Words Often Confused: Group 13 By David Nagoshi, Eugene Lin, and Andrew Zhu

Stationary and Stationery Stationary Stationary: Staying put Example: Statues are stationary. Stationery Stationery: Writing paper Example: We don’t like presenting on stationery, so we did our presentation on PowerPoint! Reason for confusion: similar pronunciation [stey-shuh-ner-ee] vs. [stey-shuh-ner-ee] So, which one is stationary and which one is stationery?

Example of Stationary and Stationery confusion Look at my awesome [stey-shuh- ner-ee]! Huh? I know paper doesn’t move, but… Exercise Question #1! 1.Which stationary/stationery are they trying to use? ? Answer: Stationary

Than and Then Than is a conjunction for comparing things Example: I’d rather go eat ice cream than do this presentation. Then Then is an adverb used to indicate a sequence Example: Let’s eat ice cream, then go drink juice boxes. Reason for Confusion: similar pronunciation [Than] vs. [then] They sound really alike, don’t they…

Example of how then and than are confused I’d rather eat pie then eat cake. How much is he going to eat??? Example Questions Numbers 2 and 3 2. Choose which word to fill in the blank for the following sentence. The man went to the supermarket, and ______ went to the headquarters. 3. What is wrong with this sentence? Then, the person said, “ I’d prefer the stationary than the poster paper for my project.” Answers: 2. Then 3. Stationary is supposed to be stationery

That and Which That That is for adding information that is essential for identifying something Example: Do you have the item that I threw away? Which Which is for giving additional but nonessential information Example: My bike, which has ten speeds, broke yesterday Reason for confusion: both for adding information Especially mixed up in slang

Example of That and Which confusion My bike, that is a mountain bike, is on sale! Wait, I wanted a dirt bike… Example Questions Number 4 and 5 4. Is the following conversation formally correct? 5. Is this sentence correct? The stationary item which was pink than burst into flames because of a burning match that dropped on the ground. Answers: 4. This is incorrect because the fact that the bike is a mountain bike does not change the whole meaning of the sentence. 5. False. Than is supposed to be then.

Sources Pictures from Yahoo! Pictures Definitions from “Words Often Confused” packet Examples in reference to Holt Handbook