Today we are going to tackle a small portion of an almost endless list of frequently confused words and phrases.
Confusion occurs over words that sound the same, are spelled similarly, but have slightly different meanings. In this article,
you will find an alphabetical list of confused words, their definitions, and examples of correct and incorrect usage.
Already / all ready
- Already: refers to a specified time; by now.
Correct: The conference has already started.
Incorrect: Has the conference all ready started?
- All ready: everyone prepared for the event or action.
Correct: Are they all ready to go to the conference?
Incorrect: We are already to go to the conference.
Bear / bare
- Bear: an animal; also means to hold up, to support. (also: bore, borne, born)
Correct: Forest Rangers fine visitors who feed the bears.
Incorrect: The sign says, “Do not feed the bares.”
Correct: The ladder could not bear the weight of the two firemen.
Incorrect: Ladders are made to bare 350 pounds.
- Bare: uncovered, empty, insufficient.
Correct: She wore shorts over bare legs to the beach party.
Incorrect: Beach vacations demand bear legs and feet.
Correct: When Old Mother Hubbard checked her cupboard, she found her cupboard bare.
Incorrect: She didn’t have the bear necessities to care for her pets.
Comprise / compose
- Comprise: to be made up of, to include.
Correct: Janet’s article comprises test results that compare reading comprehension among third grade girls and boys.
Incorrect: The article composes test results from across the school district.
- Compose: Means to make up, to form, to include.
Correct: Janet will compose an article comparing reading comprehension levels among third grade boys and girls.
Incorrect: Janet comprised her article to address parental concerns.
- Comprised of: poor usage, according to The Chicago Manual of Style. Instead of using the phrase comprised of, use composed of or consisting of.
Correct: Janet’s article, consisting of current studies, will be published in the district journal.
Correct: Janet’s article is composed of the most current research in reading education.
Incorrect: Janet’s article, comprised of the most current studies, earned recognition for her school.
Due to / because of / due to the fact that
- Due to: as a result of.
Correct: She must attend a driver’s safety course due to her driving record.
Incorrect: She will attend driver’s safety course because of her driving record.
- Because of: for the reason that; since; the fact that.
Correct: She must attend a driver’s safety course because of her suspended driver’s license.
Incorrect: She must attend a driver’s safety course due to her suspended driver’s license.
- Due to the fact that: wordy and sounds stiff. Use because instead. It’s simple and easy to understand.
Effect / Affect
- Effect: (verb) produce, act as to bring into existence, influence.
Correct: Janet’s parents hope her recent driving experiences will effect a change in Janet’s attitude about her driving habits.
Incorrect: Janet’s parents hope her recent driving experiences will affect a change in Janet’s attitude about her driving habits.
- Effect: (noun) Means intent, influence—the power to bring about a result; accomplishment, fulfillment, appearance.
Correct: A driver’s safety course should produce a positive effect on Janet’s driving record.
Incorrect: Janet’s traffic tickets have negatively effected her savings account. (Use the verb “affected.”)
- Affect: (verb) Means to produce an effect; to accomplish; to cause a response. Verbs describe action. Tip: “A” in affect means “action.” (Avoid affect as a noun except in psychology.)
Correct: Speeding tickets affect insurance rates. (produce an effect)
Incorrect: Driver’s safety course will surely have an affect on reducing speeding tickets. (Use effect to mean influence.)
Following / after
- Following: subsequent to; next in time or order.
Correct: On the following day, Janet flew to Holland to speak. She left Holland after her speech.
Incorrect: Janet left Holland following her speech.
- After: Means afterward, behind, later.
Correct: Janet’s plane arrived at LaGuardia Airport shortly after her connecting flight had left.
Incorrect: The flight attendant served dessert after lunch. (correct: following lunch.)
Good / well
- Good: A thing is good, suitable, fit.
Correct: Eve thought the apple was good to eat. (A thing is good.)
Incorrect: The team’s best pitcher said he could not pitch good because of his injured arm. (You do something well.)
Incorrect: She couldn’t bake apple pies good. (You do something well.)
- Well: A task performed in an expert, skilled manner; free from injury or disease.
Correct: The children’s choir sings well.
Incorrect: The choir did not perform as good as expected during rehearsal. (You do something Well.)
Correct: “Now that I am well,” said the director, “I will meet your expectations.” (Free of injury or disease.)
Who, whom, whose, who’s
- Who: (pronoun) Asks which person (s).
Correct: Who does this book belong to? Please help me find out who it belongs to.
Correct: My daughter, who is a writer, sometimes confuses when to use who and whom. (Relates a clause back to a noun.)
- Whom (pronoun) Use whom if the pronoun him can be interchanged for the pronoun. Use who if the pronoun he can be substituted.
Correct: Whom did you say this jacket belongs to? The jacket belongs to him.
Incorrect: Whom had to leave early? He (not him) had to leave early.
Note on whom versus who: Patricia T. O’Conner (Woe Is I) and others suggest whom be saved for use in formal or academic writing.
(Or when required by writer’s guidelines.) For informal conversation and writing, especially in fiction, use the less stuffy and more natural pronoun who.
- Whose: Shows possession of who.
Correct: Whose jacket hangs in the closet?
Incorrect: Who’s book do I have? (Who’s is a contraction for who is.)
- Who’s: A contraction of who is or who has.
Correct: Who’s going to the state fair on Saturday?
Incorrect: Whose going to the state fair on Saturday? (Whose shows possession)
Correct: Who’s dropped this ticket? (Who has dropped?)
- Who’s Who: Means who is who; or who was who: used to identify certain accomplished persons according to status or profession.
Correct: Because of Janet’s highly successful article, her name will be added to the list of Who's Who In American Education.
Incorrect: Have you seen the new list of Whose Who in American Education?
That’s all for now.
About The Author:
Vicki Talley McCollum is a columnist, freelance writer, and visual artist. She also co-moderates FCW’s online critique
groups when she's not busy spending time with her husband and three children.
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