Transcript Slide 1

Troublesome Words
To, Two, and Too
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‘To’ : Shows movement towards: e.g. He is
going to school.
‘To’ also indicates the infinitive of a verb. E.g.
She hopes to win a prize.
‘Two’ : Is a number. E.g. The two boys are
with two lovely girls.
‘Too’ : Means ‘also’, ‘enough’ ‘more than
enough’, ‘likewise’
Example: The inspector asked too many
difficult questions.
Try writing the correct form
of ‘to,too two’ in the
following sentences.
1. David is ……….ill ……… go…………… the pop concert.
2. The last…….. days were………..wet……… play games.
3. The teacher told me…….. leave for home at….. o’clock.
4. My……… sisters travel………school by bus.
5. I am…….. young ………be admitted……the dance.
6. It is ……early ………retire …….bed.
7. The question was………… hard ………… answer.
8. If you are going…..the pop concert may I come…..?
9. It is ………soon after dinner……go swimming.
10. He showed us…….ways……..solve the problem.
Now Check Your Answers!
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1. Too, to, to.
2. Two, too, to.
3. To, two.
4. Two, to.
5. Too, to, to.
6. Too, to, to.
7. Too, to.
8. To, too.
9. Too. To
10. Two, to.
Their, There, + They’re
THERE
 Use
there when referring to a
place.
 How to remember: The word
here is hiding in the word
there. Both here and there
are words that refer to a place
or direction.
THERE
 There
is a computer store on Fox
Hill Avenue.
 The science textbooks are over
there on the floor.
 There are many documents that
are used in investigations.
THEIR
 Use
their when talking about
something that belongs to more than
one. T H E I R shows possession or
ownership. The word “heir” is in their.
friends have lost their tickets.
 Their things were scattered across
the room.
 My
THEY’RE
 They're
is a contraction of the words
they and are.
Hurry up! They're closing the mall
at 6 tonight!
 I'm glad that they're so nice to new
students here.

.
______ are no excuses this time,
Buddy!
 There
 Their
 They're
I
can't imagine where
__________ going after the
movie.
there
their
they're
It's
________ car, so let them
decide where we're going.
there
their
they're
Wherever
________ are two or
more firefighters in the same
room, you know what they'll be
talking about.
there
their
they're
Its and It’s
It’s
Means “it is”
Its
Goes before a noun or
noun phrase to show the
noun or noun phrase
belongs to “it”
Confused?
Words ending in apostrophe-s
usually show belonging
BUT
not with it’s
How can I remember which one to
use?
Try the old rhyme:
When you say it’s time for tea
It’s time to use the apostrophe.
When you say the dog has got its bone
It’s time to leave the apostrophe alone.
The mental process
Does it is fit?
Use it’s
Otherwise…
NO APOSTROPHE
Affect vs. effect
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Affect
– A verb that means influence(sway, modify, alter,
touch, stir).
– Example: The drought will affect the color of the
fall foliage.
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Effect
– A noun that means result (outcome issue,
consequence)
– Example: The medicine has unpleasant side
effects.
Effect and Affect
 Effect:
a noun
– The results
– An effect, the effect, good effect, special
effect
– Can be plural: effects
 Affect:
a verb meaning to change
– Not studying will affect my grade.
– Can be past tense: affected
– Can be participle: affecting
Your Turn
 The
__ of the medicine is unknown. I
hope it doesn’t __ your mood.
 These lights always __ my eyes.
 Poor eyesight can have a negative –
on one’s driving.
 Did the extra credit – your grade?
 My GPA __ my financial aid.
 The writer’s tone can __ the reader
strongly.
Answers
The effect of the medicine is unknown. I
hope it doesn’t affect your mood.
 These lights always affect my eyes.
 Poor eyesight can have a negative effect
on one’s driving.
 Did the extra credit affect your grade?
 My GPA affects my financial aid.
 The writer’s tone can affect the reader
strongly.
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Accept vs. Except
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Accept is always a verb. It means “to
take or receive, consent to receive; say
yes to.”
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Except is most commonly used as a
preposition meaning “but.”
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A similarity in sound often causes
confusion in the use of these two words.
Accept vs. Except - Application
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I accepted/excepted the invitation to the
party.
I accepted the invitation to the party.
All the employees accept/except Bill
received a bonus.
All the employees except Bill received a
bonus.
Between vs. Among
 Between
– used when choosing
between two things
I
must choose between the devil
and the deep blue sea.
 I must choose between rocky
road and vanilla ice cream.
Between vs. Among (cont.)
I
must choose among The
Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse.
(Among is usually, but not
always, required for three or
more)
Leave or Let
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Leave means “to go away, depart, or set out” or
“to allow to remain.”
