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Commonly Confused Words That Can Cost You Credibility

Commonly Confused Words That Can Cost You Credibility
by Hank Boyer

A homonym is a word that sounds roughly the same as another word but is very different in meaning. We’ve already covered the importance of using the spellcheck function when completing all job search documents, and the use of grammar, word choice, and slang applying to the written as well as the spoken word.

Here are some commonly confused homonyms that sound the same but are often confused when writing:

Amount, Number and Quantity

Amount is used for things you can’t measure. Number is a specific quantity of a plural something. Quantity is used for things that can be measured. Examples:

"There was a large amount of humor in his speech."
"Only a small number of fish remained alive in the aquarium."
"The quantity of honey remaining in the jar is significant."

Adverse and Averse

Adverse means to be against; antagonistic, harmful, or unfavorable, such as being in an adversarial position. Averse means to avoid. Examples:

"The storm had an adverse affect on completing the harvest."
"MY investment style is one of being risk-averse."

Affect and Effect

These two words can trip up even the best of writers. Pronounced almost the same, the difference is in the first letter. Make sure you know the difference between this set of homonyms. Examples:

"My business networking efforts directly affect the company’s performance for the quarter."
"The effect of my networking efforts helped the company raise double the amount of funds over the previous year."

Compliment and Complement

Compliment means point out something favorable, while complement means to add to or improve. Examples:

"I want to compliment you on your excellent work on this project."
"Your skill set and Susan’s seem to complement one another."

Discreet and Discrete

Discreet means cautious, while discrete means separate. Examples:

"We are discreet in the manner in which we handle confidential documents."
"The company has a discrete method for identifying sales leads."

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