Confusing Words: Center (noun/verb) and Centre (noun/verb)
Meaning: the point that is equally distant from every point on the circumference of a circle or sphere.
Center vs Centre Clarification: Center and centre are two different spellings of the same word.

Center vs Centre – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Which one should I use, center or centre?

Beside the pattern of the letters, center and centre have same letters in them. In fact, there is no difference in terms of pronunciation, meaning and function.

Definition

Center or centre can be used as a noun or a verb within sentences. As a noun, it is used to refer a middle part of something. It can also be used to refer a place, an organization or an institute of a particular activity.

1. May you please put the bowl on the center/centre of the table?

2. In the center/centre of the hall, there is a large fountain that draws everyone’s attention.

3. There will be a serious discussion on the issues of The Health Care Center/Centre, which we are facing nowadays.

4. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center/Centre is a genuine project and a living proof of generosity of the people of Pakistan. (Hadiqa Kiani)

As a verb, it means to put or to fix something in the middle of an area.

1. Center/Centre all the paragraphs of your research paper.

2. If you center/centre the lens, you may take your best shot.

Check Out: The Difference Between Capital and Capitol.

Center or Centre?

Actually, center and centre are two different spellings of the same word. These words can be used interchangeably. However, you have to be careful of the region or the intended audience for whom you are writing. In the light of this discussion, center is the preferred spelling in American English whereas; centre is the dominant spelling in British English.

Center = American English 

Centre = British English

Below are the two examples that are taken from an American and a British publication.

1. Lib Dem constitutional spokesman Lord Tyler, jokes: “It is the best day care centre for the elderly in London, families can drop in him or her and make sure that the staff will look after them very well nice meals subsidised by the taxpayer, and they can have a snooze in the afternoon in the chamber or in the library.” (BBC News)

2. Apple is preparing to start construction on a new $50 million data center project as demand for its iCloud business—and all of those photos, documents, and music that it stores for its customers—continues to grow. (Fortune)

So, you have to be careful with word choice. Always choose centre when you are in front of British audiences, whereas choose center for American audiences.

What Did You Learn?

Center and centre are two different spellings of the same word. Center is preferred in American English, while centre is the preferable spelling in British English.

As a noun, it is used to refer a middle part of something; or an organization/institute of a particular activity.

As a verb, it means to put or to fix something in the middle of an area.

Confusing Words: Capital (noun) and Capitol (noun)
Meaning:
Capital (the city or town that functions as the seat of government and administrative centre of a country or region.)
Capitol (a building in which a state legislative body meets.) 
Capital vs Capitol Clarification: They are homophones having different meanings and functions within sentences.

Capital vs Capitol – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Capital and capitol are just one-letter apart. They are homophones. It means that they are similar in terms of pronunciation but different in meaning and spelling.

I will define these words separately and use each word in example sentences.

Capital

You can use capital in a few different ways. Like,

• Capital is a large size letter that is used to begin the sentences and names. For example, ‘His name is George.’

• It can also be used to describe the wealth or money that is used to start a new business or to make more wealth. For example, ‘they have invested almost $50,000 capital into a new business.’

• It can also be used to refer the most important place for a specific activity or product. For example, ‘London as the fashion capital of the world.’

• Capital is also used to refer the most important city or town that is, usually, called the centre or the seat of a country’s government. For example, ‘Ajman is the capital of the emirate of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates.’

From the above definitions of capital, the last one is the most relevent definition for today’s discussion about capital vs. capitol. So, remember the last definition of capital as the centre or the seat of a country’s government.

1. Atleast 15 homes were lost and a firefighter injured on Friday in a fast-moving bushfire in the country town of Carwoola, around 30 kilometres south east of the Australian capital, Canberra. (The Telegraph News)

Capitol

Capitol is used as a noun within sentences. It is used to refer the particular building or a group of buildings in which a legislative body of a state meets. It is also used to refer to the Capitol (building) of the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C.

