Spell-check and grammar-check often won’t recognize misused words or phrases. To catch these spelling errors requires reading at a slow pace with the most common errors fresh in your mind. The following list contains the words most often overlooked in proofreading: • words that sound alike but have a different meaning • words with similar definitions • words that are picky about prepositions The list is alphabetized for your convenience; however, if you don’t find a word or phrase here that is giving you a problem, contact me and I’ll try to find an answer for you. Homonyms accept/except:
Of course we’ll accept (agree with, allow) these rains. After the summer drought, we lost everything except (excluding, omitting) hope for next year’s new crops. affect/effect:
What will be the effect (result) of this dry, hot summer? More than these lost barley rows, the drought will affect (influence/cause a response) our land, our water supply, and if it continues, our home. (Usually, “effect” is the noun, and “affect” is the verb; however, “effect” is sometimes used as a verb, as in, The drought effected (to bring about) great change in our land. And sometimes “affect” can be used as a noun, as in, They affected (assumed) a wry humor that belied their concern at the loss of crops.) capitol/capital: On the stairs of the old capitol (the building only), we watched the sun rise over the state’s capital (town or city holding government), and for a moment, we forgot business prospects and the joy of last night’s projected capital (financial assets) gains. ensure/insure: To ensure (make certain) the safety of her family, Emily insisted that the agent insure (plan money payment for loss) her for the maximum she could afford. farther/further: I will not go one step farther (physical distance) if you speak any further (abstract quantity) about that ridiculous argument. its/it’s: It’s (it is) the sun on the new green leaves and its (possessive/belonging to) bright heat on the farmhouse porch that brings me out each morning. lightning/lightening: Although the heavy storm clouds were lightening (lesser in weight), the horizon still sparked with jagged lightning (electrical force). principle/principal: The principal (main, foremost) goal of the meeting was to set up a basic teaching principle (rule, truth) that the new school’s principal (chief person, head) would accept. proceed/precede: The wedding party will precede (to go or come before) the bride, who will then proceed (to go on or move forward) into the reception hall to greet the guests. stationary/stationery: Before composing my letter on this vibrant green stationery (writing paper), I must find a desk more stationary (motionless, unmoving) than this with the crooked leg. their/there/they’re: They’re (they are) forever dancing up there (in a place), in their (possessive, belonging to) new pink heels. who’s/whose: I hope that the person who’s (who is) dancing above my ceiling knows whose (possessive, belonging to) pink heels have danced there once too. you’re/your: With all these rules and exceptions, you’re (you are) going to have to choose what is most important to your (possessive, belonging to you) end product. Misused Words and Phrases |