play video affect vs effect
Commonly Confused

Affect vs. Effect

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.


Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

Up next

play video affect vs effect
Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

play video lay vs lie
Lay vs. Lie

 

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.

play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

play video cynic
The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

play contractions
On Contractions of Multiple Words

 

You all would not have guessed some of these

play backward index mystery
The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

play alt-5db61f2bd1cc5
How Do You Pronounce 'Groceries'?

 

Is there one standard way?