Website demystifies confusing words

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NOTE: The Confusing Words website no longer exists. 

Try searching  the Common Errors in English Usage website. Or, search in Google for the confusing pair, for example, “capitol vs. capital” to check if you’re right.

The Confusing Words website clarifies the differences between sets of two or more frequently confused words. Visit it when you’re confused about which word to use.

According to the website, some classic pairs of misunderstood or misused words include:

  • Affect vs. effect
  • Capitol vs. capital
  •  Affluent vs. effluent — I’ll bet there aren’t any financial advisors who make this mistake!
  • Atheist vs. agnostic

I read about this in Daphne Gray-Grant’s Power Writing e-newsletter.

April 9, 2013 update: Common Errors in English Usage covers some similar information. Thanks, @Blano, for bringing it to my attention!

March 23, 2018: I updated this post to reflect the disappearance of the Confusing Words website.

 

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