If something has been done previously, has it been done all ready or already? If everyone goes to the movies together, do they go all together or altogether? Would a magician perform an allusion, and elusion, or an illusion? Does one kneel to pray at an altar or an alter? Is an analyst or an annalist a historian?
man at podium speaking to audience, public domain
allocation, allocution, elocution
Allocation is the act of something being portioned out for a specific reason.
An allocation of the money raised by the bake sale will be used to buy new computers for the class.
An allocution is a formal address or formal speech.
The reigning king’s allocution was watched by millions.
Elocution is a person’s manner or style of speaking or reading in public.
Her elocution during the play tryouts was flawless.
all ready, already
When something is all ready, it is prepared or ready to go.
Megan is all ready to go to the dance.
Already means previously.
Megan has already told us that she is all ready to leave.
five swans all together, wikimedia commons
all together, altogether
All together means at the same time or as a group.
The kittens were all together in a heap sleeping.
Altogether means with everything considered. It means entirely, wholly, or completely.
Your idea is altogether crazy and insane.
all told, all tolled
When something is all told, everything and everyone has been taken into account.
All told, there were more than five hundred people attending the party.
When something has been all tolled, all of the figures or events have been added up.
When the donations had been all tolled, we found that we had made over $5,000.
allude, elude
Allude means to refer to or to hint at.
In her speech, she will allude to the awards that are going to be presented.
Elude means to escape.
The mass murderer seems to have a gift for be able to elude capture by the authorities.
illusion, wikipedia
allusion, elusion, illusion
An allusion is a casual reference.
She only made an allusion to the deep, dark secrets that were held by the inhabitants of the small, sleepy town.
Elusion is evasion by quickness or cunning.
The sly old fox’s gift of elusion is what enabled him to have such a long life.
An illusion is a false sense of reality.
The magician will perform a spectacular illusion.
all ways, always
She tried all ways possible to be ready to leave early, but it just wasn’t working out.
Always means all the time.
Frieda is always late for her meetings.
alms, arms
Alms are food or donations given to the poor.
The yearly fund drive at the local church collected alms for the underprivileged and needy.
Arms are weapons. Arms are also the upper limbs, extending from the shoulders to the hands, on the human body.
The guerilla group was secretly purchasing arms from an undercover organization.
Jacob building an altar, wikipedia
altar, alter
An altar is an elevated place or platform at a church where one kneels down to pray.
Melissa, tears streaming down her face, ran to the altar to ask forgiveness.
When you alter something, you change it.
Becky’s grandma is going to alter the wedding dress for her.
amend, emend
Amend means to change or modify.
Now that you are divorced, are you going to amend your will?
Emend means to edit, change, or correct written work.
Doug had his wife emend his manuscript.
amerce, immerse
Amerce means to punish by imposing a fine.
The policeman will amerce you for speeding if he catches you.
Immerse means to submerge underwater or to become deeply involved in something.
Rebecca tends to immerse herself into her schoolwork.
backyard football game in the snow, wikipedia
amity, enmity
Amity is friendship or goodwill.
Darlene attempted to show amity to her new neighbors, but no matter how friendly she was, they only showed animosity.
Enmity is ill will, hatred, or hostility.
No matter how much amity Darlene showed to her neighbors, all she received from them was enmity.
analyst, annalist
An analyst is one who analyzes.
Marge consulted a computer analyst to determine what was wrong with her computer.
An annalist is a historian or one who chronicles events.
The king searched his kingdom for an annalist who was favorable towards him.
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