Transcript Spelling,
Spelling, Capitalization, and Abbreviations Frequently Misused Words from Rude, Carolyn. Technical Editing, 4th ed. affect, effect affect, effect • Both can be nouns, both can be verbs. • Effect means “result” • Affect means “to influence.” Your training in writing will have an effect on your performance in editing. Class participation will affect your grade. assure, insure, ensure assure, insure, ensure • All mean “to make secure or certain” • “assure” is used in relations to setting a person’s mind at rest. Harold assured Susan that everything would be fine. The company has insured the staff. New policies ensure greater participation. complement, compliment complement, compliment • A complement completes a whole • A compliment expresses praise That tie complements his outfit. I really appreciated your compliment. continually, continuously continually, continuously • Continually suggests recurrent interrupted action • Continuously indicates uninterrupted action I am continually having to grade papers. My office computer stays on continuously during the week. discreet, discrete discreet, discrete • Discreet mean “prudent” • Discrete means “separate” A good manager is discreet about reprimanding an employee. We saw seven discrete types of birds this weekend. farther, further farther, further • Farther refers only to physical distance • Further refers to degree, quantity, or time The Kia plant is farther than I expected. The company can not risk going further into debt. fiscal, physical fiscal, physical • Fiscal refers to finances • Physical refers to bodily or material things I had to physically move my fiscal reports. imply, infer imply, infer • Imply means to suggest • Infer means to make a suggestion or draw a conclusion These figures imply that our company is going under. We inferred from the figures that we should all start looking for new jobs. its, it’s its, it’s • Its is a possessive pronoun • It’s is a contraction for it is That puppy is proud of its stuffed monkey. It’s good to buy your puppy a stuffed monkey. lay, lie lay, lie • Lay is a transitive verb that takes an object • Lie is always intransitive I will lay my massive textbook down on this table. It will lie there for quite a while. personal, personnel personal, personnel • Personal means private • Personnel is a collective noun referring to people You are encroaching on my personal space. Would all personnel please report to lounge for cookies and milk? principle, principal principle, principal • A principle is a basic rule or law • A principal is a school office, or the “first” or “primary” of something Auburn’s policies are based on sound principles. The principal’s principal occupation is administration. stationery, stationary stationery, stationary • Stationery is writing paper • Stationary is fixed in place The pretty yellow stationery on my table is stationary. their, there, they’re their, there, they’re • Their is a possessive pronoun • There is an adverb designation a place • They’re is a contraction of “they are” Their new dog drools a lot. There are a lot of dogs that drool. They’re going to buy their dog his own towel. whose, who’s whose, who’s • Whose is a possessive pronoun • Who’s is a contraction for “who is” Whose dog is this drooling on my shoes? Who’s going to clean this up? your, you’re your, you’re • Your is a possessive pronoun • You’re is a contraction for “you are” I looked at your car, and I think it is broken. You’re going to need to take your car to the shop.