Problem Words

The following list presents pairs or groups of words that often create confusion. The first words of each group are listed alphabetically. The second and following words of each group are also listed alphabetically with references back to the first words.

A

Ability (n) natural talent.
Capability (n) potential.
Capacity (n) maximum production or output. (used with equipment)
Abnormal (adj) deviating from the average.
Subnormal (adj) less than normal.

Absorb (v) to soak up.
Adsorb (v) to take up on the surface of a solid with little or no penetration.

Accede (v) to give consent.
Exceed (v) to surpass.

Accept (n) to receive; to admit; to approve.
Except (prep) but; other than.

Access (n) means of approach.
Excess (n) more than enough.

Accessible (adj) reachable.
Assessable (adj) able to be evaluated.

Accomplish (v) to complete successfully.
Attain (v) to reach.

Adapt (v) to modify.
Adopt (v) to incorporate or include.

Adjacent (adj) nearby.
Contiguous (adj) being in contact with along a dividing line.

Adopt (see "adapt")

Adsorb (see "absorb")

Advantage (n) benefit.
Asset (n) resource.

Adverse (adj) unfavorable.
Averse (adj) disinclined.

Advice (n) recommendation; suggestion.
Advise (v) to recommend; to suggest.

Affect (v) to influence; to feel.
Effect (n) result.
Effect (v) to cause.

All ready (adj) totally prepared.
Already (adv) previously.

All together (adj) in a group.
Altogether (adv) completely.

Allusion (n) indirect reference.
Illusion (n) misleading image.

Already (see "all ready")

Altogether (see "all together")

Amend (v) to change.
Emend (v) to improve by critical editing.

Among (prep) "used when dealing with three or more items."
Between (prep) "used when dealing with two items."

Analysis (n) "implies separation."
Synthesis (n) "implies combination."

Anticipate (v) to foresee.
Expect (v) to await or suppose.

Anxious (adj) "implies fear."
Eager (adj) "implies enthusiasm."

Any more (adv, adj) an additional quantity.
Anymore (adv) now.

Appear (v) to become evident.
Seem (v) to give an impression of.

Appraise (v) to evaluate worth.
Apprise (v) to inform.

As if (conj) "makes a comparison but is used to introduce a clause."
Like (prep) "makes a comparison."

Ascent (n) upward slope.
Assent (n) praise.

Assessable (see "accessible")

Asset (see "advantage")

Assure (v) to inform positively.
Ensure (v) to make certain or inevitable.
Insure (v) to underwrite.

Attain (see "accomplish")

Averse (see "adverse")

B

Because (conj) for the reason that.
Since (conj, adv) during the time after; from then until now.
Because of (prep phrase) by reason of; on account of.
Due to (prep phrase) "often misused to mean 'because of.'"

Beside (prep) next to.
Besides (prep) in addition to.

Between (see "among")

Biannual (adj) twice per year.
Biennial (adj) every two years.

C

Can (helping v) able to.
May (helping v) "asking for permission to."

Canvas (n) a heavy fabric.
Canvass (v) to examine or solicit.

Capability (see "ability")

Capacity (see "ability")

Capital (adj, n) main; money.
Capitol (n) a building that houses a government.

Carat (n) unit of weight measurement of precious stones.
Caret (n) a proofreader's insertion mark.
Karat (n) unit of measurement of the proportion of pure gold used in an alloy.

Chord (n) line cutting a circle or sphere; a musical combination of tones.
Cord (n) a measure of volume; a string or rope.

Climactic (adj) "referring to a climax."
Climatic (adj) concerning climate.

Compare to (v phrase) "referring to a general comparison."
Compare with (v phrase) "referring to a detailed comparison."

Complement(n, v) something that completes; to complete.
Compliment (n, v) expression of praise; to praise.

Compose (v) to form the substance of; to constitute.
Comprise (v) to include; to consist of; to be made up of.

Condition (n) state of being.
Shape (n) form; aspect.

Conducive (adj) contributive.
Conductive (adj) able to transmit.

Connote (v) to imply a meaning in addition to what is literal.
Denote (v) to refer to specifically or literally.

Conscience (n) the faculty of distinguishing between right and wrong.
Conscious (adj) aware.

Contiguous (see "adjacent")

Continual (adj) repeated.
Continuous (adj) nonstop.

Cord (see "chord")

Corrosion (n) a wearing or eating away by chemical action.
Rust (n, v) reddish coating on ferrous metals caused by corrosion.

