Unit 14 MISUSED WORDS

Accept  To take or receive Except  With the exclusion of ACCEPT VS. EXCEPT

 I (accept, except) your apology.  Everyone arrived on time (accept, except) Todd. EXAMPLES

Advice  NOUN  A recommended opinion Advise  VERB  To give counsel  To offer an opinion ADVICE VS. ADVISE

 Libby, I need your (advice, advise).  Bennett was unable to (advice, advise) me. EXAMPLES

Affect  VERB  To produce a change in  To influence  To assume, pretend Effect  VERB  To bring about  NOUN  The result, impression AFFECT VS EFFECT In place of the words affect and effect, mentally substitute their meanings. The sentence will make sense only if the correct meaning is substituted.

 My low grades will (affect, effect) my average.  Andrew (affects, effects) a French accent with ease.  Congress tried to (affect, effect) a change in the tax system.  My past eating habits had an adverse (affect, effect) on my health. EXAMPLES

All Ready  Fully prepared Already  By this time  previously ALL READY VS. ALREADY

 I am (all ready, already) to begin my presentation.  The presentation has (all ready, already) been made. EXAMPLES

All Together  Collectively  In a group Altogether  Completely  Entirely ALL TOGETHER VS. ALTOGETHER

 The tour group is (all together, altogether) at the entrance.  You speak (all together, altogether) too rapidly. EXAMPLES

Among  Used when referring to more than two items Between  Used when referring to just two items AMONG VS. BETWEEN

 The responsibilities were divided (among, between) three assistants.  The responsibilities were divided (among, between) two assistants. EXAMPLES

Angry  Enraged Mad  Insane ANGRY VS. MAD

 I became (angry, mad) when Shakira revealed my secret.  The doctors determined that the woman was (angry, mad). EXAMPLES

Any  Refers to one or more of several persons or things Either  Refers to one of two persons or things ANY VS. EITHER

 You may sit in (any, either) of these three seats.  (Any, Either) of the two seats is available. EXAMPLES

Bad  Sorry  Wicked  Offensive  Ill  Hint: Use after the verb feel or look Badly  In a bad manner  poorly BAD VS. BADLY

 I felt (bad, badly) after drinking the sour milk.  The dog behaves (bad, badly) when left alone. EXAMPLES

Beside  At the side of Besides  In addition to  In addition, moreover BESIDE VS. BESIDES

 Please sit (beside, besides) me.  (Beside, Besides) Lorraine, Ellie has two other good friends.  (Beside, Besides), Lorraine knows Ellie’s stepfather. EXAMPLES

Unit 15 MISUSED WORDS

Better  Used when comparing two items Best  Used when comparing more than two items BETTER VS. BEST

 Of the two scarves, the striped one looks (better, best).  Of the three scarves, the striped one looks (better, best). EXAMPLES

Differ From  Refers to persons or things Differ With  Refers to opinions or thoughts DIFFER FROM VS. DIFFER WITH

 Today’s test results (differ from, differ with) those of yesterday  I must (differ from, differ with) you, Hector, on that decision. EXAMPLES

Farther  Refers to distance Further  Refers to time  Quantity  Degree FARTHER VS. FURTHER

 The rescuers walked (farther, further) into the woods.  As I read (farther, further), I became more interested. EXAMPLES

Fewer  Used with nouns that can be counted Less  Used with nouns that cannot be counted FEWER VS. LESS

 I read (fewer, less) books this week than usual.  You have offered (fewer, less) proof than is required. EXAMPLES

Lay  To put or place  Present Tense=lay  Present Participle=laying  Past=laid  Past Participle=laid  Usually followed by an object. Lie  To rest or recline  Present Tense=lie  Present Participle=lying  Past=lay  Past Participle=lain LAY VS. LIE In place of the words lay and lie, mentally substitute their meanings. The sentence will make sense only if the correct meaning is substituted.

 I (lay, lie) the book on the table.  He (lays, lies) down every day at three o’clock.  I am (laying, lying) the book on the table.  He is (laying, lying) down now.  I (laid, lay) the book on the table.  He (lay, laid) down today at three o’clock.  I have (laid, lain) the book on the table.  He has (laid, lain) there since three o’clock. EXAMPLES

Loose  Free  Not tight Lose  To misplace or leave behind  To fail to win a game LOOSE VS. LOSE

 The screw became (loose, lose) and fell out.  If you aren’t careful, you may (loose, lose) that pen. EXAMPLES

May be  VERB Maybe  Perhaps MAY BE VS. MAYBE

 The winning essay (maybe, may be) selected today.  (Maybe, May be) the winning essay will be selected today. EXAMPLES

Passed  VERB  Went by or moved by  Completed successfully Past  ADJECTIVE  Gone by in time  NOUN  Time gone by  The events that happened formerly PASSED VS. PAST

 I (past, passed) Chelsea on my way here.  Alicia (past, passed) the English test.  I enjoyed myself this (past, passed) summer.  My grandfather has fond memories of the (past, passed). EXAMPLES

Real  Genuine  HINT:  Real is an adjective Very  The extreme (to a high or low degree)  Exceedingly  HINT:  Very usually modifies an adjective REAL VS. VERY

 That is a (real, very) diamond.  That is a (real, very) pretty diamond ring. EXAMPLES

Recent  ADJECTIVE  Of late occurrence  Not long past Resent  VERB  To feel or show displeasure from a sense of injury or insult RECENT VS. RESENT

 I met Miguel during a (recent, resent) trip.  Bo is sure to (recent, resent) your intrusion. EXAMPLES

Some time  A specified period of time Sometime  At some unspecified or indefinite time SOME TIME VS. SOMETIME

 Make the appointment for (some time, sometime) in October.  Let’s meet (some time, sometime) soon. EXAMPLES