Build Great Sentences

We use a in generalization, the when referring to a specific object. The boy climbs a tree when it has no particular distinction from any other, but he is more likely to climb the big oak in his back yard because of its low branches.

Accept is to take something given to you. Except is to exclude something. Except for one detail, the office could accept the man’s story.

Aggravate means to worsen or intensify. Annoy means to be disturb or bother someone. Irritate means to inflame or anger. People may be annoyed by the aggravated air quality and irritated that so many people seem unconcerned.

Affect is a verb meaning “to have an influence upon.” Effect is a noun referring to a changes’ result. A negative effect occurs when we affect people in the wrong way.

Allude is a hint or disguised reference to something. Infer calls for a logical conclusion based on information held. Refer is a direct reference to something. He alluded to what might be a problem, inferred that people should be concerned, and referred to all the research still being done.

An allusion refers to something in an indirect way. Seeing what isn’t really there is an illusion. An allusion to Darwin’s theory doesn’t keep evolution from being an illusion.

Alright fought to be a one-word spelling for all right for many years, but it has lost that war. Editors generally hold to the exclusive use of all right. So in all ways, we always use all right in the two-word form.

But you might consider an exception. In the rare case where all right is used as an adjective, you might be accepted as an alright person to use the single word. In dialog, we might hear someone say, “Alright now, let’s quit quibbling over quibbles.”

Alternate means “from one to the other.” Both alternatives and options have to do with choice, but the perspective is slightly different. An alternative says you have one choice other than what is most preferred. Options suggest any number of choices of somewhat equal value. Alternating between two options, Bill had only one alternative to avoid being late.

These two prepositions have an important distinction in meaning. Both refer to a relevant position of something. Among refers to a relationship to three or more people, places, or things. Between defines a position in relation to exactly two. Among several scholarship offers, Caleb had to choose between Notre Dame and Princeton.

Amused means something is funny, and you’re having a good time. Bemused means you’re puzzled, confused, bewildered, or deeply absorbed in thought.

Anxious is associated with anxiety, referring to apprehension, a negative emotion, which is often confused with someone who is eager, a positive emotion of anticipation. To avoid confusion when the context doesn’t make the meaning clear, use fearful or apprehensive instead of anxious. Fred was anxious about sky jumping for the first time but afterward was eager to go again.

Anymore deals with time and duration in a situation. Any more refers to the increase of a quantity. For example: No one needed to ask Pooh Bear if he wanted any more honey, as if he might not be hungry anymore.

Ascent is an upward climb. Assent means to agree or approve. The ascent was too steep for the guide to give his assent.

At marks a location or the start of something happening. In refers to a container where, or a time when, something exists or happens. He lived at home. The train left at 6:42 p.m. They stopped at the corner café. He was dressed in his tuxedo. They played in the afternoon. At the beginning, he wrote what happened in the beginning.

Awhile is a noun referring to a period of time. After a preposition, a noun by itself makes no sense. We need an article a, an, or the preceding while. For example, we wouldn’t say, “For house,” but rather, “For the house.” Following the same principle, we don’t want to say, “For awhile,” but rather, “For a while,” using the two-word form after the preposition.

Give John awhile to make up his mind, and after a while we’ll have his decision.

For many people, “faith” and “belief” are two words for the same thing. However, we can make a distinction that might be important. Belief is something that is accepted as true and held as an opinion, perhaps because we want it to be true. Faith is an unwavering conviction of a truth, especially when we trust God’s word above physical evidence.

Abraham held a belief in God, and when he trusted God’s promise as absolute truth, he had faith.

Jason listed his beliefs in God and Jesus Christ as “Statements of Faith” because he held each one to be absolutely true.

Beside means “adjacent to,” or “alongside.” Besides means “other than” or “in addition to.” Besides being upset with him, she was forced to sit beside him.

Capital might be money to start a business, something of chief importance, or a center for government. Capitol is the building where the government meets. More capital was needed to started a business in the state’s capital city near the capitol.

Childish refers to the negative behavior of a child. Childlike refers to being like a child, but without the negative connotation. Being childlike, big John still liked to play, but he wasn’t childish enough to throw a tantrum.

Cite means to quote or call attention to something. Sight is the ability to see or something seen. Site is a place where something is located. At this site, the sight was too breathtaking for him to cite any place that was more beautiful.

Collaborate is to work with someone for a common goal. Corroborate support or confirm a claim with information or evidence. In collaboration with another scientist, he was able to corroborate what had been dismissed as fantasy.

Complement and compliment have entirely different meanings. To complement is to “add to” or “combine well with” something. To compliment is to give approval and praise. Susie complimented management for the complementary tickets to the concert.

Conscious people are awake and aware of their surroundings. Conscience refers to the feeling we have when doing right or wrong. Conscious that nobody was looking, his conscience still would not allow him to steal.

The two words might seem interchangeable, because both refer to something ongoing. But there is an important distinction. Continually describes a frequent occurrence that might be interrupted. Continuously allows no interruption.

