COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS-4

COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS-4

1.      STATIONARY AND STATIONERY:

Stationary is an adjective with the sense 'not moving or changing'. Example: Please remain stationary.

'Stationery' is a noun meaning 'paper and other writing materials'. Example: They went to the store to buy some stationery.

2.      STORY AND STOREY:

A 'story' is a 'tale or account'.

A 'storey' is a floor of a building.

In North America the spelling 'story' is sometimes used for 'storey'.

3.      SURE, SURELY:

Sure is an 'adjective'. 'Surely' is an 'adverb'.

Thus, write 'He surely (not sure) is a good.

Do not confuse the adverb with the adjective. If sounds odd to you, substitute 'certain' for 'sure' and 'certainly' for 'surely'

4.      THAN, THEN:

'Than' means 'in comparison with', Example: He is bigger than I

'Then' means 'next', Example: He ate his meal and then started his assignment.

5.      THEIR, THERE, THEY'RE:

'Their' is a possessive denominator, a form of 'they' that shows ownership. Example: Their flowers are on the table.

'There' describes where something is. Example: The flowers are there on the table.

'They're' is a short form of 'they are'. Example: They're going to buy flowers.

6.      THREW, THROUGH:

'Threw' is the past tense of throw. Example: He threw the ball over the fence.

'Through' means from 'end to end', Example: We drove through the tunnel

7.      TITILLATE, TITIVATE:

'Titillate' means 'excite'

'Titivate' means 'adorn or smarten up'

8.      TO, TOO, TWO:

'To' means 'in the direction of', Example: he went to the store.

'Too' means 'also', Example: he went to the store, too.

'Two' is a number, Example: two of my friends went to the store.

9.      TORTUOUS, TORTUROUS:

'Tortuous' means 'full of twists and turns' or 'excessively lengthy and complex', Example: It was a tortuous drive to the mountain top.

'Torturous' means 'characterized by pain or suffering', Example: We drove up the mountain top in the torturous heat.

10.  TURBID, TURGID:

'Turbid' is a generally used in reference to a liquid means 'cloudy or opaque'

'Turgid' tends to mean 'tediously pompous or, in reference to a river, 'swollen, overflowing'.

11.  UNSOCIABLE, UNSOCIAL, ANTISOCIAL:

'Unsociable' means 'not enjoying the company of or engaging in activities with others'

'Unsocial' usually means 'socially inconvenient' and typically refers to the hours of work of a job.

'Antisocial' means 'contrary to accepted social customs and therefore annoying'.

12.  VENAL, VENIAL:

Venal means 'susceptible to bribery or 'corruptible'

'Venial', which is used in Christian theology in reference to sin (a venial sin, unlike a mortal sin, is not regarded as depriving the soul of divine grace).

13.  VIABLE, VIE:

Something that is 'viable' is capable of living (from the Latin vita or 'life').

'Vie' means 'compete'. Something that is competitive with others 'vies' for superiority

14.  WAYS, WAY:

'Way' refers to distance. Example: I work a long way from my home.

'Ways' refers to methods. Example: There are many ways to make money in the stock market.

15.  WEATHER, WHETHER:

'Weather' means 'conditions outdoors', Example: The weather is terrible.

'Whether' is an expression of choice between two options. Example: I do not know whether I will stay home or go to school.

16.  WHETHER, IF:

Use 'whether' when options are involved. Example: I do not know whether I should complain or remain silent.

Otherwise 'if' is acceptable. Example: I do not know if I should reconsider my decision.

17.  WHILE, ALTHOUGH:

Use 'while' when you are referring to 'at the same time'. Example: 'While I washed the dishes, she finished her homework'.

Do not write 'while' when you mean 'although' or 'though'.

Write 'although (not while) I wanted to hear the speech, I had too many other things to do'.

18.  WHO, THAT:

Use 'who' when referring to people (not animals)

Use 'that' for non-human things.

19.  WHO'S, WHOSE:

'Who's' is a contraction of who is or who has

'Whose' is a possessive determiner used in questions such as 'Whose is this?' and 'Whose turn is it?'

20.  WREATH, WREATHE:

'Wreath' with no 'e' at the end means 'arrangement of flowers'.

'Wreathe' with an 'e' is a verb meaning 'envelop, surround, or encircle'.

21.  YOUR, YOU'RE:

'You're' is a contraction of you are. Example: you're going to the store.

'Your' is a possessive determiner, a form of 'you' that shows ownership. Example: your car is new.