English Common Usage Errors

Among

Used for three or more things

Between

Used for two people/things

Principle

A rule or belief

Principal

The head of a school

Two

The number 2

Too

Also or excessively

To

Indicates direction or purpose

Beside

Means next to

Besides

Means in addition to

Lay

To place something down

Lie

To recline or rest

Affect

Means to influence

Effect

Means result

They're

Means they + are

Their

Indicates someone's possession

There

Means a place

All ready

Means completely prepared

Already

Means previously or by now

Adapt

Means to adjust or change

Adopt

Means to take up

All right

The standard spelling

Alright

Informal spelling of all right

Any one

Any single thing from a group

Anyone

Means any person

Lose

Means fail to keep

Loose

Means not tight

Leave

Means to go away

Let

Means to allow

Eager

Means excited

Anxious

Means worried or nervous

Than

Means comparison

Then

Means time, order, or result

Awfully

Informal intensifier with negative connotation

Very

Standard intensifier

Fewer

Means countable items

Less

Means uncountable amounts

Maybe

Means perhaps

May be

Means a verb phrase

Proceed

Means to go forward

Precede

Means to come before

Everyone

Means everybody

Every one

Means each individual

A

Used before a consonant

An

Used before a vowel

Farther

About distance

Further

Means extra degree

Altogether

Means all in all

All together

Means doing something together

Aggravating

Means to make worse

Annoying

Means emotion

Accept

Means to receive

Except

Means leaving out

Can

Means do you have the ability

May

Means asking permission

Bring

Means to bring here from a farther place

Take

Means to take here to there