To satisfy his occasional boredom, John continually picked up a box of dominoes and continuously placed each one on end so the first to fall would take all the rest down.

Convince and persuade are often used interchangeably, but there is a slight difference. Convince means to cause someone to believe a truth. Persuade means to cause someone to do something by asking, arguing, or reasoning. Convinced that something had to be done, Jason persuaded his neighbors to sign the petition.

Counsel is to give advice or be one who gives advice. A council is a group of people chosen to make decisions or give advice. Lacking important information, the council was not able to provide counsel on the issue.

While the two might be used interchangeably, critical works best for extreme danger and crucial for something very important. It may be crucial to pay bills on time, but when the debtor is about to be sued, his condition has become critical.

The correct word and meaning depend on the point of view. Yesterday refers to the day before the present day in the story. The day before refers to whatever day precedes the current day in focus, which could be any day, even in the future.

In practice, these words can mean the same thing, with dependance commonly used in the UK. But technically, there is a difference.

Dependence is reliance on someone or something for support.

Dependance is being controlled by something or someone—an addiction.

In American English, we most commonly use dependence. When referring to addictive behavior, addiction is preferred instead of dependance.

Her dependance on caffeine (or addiction to caffeine) was obvious, always with a cup of coffee in her hand or sitting on her desk. Their dependence on one another led to the worst of enemies becoming friends.

Desire simply says what people want, while motivation points to their reason and purpose. I am motivated to be the best I can be, because I desire to please the Lord.

Discreet means to be careful or prudent, not wanting to upset someone or cause problems. Discrete refers to something separate and distinct, unconnected.

Both eldest and oldest refer to age, but a distinction does exist. Eldest refers only to people in relation to two or more other people. If the comparison is with only one person, elder, is correct, although common practice seems to prefer use of older and oldest, which can work for age comparison of anything, including people. Example: Jim is the eldest sibling, but Jane is the elder of the two sisters. Jim drives the oldest car.

Elicit means to get information or cause a desired reaction. Illicit is something unacceptable or unlawful. He didn’t mean to elicit an illicit response.

Eminent is to stand out above others in character, position, or reputation. Something imminent is likely to happen very soon. Something immanent exists everywhere.

In conversation, people might use end and ending interchangeably, but you can probably sense a slight difference in meaning. End marks a point of conclusion with zero duration. The ending can be much longer. For example: The end of a book might be regarded as the last words on the last page, which said, “The End.” But the ending would be what comes after the climax, the last chapter, perhaps.

The end of a race is the finish line. The ending is that last sprint to achieve the best time.

Use ensure to make certain by gathering proof. Use insure to guarantee a benefit to cover potential loss. Winning battles ensured the respect of his men, but the policy insured a benefit for his heirs.

A euphemism is a substitute word or phrase for what might be otherwise regarded as unpleasant. A pretense represents something as other than what it really is. Instead of saying the mayor had died, reporters used euphemisms, saying, “He passed away,” “He departed this life,” or “He went to Heaven.” He excused himself from the business meeting under the pretense that he had to make an important call.

Since these words are often used interchangeably, your dictionary might offer little distinction, but there is one. Exaltation is best defined as the glorification or elevation of a person or thing. Exultation focuses on the feeling we have, our being so filled with joy that the overflow must be expressed. We should exalt the Lord Jesus for all he has done for us and have exultation for the indescribable peace and joy we feel.

Famous people are known for their achievements, their position in society. Notorious people are known for their wrongdoing, their criminal activities. Roy Rogers is a famous cowboy, and Jesse James is a notorious criminal.

Farther refers to physical distance, which is easy to remember if you notice that the word contains “far.” Further applies to distance in the metaphorical or figurative sense. If we need to drive farther down the road, we’ll need further instruction.

Fewer is used when the items can be counted. Less refers to a smaller amount or lower rank by comparison. John had less money than Bill and fewer skills.

The debate continues. When referring to a pilot or a handbill, which word is correct? Some say it doesn’t matter. Others want “flyer” for both. If the pundits can’t agree, we should consider the most likely reader perception.

A pilot is much different from a handbill, so distinct words would be useful. Since “flyer” contains “fly,” which is what pilots do, let’s use “flyer” for pilots and airplane passengers. Use “flier” for handbills. Few people will complain if you use “flyer” for both, but avoid using “flier” for pilots.

The stewardess gave printed fliers to all the frequent flyers.

Hanged is only used when referring to someone sentenced to death by hanging. Hung is the correct past tense of hang. The rope hung from the tree limb where the horse thief was hanged.

Use healthful when the intended meaning is “promoting good health.” Healthy applies to anything in good health. A healthful snack will keep us healthy.

In conversation, the meanings of the two words are sometimes confused, but an important distinction exists. Hearing is the ability to perceive sound. Listening is a conscious choice that requires mental focus. Grandpa isn’t hard of hearing, but when his mind wanders, he isn’t listening.

The difference is in whether we see the object as close or distant. Here we have something either in my hand or close, but over there we have something that is more distant.

