Discrete or Discreet: What's the Difference?
Discreet means tactful and private; discrete means separate and distinct. Both are real words. Learn the two-E trick that keeps them apart for good.
Quinn Marsh
Writes on spelling, usage and commonly confused words, explaining the rule behind each choice.
Articles
Seak or Seek: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Seek, with a double E, is the only correct spelling; seak is not a word. Learn the see hidden inside it and why the past tense is sought, not seeked.
Theirs or There's: Which One Do You Need?
Theirs never takes an apostrophe, and there's is short for there is. Learn why possessive pronouns refuse apostrophes and how to tell the two apart.
Agast or Aghast: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Aghast, spelled with a silent gh, is correct; agast without the h is always a mistake. Learn why the gh stays and how to remember it easily.
Offerred or Offered: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Offered, with one R, is correct; offerred with two R's is a mistake. Learn the stress rule that keeps offer single and how to remember it.
Modle or Model: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Model, ending in -el, is the only correct spelling; modle swaps the last two letters and is always wrong. Learn the -el rule and how to recall it.
Apologizes vs Apologies: What's the Difference?
Apologizes and apologies are both real words: apologizes is the verb (says sorry), apologies is the plural noun (my apologies). Learn which one you need.
Persue or Pursue: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Pursue, with the pur- prefix, is correct; persue with per- is always a mistake. Learn the Latin root behind the U and a simple way to remember it.
Transferring or Transfering: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Transferring, with two R's, is the only correct spelling; transfering with one R is a mistake. Learn the stress rule that doubles the R and how to recall it.
Comma vs Semicolon: When to Use Each
A comma and a semicolon both link ideas, but they follow different rules. Here's when to use each, plus how to avoid the comma splice error.
Superseded or Superceded: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Superseded is correct; superceded with a c is a common misspelling. Supersede is the only English word ending in -sede. Here's how to remember it.
Compulsory vs Mandatory: What's the Difference?
Compulsory and mandatory both mean required, but mandatory leans legal and absolute while compulsory suggests a rule. Here's how to choose the right one.
Vender or Vendor: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Vendor is the correct modern spelling for a seller; vender is a rare, dated variant now read as an error. Here's the -or rule and how to remember it.
Draws or Drawers: Which Word Do You Mean?
Drawers are the sliding compartments in a chest of drawers; draws is a verb or a plural noun. For furniture storage, it is drawers, not draws.
Vary or Very: Which Word Do You Mean?
Vary is a verb meaning to differ or change; very is an intensifier meaning extremely or exact. Swap in extremely for very, differ for vary.
Relieving or Reliving: Which Word Do You Mean?
Relieving means easing or alleviating; reliving means experiencing again in the mind. The extra e in relieving is the whole difference.
Plural or Possessive: When Do You Use an Apostrophe?
A plural means more than one and takes no apostrophe; a possessive shows ownership and needs one. An apostrophe never makes a word plural.
Flair or Flare: Which Word Do You Mean?
Flair is a natural talent or stylish quality; flare is a burst of flame or a sudden widening. Talent ends in -air, fire ends in -are.
Layed Off or Laid Off: Which One Is Correct?
Laid off is correct; layed off is a misspelling. The verb lay is irregular, so its past tense and participle are laid, never layed, giving laid off.
Mens or Men's: Which One Is Correct?
Men's, with an apostrophe before the s, is the correct possessive of men; mens and mens' are both wrong. Men is already plural, so its possessive is men's.
Sitting or Seating: Which One Is Correct?
Sitting is the act of being seated or a single session; seating is the provision and arrangement of seats. People have a sitting; seats make up the seating.
Per Se or Per Say: Which One Is Correct?
Per se is the correct Latin phrase meaning by itself or intrinsically; per say is a phonetic misspelling. Keep it two words with the Latin spelling.
Patients or Patient's: Which One Is Correct?
Patients (no apostrophe) is the plural; patient's is singular possessive and patients' is plural possessive. An apostrophe marks possession, never a plural.
