Homophones are words that sound alike but are different in spelling, meaning or origin.
There are words in the English language that are often confused with other words, or used in the wrong context, here is a helpful list of some of the most commonly misused words.
A
affect / effect
all right / alright
all together / altogether
allusion / illusion
alternately / alternatively
B
beside / besides
bimonthly / semimonthly
C
capital / capitol
cite / site
complement / compliment
comprise / compose
concurrent / consecutive
connote / denote
convince / persuade
council / councilor / counsel / counselor
D
discreet / discrete
disinterested / uninterested
E
elicit / illicit
emigrant / immigrant
F
farther / further
few / less
figuratively / literally
flammable / inflammable
flaunt / flout
foreword / forward
founder / flounder
H
hanged / hung
historic / historical
I
i.e. / e.g.
it's / its
L
laid / lain / lay
lead /lead/led
lend / loan
lightening / lightning
N
nonplussed , meaning perplexed or bewildered, nonplussed is very often thought to mean just the opposite-calm, unruffled, cool-as-a-cucumber.."
P
passed / past
penultimate
precede / proceed
principal / principle
S
stationary / stationery
T
then/than
their / there / they're
to /to /too /two