If the Doorbell Rings Continuously, It Must Be Stuck (continually and continuously)

Some believe that these words are interchangeable. Those people probably won't be reading this blog, because to them language is strictly utilitarian, and questions about its nuances would probably elicit the response "Whatever." I (and those who read this blog,) believe that attention to the subtle differences between words helps to maintain the richness of our vocabulary.

The word "continual" is an adjective that means regularly repeated, recurrent, intermittent, recurring with occasional interruptions, or repeating at regular
intervals. It might be helpful to remember that there is an "al" at the end of both "continual" and "interval."  
Here are some sentences that use the adjective "continual" or the adverb
"continually" correctly:
            Her continual complaints were annoying to her colleagues.
            Our doorbell rings continually on Halloween.
            The child caused continual distractions in the classroom.
            Out trip took longer because we encountered continual roadwork.
            Throughout the speech there were continual interruptions for applause.
            She coughed continually during the night.

The adjective "continuous" means never-ending, unceasing, unbroken,
uninterrupted, or incessant. If something is continuous, there are no pauses or breaks.
The following sentences use "continuous" or "continuously" correctly:
            The siren sounded continuously for three minutes.
            We could hear the continuous hum of the power line.
            Our neighbors played loud music continuously for two hours.
            After days of continuous rain, the streets were flooded.

To visualize these words, first imagine an unbroken line (continuous), and then
think of a dotted line (continual).


Before I close, I'd like to submit these questions to those who say "Whatever":
            1. Would you like your watch to tick continually or continuously?
            2. Would you like the electric current in your home to run continually
                 or continuously?
            3. If you were being starved, would you prefer that the food deprivation
                  be continual or continuous?
            4. If you were in a band that was hired to perform continuously
                  from 9 to 11, should you be allowed to take a break during that time?
                

You May Have a Screw Loose, but Try Not to Lose Your Marbles (lose and loose)

Just one letter causes the confusion involving the words "lose" and "loose." That
pesky extra "o" keeps showing up where it doesn't belong! Most errors are made when people write "loose" when they think they're writing "lose."


About "loose": It's an adjective with many meanings, including unrestrained, free,
unfettered, unbound, and unconstrained. It's the opposite of tight, bound, and
fastened tightly. "Loose" rhymes with moose, noose, caboose, papoose, and vamoose, and it is used in such expressions as "on the loose," "let loose," and "hang loose." It can even denote moral decadence, as in "loose woman." (Are there any loose men?) The cliche "loose as a goose" can help you remember the spelling.


About "lose":  It's a verb that means to misplace, fail to keep, and fail to win. You
can lose your keys, your money, your mind, your temper, your job, as well as
weight, a game, or an opportunity. It rhymes with blues, bruise, chews, snooze,
and choose. The fact that "lose" rhymes with "choose" probably explains the addition of a second "o." The only word I can think of with a spelling and pronunciation that are similar to "lose" is "whose."

A way to remember "lose" is to think of it as a four-letter word. Its past-tense form, "lost," and the related noun "loss" also have four letters.



The following sentences use both words correctly:
                  If you LOSE weight too fast, you'll have LOOSE skin.
                  A LOOSE connection could cause you to LOSE your power.
                  You can LOSE your LOOSE change in the sofa cushions.
                  She may LOSE her dog if she continues to let him run LOOSE.
                  The child will LOSE his LOOSE tooth.

Frankly, My Dear, I'm Uninterested (disinterested and uninterested)

The difference between these two words lies not only in the prefixes, but in the meaning of the root word. In "disinterested" the root word "interest" refers to
personal advantage, while in "uninterested" it refers to concern. When people err with these words, they usually use the "dis" word when they should be using the "un" word.

The word "disinterested" has these meanings: dispassionate, not taking sides, impartial, neutral, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, not seeking one's own advantage, not influenced by self-interest, and not having a personal stake in the outcome. This word is used mainly to describe judges, lawyers, referees, umpires, mediators, and others who are expected to be fair. Its meaning is narrow, and its use is infrequent.
Here are some sentences that use "disinterested" correctly:
                     We've hired a referee who's known for being disinterested.
                     The dispute will be handled by a disinterested judge.
                     They chose a disinterested third party to decide.
                     A person who potentially profits from a decision cannot be
                        considered to be a disinterested negotiator.
                     The doctors treated all the victims with disinterested kindness.
                     She was chosen to be the mediator because she was disinterested.


