Dear Cafetalk Community,

do you know the words that are the most often misspelled, misused, and confused? Although they look and sound "almost" alike, the following pair of words is often used inaccurately or inappropriately. For example, the words "Accept" and "Except."

[Definitions:]

accept

1. consent to receive (a thing offered) - "He accepted a pen as a present"

2. believe or to come to recognize (an opinion, explanation, etc.) as valid or correct. --"This tentative explanation came to be accepted by the group."

except

preposition

1. not including: other than -- "naked except for my socks"

conjunction

1. used before a statement that forms an exception to one just made -- "I didn't tell him anything, except that I needed the money"

verb formal

1. specify as not included in a category or group; exclude -- "he excepted from his criticism a handful of distinguished writers."

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[Quiz:] Having the definitions above at hand, can you fill in the blank below with the correct word that fits the sentence below?

accept vs. except

1. "My friend wanted the entire insect collection __________ for the butterflies."

2. "I walked up to the podium to __________ my graduation diploma."

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These words are either a homograph, homonym, or homograph (or a combination of them). 

[Definitions:]

homograph - (noun) each of two or more words spelled the same but not necessarily pronounced the same and having different meanings and origins (pole and pole) 

homonym - (noun) each of two or more words having the same spelling but different meanings and origins (tire and tire)

homophone - (noun) each of two or more words spelled the same but not necessarily pronounced the same and have different meanings and origins. (bow and bow)

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[The answers to the Quiz above are:]

1. except

2. accept

[Tip:] It's not so important to learn the differences between the words above. It is more important that you are aware that there are similar words that are often misused, confused, and misspelled.

Please see the Venn diagram below to understand the differences.

Hope that was helpful. If you would like to explore these words, please reserve a lesson. It would be my pleasure to explain it further. Thank you for your consideration! Have a wonderful day!

Warmest regards,

Lady Ayame

(Patricia Ayame Thomson)