ACCEPT vs.
EXCEPT
·
“Accept” means “to agree, assent or
acknowledge.” EX: I accepted the offer for a
higher position in the company.
·
However, “except” means “to leave or take out;
to omit.” EX: Everyone is going, except my
sister.
AFFECT vs.
EFFECT
·
“Affect” means “to change or alter,” and it is
commonly used as a verb. EX: That movie really
affected me.
·
“Effect” means “a consequence, result, or
outcome,” and it is commonly used as a noun.
EX: The effect of over-eating is often weight
gain.
APART vs. A
PART
·
“Apart,” when written as one word, means
“separate from.” EX: We lived apart for two
years.
·
However, “a part,” when written as two words,
means you’re a member of something larger than
yourself, as in a member of a group, party, or
movement. EX: Our family restaurant is a part
of our local better business bureau.
CHOOSE vs.
CHOSE
·
“Choose” is the present tense form of the verb.
EX: Today I choose to stay home.
·
“Chose” is the past tense form of the verb. EX:
Yesterday I chose to go to school.
DEFINITELY vs.
DEFIANTLY
·
These two words sound similar, but “definitely”
means “for sure” or “most certainly.” EX:
I definitely want to see that movie.
·
On the other hand, “defiantly” means “to boldly
oppose or resist something or someone.”
EX: She stated her viewpoint defiantly and
refused to budge on the issue.
IT’S vs. ITS
·
“It’s” is a contraction for “it is.” EX: It’s
too late to take a walk.
·
“Its” is a possessive pronoun, so it shows
ownership of another noun. EX: The dog
wagged its tail.
LATER vs.
LATTER
·
“Later” usually refers to a future time frame.
EX: I will do my homework later.
·
However, “latter” means “latest or last” or “the
second of two mentioned persons or things.” EX:
She offered me tea or coffee, and I chose the
latter (meaning that I chose coffee).
THAN vs. THEN
·
“Then” is a word that is used to show a sequence
of events or a cause/effect relationship. EX: We
went shopping, and then we came home. OR If you
do your homework now, then you can enjoy the
weekend.
·
However, “than” is a word that is used to show a
comparison between two things. EX: I am taller
than my sister.
THERE vs. THEIR
·
“There” is used as a place-holder or a
directional word. EX: There are no more
cookies. OR I found the cookies over there.
·
However, “their” is a possessive pronoun, which
is almost always followed by the noun
that it shows ownership of. EX: Their
cookies were stolen.
TO vs. TOO vs.
TWO
·
“To” is a preposition, which is generally
followed by a noun or noun phrase.
EX: I walked to the park. “To” can also
be used in an infinitive phrase, where it is
followed by a verb. EX: To walk
in a park is my favorite pastime.
·
“Too” is an adverb that means “also.” EX: I
walked to the park too.
·
“Two” is a number. EX: I was so hungry that I
ate two tacos.
WEATHER vs.
WHETHER
·
“Weather” refers to the precipitation that
occurs outside. EX: The weather was quite
stormy yesterday.
·
However, “whether” is a word used to introduce
alternative possibilities. EX: Whether we win or
lose, we must play the game fairly.
WHERE vs. WERE
Even though
“where” and “were” look alike, they are
pronounced differently.
·
“Where” is a question word that refers to a
place or location. EX: Where is my textbook?
·
On the other hand, “were” is a linking/helping
verb in the past tense. EX: We were going to
come to the party, but we were delayed.
YOUR vs. YOU’RE
·
“Your” is a possessive pronoun, so it will
usually be followed by another noun (the
person, place, or thing it shows ownership of).
EX: Your house looks beautiful.
·
On the other hand, “you’re” is a contraction for
“you are.” Always double check to see if you’re
using this word correctly by splitting it
apart. EX: You’re using it correctly = You are
using it correctly.
