List A

-able/-ible	Adjectives ending in -able or -ible can be difficult to spell because both endings sound identical. You’ll always need to be on guard with these words and check each word individually when you are in doubt, but here are some useful guidelines: (i) Generally use -able when the companion word ends in -ation: abominable, abomination irritable, irritation (ii) Generally use -ible when the companion word ends in -ion: comprehensible, comprehension digestible, digestion (iii) Use -able after hard c and hard g: practicable (c sounds like k) navigable (hard g) (iv) Use -ible after soft c and soft g: forcible (c sounds like s) legible (g sounds like j)
abridgement/ abridgment	Both spellings are correct. Use either but be consistent within one piece of writing.
accept or except?	We ACCEPT your apology. Everybody was there EXCEPT Stephen.
accessary or accessory?	If you want to preserve the traditional distinction in meaning between these two words, use ACCESSARY to refer to someone associated with a crime and ACCESSORY to refer to something that is added (a fashion accessory or car accessories). However, the distinction has now become blurred and it is perfectly acceptable to use one spelling to cover both meanings. Of the two, accessory is the more widely used, but both are correct.
acknowledgement/ acknowledgment	Both spellings are correct but be consistent within one piece of writing.
adapter or adaptor?	Traditional usage would distinguish between these two words and reserve -er for the person (an adapter of novels, for instance) and -or for the piece of electrical equipment. However, the distinction has become very blurred and the two spellings are considered by many authorities to be interchangeable. Use either for both meanings but be consistent within a single piece of writing.
adrenalin/adrenaline	Both spellings are correct.
adverse or averse?	These two words have different meanings. The ferries were cancelled owing to ADVERSE weather conditions. (= unfavourable) She is not AVERSE to publicity. (= opposed)
advice or advise?	My ADVICE is to forget all about it. (noun = recommendation) What would you ADVISE me to do? (verb = recommend)
adviser or advisor?	Adviser is the traditionally correct British spelling. Advisor is more common in American English.
affect or effect?	Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: Heavy drinking will AFFECT your liver. (verb) The EFFECT on her health was immediate. (noun) The new manager plans to EFFECT sweeping changes. (verb = to bring about)
ageing or aging?	Both spellings are correct but many would prefer ageing as it keeps the identity of the base word (age) more easily recognised.
agreeto/agreewith	The choice of preposition alters the meaning of the verb: IAGREEDTO do what he advised. IAGREEDTO all the conditions. IAGREEDWITH all they said.
alley or ally?	An ALLEY is a little lane. An ALLY is a friend. alley (singular), alleys (plural) ally (singular), allies (plural)
all most or almost?	There is a difference in meaning. Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: They were ALL (= everyone) MOST kind. The child was ALMOST (=nearly) asleep.
allowed or aloud?	There is a difference in meaning. Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: Are we ALLOWED (= permitted) to smoke in here? I was just thinking ALOUD (= out loud).
all ready or already?	There is a difference in meaning. Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: We are ALL (= everyone) READY. It is ALL (= everything) READY. She was ALREADY dead (= by then).
all right or alright?	Traditional usage would consider ALL RIGHT to be correct and ALRIGHT to be incorrect. However, the use of ‘alright’ is so widespread that some would see it as acceptable although the majority of educated users would take care to avoid it.
all so or also?	There is a difference in meaning. Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: You are ALL (= everyone) SO kind. You are ALSO (= in addition) generous.
all together or altogether?	There is a difference in meaning. Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: They were ALL (= everybody) huddled TOGETHER for warmth. His situation is ALTOGETHER (= totally) different from yours.
allude or elude?	There is a difference in meaning. ALLUDE means to refer to indirectly. ELUDE means to evade capture or recall.
allusion, delusion or illusion?	There is a difference in meaning. An ALLUSION is an indirect reference. A DELUSION is a false belief (often associated with a mental disorder). An ILLUSION is a deceptive appearance.
all ways or always?	There is a difference in meaning. These three routes are ALL (= each of them) WAYS into town. She ALWAYS (= at all times) tells the truth.
altar or alter?	There is a difference in meaning. The bride and groom stood solemnly before the ALTAR. Do you wish to ALTER (= change) the arrangements?
alternate or alternative?	We visit our grandparents on ALTERNATE Saturdays. (= every other Saturday) I ALTERNATE between hope and despair. (= have each mood in turn) An ALTERNATIVE plan would be to go by boat. (= another possibility) The ALTERNATIVES are simple: work or go hungry. (= two choices)
amend or emend?	Both words mean ‘to make changes in order to improve’. Use AMEND or EMEND when referring to the correction of written or printed text. Use AMEND in a wider context such as AMENDING the law or AMENDING behaviour.
