Than/Then
Than is used for comparing and contrasting (more than, less than, taller than, more powerful than).
Thor was stronger than Walter, but Walter was better at crocheting slipcovers.
Then indicates that one thing follows another or results from it.
Walter ran, then he jumped, releasing the pie at the last second and scoring a perfect hit.
Tortuous/Torturous
Tortuous: (adjective) winding, crooked, with plenty of twists and turns; (adjective) complex and lengthy
He chose a tortuous route to the Spoon Museum so that he’d have time to tell Shawna about the dancing marmots.
Lenora gave a tortuous explanation for state of the dog, which was covered in sticky notes and sporting a jaunty new bowler hat.
Torturous: (adjective) painful, a cause of suffering
Hal’s visit to the Museum of Jagged Objects turned out to be torturous ordeal.
Troop/Troupe
Troop: (noun) a group of soldiers, a crew or other grouping of people or animals
The Girl Scout troop pelted Filbert with cookies.
Troupe: (noun) a group of performers
Felicity joined a local troupe of acrobats to acquire the skills she would need to escape the horde of monkeys that had been terrorizing her town.
Unexceptionable/Unexceptional
Unexceptionable: (adjective) beyond reasonable objection, irreproachable
His argument against hugging the alligator was unexceptionable.
Unexceptional: (adjective) usual, normal
Nina’s pool was unexceptional, while Evan’s was full of squid.
Wraith/Wreath/Wreathe
Wraith: (noun) ghost, specter, column of vapour, shadow, insubstantial form
What he had taken for a wraith turned out to be Mrs. McMuggins wrapped in tinfoil and wearing her marshmallow hat.
Wreath: (noun) an arrangement of branches, flowers, and other decorative items, shaped into a ring
Because there were no trees in her area, Meredith made Christmas wreaths from pipe cleaners and toilet paper.
Wreathe: (verb) surround, encircle
He wreathed the Christmas tree with a decorative string of pine-scented air fresheners.
More words that people often confuse or misuse, beginning with A, B, C, D, E, F, G-J, L, M-O, P, Q-R, S
See the main Grammar, Punctuation, and Writer Resources pages for more tips and resources.
References:
- Casagrande, J. (2006). Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies: A Guide to Language tor Fun and Spite. Penguin, New York.
- Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. (2004). 100 Words Almost Everyone Confuses & Misuses. Boston, MA: Houghton-Mifflin Company.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2013). Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Merrriam-Webster.com.
- O’Conner, P. T. (1996). Woe Is I, the Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English. New York, G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
- Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. (2013). Oxford University Press. OALD8.OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com