Homework for students Chapter $13,$ Most Common Goofs

$1-$ The Most Common Goofs

Name

Employers continue to complain about employees who can't spell or who confuse common words. Poor language skills make both employees and employers look bad. Review the following most common confusing words. Then apply your skills. Check your responses against the key, and vow to master the use of any words you confuse.

to: preposition; the sign of the infinitive two: a number too: an adverb meaning "also" or $"$to an excessive extent"

then: adverb meaning $"$at that time"

than: conjunction showing comparison

they're: contraction of there are

their possessive form of they

there: adverb meaning $"$at that place or point"

it's: contraction of it is

its: possessive pronoun $($note: no apostrophe$)$

you're: contraction of you are

your: possessive pronoun

It is $($to$,$ too, two$)$ soon to know whether either of the $($to$,$ too, two$)$ plans will work.

After restructuring, the company $($then$,$ than$)$ offered higher salaries $($then$,$ than$)$ anyone expected.

$($Their$,$ There, They're$)$ going to put $($their$,$ there, they're$)$ backpacks over $($their$,$ there, they're$)$ near the door.

$($It$\text{'}$s$,$ Its$)$ unlikely that the company's building and $($its$,$ it's$)$ contents were fully insured.

$($You$\text{'}$re$,$ Your$)$ going to love $($you$\text{'}$re$,$ your$)$ new office.

This computer is $($to$,$ too$)$ expensive and $($to$,$ too$)$ different from the one we requested.

The current financial picture and $($its$,$ it's$)$ projections are much better $($then$,$ than$)$ we expected.

$($There$\text{'}$s$,$ Theres$)$ not a lot we can do about $($their$,$ there$)$ financial situation.

$($Its$,$ It's$)$ easy to load apps on a smartphone and a laptop $($too$,$ to$).$

Both companies submitted $($their$,$ there$)$ taxes before it was $($too$,$ to$)$ late.

We must complete this task; $($then$,$ than$)$ we can take a break.

Governments and hospitals used all $($there$,$ their$)$ resources to combat the disease.

$($It$\text{'}$s$,$ Its$)$ going to be interesting when you list each industry and $($its$,$ it's$)$ geographical region.

Dr$.$ Mary Ellen Guffey, author: BUSINESS ENGLISH,

ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION,

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: PROCESS AND PRODUCT.

These exercises may be reproduced for educational purposes only.