Words Frequently Misused
Homonyms (words that sound the same, but have different meanings and spellings) are commonly misused because of the similarities in the way they are pronounced and/or spelled.
- Incorrect: Durham College has more sports teams then UOIT.
- Correct: Durham College has more sports teams than UOIT.
- Incorrect: How are you’re peers doing in school?
- Correct: How are your peers doing in school?
Tips:
- Lists of commonly confused words are widely available in style guides and online.
- Use a dictionary. If you have a green or blue underline in your Word document, check the definition to make sure you are using the correct word for what you are saying.
