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.
To censure is to criticise formally. To censor is to cut material out. The board censured him. The scene was censored. The test that settles it Ask what happened to the words. If they were removed, that is censor. If a person was condemned, that is censure. Try it “the committee ___ the minister” →…
Cite is to quote a source. Site is a place. Sight is what you see. Cite the study. A building site. Out of sight. The test that settles it Only cite is normally a verb. If the word is a thing, ask whether it is a location (site) or something seen (sight). Try it “please…
Climactic belongs to a climax. Climatic belongs to the climate. The climactic scene. Climatic change. The test that settles it Count the syllables in the root. Climactic keeps the c of climax. Climatic keeps the t of climate. Try it “the ___ final chapter” → the high point, so climactic. “___ conditions in the Arctic”…
Coarse means rough or crude. Course is a path, a class, or part of a meal. Coarse sand. A history course. The test that settles it Coarse is only ever an adjective. If the word is a thing, it is course. Try it “___ language” → describing the language, so coarse. “the main ___” →…
The whole comprises the parts. The parts compose the whole. The book comprises ten chapters. Ten chapters compose the book. The test that settles it Look at what comes first in the sentence. If the whole is the subject, use comprises. If the parts are, use compose — or the more natural make up. Try…
Anxious carries worry. Eager carries enthusiasm. Anxious about the results. Eager to begin. The test that settles it Ask how the person feels. Dread points to anxious; keenness points to eager. Try it “___ about the interview” → nervous, so anxious. “___ to start the new job” → keen, so eager. Anxious: worried Uneasy about…
You assure a person, ensure an outcome, and insure against loss. I assure you. Please ensure it is locked. The van is insured. The test that settles it Look at what follows the verb. A person means assure. A result means ensure. Money and risk mean insure. Try it “___ the doors are locked” →…
Bare means uncovered. Bear means to carry or endure — and it is also the animal. Bare feet. I cannot bear it. The test that settles it If you can put naked or minimal in its place, it is bare. Otherwise it is bear. Try it “the ___ minimum” → the smallest amount, so bare….
Because always gives a reason. Since gives either a reason or a point in time — which is why it can be misread. We left because it was late. I have not seen him since Tuesday. The test that settles it Try replacing the word with from the time that. If that reading is possible,…
Beside means next to. Besides means in addition to, or apart from. Sit beside me. Besides, it is too late. The test that settles it The s adds something. Beside is position; besides adds an item or an argument. Try it “He stood ___ the door” → a position, so beside. “___ the cost, there…
Breath is the noun. Breathe is the verb. Take a deep breath. Try to breathe slowly. The test that settles it The silent e marks the verb, and it changes the sound: breath rhymes with death, breathe with seethe. Try it “out of ___” → a thing you can run out of, so the noun…
Bring moves something towards the speaker. Take moves it away. Bring it here. Take it there. The test that settles it Ask where you are standing in the sentence. Movement towards that point is bring; movement away from it is take. Try it “Please ___ the file to my desk” → towards me, so bring….
Advice is the noun — the thing you give. Advise is the verb — what you do. She gave good advice. I advise caution. The test that settles it Listen to the ending. Advice ends in an S sound, like ice. Advise ends in a Z sound, like wise. The spelling follows the sound. Try…
Both can mean to influence. Affect is the safe verb; impact as a verb still irritates careful readers. The delay affected sales. The delay had an impact on sales. The test that settles it If you need a verb, use affect. If you need a noun, impact is natural — and so is effect. Try…
To allude is to hint at something. To elude is to escape it. He alluded to the delay. The answer eludes me. The test that settles it Ask whether something is being mentioned or being avoided. Mentioned indirectly is allude; escaping or slipping away is elude. Try it “She ___ to a possible merger” →…