among or between?	Use BETWEEN when something is shared by two people. Use AMONG when it is shared by three or more. Share the sweets BETWEEN the two of you. Share the sweets AMONG yourselves. However, BETWEEN is used with numbers larger than two when it means an exact geographical location or when it refers to relationships. Sardinia lies BETWEEN Spain, Algeria, Corsica and Italy. It will take a long time before the rift BETWEEN the five main parties heals.
among or between?	Use BETWEEN when something is shared by two people. Use AMONG when it is shared by three or more. Share the sweets BETWEEN the two of you. Share the sweets AMONG yourselves. However, BETWEEN is used with numbers larger than two when it means an exact geographical location or when it refers to relationships. Sardinia lies BETWEEN Spain, Algeria, Corsica and Italy. It will take a long time before the rift BETWEEN the five main parties heals.
amoral or immoral?	There is a difference in meaning. AMORAL means not being governed by moral laws, acting outside them. (note -m-) IMMORAL means breaking the moral laws. (note -mm-)
amount or number?	AMOUNT is used with non-count nouns: asmall AMOUNT of sugar; a surprising AMOUNT of gossip. NUMBER is used with plural nouns: a NUMBER of mistakes; a NUMBER of reasons.
-ance,-ant/-ence,-ent	Words with these endings are difficult to spell and you’ll always need to be on your guard with them. Check each word individually when in doubt, but here are some useful guidelines: (i) People are generally -ant: attendant, lieutenant, occupant, sergeant, tenant (but there are exceptions like superintendent, president, resident . . . .). (ii) Use -ance, -ant, where the companion words ends in -ation: dominance, dominant, domination, variance, variant, variation. (iii) Use -ence, -ent after qu: consequence, consequent, eloquence, eloquent. (iv) Use -ance, -ant after hard c or hard g: significance, significant (c sounds like k) elegance, elegant (hard g) (v) Use -ence, -ent after soft c or soft g: innocence, innocent (c sounds like s) intelligent, intelligence (g sounds like j)
annex or annexe?	To ANNEX is to take possession of a country or part of a country. An ANNEX is another word for an appendix in an official document. An ANNEXE is a building added to the main building.
ante-/anti-	ANTE- means before. antenatal = before birth ANTI- means against. antifreeze = against freezing
arbiter or arbitrator?	An ARBITER is a judge or someone with decisive influence (an arbiter of fashion). In addition, an ARBITER may intervene to settle a dispute (-er). An ARBITRATOR is someone who is officially appointed to judge the rights and wrongs of a dispute (-or).
arbitrator or mediator?	An ARBITRATOR reaches a judgement but is not necessarily obeyed. A MEDIATOR attempts to bring two opposing sides together and to settle a dispute.
artist or artiste?	Traditionally, an ARTIST is skilled in one or more of the fine arts (painting, for example, or sculpture). Traditionally, the term ARTISTE is reserved for a performer or entertainer (a music-hall ARTISTE). However, ARTIST is now being used to cover both meanings in the sense of ‘skilled practitioner’, and ARTISTE is becoming redundant.
as or like?	Use these exemplar sentences as a guide: You look AS if you have seen a ghost. You look AS though you have seen a ghost. AS I expected, he’s missed the train. You look LIKE your mother.
assume or presume?	To ASSUME something to be the case is to take it for granted without any proof. To PRESUME something to be the case is to base it on the evidence available.
assurance or insurance?	Insurance companies distinguish between these two terms. ASSURANCE is the technical term given for insurance against a certainty (e.g. death) where payment is guaranteed. INSURANCE is the technical term given for insurance against a risk (such as fire, burglary, illness) where payment is made only if the risk materialises.
astrology or astronomy?	ASTROLOGY is the study of the influence of the stars and planets on human life and fortune. ASTRONOMY is the scientific study of the stars and planets.
aural or oral?	AURAL refers to the ears and hearing. ORAL refers to the mouth and speaking In speech these words can be very confusing as they are pronounced identically.
autobiography or biography?	An AUTOBIOGRAPHY is an account of his or her life by the author. A BIOGRAPHY is an account of a life written by someone else.
avenge or revenge?	The words are very close in meaning but AVENGE is often used in the sense of just retribution, punishing a wrong done to another. Hamlet felt bound to AVENGE his father’s death. REVENGE is often used in the sense of ‘getting one’s own back’ for a petty offence.

-able/-ible

Adjectives ending in -able or -ible can be difficult to spell because both endings sound identical. You’ll always need to be on guard with these words and check each word individually when you are in doubt, but here are some useful guidelines: (i) Generally use -able when the companion word ends in -ation: abominable, abomination irritable, irritation (ii) Generally use -ible when the companion word ends in -ion: comprehensible, comprehension digestible, digestion (iii) Use -able after hard c and hard g: practicable (c sounds like k) navigable (hard g) (iv) Use -ible after soft c and soft g: forcible (c sounds like s) legible (g sounds like j)