Business Writing

Words Sometimes Confused

The following examples show common confusions with similar-sounding words.
ALWAYS USE A DICTIONARY WHEN IN DOUBT!

Accept/Except
To accept is to receive something with thanks or assent. To except is to leave out or exclude something. Of course, except can also mean 'not including'.

e.g.
I accept that you may not be able to finish this project by April.
Nobody can be excepted from this general rule.
Everybody except Mr Jones has met their sales target.

Affect/Effect
Affect is normally a verb, meaning 'to influence'.
Effect is usually a noun, meaning 'the result of an action'.
Effect can also be a verb, meaning 'to bring into being'.

e.g.
This decision will affect all subsequent policy plans
The economic situation has had a bad effect on our business.
We have not been able to effect an improvement in product quality.

Complement/Compliment
Complement is a noun meaning 'that which makes up or completes' OR a verb meaning 'to complete or form a suitable companion to'.
Compliment is a noun meaning 'praise' OR a verb meaning 'to praise'.

e.g.
The rugby team now has a full complement of fit players.
Giving someone a compliment costs nothing.

Disinterested/Uninterested
To be disinterested is to be unbiased about something. To be uninterested is to take no interest in something.

e.g.
My boss gave a disinterested opinion on the proposed new office layout.
My son is usually uninterested in doing his homework.

Ensure/Insure
To ensure is to make sure; to insure is to pay money to protect something.

e.g.
I always ensure the doors are locked before I go home
It is a good idea to insure your valuables against loss or damage.

Imply/Infer
To imply is to suggest indirectly. To infer is to understand or derive.

e.g.
He implied that women were unsuitable for this kind of work.
We infer from what he said that he feels women are inferior.

Practice/Practise
Practice is a noun; to practise is the verb. Unfortunately, American English spells both noun and verb as practice. Know your audience!

e.g.
The doctor's practice was full.
My saxophone teacher told me to practise every day. (My neighbours hate my saxophone teacher).

Principal/Principle
Principal can be an adjective, meaning 'first in importance' OR a noun meaning 'a person first in importance' often the head teacher in a school or college. Principle is a noun, meaning 'a fundamental truth or reality'.

e.g.
The principal item on the agenda is the extension to the office building.
The principal welcomed all the new students on the first day of term.
One of the guiding principles of democracy is respect for human rights.