Commonly Confused Words
September 2, 2014
It’s no surprise that English is a difficult language to learn, and even more difficult to perfect! With the many rules and multiple exceptions, it’s no wonder we occasionally get a little confused.
Just like excess and difficult wording, misused words can create confusion for your reader. Below are some of the most commonly confused words. I’ve used them in their most common ways to keep things simple and clear!
affect & effect
The verb affect means to produce an effect or change.
Ex. Sunshine will affect the growth rate of many plants.
The noun effect means a result or consequence.
Ex. The student’s poor attendance had a negative effect on his grades.
insure & ensure
The word insure means to guarantee against loss or harm.
Ex. I will make monthly payments when I insure my car.
The word ensure means to guarantee or make certain.
Ex. The office will ensure that each donor receives a tax receipt.
its & it’s
The word its is the possessive form of it.
Ex. The dog chewed its leash.
The word it’s is the contraction of it is.
Ex. It’s a beautiful day!
complementary & complimentary
The word complementary refers to things or people that go well together.
Ex. Blue and yellow are complementary colours.
The word complimentary refers to things that are free (like a bonus gift) or giving someone a compliment.
Ex. Attend the seminar and receive a complimentary breakfast.
Of course, there are many more pairs of commonly confused words in the English language. I’ve listed the ones I notice most often, and I’m sure you have your own list. Feel free to send me your examples at anytime! apitts@clearworkscom.com
Reaching Your Entire Audience
June 13, 2014
You have an important message. It simply has to get through to everyone. So, what’s the best way to reach your entire audience?
Answer: Clear Writing!
We have some surprising news for you …
- Did you know that nearly half of all Canadians have some difficulty with reading and writing?1
- Did you know they can only deal with material that is simple and clearly laid out?2
Many even have difficulty locating a single piece of information in a short text that’s free of distracting information.
Yes, nearly half of our population is struggling. And the other half? You can bet they’re too busy to read large amounts of text to gain small amounts of information.
In other words, if your message is lengthy or complex, you’ve just lost your entire audience. Consider Clear Writing and you’ll reach every reader!
1,2 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), Statistics Canada, 2013
Acronyms … Part Two
May 8, 2014
Not only do acronyms cause confusion, but they can also cause embarrassment! Take my son, for example. He has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I believe it’s a gift and that one day he’ll open it. But for now, it causes frustration and sometimes embarrassment.
When he started Grade 4, he was struggling to get his work completed during class time. For eight days straight, his teacher kept him in during recess to finish it. On Day 8, he complained to me. Right – there’s nothing worse than keeping a child with ADD in the classroom during recess!
I told him that I had a meeting with the teacher the following week, and that he needed to do a little advocating for himself.
I said, “Tell her that you have ADD. She’ll understand.”
He came home from school the next day, proud as punch.
“I told her Mom. I told her – clearly – that I have DNA.”
Apparently, at first she didn’t understand, as I had promised him. Confused, she told him that everyone has DNA. That was shocking news for my son. She asked him to tell her a little more about it. After hearing a list of his issues – difficulty paying attention, getting work done on time, and avoiding distractions – she finally understood.
Wouldn’t it have been easier if he told her he had ADD? Or maybe even “Attention Deficit Disorder”. It would have made for a shorter conversation, and he would have made it out for recess that day. Finally!
Another tip about acronyms – if you use them often in a lengthy report, manual, or book, add a Glossary of Terms at the end and make sure you list all those acronyms, along with what they really mean.