The word "uninterested," in contrast, has a very clear meaning - NOT
INTERESTED! If I'm uninterested in something, I'm unconcerned, indifferent,
not paying attention, and simply without interest.
These sentences use "uninterested" correctly:
                      He was disappointed to learn that his boss was uninterested in
                         his idea.
                      Although she was uninterested in the topic, she patiently endured
                         listening to the lecture.    
                      I told her our plan, but she seemed uninterested.
                     The children were restless because they were uninterested in the
                         lesson.

It's possible to be DISinterested but not UNinterested. Have you ever watched a
great game when you didn't prefer either team? You were interested in the game but had no stake in the outcome. If you go to court, you expect the judge to be DISinterested but never UNinterested in your case.

If any confusion remains, when you're not sure which word to say, choose "uninterested." Don't use "disinterested" unless you're certain that you mean "impartial." You wouldn't want anyone to confuse your objectivity with your
lack of interest.


                                  

Get the Lead Out! (led and lead)

The word "lead," when pronounced like "feed," can be a noun, as in a dog's lead,
a lead in a play, a lead to solving a mystery, etc. In this post we'll concentrate on "lead" as a verb.

The verb "to lead" has these principal parts:
            (Today I) LEAD         (Yesterday I) LED            (Many times I have) LED
The past forms of "lead,"which remove the "a," are confused with the past forms of "read," which rhyme with "led" but keep the "a," as in:
           (Today I) READ         (Yesterday I) READ          (Many times I have) READ


Most of the confusion about the verb "to lead" comes from the fact that the past form has the same sound as the noun "lead" which names an element and rhymes with "bread." Sometimes the noun is erroneously substituted for the verb.

Perhaps these sentences will help you remember each word:
                FRED LED the SLED dogs to the SHED.
               They DREAD finding LEAD in the paint that was SPREAD on the wall.

These sentences use both words correctly:
                The new law LED to a drop in LEAD poisoning.
                In Browning, Montana, the factory that produced LEAD pencils LED
                    all other industries in employing the Blackfeet.


Just remember that the noun "lead' is a metal, and there is an "a" in "metal." The past form of the verb "to lead" has no "a."

Fewer Puppies-Less Poop (fewer and less, amount and number)

As the owner (mother, really) of two Jack Russell terriers who use a litter box,
I'm definitely qualified to talk about poop. Today our topic is the difference
between "fewer" and "less," which will be studied with "amount" and "number."

Before I begin, I'd like to call your attention to an addition I made to the
post "If I Were a Rich Man," which I hope will help to clarify the concept of grammatical mood. (Sometimes I add to earlier posts when ideas occur to me.)

We'll start with the concepts of amount and number.

The word "amount" refers to mass or quantity. It is used with things that are measured in bulk and cannot be counted in units. We use it with things such as these: bread, cheese, milk, rainfall, happiness, evidence, news, and
information, but it should NEVER be used with items that can be counted individually. It is INCORRECT to say that a large AMOUNT of people attended a concert; instead say a large NUMBER of people attended. The word "amount" is often followed by the preposition "of" before a singular noun, and it always takes a singular verb. (A large amount IS, not ARE...) The following sentences use "amount'" correctly:
           The amount of support he received astonished him.
           After the storm, a large amount of debris littered the streets.

The word "number" is used with items that can be counted, and it is followed by
a plural noun, naming persons, places, or things which are discrete and separable units.

The verb that follows "number" can be singular or plural. When the sentence
refers to the number itself, taken as a unit, and not to individuals being counted, the verb is singular. In such sentences, the word "number" is preceded by the definite article, "the."
These sentences use "number" followed by a singular verb:
            The number of applicants IS increasing.
            What IS the number of absent students?
 
After an indefinite article, "a" or "an," the word "number" refers to individual units and takes a plural verb. In the following sentences, "number" is used correctly:
             A number of the books ARE lost.
             An enormous number of homes HAVE been damaged by the flood.

Each of these sentences uses "amount" and "number" correctly:
            The NUMBER of calls we received reflects the AMOUNT of interest in
                 our plan.
             We'll have to buy a large AMOUNT of food for that NUMBER of guests.
             The NUMBER of coins she collected was worth a large AMOUNT of
                 money.
             The large NUMBER of acres that are burning requires a greater
                 AMOUNT of water.                                                                                 
In the above sentences, you can see that "amount" tells us how much, and "number" tells us how many.

