Spelling, Vocabulary, and Confusing Words

Accept to agree; to receive Except but, with the exception that ad advertisement add to perform addition Air what we breathe Err make a mistake Ades fruit drinks Aides people who help; assistants AIDS acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Aids helps, assists aisle passageway Ill contraction for I will Isle a small island allude to refer indirectly elude avoid capture Illude mislead Adverse unfortunate; strongly opposed (refers to things, not people) Averse having repugnance (refers to people) all entire, everything awl a tool Allusion an indirect mention of something Illusion false perception Heir one who inherits something Ail to be ill; to cause pain or distress Ale malt beverage more bitter than beer Already refers to time

all together refers to a group; all of us or all of them together Altogether entirely Altar pedestal, usually religious Alter to modify

allot to parcel out a lot always two words meaning many

advice (noun) recommendation advise (verb) the act of giving a recommendation

Ambiguous to have more than one meaning Ambivalent to have mixed feelings

allowed gave permission to aloud said out loud; spoken

affect vs. effect

Amicable friendly (refers to things, not people) Amiable friendly (refers to people)

all ready means all are ready

among involves three or more Between involves just two

Arc arch, crescent, half moon Ark a vessel or a refuge

to issue an insurance policy

ate past tense of eat

ascent (noun) Amount used for things not countable Number used for things that can be counted movement upward assent (noun or verb) enthusiastic agreement; to agree Ant a bug Aunt the sister of a parent consent agreement

eight the number after seven

aural having to do with hearing oral having to do with the mouth

Ante a bet placed before playing Auntie affectionate term for a parents sister

assistance (noun) help

averse assistants (noun) (see adverse) people who help

Anxious to have anxiety or worry eager excited

awed Assumption n idea not based on evidence Presumption n idea based on evidence in a state of amazement odd unusual; opposite of even when referring to numbers

any more something additional or further anymore any longer, nowadays

Assure o promise or say with confidence Ensure o make sure something will/won't happen insure

aye yes eye

Appraise to put a value on something Apprise to notify

organ one sees with I

the bottom; vulgar; headquarters (singular) bass

beech type of tree with smooth, gray bark

pronoun bald having no hair bawled cried based beet ball a sphere bawl to cry or wail loudly bases (noun, verb) band a group, sometimes a group of musicians banned forbidden be bare naked, unconcealed, plain bear the animal beach base sandy area with water been to exist or live bee insect bough (noun) headquarters (plural of base); builds on basis(noun) bow (noun) foundation; belief part of a set with arrows (pronounced like owe) bow (noun, verb) boat front, a male's form of curtsy, bending at the waist; comply (pronounced like cow) branch of a tree (pronounced like cow) be dependent or supported baste to moisten; to criticize or lash out at beau boyfriend (pronounced like owe) a plant with a fleshy red or white root low vocal or instrumental range (pronounced like lace); a type of fish (pronounced like lass) beat to strike violently; to flutter or flap; to pound as with a drum; to defeat; to stir vigorously

form of be used with has or have bin

biennial every two years semiannual

city street; a cube-shaped object

container twice a year (same as biannual) bell chime or alarm; a signal belle beautiful or charming woman bite to use ones teeth to tear food byte computer term for eight bits of information

boar male pig bore someone or something not interesting

board piece of wood; a group of people bored

berth a boat dock; bedroom or bed birth being born; beginning

billed charged a fee build construct

uninterested

boarder someone who pays for room and food border

better of higher quality bettor someone who places bets blew perimeter; boundary past tense of blow blue the color between bowed (see among) bloc a group united for a particular purpose block bent (pronounced like owed) bode predict

biannual twice a year

bold

daring bowled to have gone bowling; knocked over

brake stop break separate into pieces

a harness, usually for a horse

bring you bring something towards take you take something away

bolder bread more daring a food; slang for money boulder bred a large rock past tense of breed; raised boos brooch sounds made by disapproving audience booze brood (verb, noun) alcohol mull over; a cluster or family bough (see beau) brews ferments bow (see beau) bruise a black-and-blue mark, contusion but except butt (noun/verb) bridal relating to brides bridle buy bottom; joke object; to ram brows the hairs in the arch above the eyes browse search for, peruse brewed fermented a bauble; a piece of jewelry broach to raise a topic

