6 September 2016 - EASILY CONFUSED WORDS

EASILY CONFUSED WORDS

G'day folks,

We all have certain words that make us stumble. Check out these regular problem words.

allusion / illusion

Allusion is a noun that means an indirect reference: “The speech made allusions to the final report.” 

Illusion is a noun that means a misconception: “The policy is designed to give an illusion of reform.” 

alternately / alternatively 

Alternatively is an adverb that means on the other hand; one or the other: “You can choose a large bookcase or, alternatively, you can buy two small ones.”

amusement park / theme park

An amusement park, a noun, is a place where people go to have fun. It has games, food, rides, and shows for entertainment.

A theme park, a noun, is an amusement park with a theme, a subject that everything in the park has in common. The rides, games, and shows all deal with this subject in some way. At Disney World, a famous theme park, everything has some connection to the Disney characters.

beside / besides

Beside is a preposition that means next to: “Stand here beside me. ”

Besides is an adverb that means also: “Besides, I need to tell you about the new products my company offers.”

bimonthly / semimonthly

Bimonthly is an adjective that means every two months: “I brought the cake for the bimonthly office party.” Bimonthly is also a noun that means a publication issued every two months: “The bimonthly magazine will soon become a monthly publication.”

Semimonthly is an adjective that means happening twice a month: “We have semimonthly meetings on the 1st and the 15th.”

cite / site

Cite is a verb that means to quote as an authority or example: “I cited several eminent scholars in my study of water resources.” It also means to recognize formally: “The public official was cited for service to the city.” It can also mean to summon before a court of law: “Last year the company was cited for pollution violations.” 

Site is a noun meaning location: “They chose a new site for the factory just outside town.”

cologne / perfume

Cologne, a noun, is a scented liquid made from alcohol and fragrant oils.

Perfume, a noun, is a quickly evaporating scented oil either obtained from flowers or manmade. It is more concentrated (stronger) and much more expensive than cologne.

complement / compliment

Complement is a noun or verb that means something that completes or makes up a whole: “The red sweater is a perfect complement to the outfit.”

Compliment is a noun or verb that means an expression of praise or admiration: “I received many compliments about my new outfit.”

concurrent / consecutive

Concurrent is an adjective that means simultaneous or happening at the same time as something else: “The concurrent strikes of several unions crippled the economy.” 

Consecutive means successive or following one after the other: “The union called three consecutive strikes in one year.”

connote / denote

Connote is a verb that means to imply or suggest: “The word ‘espionage’ connotes mystery and intrigue.” 

Denote is a verb that means to indicate or refer to specifically: “The symbol for ‘pi’ denotes the number 3.14159.”

dinner / supper

Dinner, a noun, is always the main meal of the day, whether it is eaten at noon or in the evening.

Supper, a noun, is eaten only in the evening, whether it is a large or small meal.

Clancy's comment: Hope this has helped.

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