These adjectives are used to describe "amount" and "number":
                               amount                                      number
                                 little                                           few
                                 less                                           fewer
                                 much                                         many
                                 more                                          more

In the above columns, notice that "fewer" is listed under "number." It is the comparative degree of the adjective "few," and, like "number," it is used with persons, places, and things that can be counted. "Fewer" modifies nouns that are plural.
Here are some sentences in which "fewer" is used correctly:
          Fewer than four boys arrived for practice.
          Fewer than twenty people responded to our email.
          We were disappointed to hear that fewer than five of us would be
             accepted.
          I lost fewer pounds on this diet than on the other one.
          My house has fewer square feet than yours.
          My new job has fewer days of vacation than my old job did.
          Do these cookies have fewer calories than those?

In the chart showing the adjectives that go with "amount" and "number," notice
that "less" is listed under "amount," in line with "fewer." It is the comparative degree of "little," and, unlike "fewer," it can be an adverb as well as an adjective. "Less" refers to degree, extent, or amount, and it modifies singular nouns that name uncountable things, such as luggage, furniture, courage, corn, excitement, paper, and supervision. Singular nouns preceded by "a" or "an" will not take "less." It uses a singular verb.
The following sentences use "less" correctly:
            This recipe is better for diabetics because it requires less sugar.
            The meteorologist forecasts less precipitation this winter.
            Did your doctor recommend that you eat less salt? 
            Newer appliances consume less energy than the older ones.

These statements show the difference between "fewer" and "less":
           1. Fewer" refers to a smaller number, and "less" refers to a smaller
                   amount.
           2. Less" means "not as much," and 'fewer" means "not as many."
           3. If you can count individual items, use "fewer," and if you can't,
                   use "less."

An AMOUNT of something can consist of a NUMBER of individual units, so you can have LESS of the amount and FEWER of the units, as in:
          LESS time, FEWER hours         LESS money, FEWER quarters
          LESS work, FEWER jobs          LESS candy, FEWER jelly beans
          LESS tonnage, FEWER ships   LESS manpower, FEWER men
          LESS light, FEWER bulbs         LESS postage, FEWER stamps
          LESS travel, FEWER trips         LESS laughter, FEWER laughs

Each of the following sentences uses "fewer' and "less" correctly:
             LESS effort was exerted, so FEWER results were achieved.
             She's trying to eat FEWER chips and drink LESS soda.
             The LESS money you have in your account, the FEWER
                 unnecessary purchases you should make.
             We had FEWER school cancellations this year because there was LESS
                 snow.
              She lost weight because she consumed LESS fat and FEWER calories.

In general, it's true that "less" is used only with singular nouns, but there is an exception: references to units of time, weight, distance, measurement, and
money, which are treated as amounts and not as individual counted units.
In these situations the plural noun is regarded as a single entity. "Less" is also
used with numbers used alone and with mathematical statements.
Here are some examples:
     less than an hour                less than five dollars       less than $100
     less than three miles           less than two minutes     less than twelve years old
     less than two cups of flour  less than two years ago  less than 2/3 of the vote
     less than 20 percent           less than five pounds      less than ten yards
                                                 4 is less than 8
                       
                                                                                            
P.S. The supermarket sign "10 Items or Less" is incorrect.
P.P.S. Don't forget that "fewer in number" is redundant.

The Farther I Go, the Further Behind I Get(farther and further)

The easier of the two words, "farther," is the comparative degree of "far." (far, farther, farthest)  It means "at a greater distance" and refers to actual spatial measurement.

The following sentences use "farther" correctly:
        We arrived at the airport later than they did because we live
            FARTHER away.
        My new car drives FARTHER on a tank of gas than my old one.
        I'm too tired to walk any FARTHER.
        Plant the tree FARTHER than ten feet from the house.
        We can't drive any FARTHER on this road without chains.
        She jogs a mile FARTHER than I.
        Boston is FARTHER from Los Angeles than from Las Vegas.
        Our house is FARTHER from town than theirs.

In the above sentences, notice the following:
       1. The word "farther" can be replaced by "(at a) greater distance."
       2. The distance is physical, spatial, or geographical.
       3. The word "farther" has "far" in it.


The word "further" means "to a greater extent or degree" or "additional."  It is a more abstract term, is not physical or tangible, involves no actual measurement of distance, and is not related to the word "far."

