Commonly Confused Words

Transitive Intransitive Action Your subject must have an object to receive the action of the verb –He hit the dog. –She ate the éclair. –I shoved the door shut. State of being Cannot take objects or complements – The audience laughed. – The driver accelerated on the freeway.

Transitive Intransitive Lay –Please lay the tax forms on the table. Set: “to put” or “to place” –She set the dough in a warm corner of the kitchen. Lie – The tax forms lie on the table. Sit: “to be seated” – I sit in the back row in three of my classes.

It Gets Worse! Basic formPast TensePast Participle Present Participle Lie (recline)LayLainLying Lay (put)Laid Laying Basic formPast TensePast Participle Present Participle Sit (be seated) Sat Sitting Set (put)Set Setting

Examples Sue was so exhausted that she laid lay down for a nap. The patient had laid lain in an uncomfortable position all night. The prosecutor lay laid the pistol in the table close to the jurors Letters dating from the Civil War were laying lying in the corner of the chest.

Accept & Except Accept: A verb meaning “to receive.” –I will accept all the packages. Except: a preposition meaning “excluding” –I love all my classes except math.

Advice and Advise Advice: noun Advise: verb We advise you to follow John’s advice.

Affect and Effect Affect: a verb meaning “to influence.” Effect: a noun meaning “result.” –The drug did not affect the disease, and it had adverse side effects.

All ready and already All ready: “completely prepared” Already: “previously” –Susan was all ready for the concert, but her friends had already left. Allready is not a word in English!

A lot A lot is TWO words. –Sam has lost a lot of weight. Alot is not a word in English!

Between and Among Between: use with two entities –You have a choice between carrots and beans. Among: use with three or more entities –The prize was divided among several contests. Amongst: don’t use it unless you’ve taken a time machine back 200 years!

Coarse and Course Coarse: “crude” or “rough in texture” –The coarse weave of the wall hanging gave it a three-dimensional quality. Course: a path, a playing field, or a unit of study Of course: certainly –I plan to take a course in car repair this summer. Of course, you are welcome to join me.

Its and It’s Its: a possessive pronoun It’s: a contraction of the two words “it is” –It’s always fun to watch a dog chase its tail. Its’ is not a word in English!

Lead and Led Lead: a metallic element; it is a noun Led: the past tense of the verb lead. –He led me to the treasure that was encased in a lead box.

Than and Then Than: a conjunction used in comparisons –That pizza is more than I can eat. Then: an adverb denoting time. –Tom laughed, and then we recognized him.

There, Their, and They’re There: an adverb specifying place; an expletive (placeholder) –Sylvia is lying there unconscious. –There are two plums left. Their: a possessive pronoun –Fred and Jane finally washed their car. They’re: a contraction of “they are” –They’re later than usual today. They’re there in their place.

To, Too, and Two To: a preposition Too: an adverb meaning “also” Two: the number 2 Too many of your shots slice to the left, but the last two were just right.

Weather and Whether Weather: the state of the atmosphere. Whether: refers to a choice between alternatives. We wondered whether the weather would clear.

Your and You’re Your: a possessive pronoun –Is that your new bike? You’re: a contraction of you are. –You’re in the finals.