I have a few more frequently confused word clusters from the A’s today. By special request, I’ve also included the fraternal triplets: assure/ensure/insure. The definitions are from grammarbook.com; the examples are from my frazzled brain.
| · all together | refers to a group; all of us or all of them together |
| Example: I love it when the family is all together for Groundhog Day. | |
| · altogether | entirely |
| Example: It is not altogether her fault. | |
| · amount | used for things not countable |
| Example:The tank couldn’t hold that amount of water. | |
| · number | used for things that can be counted |
| Example:The number of pages decreased ten percent after the manuscript was edited. | |
| · among | involves three or more |
| Example: Who among us can start a fire without matches? | |
| · between | involves just two |
| Example: Shiloh couldn’t decide between the pork chop and the ox tail. | |
| · any more | something additional or further |
| Example: Buck doesn’t make any more money than his brother. | |
| · anymore | any longer, nowadays |
| Example: You don’t bring me flowers anymore. <sniff> | |
| · assure | to promise or say with confidence |
| Example: I assure you I will never use any of your teen body spray. | |
| · ensure | to make sure something will/won’t happen |
| Example: You can ensure your child’s safety by using a seatbelt. | |
| · insure | to issue an insurance policy |
| Example:I feel confident using this meat saw because I’m insured against accidental death and dismemberment. | |
Kara Church
Senior Technical Editor
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