The quick-answer index
Every question, alphabetical.
Short pages for the questions people actually type into a search bar. Each one has a one-line answer and a link to the full entry it comes from. Looking for the underlying rule? Try Entries, Fixes, or Spelling.
- 01Can I "infer" something from a text?Yes. *Infer* means to draw a conclusion from evidence — a text is fair evidence.Confusables→
- 02Can I say "comprised of"?In casual writing, yes — it is everywhere. In careful prose, use *composed of* or *comprises* instead.Usage→
- 03Can I say "under 50 words"?You can, and most readers won't blink. Careful prose prefers "fewer than 50 words."Usage→
- 04Do you "accept" or "except" an invitation?You *accept* an invitation. "Except" means to leave out — the wrong verb for receiving.Confusables→
- 05Do you put a comma before "which"?Usually yes — *which* introduces extra information, and that kind of clause takes commas on both sides.Usage→
- 06Does the speaker imply or infer?The speaker *implies*. Only the listener *infers*.Confusables→
- 07Is "affect" a verb?Yes. "Affect" is almost always a verb, meaning to influence or change something: *the weather affected our plans*.Confusables→
- 08Is "alot" one word?No. It is always two words: *a lot*. "Alot" is a common typo, not a variant.Misused→
- 09Is "effect" a noun?Yes. "Effect" is almost always a noun — the result of something: *the effect was immediate*.Confusables→
- 10Is "except" ever a verb?Rarely. In everyday writing, "except" is a preposition meaning "leaving out." The verb you probably want is "exempt" or "exclude."Confusables→
- 11Is "its" or "it's" the possessive?*Its* (no apostrophe) is the possessive. *It's* (with apostrophe) is short for "it is."Punctuation→
- 12Is it "10 items or less" or "10 items or fewer"?Grammatically, "10 items or fewer." Items are countable, so they take *fewer*.Usage→
- 13Is it "adverse" or "averse"?*Adverse* describes a bad condition. *Averse* describes a personal reluctance.Confusables→
- 14Is it "advice" or "advise"?*Advice* is the noun you give. *Advise* is the verb you do. One letter, completely different jobs.Confusables→
- 15Is it "affect" or "effect"?Use *affect* for the verb (influence). Use *effect* for the noun (result).Confusables→
- 16Is it "allowed" or "aloud"?*Allowed* means permitted. *Aloud* means out loud, spoken audibly.Confusables→
- 17Is it "altar" or "alter"?An *altar* is a raised structure for ceremony. To *alter* something is to change it.Confusables→
- 18Is it "bare with me" or "bear with me"?"Bear with me." The phrase means *endure* — and *bear* is the word for enduring.Confusables→
- 19Is it "bated breath" or "baited breath"?"Bated breath." *Bated* means held back; *baited* would mean set with a trap.Confusables→
- 20Is it "better then" or "better than"?"Better than." *Than* is for comparisons; *then* is for time.Confusables→
- 21Is it "between you and me" or "between you and I"?"Between you and me." After a preposition, English always takes the object form.Usage→
- 22Is it "bigger then" or "bigger than"?"Bigger than." Any comparison uses *than*.Confusables→
- 23Is it "comprised of" or "composed of"?"Composed of." Strict usage treats "comprised of" as an error — the whole *comprises* the parts directly.Usage→
- 24Is it "deeply affected" or "deeply effected"?"Deeply affected." The word describes an action done to someone — that's the verb *affect*.Confusables→
- 25Is it "everyone accept me" or "everyone except me"?"Everyone except me." The word here marks who's left out — that's *except*.Confusables→
- 26Is it "its a dog" or "it's a dog"?"It's a dog." The phrase is a contraction of "it is" — the apostrophe belongs.Punctuation→
- 27Is it "lay down" or "lie down"?You *lie* down yourself. You *lay* an object down. Different verbs, different jobs.Usage→
- 28Is it "less calories" or "fewer calories"?"Fewer calories." A calorie is a unit you can count, so the right word is *fewer*.Usage→
- 29Is it "less people" or "fewer people"?"Fewer people." People are countable, so the correct word is *fewer*.Usage→
- 30Is it "me and him went" or "he and I went"?"He and I went." Subjects of a sentence take the subject forms *he* and *I*.Usage→
- 31Is it "my friend and I" or "my friend and me"?Depends on the slot. *My friend and I went…* for the subject; *for my friend and me* for the object.Usage→
- 32Is it "side affects" or "side effects"?"Side effects." The side things are results, not actions — that's the noun *effect*.Confusables→
- 33Is it "the book that I read" or "the book which I read"?In edited American English, "the book that I read." *Which* sounds natural in British English.Usage→
- 34Is it "under 10 people" or "fewer than 10 people"?"Fewer than 10 people" is the precise form — people are countable, so *fewer* fits.Usage→
- 35Is it "who should I call" or "whom should I call"?Strictly, "whom should I call" — the caller is doing the calling *to* someone.Usage→
- 36Is it "who to blame" or "whom to blame"?"Whom to blame." The blame is being done *to* someone — the object slot calls for *whom*.Usage→
- 37Should I "lay" or "lie" on the couch?You *lie* on the couch. *Lay* needs a direct object — and the couch isn't what you're placing.Usage→
- 38What is the difference between "accept" and "except"?"Accept" means to receive or welcome. "Except" means to leave out. Opposite jobs, near-identical sound.Confusables→
- 39What's the difference between "allude" and "elude"?*Allude* is to hint at something. *Elude* is to escape or avoid.Confusables→
- 40What's the difference between "ascent" and "assent"?*Ascent* is a climb upward. *Assent* is agreement.Confusables→
- 41What's the difference between "comprise" and "compose"?The whole *comprises* the parts. The parts *compose* the whole. Opposite directions.Usage→
- 42What's the difference between "imply" and "infer"?The speaker *implies*. The listener *infers*. Two sides of the same exchange.Confusables→
- 43What's the difference between "who" and "whom"?*Who* is the subject — it does the action. *Whom* is the object — the action happens to it.Usage→
- 44What's the past tense of "lie down"?The past tense of *lie* (recline) is *lay* — which is exactly what makes this pair confusing.Usage→
- 45When do I use "fewer"?Use *fewer* for things you can count: fewer chairs, fewer errors, fewer hours logged.Usage→
- 46When do I use "it's" with an apostrophe?Only when you mean "it is" or "it has." Everywhere else, the possessive *its* has no apostrophe.Punctuation→
- 47When do I use "less"?Use *less* for amounts you measure rather than count: less water, less noise, less patience.Usage→
- 48When do I use "that" versus "which"?Use *that* for information the sentence needs. Use *which* for an aside you could remove.Usage→
- 49When do I use "then"?Use *then* for time or order — "first this, then that." For comparisons, use *than*.Confusables→
- 50When do I use "whom"?Use *whom* when the pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition — when something is done *to* it.Usage→