In your notebooks or the grammar section of your binders, you will write the definitions of twenty pairs of commonly confused words AND your own sentences that correctly use both

affect/effect affect effect usually a verb means “to impress” or “to influence” Try not to let unkind remarks affect you. can be noun or verb noun means “the result of some action” The effects of Hurricane Sandy are terrible to see. verb means “to accomplish, to bring about” The school board effected changes in the curriculum.

all right/alright all right alright means satisfactory, adequate; unhurt; correct The collection of gifts was all right, although they had hoped for a better response. THIS IS NOT A WORD. DONE.

it’s/its it’s its This is a contraction: a shortened combination of two words: it is It’s my fault that the sink overflowed. This is the possessive form of the pronoun “it,” meaning that or those belonging to it The community is proud of its school.

everyday/every day everyday This is an adjective. It needs a noun to modify. It means suitable for ordinary days; usual; common Losing his keys was an everyday event. Two words: every (an adjective meaning each and all) and day (a noun meaning a 24 hour period) Every day = each and all days He went to Starbucks for coffee every day.

then/than then than an adverb means at “that time” We are going to the bank, and then we are going to Portillo’s. a conjunction that joins words in comparisons He is taller than Sheila.

loose/lose loose lose adjective means free; not confined or restrained; not tight They grabbed handfuls of the loose candy in the bowl. verb means to misplace; to get rid of; to suffer loss When did you lose the book?

to/too/two

there/their/they’re

your/you’re

whose/who’s

moral/morale

council/counsel/consul

formally/formerly

definitely/defiantly

principal/principle

quiet/quite

may be/maybe

passed/past

all together/altogether

further/farther