Commonly Confused Verbs

sit, set

sit- to put the body in a seat position
���� I sit at the table.
���� "Don't sit slunched over like that."

set- to place
*Hint* If "put" works in the sentence, "set" will work too.
���� I set the computer down.
���� I set the timer for five minutes.

���� "How can you just sit there and watch while he sets the oven on high?!"

lie, lay

lie- to recline
���� The tired man lies down on the couch.
���� He lay down yesterday.
���� He has lain down many times before.

lay- to place
���� "If you lay another book on the table, there won't be room for my
���� papers."
���� Yesterday, I laid two books on the table.
���� I must have laid at least 10 books here.

use to, used to

use to-  used as a verb, meaning something happened in the past but
does not anymore
���� I use to go jogging every day.

used to- the verb to be + used to, used as an adjective
���� I am not used to getting up this early.

lend, borrow

lend- to give for temporary use
���� I lent her my notebook until she could find her own.

borrow-to receive for temporary use
���� I needed to borrow her dress to wear to the dance.


leave, let

leave- to allow something to remain behind
���� We decided to leave the chairs because they wouldn't fit in the car.
���� "Because you left your homework at home, you get a zero for the day."

let- to permit
���� "Let us get out of school early!" the students shouted.

immigrate, emigrate

immigrate- to come into a new country or environment
���� Some of my ancestors immigrated here in the 1800s.

emigrate- to go out of one country to live in another
���� My grandparents were very young when they emigrated from France.

affect, effect

affect- to influence
���� His haircut affected his confidence.

effect- to produce
���� The greenhouse effect will harm the environment in years to come.
���� Her giggle during church effected a pinch from her mom.

bring, take

bring- suggests the action is directed toward the speaker
���� My dad says he's the one who brings home the bacon.

take- suggests the action is directed away from the speaker.
���� "Take the car to get it washed, will you?"