Commonly confused sound-alike words: Vol. S
Homonyms and close visual resemblances can confound readers and writers. Here’s help in keeping them straight (not strait) at first sight (not site).
1. sight/site
Both words function as nouns and verbs.
As a noun, sight is a thing seen.
Example: The Pont du Garde is an astounding sight.
As a verb, sight means “catch sight of something or to take aim.”
Example: The lookout sighted land at dawn.
Example: The surveyor sighted the compass.
Site is from Latin situs: place, position. The principal meaning for Internet users is probably “a Web address.”
Example: Daily Writing Tips is one of my favorite sites.
The context in which site is frequently confused with sight regards physical location.
Examples of correct usage:
2. stationary/stationery
Stationary is an adjective meaning fixed or unmoving.
Example: All of his traffic violations involved stationary vehicles.
Stationery is a noun meaning writing and office materials, especially writing paper and envelopes.
Example: She’s old-fashioned enough to write letters by longhand on monogrammed stationery.
An easy way to remember which is which is to be aware of the er in stationery. It matches the -er at the end of paper.
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