If you have had a lot of car wrecks, have you had several accidence or accidents? Is vinegar acetic, acidic, ascetic, or aseptic? If your neighbor is nosey, is she acquisitive or inquisitive? If you are a female who likes adventure, are you an adventurous or an adventuress?
car accident, wikipedia
accidence, accidents
Accidence is a grammatical term that deals with the inflection or change in words.
The study of accidence is giving Sarah a better understanding of how words are formed.
Accidents are undesirable events that often result in physical injury.
Antonio’s car insurance was outrageously high because of the many car accidents he had been in.
acclamation, acclimation
Acclamation is applause or shouts of approval.
Her speech was received with much acclamation.
Acclimation is the process of adapting to a new environment or situation.
Destiny’s forced acclimation into the Amish society by her kidnappers was painful.
an ascetic, wikimedia commons
acetic, acidic, ascetic, aseptic
Acetic pertains to vinegar.
The acetic solution was used to mop the floors.
If something is acidic, it contains acid.
The acidic solution thrown in her face blinded her.
An ascetic lives an extremely self-disciplined life, does not indulge in things for comfort and pleasure, but rather spends time in contemplation.
A monk is an ascetic.
Aseptic means free from germs.
It is not always healthy to live in an aseptic environment.
acquisitive, inquisitive
If a person is acquisitive, he seeks to have money and possessions, often in a greedy manner.
The acquisitive burglar would only rob houses from the rich part of town.
Inquisitive means curious, sometime nosy.
Muffin’s inquisitive nature ended up causing her to be trapped upside down in the closet between the water heater and the wall.
axe, public domain
acts, ax, axe
Acts, besides being a book in the New Testament of the Bible, are deeds that people have done. Acts are also divisions in a play.
The book of Acts was written by the apostle Paul.
The many brave, heroic acts of the town’s oldest citizen were known far and wide.
The play has five acts.
An ax or axe is a tool with a bladed head used for cutting and chopping.
Paul took an ax with him to chop down the tree.
ad, add
Ad is short for advertisement, an announcement of goods or products for sale.
The ad for the new tennis shoes ran every five minutes.
Add is short for addition, the process of finding the total of two or more numbers.
Lakeisha is learning how to add two-digit numbers in math class.
addition problem, www.gcflearnfree.org
adds, ads, adze
When one adds, one says or writes more, or finds the totals of two or more numbers. Or one may increase the number of something.
She continually adds more words to the script.
Ads means more than one advertisement.
Several ads for the new movie appeared all over town..
An adze is an axelike tool used for chopping.
He went to the hardware store to buy a new adze.
ade, aid, aide
When someone drinks an ade, they are drinking a fruit beverage.
Beverly sold an ade made from peaches and bananas to raise money for her project.
When you help someone do some work, you aid them.
Mother needs some aid with her housework.
An aide is an assistant.
Mr. Hodgins hired a new aide.
adieu, www.asos.com
a deux, adieu, ado
A deux is a French word that means of or for two individuals.
Miriam’s longing was to once again dine a deux with her husband, but their seven children made that an impossibility.
Adieu is another French word that means good-bye.
Adieu, adieu, parting is such sweet sorrow.
Ado is a great deal of fuss and noise.
Much ado was raised over the decision to install a stopping light at the intersection.
adherence, adherents
Adherence is the act of sticking firmly to something, whether it is a belief or a picture sticking to a wall.
Peter’s adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ taught caused the officials to demand his death.
Adherents are followers.
Peter, Andrew, James the Greater, James the Lesser, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Thaddeus (Jude), Simon and Judas Iscariot were adherents of Jesus Christ.
adventuress, www.dreamstime.com
adherend, adherent
An adherend is one substance stuck to another by an adhesive.
The surface of the counter was to be used as an adherend in the science project.
An adherent is a follower.
After living in the Orient for many, many years, Jeanine became an adherent of Buddha.
adventuress, adventurous
An adventuress is a female adventurer.
Marla had always been a tomboy, therefore it was no surprise when she became a famous adventuress.
Adventurous means full of risk, hazardous, or full of adventure.
The adventurous run down the ski slope left Andrea wanting to ski it again.
Editor Recommended Article: Confusing Words from Abbe to Access
