Common Mistakes and Confusing Words

[Bhowmik]

affect vs effect
Affect and effect are two words that are commonly confused.

affect is usually a verb (action) - effect is usually a noun (thing)

Hint: If it's something you're going to do, use "affect." If it's something you've already done, use "effect."

To affect something or someone.

Meaning: to influence, act upon, or change something or someone.

For example: The noise outside affected my performance.

To have an effect on something or someone.

!Note: effect is followed by the preposition on and preceded by an article (an, the)

Meaning: to have an impact on something or someone.

For example: His smile had a strange effect on me.

!Effect can also mean "the end result".

For example: The drug has many adverse side effects.

!Note - Just remember: "affect" = to influence, and "effect" = to bring about.

[Bhowmik]

Lots of vs a lot of vs a lot
a lot of /lots of and a lot

seem to be very confusing.

Here you can find out the difference in meaning between them and how they should be used.
a lot of / lots of

'Lots of people like football / A lot of people like football.'

a lot of and lots of have the same meaning: they both mean a large amount or number of people or things.

They are both used before countable nouns and uncountable nouns:


with countable nouns:

A lot of people went to the game.
Lots of people went to the game.


with uncountable nouns:

A lot of snow falls in winter.
Lots of snow falls in winter.

a lot

a lot means very often or very much. It is used as an adverb. It often comes at the end of a sentence and never before a noun.

I like basketball a lot.
She's a lot happier now than she was.
I don't go there a lot anymore.

[Bhowmik]

all ready vs already    

All ready means "completely ready".

For example: "Are you all ready for the test?"

Already is an adverb that means before the present time or earlier than the time expected.

For example: "I asked him to come to the cinema but he'd already seen the film."
Or
"Are you buying Christmas cards already? It's only September!"

[Bhowmik]

all right vs alright    

All right has multiple meanings. It can mean ok, acceptable, unhurt.

The single word spelling alright has never been accepted as standard.

However in a search on Google you'll get around 68,700,000 hits for alright and 163,000,000 for "all right". So, it might become a respected alternative spelling.
Personally I have no problem with it.
But it is important to say here that all right is formal and essentially standard in form but alright is informal I should say colloquial (accepted for its frequent use).

[Bhowmik]

alone vs lonely    

Alone, can be used as an adjective or adverb. Either use means without other people or on your own.

For example: "He likes living alone." (Adverb)
"I think we're alone now." = There are just the two of us here. (Adjective)

Lonely is an adjective which means you are unhappy because you are not with other people.

For example: "The house feels lonely now that all the children have left home."

!Note - Just because you're alone, doesn't mean you're lonely.

[Antara11]

Great job dear Swapan . Carry on with your effort.

Antara Basak
Lecturer
Dept of English

[Bhowmik]

Antara Madam,

Thank you.

[Bhowmik]

altogether vs all together    

All together(adv) means "together in a single group."

For example: The waiter asked if we were all together.

Altogether(adv) means "completely" or "in total ".

For example: She wrote less and less often, and eventually she stopped altogether.

[Bhowmik]

any vs some    

Any and some are both determiners. They are used to talk about indefinite quantities or numbers, when the exact quantity or number is not important. As a general rule we use some for positive statements, and any for questions and negative statements,

For example:-

I asked the barman if he could get me some sparkling water. I said, "Excuse me, have you got any sparkling water?" Unfortunately they didn't have any.

!Note - You will sometimes see some in questions and any in positive statements. When making an offer, or a request, in order to encourage the person we are speaking to to say "Yes", you can use some in a question:

For example: Would you mind fetching some gummy bears while you're at the shops?

You can also use any in a positive statement if it comes after a word whose meaning is negative or limiting:

For example:-
A. She gave me some bad advice.
B. Really? She rarely gives any bad advice

MOST OFTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we use some for positive declarative sentence and any for negative declarative or positive interrogative sentence.

[shadeed]

sir, please tell me about -  all right vs alright

Dept. of TE(L1T1)

[Bhowmik]

Mr. Shadeed,
Your confusion on the use of all right & alright has already been explained above. Read all my posts carefully. 

[Bhowmik]

any one vs anyone    

Any one means any single person or thing out of a group of people or things.

For example:-

I can recommend any one of the books on this site.

Anyone means any person. It's always written as one word.

For example:-

Did anyone see that UFO?

[Bhowmik]

apart vs a part    

Apart (adv) separated by distance or time.

For example: I always feel so lonely when we're apart.

A part(noun) a piece of something that forms the whole of something.

For example: They made me feel like I was a part of the family.

[Bhowmik]

astrology vs astronomy    

Astrology (n) The study of the movements and positions of the sun, moon, planets and stars, and the skill of describing the expected effect that some people believe these have on the character and behaviour of humans.

For example: I always look at my horoscope in the newspaper, but I don't really believe in astrology.

Astronomy (n) The scientific study of the universe and of objects which exist naturally in space, such as the moon, the sun, planets and stars.

For example: The Sky at Night is a monthly television programme on astronomy produced by the BBC.

[shamsi]

Dear Swapan,

You are really doing something helpful.Please discuss about the words like:'some,many,few and much' on which I have found many of the students to have confusions.

Regards

Shamsi