Have you stumbled over words that seem similar but mean different things? Let's clear up that confusion! Here are some tricky words I often see when marking written work. Students either make the mistake of spelling them wrongly or are unclear about what they mean. Notice too that they could almost always sound the same!

Here are 5 with examples and there’s more to come.

1. Affect vs. Effect

   • Affect: To influence something.

     Eg. : The weather can affect our mood.

   • Effect: The result of a change.

     Eg. : The effect of the new law was immediate.

2. Compliment vs. Complement

   • Compliment: A polite expression of praise.

     Eg. : She received a compliment on her dress.

   • Complement: Something that completes or goes well with something.

     Eg: The red wine is a perfect complement to the steak.

3. Elicit vs. Illicit

   • Elicit: To draw out a response.

     Eg. : As a tutor, I always try to elicit answers from my students.

   • Illicit: Illegal or not permitted.

     Eg. : The police found illicit drugs in his possession.

4. Principal vs. Principle

   • Principal: The head of a school or organization; primary or most important.

     Eg. : The principal of the school addressed the students at assembly.

   • Principle: A fundamental truth or belief.

     Eg. : She always stands by her principles.

5. Stationary vs. Stationery

   • Stationary: Not moving.

     Eg. : The car remained stationary despite the green light.

   • Stationery: Writing materials like paper and pens.

     Eg. : She bought new stationery for her office.

There’s more to come in the next post but don’t forget a fantastic place to check out grammar, meaning and usage is right at your fingertips since we’re practically all online half the time. I love using the Oxford English Dictionary. It is fantastic for discovering more of the English language than you ever knew you knew! And if it’ s a straight-forward check I want, I also use the Cambridge Dictionary Online.