Home
>
Writing
>
Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused - Part 4 of 6

Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused - Part 4 of 6

LATER, LATTER

Later means afterwards; latter is the second of two things.

"Later that day we went for a walk."

"We have two choices. The latter is the more reliable, but the former would be cheaper."

LAY, LAID

This pair confuses writers almost more than any other.

"He lay on his bed." Although this sentence is past tense, "laid" would be incorrect and suggests he was laying eggs.

"She sighed as she laid the visitors' book beside the pen and lay back wondering if she would ever make an entry in it again."

In present tense the sentence would read, "She sighs as she lays the visitors' book beside the pen and lies back, wondering if she will ever make an entry in it again." BUT "I sigh as I lay the visitors' book beside the pen and lie back, wondering if I will ever make an entry in it again."

(In practice, I would probably write I place/placed and she places/placed. It's so much less confusing, not to mention less repetitive!)

"It lay on the desk beside an open book." Present tense would read, "It lies on the desk beside an open book."

"Our hens lay every day."

"The hens laid ten eggs yesterday."

LEAD, LED

Lead (pronounced led) is a heavy metal or (pronounced leed) the present tense of led. So:

"He opens the door for me and I lead the guests upstairs to their rooms."

"He opened the door for me and I led the guests upstairs to their rooms."

LEND, LOAN

Lend is a verb meaning to give something temporarily to someone; loan is a noun, meaning the temporary transfer of something to someone else. So, "Dad, can you loan me a few dollars until pay day?" is incorrect.

LESSEN, LESSON

Lessen means to make less; lesson is something you learn.

LOATHE, LOATH

Loathe always means hate or detest, and loath means reluctant or hesitant. It's that simple!

"I loathe the idea of complaining about such a small thing."

"I'm loath to complain about something so small."

These sentences may seem to say the same thing, but the speakers' feelings are different. It's nearly always "loathe" that is used when the writer means "loath", seldom the other way round.

LOSE, LOOSE

Lose always means mislaying or dropping something and not being able to find it, while loose means slack or free:

"If the fastening on your wrist-watch is loose (slack) you may lose your watch."

MAYBE, MAY BE

Another tricky one, best explained by demonstration:

"Maybe you could explain this to us a little clearer."

"It may be a good idea to give us a clearer explanation of this."

MEET, METE, MEAT

The two more often confused are meet and mete. Meet means to encounter (and can also mean fit or suitable); mete means to

allot, apportion or distribute; meat refers to flesh as food.

NO, KNOW

Strange that these two should get confused, but they do. No is always the opposite of yes; know is to be certain (that you know the difference!)

OVERDO, OVERDUE

It baffles me that people get these mixed up, but they do. Overdo means to exaggerate or carry something too far; overdue is what your bills are when you forget to pay them!

About The Author

Laraine Anne Barker writes fantasy for young people. Visit her web site at http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz. Fantasy for Children & Young Adults for FREE stories and novel excerpts. Sign up for the NOVELLA OF THE MONTH CLUB, absolutely FREE!

tidy up service Glenview ..

In The News:

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused - Part 4 of 6

Writing