EASILY CONFUSED WORDS: DON VS. DAWN

Don and dawn are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and […]

Easily Confused Words: Flare vs. Flair

Flare and flair are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and […]

EASILY CONFUSED WORDS: CONSCIOUS VS. CONSCIENCE

Conscious and conscience are easily confused words. People often use conscious when they mean conscience. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled […]

Easily CONFUSED WORDS: ROLL VS. ROLE

Roll and role are easily confused words. They are also homophones, meaning words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and mean different things. Homophones are a type of homonym. Click the link for more information on that. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these […]

EASILY CONFUSED WORDS: STRAIT VS. STRIATE

The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or […]

Easily Confused Words: Citron vs. Citrine

Citron and citrine are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and […]

Easily Confused Words: Gazpacho vs. Gestapo

Gazpacho and gestapo proved to be easily confused words for a member of Congress. How could I resist? The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but […]

Easily Confused Words: Any More vs. Anymore

Any more and anymore are easily confused terms: one is a phrase, the other is one whole word. Any more (pronounced ”enn-ee” (pause) “mohr”) Any can be an adjective, adverb used with other words, or apronoun by itself. More is can also be an adjective or adverb when used with other words, and a noun […]

Easily Confused Words: Langour vs. Langur

Langour and langur are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and […]

Easily Misread Words: Reading vs. Reading

Reading and reading are easily misread words. The issue is not spelling, but how the words are understood by a reader as they scan printed text, or as the words are read aloud. Reading (pronounced ”REED-ihng;” rhymes with bleeding, feeding, seeding) has multiple meanings. As a verb: It can mean the activity of scanning lines […]