Commonly Confused Words Vocabulary

affect is usually a verb (to influence); effect is usually a noun (the result)

“The rain will affect the game. The effect was dramatic.”

Origin: Both from Latin `afficere` and `efficere`, but affect = influence, effect = result

lie means to recline (no object); lay means to place something (requires object)

“I lie down. I lay the book on the table. Yesterday I lay down (past of lie).”

Origin: Old English `licgan` (to recline) vs. `lecgan` (to cause to lie)

who is a subject pronoun; whom is an object pronoun

“Who called? To whom should I address this? (Try: he called / give it to him)”

Origin: Old English `hwa` (nominative) vs. `hwam` (dative)

fewer for countable items; less for uncountable quantities

“Fewer people, less water. Fewer mistakes, less confusion.”

Origin: Old English `feawa` (small number) vs. `læssa` (smaller amount)

farther for physical distance; further for metaphorical or additional

“Walk farther down the road. Let's discuss this further.”

Origin: Both from Old English `fyrðra`, but farther specialized for physical distance

speakers/writers imply; listeners/readers infer

“She implied I was wrong. I inferred from her tone that she was upset.”

Origin: Latin `implicare` (to enfold) vs. `inferre` (to bring in)

compliment is praise; complement is something that completes

“She paid me a compliment. The wine complements the meal.”

Origin: Both from Latin `complere` (to fill), but diverged in meaning

disinterested means impartial; uninterested means not interested

“A judge should be disinterested. He was uninterested in the topic.”

Origin: Disinterested = without self-interest; uninterested = lacking interest

parts compose the whole; the whole comprises its parts

“Fifty states compose the union. The union comprises fifty states.”

Origin: Latin `componere` (put together) vs. `comprendere` (grasp, include)

continual means recurring with breaks; continuous means without interruption

“Continual interruptions vs. the continuous flow of the river.”

Origin: Latin `continuus` (unbroken), with continual suggesting repeated actions