Ten Pairs of the Most Easily Confused Words and Tips to Keep Them Straight

Its: Possessive form of "it"

It's: Contraction of "it is"

Why these are so easily confused: The apostrophe throws people off

How to keep them straight: Remember that "it's" really means "it is," so go back and sound it out in order to determine if you are using it correctly.

(The wrong way: "Its really a shame his team lost." The right way: "It's (it is) really a shame his team lost.")

2. Accept and Except

Accept: To take or receive something offered

Except: With the exclusion of

Why these words are so easily confused: They sound exactly alike

How to keep them straight: Remember the noun form of these words (acceptance and exception) to find your way to the right verb.

3. Principal and Principle

Principal: A chief or head

Principle: Accepted or professed rule of action or conduct

Why these are so easily confused: Virtually identical spellings

How to keep them straight: Remember when you were in school and got sent to the "principal's" office for following your own set of "principles?" Always apply "principal" to people and "principle" to rules.

4. Compliment and Complement

Compliment: An expression of praise or admiration

Complement: Something that completes or makes perfect

Why these are so easily confused: Virtually identical spellings and related definitions

How to keep them straight: Essentially, "complement" means to "complete." Try using this sentence to help you: "I do not tend to complete myself, though I may compliment myself." Give it a try!

5. Elicit and Illicit

Elicit: To draw or bring forth

Illicit: Unlicensed or unlawful

Why these are so easily confused: They sound alike, but have very different meanings

How to keep them straight: Try alliteration here - "Elicit" means to "evoke" while "illicit" means "illegal." Keep your "e's" and "i's" together.

6. Flare and Flair

Flare: To burn with an unsteady flame

Flair: Natural talent or ability

Why these are so easily confused: Each can be defined as "standing out" in some way.

How to keep them straight: Word association is useful - "flare" rhymes with "glare," which you can associate with "flame" or "fire."

7. Lose and Loose

Lose: To come to be without

Loose: Unbound

Why these are so easily confused: That extra "o."

How to keep them straight: Remember "lose" and "lost" mean the same thing.

8. Whose and Who's

Whose: The possessive of "who"

Who's: The contraction of "who" and "is"

Why these are so easily confused: That pesky apostrophe

How to keep them straight: Similar to "its and it's," remember" who's" means "who is." Spell it out in a sentence and that will lead you to the correct usage.

9. Your and You're

Your: Possessive form of "you"

You're: Contraction of "you" and "are"

Why these are so easily confused: The apostrophe strikes again.

How to keep them straight: Like all contractions, go back to the basic meaning of the word and substitute in a sentence. For example, the wrong way - "If your sure, I can just meet you there." The right way - "If you are (you're) sure, I can just meet you there."

10. Affect and Effect

Affect: Produce or effect a change in

Effect: Result or consequence

Why these are so easily confused: This is the granddaddy of easily confused words. That fact that "effect" is part of the definition of "affect" doesn't help.

How to keep them straight: "Affect" is a noun and "effect" is a verb. "Affect" is the person, place or thing that causes the change ("The sandwich had a bad affect on me.") "Effect" is the action that happens as a result of the change ("The effect was an upset stomach.")

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