1. They are arranging a few important conferences at state capitols.

2. U.S. Capitol officials are planning a series of security upgrades outside the Capitol Complex, including installation of an underground alarm system, reinforced windows and K-9 units outside building entrances. (NBC4 Washington)

3. Hundreds march to Texas Capitol in support of immigrants. (Dallas News)

Note the above senetences. If you are referring to a specific capitol then, it is important to capitalize the word ‘capitol’ (see examples 2 and 3). However, if you are not referring to a specific capitol then, no need to capitalize it (see the example 1).

What Did You Learn?

Capital and capitol are just one-letter apart. They are homophones having different meanings and functions within sentences. So, it is important to keep them apart.

Capital is the most important city or town, which is known as the centre or the seat of a country’s government. Capitol, on the other hand, is the building or a group of buildings in which a legislative body of a state meets.

Confusing Words: Calfs and Calves (noun)
Meaning: a young bovine animal, especially a domestic cow or bull in its first year.
Clarification: Calves is the correct spelling that is the plural form of the noun ‘calf’.

Calfs vs Calves – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Is the correct term calfs or calves?

When you need to make plural of any word, you just remember to add an –s or –es at the end of that word to make it pluralized. However, there are some words that follow irregular pattern to make them pluralized. The words such as calf, knife, wolf, leaf, etc., create irregular plurals. It means that you cannot just add an –s or –es at the end of these terms, but you need to replace the –f by adding –ves at the end of each term.

Now, coming towards our discussion of calfs vs. calves. One of these words is incorrect spelling. Let us see which one is correct and which one is incorrect spelling.

First of all, I will define calf, as, one of these words is the plural form of calf.

Calf

Calf is used as a noun within a sentence. It is used to refer the young of some large mammals such as cows or elephants. It can also used to refer to the back part of the human lower leg.

Calves or Calfs?

Calves is the correct plural form of the term ‘calf’. As I mentioned above, calves is an irregular plural. You cannot simply add an –s at the end of calf to make it pluralized, instead, you should remember to replace the –f with –ves.

Calves = Correct

Calfs = Incorrect

1. You must consult a nutritionist before feeding the calves.

2. Once calves are extremely dehydrated, have a severe acidosis or advanced signs of pneumonia, prognosis is often guarded and treatment becomes much more difficult. (Bovine Veterinarian)

3. Do you feel pain in calf muscle?

4. Some examples of stretches you can use for your cool-down routine include quad stretches, calf stretches, hamstring stretches, arm stretches and poses found in yoga, such as child’s pose and downward facing dog. (SCNow)

Check Out: The Difference Between Alot and A Lot.

What Did You Learn?

Calves is the correct spelling that is the plural form of the noun ‘calf’. Calf means the young of some large mammals such as cows or elephants; or it can also be used to refer to the back part of the human lower leg. Do not use calfs as it is an incorrect spelling.

Confusing Words: Check (noun or verb) and Cheque (noun)
Meaning:
Check (examine something in order to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition, or to detect the presence of something.)
Cheque (a bill of exchange in which one party orders the bank to transfer the money to the bank account of another party)
Check vs Cheque Clarification: Both words are grammatically correct. Although they are pronounced the same way, the two words carry completely different meanings.

Check vs Cheque – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

The two versions of English language, American and British English, often create confusions among writers and speakers. Especially, the fresh English learners are the most confused ones. For instance, American and British English use different spellings to describe the same word.

There is no difference in the pronunciation of check and cheque. Also, you cannot find out any differences in meaning and function.

Check

It is used as a noun or a verb within sentences. As a noun, check is used to refer a written document that directs the banks to pay a certain amount of money; an inquiry, examination or a verification of a situation; or a situation in chess in which the opponent may capture another player’s king.

1. I will pay you by check because I don’t have cash right now.

2. Let me give these documents a final check.

3. My opponent said ‘check’, which made me confused; I had to take out my King from danger.

As a verb, it means to examine or to inspect something; or to slow down a progress.

