ADOPTED OR ADOPTIVE?

Adopted refers to the child that has been legally made part of a family. Adoptive refers to the parents who have adopted a child. adopted He's adopted. She's an adopted girl. Adopted children are considered part of the family. adoptive He's my adoptive father. Adoptive mothers have the same benefits as biological mothers. Adoptive parents love their children as their own.

THAN OR THEN?
Than is a conjunction used when comparing two things, people or situations. Then is an adverb used to say what happens next or at a particular time. It's also used when saying what the result of a situation will be. than This car is more expensive than mine. Anne is younger than Paul. Learning languages is more common than it was some years ago. then Mix all the ingredients, then add the eggs. I went to Germany in 1980. It was still divided in two then. If you don't eat all your food, then you will not play with the computer.

DEVICE OR DEVISE?
Device is a noun that means "a machine or tool". Devise is a verb that means "to invent a new way of doing something". device She needs a special device to use the computer. This device is used to separate water from oil. Modern devices are quite expensive. devise He devised a method for calculating the interest rate. Scientists devised a new way of saving energy. The director has devised a plan to make the company grow.

WONDER OR WANDER?
Wonder means "to try to guess something or what will happen". Wander is means "to walk slowly without a clear direction". wonder I wonder how Michael is getting on. What is my girlfriend doing now, I wonder? I wonder if he'll recognize me after all these years. wander He wandered around the shopping center for an hour. The boy was found wandering the streets of Los Angeles. She wandered around the beach and finally sat down near the sea.

CLOTHES OR CLOTH?
Clothes means "the things that people wear to cover their body". It's always used in plural. To refer to only one thing, we say a piece/item/article of clothing. Cloth means "the material used for making clothes".

clothes I had a shower and put on clean clothes. She went shopping for new clothes but only got one piece of clothing. Do you like wearing casual clothes? cloth This shirt is made from fine cotton cloth. My suit is made from woollen cloth. That is a dress of the finest silk cloth.

FARTHER OR FURTHER?
Farther means "more distant". With this meaning, you can also use further. Both are the comparative forms of "far" Further also means "additional, or to a greater degree" farther They decided to go farther and walk into the wood. Our town is five kilometres farther north. The boat drifted slowly farther apart. further They decided to go further and walk into the wood. Do you have any further questions? Visit our website for further details.

PRECEDE OR PROCEED?
Precede means "to happen before something". Proceed means "to continue to do something". When it's followed by an adverb or preposition, it means "to move in that direction". precede Dinner will be preceded by a speech from the manager. Four bodyguards always precede the president. A strong wind preceded the rain. procede The president decided to proceed with his financial plan. Before you proceed, we need to define our conditions. Passengers going to New York should proceed to gate 12.

ESPECIALLY OR SPECIALLY?
Especially is used to say that something applies more to one thing than to others.

Specially is used to say that something is done for a particular purpose.

Before adjectives it's better to use especially to emphasize them. For example, especially good (but not specially good). Especially cannot be used at the beginning of a sentence. She loves vegetables. She especially likes carrots (but not Especially she likes carrots). especially We should practice more, especially grammar. Everybody likes this cake, especially the children. This part of the film is especially interesting. specially This mouse is specially designed for left-handed people. I made this cake specially for you. She specially liked the cake.

DESERT OR DESSERT?
Desert refers to a large area where it's always hot and dry. Dessert refers to the sweet food served after a meal. desert This part of the country is mostly desert. We crossed the Sahara Desert on camel. The rally comes through the desert before arriving to Dakar. dessert For dessert I'd like to have apple pie. After the meal she served the dessert. Desserts are always expensive at this restaurant.

NOTABLE OR NOTICEABLE?
Notable means 'important, interesting or unusual enough to be noticed'. Noticeable means 'easy to notice'. notable A notable feature of this cathedral is the height of the spires. He was awarded a Nobel prize for his notable achievement in Science. Covent Garden is notable for its historic market. noticeable There has been a noticeable improvement in your English. It was noticeable that the suspect was very nervous. There are noticeable mistakes on your essay.

CANVAS OR CANVASS?
Canvas is a noun that refers to a strong cloth on which a painting is done. It also means the cloth used to make bags or tents. Canvass is a verb that means to ask somebody's opinion or suggestion. canvas He always carries a canvas to paint near the river. On this gallery you will see a famous canvas by Monet. This bag is made of a strong canvas. canvass Police canvassed the district searching for information. The mayor decided to canvass all neighbours about their needs. Politicians always canvass support during their campaigns.

DISCRETE OR DISCREET?
Discrete means separate, distinct, discontinuous. Discreet means careful about what you say or do, so that you don't offend other people or reveal a secret. discrete The evolution process has a series of discrete steps. They could clearly distinguish three discrete frequencies. The problem has several discrete sections. discreet She assured him that she would be discreet. Please be discreet, I don't want everyone to know about this. He waited patiently at a discreet distance.

AMONG OR BETWEEN?
Among is used when talking about three or more things or persons. Between is used when talking about two things or persons. among The little boy disappeared among the crowd. The secretary searched for her pen among the papers on her desk. The teacher usually walks among the kids during the break. between There's a big contrast between town and country life. Sheila sat down between Charles and Mary. The ball rolled between his feet.

DURING OR WHILE?
During is a preposition and it's always followed by a noun. While is a linking word and it's always followed by a clause. during She usually watches TV during lunch. You should take notes during the conference. We went to the theatre during our stay in Paris. while She usually watches TV while she's having lunch. Joe invited his friends home while his parents were on holiday. Your sister called you while you were at work.

HOLE OR WHOLE?
Hole is a noun and it refers to 'an empty space in something solid'. Whole is an adjective that means 'all of something'. hole She has found a hole in her old sweater! There was a hole in our garden yesterday. These socks are full of holes. whole She ate the whole cake for breakfast. You're very young, you have your whole life ahead of you! The whole country is living the same situation.

AWARD OR REWARD?
Award refers to an official prize given to someone for something he has done. Reward refers to something given to someone because he has done something good or helpful. award She has received an award as Teacher of the Month. Last year's award was given to Dr. Smith. Stay at our award-winning hotel and enjoy your stay! reward His mother has given him a reward for passing all the exams. Our school has a system of rewards to encourage hard work. A reward of $100,000 has been offered for giving the police information about the criminal.

COSTUME OR CUSTOM?
Costume refers to a set of clothes to make somebody look like another person, or clothes that are typical of a place. Custom refers to something done by people because it is traditional, or something done every day. costume For the party he will wear a costume of a famous politician. Halloween costumes are used by children on October 31st. The dancers from Romania were in their national costume. custom During the trip our guide gave us information about local customs. It is the custom for the bride to wear a white dress. They have the custom of waking up early.

DISINTERESTED OR UNINTERESTED?