Thursdays or Thursday's: Which One Is Correct?
Thursdays (no apostrophe) is the plural; Thursday's shows possession or means Thursday is. Never add an apostrophe just to make a day plural.
Past or Passed: Which One Is Correct?
Passed is the past tense of the verb pass; past is a noun, adjective, preposition, or adverb. If it isn't the verb's action, write past.
Sellable or Saleable: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Sellable and saleable are both correct and mean able to be sold. Sellable is the common modern American form; saleable is the older British one.
Mid-day or Midday: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Midday is the standard modern spelling for noon; mid-day is a dated, hyphenated variant. The prefix mid- attaches with no hyphen. Here's the rule.
Wore or Worn: Which One Is Correct?
Wore stands alone as the past tense; worn needs a helper like have. She wore it, but she has worn it. The difference explained with examples.
Rehireable or Rehirable: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Rehirable and rehireable are both accepted: rehirable drops the silent e and is cleaner, rehireable keeps it. Here's the rule and when to use each.
Mean or Median: Which One Do You Need?
Mean and median are both measures of center: mean is the average, median is the middle value. Here's how they differ and when to use each.
Sew or Sow: Which Word Do You Mean?
Sew and sow sound alike but differ: sew joins cloth with needle and thread, sow plants seeds. Here's how to pick the right word every time.
Annual or Anual: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Annual has a double n and is correct; anual with one n is wrong. The double n runs through the whole family. Here's the rule and how to remember it.
Hazard or Hazzard: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Hazard has a single z and is correct; hazzard with a double z is wrong. Here's why the everyday word for danger takes one z, and how to remember it.
Gummy or Gummie: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Gummy is the standard spelling; gummie is nonstandard. The plural is gummies. Here's the consonant-plus-y rule and how to remember it.
Proceed or Procede: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Proceed is correct and procede is wrong. Proceed is one of only three -ceed verbs in English. Here's the rule and an easy way to remember it.
Incourage or Encourage: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Encourage is the only correct spelling; incourage is an outdated, nonstandard form. The en- prefix means to put courage in. Here's how to remember it.
Dreamed or Dreamt: Which Is Correct?
Dreamed and dreamt are both correct past tenses of dream. Dreamed leads in American English; dreamt is more British and literary. Learn when to use each.
Hale or Hail: Which Word Is Correct?
Hale and hail are different words that sound alike. Hail is frozen rain or a greeting; hale means healthy. Learn which to use, with examples.
Nitch or Niche: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Niche is the correct spelling; nitch is a phonetic misspelling. Learn the French origin, both accepted pronunciations, and how to remember it.
Habbit or Habit: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Habit is correct with one B; habbit is a misspelling. Learn why the B never doubles, why people confuse it with rabbit, and how to remember it.
Gray or Grey: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Gray and grey are both correct: gray is American English, grey is British. Learn the dialect split, the exceptions, and how to remember which to use.
Payed or Paid: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Paid is the past tense of pay for money and attention; payed is wrong there. Learn the one nautical exception where payed is a real, correct word.
Cancell or Cancel: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Cancel, with one L, is the correct base verb; cancell is always wrong. Learn why the noun cancellation takes two L's and how canceled vs cancelled splits.
Me Either or Me Neither: Which Is Correct?
Me neither is the correct reply to a negative statement; me either is nonstandard. Learn why neither carries its own negative and me either does not.
To Bad or Too Bad: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Too bad is correct; to bad is wrong. Learn why too, with two o's, means excessively or also, and how to tell to, too, and two apart every time.
Attornies or Attorneys: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Attorneys is the correct plural; attornies is wrong. Learn the vowel-plus-y rule that adds -s and never changes y to ies in words ending in -ey.
Receipt or Reciept: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Receipt is the correct spelling; reciept is always wrong. Learn the i-before-e-except-after-c rule and the silent p that make receipt easy to spell.
Suger vs Sugar: Which Is Correct?
