Commonly Confused Words

Tips to remember these confusing words.

Think about the first part of this word "EX" if you have an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend or ex-best friend, you want to leave them out of your life.

Except

Think about the A at the beginning. You WOULD like to accept, or receive an A on an assignment.

Accept

Tips to Remember

Effect is a noun. It is the result of something changing.

Effect

Affect with an A is a verb. That means an Action is happening. Affect --> Action both start with A. Affect has the action of changing something else.

Affect

Tips to Remember

Match

Match the following

• Accept

• Except

• Affect

• Effect

to receive

to leave out

to influence or change (verb)

result (noun)

• to receive

• to leave out

• to influence or change (verb)

• result (noun)

Means except for. No good tip for this one.

Besides

Beside is means close to or next to. Think of beside the bedside. This word is used more often.

Beside

Tips to Remember

Capital is a major city or primary meaning first. Capital has an A in it that makes it different and A is the first letter in the alphabet. Major also has an A in it.

​Capital

No good tip for this one.

Capitol

Tips to Remember

Match

Match the following

• Beside

• Besides

• Capital

• Capitol

close to or next to

except for, in addition

major city or primary

a government building

• close to or next to

• except for, in addition

• major city or primary

• a government building

The apostrophe shows a contraction.

It's

Hers and His also show possession of something and do not have an apostrophe and they end in an 's'. This version of its is also showing possession.

Its

Tips to Remember

This one means doing what is right.

Principle

Hopefully, your school principal is your "pal".

Principal

Tips to Remember

Match

Match the following

• Its

• It's

• Principal

• Principle

the possessive form of it

the contraction of it is

administrator of a school

moral beliefs or basic truth

• the possessive form of it

• the contraction of it is

• administrator of a school

• moral beliefs or basic truth

This word is used more often.

Since

No good tip for this one.

Sense

Tips to Remember

This than is to compare. Compare and than both have an a.

Than

This one means next which uses an e. Just like this then uses an e.

Then

Tips to Remember

Match

Match the following

• Sense

• Since

• Then

• Than

perception or understanding

indication of past time, because

at that time, next

compared to

• perception or understanding

• indication of past time, because

• at that time, next

• compared to

This there means over somewhere. Over where?Over there! They rhyme which helps to remember.

Where --> There

Their

Contraction uses an apostrophe to combine two words. This word combines they and are.

They're

Tips to Remember

There

This shows possession of something. Imagine the 'i' in their is someone standing in the word. This their belongs to them.

This is a contraction of two words, who and is OR who and has. The apostrophe in the word reminds us that there are secretly two words here.

Who's

This is not used very often. It shows possession.

Whose

Tips to Remember

Match

Match the following

• They're

• Their

• There

• Whose

• Who's

contraction form of they are

possessive form of they

in that place

possessive form of who

contraction of who is

• contraction form of they are

• possessive form of they

• in that place

• possessive form of who

• contraction of who is

You and are contraction. The apostrophe tells us that it is secretly two words. This is saying that something is something else. You're sweet. You are sweet.

You're

Possession of something. Your purse, your hat, your hair, your smile.

Your

Tips to Remember

This is a number.

Too

Shows a direction.

I am going to the store. I am talking to you.

To

Tips to Remember

Two

Shows extra amount of something. For example, too many o's in the word too. Too much of something.

Match

Match the following

• your

• you're

• to

• too

• two

possessive for you

contraction for you are

shows direction or relationship

something in excess or in addition to

a number that is one more than one

• possessive for you

• contraction for you are

• shows direction or relationship

• something in excess or in addition to

• a number that is one more than one

This is a measure of time. No good tip for this one.

Our

Are looks broken up by the 'r' in the middle. This are is a form of the verb "to be".

Are

Tips to Remember

Hour

If me and two other people own something then it is ours. there are three letters in our. The letters look like they belong together in this word. They are all touching sides.

Match

Match the following

• Our

• Are

• Hour

indicates that something belongs to the speaker and another

a form of the verb meaning to be

a unit of time

• indicates that something belongs to the speaker and another

• a form of the verb meaning to be

• a unit of time

Dropdown

The accident did not ​ ​

Select answer

Sarah's decision to ​

Select answer

the scholarship.

Drag and Drop

Ever ​

Placeholder

gym class, ​ ​

Placeholder

gym shoes have been giving off a strong odor!

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

since

your

you're

sense

Drag and Drop

The ​

Placeholder

asked, "​

Placeholder

skipping class?"

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

principal

who's

whose

principle

Dropdown

I put my glasses down ​

Select answer

the book and now ​

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gone!

Drag and Drop

We toured the legislative offices at the state ​

Placeholder

building.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

capitol

capital

Dropdown

​

Select answer

more important to study ​

Select answer

it is to party.