Now that schools no longer emphasize the importance in spelling I have had several years worth of students who couldn't tell the difference between "then" and "than".
"That was then, this is now" "He is older than she is" They also couldn't differentiate between "affect" and "effect", but I know faculty who have problems with that one. -Don. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christopher D. Green" Date: Monday, August 10, 2009 8:10 am Subject: [tips] word confusions To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" > Two word confusions I am tired of seeing (even in newspapers and > books > sometimes): > > jive vs. jibe > "Your excuse for missing the test does not jibe with the facts." > "Jive" is a dance. > > dribble vs. drivel > "Don't give me that drivel. Just tell me what really happened." > "Dribble" comes out of babies mouths. > > Honorable mention (because it really only comes up in a single > idiomatic > expression): > metal vs. mettle (and even "meddle" and "medal") > "Joining the military would really test your mettle." > > Do people have others that they care to share? > > Chris > -- > > Christopher D. Green > Department of Psychology > York University > Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 > Canada > > > > 416-736-2100 ex. 66164 > chri...@yorku.ca > http://www.yorku.ca/christo/ > > ========================== > > > --- > To make changes to your subscription contact: > > Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu) Don Allen Dept. of Psychology Langara College 100 W. 49th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. Canada V5Y 2Z6 Phone: 604-323-5871 --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)
