Commonly Confused
Words
JSYK…
•8 days until Mrs. Smith is a
college graduate
capital • a city that is the seat
of government for the state or country;
• EX. Salt Lake City is the capital of Utah.
capital • extremely serious
• EX. Capital punishment is a controversial issue.
capital • money or value in business
• EX. The company did not have the capital it needed to expand the factory.
capital • uppercase letter of the
alphabet
• EX. You should always begin the first word of a sentence with a capital letter.
capitol • the building where the legislature meets
• EX. The House of Representatives meet at the US Capitol.
cell • the smallest part of
an animal or plant;
• EX. The human body is composed of billions of cells.
cell • a room in prison
• EX. The cell in the prison was small and uncomfortable.
sale • getting a lower price
• EX. The shirt was originally $59.99 but was on sale for $4.99.
sell • trade products for
money
• EX. I decided to sell all my old clothes.
sell • trade products for
money
• EX. I decided to sell all my old clothes.
JSYK…
•7 days until Mrs. Smith is a
college graduate
choose • to select or decide on
• EX. I had to choose between the brown or black boots.
chose • selected in the past
• EX. I chose to go to the movie last night.
emigrate • to exit one area or country in order to settle in
another
• EX. I want to leave the US and emigrate to Australia.
immigrate • to move into another area or country to stay
• EX. Many people immigrate to the US in search of a better life.
JSYK…
•6 days until Mrs. Smith is a
college graduate
farther • distance
• EX. My house it farther away than yours.
further • longer or more
• EX. Do you need further tutoring in Algebra?
knew • something
understood or already familiar
• EX. I knew all of the vocabulary words for my upcoming test.
new • something just
learned, created, or discovered
• EX. Mrs. Smith discovered new information about lizards.
new • unused
• EX. The treadmill have never been ran on, therefore, it was new.
new • opposite of old
• EX. I opened the packaging to my new computer.
JSYK…
•5 days until Mrs. Smith is a
college graduate
loose • not firmly in place
• EX. The screw was loose on the table, so the legs came off.
loose • not under control; out of control
• EX. The pigs ran loose from the pigsty.
lose • misplace
• EX. I always lose my car keys in my messy room.
lose • to be defeated;
opposite of win
• EX. I think we are going to lose the football game by 10 points.
passed • moved through or by;
• EX. We passed the Mall of America on our drive and we had to stop.
passed • given away
• EX. We passed around the gifts in a circle.
passed • met the standard
• EX. Grady passed the end of level test, so he was able to go to 9th grade.
past • the time before the
present
• EX. In the past, I went to Costa Rica on vacation.
JSYK…
•4 days until Mrs. Smith is a
college graduate
quiet • making little or no
noise
• EX. The class was quiet as they took their vocabulary test. There was no noise.
quit • to stop doing
• EX. John quit his job because the company decided not to pay him. s
quite • very or extremely;
exactly
• EX. I am quite upset that none of you followed directions on the worksheet.
their • a possessive –
belongs to them
• EX. Amy and Fred invited me to their house yesterday.
they’re • a contraction of ‘they are’
• EX. They’re going to the store tomorrow.
there • a place
• EX. Please go over there.
JSYK…
•3 days until Mrs. Smith is a
college graduate
weak • not strong
• EX. Mrs. Smith was so weak that she couldn’t even lift a 5lb weight.
week • a period of 7 days
• EX. I am going bowling on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this week.
to • direction, preposition
• EX. I need to go to the store to buy food for my husband.
too • also, excessive, very,
adverb
• EX. I have too much homework; it is going to take me all day.
then • next
• EX. I need to go workout then drink a protein shake.
then • following
• EX. The rain stopped and then started again.
then • in that case
• EX. If there are only two people in the car then I will go.
then • telling when
something happened
• EX. My dad asked me to pick him up at 6pm, so I will go to get him then.
then • therefore
• EX. Jane wants to do it so then let her.
than • a conjunction linking
two parts of a sentence being compared to each other
• EX. I am smarter than a 5th grader.
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