spelled like throw.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 517 from Write Ahead

Very/Vary • Weak/Week

Help students remember that I have a waist, and my waist has an i.

Students might remember weigh and weight because both words look heavy—lots of letters and consonant blends.

Have students make up their own mnemonics for other words on the page.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions

Page 518 from Write Ahead

Weather/Whether • Your/You're

Who is a subject pronoun, and whom is an object pronoun.

Students should remember that who's and you're are contractions (containing apostrophes), while whose and your are possessive pronouns (without apostrophes).

The word would contains a u, as in "would you?"

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.910.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.36.c.2, 110.37.c.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 10.1.3, LA 10.1.5

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 9Grade 10
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Correct Conventions