Words to Write By Part 12

The Words to Write By series is a quick reference to help explain the differences between commonly misused words. In this installment of Words to Write By, I’ll review intently vs. intensely, carmel vs. caramel, pore vs. pour, and cult vs. occult.

Intently vs. intensely: While not precisely homophones, these two words do sound similar. Intently is concentrated or focused attention to something, with purpose. Marcus listened intently to the professor. Intensely refers to the extreme degree of something. The words of the poem intensely impacted Sonia.

Carmel vs. Caramel: I find this to be an interesting one, because while you’ll see these two used interchangeably in coffee shops and cookbooks throughout the country, only one of them is correct. The correct spelling for the golden-brown, chewy, sugary candy is caramel.

Pore vs. pour: These two are homophones, and while I don’t think the common meanings of these words are tricky, one of the definitions for pore trips people up. Let me go through the common meanings first. Pour means to distribute from one container to another, to vent one’s emotions, or to stream or supply continuously or freely. The complaints about the ending of Game of Thrones poured in after the series finale. The better-known definition of pore refers to a small opening, like a facial pore. Another meaning is to gaze intently, to read or study something with great attention. Zack pored over his notes, preparing for his test.

Cult vs. occult: While again these are not homophones, one has the entirety of the other word in it. And there is a little overlapping where one could be used to describe another. And when people say a cult, it tends to sound like occult. A cult is an unorthodox, sometimes religious, group that has great devotion toward a person, idea, movement, or object. Individuals without family ties and who may be vulnerable are susceptible to the recruitment efforts of cults. Or, The film has a cult following. Occult refers to the influence of the supernatural, something that is hidden from view (secretive or concealed), not easily understood (mysterious), mystical or magical. Tim liked to dabble in the occult, frequenting palm readers and fortune tellers and sometimes reading tarot cards for his friends.

Look for future installments of “Words to Write By.” You can find links to the rest of the series below.

Part 1: Peak vs. peek vs. pique, further vs. farther, blonde vs. blond, and gray vs. grey.

Part 2: Alleged, hung vs. hanged, a vs. the, and bring vs. take.

Part 3: Who’s vs. whose, whet vs. wet, compliment vs. complement, fazed vs. phased.

Part 4: Fiancé vs. fiancée, insure vs. ensure, alright vs. all right, and simultaneous vs. contemporaneous.

Part 5: Use vs. utilized, bear vs. bare, shuttered vs. shuddered, and breath vs. breathe.

Part 6: Maya vs. Mayan, hole vs. whole, libel vs. slander, patients vs. patience.

Part 7: A vs. an, cite vs. site vs. sight, i.e. vs. e.g., and that vs. who.

Part 8: Taking vs. taken, quiet vs. quite vs. quit, advise vs. advice, regardless vs. irregardless.

Part 9: Penultimate vs. ultimate, whether vs. weather, verses vs. versus, then vs. than.

Part 10: Emigrate vs. immigrate, lamb vs. lam, adverse vs. averse, and through vs. threw.

Part 11: Podium vs. lectern, lets vs. let’s, shined vs. shone, and through vs. thru.