The document lists common misused words and phrases, providing examples and corrections for each. It emphasizes the importance of understanding distinctions between homonyms and similarly spelled words. Additionally, it includes quick tests to help reinforce proper usage.

1. Common Misused Words and
Phrases
Yenna Monica D. P.

2. Some Common Misused Words
maybe/ may be
if ever/when
“I would say” – “I think” “I believe”
All ready/already
may/might
Irregardless /Regardless
compared to/compared with

3. Recognize Misspelled/Correctly Spelled
Words and Phrases

4. The difference that a single new letter
can make

5. The difference that an apostrophe can
make

6. The difference that a change to a
single letter can make

7. Don’t let those homonyms (words that
sound alike) confuse you.

8. My brain
is getting
full!
Relax, dude,
we’re
almost
there!

9. Accept and Except
Affect and Effect
Advice and Advise
All together and Altogether
Assure, Ensure, Insure
complimentary and complementary
Desert and Dessert
e.g. and i.e.
hear and here
farther and further
fewer and less

10. lay (lay, laid, laid, laying, lays) and lie
(lie, lay, lain, lying, lies)
lose and loose
Past and Passed
practice and practise
site, sight, site
than and then
warrantee and warranty
you’re and your

11. Their, there, they’re, there’re

12. to and too

13. QUICK TEST

14. QUICK TEST
Even though we warned Jake not to eat a hole
A
pie at one sitting, he sat at the kitchen table and
B
proceeded to consume slice after slice.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
whole
set
preceded
No change is necessary.

15. QUICK TEST: Item 1
Give Jerrod a compliment because his shoe
A
laces complement the colors in his plaid shirt.
B
His fashion since is gradually improving.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
complement
compliment
sense
No change is necessary.

16. QUICK TEST: Item 2
If you go by the supermarket, buy a package of
A
B
hotdog buns. Then we can grill the sausage for
C
dinner.
A.
B.
C.
D.
buy
by
Than
No change is necessary.

17. QUICK TEST: Item 3
Heed my advice, and don’t loose your receipt.
A
B
The college bookstore will not accept any excuse
C
if you need to return those books.
A.
B.
C.
D.
advise
lose
except
No change is necessary.

18. QUICK TEST: Item 4
The herd of gazelle leaped through the air as
A
B
the animals tried to elude the cheetah.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
heard
threw
allude
No change is necessary.

19. QUICK TEST: Item 5
Maybe Gerald is caught in traffic, or he may be
A
B
flirting with the cute cafeteria cashier. Either way,
don’t accept any excuse for his tardiness.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
May be
maybe
except
No change is necessary.

20. QUICK TEST: Item 6
When there are fewer students in a class, the
A
B
professor has fewer worries that everyone is
C
getting individual attention.
A.
B.
C.
D.
their
less
fewer
No change is necessary.

21. QUICK TEST: Item 7
Gregory passed his chemistry final, so now he
A
won’t loose his scholarship. As he walked past
B
C
the diner, he rewarded himself with a milkshake.
A.
B.
C.
D.
past
lose
passed
No change is necessary.

22. QUICK TEST: Item 8
Mr. Ramos hopes to accept the bid on the house.
A
He has agreed to all of the buyer’s conditions
except retiling the master bathroom since it
B
C
would be too much work.
A.
B.
C.
D.
except
accept
sense
No change is necessary.

23. THE END
Yenna Monica D. P.