This page attempts to explain the difference between words which are commonly confused with each other.
Affect / Effect
Affect is a verb, so describes an action. For example: ‘Her grades were affected by her inability to comprehend complex formulas’.
Effect is a noun, so describes the outcome of an action. For example: ‘She was promoted because of the positive effect that her project had on the company’s sales figures’.
augur / auger
Augur means ‘a sign, an omen’, as in ‘the quality in first game of the year augers well for the remainder of the season’.
Auger is a drilling tool, a brace, a bit, used in carpentry. Also a plumbing tool, known as an auger snake, used for unblocking drains.
currant / current
A currant is delicious. It is a raisin or dried, seedless grape.
Current means ‘occuring now’, ‘up to date’. It can also mean the flow of electricity or water.
Direct / Directly
Direct (verb) is used to describe an action. For example, ‘I had to direct him to the correct location’.
Direct (adjective) is used with a noun, e.g. ‘make direct contact with’.
Directly is an adverb and so is used with verbs, e.g. ‘you may contact me directly’.
Expedient / Expeditious
Expedient means fit for purpose, proper under the circumstances, e.g. it is expedient that you go.
Expeditious means prompt, quick, e.g. an expeditious answer to an enquiry.
Grey / Gray
These are two spellings of the same word. ‘Grey’ is more common in British Commonwealth countries, while ‘gray’ is more common in the United States.
Have / Of
At first glance you might think there is nothing confusing here. However, this is one of my biggest peeves.
Far too commonly, people state ‘I should of …’, or ‘I would of …’ etc.
The correct statement should be, ‘I should have …’, or ‘I would have …’ etc.
The difference is quite easy to understand. You HAVE something, you don’t OF something.
Literally / Figuratively
‘Literally’ is used to describe what actually happened, without resorting to metaphor or exaggeration. It would be incorrect to say that it was ‘literally raining cats and dogs’, as there has never been a documented case of canine or feline precipitation. It would be correct to say, ‘he literally choked on the muffin he was eating when told the bad news‘.
‘Figuratively’ is used to describe something metaphorically. For example, ‘it was raining cats and dogs, figuratively speaking‘.
Objective / Subjective
Objective is based on fact regarding a ‘thing’ (i.e. an object, which could be an event, item, person). Facts are provable and therefore a balanced assessment, without opinion or emotion, can be provided.
Subjective is opinion. The subject being the person making the opinion. The opinion is made from the viewpoint of the subject, not the facts related to the object.
Opinion is based on conclusions from within the person, whereas fact comes from conclusions by sources external to the person.
Populist / Popular
Populist means belonging to the People’s Party, which existed in the late-19th century in the USA. The People’s Party represented farmers and had a platform of radical agrarianism, with hostility towards banks, railroads and elites.
Popular means having the favour or approval of a lot of people.
Presumptuous / Presumptive
Presumptuous means arrogant, bold, or willingness to presume beyond what is acceptable.
Presumptive means to presume within reason.
Stationery / Stationary
Stationery is writing material, paper, pens and so on.
Stationary means ‘not moving’.
That / which
The debate over using ‘which’ or ‘that’ is usually in relation to their use as a subordinate conjunction. In other words, when they join two clauses in the same sentence. The latter clause could be either a ‘non-restrictive clause’ or a ‘restrictive clause’.
A non-restrictive clause is one that is not necessary for the sentence to make sense, or is not important the context of the preceding noun.
A restrictive clause is one that is necessary for the preceding noun to make sense or to put it in context.
When used as subordinate conjunctions, ‘which’ or ‘that’ can be used to introduce relative clauses:
For example:
•He showed me the new watch which was not working. (restrictive)
•He showed me the new watch that was not working. (restrictive)
‘That’ is never used to introduce non-relative clauses, but is only used for restrictive clauses. For example: ‘I brought a picnic lunch that we could enjoy at the beach’. (restrictive).
‘Which’ is used to introduce a ‘non-restrictive’ clause and is preceded by a comma. For example: ‘I packed a picnic lunch, which I will be enjoying at the beach’. (non-restrictive)
Utilise / Use
To utilise something is to use it for a purpose that it wasn’t designed for. For example: ‘He utilised the book about butterfuly worship, as a door-stop’.
To use something is to use it for the purpose it was designed for. ‘He used the book about butterfly worship, for researching an assignment’.