
{"id":1963,"date":"2013-10-21T08:10:32","date_gmt":"2013-10-21T08:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/a-vocabulary-lesson-for-clear-writing-commonly-confused-words\/"},"modified":"2025-02-18T07:13:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T07:13:43","slug":"a-vocabulary-lesson-for-clear-writing-commonly-confused-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/a-vocabulary-lesson-for-clear-writing-commonly-confused-words","title":{"rendered":"A vocabulary lesson for clear writing: commonly confused words"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">Over the years, I\u2019ve come across many common language mistakes made by non-native speakers of English. The incorrect use of words and phrases in English can confuse the readers or mislead them. To clear this confusion and help you master the English language, I\u2019ve discussed some examples of commonly confused words <a href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/vocabulary-lesson-clear-writing\">in a previous post<\/a>, and here I present a few more.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">1. Number<\/strong><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">\u00a0<\/span><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">vs<\/strong><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">\u00a0<\/span><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Amount<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The word \u201camount\u201d is used\u00a0with quantities that\u00a0cannot\u00a0be counted, for example, money, information, time, etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><u>Example<\/u>:\u00a0<em>We received an enormous <u>amount <\/u>of help from our university. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The word \u201cnumber\u201d is used\u00a0with quantities that can be counted, for example, job, sample, machine, etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><strong><em>Example:<\/em><\/strong><em>\u00a0I had a small <u>number<\/u> of specimens left.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Therefore, \u201cnumber\u201d and \u201camount\u201d should not be used interchangeably since they are used depending on whether the accompanying noun is a countable or an uncountable noun.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">2. Hypothesis<\/strong><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\"> <\/span><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">vs Theory<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The word \u201chypothesis\u201d is a guess based on knowledge and experience, which has yet to be tested or proved.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>: <em>His\u00a0<u>hypothesis<\/u>\u00a0was that giving his students less work would increase their test scores.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.538em;\">The word \u201ctheory\u201d is a scientific idea that has been repeatedly tested and is supported by evidence.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>:<em> Scientists hold the\u00a0<u>theory<\/u>\u00a0of evolution in high regard.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">A good way of remembering the difference between the two words is to think of \u201chypothesis\u201d as the first step toward establishing a \u201ctheory.\u201d This is because an established scientific idea usually originates from an educated guess.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">3. Discreet vs Discrete<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The word \u201cdiscreet\u201d means careful not to attract attention. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>:<em> <u>Discreet <\/u>observation of the patient enabled the doctors to draw vital conclusions. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The word \u201cdiscrete\u201d means separate and distinct.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>: <em>The organisms can be classified into <u>discrete<\/u> categories.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">These two words are often confused since they look similar. However, their meanings are vastly different; so they must be used carefully. Such word pairs that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings are called \u201chomophones.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><strong style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">4. Old vs Original<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The word \u201cold\u201d means of an earlier period, belonging to the past, or no longer in general use; for example, \u201can old song\u201d or \u201cold clothes.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>: <em>Some <u>old<\/u> theories suggested that the earth was flat. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">On the other hand, the word \u201coriginal\u201d means the first of its kind or from which a copy or revision is made; for example, \u201cthe original statement\u201d or \u201cthe original work of art.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>: <em>The team replicated the <u>original<\/u> research to confirm its validity. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">To make this distinction clearer, here\u2019s another example:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em>Avoid: As we had stated in the <u>old manuscript<\/u>, each patient was administered the same dosage during the study period. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em>Better: As we had stated in the <u>original manuscript<\/u>, each patient was administered the same dosage during the study period.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">The above example refers to a document that has been revised. Therefore, the word \u201coriginal\u201d is more appropriate to describe the manuscript than the word \u201cold.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;\">5. As a result vs Based on the results<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"line-height: 1.5; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;\">The meaning of the phrase \u2018as a result\u2019 is because of. It is used when implying that one event is the cause of another.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>:<em> \u2018The results of the experiment were inconclusive. <u>As a result<\/u>, the research had to be repeated.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">This sentence implies that because the results were inconclusive, the research had to be conducted again.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">On the other hand, the phrases \u2018based on the results\u2019 and \u2018the results revealed\u2019 refer to inferences drawn from certain results.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><em><strong>Example<\/strong><\/em>:<em> \u2018Based on the results of the experiment, we concluded that bats are nocturnal creatures.\u2019 <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\">This implies that the results of the mentioned experiment indicated that bats are nocturnal.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size:14px;\"><span style=\"font-family:verdana,geneva,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"line-height: 1.5;\">Since the phrases \u201cas a result\u201d and \u201cbased on the results\u201d or \u201cthe results revealed\u201d have different implications, they cannot be used interchangeably.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><font face=\"verdana, geneva, sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;\">Other commonly confused terms include\u00a0<\/span><\/font><span style=\"font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/scientific-writing-a-number-of-and-the-number-of\">Scientific writing: &#8220;A number of&#8221; and &#8220;The number of&#8221;<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over the years, I\u2019ve come across many common language mistakes made by non-native speakers of English. The incorrect use of words and phrases in English can confuse the readers or mislead them. To clear this confusion and help you master the English language, I\u2019ve discussed some examples of commonly confused words in a previous post, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":33313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2375],"tags":[2605,212],"new_categories":[],"new_tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-1963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammar-language","tag-academic-writing","tag-language-tips"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A vocabulary lesson for clear writing: commonly confused words | Editage Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Word choice can be confusing, especially for ESL authors. 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