Council (n) administrative, legislative, or advisory body.
Counsel (v) to advise.

Credible (adj) believable.
Creditable (adj) praiseworthy; worthy of credit.

D

Deceiving (adj) misleading.
Deceptive (adj) tending to deceive.

Deduce (v) to reason from the general to the particular.
Induce (v) to reason from the particular to the general.

Defective (adj) having imperfections.
Deficient (adj) lacking in completeness.

Definite (adj) clear; precise.
Definitive (adj) fixed; authoritative.

Denote (see "connote")

Desert (n ,v) arid waste; deserved treatment; to abandon.
Dessert (n) course served at the end of a meal.

Differ from (v phrase) to be unlike.
Differ with (v phrase) to disagree.

Different from (prep) "contrasts items."
Different than (conj) "should only be used in the expression, 'more different than.' "
NOTE: The expression "different than" should be rarely used.
Disassemble (v) to take apart.
Dissemble (v) to disguise.

Discreet (adj) prudent.
Discrete (adj) distinct; noncontinuous.

Disinterested (adj) impartial; indifferent.
Uninterested (adj) bored; not interested.

Dispense with (v phrase) to do without.
Dispose of (v phrase) to get rid of.

Distinct (adj) distinguished from others.
Distinctive (adj) having style or distinction.
Distinguished (adj) famous.

Due to (see "because of")

Dyeing (v form) coloring a substance.
Dying (v form) passing from life.

E

Eager (see "anxious")

Effect (see "affect")

Elicit (v) to evoke.
Illicit (adj) unlawful.

Elusive (adj) evasive.
Illusive (adj) deceptive.

Emend (see "amend")

Emigrate (v) to leave a country to move to another.
Immigrate (v) to enter a new country with the intent to establish residence.

Eminent (adj) distinguished.
Immanent (adj) inherent; existing within.
Imminent (adj) impending.

Ensure (see "assure")

Envelope (n) a package.
Envelop (v) to surround.

Exceed (see "accede")

Except (see "accept")

Excess (see "access")

Expect (see "anticipate")

Explicit (adj) specific.
Implicit (adj) implied.

Extant (adj) existing.
Extent (n) range.

F, G

Farther (adj, adv) "refers to distance."
Further (adj, adv) "refers to degree or extent; in addition."

Feasible (adj) capable of being done.
Possible (adj) may exist or occur.

Fewer (adj) "refers to numbers of discrete items."
Less (adj, adv) "refers to bulk quantity."

Figure (n) number symbol. (Figures represent numbers.)
Number (n) mathematical unit. (Numbers are expressed in figures.)

Foreward (n) preface.
Forward (v, adj,adv) to advance; ahead.

Further (see "farther")

H

Hangar (n) aircraft building.
Hanger (n) devise by which something is hung.

Healthful (adj) producing health.
Healthy (adj) having health.

Hypothesis (n) "based on limited evidence."
Theory (n) "supported by a greater range of evidence than a hypothesis."

I, J

Illicit (see "elicit")

Illusion (see "allusion")

Illusive (see "elusive")

Immanent (see "eminent")

Immigrate (see "emigrate")

Imminent (see "eminent")

Implicit (see "explicit")

Imply (v) to suggest.
Infer (v) to surmise; to guess.

Incapable (adj) "implying a permanent lack of ability."
Unable (adj) "implying an inability in a specific situation."

Infer (see "imply")

Ingenious (adj) intelligent.
Ingenuous (adj) simple; unsophisticated.

Insure (see "assure")

Induce (see "deduce")

Inter- (prefix) between; among.
Intra- (prefix) within.

Its (possessive pron) belongs to it.
It's (pron + v) a contraction for "it is."

K

Karat (see "carat")

L

Lay (v) to place something.
Lie (v) to recline.

Lean (adj, v) not fat; to incline.
Lien (n) attachment or claim against.

Lend (v) to give for temporary use; to make a loan.
Loan (n) that which is lent.

Less (see "fewer")

Lie (see "lay")

Lien (see "lean")

Lightening (v form) making less heavy.
Lightning (n) electrical discharge in the sky.

Like (see "as if")

Linage (n) number of lines of written matter.
Lineage (n) ancestry.

Lineal (adj) arranged in lines; relating to a direct line of ancestry.
Linear (adj) relating to a line.