boy male child buoy a naval beacon or marker

purchase, acquire by near, next to bye short for goodbye cache hidden stash cash money

canvas awning cloth, tarp canvass to poll; a poll

a social class, a rigid system of social distinctions

cay a small, low island (also spelled key)

capital key assets; essential; main city capitol statehouse a small, low island; instrument for opening locks quay (pronounced key) wharf, dock, pier

calendar chart of days and months colander sieve to drain off liquids

carat unit of weight in gemstones caret a proofreading mark to show insertion (^)

cede to surrender seed reproductive germ

can carrot able to edible root may karat permission to a unit for measuring the fineness of gold cannon large, mounted gun canon rule, commandment cast (noun, verb) group of actors; to throw caste

cell prison room; basic structural unit of an organism sell to exchange for money

censor (verb, noun) disallow; person who disallows

censure to disapprove of; criticize strongly sensor a device that measures heat, light, etc. and transmits a signal to a control or measuring instrument

went after chaste pure, virginal

Example: My choral group meets on Wednesday evenings. chorale (noun) a hymn; a group of singers specializing in church music coral (noun, adj.) material that makes up reefs; orange color corral (noun, verb) a horse pen; to confine

chews how one eats food with teeth choose

cent a penny scent a smell, aroma sent transmitted

to pick

childish immature childlike innocent

chord three or more musical tones sounded simultaneously; line segment joining two points on a curve cord a rope or strand of flexible material cored removed the center of something

cereal breakfast food serial a series or array

Chile a country in South America chili a type of pepper; a dish with peppers in it chilly cold, brisk

chance accident(al) chants chorus, melody

chute an inclined shaft shoot (verb, noun)

choral (adj.) having to do with a chorus or a choir

chased

to discharge from a weapon; a stem

clique a group

kernel a seed

cite climactic to assert; to quote from; to subpoena sight climatic vision, the power to see site a location or position close (verb, adjective) someone confided in classic important; fundamental classical having to do with Greek or Roman antiquity; pertaining to eighteenthto nineteenth-century music to shut (pronounced like rose); nearby (pronounced like dose) clothes apparel connote to suggest, imply coarse denote rough, lacking in fineness of texture; crude clause course in grammar, a group of words containing a subject and verb; part of a contract claws an animals nails a class; a path consent (see assent) colander (see calendar) continual repeated but with breaks in between; chronic colonel continuous an officer in the military to be a sign of confident certain, sure having to do with the climate praise compliment having to do with the climax complement completing part of an order

confidant

click a sound

without interruption in an unbroken stream of time or space

crews many groups cruise

a blinking symbol indicating position on a computer screen dam a barrier obstructing the flow of liquid damn a swear word or curse

core center or crucial part corps trained group corpse dead body

a trip or vacation by sea

criteria plural of criterion criterion

dammed a standard for evaluating or testing something blocked from flowing damned cue to sign along with a hint; a stimulus cosine queue a trigonometry term a line of people waiting council currant a group of people meeting for a purpose counsel (verb, noun) advise; advice, an attorney type of small berry current dear up to date affectionate term curser creak a sound creek cursor a stream (see connote) someone who swears or wishes misfortune on another deer the animal twenty-four-hour periods of time daze to stun or overwhelm days doomed

cosign

denote

desert (noun, verb) a desolate area; to abandon dessert extra s for sugary treat

dye to stain or color using an agent

two-fold duel fight

discreet careful, confidential

facts objective data fax short for facsimile; technology that sends images by phone

desperate lost all hope, in despair disparate entirely dissimilar

discrete individual, distinct

discussed talked over faint to go unconscious feint pretense does female deer (plural) (pronounced like hose) fair (adjective, noun) impartial; an exhibition fare payment or expense for travel