Sugar is the correct spelling; suger is a misspelling based on how the word sounds. Learn why it ends in -ar, not -er, with examples and a memory trick.
Reoccurrence vs Recurrence: Which Is Correct?
Recurrence is the standard, dictionary-preferred noun; reoccurrence is widely treated as nonstandard. Learn the difference and why editors choose recurrence.
Blatantly vs Bluntly: What's the Difference?
Blatantly and bluntly are both real words with different meanings. Blatantly means openly and shamelessly; bluntly means directly and frankly.
Shiney vs Shiny: Which Is Correct?
Shiny is the correct spelling; shiney is a misspelling that keeps the e. Learn why shine drops its silent e before -y, with examples and a memory trick.
Effort vs Affort: Which Is Correct?
Effort is the correct spelling; affort is not a word. Learn why the first vowel is an e, and how afford, a real word, gets tangled in the mix.
Havnt vs Havent: How Do You Spell Haven't?
Neither havnt nor havent is correct. The right spelling is haven't, the contraction of have not, with an apostrophe where the o was dropped.
Totaling or Totalling: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Totaling and totalling are both correct: totaling is American English, totalling is British. Learn the one-L vs two-L rule and when to use each.
Mobil or Mobile: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Mobile with a final E is the English word; Mobil is an oil brand, not a spelling. Learn why writers drop the E and how to keep it firmly in place.
Wholistic or Holistic: Which Spelling Should You Use?
Holistic is the standard spelling, from the Greek holos meaning whole. Wholistic is a folk-etymology variant best avoided in formal writing. Here is why.
Panic or Panick: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Panic never takes a K on its own, so panick is not a word. But panicked and panicking add a K to keep the hard C sound. Here is the rule behind it.
At Least or Atleast: One Word or Two?
At least is always two words; atleast is not standard English. Learn why this phrase never fused into one word and a quick test that settles the question.
Adress or Address: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Address takes two D's and two S's; adress with a single D is always wrong. Learn the Latin prefix that doubles the D and an easy way to remember it.
Their or Thier: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Their, with the E before the I, is the only correct spelling; thier is always an error. Learn the hidden heir inside the word that fixes the letter order.
Cavalry or Calvary: Which One Is Correct?
Cavalry means soldiers on horseback; Calvary is the hill where Jesus was crucified. Two real words with different meanings, often swapped, with a memory tip.
Flys or Flies: Which One Is Correct?
Flies is the correct spelling, both as the verb and the plural of fly. Flys is a misspelling. The rule is to change y to ies, with examples and a memory tip.
Fead or Feed: Which One Is Correct?
Feed is the correct spelling; fead is a common misspelling. The verb means to give food, and its past tense is fed, not fead. Examples and a simple memory tip.
Handiwork or Handywork: Which One Is Correct?
Handiwork is the standard spelling; handywork is an old variant now seen as wrong. The word means work done by hand or skill, with examples and a memory tip.
Deep-Seated or Deep-Seeded: Which Is Correct?
Deep-seated is correct; deep-seeded is a misspelling. It means firmly established. Why people write deep-seeded and how to remember seated.
Saw or Seen: Which One Is Correct?
Saw stands alone; seen needs a helper like have. I saw it, not I seen it. The difference between the past tense and past participle, with examples.
Skiddish or Skittish: Which Is Correct?
Skittish is correct; skiddish is a misspelling. It means nervous or easily startled. Why people write skiddish and an easy way to remember the tt.
Heros or Heroes: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Heroes is the correct plural of hero; heros is a misspelling. The word adds -es, not just -s. Why people drop the e and how to remember heroes.
Compair or Compare: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Compare is correct; compair is a misspelling. The verb ends in -are, not -air. Why people write compair and an easy way to keep the right ending.
Take Effect or Take Affect: Which Is Correct?
Take effect is correct; take affect is a mistake. Effect is the noun in the phrase. Why people write take affect and an easy way to remember effect.
Ladder or Latter: Which One Do You Mean?
