Troublesome words
Beware of words which have the same sound but different meanings. If you use the wrong form of the word, the spellcheck function on your computer will not identify it, so you need to understand the correct usage.
There/Their/They’re
There means ‘in that place’ or ‘at that point’:
There are too many assignments in this course.
Put the equipment over there.
Their is used to show ownership:
Teachers must reflect on their performance in the classroom.
They’re is the contraction of they are:
They’re giving an oral presentation tomorrow.
Affect/Effect
Affect is a verb meaning to influence:
The learning styles of students affect their response to the teaching of most subjects.
Too much criticism will affect the self esteem of students.
Effect is a noun meaning a result or consequence of something:
Education has a positive effect on the community.
Effect is a verb meaning to bring about:
The new teacher hoped to effect radical changes in the classroom.
Principle/Principal
Principal as a noun means the head of a school or college:
The principal attended the drama performance.
Principal as an adjective means main or most important:
His principal objective is to motivate students.
Principle is a noun meaning a rule, or law or code of behaviour:
The principles of music are found in rhythm and melody.
Simple/Simplistic
Simple is a word which describes something which is uncomplicated. It can have positive, negative and neutral connotations:
The words and pictures are delightfully simple.
He was a simple soul.
Your analysis of gender in the classroom is too simple.
Simplistic is a negative value judgement. It is always used in a derogatory sense:
The illustrations are crude and simplistic.
Avoid simplistic approaches to the teaching of literacy.
