Updated September 4, 2017
There are some words that sound very similar but have very different meanings. When reading papers, I sometimes find the wrong word used in a sentence over and over again, and it is obvious that the writer did not trouble herself to find out the correct spelling.
If you are unsure about which word to use, consult a
dictionary, and always use our automatic
spellchecker to find the mistakes. By misspelling these words, you could change the meaning of your sentence. Use this post as a guide to remember which spelling goes with which meaning.
1. Lead/Led. Probably, the most troubling for me to see is the mistake between the words lead and led. So, I will start with these by giving you three different examples.
Example 1: I will
lead the students to the correct classroom on the first day of school.
Example 2: Robert
led the marching band in the parade last Saturday.
Example 3: Some of the
lead pipes, used as drains for the ancient Roman baths, are still in service today.
The problem is that writers often confuse the 82nd element on the periodic table (
lead) with the past-tense verb (
led), because they sound the same.
Lead can be either a present-tense verb or a metallic element, but only
led can be used as a past-tense verb.
2. Their/There/They’re. These words are usually always brought to attention when the subject is commonly misspelled words. However, it is inevitable that
their,
there, and
they’re will each be consistently misused throughout writing assignments. Correct spelling is one of the marks of a truly excellent paper, so make it a point to use the right word when you are writing.
Their = possessive pronoun
Example 1:
Their private business was booming in sales last month.
There = in or at that place
Example 2:
There are many different ways to brainstorm.
They’re = a
contraction of
they are
Example 3:
They’re going to the movies tonight.
The best way to catch these words being used incorrectly is to re-read the sentence slowly to capture the true meaning of the word. Remember these definitions to help you next time you are determining between
their,
there, and
they’re. Trust me, professors are impressed when the correct spelling is used, but they are highly disappointed when the words are used incorrectly.
3. Affect/Effect. These words are easy to remember once you learn which parts of speech they are.
Affect = verb, to influence
Example 1: Rising tuition rates might
affect the number of college graduates in the upcoming years.
Effect = noun, result or consequence
Example 2: I am interested to know the
effect that rising tuition rates have had on the number of college graduates in the U.S.
Note:
Effect can be used as a verb, meaning to bring about or to accomplish. However, I recommend using a different word or phrase and only using
effect as a noun. If you choose to use this word as a verb, here is an example of how it is properly used.
Example: Many charity organizations have
effected changes in relief efforts since the earthquake in Haiti.
Instead of using
effected, I would recommend the following sentence.
Example: Many charity organizations have
brought about changes in relief efforts since the earthquake in Haiti.
Remembering that
affect is always a verb and
effect is always a noun is a good method to keep from confusing the two words.
4. Conscious/Conscience/Cautious. These three words are hard to say, and it’s even harder to remember which spelling goes with which meaning. I try to remember that
conscience has the word
science in it, which helps me remember that it has to do with your mind and your internal reasoning to do good or bad.
Cautious looks a lot like
caution which reminds me that it means to be careful.
Conscious = awake or perceiving
Example: I regained
consciousness shortly after falling and hitting my head on the pavement. I was
unconscious for 2 minutes.
Conscience = sense of obligation to be good
Example: Frank cheated on the test last week, but Cameron couldn’t because his
conscience wouldn’t let him.
Cautious = careful
Example: Jane is very
cautious when she lets her daughter play at the park.
5. Then/Than. These two words are extremely similar and are mixed up too frequently. The best way to tackle this confusion is to memorize the meanings of these two words. Here are some examples to help clarify their meanings.
Than is always used in a sentence with a comparison, a preference, or a quantity beyond a specified amount. Anytime you are comparing two objects, use
than.
Example 1: I would rather see Iron Man 2
than any other movie at the theatre.
Example 2: Danielle always received better grades in Chemistry
than I did.
Example 3: The recipe calls for less salt
than I thought.
Then describes a time in space or in order.
Example 1: The sales department will have a meeting on Monday.
Then, a new incentive program will be in place.
Example 2: Years ago, we would ride our bikes by the lake. Do you remember back
then?
Logically,
then represents a conclusion. Whenever you use the word
if, you should always use
then to represent the conclusion.
Example 3: If Thomas shows up to the game,
then he will be the pitcher.
6. Your/You’re. You're is a
contraction. It is the combination of
you and
are. We say it all the time, but when it's written, it's usually spelled incorrectly.
Your is an adjective describing a noun (Whose dog is it? It's
your dog, not
you're dog).
Example:
Your dog just ate my food, and now
you're going to have to buy another meal for me.
If you're ever unsure of which spelling is correct, try saying the sentence using
you are in place of the word each time. If it fits, then use the contraction
you're. If not, use the adjective
your.
Example:
You are dog just ate my food, and now
you are going to have to buy another meal for me.
It doesn't fit in the first clause (so we use
your), but it does fit the second time (so we use
you’re).
7. Accept/Except. Read the following sentence for clarification about these two spellings.
Example: Everyone in the room
accepted the fact that there would be no air conditioning
except Connie, who started crying.
Accept = to receive or to agree
Except = all but, other than
Remember that the word
exception means that something or someone has been exempt from the group. This helps me when I’m determining between
accept and
except, because the latter singles out an object.
These words (that sound alike but are spelled differently) are called
homophones. At least be aware of possibly confusing some of these words with the wrong meaning. Always use a dictionary if you are unsure of the spelling, and double-check your work with our
free spellchecker that is excellent at catching these errors.
Have you tried the FREE PaperRater automated proofreader? Really? Why not?
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