Spelling, Vocabulary, and Confusing Words （2 ）

dam damn	a barrier obstructing the flow of liquid a swear word or curse
dammed damned	blocked from flowing doomed
days daze	twenty-four-hour periods of time to stun or overwhelm
dear deer	affectionate term the animal
denote	(see connote)
desert (noun, verb) dessert	a desolate area; to abandon extra s for sugary treat
desperate disparate	lost all hope, in despair entirely dissimilar
device (noun) devise (verb)	an invention to invent
dew do due	condensation in the morning to take action owed by a certain date
die dye	to cease to live; the singular of dice to stain or color using an agent
different from vs. different than vs. differently than	Rule. Use different from not different than. Example: The weather was different from what we expected. You may use differently than when a clause precedes and follows the expression. Example: He works differently than she does.
discreet discrete	careful, confidential individual, distinct
discussed disgust	talked over repulsion
does does	female deer (plural) (pronounced like hose) a form of to do (pronounced like fuzz)
doughs doze	unbaked loaves of bread to sleep
dual duel	two-fold fight
eager	(see anxious)
effect	(see affect)
e.g. i.e.	for example Example: My living expenses have increased, e.g., rent, food, and utilities. that is, in other words Example: My living expenses have drained my finances, i.e., I have less money in the bank at the end of every month.
eight	(see ate)
elicit illicit	evoke, extract, draw out illegal
elude	(see allude)
elusive illusive	difficult to describe, evasive Example: The point of the novel is elusive to me. plausible or possible; deceptive Example: She had the illusive dream of finding happiness by traveling. (plausible, possible)  Example: She had an illusive idea that she was qualified for the job. (deceptive, delusional)
emigrate immigrate	to exit one country in order to live in another country to enter a new country to live
empathy sympathy	to understand another's feelings to feel compassion or sadness for another
ensure	(see assure)
epic epoch	saga a period of time, an age
err	(see air)
every day (every, adjective; day, noun) everyday (adjective)	each day Example: I learn something new every day. ordinary Example: These are my everyday clothes.
except	(see accept)
eye	(see aye)
facts fax	objective data short for facsimile; technology that sends images by phone
faint feint	to go unconscious pretense
fair (adjective, noun) fare	impartial; an exhibition payment or expense for travel
fairy ferry	imaginary being possessing magical powers type of boat
farther	refers to physical distance only Example: We had to walk farther than the map indicated.
further (adverb, adj.)	refers to physical distance like farther; moreover; in addition; to a greater extent Examples: We need to discuss this further.                   Nothing could be further from the truth.                   We had to walk further.
further (verb)	To help forward, advance, or promote a work, undertaking, cause, etc. Example: Elisa had more desire to further her own interests than to further the mission of the organization.
faux foe	fake, imitation enemy, opponent
faze phase	to perturb or fluster a period or situation
feat feet	an extraordinary act or accomplishment twelve-inch increments; appendages at end of legs
feted fetid	celebrated, honored noxious, gross
fewer less under	refers to a number that can be counted Example: Fewer days off. refers to an uncountable amount Example: Less rain, less fear. used for direction Example: Under the mattress, not under $100.
find fined	discover penalized
fir fur	type of tree hairy coat of an animal
flair flare	style erupt
flea flee	insect to run away
flew flu flue	past tense of fly, to have moved through the air with wings a virus part of a chimney
floe flow	sheet of floating ice pour, proceed, spew
flour flower	grain the bloom of a plant
for fore four	preposition ahead the number after three
forego forgo	to go in front of, precede to do without
foreword forward	introduction to a book written by someone other than the author opposite of backward
fort forte	a military fortification someone’s strong point, talent
forth fourth	forward number after third
foul fowl	offensive, disgusting certain birds
frees freeze frieze	releases to make cold a decorative band on the wall
further	(see farther)
gait gate	a manner of walking or stepping, stride Examples: trotting, galloping, limping barrier
gilt guilt	gold-covered blame
gone went	used with has or have Examples: Ella has gone to the store.                   Barry and Ella have gone to the beach. past tense of go Examples: Ella went to the store.                   Barry and Ella went to the beach.
gored gourd	stabbed with a horn or tusk hard-shelled fruit
gorilla guerrilla	largest of the apes soldier using surprise raids; irregular tactics
graft graphed	attach; acquisition of money dishonestly diagrammed
grate great	a cover or partition of parallel or crossed bars excellent
grill grille	method of cooking; barbecuing an openwork barrier for a gate
groan grown	a low, mournful sound of pain or grief to have increased in size
guessed guest	conjectured, offered an opinion company, honoree
guise guys	appearance or assumed appearance men
hair hare	what grows on one’s head and body rabbit
hall haul	passageway or large room to pull, drag, or lower
halve have	divide into two to possess
hangar hanger	shed or shelter for housing airplanes something to hang a garment on in the closet
haut/haute hoe	high-class, fancy as in haute couture (pronounced oh or oht) flat-bladed gardening tool
have vs. of	should’ve, could’ve, and would’ve are contractions for should have, could have, and would have. No such wording as should of, could of, would of
hay hey	dried grass interjection used to call attention
heal heel	to alleviate or cure back part of the foot; scoundrel
healthful healthy	something that promotes health Example: Organic food is thought to be healthful. to have good health
hear here	to listen; to give an official hearing in this spot
heard herd	listened a flock of animals
heir	(see air)
heroin heroine	a narcotic derived from morphine female admired for courage or ability
hi high	a greeting, informal for hello elevated
higher hire	more elevated to pay for services
him hymn	pronoun referring to male person or animal song in praise of religious deity
hoard horde	stockpile, amass a large group, crowd
hoarse horse	cracked voice animal
hoes hose	flat-bladed gardening tools a flexible tube for conveying liquid
hole whole	an opening entire, complete
holy wholly	religious entirely, completely
hostel hostile	boarding house or inexpensive lodging antagonistic
hour our	sixty minutes possessive pronoun
I	(see aye)
idle idol idyll or idyl	not active; unemployed someone admired interlude, breathing space; romance, fairy tale
i.e.	(see e.g.)
I'll	(see aisle)
illicit	(see elicit)
illude	(see allude)
illusion	(see allusion)
illusive	(see elusive)
immigrate	(see emigrate)
imply infer	to indicate without being explicit to conclude from evidence
in inn	preposition; inside small hotel
inc. ink	abbreviation for incorporated fluid in pens
incite insight	to prompt to action understanding, comprehension
incredible incredulous	astonishing Example: Her gymnastic moves were incredible. skeptical Example: Citizens are incredulous about the reason for the increase in the price of gas.
ingenious ingenuous	clever naive or simple
innocence innocents	to be without guilt people who are without guilt
insure	(see assure)
irregardless regardless	no such word exists in spite of, without regard
isle	(see aisle)
it's its	contraction for it is or it has Example: It’s for a good cause. possessive pronoun Example: The cat hurt its paw.
jewel joule	gem in physics, a unit of work or energy
karat	(see carat)
kernel	(see colonel)
key	(see cay)
knead kneed need	work with bread dough hit with one’s knee to require
knew new	past tense of know, to have understood opposite of old
knight night	a soldier in the Middle Ages period between sunset and sunrise
knot not	interlacing of cord or rope used to express negation
know no	understand, comprehend a negative to express dissent
knows nose	understands part of the body one smells with