Misused Words

Following on from yesterday, let's take a side-track and look at some of the words that are commonly misused. In English, there are many words that sound similar but which have different meanings, and many words that are different, and mean nearly the same thing, but will confuse your reader if you use them in the wrong place. There are many; I've listed a couple here but I would suggest that you seek out a full list of them, and be careful that the words you use in your story, novel or article, mean exactly what you want them to.

affect/effect

This is one that I come across often in my role as editor. Affect, as a verb, means to influence, to have consequences, as in these examples:

• The decision affected workers in all industries.
• I was very much affected by the glorious singing.

Affected, as an adjective, means artificially showing off, putting on an act:

• He spoke with an affected English accent.

Affect, affected and affective also have psychological meanings; look these up in a good dictionary.

Effect, as a verb, means to cause something to happen, to bring it about:

• He was well out of the crease, but effected a brilliant recovery to avoid being stumped.
• After much litigation, a settlement of the dispute was effected.

Effect, as a noun, means a result or consequence, as in:

• The effect of this decision was lamentable.

accept/except

Accept has a range of meanings that include to take or receive; or to agree (to), admit or believe:

• The television hostess will accept the award on behalf of her show
• Her competitiors accept the judges' decision.

Except means to leave out or exclude:

• Vaccinations are compulsory and the school can except no student.
• Everybody has had coffee except me.