Answer: It's possible that there are errors in use of homonyms, or errors where the word that's there is spelled wrong, but the spelling error forms a valid word. Like using "on" instead of "in."
Spell check will not find those.
I've recently been reading (not for business, but for pleasure) an author who self-publishes his work. He likes being "in control" (who doesn't) and also likes not having to share income with a publisher. He's quite successful, too. But there are a number of errors that keep cropping up and it makes me believe he uses voice-activated software to write his (entertaining!) books.
They ARE entertaining and the errors probably won't stop me from buying another, but customer reviews at amazon.com have complained he needs a proofreader, so readers DO notice.
Past and passed are often confused in his text. As are affect and effect. When trying to see around corners, characters peak at one another. Your and you're have been mixed, as well. It's not just one book, but the same stuff appears in most of the ones I've seen. This is common with voice-activation and then running spell-check.
But whether you use voice activated software, or not, Homonyms (words that sound alike, but are spelled differently), can be real pests as they are so easy to confuse.
Below is a list of the most often-confused homonyms and their meanings.
ade – drink type, as in lemonade
aid – to help or assist
aide - assistant
affect - change
effect – result or consequence
air – atmosphere (the stuff we breathe)
err – to make a mistake
aisle - walkway
I’ll – I will
isle - island
allowed - permitted
aloud – out loud
ant – picnic pest
aunt – relative, as in your mom’s sister
arc - curve
ark – Noah’s boat
ate – chewed up and swallowed
eight – number after seven
bare - uncovered
bear – grizzly animal
berry – fruit from a bush
bury – to put underground
base – bottom part
bass – deep or low
be – to exist
bee – buzzing insect
beach – sandy shore
beech – type of tree
beat - to pound
beet – type of edible plant
berth – tie up
birth – to be born
bite - nibble
byte – 8 bits (computer data)
blew – past of blow
blue – color of ocean
boar - pig
bore – not interesting bore - to drill
borough – area or district
burrow – dig through
burro – small donkey
bough - branch
bow – bend or curtsy
buoy - floater
boy – young man
brake – stop pedal
break – smash
bread – bakery food
bred – form of breed
broach - mention
brooch - pin
brows - eyebrows
browse – look around
buy - purchase
by - beside
by - originating from,BR. bye – short for goodbye
cell – compartment
sell - vend
cent – penny coin
sent – did send
cereal – breakfast food
serial - sequential
Chile – country in South America
chili – bean stew
chilly – frosty
chord – musical tone
cord - rope
cite - quote
site - location
sight - view
close – opposite of open
clothes - clothing
complement – enhance; go together
compliment - praise
council - committee
counsel - guidance
creak - squeak
creek – stream of water
crews - gangs
cruise – ride on a boat
dear - darling
deer – woodland animal
dew – morning mist
do - operate
due - payable
die – cease to exist
dye - color
doe – female dear
dough – uncooked bread
dual - double
duel - battle
ewe – female sheep
you - second-person personal pronoun
eye – sight organ
I - me
fair - equal
fare - price
fairy – elflike creature with wings
ferry - boat
faze - impact
phase - stage
feat – achievement
feet – plural of foot
fir – type of tree
fur – animal hair
flea – small biting insect
flee - run
flew – did fly
flu – illness
flour – powdery, ground up grain
flower – blooming plant
for – on behalf of
fore - front
four – one more than three
forth - onward
fourth – number four
knew – did know
new – not old
gorilla – big ape
guerrilla - warrior
grease - fat
Greece – country in Europe
groan - moan
grown – form of grow
hair – head covering
hare – rabbit-like animal
hall - passageway
haul - tow
halve – cut in two parts
have - possess
hay – animal food
hey – interjection to get attention
heal - mend
heel – back of foot
hi - hello
high – up far
hoarse - croaky
horse – riding animal
hole - opening
whole - entire
holey – full of holes
holy - divine
wholly - entirely
hour – sixty minutes
our – belonging to us
knead - massage
need - desire
knight – feudal horseman
night - evening
knot – tied rope
not - negative
know – have knowledge
no – opposite of yes
lead – metal
led - was the leader
lessen – make smaller
lesson - class
loan - lend
lone - solitary
made – did make
maid - servant
mail - postage
male – opposite of female
marry – to wed
merry – very happy
meat – animal protein
meet - encounter
none – not any
nun – woman who takes special vows
oar – boat paddle
or - otherwise
ore - mineral
oh – expression of surprise or awe
owe – be obligated
one - single
won – did win
overdo – do too much
overdue – past due date
pail - bucket
pale – not bright
pain - hurt
pane – window glass
peace - calm
piece - segment
peak – highest point
peek - glance
plain - ordinary
plane – flight machine plane - flat surface
pole - post
poll - survey
poor – not rich
pour – make flow
pray – implore God
prey - quarry
principal – most important
principle - belief
rain – water from sky
rein - bridle
rap - tap
wrap – drape around
real - factual
reel - roll
right – correct; not left
write - scribble
ring - encircle
wring - squeeze
role - function
roll - rotate
rose - flower
rows - lines
sail – move by wind power
sale – bargain price
scene - landscape
seen - viewed
sea – ocean segment
see – observe with eyes
seam – joining edge
seem - appear
sew – connect with thread
so – as a result
sow - plant
soar - ascend
sore – hurt place
sole - single
soul - essence
some – a few
sum - amount
steal - swipe
steel - alloy
tail – animal’s appendage
tale - story
their – belonging to them
there – at that place
they’re – they are
to - toward
too - also
toe – foot appendage
tow – pull along
vary - differ
very - much
wail - howl
whale – huge swimming mammal
waist – area below ribs
waste - squander
wait – kill time
weight – measurable load
war - battle
wore – did wear
warn - caution
worn - used
way - path
weigh – measure mass
we - us
wee - tiny
weak – not strong
week – period of seven days
weather - climate
whether - if
which - that
witch – sorcerer
you’re – you are
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