Confusing Words

COM 303 Editing Brian Carroll

Who vs. Whom

Who
Substitutes for the subject Example: Who let the dogs out?

Whom
Substitutes for objective pronouns (him, her) Example: Whom did he question? And serves as the object of a preposition Example: Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

That vs. Which

That
Use with essential phrases Example: Go to the door that reads, Clinic 1.

Which
Use with non-essential phrases Example: The test, which was given Thursday, was difficult.

Among vs. Between

Between

Use with two. Example: He split the Calzone between Tim and Susan, because it was bigger than Tims head.

Among

Use with three or more. Example: We divided the money among th five children.

Affect vs. effect

Affect
A verb that means influence Example: The drought will affect the color the fall foliage.

Effect

A noun that means result Example: The medicine has unpleasant sid effects.

Compose vs. comprise

Compose

Means to make up Example: The class is composed of 2 students.

Comprise
Means to include Example: Our class comprises five women and six men.

Making sense of sentences

Avoid
Fragments Run-on sentences Faulty parallelism Modifier misplacement

Fragments
He waited but. The man in the plaid suit said. A march for justice.

Run-ons
We visited the hospital, and we saw the doctor, and he said to come back tomorrow, and we did, and then he said to come back the next day, and we did, and then he said we were too late, so we went home.

Faulty parallelism: Some more examples

7 He planned his story, wrote the article and turned in his paper on time. 9 He enjoys reading and to go skiing. 9 Our trip includes stops in:
London, England A stop in Paris, France Washington, D.C.

Misplaced modifiers
9 The tourists saw a herd of sheep on their way to their hotel. 7 On their way to their hotel, the tourists saw a herd of sheep. 9 Needing oil, the mechanic drove the car into the garage. 7 The car needed oil, so the mechanic drove it into the garage.

Confusing Words
COM 303 Editing Brian Carroll