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Because many words in English sound or look alike, frequently causing confusion, this list will be very
helpful.

a vs. an Rule. Use a when the first letter of the word following has the sound of a consonant.
Keep in mind that some vowels sound like consonants when they’re sounded out as
individual letters.
Examples:

 a finger

 a hotel

 a U-turn (pronounced You-turn)

 a HUD program

 a NASA study

Rule. Use an when the first letter of the word following has the sound of a vowel.
Remember that some consonants sound like vowels when they’re spoken as individual
letters.
Examples:

 an FBI case (F is pronounced ef here)

 an honor (H is silent here)

 an unusual idea

 an HMO plan (H is pronounced aitch here)

 an NAACP convention (N is pronounced en here)

Deciding whether to use a or an before abbreviations can be tricky. The abbreviation for
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) causes confusion because it can be pronounced as a
word (fak), or one letter at a time (F-A-Q). Using the guidelines above, one would say a
FAQ when it is pronounced as one word, and an FAQ when it is pronounced one letter at
a time.

accept to agree; to receive

except but, with the exception that

ad advertisement
add to perform addition

ades fruit drinks

aides people who help; assistants
AIDS acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
aids helps, assists
adverse unfortunate; strongly opposed (refers to things, not people)
Examples: an adverse reaction to the medication
                      adverse weather conditions
averse having repugnance (refers to people)
Example: He is averse to a military draft.

advice (noun) recommendation

advise (verb) the act of giving a recommendation

affect vs. effect Rule 1. Use effect when you mean bring about or brought about, cause or caused.
Example: He effected a commotion in the crowd.  
Meaning: He caused a commotion in the crowd.

Rule 2. Use effect when you mean result. 

Example: What effect did that speech have?

Rule 3. Also use effect whenever any of these words precede it: a, an, any,
the,  take, into,  no. These words may be separated from effect by an adjective.  
Examples:  That book had a long-lasting effect on my thinking.
                     Has the medicine produced any noticeable effects?

Rule 4. Use the verb affect when you mean to influence rather than to cause. 
Example: How do the budget cuts affect your staffing?

Rule 5. Affect is used as a noun to mean emotional expression.

Example: She showed little affect when told she had won the lottery.

ail to be ill; to cause pain or distress

ale malt beverage more bitter than beer

air what we breathe

err make a mistake
heir one who inherits something

aisle passageway
I’ll contraction for I will
isle a small island

all entire, everything

awl a tool

allot to parcel out

a lot always two words meaning many

allowed gave permission to

aloud said out loud; spoken

all ready means all are ready

Example: We are all ready to go.
already refers to time
Example: Is it summer already?
all together refers to a group; all of us or all of them together
Example: It is wonderful to be all together to celebrate your birthday.
  entirely
altogether Example: It is not altogether his fault.

altar pedestal, usually religious

Example: They exchanged wedding vows at the altar of the church.
alter to modify
Example: Please don't alter your plans until we have the final schedule approved.

allude to refer indirectly

Example: He alluded to his past as a spy.
elude avoid capture
Example: The fugitive eluded the police for a month.
illude mislead
Example: He illuded her about his age.

allusion an indirect mention of something

illusion false perception

ambiguous to have more than one meaning

Example: The law was ambiguous.
ambivalent to have mixed feelings
Example: She is ambivalent about her wedding dress.

amicable friendly (refers to things, not people)

amiable friendly (refers to people)
Example: The amiable couple had an amicable divorce.

among involves three or more

Example: Who among us has not lied?
between involves just two
Example: She couldn’t decide between Chinese and Thai food.

amount used for things not countable

Example: We couldn't handle that amount of ill will.
number used for things that can be counted
Example: The number of accidents increased by ten percent.

ant a bug
aunt the sister of a parent

ante a bet placed before playing

auntie affectionate term for a parent’s sister

anxious to have anxiety or worry

Example: She is anxious about taking the test.
eager excited
Example: She is eager to get a puppy.

any more something additional or further

Example: It didn’t rain any more this year than last year.
anymore any longer, nowadays
 Example: Harry doesn’t travel anymore.

