English 178 Grammar Quiz 4COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS

Please print this out and complete the exercise at the end.

In English there are several words that sound similar or are spelt similarly, and which people often confuse with each other. It is important to know the right usage of these commonly confused words, so you can avoid careless mistakes in your writing.

Their/ There/ They're

There = a place wordThey went there after church.

Their = a possessive pronounIt is their dog.

They’re = a contraction of 'they are'They’re very happy. (They are very happy)

Its/ It's

Its = possessive pronounThe dog is chasing its tail.

It’s = a contraction of 'it is'It’s a nice day. (It is a nice day)

He's/ His

He’s = a contraction of 'he is'. He’s standing over there. (He is standing over there.)

His = possessive pronoun, used for malesThis is his book.

Woman/ Women

Woman = one female personWomen = many female personsFive women were mean to that woman.

Loose/ lose

Loose = not tightThe shirt is very loose so it does not fit me properly.

Lose = not win/ mislayIf you do not run fast enough, you will lose the race.Make sure you do not lose your earrings.

Your/ You're

Your = indicates possessionIs this your book?

You’re = a contraction of 'you are'.You’re acting very silly. (You are acting very silly.)

Affect/ effect

Effect = a result. ('Effect' is a noun)The effect of taking the aspirin was immediate – my headache is gone!

Affect = to influence ('Affect' is a verb)The drug did not affect me in any way.

Weather/ Whether

Weather = refers to the way things are outside, for instance, sunny, rainy, cloudy.This sunny weather is perfect for a picnic.

Whether = a conjunction, introduces possibilities and alternativesIt all depends on whether she will agree.

Then/Than

Then = a time wordShe will be arriving then.

Than = a comparative wordShe is prettier than me.

A lot = two words

She ate a lot of cake. NOT: She ate alot of cake .x

'Should of' or 'Could of' is not correct

He could of been a star athlete.xHe could have been a star athlete.

She should of come to the party. xShe should have come to the party.

Task:Please circle the correct word in brackets.

1. (Their/They’re/There) going to the amusement park tomorrow.2. The sugar had a negative (effect/affect) on the science experiment.3. John scored higher on the exam (then/than) I did.4. The book is on the table over (their/there/they’re).5. The (weather/whether) greatly (effected/affected) the outcome of the race.6. (Their/They’re/There) books are on the bottom shelf.7. Kelly ordered her lunch, and (then/than) she went back to work.8. Put the box over (their, there, they’re).9. I need (your, you’re) telephone number.10. The toy has lost (its, it’s) batteries.11. (Their, There, They’re) going to be here soon.12. (Its, It’s) time to go.13. (Your, You’re) going to be late.14. My pants are too (lose, loose).15. Most drugs have side (affects, effects).16. I practice so I won’t (lose, loose) the game.17. The politician's actions might (affect, effect) the outcome of the elections.18. (Their/They’re) waiting for us.19. Don’t (loose/lose) your bag. 20. The (affect/effect) of his actions was felt for a long time.

Tip: Remember, if you are even slightly unsure of the spelling or meaning of a word, look it up in a dictionary.