The following sentences use "further" correctly:
             Let's discuss this idea FURTHER in my office.
             Because of new evidence, the trial faces FURTHER delay.
             We won't be able to answer your questions until we are FURTHER    
                 along in our research.
             I'll consider the matter FURTHER.
             This topic requires FURTHER study.
             The hospital provided no FURTHER details on his condition.
             Their techniques have been FURTHER refined.
             We'll pursue the subject FURTHER in our next class.
             The judge is expecting FURTHER proof.
             They plan to study the proposal FURTHER.
             The lawyer needs FURTHER evidence to support his case.
              If there are no FURTHER questions, we'll proceed.
             The jury needed time for FURTHER deliberation.

In the above sentences, notice that there is no mention of physical distance.

The following sentences use both words correctly:
   1. To FURTHER prove that she increased her stamina, she rode two              
          miles FARTHER.
   2. The FARTHER I travel from the office, the FURTHER behind schedule I am.


Confusion can arise when it seems that a distance is involved, but it's not an actual physical distance, as in these sentences:
    1. Nothing could be FURTHER from the truth.
    2. We drifted FURTHER apart.
    3. This relationship can go no FURTHER.
    4. The dispute has driven the two sides FURTHER apart.

In sentences like the above, it can be argued that "farther" and "further" are
interchangeable, with the following guidelines:
    1. Sometimes "farther" can be used in a figurative or metaphorical sense.
    2. In any situation, if you aren't sure about which to choose, use "further"  
         unless the statement involves actual physical distance.


P.S. It should be noted that "further" can also be a verb that means "to
advance," as in "further his cause," "further your education," or
"further your career."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

         



             

The Hen Lies Down to Lay an Egg (lie and lay)

The verbs "lie" and "lay" are frequently misused and widely misunderstood. Perhaps today we can remove some of the fog surrounding them.

I'll start with "lay" because its forms more closely resemble those of a regular verb: LAY in the present, LAID in the past, LAID as the past participle, and LAYING as the present participle, like PAY, PAID, PAID, and PAYING. The verb "to lay" means "to put" or "to place." It might help you to remember that both "place" and "lay" have the long sound of "a." When you use a form of "lay" in a sentence, you should be able to substitute a form of "place."

The word "lay" is a transitive verb, and as such it expresses an action that goes from a doer to a receiver. The receiver answers the question "what?" after the verb, and the sentence doesn't make sense without the answer. Here are some examples of sentences in which forms of "lay" are used correctly:
          I don't know where I LAID my KEYS. (placed my keys)
         The workers have already LAID the TILES in the kitchen. (placed the tiles) 
          She's carefully LAYING the DRESS in the box. (placing the dress)
          He always LAYS the BLAME on others. (places the blame)
Notice that each of the above sentences has a receiver of the action, and that the receiver answers the question "what?" after the verb. IT IS NEVER CORRECT TO USE ANY OF THE ABOVE FORMS UNLESS THERE IS A RECEIVER OF THE ACTION!

 Did you notice that I left out one form of the verb "lay" in the above sentences? I left out "lay" itself, because this one form is the source of most of the confusion about the verbs "lie" and "lay"! You know that "lay" is a transitive verb that means "place," as in "lay an egg"; however, "lay" is also the PAST form of the verb "lie," which means "recline" or "be situated." The verbs "lie" and "lay" are frequently confused because the past form of one is the same as the present form of the other!

There are two more reasons for the confusion between "lie" and "lay":
           1.Many people aren't aware of the existence of the word "lain," and they use "laid" instead.
           2. Many people have misheard a statement like "Last night I lay down" as "Last night I laid down," mistakenly transferring the "d" sound at the beginning of "down" to the end of "lay."


The long sound of "i" in "lie" and "recline" may help you remember that these two verbs are synonyms. The verb "lie" is NOT transitive and has NO RECEIVER! Its forms are irregular: LIE in the present, LAY in the past, LAIN as the past participle, and LYING as the present participle. Here are some sentences in which the verb "lie" means "recline":
              The letter is LYING unanswered on my desk. (present)
               It has LAIN there for three days. (past participle)
               My ancestors LIE in this cemetery. (present)
               Yesterday the dog LAY under the tree. (past)
               Let sleeping dogs LIE. (present)
              The lake LIES beyond the mountain. (present)
Notice that the words "laid," "lays," and "laying" are not used in the above sentences because they are forms of the verb "lay," meaning "place" or "put," and can never mean "recline" or "be situated." Also notice that the above sentences have NO RECEIVER!



This sentence will help you remember the present forms of both verbs:

At the beach I like to LAY my towel down on the sand and LIE on it.




The following sentences summarize the verbs "lie" and "lay":
                                        
Present -                   People LIE down and hens LAY eggs.
Past-                         People LAY down and hens LAID eggs.
Past Participle-         People have LAIN down and hens have LAID eggs,
Present Participle-    People are LYING down and hens are LAYING eggs.




