Malza's entries Page #3

Indorsement vs. Endorsement

You are probably used to spelling the word "endorsement" just like this, starting with "e". So it is natural that you are confused when you see it spelled "indorsement" on certain documents or in online publications.So is it wrong or not? The...

Inequality vs. Inequity

With “inequality” and “inequity”, it is less likely that the confusion appears because of their spellings. Even though they look quite similar, the frequent confusions that appear with this pair of words are not sourced in the spelling simila...

Inflict vs. Afflict

Inflict” and “afflict” illustrates one of the most frequent linguistic confusions amongst English users. Not only do they have almost identical spellings, but their lexical significations also have a high level of similitude. If you’re not su...

Inquiry vs. Enquiry

Inquiry vs. EnquiryWords spelled similarly are quite common in the English vocabulary. But those that are diffe...

Install vs. Instill

The spellings of “install” and “instill” are so similar, distinct due to one letter only, that mistaking them can actually be not mandatory, but simply a typing error that you didn’t even observe. They sound quite differently, so confusing ...

Incidents vs. Incidence

Another pair of words written and pronounced very similarly is represented by "incidents" and "incidence". But, as in most of the cases, it is also wrong to replace one with the other because their meanings are completely distinct.The best so...

Eminent vs. Imminent

Probably seeing them in their written form, “eminent” and “imminent” aren’t very confusing; but once you hear them in conversations, you’ll realize that these words are more similar than you expected. Sounding almost identical, “eminent...

Imbed vs. Embed

Is there any difference between "imbed" and "embed"? Do these word even exist as verbs? Is "imbed" a common misspelling nowadays? We'll answer all these questions quickly and simply in this article.Imbed vs. Embed"Imbed" and "e...

Imaginative vs. Imaginary

Imaginative” and “imaginary” are two words that look and sound very familiar – and this is the main reason why they are often confused and used with the wrong meaning. Some people think that they are only spelled differently and their meaning...

Elicit vs. Illicit

Elicit” and “illicit” are different spellings for the same concept? They seem to be, according to how similarly they are pronounced, and to the fact that somehow, they both refer to something related to information, in various contexts. Seems f...

Hooves vs. Hoofs

Hooves vs. HoofsPlural is not a very difficult notion in English, and rules that apply in order to form plural ...

Illusion vs. Delusion

Illusion" and "delusion" are spelled quite similarly and also used in similar contexts. But can they replace one another and can they be called synonyms right away, or are there some significant differences between them that you should keep in mind?...

Hands on vs. Hands-on

Hands-on" approach, "hands-on" experience, "hands-on" work - using this structure has become very common especially during the last years, in the English vocabulary. It is a very popular way of presenting one's practical experience in a CV, a letter ...

Harbour vs. Harbor

It might seem difficult to make a difference between "harbour" and "harbor", but it shouldn't at all. Everything here is about the different spellings preferred by American and British English, or more exactly by US and UK English.More exactl...

Hardy vs. Hearty

Hardy" and "hearty" are both common English words, frequently used in descriptions. But the fact that they look and sound almost identical due to their similar spellings can create confusions among the readers. You might actually think they mean the ...

Heal vs. Heel

Heal" and "heel" define ever so different concepts and this explains why it is so important that you don't confuse them. If you use "heel" instead of "heal", or vice versa, they will certainly be major misspellings, even if they are spelled so simila...

Homonyms vs. Homophones vs. Homographs

Homonyms vs. Homophones vs. HomographsThe most frequently confused words in English are used wrongly mainly bec...

Guarantee vs. Guaranty

When you see the pair of words "guarantee" and "guaranty", do you think they are confused or misspelled? Are they both correct and accepted for the same meaning, or are they completely different regarding the message they transmit?Let's see w...

Grill vs. Grille

Grill” and “grille” represent one of the most frequently misspelled pair of English words. They sound and look extremely similar, and a lot of English users decide not to add that last “-e” anymore, or, contrary, to add it, right when it’...

Great vs. Grate

The fact that when we pronounce "great" and "grate" we hear quite the same thing does not mean that they also mean the same thing. Yes, they have very similar spellings and yes, they are pronounced almost identically. But the definitions that each wo...

Gist vs. Jist

Some people tend to write down and spell a word just as they hear it, without thinking twice. Not knowing the right spelling beforehand can easily result in writing it wrong and creating confusion for other people, who will be wondering whether it is...

Gage vs. Gauge

A commonly misspelled word is "gauge". Not only is it written wrongly in an inappropriate context, but its meaning is also confused with the signification of the word "gage". Let's discuss the difference between "gage" and "gauge" so that you...

Flyer vs. Flier

Differences between different spellings of English words come from a lot of sources: different meanings, double form acceptance, American or British English variations, diversity of prefixes or suffixes and so on.But no matter their cause, so...

Forty vs. Fourty

Forty vs. FourtyDerivation is one of the four means of word formation and probably the most imp...

Forth vs. Fourth

Forth vs. FourthGenerally, words that sound identical and have very similar spellings create confusion among En...