• A lot is two words meaning "much": A lot of bologna was left over from the party.
• Allot is a verb meaning "distribute proportionately, to portion out": You guys need to allot a lot more time to practice!
• Apart is an adverb meaning "in pieces": My plan for my vacation fell apart.
• A part is a noun meaning "one section of": A part of my heart left when he did.
• Obtuse means "lacking quickness of wit or sensitivity, dull, dense": Brandon is so obtuse he doesn't even know when he is being insulted.
• Abstruse means "too difficult to understand for the average mind": The professor presented an abstruse metaphysical concept that went over our heads.
• Accede means "to agree or allow": Hiram Cheaply finally acceded to accepting the presidency of the company.
• Exceed means "to go beyond, to surpass": The amount of alcohol in his blood exceeded the previous record.
• Accept means "to take willingly": Miss Deeds accepted the cup of hot tea even without a saucer.
• Except is a preposition meaning "excluding": Everyone was disappointed with the party except Ida Goodtime.
• Adapt means "to adjust": Minnie Miles quickly adapted to working 20 miles away from home.
• Adept means "skilled": Lucille is adept at speaking languages.
• Adopt means to "accept as your own": It was difficult to adopt only one puppy from the animal shelter.
• Adverse means "unfavorable, hostile": Those driving in adverse winter conditions may be putting themselves at risk.
• Averse means "repulsed or repelled": She was immediately averse to the idea.
• Advice is a noun meaning "an opinion given with the intention of helping": My mother still gives me advice even though I'm 40 years old.
• Advise is a verb meaning "to give counsel or advice": The meteorologist advised listeners to stay indoors because of the extremely cold temperatures.
• Affect is most often used as a verb meaning "to influence and change": The president's speech affected his views of the upcoming election.
• The verb effect means "to cause": Batting her eyes so flirtatiously effected a strong desire in Rathbone to embrace Mirabelle.
• Aid is help or assistance given: Every Christmas the community gives aid to those less fortunate.
• An aide is a person who helps: Frieda Gogh worked five years as a teacher's aide.
• Airs refers to snobbish and artificial behavior: Portia Radclyffe put on airs at the fine dinner party just because she had a few diamonds dangling from her neck.
• Heirs are people who, because they are family, will inherit an estate or title: Portia was the heir to her mother's diamonds.
• Already is an adverb that indicates an action is completed by a certain time: Herschel had already finished the whole pie by the time his guests arrived.
• All ready means "everyone or everything is completely prepared": The children were all ready and bundled up warmly to go caroling on the snowy evening.
• All right is a phrase meaning "everything is right": Is all right here?
• Alright is a single word meaning "OK": All are alright here.
• All together is applied to people or things that are being treated as a whole: We always had fun when we were all together.
To double check this usage, try separating the two words: We all had fun when were together.
• Altogether is an adverb that means "completely or totally": Using a flashlight in bed is an altogether new approach to reading at night.
• All ways means "by every means or method": Dirk tried all ways to navigate the storm.
• Always means "forever": Sue St. Marie always responded calmly during emergency situations
• Aloud means "speaking out so that someone else can hear you": Read this paragraph aloud.
• Allowed means "having permission": His boss allowed him to take the weekend off.
• Allude means "to suggest indirectly": Leticia can't speak to her husband without alluding to his affair with Martha Snodgrass.
• Elude means "to dodge or escape": Serious relationships always seemed to elude him. Also beware of illude "to deceive, trick", the verb underlying illusion. It isn't used often but it is out there.
• An allusion is a subtle reference or hint: Rita Book made an allusion to the most recent novel she read in our conversation yesterday.
• An illusion is a deception, mirage, or a wild idea: The teacher said she had no illusions about how much work teaching demands.
• Almost means "nearly all": Almost all my friends have graduated from college by now.
• Most is superlative of more, meaning "the greatest or to the highest degree": Chuck is the most computer savvy guy I know, or Chuck cooked a most delicious supper.
• An altar is a table used in communion and other services in a church: The priest conducted the ceremony at the altar."
• To alter means "to change": Don't alter a thing; leave everything as it is.
• Alternately means "taking turns": We paddled alternately so neither of us would get too tired.
• Alternatively means "as an option": Instead of going by train, we could have gone alternatively by car.
• Ambiguous is describes a phrase or act with more than one meaning, or one that is unclear: The ending of the short story is ambiguous; we don't know if he died or continue his journey.
• Ambivalent means "uncertainty and having conflicting attitudes and feelings": He was ambivalent as to which candidate to vote for.
• Amiable refers to a person who is friendly, good-natured, and pleasant: Susan was very amiable and liked by all.
• Amicable means "friendly and peaceable", and is used to describe agreements or relationships between groups or people: After years of disagreement, the two countries came to an amicable agreement.
• Among is used for three or more: Shirley had to choose among four universities she might attend.
• Between refers to only two two things: I couldn't decide between blue and green.
• Amoral means "having no principles at all, good or bad": Percy is totally amoral; he is either helping others or helping himself at their expense.
• Immoral means "bad, lacking good principles": Everything his brother does harms others whether it benefits him or not.
• Amount is used with uncountable and abstract nouns: a large amount of money, amount of work, amount of happiness or amount of dirt.
• Number is used with countable and concrete plural expressions: a number of people, a number of attempts, a number of novels, a number of trials.
• Amused is when something is entertaining: The children were amused by watching the kittens play.
• Bemused means "bewildered" or "lost in thought": George was bemused by the unexpected ending to the movie.
• A is an indefinite article used before nouns beginning with
a consonant: a photograph, a tree, a horse.
• An is to be used before nouns beginning with m a vowel (sound): an apple, an hour, an elephant.
• And is a conjunction used between nouns in a list: A blanket and picnic basketare needed for the afternoon.
• Annual means "yearly": We must pay an annual tax.
• Annul means "to make void or invalid": They want to annul the marriage.
•Any one means "any one person": Any one of you may go, but not all of you.
• Anyone means "anybody, any person at all": Anyone can chew gum and walk at the same time.
• Appraise means "to assess or estimate the worth of
":The jeweler appraise a diamond at $5000.
• Apprise means "to inform or notify": the officer apprised us of our rights.
• A hole is a gap or space: A moth made a hole in my sweater.
• Whole means "complete": Stu Beef ate the whole pizza himself!
