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Usage Packet

Never Ever Mess These Up

-To / Too / Two

-Your / You’re

-There / Their / They’re

-Rise / Raise

-Sit / Set

-Lose vs. Loose

Lose (looz) means the opposite of win.

Loose (loos) means the opposite of tight.

-Alot vs. A lot

Alot is not a word. Ever.

A lot is the pair of words you meant to use, meaning many or much.

-Lead vs. Led

Example: Abraham Lincoln lead the country during its most divisive era.

Lead (pronounced led) is a noun referring to a type of metal. He lifted the lead weights.

Lead (pronounced leed) is a verb. A person might lead a horse along a path.

Led is the past tense form of the verb lead. He led the horse along the path.

Corrected: Abraham Lincoln led the country during its most divisive era.

-Posses vs. Possess

Example: I posses the knowledge necessary to win the spelling bee.

Posses (pronounced PAW-sees) is the plural form of posse. The two posses fought each other over the territory.

Possess (pronounced poe-ZESS) is a verb. I possess a briefcase with interesting contents.

Corrected: I possess the knowledge necessary to win the spelling bee.

-Then vs. Than

Then is an adverb used to situate actions in time. Go to the store, and then steal the milk.

Than is a conjunction used for comparisons. Seinfeld is better than Friends.

Moderately Tricky

-Its / It’s

Its is the possessive form of it. The monkey scratched its head.

It’s is a contraction of the words it and is. It’s a shame we can’t stay young forever.

-Whose / Who’s

Whose is the possessive form of who. I want to know whose ball this is.

Who’s is a contraction of the words who and is. I want to know who’s coming tonight.

-Affect vs. Effect

Affect is a verb describing the act of changing. The rise in price will affect my purchase.

Effect is a noun describing the change itself. The rise in price made no effect.

-Me vs. I

Most people understand the difference between the two of these, until it comes time for them to use one in a sentence. They'll say something like:

When you get done with that lab report, can you send it to Bill and I?

But that's wrong. Try taking Bill out of that sentence -- it sounds weird, right? You would never ask someone to send something to "I" when he or she is done. The reason it sounds weird is because "I" is the object of that sentence -- and "I" should not be used in objects. In that situation, you'd use "me."

When you get done with that lab report, can you send it to Bill and me?

Much better.

-Less vs. Fewer

You know the checkout aisle in the grocery store that says "10 Items or Less"? That's actually incorrect. It should be "10 Items or Fewer."

Why? Because "items" are quantifiable -- you can count out 10 items. Use "fewer" for things that are quantifiable, like "fewer M&Ms" or "fewer road trips." Use "less" for things that aren't quantifiable, like "less candy" and "less traveling."

-Good vs. Well --- People often use the adjective “good” instead of the adverb “well.”

Example: “How are you doing?” “I am doing good.”

An adjective modifies (describes) a noun or a pronoun.

An adverb can modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase, or a clause.

Because good is an adjective, it should not be used to modify the verb doing. Adjectives do not describe how something is done. That is the job of an adverb, and since goodly is not the proper term either, well is the correct word to use.

Corrected: “How are you doing?” “I am doing well.”

On the other hand, the following exchange is perfectly acceptable:

Example: “How are you?” “I am good.”

Here, the verb am is just linking the adjective good to the pronoun (I) that it describes. Just like I could say, I am tall or I am goofy. Because am is not an action, the word good is not really modifying the verb.

Tough Stuff

Lay vs. Lie

The verb lie means “being in a horizontal position, or to remain, or to be situated.” Lie is always an intransitive verb. That is, it never has an object.

The verb lay means “to put or place something.” Lay is a transitive verb. It almost always has an object.

Take a look at the following table:

|Base Form (Present Tense) |Past Tense |Past Participle |

|Lie |Lay |Lain |

|Lay |Laid |Laid |

The past tense of the verb lie is lay, as in "Yesterday, Maxi lay on the living room couch."

Even though we use the letters l-a-y, the actual verb is lie; it's just in the past tense.

Correct Forms of LIE

Jerry lies on the bed every day after school.

The dog just lay on the rug as the burglars ransacked the house.

That apple has lain on the table for two days now.

Roberta is lying on the recliner in the family room.

Correct Forms of LAY

Jerry lays his head on the pillow when he lies in bed.

Susan laid her books down when she walked through the door.

The contractors have laid the tile in the kitchen.

The President is laying the foundation for comprehensive health reform.

Who vs. Whom

Who is used for the subjective case, whereas whom is used for the objective case. This means that if “who/whom” is the subject (the one doing the verb), who is the correct choice. If “who/whom” is the object (the one receiving the action of the verb), whom is the correct choice.

A trick to understand when to use who or whom is to turn the sentence into a statement and use he (subjective case) or him (objective case). The trick is to remember that you use whom if in the statement you would use him (they sound alike, if that helps you remember it).

|Subjective Case |Who |He |She |They |

|Objective Case |Whom |Him |Her |Them |

Example: (Who/Whom) is going to the beach? (Now turn this into a statement with he or him.)

Statement: He is going to the beach. Therefore…

Correct: Who is going to the beach?

Example: To (who/whom) shall I write the check?

Statement: I shall write the check to him.

Correct: To whom shall I write the check?

Practice Sentences

1. He ran very (good/well) compared to his teammates.

2. I am feeling (good/well) about this.

3. He does a (good/well) job operating the cash register.

4. What was (its/it’s) purpose?

5. When will (its/it’s) purpose be clear?

6. (Its/It’s) getting annoying!

7. I hope (its/it’s) okay if I burp at the table.

8. (Whose/Who’s) underwear is on the floor?

9. (Whose/Who’s) going to the dance?

10. I have (less/fewer) homework assignments than Joan.

11. I have (less/fewer) knowledge of the subject than Carl.

12. We should eat (less/fewer) food.

13. We should definitely east (less/fewer) broccoli.

14. We should really definitely eat (less/fewer) broccoli stalks.

15. The (affect/effect) she had on me was profound.

16. She didn’t really (affect/effect) anything important.

17. She will not (affect/effect) my attitude.

18. Loni and (me/I) will not go today.

19. I want you to think of Loni and (me/I) today.

20. Will Loni and (me/I) be able to join you?

21. Please (lie, lay) the cloth on the table.

22. Ms. Martinez told us to (lie, lay) our work aside.

23. Will you (lie, lay) down for a rest this afternoon?

24. I think we’ve (lain, laid) our plans well.

25. (Lie, Lay) your books beside mine.

26. The doctor (lay, laid) all my fears to rest when she talked to me yesterday.

27. The button from my jacket was (lying, laying) on the sidewalk.

28. I’m afraid that Tim has been (lying, laying) down on the job.

29. Every evening Sue (lies, lays) her clothes out for the next day.

30. The chickens (lay, laid) more eggs than usual yesterday.

31. (Who/Whom) will you invite to the party?

32. (Whoever/Whomever) parked the car needs to move.

33. There is a fifty-dollar reward for (whoever/whomever) finds and returns my dog.

34. (Who/Whom) is Elaine living with?

35. (Who/Whom) is that man at the end of the alley?

36. Can we sit with (whoever/whomever) we choose?

37. (Who/Whom) deserves to attend this party?

38. To (who/whom) will we grant this privilege?

39. Max will never sit with Marcy, (who/whom) he hates.

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