Commonly Mistaken Words + Source Material and Examples: An Ongoing Post.
advice versus advise
Summary: Advice is a noun that means ‘a suggestion about what one should do’. Advise is a verb that means ‘to give a suggestion about what one should do’.
EX: I advise you to follow the advice of your health care provider.
affect versus effect
Summary: Affect is a verb that means ‘to impact/change’. Effect is a noun that means ‘the result of an impact/change’.
EX: That class had a postive effect on me, however it negatively affected my friend’s GPA.
affective versus effective
Summary: Affective is an adjective that means ‘influenced by, concerned with, or resulting from emotions’. Effective is an adjective that means ‘having produced the intended result’. These definitions transfer to the adverb versions of these adjectives, ‘affectively’ and ‘effectively’.
EX: An affectively written piece of writing may also be effective in proving your point.
chorus versus choir
Summary: A choir refers a group of singers while a chorus is a large group of singers that may include dancers. The word chorus can also be used as a synonym for the refrain of a song.
EX: The church choir turned into a chorus once the dancers got involved.
chrysalis versus cocoon
Summary: “The main difference between a chrysalis and a cocoon is that the latter is a life stage, while a cocoon is the actual casing around the caterpillar as it transforms.”
EX: At the end of the chrysalis stage, the cocoon is broken and a butterfly emerges.
insure versus ensure versus assure
Summary: Insure means ‘to provide insurance for’ or ‘to make especially certain of by taking special precautions’. Ensure means ‘to guarantee’. Assure means ‘to inform positively or convince’.
EX: You insure your health through health insurance, assure others that you are taking care of your health by eating healthily, but no matter what, you can never ensure absolute perfect health.
principal versus principle
Summary: Principal can be a noun that refers to the leader of a school, association, etc. or it can be an adjective that means ‘of the first or highest importance or value’. Principle is a noun that means ‘a rule of action or conduct’.
EX: The principal, arguably the principal faulty member, has many principles they adhere to.
BONUS: I remember Principal Pal from Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide for this one:)
silicon vs. silicone
Summary: Silicon is a naturally occurring, metalloid element found in Earth’s Crust. It is often used as a building material in tech such as microchips, integrated circuits, and transistors. Silicone is a synthetic material made from oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, silicon, and other components. Silicone is often used in sealants, adhesives, and cosmetics.
EX: Silicon is one of several ingredients used to make the synthetic material we call silicone.
Thank you to @paradoxinyourpantshorse and @pokemonfanthings for your contributions to this post and to its future modifications.