device (noun) an invention devise (verb) to invent

disgust repulsion

dew does condensation in the morning do to take action due owed by a certain date doughs unbaked loaves of bread doze to sleep die to cease to live; the singular of dice dual a form of to do (pronounced like fuzz)

fairy imaginary being possessing magical powers ferry type of boat

farther refers to physical distance only Example: We had to walk farther than the map indicated. further (adverb, adj.) refers to physical distance like farther; moreover; in addition; to a greater extent Examples: We need to discuss this further. Nothing could be further from the truth. We had to walk further. further (verb) To help forward, advance, or promote a work, undertaking, cause, etc. Example: Elisa had more desire to further her own interests than to further the mission of the organization.

faze to perturb or fluster phase a period or situation

discover fined penalized

fir feat an extraordinary act or accomplishment feet twelve-inch increments; appendages at end of legs flair style flare feted erupt celebrated, honored fetid noxious, gross flea insect flee fewer to run away refers to a number that can be counted less refers to an uncountable amount under used for direction flew past tense of fly, to have moved through the air with wings flu a virus flue find type of tree fur hairy coat of an animal

faux fake, imitation foe enemy, opponent

part of a chimney

introduction to a book written by someone other than the author forward opposite of backward

a decorative band on the wall

floe sheet of floating ice flow

further (see farther) gait

pour, proceed, spew

fort a military fortification a manner of walking or stepping, stride gate barrier

flour grain flower the bloom of a plant

forte someones strong point, talent

gilt forth gold-covered forward guilt fourth blame number after third gone foul used with has or have offensive, disgusting went fowl past tense of go certain birds gored frees releases stabbed with a horn or tusk gourd hard-shelled fruit

for preposition fore ahead four the number after three

forego to go in front of, precede forgo to do without

freeze foreword to make cold frieze

gorilla largest of the apes guerrilla soldier using surprise raids; irregular tactics

grown to have increased in size

divide into two have to possess

guessed conjectured, offered an opinion guest company, honoree hangar shed or shelter for housing airplanes hanger something to hang a garment on in the closet

graft attach; acquisition of money dishonestly graphed diagrammed

guise appearance or assumed appearance guys men hair

haut/haute high-class, fancy as in haute couture (pronounced oh or oht) hoe flat-bladed gardening tool

grate a cover or partition of parallel or crossed bars great excellent

what grows on ones head and body hare

grill method of cooking; barbecuing

rabbit

have vs. of shouldve, couldve, and wouldve are contractions for should have, could have, and would have. No such wording as should of, could of, would of

hall grille an openwork barrier for a gate passageway or large room haul groan a low, mournful sound of pain or grief to pull, drag, or lower

hay dried grass

halve

hey

interjection used to call attention

heir (see air)

hoard stockpile, amass horde

heal heroin to alleviate or cure heel back part of the foot; scoundrel a narcotic derived from morphine

a large group, crowd

hoarse heroine cracked voice female admired for courage or ability healthful something that promotes health Example: Organic food is thought to be healthful. healthy to have good health higher hear to listen; to give an official hearing here in this spot him pronoun referring to male person or animal hymn song in praise of religious deity more elevated hole hire an opening to pay for services whole entire, complete hi a greeting, informal for hello high elevated hoes flat-bladed gardening tools hose a flexible tube for conveying liquid horse animal

heard listened herd a flock of animals

holy religious wholly entirely, completely

hostel boarding house or inexpensive lodging hostile antagonistic illusion (see allusion) hour sixty minutes our possessive pronoun I (see aye) imply idle not active; unemployed idol someone admired idyll or idyl interlude, breathing space; romance, fairy tale in preposition; inside inn I'll (see aisle) inc. illicit (see elicit) abbreviation for incorporated small hotel to indicate without being explicit infer to conclude from evidence illusive (see elusive) illude (see allude)

ink fluid in pens

incite to prompt to action insight understanding, comprehension

incredible immigrate (see emigrate) astonishing incredulous skeptical

ingenious clever ingenuous naive or simple

innocence to be without guilt innocents people who are without guilt

insure (see assure)