Ladder is the climbing frame; latter means the second of two. Both are real words with different meanings. How to tell them apart, with examples.
Renumeration or Remuneration: Which Is Correct?
Remuneration is correct; renumeration is a misspelling with letters reordered. The word means payment. Why people write renumeration and how to fix it.
Foody or Foodie: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Foodie is the standard spelling for a food lover; foody is rare and nonstandard. Why people write foody and an easy way to keep the -ie ending.
Remediated or Remedied: Which Is Correct?
Both are real words: remedied is the everyday past of remedy; remediated suits technical cleanup and education. How to choose, with examples.
Alterior or Ulterior: Which Is Correct?
Ulterior is correct; alterior is not a word. The phrase is ulterior motive. Why people write alterior motive and an easy way to remember ulterior.
Absence or Absense: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Absence is correct; absense is a misspelling. The noun ends in -ence, not -ense. Why people write absense and an easy way to keep the c.
Puting or Putting: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Putting is correct; puting is a misspelling. Put doubles its t before -ing. Why the single-t puting is wrong and an easy rule to double the t.
Unpure or Impure: Which Is Correct?
Impure is the standard word; unpure is rare and treated as nonstandard. The correct negative of pure is impure. Why people write unpure and how to fix it.
Title or Tittle: Which One Do You Mean?
Title is the heading or rank you almost always mean; tittle is a rare real word for the dot on an i. Why people type tittle and how to pick title.
Model or Modle: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Model is correct; modle is a misspelling with the last two letters flipped. Why people write modle and an easy way to keep the e before the l.
Make Do or Make Due: Which Is Correct?
Make do is correct; make due is a misspelling. The idiom means to manage with what you have. Why people write make due and how to remember do.
Recognization or Recognition: Which Is Correct?
Recognition is correct; recognization is not a word. The noun of recognize is recognition. Why people invent recognization and how to avoid it.
Visible or Visable: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Visible is correct; visable is a misspelling. The word ends in -ible, not -able. Why the suffix trips people up and an easy way to remember it.
More Then or More Than: Which Is Correct?
More than is correct for comparisons; more then is a misspelling. Than compares, then marks time. Why people confuse them and how to always pick than.
Immigrated vs Migrated: What's the Difference?
Both are correct but differ: immigrated means moved into a country to settle; migrated means moved in general. How to choose, with emigrated explained too.
Segway vs Segue: Which Is Correct?
Segue is the correct word for a smooth transition; Segway is the scooter brand. Why the spellings differ, with clear examples and an easy way to remember it.
Stole or Stold: Which Is Correct?
Stole is the correct past tense of steal; stold is not a word. Why steal is irregular, with clear examples and an easy way to remember stole and stolen.
13rd or 13th: Which Is Correct?
13th is correct; 13rd is an error. The thirteenth is spelled with -th, not -rd, with the simple rule for ordinal endings and an easy way to remember it.
Taylored vs Tailored: Which Is Correct?
Tailored is the correct spelling; taylored is a misspelling. The word comes from tailor, not the name Taylor, with clear examples and an easy memory trick.
Laid Out vs Layed Out: Which Is Correct?
Laid out is correct; layed out is a misspelling. The past tense of lay is laid, not layed, with clear examples and an easy way to remember the irregular form.
Foward vs Forward: Which Is Correct?
Forward is the correct spelling; foward is a misspelling that drops the r. Why the first r belongs in for-, with clear examples and an easy memory trick.
Walkthrough vs Walk Through: Which Is Correct?
Both are correct but differ: walkthrough is a noun (a guide), walk through is a verb phrase (to move through). How to tell them apart, with clear examples.
Saucey vs Saucy: Which Is Correct?
Saucy is the correct spelling; saucey is a misspelling that keeps the e. Why the e drops before -y, with clear examples and an easy way to remember it.
Weeped vs Wept: Which Is Correct?
Wept is the standard past tense of weep; weeped is widely considered an error. Why weep is irregular, with clear examples and an easy way to remember it.
Studying vs Studing: Which Is Correct?
