Confused Words

accep t excep t

Accept means "to take willingly": Miss Deeds accepted the cup of hot tea even without a saucer. Except is a preposition meaning "excluding": Everyone was disappointed with the party except Ida Goodtime.

advic Advice is a noun meaning "an opinion given with the intention of helping": My mother still gives me advice even though I m !" e advis years old. e Advise is a ver# meaning "to give counsel or advice": $he
meteorologist advised listeners to stay indoors #ecause of the extremely cold temperatures.

among Among is used for three or more: %hirley had to choose betwee among three universities she might attend. n Between is used for two things: I couldn t decide #etween
#lue and green.

amoun t numb er

Amount is used with uncounta#le and a#stract nouns: a large amount of money& amount of work& amount of happiness or amount of dirt. Number is used with counta#le and concrete plural expressions: a num#er of people& a num#er of attempts& a num#er of novels& a num#er of trials.

apprais Appraise is to assess or estimate the worth of: to appraise a diamond. e apprise Apprise is to inform or notify: the officer apprised us of our
rights.

as As may #e used as a con'unction that introduce dependent clauses: lik George talks as his father does. Informally& it may also #e used as a e preposition in comparative constructions like: (ean)*laude is as
forgetful as me +or as I am,. Like is a preposition is followed #y a noun or pronoun: George looks like his mother. It may also #e used as an ad'ective meaning "similar": George and I have like minds.

assistan Assistance is help or aid: the nurses gave assistance to the patients. ce assistan Assistants are more than one assistant& a person who ts gives help: the emergency room assistants were ready to
help anyone who came through the door. +%ee also patience and patients.,

assur e ensur e insur e

Assure means "to guarantee": -e assured her it was a .uality item. Ensure means "to make sure #y dou#le checking": $he custodian ensured the doors to the school were locked at night. Insure means "to provide insurance": It is wise to insure your house against flood& fire& or theft. Biannual is twice in one year: My trip to the dentist is a #iannual event. Biennial means "every two years": $hese flowers are #iennial/ they #loom every two years.

biannu al biennia l borro w lend loan

Borrow is to receive something from someone temporarily: to #orrow a #ook and then return it. Lend is a ver# that mean "to temporarily give something to someone": -enry will lend +or loan, 0rancine a #ook. Loan is a noun: a #ank loan. 1oan is often used in 2merican English as a ver# meaning "to lend": 1oan me a #ook& please.

practical Practical refers to #eing easily used and put into practice: practicabl 2 %wiss 2rmy knife has many practical uses. e Practicable means "feasi#le or possi#le": It is not always
practica#le for a #usy person to use this tool.

premis 2 premise usually means "assumption": %ince the #asic premise was wrong& all the conclusions #ased on it were e premis wrong& too. es Premises are a house or #uilding and the grounds around it:
%moking is not allowed on the premises.

princip 2 principal is the head of a professional #usiness or school:

$he principal of the middle school is a woman of principles.

2 principle is a #elief: I avoid school principals as a matter of al principl principle. e !uote is a ver# meaning "to state the exact words someone uote uotati else said": $he pastor .uoted scripture from the 3i#le or *armen .uoted a famous psychologist in complaining to the on #oss. 2 uotation is the actual statement #eing .uoted: Gretchen read a .uotation every day.

rebat e refun d

2 rebate is a discount from the manufacturer to the customer after a purchase has #een made: $he 45"" computer cost only 456.!7 after all the re#ates. 2 refund is a full repayment to a dissatisfied customer: Mildred returned her girdle and demanded a full refund.

rise "ise is intransitive and does not have an o#'ect: $he sun rises in rais the east. e "aise always has an o#'ect: 8ou can raise a crop on a farm or
raise your hand in class.

sal 2 sale is a noun meaning "the selling of something": Every car sale means a commission for the salesman. e sell $o sell& the ver#& is to offer goods for consumption at a cost: %eth
sells his pottery at art fairs.
#imonthly 9 semimonthly Bimonthly is an ad'ective that means every two months: :I #rought the cake for the #imonthly office party.; Bimonthly is also a noun that means a pu#lication issued every two months: :$he company pu#lishes several popular #imonthlies.; Semimonthly is an ad'ective that means happening twice a month: :<e have semimonthly meetings on the =st and the =>th.; capital 9 capitol $he city or town that is the seat of government is called the capital/ the #uilding in which the legislative assem#ly meets is the capitol. $he term capital can also refer to an accumulation of wealth or to a capital letter. cite 9 site Cite is a ver# that means to .uote as an authority or example: :I cited several eminent scholars in my study of water resources.; It also means to recogni?e formally: :$he pu#lic official was cited for service to the city.; It can also mean to summon #efore a court of law: :1ast year the company was cited for pollution

violations.; Site is a noun meaning location: :$hey chose a new site for the factory 'ust outside town.; college 9 colleague complement 9 compliment Complement is a noun or ver# that means something that completes or makes up a whole: :$he red sweater is a perfect complement to the outfit.; Compliment is a noun or ver# that means an expression of praise or admiration: :I received compliments a#out my new outfit.; convince 9 persuade %trictly speaking& one convinces a person that something is true #ut persuades a person to do something. :@ointing out that I was overworked& my friends persuaded Anot convincedB me to take a vacation. Cow that I m relaxing on the #each with my #ook& I am convinced Anot persuadedB that they were right.; 0ollowing this rule& convince should not #e used with an infinitive. farther 9 further Farther is an ad'ective and adver# that means to or at a more distant point: :<e drove >" miles today/ tomorrow& we will travel ="" miles farther.; Further is an ad'ective and adver# that means to or at a greater extent or degree: :<e won t #e a#le to suggest a solution until we are further along in our evaluation of the pro#lem.; It can also mean in addition or moreover: :$hey stated further that they would not change the policy.; few 9 less Few is an ad'ective that means small in num#er. It is used with counta#le o#'ects: :$his department has few employees.; Less is an ad'ective that means small in amount or degree. It is used with o#'ects of indivisi#le mass: :<hich 'ar holds less waterD; i.e. 9 e.g. $he a##reviation e.g. means for example +from 1atin exempli gratia): :-er talents were legion and varied +e.g.& deep sea diving& speed reading& #ridge& and tango dancing,.; $he a##reviation i.e. means that is or in other words +from 1atin id est): :$he 'oy of my existence +i.e.& my stamp collection, im#ues my life with meaning.; lend 9 loan 2lthough some people feel loan should only #e used as a noun& lend and loan are #oth accepta#le as ver#s in standard English: :*an you lend +loan, me a dollarD; -owever& only lend should #e used in figurative senses: :<ill you lend me a handD; personal 9 personnel principal 9 principle Principal is a noun that means a person who holds a high position or plays an important role: :$he school principal has E" years of teaching experience.; Principal is also an ad'ective that means chief or leading: :$he necessity of moving to another city was the principal reason I turned down the 'o# offer.; Principle is a noun that means a rule or standard: :$hey refused to compromise their principles.;

stationary 9 stationery Stationary is an ad'ective that means fixed or unmoving: :$hey maneuvered around the stationary #arrier in the road.; Stationery is a noun that means writing materials: :<e printed the letters on company stationery.;