Published on
8 August 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
28 November 2022.
Capital and capitol are pronounced the same but have different meanings.
Capital is the more common word, with a wider range of meanings. It can be used as a noun to refer to financial assets, to a city serving as the official seat of government, or to an uppercase letter. It can also be used as an adjective to mean ‘vital’, ‘excellent’, or ‘punishable by death’.
Capitol is a noun that refers to the building in which the legislative government meets.
Examples: ‘Capital’ in a sentence
Examples: ‘Capitol’ in a sentence
Thanks to new investors, the business has a lot of capital.
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of congress.
Springfield is the capital city of Illinois.
The state capitol of Utah is located on North State Street, in Salt Lake City.
Published on
8 August 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
10 October 2022.
Principle and principal are pronounced the same but have different meanings.
Principal can be used as a noun to refer to a person in authority, the perpetrator of a crime, or the capital sum of a loan. It can also be used as an adjective to mean ‘most important’ or ‘primary’.
Principle is a noun used to refer to a scientific, moral, or legal rule or standard.
Examples: ‘Principal’ in a sentence
Examples: ‘Principle’ in a sentence
The principal of the school is very strict when it comes to attendance.
Chris refused to pay the extra shipping costs on principle.
The principal finding of the study is questionable.
Isaac Newton uncovered the principles of gravity and motion.
Published on
8 August 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
3 October 2023.
Former and latter are both used (with ‘the’) to refer to previously mentioned items in a list of two or more things. This is done to save space and reduce repetition.
Former can be used to refer back to the first person or thing in a list. It can also be used to mean ‘previous’ or to refer to a past state.
Latter can be used to refer back to the last person or thing in a list. It can also be used to refer to a subsequent time or period.
Examples: ‘Former’ in a sentence
Examples: ‘Latter’ in a sentence
I was offered soup or salad, and I chose the former.
Norway and Italy are both beautiful, but the latter is much warmer.
The former president is running for election again.
He faced many difficulties in the latter half of his life.
NoteSome style guides argue that former and latter should only be used in lists containing two items, and this is certainly the most common way of using the words. However, it’s quite possible to use the words with longer lists, too.
If you do want to avoid this, you can use ‘first’ and “last” instead. And you’ll always have to use a different word to refer to one of the middle items in a list (e.g., ‘the third’).
Published on
8 August 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
23 August 2023.
Compliment and complement are pronounced the same, but they have different meanings.
Compliment (with an ‘i’) can be used as a noun to refer to admiration or praise. As a verb, it refers to the act of praising.
Complement (with an ‘e’) can be used as a noun to refer to something that completes or enhances something else. As a verb, it refers to this act of completing or enhancing.
Examples: ‘Compliment’ in a sentence
Examples: ‘Complement’ in a sentence
Hannah received a compliment on her new summer dress.
The acidity of the wine complements the flavor of the fish.
Peggy complimented Alex on his excellent gardening skills.
The color of the painting is a nice complement to the color of the furniture.
Published on
26 July 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
8 October 2024.
Awhile and a while are pronounced similarly but have different grammatical roles and slightly distinct meanings.
Awhile (one word) is an adverb meaning ‘for a period of time’.
A while (two words) is a noun phrase meaning ‘a period of time’.
Examples: ‘Awhile’ in a sentence
Examples: ‘A while’ in a sentence
After his run, Dane rested awhile.
We’ll go to the park in a while.
Jodi studies awhile each evening.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Stephanie.
NoteAlthough awhile and a while are often used interchangeably in informal writing, (e.g., ‘stay awhile’/’stay a while’), many style guides, including AP style and Chicago style, encourage you to pay attention to the difference.
Published on
25 July 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
10 October 2022.
Toward and towards are prepositions that can be used to mean ‘in the direction of’, ‘in relation to’, or ‘in contribution to’. While the words are used interchangeably, there is some regional preference:
In UK English, ‘towards’ (with an ‘s’) is more commonly used.
In US English, ‘toward’ (without an ‘s’) is more commonly used.
Examples: ‘Toward(s)’ in a sentenceThe river runs toward(s) the sea.
Natasha has a positive attitude toward(s) life.
This essay will count toward(s) your final grade.
Ronan contributed toward(s) the relief fund.
NoteToward is still acceptable in UK English, just less common, and the same goes for towards in US English.
However, some style guides have specific rules about which you should use. Both AP style and Chicago style favor toward (without an “s”).
Published on
25 July 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
14 February 2023.
Empathy and sympathy are related words that differ in meaning. Though they’re often used interchangeably, they differ in the kind of emotional involvement they describe.
Empathy is a noun describing the ability to relate to another person’s feelings by imagining yourself in their situation.
Sympathy is a noun describing compassion for another person who is facing difficult circumstances or negative feelings. It suggests that you feel pity for someone but don’t necessarily fully understand their feelings.
‘Empathy’ in a sentence
‘Sympathy’ in a sentence
Empathy is an essential trait for a therapist.
I have sympathy for Jane’s struggle.
Carl’s response showed no empathy.
Kevin has no sympathy for the less fortunate.
Bill is a sensitive and empathetic person.
Neil seems to be very sympathetic.
NoteDifferent sources often contradict each other about the connotations of the two words. Sometimes, sympathy is taken to mean a distant or patronising form of pity, or empathy is described as an intellectual rather than emotional understanding of someone’s feelings.
This article describes the difference between the two words as they are normally used.
Published on
25 July 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
20 March 2023.
You must put a comma before ‘but’ when it connects two independent clauses. An independent clause can function as a standalone sentence (i.e., it has a subject and a verb).
Example: Comma before ‘but’ connecting two independent clausesMariahoped to go for a walk, but itrained all day.
You must use a comma after ‘but’ only when you include an interrupter. An interrupter is a word or phrase used to emphasise or qualify the statement and to express mood or tone.
