Online Reporter
IT turns out a lot of words get mixed up. Licence and license are like practice and practise. License is a verb – it is spelt with an “s”. Some restaurants are licensed to sell alcohol. Doctors have had to be licensed for hundreds of years.
Licence is a noun – it is spelt with a “c”. Some people have the guts to drive cars in the city without licences.
They have licence to sell their product across the country. Do not confuse passed with past. Passed with “-ed” is an action – it has to be done by someone or something. The Government passed many laws. This means the Government approved lots of laws –the Government did the passing.
The Israelites passed through the Red Sea as if it was on dry land. This means the Israelites went through the Red Sea. Past with a “-t” is not an action – it is a description. The word “past” can be used to describe a period of time. The wedding took place in the past. The lost boy uncovered the family’s past . . . it can describe where something went.
The children run past the library. Mazayi River runs close to the theatre. This use of past is easily confused with “passed”. To check if you have used the right one, look at the word before “past” – if it is a verb “past” is normally correct, if it is a noun or pronoun then it is probably passed.
Do not let them fool you just because they sound the same . . . Examiners know these are common mistakes if they see you making them and will be quick to take off marks. Do not let them catch you out. “Affect” is the action but “effect” is the result. “Affect” is an action that influences something, but “an effect” is the result of an action. Drinking too much alcohol affects your liver. Drinking alcohol is doing something to your liver.
Too much alcohol has an effect on your liver. This is talking about the result of drinking too much alcohol.
Where, Were and Wear. These three words sound similar, but they have very different meanings.
“Where” is used for places and positions. Where is Pretoria? “Wear” is what you do with clothes, shoes and jewellery. I wear my costume. “Were” is the past form of are. They were studying rocks.
Do not confuse these words – it will affect your marks. The English Language is crammed full of homophones – words that sound the same but are spelt differently and mean different things.
There, Their and They’re. “There” goes with where it is about places and positions. There is evidence to support this. There are no glaciers there. “Their” means it belongs to them. Their sacred text is the Qur’an. They’re is short for “they are.” They’re still searching climate change. “They’re” is too informal for examinations – use “they are” instead”.
Here and here. “Here” is the opposite of there. Come here. Here they come. I’m not here. “Hear” is when you listen.
Hear the music. Dogs can hear everything. Can you hear it? Too/Two – they are all different. This one is a really common mistake, so make sure you do not slip up. To means “towards or is part of a verb.
They are going to Cairo. To: means in the direction of. He was to reform. “To” is part of the verb to reform. “Our” is a pronoun and are is a verb. “Our” is a possessive pronoun. “Are” is the present tense form of the verb “to be” Watch out for though, thought, through and thorough.
These words look similar, so it is easy to write the wrong one by mistake, but it could cost you if you do.
Electric cars are a good idea though they have their drawbacks. “Though” means “however”.I thought about the examination. “Thought” is the past test of the verb “to think.”Do not mix up “piece” and “peace.” “Piece” means part of it. “Peace is the opposite of war – it means calm. It is a piece of cake. “Piece” means it is a part of the cake.
Whether and weather: Whether means “if”. Weather means atmospheric conditions – rain, sun, cloud and so on. Only use “weather” when you are talking about the climate. It is easy to confuse “Buy”, “by” and “bye”. “Buy” is what you do when you pay for something. Mr Moyo and Mr Ncube want to buy a farm. “By” means to purchase here.
Bye is a shortening of “goodbye”. The men shouted “bye” at his lads. In this sentence “Bye” means goodbye… “By” is a linking word. It usually means “beside” or “due to”.
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