Kathleen W Curry, Writer

Photo by Daniel Absi I don’t know when or if Easily Confused Words is coming back as a regular, multiple posts per week thing. I admit I’ve been away awhile. It’s a 2020s world. There’s a Grammarly app and AI writing assistants and Youtube channels covering grammar and words issues with huge followings. ECW doesn’t feel urgent or an overlooked need in the marketplace like it did years ago. When…

“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” –James Baldwin (1924-1987) Maybe people are surprised I only kvetch about politics on micro-blogging platforms. I don’t blog on politics at length here. I also don’t have a substack. There are lots of people already in the political space, and they are…

WRITTEN MOSTLY IN 2019. Do the events of my life still happen if I don’t announce them on social media? I wondered. But yes, they do. I had a personal FB (the Platform) account for 12 years. These are things I realized from having an account, then ultimately deleting it: The Platform does A LOT to flatter our egos, and maybe that’s why it’s hard to quit. The longer we participate, connect,…

Intercostal and intercoastal are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted,…

Discussed and disgust are easily confused words.  The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or…

Accept and except are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or what…

Don and dawn are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or what word you…

Flare and flair are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or what word…

Conscious and conscience are easily confused words. People often use conscious when they mean conscience. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It…

Roll and role are easily confused words. They are also homophones, meaning words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and mean different things. Homophones are a type of homonym. Click the link for more information on that. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t…

Frequently I will see people write numbers and letters combinations like this: 2st, 1th, and similar errors. A lot of numbers end with -th so it’s easy to think they all do. But they don’t. If it’s “first,” then the numbers & letters combination is written as 1st. If it’s “second,”then the numbers & letters combination is written as 2nd. If it’s third, then the numbers & letters combination…

The Bird is the Word: Species Names That ALSO Mean Other Things

In honor of naturalist John James Audubon’s birthday today. Here is a list of bird species names that also have other meanings. Grouse: A grouse is a ground dwelling bird. Grouse as a verb means to complain or gripe about one’s problems. Snipe: A snipe is a bird with a long straight bill, round body, and long legs. It inhabits marshlands or coastlines. At beaches it eats insects, snails, tiny…

EASILY CONFUSED WORDS: STRAIT VS. STRIATE

The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or what word you meant, it can only judge the words on…

Easily Confused Words: Citron vs. Citrine

Citron and citrine are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or what…

Easily Confused Words: Help vs. Held

Help and held are easily confused words. The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or what word…

Easily Confused Words: Gazpacho vs. Gestapo

Gazpacho and gestapo proved to be easily confused words for a member of Congress. How could I resist? The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It…

Easily Confused Words: Any More vs. Anymore

Any more and anymore are easily confused terms: one is a phrase, the other is one whole word. Any more (pronounced ”enn-ee” (pause) “mohr”) Any can be an adjective, adverb used with other words, or apronoun by itself. More is can also be an adjective or adverb when used with other words, and a noun when used alone. As a combined phrase, “any more” indicates supplies of a tangible item are…