Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Syntax

Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Syntax 1. Complement vs. Compliment The first pair of words that often cause confusion is 'complement' and 'compliment.' While they sound similar, they have distinct meanings. 'Complement' refers to something that completes or enhances, like 'The red wine complements the steak.' On the other hand, 'compliment' is an expression of praise or admiration, as in 'She complimented his cooking skills.' So, remember, 'complement' completes, while 'compliment' praises. 2. Effect vs. Affect Next up, we have 'effect' and 'affect.' These words are often interchanged, but they have different roles. 'Effect' is a noun that signifies the result or consequence of something, like 'The rain had a cooling effect.' On the contrary, 'affect' is a verb that means to influence or have an impact, as in 'The teacher's words affected the students' motivation.' So, 'effect' is the result, while 'affect' is the action. 3. Its vs. It's Moving on, we encounter the confusion between 'its' and 'it's.' The key here is understanding contractions. 'Its' is a possessive pronoun, indicating something belongs to 'it,' like 'The dog wagged its tail.' On the other hand, 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has,' such as 'It's a beautiful day' or 'It's been a long journey.' So, 'its' shows possession, while 'it's' is a contraction. 4. Then vs. Than Another pair that often trips us is 'then' and 'than.' 'Then' is an adverb that relates to time or sequence, like 'We went to the park, and then we had lunch.' On the other hand, 'than' is a conjunction used for comparison, as in 'She is taller than her brother.' So, 'then' is about time, while 'than' is about comparison. 5. Who vs. Whom