The Assistant Director of Personnel at a large corporation noticed that his boss, the Director of Personnel, upon arriving at his desk each morning, unfailingly opened a drawer, took out a metal box, unlocked it, looked inside, smiled, then closed it and put it away. The Assistant Director longed to know what was in that box. Years later, the boss retired and the Assistant Director became the Director of Personnel. He couldn’t wait to open that drawer, unlock the box, and look inside. There he found a small slip of paper on which was written: “Two N’s, one L.”
There are many words in English, like personnel and personal, which look similar, but are spelled differently and mean different things. Guess what? They are often confused with each other.
Here’s a list of some of the most commonly confused, misspelled, and misused words. Like the man said, there is no royal road to geometry—nor to orthography. Well, he didn’t mention orthography, but it’s equally true. English being what it is, there is usually no way to differentiate between these similar-looking words, except to commit them to memory. Do it. Now.
Here are a few to get started on; you will no doubt think of many more on your own:
Affect (v.) – cause a change in
Effect (v.) – put into operation
Note: Effect can also be a noun, in which case
it can mean the result of having been affected.
it can mean the result of having been affected.
Altar (n.) – place of religious sacrifice
Alter (v. ) – change
Census (n.) – a counting, usually of people
Consensus (n.) – general agreement, usually of
people
people
Compliment (n.) – favorable comment
Complement (n.) – the full number that makes
something complete
something complete
Confectionary (n.) – place where confectionery is
made or sold
made or sold
Confectionery (n.) – sweet foods made in a
confectionary
confectionary
Note: Some dictionaries will tell you that these
words are interchangeable. Do not believe them.
words are interchangeable. Do not believe them.
Continuous (adj.) - uninterrupted
Continual (adj.) – recurring over time in rapid
succession
succession
Council (n.) – deliberative or advisory body
Counsel (n.) – advice or the adviser who gives it,
specifically a lawyer
specifically a lawyer
Consul (n.) – diplomatic or trade official in a foreign
country
country
Forego (v.) – come before
Forgo (v.) – do without
Foreword (n.) – part of a book preceding the main text
Forward (adj.) – situated in an advance position;
precocious
precocious
(v.) – promote
(n.) – player at the front of a team’s
formation
formation
(adv.) – toward what is ahead
Precede (v.) – come before
Proceed (v.) – move along
Prescription (n.) – order for medicine from the doctor
Proscription (n.) – ban
Secede (v.) – withdraw
Succeed (v.) – do well
Supersede (v.) – take the place of, especially if
superior to
superior to
Note: Some dictionaries will tell you supercede is
an acceptable spelling. Do not believe them.
an acceptable spelling. Do not believe them.
Stationary (adj.) – immobile
Stationery (n.) – writing paper
Weather (n.) – climatic (not climactic!) conditions
Wether (n.) – castrated male sheep
Whether (conj.) – indication of alternatives
There, now. Don’t you feel better having learned all that? The Bard of Buffalo Bayou certainly does; in fact he feels so much better that he decided to take a week off, write proscriptions on his stationary, forego confectionary, give council on the wether--and if at first he doesn’t secede, he’ll precede again. He is expected to return next week, but I wouldn’t count on it.
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