Writing & Grammar: Answers to Confusing Words for 100

by Jennie Ruby 

 

Answers to my Confusing Words for 100 challenge are brought to you by Cathy A. Mackie:

1. What will the effect/affect of the new restrictions be?(noun)
2. The new director will effect/affect some changes in the current policy. (verb - exception when effect can mean to bring about or accomplish)
3. The revisions to the software will effect/affect how we use it. (verb)
4. How will the new functions effect/affect our template?(verb)
5. What effect/affect will the new interface have on our compliance initiative? (noun)
6. The change is to/too difficult to explain over the phone.
7. I want to upgrade the operating system, to/too.
8. The file is to/too large to fit on my flash drive.
9. The goal is to/too enhance functionality without increasing costs.
10. To/too encourage use, we will offer to/too/two new incentives.

Other correct answers came in from Tara Allen, Gail Kelleher, Geri Moran, Ginny Supranowitz, and Kay Honaker. To the many, many respondents who missed number 2, note Cathy's comment: Effect can sometimes be used as a verb meaning to put into effect. If you think of the verb affect as meaningchange, it becomes clear that The new director will change some changes in the current policy doesn't quite work.

 

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Confusing Words for 200

  

Let's tackle two more sets of confusing words: than/then and adept/adapt/adopt.

  

Than is for comparisons, then is for sequence.

  

Adept means skilled, adapt means to alter for a particular use, and adopt means to take as your own.

1. The Washington Monument is taller than/then the Capitol dome.
2. Lunch was later than/then we thought.
3. The paddleboard is much longer than/then most surf boards.
4. First we paddled up the creek, than/then we paddled down.
5. The mouth of the Magothy River is much wider than/then the mouth of the Severn.
6. The instructors were much more adept/adapt/adopt at maneuvering than/then the beginners were.
7. We wanted to adept/adapt/adopt the puppy, but first it needed some shots.
8. How adept/adapt/adopt are you at balancing on a floating board?
9. You have to adept/adapt/adopt your stance to the circumstances.
10. Is there some way we can adept/adapt/adopt this oar, which is much too long, for use with a canoe?

Feel free to post your answers as comments below.

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Comments

[Vicki White]

1. than
2. than
3. than
4. then
5. than
6. adept
7. adopt
8. adept
9. adapt
10.adapt