Loan (see "lend")

Loose (adj, v) unfastened; unbound; not strict; to untie.
Lose (v) to be unable to find; to be deprived of.

M

Mantel (n) shelf above a fireplace.
Mantle (n) sleeveless garment.

Material (adj, n) relevant; consisting of matter; parts of which something can be made.
Materiel (n) equipment and supplies used by an organization.

Many (adj) "refers to numbers."
Much (adj) "refers to quantity."

May (see "can")

Misguide (v) to misdirect.
Mislead (v) to deceive.

Monetary (adj) financial.
Monitory (adj) admonishing.

Moral (n, adj) conscientious; a principle or value.
Morale (n) an individual's or a group's general tone of feeling.

Much (see "many")

N

Number (see "figure")

O

Observance (n) custom; rite.
Observation (n) recognition.

Ordinance (n) law.
Ordnance (n) military supplies.

P, Q

Parameter (n) constant factor.
Perimeter (n) circumference.

Passed (v) to go by; to have gone by.
Past (n, adj) earlier.

Penetrate (v) to pass into.
Pervade (v) to become diffused throughout.

Perimeter (see "parameter")

Personal (adj) refers to the individual.
Personnel (n) a group of people working a particular job.

Perspective (n) view.
Prospective (adj) likely to happen.

Possible (see "feasible")

Practicable (adj) capable of being worked out.
Practical (adj) useful.

Precede (v) to come before.
Proceed (v) to go ahead.

Precedence (n) fact preceding in time; priority.
Precedents (plural n) established conventions.

Presence (n) the condition of being present.
Presents (n) more than one gift.
Presents (v) to give to.

Principal (adj, n) main; money; the leader of a school; a leading actor or actress in a play or story.
Principle (n) a basic truth or law; a moral tenet.

Proceed (see "precede")

Prospective (see "perspective")

R

Raise (v) to lift something up.
Rise (v) to go up; to get up.

Range (v) to differ within stated limits.
Vary (v) to differ.

Respectfully (adv) considerately.
Respectively (adv) each in a given order.

Rise (see "raise")

Rust (see "corrosion")

S

Seasonable (adj) timely.
Seasonal (adj) "relating to a season."

Seem (see appear)

Sense (n, v) feeling; intelligence.
Since (adv, prep, conj) "refers to time."

Set (v) to place something.
Sit (v) to rest one's body.

Shape (see "condition") .

Shear (n, v) cutting instrument; to cut off.
Sheer (adj, v) thin; precipitous; to deviate from a course.

Since (see "because")

Since (see "sense")

Sit (see "set")

Stationary (adj) standing still.
Stationery (n) letter-writing materials.

Subnormal (see "abnormal")

Super- (prefix) over and above; superior.
Supra- (prefix) going beyond the limits of.

Supercede (v) to supplant; to replace.
Surpass (v) to exceed.

Supra- (see "super-")

Synthesis (see "analysis")

T

Than (conj) "refers to a comparison."
Then (adv) next; at that time.

That (relative pron) "introduces restrictive (essential) clauses."
Which (relative pron) "introduces nonrestrictive (unessential) clauses."

Their (possessive pron) belongs to them.
There (adv) at that place. (It can also be used as a dummy subject to begin a sentence and really has no meaning.)
They're (pron + v) a contraction for "they are."
NOTE: In general, avoid beginning sentences with "there is," "there are," "there was," "there were," and "there will be."
Then (see "than")

Theory (see "hypothesis")

Timber (n) wood.
Timbre (n) quality of sound produced by overtones.

To (prep, adv) "has many meanings, including `direction towards' as well as being used to introduce an infinitive."
Too (adv) also; very.
Two (adj, n) "a number."

Tortuous (adj) twisted; winding.
Torturous (adj) causing excessive pain.

Two (see "to")

U

Unable (see "incapable")

Uninterested (see "disinterested")

Use (v) to employ in the manner intended.
Utilize (v) to adapt for use; to make use of in an unusual way.

V

Vary (see "range")

W,X

Whereas (conj) but; on the contrary; in view of the fact that.
While (conj) at the same time as; as long as.

Which (see "that")

While (see "whereas")

Who (relative pron) "refers to a person in the subjective case."
Whom (relative pron) "refers to a person in the objective case."
Who's (rel. pron + v) a contraction for "who is."
Whose (relative pron) "refers to a person in the possessive case."

Y, Z

Your (possessive pron) belongs to you.
You're (pron + v) a contraction for "you are."