Commonly Confused Words

Part One: Their/They’re/There

  1. The students were crowding around my desk, wondering what ______grades were.
  2. Cassy and Justin walked slowly; ______hands inches apart.
  3. ______is a really strange smell in here.
  4. Will ______be any multiple choice questions on the test?
  5. I hope ______parents find out about the party.

Part Two: To/Too/Two

  1. I have ______ask you why you think that you are ______good for this assignment.
  2. Is ______dollars enough ______pay?
  3. ______get ______my grandma’s house, you have ______have a four-wheel drive and a lead foot, ______.

Part Three: Your/You’re

  1. People are asking whether ______planning to come to the party.
  2. Jennifer considers herself ______best friend.
  3. If ______going to act that way, I'm leaving.
  4. Please write ______name at the top of the ______paper.

Part Four: Then/Than

  1. First you got upset; ______you got angry.
  2. We all suspected that the clerk knew more ______he let on.
  3. Core the apple and ______rinse it in lemon juice.
  4. If all goes well, ______we can proceed to the next step.
  5. The discussion lasted much longer ______we thought it would.

Part Five: Accept/Except

  1. Ms. Berry has said that no more applications can be ______after next week.
  2. Please ______my apology for my bad behavior yesterday.
  3. She found all of the applications ______mine valid.
  4. Joseph ______the blame for the accident.
  5. Unfortunately, people often do not ______the responsibilities they have agreed to shoulder.

Part Six: Affect/Effect

  1. The speaker said that her organization wanted to ______a major change in the party's platform.
  2. Joe talked with Janis, but his words had almost no ______on his friend's actions.
  3. One ______of the new lenses is my ability to read more easily.
  4. Adding salt to the batter ______the taste of the cake.
  5. The ______of the storm will not be clear for years.

Part Seven: Lose/Loose

  1. It’s not my intention to ______a lifelong friendship over petty differences.
  2. After the dog show, we let my prize winning pup run ______around the yard for some exercise.
  3. The car door hinge is so ______that the door might fall off the next time I get out of my car.
  4. With eight children to take care of, I ______my mind on a daily basis.