How to choose between words that sound alike
HESI A2 topic: Confusing word pairs
- Expand any apostrophe word: it's means it is or it has.
- Affect is usually a verb; effect is usually a noun.
- Lay, set and raise take an object; lie, sit and rise don't.
- Fewer is for things you can count; less is for amounts.
- Use between for two, among for three or more, who for people.
Key facts
- Its, their, your and whose show ownership and never take an apostrophe; it's, they're, you're and who's are contractions.
- Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence; effect is usually a noun meaning a result.
- Accept means to receive or agree; except means excluding. Advice is a noun; advise is a verb.
Show all 7 key factsShow fewer
- Lie (recline) has the forms lie, lay, lain; lay (put) has lay, laid, laid and always takes an object.
- Set and raise take an object (set the tray down, raise your hand); sit and rise do not.
- Fewer is for things you can count (fewer forms); less is for amounts you can't count (less water).
- Ordinarily, use between for two and among for three or more; use who for people and that or which for things.
Quick check1 question · 2 more at the end
Which word best completes the sentence? The students left ___ backpacks in the hallway.
Correct answer: B.
Their is the possessive form that goes in front of a noun to show the noun belongs to them. They're is a contraction of they are, and there points to a place or begins a there is sentence. Expanding they're is a quick check: the students left they are backpacks makes no sense.
A There points to a place or begins a there is sentence; it cannot show that the backpacks belong to the students.
B Correct: their shows ownership and comes before the noun backpacks.
C Theirs is a possessive pronoun that stands alone (the backpacks are theirs); it cannot come right before a noun.
D They're means they are, and the students left they are backpacks makes no sense.
Full lesson
Each part starts with its main idea. Open a part when you want the details.
The short answer: Most confusing pairs have a quick test. Expand any apostrophe word (it's = it is, they're = they are). Affect is usually a verb and effect usually a noun. Lay, set and raise take an object; lie, sit and rise do not. Use fewer for things you can count, between for two, and who for people.
1 Why do these word pairs cause so many mistakes?These words sound alike or have related meanings, so your ear can't separate them. 1 min
These words sound alike or have related meanings, so your ear can't separate them. Elsevier's HESI A2 review book covers troublesome word pairs; each one below has a quick test.
2 Which pairs can you check by expanding a contraction?If a word has an apostrophe, expand it and reread the sentence. 1 min
If a word has an apostrophe, expand it and reread the sentence. If the long version makes no sense, you need the other spelling. Ownership words such as its, their and your never take an apostrophe.
| Pair | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| its / it's | its = belonging to it; it's = it is or it has | It's late, and the clinic changed its hours. |
| their / there / they're | their = belonging to them; there = a place or "there is"; they're = they are | They're leaving their coats over there. |
| your / you're | your = belonging to you; you're = you are | You're next, so bring your card. |
| to / too / two | to = toward, or with a verb (to swim); too = also or excessively; two = 2 | Two of us went to the lab, and Sam came too. |
| than / then | than compares; then = at that time or next | Lunch was later than usual, and then we left. |
3 Which pairs differ in meaning or part of speech?Many pairs split into a verb and a noun, or into two separate meanings. 1 min
Many pairs split into a verb and a noun, or into two separate meanings. Decide what job the word is doing first.
| Pair | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| affect / effect | affect is usually a verb (to influence); effect is usually a noun (a result) | Noise can affect sleep; one effect is fatigue. |
| accept / except | accept = receive or agree to; except = excluding | We accept every form except the old one. |
| advice / advise | advice is a noun; advise is a verb | I advise you to take her advice. |
| principal / principle | principal = head of a school, or main; principle = a basic rule or truth | Her principal concern was the principle of fairness. |
| lose / loose | lose = misplace or fail to win; loose = not tight | Don't lose that loose button. |
| imply / infer | the speaker implies (suggests); the listener infers (concludes) | His tone implied a delay, so we inferred we'd start late. |
| farther / further | farther = physical distance; further = more or additional | The lab is farther down the hall; we need further discussion. |
4 How do you choose lie or lay, sit or set, rise or raise?In each pair, one verb takes a direct object and the other does not. 1 min
In each pair, one verb takes a direct object and the other does not. Ask "___ what?" after the verb; if there is an answer, use lay, set or raise.
| No object | Takes an object |
|---|---|
| lie (recline): lie, lay, lain, lying | lay (put): lay, laid, laid, laying |
| sit: sit, sat, sat | set: set, set, set |
| rise: rise, rose, risen | raise: raise, raised, raised |
The big trap is that lay is also the past tense of lie. "Yesterday I lay down for a nap" is correct; "Yesterday I laid down" is wrong unless you put something down.
5 When do you use fewer, between or who?These pairs depend on the noun they describe, so look at that noun before you choose. 1 min
These pairs depend on the noun they describe, so look at that noun before you choose.
- Fewer vs. less: fewer for things you can count (fewer forms, fewer visitors); less for amounts you can't count (less water, less time).
- Between vs. among: between for two (between the two clinics); among for three or more (among the five volunteers).
- Who vs. that or which: who for people (the nurse who called); that or which for things. That starts information the sentence needs; which usually starts extra information set off by commas.
Some guides allow between for three or more separate items, or that for people. On a test, the conservative rule is safe.
Common mistakes
The traps students fall into most. Read these before you practice.
Watch out: Lay is also the past tense of lie, so Yesterday I lay down is correct and Yesterday I laid down is not.
Watch out: Its' is never correct, and it's always means it is or it has.
Watch out: A speaker or writer implies (suggests); a listener or reader infers (concludes), so a reader cannot imply anything from a text.
Watch out: Principal is the head of a school or means main (the principal reason); principle is a noun meaning a basic rule or truth.
Watch out: We have further questions, not farther questions: farther is for physical distance, and further means more or additional (further is also used for distance, but farther is the safer choice there).
How to remember it
Two short memory hooks cover the most common traps in this lesson. RAVEN means Remember, Affect is a Verb, Effect is a Noun. For the verb pairs, lay, set and raise always need something to lay, set or raise.
Self-check:
- Expand the contraction: is "Its raining again" correct?
- Choose the verb: "The dog (lies / lays) in the sun every afternoon."
- Fill the blank: "We had ___ (fewer / less) visitors than last week."
Show answers
- No. It should be "It's raining again."
- Expand it: "It is raining again" makes sense.
- So you need the contraction it's, with an apostrophe.
- Lies.
- Ask "lies what?" There is no answer, because the dog is not putting anything down.
- With no object, use lie (recline). The dog lies in the sun.
- Fewer.
- Visitors are things you can count.
- Use fewer for things you can count and less for amounts you can't count.