Common Words Often Misused

Some words sound so much alike that it’s easy to use the wrong one and not realize it. And, the spell-check function of your word processing program will not necessarily catch them, because they may be spelled correctly.

Here are several of the most commonly misused words.

Accept/Except

Accept means to receive something tangible, or to be received as a member of a group or as an idea or theory: Please accept this bonus for a job done well. / The Garden Club will accept me as a member. / I accept your opinion about this matter.

Except means to exclude: Invite everyone except Jean; or other than: Everyone was on time except Jean. 

Affect/Effect

Affect means to influence: Sugar can affect health; or to use a pretense: He affected a French accent to impress women.

Effect means to bring about by some cause: He created the new rules to effect better customer service at his store.

Effect can also mean a result: This lemon-yellow paint will create a cheerful effect in your kitchen.

Allude/Elude

Allude means to make an indirect reference: Mary alluded to a past transgression when she said, “You remember what you did the last time?”

Elude means to evade or escape: You can elude capture if you hide in that culvert.

Farther/Further

Farther is a reference about distance: I traveled farther than I thought I would in one day.

Further is a reference about a situation: She pushed him further in developing his skills than he believed he could accomplish.

Hear/Here

Hear means to listen or receive a sound: Do you hear music in the distance?

Here means in the location you’re in: Meet me here in two hours.

It’s/Its

It’s is a contraction of it is: It’s in the corner.

Its is a possessive form: The dog wagged its tail.

Have/Of

Have is a verb: You should have asked to borrow the saw. / Contraction form: Should’ve, never should of.

Of is a preposition: You can ask to borrow the saw of Mr. Green, which is sharper than Mr. Bean’s.

Than/Then

Than is a conjunction that represents comparison: Bob is a better violinist than Mark.

Then represents time: He was a master drummer back then. / The then drummer in the group broke his arm. / She bought a single rose then left the shop. / The flight is delayed for two hours; until then I’ll visit the bookshop.

Then represents “in addition”: The drive takes six hours, and then there are all the stops to rest and eat to consider.

Then acts as a qualifier of a preceding thought: She felt pain from the injury, but then what injury doesn’t cause pain?

Then represents a consequence: He’s made up his mind; so that, then, is that.

They’re/There/Their

They’re is the contraction of they are: They’re due to arrive in ten minutes.

There indicates a location: Put the flowers there. / We’ll meet there at noon.

Their is possessive: They’re having the party there, at their house.

Wet/Whet

Wet means to dampen or in some way affect with water: Your clothes are sopping wet.

Whet means to sharpen: He used a tool to whet the antique knife; or to stimulate: This appetizer should whet your appetite for the entrée.

Yea/Yeah/Yay

Yea is an archaic term: “Yea, though I walk…” It’s also is a cheer: “Yea! Our candidate won.”

Yeah is a casual way to say yes: Yeah, I can be there by eight o’clock.

Yay indicates approximate size, usually with a demonstration using fingers, hands, or arms: “The fish he caught was yay big.”

What Kind of Editing Will You Need?

Sometimes you need more than basic editing, which is called Developmental Editing, to assist you with plot and character development, as well as with other creative and technical matters. I particularly enjoy this service when the writer’s story has “good bones.” Know this: most new-writer manuscripts need this service, especially first drafts; and when I see in the sample chapters sent to me that Developmental Evaluation (a critique) is needed instead, because the manuscript needs substantial revision, I advise clients to go for that service, unless they really want me to do an overhaul for them, which I can, though it’s labor-intensive.

Developmental Evaluation is also beneficial for non-fiction and memoirs, which sometimes need structure re-organization: the story is not told in the best order for the most impact or is confusing to read.

Eventually, every manuscript needs an editor’s eyes.

Timing: New writers typically don’t know to anticipate that time may or will be involved to get their manuscript into final form, meaning into proper shape to self-publish or submit to an agent or publisher. This timing all depends on how much work their manuscript needs. Manuscripts generally need more than one revision. Even best-sellers go through multiple revisions.

The entire process of manuscript to retail product is an involved but fascinating one. You learn a lot about what it takes from start to finish for an idea to become a book, and benefit greatly from what you learn, especially if you intend to keep writing.

Have a question? Contact me at http://editmybookandmore.weebly.com/ and I’ll blog about it.

I wish you the best with your writing and process.

Joyce Shafer

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