Grammar Punk Blog

Commonly confusing just got more confusing

It’s funny how this particular edition of commonly confused kind of got away from me. I began with wont and won’t which is neither definitively a homonym or a commonly confused since it is pronounced differently as well as spelled different, but it got me thinking about commonly confused words that bump into contractions and that there must be relatively few of them, in the grand scheme of things, but as I started to list them I was surprised at just how many I could think of off the top of my head.

And yes, I’m aware of the weird bents my mind can take.

won’t: contraction of will not and wont: accustomed or likely to do something

aisle: a passageway between areas of seating, especially in a church, theater, or passenger vehicle | isle: an island, often a small one  and I’ll: a contraction of I and will

can’t: a contraction of can and not and cant: boring talk filled with clichés and platitudes

heel: the back part of a person’s foot, heal: to restore a person, body part, or injury to health and he’ll: a contraction of he and will

your: refers to something that belongs or relates to an unspecified person or people in genera and you’re: a contraction of you and are

wheel:  a ring or disk that revolves or is turned by a central shaft or pin, or weal: a general state of well-being, prosperity, and happiness or we’ll: a contraction of we and will

heed; to give serious attention to a warning or advice and take it into account when acting or he’d: a contraction of he and did or would

we’d: a contraction of we did or would or weed: a plant, especially a wild plant, growing where it is not wanted

they’re: a contraction of they are, or their: belonging to or relating to a specific group of people or things, or there: to indicate position in or motion toward a place relatively distant from the speaker

ya’ll a contraction of you and all,  or yawl: a sailing vessel rigged fore-and-aft with a large mainmast and a smaller mizzenmast toward the stern

you’ll: a contraction of you and will, and Yule: Christmas day or the Christmas season

Now I’m being picky and using only the ones that are truly pronounced the same—when they are pronounced correctly. No she’ll and shill, he’ll and hill, we’ll and will, we’re and whir… You get the idea. In any case, look at this list and watch your writing to keep these pesky list of commonly confuseds unconfused.

Tell me if I’ve missed some, which I’m sure I have. Try ‘em in a sentence or twelve.