(see cay) irregardless no such word exists regardless in spite of, without regard knead work with bread dough kneed hit with ones knee

know understand, comprehend no a negative to express dissent

knows isle (see aisle) need understands to require nose knew past tense of know, to have understood new opposite of old part of the body one smells with lacks is deficient in lax slack, easy-going knight gem joule in physics, a unit of work or energy karat (see carat) knot kernel (see colonel) not key used to express negation interlacing of cord or rope lain past participle of lie as in lie down lane narrow road or passage a soldier in the Middle Ages night period between sunset and sunrise ladder the thing with rungs that you climb latter the second of two

it's contraction for it is or it has its possessive pronoun jewel

(see fewer) lead a metal element (pronounced like red); present tense of led (pronounced like seed) led guided, past tense of to lead a unit to be learned or studied lessen to make less lesson

opposite of tight lose opposite of win; misplace Mach ratio with the speed of sound: Mach 1 = the speed of sound, Mach 2 = twice the speed of sound mock (adjective, verb) artificial; ridicule

lie leak unintended discharge of liquid or gas leek type of onion a falsehood; present tense of lie down (see lay vs. lie chart above) lye a caustic substance

made created maid cleaning lady

lean (adjective, verb) not fatty; to incline

lightening to make lighter lightning

lien a claim on property to secure debt payment a brilliant electric spark in the sky

mail correspondence male

loan leased rented least smallest in size or amount something lent for temporary use lone only, solitary

masculine; opposite of female

main primary, chief, leading mane

loose less

long hair on the back of a horse or lion

merry cheerful

earth element mettle boldness

maize corn maze labyrinth marshal (verb, noun)

mind (noun, verb) assemble; a judge intelligence; obey martial mined militant, aggressive mall plaza, focal point maul abuse, claw meat manner behavior meet (verb, noun) manor palatial residence to connect, touch; an event mete marquee canopy, shelter; projection over a theater entrance marquis aristocrat, nobleman mist administer, allot fog, fine spray medal moan decoration, badge meddle to interfere unwantedly marry to wed metal lament; sound of suffering mown cut grass missed failed to hit animal flesh used for food may miner (see can) one who excavates to extract ores minor (noun, adjective) someone under legal age; small excavated to extract ores

mode method, manner mowed to have cut grass

mustard yellow condiment mustered assembled, gathered naval nose (see knows)

not (see knot)

mood an emotional state mooed the sound a cow made

pertaining to ships navel belly button, umbilicus number (see amount) oar need a blade for rowing or conjunction ore metal-bearing mineral or rock

moose an animal mousse type of dessert

(see knead)

new (see knew)

morning start of the day, between night and afternoon mourning sorrow over someones death

night (see knight) odd (see awed) no (see know) of (see have)

muscle fibrous tissue mussel edible marine bivalve

none not one, not any nun female member of a religious order on to vs. onto Use onto if you can add up before on.

Example: He climbed (up) onto the roof. Example: She held on to her child in the crowd. (She did not hold up her child.)

overdo to do to excess overdue past due packed

type of fruit

palate roof of the mouth; taste pallet a low, portable platform palette a range of colors; a board to hold and mix colors

Use onto when you mean fully aware of; informed about. Example: We canceled Julia's surprise party when we realized she was onto our plan. one single unit won past tense of win

past tense of pack pact an agreement or treaty

pail bucket pale lacking color

passed past tense of pass past the time before the present

oral (see aural)

pain physical or emotional suffering pane patience willingness to wait patients people under medical care

ordinance a law ordnance military weapons and ammunition

a plate of glass or panel

pair two of something pare pause a temporary stop paws animal feet

our (see hour)

to remove or peel pear

peace calm piece a portion of something

a structure extending out over water

plain (adjective, noun) not fancy; evident; simple; treeless area of land plane a flat or level surface; short for airplane

perpetrate to commit, as in a crime perpetuate

peak to prolong or sustain top of a mountain peek glance furtively pique to wound someones pride or to excite interest phase (see faze) Example: The myth that the sun revolved around the earth was perpetuated for centuries.

