Commonly Confused Words

can, may

Can expresses ability May expresses possibility or

permission

cite, sight, site

Cite- means to quote or to state

( must be followed by a noun) Sight- to see (verb) or something seen Site- location

continual, continuous

Both of these words are adjectives Continual-frequently repeated Continuous- uninterrupted

different from

Use this form instead of different than, however, this can be used informally when it is followed by a clause.

Informal- Jean found life on her uncle’s ranch different than she had expected.

Formal- Jean found life on her uncle’s ranch different from what she had expected.

Standard- Her opinion about the political candidate is different from mine.

double negatives

Words such as hardly, never, no, not and nobody are considered double negatives. Do not use two negatives to express one negative meaning.

Nonstandard- I don’t never eat lunch in the cafeteria.

Standard- I don’t ever eat lunch in the cafeteria.

Standard- I never eat lunch in the cafeteria.

emigrate, immigrate

Emigrate- to leave a country to settle elsewhere

Immigrate- to enter a foreign country to live there.

eminent, imminent

Eminent- well-known or famous. Imminent- threatening in the

immediate future.

everyday, every day

everyday- ordinary or common every day- day after day

Farther, further

farther refers to distance further means additional or to a

greater degree or extent

adapt, adopt

adapt- to change (verb) adopt- to make as one’s own, to

incorporate (verb)

allusion, illusion

allusion- a reference to something (noun)

illusion- a false idea (noun)

apt, likely

apt-capable likely- probably

famous, infamous

famous-well known infamous- well known but not for

anything good

fewer, less

fewer- can be counted less- cannot be counted

imply, infer

imply- the speaker or writer is making a hint or suggestion (verb)

infer- to draw a conclusion from the speaker or write (verb)

in, into

in- something is already there (preposition)

into- something is going there (preposition)

irritate, aggravate

irritate- to annoy aggravate- to make worse

teach, learn

teach- to provide knowledge learn- to acquire knowledge

uninterested, disinterested

uninterested- bored disinterested- impartial