appraise to put a value on something

apprise to notify

arc arch, crescent, half moon

ark a vessel or a refuge

ascent (noun) movement upward

assent (noun or enthusiastic agreement; to agree
verb)
consent agreement

assistance help
(noun)
assistants people who help
(noun)

assumption an idea not based on evidence

presumption an idea based on evidence

assure to promise or say with confidence

ensure to make sure something will/won't happen
insure to issue an insurance policy

ate past tense of eat

eight the number after seven

aural having to do with hearing

oral having to do with the mouth

averse (see adverse)

awed in a state of amazement

odd unusual; opposite of even when referring to numbers

aye yes
eye organ one sees with
I pronoun

bald having no hair

bawled cried

ball a sphere
bawl to cry or wail loudly

band a group, sometimes a group of musicians

banned forbidden

bare naked, unconcealed, plain

bear the animal

base the bottom; vulgar; headquarters (singular)

bass low vocal or instrumental range (pronounced like lace); a type of fish ( pronounced like
lass)
based be dependent or supported
baste to moisten; to criticize or lash out at

bases (noun, headquarters (plural of base); builds on

verb)
basis (noun) foundation; belief

be to exist or live
bee insect

beach sandy area with water

beech type of tree with smooth, gray bark

beat to strike violently; to flutter or flap; to pound as with a drum; to defeat; to stir
vigorously
beet a plant with a fleshy red or white root

beau boyfriend (pronounced like owe)

bough (noun) branch of a tree (pronounced like cow)
bow (noun) 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)

because vs. Rule. Because and since can be used almost interchangeably although because always
since
indicates cause and effect and since is used for a relationship or time.
Example: Since I have some extra money, I will buy shoes. (not cause and effect)
Example: I will go to the game because my daughter is on the team. (cause and
effect)
Example: I have wanted to talk to you since yesterday. (time)

been form of be used with has or have

bin container

bell chime or alarm; a signal

belle beautiful or charming woman

berth a boat dock; bedroom or bed

birth being born; beginning

better of higher quality

bettor someone who places bets

between (see among)

biannual twice a year

biennial every two years
semiannual twice a year (same as biannual)

bite to use one’s teeth to tear food

byte computer term for eight bits of information

billed charged a fee

build construct

blew past tense of blow

blue the color

bloc a group united for a particular purpose

block city street; a cube-shaped object

boar male pig

bore someone or something not interesting

board piece of wood; a group of people

bored uninterested

boarder someone who pays for room and food

border perimeter; boundary

bode predict
bowed bent (pronounced like owed)

bold daring
bowled to have gone bowling; knocked over

bolder more daring

boulder a large rock

boos sounds made by disapproving audience

booze alcohol

bough (see beau)

bow (see beau)

boy male child

buoy a naval beacon or marker

brake stop
break separate into pieces

bread a food; slang for money

bred past tense of breed; raised

brewed fermented
brood (verb, mull over; a cluster or family
noun)

brews ferments
bruise a black-and-blue mark, contusion

bridal relating to brides

bridle a harness, usually for a horse

bring you bring something towards

take you take something away

broach to raise a topic

brooch a bauble; a piece of jewelry

brows the hairs in the arch above the eyes

browse search for, peruse

but except
butt (noun/verb) bottom; joke object; to ram

buy purchase, acquire

by near, next to
bye short for goodbye

cache hidden stash

cash money

calendar chart of days and months

colander sieve to drain off liquids

can able to
may permission to

cannon large, mounted gun

canon rule, commandment

canvas awning cloth, tarp

canvass to poll; a poll

capital assets; essential; main city

capitol statehouse

carat unit of weight in gemstones

caret a proofreading mark to show insertion (^)
carrot edible root
karat a unit for measuring the fineness of gold

cast (noun, verb) group of actors; to throw

caste
a social class, a rigid system of social distinctions

cay a small, low island (also spelled key)

key a small, low island; instrument for opening locks
quay (pronounced key) wharf, dock, pier

cede to surrender
seed reproductive germ

cell prison room; basic structural unit of an organism

sell to exchange for money

censor (verb, disallow; person who disallows

noun) Example: The soldier's letters were censored before mailing.
censure to disapprove of; criticize strongly
Example: The children were censured by the principal.
sensor a device that measures heat, light, etc. and transmits a signal to a control or measuring
instrument

cent a penny
scent a smell, aroma
sent transmitted

cereal breakfast food

serial a series or array

chance accident(al)
chants chorus, melody

chased went after

chaste pure, virginal

chews
choose