Articles Index - page 4
Imply and Infer
A speaker implies ("suggests") something; a listener infers (or "deduces").
Hoping and Hopping
Hoping is the present-participle form of hope ("to wish for"). Hopping is the present-participle form of hop (like a bunny).
Have and Of
Use "have," not "of," as an auxiliary verb. "Of" is a preposition.
Flaunt and Flout
To "flaunt" means "to show off." To "flout" means "to defy" or "to show contempt for."
Explicit and Implicit
"Explicit" means clearly expressed or readily observable. "Implicit" means implied or expressed indirectly.
Choose, Chose, and Chosen
"Choose" is an irregular verb, with "chose" as the past form and "chosen" as the past-participle form.
Maybe and May Be
"Maybe" is an adverb meaning "perhaps." "May be" is a verb phrase showing possibility.
Passed and Past
"Passed" is both the past and past participle form of the verb "pass."
"Past" is a noun (meaning "a previous time"), an adjective (meaning "ago"), and a preposition (meaning "beyond").
Quiet, Quit, and Quite
"Quiet" means "silence." "Quit" means "to leave." "Quite" means "very" or "actually."
Respectively and Respectfully
"Respectively" means "one by one in the order designated or mentioned." "Respectfully" means "with respect."
Sometime, Some time, and Sometimes
"Sometime" means "at an indefinite or unstated time in the future." "Some time" means "a period of time." "Sometimes" means "occasionally, now and then."
Should and Would
Use "should" to express an obligation. Use "would" to express a customary action.
Set and Sit
The transitive verb "set" means "to put" or "to place"; it takes a direct object, and its principal forms are "set," "set," and "set." The intransitive verb "sit" means "to be seated"; it does not take a direct object, and its principal forms are "sit," "sat," and "sat."
To and Too
The preposition "to" refers to a place, direction, or position. "To" is also used before the verb in an infinitive. The adverb "too" means "also" or "excessively."
Their, There, and They're
"Their" is the possessive form of "they." "There" is an adverb (meaning "at that place") and a pronoun used to start a sentence. "They're" is a contraction of "they are."
Advice and Advise
The noun "advice" means "guidance. The verb "advise" means to "recommend" or "counsel."
All Ready and Already
The phrase "all ready" means "completely prepared." "Already" is an adverb meaning "previously" or "by this time."
All Together and Altogether
The phrase "all together" refers to people or things gathered in one place. The adverb "altogether" means "entirely" or "wholly."
Allusive and Elusive
Something that is allusive contains (or is characterized by) indirect references. Someone or something that is elusive is hard to describe or skillful at avoiding capture.
A Lot (Much, Many)
Spell "a lot" as two words, not one. In formal writing (such as essays and exams), avoid "a lot" in favor of "much" or "many."
Anyone and Any One
The indefinite pronoun "anyone" refers to people but not to particular individuals. "Any one" is an adjective phrase that refers to specific but unidentified things or individuals.
Breath and Breathe
"Breath" is a noun. "Breathe" is a verb.
Conscience and Conscious
The noun "conscience" means "the sense of what is right and wrong." The adjective "conscious" means "being aware" or "deliberate."
Clothes and Cloths
The noun "clothes" means "clothing." "Cloths" is the plural of "cloth" (fabric).
The American Dialect Society's Words of the Year
Here, as determined by members of the American Dialect Society, are the words and expressions that have been recognized as Words of the Year since 1990.