The alphabetical index that follows contains explanations of frequently misused expressions. Misusing a term usually results from confusion with a similar term (who/whom, proved/proven, stationary/stationery).
accept, except
Accept is a verb that means to receive something that is offered, such as an invitation, advice, or responsibility. Except (preposition) means exclusion of something.
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advice, advise
Advice is a noun; advise is a verb.
Gertrude advised her husband not to speed on the freeway.
Her husband ignored the advice and received a ticket.
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affect, effect
Affect, which is almost always a verb, means to influence.
The drought affected the price of corn.
Effect, usually a noun, is synonymous with result.
The biggest effect of a large national debt is high interest rates.
Confusion occurs because effect can also be a verb, and it means to bring about something, or to implement.
She effected several administrative changes when she took office.
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among, between
Use between (preposition) when referring to two items; use among (preposition) for three or more.
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censor, censure
To censor is to suppress or to delete objectionable passages from a performance or publication. To censure is to criticize severely. A censor is someone who either censors or censures.
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complement, compliment
A complement is something that supplements or completes.
A compliment is praise or flattery.
Both can be used as verbs: to complement is to complete; to compliment is to praise.
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continual, continuous
Continual refers to an event that recurs at intervals over a long period.
The continual revolutions in the Southern Hemisphere threaten world peace.
Continuous applies to prolonged action without interruption.
The Stuarts ruled Scotland continuously for more than three centuries.
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criteria, criterion
Criteria is the plural form of criterion.
The main criterion for personal success is self-confidence.
The criteria for financial success are self-confidence, investment capital, and shrewdness.
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discrete, discreet
Discreet (adjective) means judiciously cautious or prudent.
Discrete (adjective) means separate or unattached.
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e.g. and i.e.,
The abbreviation e.g. means “for example.” Many people confuse e.g. and i.e., which stands for “that is.”
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farther, further
Farther applies to physical distance
Cheyenne is five miles farther from Dallas than Atlanta is.
Further applies to time, degree, and figurative distance.
After further consideration, the Haitians decided to risk the journey.
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lay, lie
Lay means to place or put.
Lie means to recline.
Confusion occurs because the past tense of lie is lay.
| LIE | LAY | |
| Present Tense | lie | lay |
| Past Tense | lay | laid |
| Past Participle | lain | laid |
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lose, loose
Loose (adjective) means unfastened or unrestrained; lose (verb) means to mislay or to be defeated.
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phenomenon, phenomena
Phenomenon is singular and means a surprising or seemingly inexplicable event; phenomena is the plural form of phenomenon.
One lunar phenomenon I don’t understand is why only one side of the moon is visible from Earth.
Black holes are interesting phenomena.
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principal, principle
Principal is usually an adjective meaning foremost in importance; as a noun, it refers either to finance (the sum of money owed) or the person of highest position (such as a school principal).
The principal reason for denying the request is the borrower’s lack of liquidity.
The principal of my middle school was a firm believer in corporal punishment.
A principle (always a noun) is a basic assumption, a truth, or an ethical standard.
The principle of equality demands that women be given the same pay that men receive for equal work.
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which, that
The rule for formal writing is that which is used to introduce nonrestrictive clauses and that is used to introduce restrictive clauses. A restrictive clause is essential to the meaning of a sentence, is not set off by commas, and is introduced by that or who.
Clocks that strike every 15 minutes are annoying.
If we were to omit the restrictive clause, the meaning of the sentence would be different: “Clocks are annoying.” The restrictive clause limits the modified term, clocks, to a certain subcategory: clocks that strike every 15 minutes.
A nonrestrictive clause contains information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive clause provides description or detail that can be omitted without altering the meaning of the sentence, and the clause begins with which.
The Edsel, which was taken off the market after a couple of years, was a financial fiasco for Ford.
Notice that a nonrestrictive clause is set off by commas.
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who, whom
Who acts as a subject of a clause.
Golda was the kind of politician who could keep the peace by keeping her opponents in a state of confusion.
Who shot an apple off the man’s head?
Whom is used as objects of infinitives or prepositions, as direct objects, or as subjects of infinitives.
Whom was the message addressed to?
Whom would you like to see?
Whom is the FBI wiretapping now?