pleas cries for help; appeals please a polite word; to satisfy

plum pealed rang bells peeled removed a layer pi 3.1416, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter pie pole pedal foot-operated lever peddle to sell, hawk, or dispense pistil female organ of a flower pistol peer person who is an equal small hole pier type of gun pore baked food filled with fruit or meat a long, cylindrical piece of wood or metal poll a collection of opinions; survey a type of fruit plumb perpendicular

pour to send liquid flowing

pries looks closely; wedges open prize award or reward queue (see cue) principal (noun, adjective) head of school; chief; of first importance principle fundamental belief rain water that falls in drops from the sky reign rule, administration rein profit gain prophet predictor, seer raise lift up raze pros flatten, tear down completely bit, harness quay (see cay)

praise express approval prays makes requests to God preys hunts for food; victimizes

precedence priority precedents examples, criteria presidents chief executives professionals, experts prose literature presents (noun, verb) quarts gifts; offers units of liquid measure (four quarts to a gallon) presumption (see assumption) quartz a mineral

presence appearance, being present

rap (noun, verb) a type of music; to strike sharply wrap to enclose in a covering

rapped

struck sharply rapt fascinated wrapped enclosed in a covering

to cause trouble wreak havoc

to compose letters or words

regardless (see irregardless)

ring sound of a bell; jewelry worn around a finger wring to twist

rest read present and past tenses of to comprehend writing red a color retch vomit real actual, authentic reel stumble, falter review survey recede to move back, withdraw reseed to seed again right correct; opposite of left reek to smell bad wreak rite ritual, ceremony write revue a satirical show wretch lowly being, scoundrel relax wrest

road take from street, path, highway rode past tense of ride rowed past tense of row

roe fish eggs row aisle (pronounced like oh); propel with an oar (pronounced like oh); fight (pronounced like wow)

role part in a play or film roll (noun, verb)

a bun; to rotate

impolite, unmannerly rued

sea a body of salt water see to view with eyes

roomer one who rents a room rumor innuendo, gossip

regretted, repented

rye seed from a grain wry seam line formed by pieces of fabric sewn together seem sacks appear large bags sax saxophone sear scorch, burn, or char seer saver one who saves savor to appreciate a taste one who sees (as in the future) sere withered, dry

root base of a plant rout defeat (pronounced rowt) route path (pronounced like root or rowt)

mocking, ironic, droll

rot decay, decompose wrought accomplished

scene rote by memory, formula wrote past tense of write scent rude (see cent) a view, a setting seen to have viewed with eyes

seas bodies of salt water sees views with eyes seize to grab hold of

seed (see cede)

Example: Please set the table. sit

shoo interjection used to scare away an animal

sell (see cell)

one sits oneself Example: Please sit down at the table. shoot (see chute)

semiannual (see biannual)

sew to stitch so in the manner indicated sow

sic a Latin term used to indicate that something written is intentionally left in the original form, which may be incorrect. Example: She wrote, "They made there [sic] beds." sick

sensor (see censor)

sent (see cent)

to scatter or plant seed

sewer serf slave surf (noun, verb) breaking waves; to ride a surfboard ill a conduit for carrying off waste suer one who sues sics attacks six shear to cut sheer transparent set one sets a thing shoe foot attire sight (see cite) a number

serial (see cereal)

sign an indication

sine a trigonometry term

slew past tense of slay slough

the total from adding numbers

son male offspring sun

since (see because)

swamp (pronounced slew or slau)

sink to submerge; to descend to a lower level; where you wash dirty clothes synch or sync to synchronize, to coincide or match up

soar to fly at great height sore in pain

star that is the central body of the solar system

sonny diminutive of son sunny

soared flew at great height lit or warmed by the sun; cheerful

site (see cite)

