Ten tricky words

These words sometimes get confused and, of course, if spelled correctly do not show up on a spell check as an error.

AFFECT – EFFECT
Affect is to have an influence on. Effect is the result.

ADVERSE – AVERSE
Adverse means unfavourable and is usually related to actions or things (adverse opinion or adverse weather). Averse means reluctant and is usually related to people (risk-averse).

ASSURE – ENSURE– INSURE
Assure means to remove worry or uncertainty, ensure means to make sure, insure means to provide insurance.

COMPLEMENT – COMPLIMENT
To compliment means to give praise. To complement means to go together or to complete (the cranberry sauce complements the turkey).

COUNSEL – COUNCIL
Counsel means advice, or as a verb, to advise. It also means a lawyer (legal counsel). A council is an advisory or decision-making body.

DEPENDENT – DEPENDANT
Dependent is a noun and means one who depends on another. Dependant is an adjective and means depending on.

EMINENT – IMMINENT
Eminent means distinguished. Imminent means about to happen.

ITS - IT'S
Its means belonging to. It's means it is (the apostrophe stands for the missing i).

PRINCIPAL– PRINCIPLE
Principal is an adjective relating to the head person, principal teacher or principal officer of company. In more cases than not the subject is dropped and it is used as a noun (principal of the school). Principle means a basic truth or doctrine.

STATIONARY – STATIONERY
Stationary means fixed, not moving. Stationery is writing paper.