Born in Miami, Florida, Mateo is a bilingual educator with a Master's in Spanish Education. He has spent the last decade developing Spanish curricula. Mateo is passionate about helping students master conversational Spanish and everyday vocabulary.
Personal means private or individual. Personnel means the staff of an organisation. A personal matter. Military personnel. The test that settles it The double n word is about people in the plural. If you mean one person’s own, it is personal. Try it “a ___ question” → private, so personal. “trained ___” → staff, so…
Perspective is a point of view. Prospective means expected or potential. From her perspective. A prospective buyer. The test that settles it Only one is a noun. If you can put a in front and it stands alone, it is perspective. Try it “a fresh ___” → a thing, so perspective. “a ___ candidate” →…
Plain means simple or clear, and it also names flat open land. A plane is an aircraft, a flat surface, or a woodworking tool. Plain English. The plane landed. The test that settles it If the word describes something as simple or unadorned, it is plain. If it is a thing with a technical sense,…
A pole is a long rod, or the end of the earth or a magnet. A poll is a vote or a survey. A tent pole. The latest poll. The test that settles it Two l for the vote. If people are being counted or asked, it is poll. Try it “opinion ___” → a…
In British English, practice is the noun and practise the verb. American English uses practice for both. Piano practice. I need to practise. The test that settles it Same pattern as advice / advise. The c word is a thing; the s word is an action. Try it “an hour of ___” → a thing,…
Both express possibility. Might suggests it is less likely, and it is the one to use about things that did not happen. It may rain later. It might have rained, but it did not. The test that settles it Ask whether the possibility is still open. If it has already closed, use might. Try it…
Moral is about right and wrong. Morale is how confident a group feels. A moral question. Team morale is low. The test that settles it The final e changes the stress: MOR-al is the ethics word, mor-AL is the mood word. Try it “a ___ dilemma” → right and wrong, so moral. “___ improved after…
Traditionally, nauseated is how you feel and nauseous is what causes it. In practice nauseous now means both. I feel nauseated. A nauseous smell. The test that settles it If you want to be beyond criticism, use nauseated for the feeling. If you want to sound like everyone else, nauseous is fine. Try it “the…
Passed is the past tense of the verb pass. Past is everything else. She passed the exam. In the past. The test that settles it Ask whether the word is doing something. If it is a verb, it is passed. If it is a noun, adjective or preposition, it is past. Try it “he ___…
Peace is calm or the absence of war. A piece is a part of something. Peace and quiet. A piece of cake. The test that settles it A piece is a portion — and it starts with pie, which comes in slices. Try it “a ___ of paper” → a portion, so piece. “world ___”…
Peak is a summit. Peek is a quick look. Pique is to arouse — or a fit of irritation. The peak of the mountain. A quick peek. It piqued my interest. The test that settles it Two es look like two eyes, and that is the one about looking. Try it “___ at the answers”…
Loath means reluctant. Loathe means to hate. I am loath to interrupt. I loathe waiting. The test that settles it The silent e makes the verb, exactly as in breath / breathe. And it changes the sound: loath ends softly, loathe with a buzz. Try it “I am ___ to ask” → reluctant, so loath….
Historic means important enough to be remembered. Historical means belonging to the past. A historic victory. Historical records. The test that settles it Ask whether you are praising it or dating it. Significance is historic; simply being old is historical. Try it “a ___ moment” → one that will be remembered, so historic. “___ evidence…
A hoard is a stash of things. A horde is a crowd of people. A hoard of Roman coins. Hordes of tourists. The test that settles it Count what is in it. Objects make a hoard; people make a horde. Try it “a ___ of silver” → objects, so hoard. “___ of shoppers” → people,…
The speaker implies. The listener infers. He implied she was late. She inferred he was annoyed. The test that settles it Ask who is doing it. The one sending the message implies; the one receiving it infers. Try it “his tone ___ criticism” → the tone is sending it, so implied. “I ___ from her…