sword a bladed weapon spade digging tool

slay kill sleigh snow vehicle, sled

sole bottom of foot; lone soul the spiritual part of humans

spayed to have removed the ovaries of an animal

staid solemn, serious

sleight cunning, skill slight slender, of little substance some a certain unspecified number sum

stayed remained, waited

stair step

stare to look without blinking

turnstile, passageway style fashion summary an abstract or brief account summery

stake a pole steak cut of meat straight of the summer not curved or bent strait narrow passage of water connecting two bodies of water sundae ice cream with syrup Sunday day of the week stationery writing paper succor relief, assistance sucker steal rob short nails steel (noun, adjective) iron alloy; determined suede tax leather finished with a soft, napped surface swayed step (verb, noun) moving by lifting the foot; degree suite steppe vast grasslands a connected series of rooms sweet stile opposite of sour take tale story past tense of sway; persuaded tail hindmost animal appendage percent of earnings paid to the government fool sympathy (see empathy) tacks

stationary in one place

(see bring)

salt water coming from eyes when sad (pronounced like ear) tier a row or layer

through in one end and out the other

tare allowance for the weight of packaging tear (verb)

throes agonizing struggles

tense rip, pull apart nervous strain tosses, hurls taught past tense of teach taut tightly stretched than used for comparison tea a beverage tee a peg from which a golf ball is hit then indicates time, answers when thyme herb of the mint family time their possessive pronoun team group playing on the same side in a game teem swarm there location they're contraction for they are ticks parasites; sounds of a clock tics facial twitches tear (noun) threw past tense of throw tide past, present, future sequences of events tents portable shelters used for camping throne royal seat or office thrown was tossed throws

ebb and flow of the ocean tied past tense of tie

sounded a bell vary tort a breach of contract torte to change or alter very extremely

to in the direction of, toward; used with the infinitive form of verbs (to go, to run, to hit) too also, to an extensive degree Example: It is too hot to jog. two the number after one troop vile a body of soldiers toad similar to a frog toed having a toe towed pulled, hauled repulsive, depraved troupe a group of traveling performers vain excessively concerned about ones appearance vane a blade moved by wind as in weather vane vein blood vessel vice bad habit; immoral practice vise device used to hold an object firmly wade to walk through water weighed a rich cake made with little or no flour verses lines of poetry tracked versus followed tract an extended area of land; a political or religious pamphlet as compared to another choice; against

vial small container for holding liquids

told said tolled

to have put on a scale

worn carried on the body; deteriorated

state of the atmosphere in a location whether if

wail mournful cry

warrantee whale marine mammal person who is given a written guarantee warranty waist narrowest part of the human torso (usually) way waste direction to squander or spend uselessly weigh to measure mass wait to be available or ready weight quantity of heaviness or mass weak lacking strength week seven days starting with Sunday waiver moved on wheels a relinquishment of some right waver where to feel indecisive; vary in what place? warn weather to notify what one? which wear wield to carry on the body to exercise power; to handle a weapon effectively were past tense of are we're contraction for we are went (see gone) written guarantee weave to interlace thread or yarn to make a fabric we've contraction for we have

wheeled

witch sorceress

spun rapidly world planet Earth

tree trunk material would expressing an intention

while during or in the time that wile a trick to fool, trap, or entice

whorled shaped like a coil wrap (see rap) whole (see hole) wrapped (see rapt)

whine wholly complaining cry (see holy) wine fermented grape juice that becomes an alcoholic beverage who's contraction for who is whose whined possessive case of who past tense of whine, complained wind what one does to keep a watch ticking on time (pronounced like kind); air current (pronounced like sinned) wined to supply with wine won (see one) wretch (see retch) wrest (see rest) wreak (see reek)

wring (see ring)

wont (adjective, noun) accustomed; habit won't contraction for will not

write (see right)

wrote whirled wood (see rote)

harness for oxen wrought (see rot) yolk yellow center of an egg

you're contraction for you are your possessive pronoun

wry (see rye) yoke

yore long past