When Spell-Check Lets You Down: Commonly Confused Words
& Other Insidious Imposters
Kathryn Mincey
Associate Professor of English
Morehead State University
“Owed to the Spell Checker”
Eye halve a spelling checkerIt came with my pea sea
It plainly marks four my revueMiss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a wordAnd weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar writeIt shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maidIt nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error riteIts rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw itEye am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weighMy checker tolled me sew.
Commonly Confused Words
These pesky pairs or groups of words are
frequently mistaken for each other and are
insidious because the spell checker will not catch them.
Commonly Confused Words
They are spelled correctly when used in the appropriate context, but writers often overlook the fact that they are spelling a related word that is inappropriate for their intended meaning.
The Embarrassment Factor
Because many of these words are familiar
utility words, they create tension: They are used often, but, their misuse can erode a reader’s confidence in
the writer’s credibility.
Varieties ofCommonly Confused Words
1. Homophones
2. Etymological / functional variations
3. Transcriptions of colloquialisms
4. Antonyms
Homophones – words that sound alike but have different meanings
To, too, two Their, there, they’re Cite, site, sight Principal, principle Right, write, rite, wright
Etymological/functional variations – words that come from the same root but have evolved toward differing parts of speech or meaning Affect, effect
Quote, quotation Advice, advise Conscience, conscious Proceed, precede Accept, except Credible, credulous
VERB ADJECTIVE
NOUN
ROOT
Transcriptions of colloquialisms– words that are spelled as they sound in oral dialect or imprecisely pronounced alike, but are actually spellings of different words
Ideal for idea Suppose to for supposed to Use to for used to Granite for granted Ever for every Cause for ‘cause (because) Should of for should’ve
Ozlock Witchaditcha Aorta Mayonnaise Parade
Antonyms – words that are not spelled or pronounced similarly at all but are opposite in meaning. Oddly enough, many speakers and writers confuse such words because they are related in their minds but may have opposite definitions. Infer for imply
Literally for figuratively Can’t hardly for can hardly
There = where? here?
Their = they own it
They’re = they are
Confusing Words of the Week
Affect – act on
Effect – the outcome
A Quotation (noun)
To Quote (verb)
Then ← when ?Than = compare
Cite = Call attention toSite = Scene, location
Sight = visionEver → forever
Every = each
Stationary – in place
Stationery = letterPrecede = before
Proceed = throughWhose → those
Who’s = who is