This document provides clarification on some commonly confused words: - Who is used as a subject while whom is used as an object. - That is used in essential phrases and which is used in non-essential phrases. - Between is used for two items or people and among is used for three or more. - Compose means to make up while comprise means to include. - Affect is usually used as a verb meaning to influence, while effect is usually used as a noun meaning a result.

1. Confusing Words
COM 303 Editing: Brian Carroll w/adaptations & additions in January 2013

2. Who vs. Whom
Who
– Substitutes for the subject
– Example: Who let the dogs out?
Whom
– Substitutes for objective pronouns (him, her)
– Example: Whom did he question?
– And serves as the object of a preposition
– Example: Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

3. That vs. Which
That
– Use with essential phrases
– Example: Go to the door that reads, “Clinic 1.”
Which
– Use with non-essential phrases
– Example: The test, which was given Thursday, was
difficult.

4. Among vs. Between
Between
– Use with two.
– Example: He split the Calzone between Tim and Susan,
because it was bigger than Tim’s head.
Among
– Use with three or more.
– Example: We divided the money among the five children.

5. Compose vs. comprise
Compose
– Means to make up
– Example: The class is composed of 25 students.
Comprise
– Means to include
– Example: Our class comprises five women and six
men.

6. Affect vs. effect
Affect
– A verb that means influence
– Example: The drought will affect the color of the
fall foliage.
Effect
– A noun that means result
– Example: The medicine has unpleasant side
effects.

7. Affect vs. Effect
The majority of the time you use affect
with an a as a verb
and
effect with an e as a noun
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8. Affect vs. Effect
Affect with an a means "to influence,"
examples: "The arrows affected the aardvark,"
" The rain affected Amy's hairdo."
Affect can also mean, roughly,
"to act in a way that you don't feel,"
examples: "She affected an air of superiority."
“Her affect was disturbing to me: she
was always trying to be something she
was not” 8
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9. Affect vs. Effect
Effect with an e has a lot of subtle meanings as a
noun, but basically its meaning is "a result"
Examples:
"The effect was eye-popping."
"The sound effects were amazing."
"The rain had no effect on Amy's hairdo"
"The trick-or-treaters hid behind the bushes for
effect.“
“The effect of plants on biodiversity is…” 9
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10. Affect vs. Effect
Grammar Girl says, use aardvark to remember:
“The arrows affected the aardvark.”
“The effect was eye-popping."
Affect with an a goes with the a words arrow and
aardvark
Effect with an e goes with the e word eye-popping
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