Unit 14MISUSED WORDS

Accept

To take or receive

Except

With the exclusion of

ACCEPT VS. EXCEPT

I (accept, except) your apology.

Everyone arrived on time (accept, except) Todd.

EXAMPLES

Advice

NOUNA recommended

opinion

Advise

VERBTo give counselTo offer an opinion

ADVICE VS. ADVISE

Libby, I need your (advice, advise).

Bennett was unable to (advice, advise) me.

EXAMPLES

Affect

VERBTo produce a change

inTo influence To assume, pretend

Effect

VERBTo bring about

NOUNThe result,

impression

AFFECT VS EFFECT

In place of the words affect and effect, mentally substitute their meanings.

The sentence will make sense only if the correct meaning is substituted.

My low grades will (aff ect, eff ect) my average.

Andrew (aff ects, eff ects) a French accent with ease.

Congress tried to (aff ect, eff ect) a change in the tax system.

My past eating habits had an adverse (aff ect, eff ect) on my health.

EXAMPLES

All Ready

Fully prepared

Already

By this timepreviously

ALL READY VS. ALREADY

I am (all ready, already) to begin my presentation.

The presentation has (all ready, already) been made.

EXAMPLES

All Together

CollectivelyIn a group

Altogether

CompletelyEntirely

ALL TOGETHER VS. ALTOGETHER

The tour group is (all together, altogether) at the entrance.

You speak (all together, altogether) too rapidly.

EXAMPLES

Among

Used when referring to more than two items

Between

Used when referring to just two items

AMONG VS. BETWEEN

The responsibilities were divided (among, between) three assistants.

The responsibilities were divided (among, between) two assistants.

EXAMPLES

Angry

Enraged

Mad

Insane

ANGRY VS. MAD

I became (angry, mad) when Shakira revealed my secret.

The doctors determined that the woman was (angry, mad).

EXAMPLES

Any

Refers to one or more of several persons or things

Either

Refers to one of two persons or things

ANY VS. EITHER

You may sit in (any, either) of these three seats.

(Any, Either) of the two seats is available.

EXAMPLES

Bad

SorryWickedOffensiveIllHint: Use after the

verb feel or look

Badly

In a bad mannerpoorly

BAD VS. BADLY

I felt (bad, badly) after drinking the sour milk.

The dog behaves (bad, badly) when left alone.

EXAMPLES

Beside

At the side of

Besides

In addition toIn addition,

moreover

BESIDE VS. BESIDES

Please sit (beside, besides) me.

(Beside, Besides) Lorraine, Ellie has two other good friends.

(Beside, Besides), Lorraine knows Ellie’s stepfather.

EXAMPLES

Unit 15MISUSED WORDS

Better

Used when comparing two items

Best

Used when comparing more than two items

BETTER VS. BEST

Of the two scarves, the striped one looks (better, best).

Of the three scarves, the striped one looks (better, best).

EXAMPLES

Differ From

Refers to persons or things

Differ With

Refers to opinions or thoughts

DIFFER FROM VS. DIFFER WITH

Today’s test results (diff er from, diff er with) those of yesterday

I must (diff er from, diff er with) you, Hector, on that decision.

EXAMPLES

Farther

Refers to distance

Further

Refers to timeQuantityDegree

FARTHER VS. FURTHER

The rescuers walked (farther, further) into the woods.

As I read (farther, further), I became more interested.

EXAMPLES

Fewer

Used with nouns that can be counted

Less

Used with nouns that cannot be counted

FEWER VS. LESS

I read (fewer, less) books this week than usual.

You have off ered (fewer, less) proof than is required.

EXAMPLES

Lay

To put or place

Present Tense=layPresent

Participle=layingPast=laidPast Participle=laid

Usually followed by an object.

Lie

To rest or recline

Present Tense=liePresent Participle=lyingPast=layPast Participle=lain

LAY VS. LIE

In place of the words lay and lie, mentally substitute their meanings.

The sentence will make sense only if the correct meaning is substituted.

I (lay, lie) the book on the table.He (lays, lies) down every day at three o’clock. I am (laying, lying) the book on the table.He is (laying, lying) down now. I (laid, lay) the book on the table.He (lay, laid) down today at three o’clock. I have (laid, lain) the book on the table.He has (laid, lain) there since three o’clock.

EXAMPLES

Loose

FreeNot tight

Lose

To misplace or leave behind

To fail to win a game

LOOSE VS. LOSE

The screw became (loose, lose) and fell out.

If you aren’t careful, you may (loose, lose) that pen.

EXAMPLES

May be

VERB

Maybe

Perhaps

MAY BE VS. MAYBE

The winning essay (maybe, may be) selected today.

(Maybe, May be) the winning essay will be selected today.

EXAMPLES

Passed

VERB Went by or moved by Completed successfully

Past

ADJECTIVE Gone by in time

NOUN Time gone by The events that

happened formerly

PASSED VS. PAST

I (past, passed) Chelsea on my way here.

Alicia (past, passed) the English test.

I enjoyed myself this (past, passed) summer.

My grandfather has fond memories of the (past, passed).

EXAMPLES

Real

Genuine

HINT: Real is an adjective

Very

The extreme (to a high or low degree)

Exceedingly

HINT: Very usually modifies

an adjective

REAL VS. VERY

That is a (real, very) diamond.

That is a (real, very) pretty diamond ring.

EXAMPLES

Recent

ADJECTIVEOf late occurrenceNot long past

Resent

VERBTo feel or show

displeasure from a sense of injury or insult

RECENT VS. RESENT

I met Miguel during a (recent, resent) trip.

Bo is sure to (recent, resent) your intrusion.

EXAMPLES

Some time

A specified period of time

Sometime

At some unspecified or indefinite time

SOME TIME VS. SOMETIME

Make the appointment for (some time, sometime) in October.

Let’s meet (some time, sometime) soon.

EXAMPLES