Dessert because I always want more

Before doing the readings and homework this week I hadn’t realized how many words can be easily confused. While I recognized many confusing pairs on the quiz, there were just as many that I had to look up. Here are a few tricks I use when determining which word I should use.

-        Dessert vs desert: There are two “S” in dessert because I am always going back for more and one “S” in desert because (even though we live in one) I picture the desert being a lonely and desolate place.

-        Compliment vs complement: This one might be a bit negative, but it gets the job done. When I think of someone offering a compliment, I wonder if they are telling the truth or lying. Keeping this in mind, comp-li(e)-ment reminds me that compliment is the correct use when offering praise and complement would work in other situations.

-        Farther vs further: This one is more of a stretch, but after repeating it a few times it made enough sense to stick in my mind. Farther has an “A” in it, similar to air. Because farther measures distance I think of the air or space that farther is used to describe. If I am not describing a distance, I know farther is an inappropriate word.

Editing mistake of the week:

I took this string of mistakes from a friend’s facebook page.

To fix it, I would have written something like: I wont the ticket lottery to Matilda! I would try to explain everything I felt while watching it, but I am overwhelmed. I want people to feel it, the show is a work of art. 

In his defense, he's from Spain and just learning english. Between this class and talking with my international friends, I am really starting to realize how confusing the english language can be.