Vocabulary For Dummies
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It’s easy to mix up similar sounding words. Refer to this handy list to help you out if you need a helpful reminder of the most commonly confused words:

Affect: Generally a verb meaning ‘to influence’
Effect: Usually a noun meaning ‘result’

Good: Describes a person, place, thing or idea
Well: Describes an action

Lie: As a verb, ‘to rest or recline’
Lay: As a verb, ‘to place in a certain position’

Its: Shows possession
It’s: Contraction of ‘it is’

There: Indicates a position or place
Their: Shows possession
They’re: Contraction of ‘they are’

Like: As a preposition, means ‘similar to’
As: Precedes a subject/verb statement

That: Preceding a subject/verb statement, usually introduces essential information and isn’t preceded by a comma
Which: Preceding a subject/verb statement, indicates extra information and is preceded by a comma

Between: For two choices
Among: For a group of three or more

Farther: Used for distance
Further: Used for time or intensity

Who’s: A contraction meaning ‘who is’
Whose: A possessive pronoun (belonging to who)

You can’t really compare words that express absolute states. Take the following, for example:

  • Unique (not really unique or very unique)

  • Round (never rounder or the roundest)

  • Perfect (not more perfect or extremely perfect)

  • True (stay away from most true)

  • Dead (deader or deadest? Neither!)

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