Category: Vocabulary

Two words might sound the same in American English, but when they appear in writing, we see that they have different spellings and mean different things. Such is the case with tenant and tenet, two words that reach the ear similarly sometimes but have no relation. We will spell out their differences, starting with the …

We may often find ourselves distinguishing between two words that sound the same but have different meanings. In today’s post, we have a threesome of such words. That’s because palette, palate, and pallet are all said the same way, but each has a unique meaning and spelling. To help you tell them apart, let’s begin …

There are a lot of similar and confusing words in the English language, and you’ll often find patients and patience among them. In this post, we will look at the difference between the two. Patient and Patients These words create a challenge because patients and patience are homophones. That means they sound the same when …

A lot, alot, and allot: These words are all used often in writing. Some people also consider them to be either interchangeable or the same word with different spellings. In truth, a lot, alot, and allot are not the same. Two of them have separate meanings, and one isn’t even a word at all. For …

You're walking down the street. Someone hands you a piece of paper explaining a community effort. Did that person just give you a flyer, a flier, or something else? Let's answer that. Flyer vs. Flier as a Word Choice In the U.S., a promotional piece of paper using words and pictures to deliver a message …

The chances are good that you have seen (and may even own) some collectibles. At the same time, you probably have other things that were collectable. The real question, though, is whether you know the difference between the two words. If not, today's post should be a big help. Collectible vs. Collectable Let's start by …

The decision of whether to capitalize the word "the" in front of a country name can be a tricky one for a couple of reasons. First, you will likely see capitalization used in different ways depending on who is writing and where the writing appears. Second, there isn't one consistent rule you can follow that …

Why do so many people dislike the word “moist”? It's a good question. Even if you are one of those who can't stand the sound of that particular word—and there are many who can't—you might not be able to explain why. In this discussion, we'll consider the issue people have with this much-maligned word, along …

One of the most entertaining facets of communication can also be one of the most frustrating: That's because people don't always mean exactly what they say. We refer not to lies or falsehoods, but to statements that aren't aimed to be accepted or understood by their literal meaning. For example, if a friend tells you …

Americans share a common language, but as in other countries, not all people speak it the same way. The U.S. has its own family of dialects that differ by region within its 3.8 million square miles. People establish a dialect when they live together within set social or geographical boundaries over time. As they use …