What time should we leave for the fiddle
contest?
If you leave Old Dan behind, he will just follow
us.
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Let means “to permit or consent.”
I will let you wear my new hat.
Wrong
Let him alone!
Right
Leave him alone!
(Allow him to remain alone.)
Wrong
Leave me do it again.
Right
Let me do it again.
(Permit me to do it.)
The most common mistake is
whether to say:
Let it be. or
Leave it be.
Just remember the old Beatles
song to help you remember this.
I let Little Ann sleep in the house.
I permitted
Little Ann sleep in the house.
I had to leave Old Dan outside.
I had to allow Old Dan to remain outside.
OR
Old Dan had to leave the porch.
Old Dan had to depart the porch.
Write let or leave to complete the
sentence.
___________it sitting on the stove.
Leave it sitting on the stove.
Allow it to remain on the stove.
I let Little Ann sleep in the house.
I permitted
Little Ann sleep in the house.
I had to leave Old Dan outside.
I had to allow Old Dan to remain outside.
OR
Old Dan had to leave the porch.
Old Dan had to depart the porch..
Write lets or leaves to complete the
sentence.
My mom ___________ me stay up until
9:00.
My mom lets me stay up until
9:00.
My mom permits me stay up until
9:00.
I let Little Ann sleep in the house.
I permitted
Little Ann sleep in the house.
I had to leave Old Dan outside.
I had to allow Old Dan to remain outside.
OR
Old Dan had to leave the porch.
Old Dan had to depart the porch.
Write lets or leaves to complete
the sentence.
Billy _________ his books on the
table.
Billy leaves his books on the table.
Billy allows his books to remain on
the table.
I let Little Ann sleep in the house.
I allowed
Little Ann sleep in the house.
I had to leave Old Dan outside.
I had to allow Old Dan to remain outside.
Write let or leave to complete the
sentence.
We __________ the room
together.
We leave the room together.
We depart the room together.
Practice – Number your paper from
1 to 10. Write the correct answer
for each of the following items.
1. (Let, Leave) me help you with
that.
2. Dad will (let, leave) the pie on
the counter for Billy.
3. I will (let, leave) you alone until
you feel better.
4. Grandpa will (let, leave) Billy be
by himself for a while.
5. (Let, Leave) your little brother
alone.
6. (Let, Leave) him be.
7. Although Billy was the master,
he often (let, leave) Old Dan and
Little Ann have their way.
8. Grandpa often said, “(Let,
Leave) me tell you what Old Dan
and Little Ann did today.”
9. By the end of the day, Billy will
(let, leave) you with an answer to
that question.
10. Someday you must (let, leave)
me tell you the story of Old Dan
and Little Ann.
Teach and Learn
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Teach means “to instruct, train, or
pass on knowledge.”
Ms. Fletcher teaches her class how to read.
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To learn something is “to receive or be
given knowledge.”
The students learn to read with the help of
the teacher.
Think of it this way.
Many people can teach you
something they know how to do.
However, you are the one who
learns how to do something
new.
Wrong
I will learn you how to solve this math
problem.
Right
I will teach you how to solve this
math problem. I am sure you can
learn it.
Wrong
I will teach how to dance after a
series of lessons.
Right
I will learn how to dance after a
series of lessons.
Billy will teach the hounds how to hunt.
Billy will train the dogs.
The hounds will learn how to hunt.
The hounds will
gain knowledge.
Write teach or learn to complete
the sentence.
Little Ann will _________ Old Dan
how to swim across the river.
Little Ann will teach Old Dan how
to swim across the river.
Billy will teach the hounds how to hunt.
Billy will train the dogs.
The hounds will learn how to hunt.
The hounds will
gain knowledge.
Write teach or learn to complete
the sentence.
Billy used a raccoon hide to ______
Little Ann and Old Dan.
Billy used a raccoon hide to teach
Little Ann and Old Dan.
Billy will teach the hounds how to hunt.
Billy will train the dogs.
The hounds will learn how to hunt.
The hounds will
gain knowledge.
Write teach or learn to complete
the sentence.
Samie could not _________ to stay
away from the trap.
Samie could not learn to stay
away from the trap.
Billy will teach the hounds how to hunt.
The hounds will learn how to hunt.
Billy will train the dogs.
The hounds will
gain knowledge.
Write taught or learned to
complete the sentence.
Little Ann and Old Dan ________
quickly how to track coons.
Little Ann and Old Dan learned
quickly how to track coons.
Practice – Number your paper from
1 to 10. Write the correct answer
for each of the following items.
1. Why did Billy (teach, learn) the
girls to take care of Samie?
