1. English Language Usage Notes 1

2. Accept, Except Accept is a verb; it means “to receive”. Except can be a verb or preposition. As a verb, it means “to leave out”; as a preposition, it means “excluding.”

3. EXAMPLE She may accept his invitation to the dance.

4. EXAMPLE He has done all his work except his history assignment.

5. Affect, Effect Affect is a verb; it means “to influence.” Effect can be a verb or a noun. As a verb, it means “to bring about”; as a noun, it means “the result of some action.”

6. EXAMPLE: Rabin’s assassination may ________ the peace process. Rabin’s assassination may effect the peace process. effect the peace process.

7. EXAMPLE: Rabin was able to _______ change in the Middle East by proposing a treaty with the Palestinians. Rabin was able to affect change in the Middle East by proposing a treaty with the Palestinians.

8. EXAMPLE: The ________ of Rabin’s assassination is being felt throughout the world. The affect of Rabin’s assassination is being felt throughout the world.

9. Beside, Besides Beside means “by the side of” someone or something. Besides as a preposition, means “in addition to”; as an adverb, it means “moreover.”

10. EXAMPLE: Go and sit ________ your parents. Go and sit beside your parents.

11. EXAMPLE: ________ cake and ice cream, we ate lasagna and roast beef. Besides cake and ice cream, we ate lasagna and roast beef.

12. EXAMPLE: You can’t stay up any longer. _________, you have a test tomorrow. You can’t stay up any longer. Besides, you have a test tomorrow.

13. Between, Among Between implies two people or things. Among implies more than two.

14. EXAMPLE: In class, Jose sits ________ Ana and Nancy. In class, Jose sits between Ana and Nancy.

15. EXAMPLE: We had only four dollars ________ the twenty of us. We had only four dollars among the twenty of us.

16. Avoid common mistakes.

17. Could of When spoken, could have sounds like could of. Use could have. She could have studied for the test to earn a better score.

18. Review Number your paper 1-15. Correct and rewrite the sentences on the overhead. If the sentence is correct, just write “C” beside the number. [HINT: Four of the sentences are already correct.]