Confusables

Choose the right word or phrase by comparing the job each does in a sentence.

147 source-checked guides

Biweekly / Fortnightly / Twice weeklyBiweekly can mean every two weeks or twice a week. Use fortnightly or every two weeks for the first meaning, and twice weekly or twice a week for the second.Open guide
Bimonthly / Twice monthly / Every two monthsBimonthly can mean every two months or twice a month. Write the intended frequency explicitly.Open guide
Every day / EverydayEvery day is a two-word time expression meaning each day; everyday is a one-word adjective meaning ordinary or routine.Open guide
One year / three years (duration) / One-year / three-year (compound modifier)Use the plural noun without a hyphen for a duration, but a singular year in a hyphenated compound modifier before a noun.Open guide
Amount / Number / QuantityUse amount with uncountable nouns and number with countable nouns. Quantity is more formal and can be used with either, depending on context.Open guide
A number of … are / The number of … isA number of means several and normally takes a plural verb; the number of refers to one total and takes a singular verb.Open guide
Discuss something / Discuss about somethingDiscuss normally takes a direct object and does not need about. Use discuss the issue or talk about the issue.Open guide
With regard to / Regarding / With regards toUse with regard to or, more simply, regarding. Avoid with regards to in formal writing.Open guide
E.g. / for example / I.e. / that isE.g. means for example and introduces instances; i.e. means that is and restates the meaning. Prefer the English words in general workplace content.Open guide
Lie / lay / lain (recline) / Lay / laid / laid (put down) / Lie / lied / lied (say something untrue)Lie meaning recline takes no object and has the forms lie, lay, lain. Lay meaning put something down takes an object and has the forms lay, laid, laid. Lie meaning say something untrue is regular: lie, lied, lied.Open guide
FYs / KPIs / OKRs (plurals) / FY's / KPI's / OKR's (possessives)Add s without an apostrophe to make an abbreviation plural. Use apostrophe-s only for a singular possessive, and an apostrophe after s for a plural possessive, such as KPIs' owners.Open guide
Fortnightly / Twice monthlyFortnightly means every two weeks; twice monthly means twice in each calendar month. They are not interchangeable.Open guide
In regard to / In regards toUse in regard to without s, or use the plainer regarding. Avoid in regards to in formal writing.Open guide
Subject to / Subjected toSubject to states a condition, governing rule or possible exposure; subjected to states that someone or something was made to undergo an experience.Open guide
Request (verb) / Request for (noun phrase)As a verb, request normally takes its object directly: request approval. As a noun, use a request for approval.Open guide
Result in / Result fromA cause results in an outcome; an outcome results from a cause.Open guide
Apply for / Apply to / Apply something toApply for names what is sought; apply to names the recipient or scope; apply something to names the rule, method or treatment being used.Open guide
Await / Wait forAwait takes a direct object; wait normally takes for before the thing expected.Open guide
Oversee / Look over / OverlookOversee means supervise; look over means examine; overlook usually means fail to notice, excuse or have a view over something.Open guide
Clarify (verb) / Seek clarification onClarify is a transitive verb and normally takes a direct object; the noun phrase clarification on names the matter that needs explanation.Open guide
Emphasise or stress (verbs) / Place emphasis or stress onEmphasise and stress normally take a direct object in these workplace senses; the related noun phrases take on.Open guide
Raise / Rise / AriseRaise is transitive and takes an object; rise is intransitive and describes an increase or upward movement; arise means occur or emerge.Open guide
Between X and Y / From X to YUse the matched constructions between X and Y and from X to Y; do not combine one half of each.Open guide
Fill in / Fill out / Fill upFill in or fill out a form; fill up a container or space. In formal Singapore and British-style instructions, fill in or complete the form is clearest.Open guide
Person or officer in charge / In charge / Officer-in-chargeUse person in charge or officer in charge for the responsible person, and in charge after a linking verb. Do not use the in-charge or project in-charge as a standalone noun.Open guide
Incident / IncidenceAn incident is an individual event; incidence describes the occurrence or frequency of events in a defined context and may be reported as a count, proportion or rate.Open guide
Systemic / SystematicSystemic describes the reach or origin of a problem across a system; systematic describes an organised and methodical way of doing something.Open guide
Premise / Premises (assumptions) / Premises (property)Premise is singular for an assumption; premises is its plural and also the plural-form noun for a property. Do not call one office an office premise.Open guide
Deprecate / DepreciateDeprecate marks a technology as discouraged or no longer recommended; depreciate concerns a decline in value.Open guide
Born / BorneBorn relates to birth or origin; borne is the past participle of bear when something is carried, supported or accepted.Open guide

No confusable guide matches that search.