The following table contains some commonly misused homonyms. The first two columns contain the synonyms that are mistakenly interchanged. The third column provides a description of each word, and the fourth column offers examples.
Word | Word | Descriptions | Examples |
---|---|---|---|
Affect | Effect | “Affect” is always a verb meaning “to influence.” | Knowing the rules for grammar will affect your writing. |
“Effect” is a noun that means “the result of an action.” | The professor questioned the effect of the math course. | ||
Allusion | Illusion | An “allusion” is a reference to something in literature or to an important historical event. | John was alluding to the prize he won last year. |
“Illusions” are false ideas or a misleading image. | I was under the illusion that I would be given a bonus. |