2. Do you want to (teach, learn)
how to trap coons?
3. Dad tried to (teach, learn) Billy
how to set the trap.
4. In this book you will (teach,
learn) all about coon hunting.
5. How will Billy (teach, learn) the
way to town?
6. Who will (teach, learn) the girls
how to skip a stone across the
creek?
7. Billy (taught, learned) his sisters
how to build a dog pen.
8. I (taught, learned) how to make
a fishing pole using a safety pin
and string.
9. Grandpa can (teach, learn) me
how to grind corn to make
cornmeal.
10. Can you (teach, learn) Billy how
to skin a coon?
Who’s, Whose
Who’s
Well, who's is always short for
who is.
For
example:
Who’s
Whose
The easiest way to
explain whose is to say
that you use it
whenever it would be
wrong to say who
Whose
For example:
Is he the guy (who
is/whose) tie was red?
(Who is/Whose) iPad is
this?
More Examples…
The different uses of these words is illustrated by
the following pair of sentences:
 Bob,
who's normally prompt, was
late today.
 Bob, whose record is exemplary,
was late today.
In summary, use who's when
you mean who is and whose
otherwise.
Who’s / Whose
Copy the sentences, using the correct form of
(who’s / whose).
(Who’s / whose) book is this?
2. (Who’s / whose) coming to the football
game tomorrow?
3. The man (who’s / whose) house
collapsed is now homeless.
4. I need to know (who’s /whose) with me.
1.
Principal vs. Principle
The word principal means “the
head of a school,” or “main or
most important.”
Mr. Stephens is the principal.
The principal export of Brazil is coffee.
The word principle means “a rule of
conduct,” or “a fact of general
truth.”
Her principles are very high.
MLK supported a principle of non-violence.
May vs Can
 May-
asking permission to do
something
 Can Ex:
able to do something; ability
May I carry your lunch for you?
 EX: Can those tiny girls lift those
heavy boxes?
Choose “can,” “was able to,” “may,” or “might” to complete each
sentence.
1. The old man (can/was able to/may/might) walk with a cane
yesterday.
2. My teacher (can/was able to/may/might) recite 24 digits of Pi.
3. Jeff and Tom (can/was able to/may/might) attend the private
party.
4. Grandmother (can/was able to/may/might) eat when she comes
out of surgery.
5. My brother (can/was able to/may/might) kick a football across the
whole field.
6. Yesterday, she (can/was able to/may/ might) pay off her credit
card.
7. My dad says I (can/was able to/may/might) sleep at my friend’s
house tonight.
8. Last year, I (can/was able to/may/might) earn my diploma and
graduate.
9. My teacher said I (can/was able to/may/might) participate in the
show.
10. Your cousin Joe (can/was able to/may/might) whistle through his
teeth.
Compliment vs Complement
 Compliment means a statement of praise
 Complement means to go well with or
perfect something else.
Example:
The customer sent his compliments to the
chef.
The picture complements the design
perfectly.
In each of the exercises below, circle the word in parentheses
that completes the sentence correctly.
1. Nothing makes a gal feel better than a nice
(complement/compliment) or two to start the day.
2. The rich brown tones of the lamp shade
(complement/compliment) the rest of the room’s decor.
3. The routine (complemented/complimented) the skating
styles of two ice skaters who had recently started
performing as a pair.
4. A (complement/compliment) goes a long way when you
are trying to woo the girl of your dreams.
5. The homemade croutons were the perfect
(complement/compliment) to the rich and creamy redpepper soup.
6. (Complementing/Complimenting) your boss every chance
you get does not guarantee that your raise is higher when
it is time for a performance review.
Capital vs Capitol
Definitions:
 capital refers to (1) a city that serves as a
center of government, (2) wealth in the form of
money or property, and (3) a capital letter.
 Capitol has two very specific definitions (outside
ancient Rome): (1) a U.S. state legislature
building, and (2) the U.S. Capitol building in
Washington, D.C. State capitols are located in
the capital cities of U.S. states, and the Capitol
is located in the capital city of the U.S. If you’re
not talking about any of these capitol buildings,
then the word you want is probably capital.
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Stationary vs Stationery
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Stationery, with an "e," is paper, usually paper
that you use for writing letters or notes. Use the
nice stationery to write to your grandmother.
You can remember that it’s spelled with an “e”
by thinking that the “e” stands for “e-mail.”
 Stationary means not moving, fixed in one place,
still. Almost every big gym has a row of
stationary bikes. You can remember the spelling
of this word by thinking that when you are
stationary, you are often standing. Since
“standing” is also spelled with an “a,” the
association can remind you to put the second
“a” in “stationary.”