Studying is the only correct spelling; studing is a misspelling that drops the y. Why the y stays before -ing, with clear examples and an easy memory trick.
Possess vs Posses: Which Is Correct?
Possess is the only correct spelling; posses is a misspelling missing its final s. Why the double s trips people up, with examples and an easy memory trick.
Licensed vs Licenced: Which Is Correct?
Licensed is correct in both American and British English; licenced is a misspelling. The verb is always license. The US/UK noun rule, with clear examples.
Undecisive vs Indecisive: Which Is Correct?
Indecisive is the correct word; undecisive is nonstandard and absent from dictionaries. Why the un- prefix feels right but isn't, with clear examples.
Indure vs Endure: Which Is Correct?
Endure is the only correct spelling; indure is an obsolete form found in no modern dictionary. Why the e-versus-i mix-up happens, with clear examples.
Sitted vs Seated: Which Is Correct?
Sitted is not a word; the past tense of sit is sat, and the adjective is seated. Why sitted is wrong, when to use sat versus seated, with clear examples.
Excelerate vs Accelerate: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Accelerate is the only correct spelling; excelerate is a misspelling found in no dictionary. Why the error happens, examples, and an easy memory trick.
Breeched vs Breached: Which Word Is Correct?
Breached means broke through or violated; breeched is a rare word about breeches. Most of the time you want breached. The difference, with clear examples.
Villain vs Villian: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Villain is the only correct spelling; villian is a misspelling found in no dictionary. Why the i and a get swapped, examples, and a trick to remember.
Cue vs Que vs Queue: Which Word Is Correct?
Cue and queue are both real words; que is not English. Learn the difference, why people write que, examples, and a memory trick that sticks.
Perfer vs Prefer: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Prefer is the only correct spelling; perfer is a misspelling caused by swapped sounds. Meaning, etymology, examples, and an easy memory trick.
Presense vs Presence: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Presence is the only correct spelling; presense is a common misspelling. Why the -ense error happens, the word's Latin roots, examples, and a memory trick.
Equipt vs Equipped: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Equipped is the standard past tense of equip; equipt is an archaic spelling. The doubling rule, why equipt feels right, examples, and a memory trick.
Embassador vs Ambassador: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Ambassador is the only correct modern spelling; embassador is an archaic variant now treated as an error. Why embassy keeps the e, plus a memory trick.
Insue vs Ensue: Which Word Is Correct?
Ensue is the only correct modern spelling; insue is an obsolete form now counted as an error. Meaning, etymology, examples, and a trick to remember it.
Tieing vs Tying: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Tying is the standard spelling; tieing is a rare variant most editors reject. The ie-to-y rule, dying vs dyeing, examples, and an easy memory trick.
Ect vs Etc: Which Abbreviation Is Correct?
Etc. is the correct abbreviation of Latin et cetera; ect is a misspelling. The rule, the punctuation, examples, and an easy way to remember it.
Occurring vs Occuring: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Occurring is the only correct spelling; occuring is a common misspelling. The consonant-doubling rule explained, with examples and a memory trick.
Creater or Creator: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Creater or creator? Creator is the only correct spelling, from Latin creator. Why the -er suffix tricks writers, plus examples and an easy memory aid.
Reinforce vs Reenforce: Which Spelling Is Right?
Reinforce vs reenforce: reinforce is the standard spelling for strengthen, reenforce is a dated variant, and re-enforce means to enforce again.
Discard vs Disgard: Which Word Is Correct?
Discard is the only correct spelling; disgard is a misspelling found in no dictionary. Why the error happens, examples, and an easy way to remember.
Don'ts or Dont's? The Correct Plural of Don't
Don'ts is the correct plural of don't; dont's is a misspelling. Learn why the apostrophe never moves and how style guides write dos and don'ts.
Peices vs Pieces: Which Spelling Is Correct?
Peices or pieces? Pieces is the only correct spelling — peices is a common misspelling. Learn the i-before-e rule and easy tricks to get it right.