For more reinforcement:
                                                     LAY
           The table was LAID for four.
           I LAID down the book I was reading and answered the phone.
           The teacher will LAY down the law to her students.
           She LAID the baby in the crib.
           Before the earthquake the hens stopped LAYING.
           The teacher LAYS great importance on correct grammar.
           The lawyer LAID the case before the court.
                                               
                                                        LIE
            She LIES down when she has a headache.
            After dinner I LAY in the hammock .
            Use a sunscreen if you plan to LIE in the sun.
            The dust in the attic has LAIN there undisturbed for years.
            He's LYING down for a nap.
            Debris was LYING in the streets after the storm.
            The campground LIES along the banks of the river.


This paragraph has all the forms of both verbs:

I laid the package on the hall table before breakfast, and it lay there all morning. It is still lying there. Maybe I should not have laid it on that table, but I have been laying packages there all week with no problem. Should I pick it up and lay it on the desk in the office? I don't want it to lie in the hall all day. I'll be upset if I wake up tomorrow morning and find that it has lain there all night.




P.S. When the verb "lie" means to tell an untruth, it's a regular verb (ending in "ed") and presents no problems.

P.P.S. In a previous post, "Me, Myself, and I," I should have included this correction of a favorite childhood prayer: "Now I lay MYSELF (not "me") down to sleep..." This prayer uses "lay" correctly to mean "place myself down."
 

Don't Literally Have a Heart Attack! (literally)

The word "literally" comes from the Latin word for "letter" and means "according to the letter," or "word for word." Misuse of this word is becoming more common as people mistakenly use it as a synonym for "really." The following sentences use "literally" correctly:
          The novel was translated literally from the French.
          Some people interpret the Bible literally.


The language we use to express our thoughts can be either figurative (using symbolism, exaggeration, etc.) or literal. Sometimes we use language that appears to be figurative but is meant to be literal. In such a case, the word "literally" can be used to show that the words mean exactly what they say. The following sentences are examples:
        Without help from charities, the people of Somalia would literally starve to
             death. (Sometimes we say we are "starving" when we are merely hungry,
             but these people actually are starving.)
        The martyrs were literally thrown to the wolves. (Being thrust into
             a difficult situation can be described as being "thrown to the wolves," but
             in this case there were actual wolves.)
        The sailor knows his ropes, literally and figuratively.
        He's out to lunch, literally and figuratively.


In the above sentences, the word "literally" is used to distinguish between a figurative and a literal meaning of a word or phrase. You can see why adding "literally" to the following sentences would be a mistake:
         Dad hit the ceiling when he got the bill.
         The salsa was so hot that my mouth was on fire.
         It was raining cats and dogs.


Remember that "literally" is used before a word or phrase that is normally figurative, in order to show that in a particular sentence that word or phrase is NOT being used in a figurative sense. Only use "literally" when the words after it mean exactly what they say!  It should not be used to mean "really."



Here's a sentence that seems to contradict everything I've written, but I'd love to be able to say it someday in another life.....

                                      I LITERALLY DIED LAUGHING!




Postscript to today's blog--
      Today's events in Washington were literally earth-shaking!
              
  

            
           

Who's Misspelling Whose Words? (who's and whose)

Today we'll add another pair of often-confused words with the same pattern we saw in the last two posts.

The pronoun "who" isn't a personal pronoun but can be either relative or interrogative. Its possessive form, "whose," has no apostrophe.
He is the person WHOSE name was called. (relative pronoun)
WHOSE responsibility is it to clean the kitchen? (interrogative pronoun)

The pronoun "who" combines with "is" or "has" to make the contraction "who's" by dropping the "i" or "ha" and inserting an apostrophe.
WHO'S responsible for cleaning the kitchen? (WHO IS..)
WHO'S been responsible for cleaning the kitchen?  (WHO HAS been...)

Again it's important to remember-
              The possessive form has no apostrophe.
              The apostrophe is used in place of the missing letter or letters to make
                    the contraction.


           sentences using "whose"                      sentences using "who's"

Whose house is this?                                 Who's the owner of this house?
                                                                   Who's been living in this house?
Whose invitations have been mailed?       Who's coming to the party?
                                                                   Who's been invited to the party?
Whose experience is the most extensive? Who's the most experienced person?
                                                                   Who's had the most experience?
He is an author whose books I enjoy.        Who's your favorite author?
                                                                   Who's written your favorite books?

