1. Correctly use verbs and other words that are often misused

2. V A N E erb ccept oun ffect Affect and effect You EFFECT change
This memory tool works almost always
Unless ….
You are talking about change.
You EFFECT change

3. Try this mini quiz
The (affect, effect) of Lewis and Clark’s adventures was a mass move westward.
Brutus's gullibility (affected, effected) the outcome in the murder of Julius Caesar.
With his inaugural speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt hoped to (affect, effect) a change in perspective and momentum.

4. Try this mini quiz
The effect of Lewis and Clark’s adventures was a mass move westward.
Brutus's gullibility affected the outcome in the murder of Julius Caesar.
With his inaugural speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt hoped to effect a change in perspective and momentum.

5. Its and it’s It is the real thing It is over before you know it.
This is a contraction, a combination of two words -- it and is.
It’s the real thing.
It is the real thing
It’s over before you know it.
It is over before you know it.

6. Its and it’s
Its is a possessive pronoun (which is actually is an adjective). Most possessives use apostrophe’s, hence the confusion, but the commonly use personal pronouns do not use apostrophes: my, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs.

7. Its and it’s
Would you ever say … My’s dog is the best, but he thinks his’s dog is the best. Likely not. I hope that helps you remember …. Its is a personal pronoun like his, hers, ours, my, yours, theirs – and none take an apostrophe.

8. it’s time for a its or it’s practice quiz
1. When do you think (its, it’s) owner will arrive? 2. (Its, it’s) about time for the semester to end. 3. I wonder if everybody think summer means (its, it’s) time for barbeque.

9. it’s time for a its or it’s practice quiz
1. When do you think its owner will arrive? 2. It’s about time for the semester to end. 3. I wonder if everybody think summer means it’s time for barbeque.

10. Lie and Lay in the present tense
Lie can be a noun: He told a lie. It, lie, can also be one the most often confused verbs. He is how I remember it …

11. Lie and Lay in the present tense
I taught my dog, Pearl, to lie down, which meant to lie down on the floor. Not to sound Englishy, but lie does not involve a direct object. P.S. I also taught my dog, Wonder Women. She would spin as I sung the theme song. Then I would lay her treat on the floor.

12. Lie and Lay in the present tense
Lay has a direct object. Please, lay your green bean casserole next to the mashed potatoes.

13. sit and set
Lay and set both involve objects. Here’s how I remember it. Lay the chess SET on the table, please. Set the LAYS on the counter so I can crunch them all over the green bean casserole. Both words can act as objects, so it helps me to remember each can take an object.

14. sit and set
Lie down and sit were tricks my dog could do. Here’s how I remember the difference between sit and set. I am not going to lie; I like to sit. This reminds me that sit and lie work similarly.

15. The sit and set and Lie and Lay quiz
1. “(Lay, Lie) your weary head to rest; don’t you cry no more” (Kansas). 2. He told a (lay, lie) so he would not have to (lie, lay) down. 3. Can I (sit, set) in that chair until Santa Claus comes down the chimney? 4. “Game, (sit, set), match,” announced the winner while (sitting, setting) on the bench.

16. The sit and set and Lie and Lay quiz
1. “Lay your weary head to rest; don’t you cry no more” (Kansas). 2. He told a lie so he would not have to lie down. 3. Can I sit in that chair until Santa Claus comes down the chimney? 4. “Game, set, match,” announced the winner while sitting on the bench.

17. Raise and rise
Here is another toughie because they mean essentially the same thing – essentially. Raise means to raise SOMETHING physically – like your hand in class. Rise means to move up – like the sun or gas prices

18. Their, there, and they’re
Here is a place, so there is a place
heir
An heir is a person, so their involves people
hey’re
They’re has an apostrophe, so it is a contraction meaning they are.

19. I hope we (rise, raise) the roof at (their, there, they’re) party.
Stop: Quiz Time
I hope we (rise, raise) the roof at (their, there, they’re) party.
I hope we raise the roof at their party.
Could you (rise, raise) that shelf over (their, there, they’re), please.
2. Could you raise that shelf over there, please?