When Spell-Check Lets You Down: Commonly Confused Words & Other Insidious Imposters

1. When Spell-Check Lets You Down: Commonly Confused Words& Other Insidious Imposters Kathryn Mincey Associate Professor of English Morehead State University

2. “Owed to the Spell Checker” Eye halve a spelling checker It came with my pea sea It plainly marks four my revue Miss steaks eye kin knot sea. Eye strike a key and type a word And weight four it two say Weather eye am wrong oar write It shows me strait a weigh. As soon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite Its rare lea ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw it Eye am shore your pleased two no Its letter perfect awl the weigh My checker tolled me sew.

3. These pesky pairs or groups of words are frequently mistaken for each other and are insidious because the spell checker will not catch them. Commonly Confused Words

4. Commonly Confused Words They are spelled correctly when used in the appropriate context, but writers often overlook the fact that they are spelling a related word that is inappropriate for their intended meaning.

5. The Embarrassment Factor Because many of these words are familiar utility words, they create tension: • They are usedoften, but, • their misuse canerode a reader’s confidence in the writer’s credibility.

6. Commonly Confused Words… …come in at least four varieties that overlap:

7. Varieties ofCommonly Confused Words • Homophones • Etymological / functional variations • Transcriptions of colloquialisms • Antonyms

8. Homophones – words that sound alike but have different meanings • To, too, two • Their, there, they’re • Cite, site, sight • Principal, principle • Right, write, rite, wright

9. Etymological/functional variations – words that come from the same root but have evolved toward differing parts of speech or meaning • Affect, effect • Quote, quotation • Advice, advise • Conscience, conscious • Proceed, precede • Accept, except • Credible, credulous

10. Transcriptions of colloquialisms– words that are spelled as they sound in oral dialect or imprecisely pronounced alike) but are actually spellings of different words • Ideal for idea • Suppose to for supposed to • Use to for used to • Granite for granted • Ever for every • Cause for ‘cause (because) • Should of for should’ve • Ozlock • Witchaditcha • Aorta • Mayonnaise • Parade

11. Antonyms –words that are not spelled or pronounced similarly at all but are opposite in meaning. Oddly enough, many speakers and writers confuse such words because they are related in their minds but may have opposite definitions. • Infer for imply • Literally for figuratively • Can’t hardly for can hardly

13. Teaching Strategies • Etymology – Review some Latin & Greek • Roots* • Prefixes and suffixes* • Handbook glossary • Commonly Confused Words • Commonly Confused Words 2 • Fun With Words Commonly Confused Words • Mnemonic devices *Preparation for an American University ProgramVocabulary Workshop http://www.southampton.liunet.edu/academic/pau/course/webesl.htm

14. Confusing Words of the Week • Small poster-sized display of each selected group • Featured in the center of an ongoing bulletin board collection • Surrounded by smaller pages of previous features • Featured pair or group to be used in daily oral language or random spot checks

15. Confusing Words of the Week There = where? here? Their = they own it They’re = they are Affect – act on Effect – the outcome A Quotation (noun) To Quote (verb) Then ← when ? Than = compare Cite = Call attention to Site = Scene, location Sight = vision Ever → forever Every = each Precede = before Proceed = through Whose → those Who’s = who is Stationary – in place Stationery = letter