Frustrated By Commonly Confused Words? Don't Be

Whether English is your native language or not, there are a number of commonly confused words that can cause us some frustration when we’re not quite sure if we’re using the correct word in our sentence. So, I thought a few tips might be helpful.

Then or Than

I’m starting with the really simple here. “Than” is used in comparisons, such as “She’s younger than my sister,” or “He’s taller than my brother,” while “then” refers to time, such as “Back then I wasn’t as smart,” or “He went to school, then hurried home.”

Compliment or Complement

These two are a little different from the rest of the confusing word choices here, in that they are spelled differently, yet pronounced the same. Why two spellings, then, you might ask? Well, because they have different meanings, which means you could easily use the wrong spelling if you’re not careful.

I should also mention that I could make this explanation difficult and convoluted, but I promise not to by sticking to the basics, as we’d likely use them in our manuscripts.

“Compliment,” spelled with an “i,” refers to saying something nice or praising someone or something, such as “You look wonderful in that dress.”

Example: “Thank you for the compliment.”

Whereas “complement,” spelled with an “e,” refers to comparing something or someone, such as “She looks better in that dress than her sister did.”

Example: “That color doesn’t complement your skin tone.”

Farther or Further

Once again, two words that are spelled with just one letter differing, but are not pronounced the same. And although some think the difference in these two simply depends on your geographic locale or social upbringing, kind of like how you pronounce words such as tomato or caramel, that is not the case.

A simple way to remember which spelling is the correct one to use in your sentence is that “farther” relates to physical distance (think “far”), while “further” is used for figurative or metaphorical distance.

Who or Whom

Here are two more words that many believe are simply a social status thing. As a matter of fact, I remember someone correcting me once, telling me that I should have used the word “whom” in my sentence, not “who,” and I replied, “No one talks like that.” Boy, am I embarrassed thinking back on that moment in time.

Now, my English teacher would have explained that “who” is used as a subject in a sentence, while “whom” is used as an object. And I would have rolled my eyes at that explanation, so that I won’t give you the same. Instead, here’s a quick tip to help you remember whether to use “who” or “whom” in your sentence:

If you can replace the word with he or she or another subject pronoun, use “who.” If you can replace it with him or her (or another object pronoun), use “whom.”

Example: You’re going to hire whom?

Replacement: You’re going to hire him?

Example: Who are you going to hire?

Replacement: He is the one you are going to hire?

Affect or Effect

Now, these two words really frustrate me, and I have to stop and check myself every time I use them. However, seeing as they are two of the most commonly confused words in English, knowing I’m not alone helps.

There is no quick tip when it comes to these two buggers either, but hopefully the following will help us all keep them straight.

The basic difference is this: “Affect” is usually used as a verb, and “effect” is usually used as a noun.

Yeah, I said “usually.”  *Insert eye roll here*

When used as a verb, “affect” means “to act on or change someone or something.”

Examples: The weather affected attendance at the school play.

                            Construction will affect traffic flow.

He’s trying not to let emotions affect his decision.

“Affect” also has a sense meaning, such as “to put on a false appearance.”

Example: He affected a Russian accent.

When used as a noun, “effect” is “a change that results when something is done or happens,” or “a particular feeling or mood created by something.”

Examples: The alcohol had no effect on his temperament.

She added an accent to her speak for effect.

The price increase goes into effect next week.

And, of course, there are rare exceptions.

For instance, “affect” can be used as a noun, although this usage is primarily found in psychology. Here, the noun “affect” refers to an observable emotional response.

Example: His affect did not change after hearing the news.

In addition, “effect” can be used as a verb, and as a verb, “effect” generally means “to cause to come into being” or to “accomplish something.”

Example: The protest effected change within the state.

Exceptions aside, just stick to the basics. If you think of affect as the verb in your sentence and effect as the noun, more often than not, you’ll use the correct word.

And I think that’s a good place to end this frustration, as I just know I’ll still have to stop and give my usage on these last two a second consideration every single dang time.