This site talks about common problems with word usage in English. Most of the material comes from Merriam-Webster Online. I've mentioned any differences between U.S. English and British English that I'm aware of, but the site is generally based on U.S. English.

Huge thanks to Luthien for helping me wade through the British/U.S. differences.

Questions about grammar or punctuation? Try these sites:

Guide to Grammar and Writing
Grammar Slammer
The Online English Grammar deals with British grammar

Bartleby.com is a great place to look if you have questions about word usage or definitions. It links to several different reference books, all American. World Wide Words is a terrific site for discussions of usage, although it's more etymology-oriented

Harry Potter authors:

rane_ab has a list of commonly misspelled proper nouns in HP stories. It's a great reference.

Browse the list (Part 1: A - H, Part 2: I - Q or Part 3: R - Z) ... or choose a word:

adverse affect all right allude New! alright altar alter anal annals ante- anti- averse bare bear blond blonde boarder border born borne breach breath breathe breech broach brooch choose chose chosen complement compliment congratulations conscience conscientious

congradulations conscious could have could of could care less couldn't care less cue defuse desert dessert diffuse discreet discrete effect elude New! exacerbate exasperate fallow faze fiancé fiancée flaunt flout follow gibe hanged Hear, hear! Here, here! hers hoard horde hung imply infer

irregardless its it's jibe jive lay leach lead led leech lie loath loathe loose lose meet mete moot mute naval navel passed past peak pedal peddle peek per say per se perfect petal phase pique

pore pour prefect prescribe prone proscribe prostate prostrate queue rack rain ravage ravish reign rein ringer role roll set shear sheer should have should of sit stanch staunch supine tenant tenet than that their then

there they're threw throe through throw trooper trouper unconscionable vial vicious vile viscous waist waste weather whether which who: - vs. whom - vs. that and which who's whom whose would have would of wrack wringer yay yea yeah your you're

Additions to the misused words list are always welcome! Feel free to send examples to thalia@destinysgarden.net

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