Boot Camp Commonly Confused Words

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Boot CampCommonly Confused Words

• Christopher J. Middelhof MBA

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Goals

• Review commonly confused words
• Be aware that these words have different
  meanings, are different parts of speech, cannot
  be used in place of one another

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Commonly Confused Words

• Their, theyre, and there
• To, too, and two
• Effect and affect
• Except and accept
• Its and its
• Then and than

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Their There Theyre

• Their that they own
• Their car the car that they own
• Their daughter is in college.
• The daughter that they own
• There location or adverb
• There, where, here all location, all have
  similar spelling
• Adverb There are seven tables in this room.
• Where is my favorite shirt? It is over there.
• The location of the shirtthere not close by or
  here.
• Theyre they are

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Their There Theyre

• I left __ presents at home. ___ on the table by
  the front door. I hope __ not mad at me when I
  arrive __ empty-handed. I can bring the gifts by
  ___ shop tomorrow. Ill be over ___ to visit my
  friend, Sarah.

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Answers

• I left their presents at home. Theyre on the
  table by the front door. I hope theyre not mad
  at me when I arrive there empty-handed. I can
  bring the gifts by their shop tomorrow. Ill be
  over there to visit my friend, Sarah.
• Presents that they own
• Arrive in the location
• Shop that they own

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To, Too, Two

• To preposition or infinitive verb
• To the store
• To his surprise
• To a huge house
• To store a verb meaning to keep in storage
• To surprise a verb meaning to catch someone off
  guard
• To house a verb meaning to provide a home for
  someone

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To Continued

• I love to read the newspaper to my dog on Sunday
  morning.
• I dont need a reason to drink hot coffee or to
  toast the sunrise.
• To my shock, my dog likes to see the pictures.

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Too and Two

• Too also or in excess
• I ate too much cake. Sally confessed. I did
  too. Rob told her.
• I have a black bag, but I need a brown one too.
• If you take too many bags with you, you are
  carrying them.
• Two the easy one. 2

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Your Turn

• -- his detriment, Sean chose not study all
  week. It was impossible for him read
  chapters from different textbooks and learn the
  formulas in the handbook --. His sister tried
  help, but he was stubborn listen her advice.

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Answers

• To his detriment, Sean chose not to study all
  week. It was impossible for him to read two
  chapters from two different textbooks and learn
  the formulas in the handbook too. His sister
  tried to help, but he was too stubborn to listen
  to her advice.

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Effect and Affect

• Effect a noun
• The results
• An effect, the effect, good effect, special
  effect
• Can be plural effects
• Affect a verb meaning to change
• Not studying will affect my grade.
• Can be past tense affected
• Can be participle affecting

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Your Turn

• The __ of the medicine is unknown. I hope it
  doesnt __ your mood.
• These lights always __ my eyes.
• Poor eyesight can have a negative on ones
  driving.
• Did the extra credit your grade?
• My GPA __ my financial aid.
• The writers tone can __ the reader strongly.

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Answers

• The effect of the medicine is unknown. I hope it
  doesnt affect your mood.
• These lights always affect my eyes.
• Poor eyesight can have a negative effect on ones
  driving.
• Did the extra credit affect your grade?
• My GPA affects my financial aid.
• The writers tone can affect the reader strongly.

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Review

• Their that they own
• To preposition or infinitive verb
• Too also or in excess
• There location
• Affect a verb meaning to change
• Can be past tense affected
• Can be participle affecting

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Except and Accept

• Except preposition to exclude to leave out
• I ate all of my food except the bread.
• Excluding the bread
• Leaving out the bread
• We read all of the chapters except for three
  which was ripped from the book.
• Leaving out the missing chapter
• Excluding the missing chapter

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Accept

• Accept a verb meaning to take in to allow to
  keep
• I accept this award.
• I take this award
• I allow this award to be given to me
• This instructor does not accept late work.
• Does not allow
• Will not take or keep

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Your Turn

• If you __ my apology, we can forget all of this.
• Everyone will arrive at 700 __ Steve who has to
  __ and sign for a package for his mother.
• __ for spiders, I am not afraid of anything.
• The papers are graded __ for the extra credit.
• Take all of the medicine __ the cough syrup which
  is expired.
• Never __ info as true until you have researched
  it.

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Answers

• If you __ my apology, we can forget all of this.
• Accept take and keep
• Everyone will arrive at 700 __ Steve who has to
  __ and sign for a package for his mother.
• Except excluding Steve
• Accept take a package
• __ for spiders, I am not afraid of anything.
• Excluding spiders, leaving out spiders
• The papers are graded __ for the extra credit.
• Except Not counting the extra credit
• Take all of the medicine __ the cough syrup which
  is expired.
• Except excluding the cough syrup
• Never __ info as true until you have researched
  it.
• Accept take in , allow, keep

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Its and Its

• Its possession, ownership
• That it owns
• The dog is chasing its tail.
• The tail that itthe dog-- owns
• The house needs its windows replaced.
• The windows that itthe house--owns
• Its contraction it is
• Its December. It is December
• I think its time to leave. It is time to leave.

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Your Turn

• If __ okay with you, Im going to tell the
  workers that __ too late for them to be here.
• __ difficult to get around Orlando without a car.
  __ just not a city designed for public transit.
  __ a shame because __ a fact that all of these
  cars are bad for the environment.

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Answers

• If its okay with you, Im going to tell the
  workers that its too late for them to be here.
• Its difficult to get around Orlando without a
  car. Its just not a city designed for public
  transit. Its a shame because its a fact that
  all of these cars are bad for the environment.

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Then and Than

• Then a transition word refers to time
  describes order of events, expresses cause and
  effect.
• I ate, then I washed dishes.
• If you insist on not sleeping, then be prepared
  for exhaustion.
• Read the title, then read the objectives, then
  guess what the chapter will be about.

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Then and Than

• Than comparison
• Taller than
• Slower than
• Work harder than
• Read more than
• Talk less than

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Then and Than

• If you want to earn more money __ Sam, __ work
  harder __ him.
• I allowed one late paper, __ six students missed
  the next deadline.
• Be in every class, __ you wont miss important
  info.
• I arrive at work early rather __ sit in traffic
  to be on time. Id rather sit in my office __ in
  my car.

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Your Turn

• If you want to earn more money than Sam, then
  work harder than him.
• I allowed one late paper, then six students
  missed the next deadline.
• Be in every class, then you wont miss important
  info.
• I arrive at work early rather than sit in traffic
  to be on time. Id rather sit in my office than
  in my car.