It’s “L” Ementary: Confusing Words That Begin with “L”

Hope you enjoyed the “candy” post last week! Now back to serious stuff! Here are some confusing words that begin with L:

1 Last/Latest –  Last is the final one. Latest is the most recent one.

I am on the last page of my book.  This is the latest book I have read by this author.

2. Later/Latter –  Later is some time in the future. Latter is the last item you just mentioned.

I am going shopping later today. I have three dogs and a cat; I have owned the latter for 15 years!

3. Lay/Lie – Here we go again! Lay needs a direct object; lie does not. In other words, you must lay something somewhere. 

Lie on the sofa for a while. Lay your coat on the bed.

The further problem is the past tense and past participle (present perfect tense).

The past tense of lie is lay! The past tense of lay is laid:

Yesterday I lay in the sun for four hours.  I laid my blanket on the sand.

The present perfect tense of lie is lain. The present perfect of lay is laid.

I have lain in the sun every day this week. I have laid my blanket right near the water every day.

4. Lead/Led – Lead is the present tense  of the verb. Led is the past tense. What is in your pencil is lead, the noun.

Please lead us in the song. I led the parade down the avenue. I need more lead in my pencil.

5. Lend/Loan – Generally, lend is a verb. Loan is the noun. Often, loan is used as a verb, but technically lend is the verb.

I can lend you (not loan) you some money.  Can you get a loan from the bank?

6. Liable/Libel – Liable is legally responsible. Libel is writing something about someone that damages their reputation.

You are liable for the items in this store if you break one. He is being sued for libel after the newspaper article he wrote.

7. Libel/Slander – Libel is writing something about someone that damages their reputation. Slander is the same, but is spoken and not written.

The malicious and false newspaper article is libelous. His speech slandered some local officials.

8. Licence/License – Same word with different spellings. Apparently some dictionaries list both spellings, but license is the common spelling. To spell it correctly, just remember that the C comes before the S, just as in the alphabet.

9. Lightening/Lightning – I used to get this one confused — or I just never thought about it. Lightening is making something lighter in color or in weight. Lightning is the scary stuff that precedes thunder. 

I am lightening my hair at my next salon appointment. My dog is afraid of thunder and lightning.

10. Loath/Loathe – Loath is an adjective meaning unwilling. Loathe is a verb meaning t intensely dislike.

I am loath to tell her the truth about her boyfriend. I loathe sushi!

11. Loose/Lose – Loose is an adjective, the opposite of tight. Lose is a verb meaning to misplace something.

My pants are too loose, so I am returning them to the store. Did you lose these sunglasses?