Vol. 04 · Quick answers50 questions
One question. One answer. One full entry.
The quick answer index.
Short pages for the questions people actually type into a search bar. Each one is a one-line answer, a few sentences of reasoning, and a link to the full entry it comes from.
No. 01 23 questions
Confusables
- Can I "infer" something from a text? Yes. *Infer* means to draw a conclusion from evidence — a text is fair evidence. → Imply vs. Infer
- Do you "accept" or "except" an invitation? You *accept* an invitation. "Except" means to leave out — the wrong verb for receiving. → Accept vs. Except
- Does the speaker imply or infer? The speaker *implies*. Only the listener *infers*. → Imply vs. Infer
- Is "affect" a verb? Yes. "Affect" is almost always a verb, meaning to influence or change something: *the weather affected our plans*. → Affect vs. Effect
- Is "effect" a noun? Yes. "Effect" is almost always a noun — the result of something: *the effect was immediate*. → Affect vs. Effect
- Is "except" ever a verb? Rarely. In everyday writing, "except" is a preposition meaning "leaving out." The verb you probably want is "exempt" or "exclude." → Accept vs. Except
- Is it "adverse" or "averse"? *Adverse* describes a bad condition. *Averse* describes a personal reluctance. → Adverse vs. Averse
- Is it "advice" or "advise"? *Advice* is the noun you give. *Advise* is the verb you do. One letter, completely different jobs. → Advice vs. Advise
- Is it "affect" or "effect"? Use *affect* for the verb (influence). Use *effect* for the noun (result). → Affect vs. Effect
- Is it "allowed" or "aloud"? *Allowed* means permitted. *Aloud* means out loud, spoken audibly. → Allowed vs. Aloud
- Is it "altar" or "alter"? An *altar* is a raised structure for ceremony. To *alter* something is to change it. → Altar vs. Alter
- Is it "bare with me" or "bear with me"? "Bear with me." The phrase means *endure* — and *bear* is the word for enduring. → Bare vs. Bear
- Is it "bated breath" or "baited breath"? "Bated breath." *Bated* means held back; *baited* would mean set with a trap. → Baited vs. Bated
- Is it "better then" or "better than"? "Better than." *Than* is for comparisons; *then* is for time. → Then vs. Than
- Is it "bigger then" or "bigger than"? "Bigger than." Any comparison uses *than*. → Then vs. Than
- Is it "deeply affected" or "deeply effected"? "Deeply affected." The word describes an action done to someone — that's the verb *affect*. → Affect vs. Effect
- Is it "everyone accept me" or "everyone except me"? "Everyone except me." The word here marks who's left out — that's *except*. → Accept vs. Except
- Is it "side affects" or "side effects"? "Side effects." The side things are results, not actions — that's the noun *effect*. → Affect vs. Effect
- What is the difference between "accept" and "except"? "Accept" means to receive or welcome. "Except" means to leave out. Opposite jobs, near-identical sound. → Accept vs. Except
- What's the difference between "allude" and "elude"? *Allude* is to hint at something. *Elude* is to escape or avoid. → Allude vs. Elude
- What's the difference between "ascent" and "assent"? *Ascent* is a climb upward. *Assent* is agreement. → Ascent vs. Assent
- What's the difference between "imply" and "infer"? The speaker *implies*. The listener *infers*. Two sides of the same exchange. → Imply vs. Infer
- When do I use "then"? Use *then* for time or order — "first this, then that." For comparisons, use *than*. → Then vs. Than
No. 02 23 questions
Usage
- Can I say "comprised of"? In casual writing, yes — it is everywhere. In careful prose, use *composed of* or *comprises* instead. → Comprise vs. Compose
- Can I say "under 50 words"? You can, and most readers won't blink. Careful prose prefers "fewer than 50 words." → Under vs. Fewer than
- Do you put a comma before "which"? Usually yes — *which* introduces extra information, and that kind of clause takes commas on both sides. → That vs. Which
- Is it "10 items or less" or "10 items or fewer"? Grammatically, "10 items or fewer." Items are countable, so they take *fewer*. → Less vs. Fewer
- Is it "between you and me" or "between you and I"? "Between you and me." After a preposition, English always takes the object form. → Me vs. I
- Is it "comprised of" or "composed of"? "Composed of." Strict usage treats "comprised of" as an error — the whole *comprises* the parts directly. → Comprise vs. Compose
- Is it "lay down" or "lie down"? You *lie* down yourself. You *lay* an object down. Different verbs, different jobs. → Lay vs. Lie
- Is it "less calories" or "fewer calories"? "Fewer calories." A calorie is a unit you can count, so the right word is *fewer*. → Less vs. Fewer
- Is it "less people" or "fewer people"? "Fewer people." People are countable, so the correct word is *fewer*. → Less vs. Fewer
- Is 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*. → Me vs. I
- Is 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. → Me vs. I
- Is 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. → That vs. Which
- Is it "under 10 people" or "fewer than 10 people"? "Fewer than 10 people" is the precise form. *Under* reads as a spatial word, not a count. → Under vs. Fewer than
- Is it "who should I call" or "whom should I call"? Strictly, "whom should I call" — the caller is doing the calling *to* someone. → Who vs. Whom
- Is it "who to blame" or "whom to blame"? "Whom to blame." The blame is being done *to* someone — the object slot calls for *whom*. → Who vs. Whom
- Should 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. → Lay vs. Lie
- What's the difference between "comprise" and "compose"? The whole *comprises* the parts. The parts *compose* the whole. Opposite directions. → Comprise vs. Compose
- What's the difference between "who" and "whom"? *Who* is the subject — it does the action. *Whom* is the object — the action happens to it. → Who vs. Whom
- What's the past tense of "lie down"? The past tense of *lie* (recline) is *lay* — which is exactly what makes this pair confusing. → Lay vs. Lie
- When do I use "fewer"? Use *fewer* for things you can count: fewer chairs, fewer errors, fewer hours logged. → Less vs. Fewer
- When do I use "less"? Use *less* for amounts you measure rather than count: less water, less noise, less patience. → Less vs. Fewer
- When do I use "that" versus "which"? Use *that* for information the sentence needs. Use *which* for an aside you could remove. → That vs. Which
- When do I use "whom"? Use *whom* when the pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition — when something is done *to* it. → Who vs. Whom
No. 03 3 questions
Punctuation
- Is "its" or "it's" the possessive? *Its* (no apostrophe) is the possessive. *It's* (with apostrophe) is short for "it is." → Its vs. It’s
- Is it "its a dog" or "it's a dog"? "It's a dog." The phrase is a contraction of "it is" — the apostrophe belongs. → Its vs. It’s
- When 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. → Its vs. It’s