1. I have to check the possibilities that are needed to launch the project.

2. The diseases have been checked by the senior doctors.

Cheque

It is not a spelling-error. This particular word is only used in British English.

In British English, cheque is used as a noun within sentences but only as a financial term, which means a written document that directs the banks to pay a certain amount of money.

Below are the examples that are taken from the British publications.

1. Charity cheque comes from an unlikely place – The crew from Shoreham RNLI Lifeboat Station was donated £550 from afar – from a charity fundraising event in Scotland. (Shoreham Herald)

2. However, a recent study suggests that a fat pay cheque may be influenced by more than just physical attractiveness or the lack of it, dispelling the ‘beauty premium’ theory which says beautiful people earn more while those who are not so gorgeous are paid less. (NDTV)

From the above discussion, it is clear that check and cheque are two different spellings of the same word. However, you have to be very careful of the intended audiences. You should always choose check when you are writing for American readers.

On the other hand, choose cheque for British readers. In this case, cheque is only used in financial context (i.e. as a bank draft) otherwise; you should choose check (in British texts) for the rest of the circumstances (see the above definition of ‘check’).

Check Out: Difference Between Course and Coarse.

What Did You Learn?

It is concluded that check is the dominant spelling than cheque. One of the meanings of check is a written document that directs the banks to pay a certain amount of money.

If you want to refer this particular meaning in British English, then you must use the spelling ‘cheque’ instead of ‘check’. Beside this, use check for the rest of the contexts.

Confusing Words: Catalog (noun) and Catalogue (noun)
Meaning: a complete list of items, typically one in alphabetical or other systematic order.
Catalog vs Catalogue Clarification: Catalog and catalogue are two different spellings of the same word.

Catalog vs Catalogue – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

There is only two-letters difference between catalog and catalogue. Otherwise, there is no differences in meaning, pronunciation and function. The problem is with the people of different regions. One region prefers to use catalog while the other prefers catalogue.

First of all, I want to define these words with example sentences. The meaning of both of these words is similar.

Definition

This particular word (catalog or catalogue) is used as a noun or a verb within sentences. As a noun, it is used to refer a systematically arranged list of items or goods with proper details or explanations of those items.

As a verb, it means to list or to categorize items or goods (mainly in catalogue/catalog).

For example,

1. May you please catalog/catalogue the results of these reports. (as a verb)

2. I want to buy a perfume. Kindly, show me your updated catalog/catalogue. (as a noun)

3. I have cataloged/catalogued all the items. (as a verb)

4. The catalog/catalogue will provide you details of some famous fashion industries from around the world. (as a noun)

Check Out: The Difference Between Ketchup and Catsup.

Catalog or Catalogue?

As I have said above that the definition of both of these terms would be same. Both spellings are acceptable. The only problem is with the region or the intended audience. Catalog is the preferred spelling in American English whereas, catalogue is preferred in British English.

Catalog = American English

Catalogue = British English

However, catalogue is much more commonly used around the world. This is the only American English who is preferring catalog. This is because, American English has been developed a new version of the English language, in which the writers dropped –ue from many words (such as dialog, catalog, etc.).

See the examples below that has been taken from American and British publications.

1. Prince’s early music catalog was made available across all streaming services on Sunday, almost a year after his death, and record label Warner Bros. said it planned to release two albums of new music from the pop funk musician in June. (Fortune)

2. Prince’s Warner Brothers music catalogue will be available to all streaming services in time for Grammy Awards. (The Telegraph)

Hence, you have to be careful for whom you are writing, either for American readers or for British readers.

What Did You Learn?

Catalog and catalogue are two different spellings of the same word. Catalog is the preferred spelling in American English; catalogue, on the other hand, is preferred in British English, which means a systematically arranged list of items or goods (noun) or to list/categorize items or goods in catalog/catalogue (verb).