Commonly Misspelled and Confused Words

150 Commonly Misspelled Words a lot absence accommodate achieve acquire address advice almost apparent arctic argument atheist athlete awful becoming beginning believe business calendar category ceiling cemetery changeable chief collectible column coming committed conscience conscious consensus coolly deceive definite(ly) desperate difference dilemma disappoint disastrous discipline embarrass(ment) equipment exceed exercise exhilarate existence experience fascinating fiery fluorescent foreign forward friend gauge government grateful guarantee guidance harass height hierarchy humorous ignorance immediate(ly) independent indispensable inoculate intelligence jealous jewelry judgment knowledge leisure liaison library license maintenance mathematics medieval memento millennium miniature miniscule mischievous misspell mysterious necessary neighbor noticeable nuclear occasion(ally) occurrence omission original pastime perceive perseverance personal(ly) personnel piece playwright possess(ion) precede prejudice presence privilege professor promise pronunciation proof publicly questionnaire quiet quit quite really recommend reference referred relevant religious repetition restaurant rhyme rhythm scissors secretary separate sergeant shining similar sincerely speech successful supersede surely surprise therefore thorough through truly twelfth tyranny until using vacuum weird withhold writing Compiled from esldesk.com/vocabulary/misspelled-words, grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/misspelled_words.htm, grammar.about.com/od/words/a/misspelled200.htm, and oxforddictionaries.com/words/common-misspellings. Commonly Confused Words affect / effect – In most cases affect is a verb, while effect is a noun.  The tsunami affected the city. The effects of the tsunami are damaged buildings and injured people.  You must do the assigned work for a class to affect you. If you do the work, then the class will have an effect on you. its / it's – Its is possessive, while it’s is a contraction of it is.  It’s a dog. The dog has its bone.  It’s difficult to see the deer in the bushes, but its head is by a big tree. lose / loose – Lose is a verb, while loose is almost always an adjective.  Don’t let your pets run loose in your backyard. You might lose them.  Did you lose your belt? Yes, it was too loose and fell off. their / they’re / there – Their is possessive. They’re is a contraction of they are. There can be a pronoun or an adverb.  There are twelve people in the class. The class is held in there. Tomorrow is their last class, and they’re taking an exam.  There is a chance that they’re going to the zoo in their car. Once they get there I think they’re going to walk with their stroller. then / than – Then indicates a time or order, while than is used to compare two or more things.  She likes math better than English.  The subject comes first in a sentence, then the verb, and then the object.  He is first and then you are second, because he arrived earlier than you. to / too / two – To is used to form an infinitive verb and as a preposition that usually indicates movement. Too is a synonym for also, in addition, extremely, and very. Two is a number.  She is going to the store. She needs to buy two gallons of milk, and she would like cereal too.  I have two pet fish. I want to own more, but my fish tank is too small. your / you’re – Your is possessive, while you’re is a contraction of you are.  Your brother can be mean, but you’re very nice.  You’re a good student when you finish your work.