It's Wagging Its Tail (it's and its)

 
It has been said that "its" is the most frequently misspelled word in the English language. That is because it is often confused with "it's," the contraction for "it is" or "it has." These two words are similar to "your" and "you're," which were the subject of yesterday's post, and the same principles apply.

The first word is possessive, showing ownership of something. Since "it" is a personal pronoun, no apostrophe is used in the possessive form.
That old car has served ITS purpose.

The second word is the contraction for "it is" or "it has," and the apostrophe is taking the place of the missing "i" or "ha." Remember that the apostrophe is a sign that something is being left out.
IT'S time to get a new car. (IT IS time....)
IT'S been ten years since we've bought a new car. (IT HAS been ten years....)

Usually mistakes with these words involve overusing the contraction "it's"; in fact, some people seem unaware of the existence of "its." Remember that the one WITHOUT the apostrophe shows ownership, and the one WITH the apostrophe means "it is" or "it has."

        sentences using "its"                               sentences using "it's"
The city is proud of its schools.             It's been years since I've visited Boston.
My puppy licked its paws.                      It's been a wonderful experience.

To be sure, whenever you write "it's" in a sentence, read the sentence aloud substituting "it is" or "it has," and see if it makes sense.

                                   
    

You're in Your Prime (you're and your)

Two words that are frequently confused are "your" and "you're."

The first one is possessive and refers to something that belongs to you. You'll remember it better if you notice that "our," another possessive, is inside it.     
YOUR  attendance is required.


The second one is called a contraction, or a "pulling together" of the two words "you are."  
YOU'RE required to attend.

Imagine the two words joined as "youare;" then remove the "a" and replace it with an apostrophe. Keep in mind that the apostrophe is taking the place of the missing "a."  Remember that, with personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they), an apostrophe does not show ownership as it does with nouns.

I just heard that YOU'RE going to Hawaii for YOUR vacation. (You are going, and you own the vacation.)
  

How Do You Feel? (bad vs. badly)

                   
                           Right                                                      Wrong

 I feel BAD about your accident. (sorry)       I feel BADLY about your accident.

 She has the flu and is feeling BAD. (ill)      She has the flu and is feeling BADLY.

 I play tennis BADLY. (in a bad manner)      I played BAD today.

 He was hurt BADLY.  (in a bad manner)     He was hurt BAD.


If you tell others that you feel bad, they will think you are sorry, ill, or sad, but if you say you feel badly, they could think that the nerve endings in your skin are inoperative, causing numbness. The word "badly" describes the manner in which something is done, and it doesn't usually follow the verb "feel."
                                                 

Words That Don't Exist (words used in error)

"momento"   -       This is used mistakenly for "memento," which refers to a
                                souvenir.

"irregardless"   -    I've heard this used for "regardless."

"kudo"   -               From the Greek we have adopted "kudos," a singular word
                                meaning "praise." It ends with the "s" sound as in "gross,"
                                not with a "z" sound.  Kudos from your clients IS a real sign
                                of success.
                               
                               
                                 

One Word or Two?(everyday and all right)

The word "everyday" means "common" or "ordinary," and the two words "every day" mean "each day."  Frequently the single word is being used in sentences where the two words belong.  EVERY DAY we changed into our EVERYDAY clothes when we returned from school.

This one is easy, because there's only one choice. The word "alright" does not exist, and "all right" is always two words.  The answer is either ALL RIGHT or ALL WRONG.

Word Pairs Often Confused (altogether, then,a)

Today's first language tip involves "altogether" versus "all together." The former means "entirely" or "on the whole," and the latter means that there's a uniting of individuals. There's ALTOGETHER too much noise when you shout ALL TOGETHER. (I should add that the former also is used in the expression "in the altogether," meaning "without clothing.")

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
A second tip for today is the distinction between "then" and "than," words which can sound alike and are often confused. The former refers to time, and the latter is used in comparisons. She heard the starting signal and THEN ran faster THAN her opponents to win the race.

                  

This one seems basic, but it's becoming more confused all the time. The little words "a" and "an" have the same meaning, but their use depends on the sound that begins the word that follows them. If the next word begins with a consonant sound, use "a," and if it begins with a vowel sound, use "an." Remember: it's not the beginning LETTER but the beginning SOUND!   A cucumber, A yo-yo, A unicorn (yoo), A onetime opportunity (wun), AN apple, A hat, A history book, AN honest man (on), AN 8-hour day (ate), AN FBI agent (eff)