If you’re confused about loss or lost you’re dealing with two real English words that have different jobs in a sentence. They look and sound related because they come from the same word family. Still you can’t swap them freely. The quick answer is simple. Loss is usually a noun that names something that has … Read more
If you’re confused by ladder vs latter you’re dealing with two words that sound alike but have completely different meanings. Ladder is something you climb. Latter refers to the second of two people or things that were just mentioned. The difference becomes much easier once you connect each word to a simple idea. A ladder … Read more
If you’re wondering about elfs or elves the standard plural form is elves. The singular noun is elf and the usual plural is elves. You may still see elfs from time to time. It isn’t the form most readers expect in standard modern English. In normal writing you should choose elves when you mean more … Read more
If you’re wondering about vallies or valleys the correct spelling is valleys. The word valleys is the plural form of valley and refers to low areas of land between hills or mountains. Vallies isn’t the standard spelling in English. The confusion is easy to understand because the ending can sound like eez when people say … Read more
If you’re wondering about granddad or grandad you may have noticed that both spellings appear in English. So which one should you use? The answer depends mainly on the variety of English you’re writing. In American English granddad is the more common spelling. In British English grandad is widely used. Both forms mean the same … Read more
If you’re wondering about tear vs tare you’re dealing with two real English words that have completely different meanings. One can describe ripping something apart or a drop of liquid from your eye. The other is mainly used when talking about the weight of an empty container. The correct word depends on what you mean. … Read more
If you’re wondering about missle or missile you’re dealing with a very common spelling mistake. The correct spelling is missile. Missle is not the standard spelling of the word. The confusion makes sense because the word has two syllables and the middle letters can be easy to overlook when you’re writing quickly. Many people hear … Read more
If you’ve ever wondered about fare better or fair better you’re dealing with two real English words that have completely different jobs. Only one works in the common phrase used to say that someone will do better or have a better result. The correct expression is fare better. The word fare is a verb that … Read more
If you’re wondering about suprise or surprise the correct spelling is surprise. The word has two r letters and only one p. The spelling suprise is a common mistake because the first r can be easy to miss when you’re writing quickly. This word causes trouble because its pronunciation doesn’t make every letter obvious. You … Read more
If you’ve ever paused over afterward or afterwards you’re dealing with a small difference that can make a big difference in your confidence as a writer. Both forms are correct. The main difference is regional preference. Afterward is more common in American English while afterwards is more common in British English. For readers in the … Read more