Historic refers to something especially worth noting in history. Historical simply identifies something from the past. Neil Armstrong’s first step on lunar soil was an historic event, and the museum contains many historical items from the first decades of space travel.

An honorarium is a reward of an unspecified nature or amount. Compensation is payment of an agreed-upon fee. The speaker anticipated an honorarium of a gift card or cash because he had no agreement for any compensation.

Something immanent exists everywhere. Something imminent is likely or certain to happen very soon. Fear is immanent in human nature when arrival of a hurricane is imminent.

An instance is an occurrence, a moment in time. Instant refers to something sudden or quick, marking the speed of time. After three instances of failure, he was looking for instant success. A moment can be an instance, but not an instant. Example: For an insane instant moment, she wanted him to kiss her.

Anything that deviates from the norm, from what would be expected, is unusual. Something is ironic when the meaning is in direct contrast, opposite to what would be expected. The nickname Tater Tot is ironic when it refers to a lineman playing in the NFL, and his never playing college ball would be unusual.

Because possessives are so often formed by adding apostrophe-s, using it’s as a possessive pronoun is an understandable mistake. The word it’s is a contraction for “it is,” and its is the possessive pronoun. It’s true that a leopard cannot change its spots.

As a noun, lead refers to the front or superior position. As a verb, lead is a present action that takes followers in a certain direction. Led is a verb describing a past action that took followers in a certain direction. Loving to lead people to success, the teacher took the lead and led his students through the manual.

Confusion comes in the way the verbs are used in different tenses.

(1) The verb lie means to tell something that isn’t true. Jack is lying. He lies now, lied yesterday, and has lied more times than one can count.

(2) Or lie means to be at rest. Jack lies now, lay yesterday, and has lain when tired.

(3) Lay means to put or place something. If a chicken yields an egg, it lays now, laid yesterday, and has laid an egg almost every day. When the grammatically correct verb form doesn’t match what is common in everyday speech, find a different word so readers won’t mistakenly think you wrote incorrectly.

Something loose does not fit tightly, isn’t securely fastened, or is free from constraint. Lose is failure to keep something or falling short of winning. Loose living is an easy way to lose a good reputation.

People use these words as if they say the same thing. They might go to town. They may go to town. Could there be a subtle difference between the two? How might one be preferred above the other? The word might leans toward probability or possibility while may leans toward permission or freedom. Johnny might play outside, but only because his mother said he may go after his room is clean.

Nude refers to a person wearing no clothes, and only rarely might be used as a metaphor, such as nude furniture, referring to unfinished wood. The meaning of naked can go much further than being unclothed, meaning stripped down, vulnerable, unprotected. Artists learn to paint nudes, and that’s the naked truth.

Think of close as referring to something intimate, near as something positioned a little farther away. We might have a close call, a close friend, or a close encounter of the third kind. In the near future, we might move to a neighborhood near the big city.

Negligent describes chronic ignoring or overlooking responsibilities. Negligible is something too insignificant to warrant any concern. Because Jack was negligent in reporting the accident, he was fired. A two-cent difference in the cost for a gallon of gas is negligible.

Passed refers to movement from one place or condition to another. Past is the time before the present or points to a place farther down the road. He walked past the school, passed the playground, and recalled past pleasures.

To precede means to come before something. To proceed means to make progress, to go in a particular direction. If preparation precedes the journey, they can proceed with confidence.

Principle refers to a basic belief, rule, or standard. Principal refers to the main or most important thing, an original monetary amount, or the main person in an organization. The principal message by the school principal presented the principle that all are created equal.

Ravage is to destroy or severely damage something. Ravish is to force someone against their will or hold them spellbound.

Regretful is sorrow for a loss or some action. Regrettable is sorrow for something that happened, but you wish it hadn’t.

Robbery is taking something by force, to withhold unjustly or injuriously. Stealing is taking something without permission.

While these words are often understood as identical twins, shall has a stronger feeling of intent, with a sense of command, and will is more common in everyday speech, more casual and less formal. I shall not lie, but I will probably shade the truth a bit. When in doubt, use the contraction: I think I’ll stay home.

Something stationary is not moving and might be impossible to move. Stationery refers to paper and other materials used in writing. A stationary printer needs stationery to produce copies.

There introduces a statement or refers to a place where something is located. They’re is a contraction for “they are.” Their is a possessive pronoun, meaning belonging to someone. There are times when they’re going to miss their friends.

The difference is in how you see the condition. These marbles are much closer to me than those marbles.

The difference is in how close the items are. This hailstone, the one I’m holding in my hand, is larger than that one over there.

Think refers to an idea or concept, our rational and objective evaluation of something that is possibly or probably true. Believe refers to what we hold as absolutely true. We might think we can use these words interchangeably, but believing we can shows a deep conviction.

To is a preposition introducing a phrase. Too means “also.” And two is the whole number between one and three. To convict a criminal, having the agreement of two eyewitnesses would be good too.