Confusing Words

It’s time for “PTB Confusing Words” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • pedal – (adj.) pertaining to the foot; (n.) a treadle (as in to step on the pedal)
    • She almost got in an accident until she slammed on her brake pedal.
  • peddle – to hawk; to sell
    • The woman on the corner looked like it was her job to peddle all the roses and giant teddy bears for Mother’s Day.

Memory tips:

  • pedal – “PED” is foot and a pedal takes you A Long way to all the places
  • peddle – think of the double letter and the definition–“sell” has two “l’s” and “peddle” has two “d’s”

Confusing Words Of The Week

It’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • moot – debatable; disputed (as in a moot point)
    • John’s position on office vacations was a moot point.
  • mute – unable to speak
    • Laryngitis left Susie mute.

Memory tips:

  • mOot – Open to debate; Open to discussion
  • mUte – Unable to speak

Confusing Words Of The Week

It’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • therefor – for that thing
    • He insisted on buying the Chopard watch and paid an exorbitant price therefor.
  • therefore – consequently
    • He insisted on buying the Chopard watch; therefore, he didn’t have enough money to go on vacation.

Memory tips:

  • thereFOR – FOR that thing
  • thereforE – consEquEntly

Confusing Words Of The Week

It’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • ballot – a sheet of paper used to cast a secret vote
  • ballet – a theatrical art form using dancing, music, and scenery to convey a story, theme, or atmosphere

Memory tips:

  • ballot – remember the “o” is the same as in vOte
  • ballet – I just think of the sound I would make if I was on tippy toes “EEEEEEE”

Confusing Words Of The Week

It’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • Flier – a pilot
    • Her grandfather was a flier in World War II.
  • Flyer – an advertising brochure
    • The flyer didn’t have the event’s start time.

Memory tips:

  • Flier – Remember the “i” in Flier is like the “i” in Pilot
  • Flyer – Just think about all the advertising brochures you get and how you would like to fold them into paper airplanes that look kind of like the letter “y” upside down–and they don’t need a flier

Confusing Words Of The Week

Words of the WeekIt’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • persecute – to oppress
    • His intent was to persecute the shy boy to make him quit the team.
  • prosecute – to sue
    • His intent was to prosecute the neighbors for their barking dog.

Memory tips:

  • persecute – if you sound out oppress slowly, it could sound out o-per-ess
  • prosecute – it makes more sense to hire a pro to sue someone

Confusing Words Of The Week

Words of the WeekIt’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • marital – pertaining to marriage
    • The marital assets were the home, the car, and the savings account.
  • martial – military
    • Martial law may be used in temporary emergencies like a national disaster.

Memory tips:

  • marital – You will need to look at the placement of the “i.” In marital it is before the second “a,” just like it is in marriage and before the “t” to show that the spouses are connected, just like in a marriage.
  • martial – In martial, think of the old westerns and how the marshal was in charge, so martial (pronounced just like marshal) is someone else in charge (like the marshal).

Confusing Words Of The Week

Words of the WeekIt’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • waiver – the giving up of a claim
  • waver – to hesitate

Memory tips:

  • waiver – I am giving up my interest in something
  • waver – the flag waves when it is blowing (or wavering) in the wind

Confusing Words Of The Week

Words of the WeekIt’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • quash – to suppress (a legal motion)
    • We are filing the motion to quash the subpoena on Wednesday.
  • squash – (v.) to press down, to flatten; (n.) a vegetable
    • She sat on the suitcase to squash it so she could lock it.

Memory tips:

  • quash – you’re not trying to flatten something, you just want it to end, so you don’t need the extra “s”
  • squash – it takes more weight and energy to squash something, so it needs the extra “s”

Confusing Words Of The Week

Words of the WeekIt’s time for “Confusing Words of the Week” where I take a set of two or three words that get confused and give you definitions and try to give you a memory trick to help you remember when to use which word. If you have words that confuse you, use the Ask PTB tab on the website or send an email to [email protected] and they may appear here soon!

This week’s words are:

  • precede – to go before
    • The flower girl will precede the bride down the aisle.
  • proceed – to advance
    • We will proceed to order lunch at 10:00 whether or not we have your order.

Memory tips:

  • precede – the prefix pre- means before, so precede means to go before
  • proceed – think of pro- as being the same as go and you are going to advance or go forward, so you will proceed