Common Usage Error Unit 2

An unusual (amount/ number) of people were enjoying the unseasonable weather, spending the last few hours walking the trails.

• amount

• number

• neither

(Who's/Whose) house should we play video games at Friday?

• Who's

• Whose

• Neither

The cat ate all of (it's/ its) food before dinner.

• it's

• its

• neither

You may send the gold pieces to (you're/ your) mother with my compliments.

• you're

• your

• neither

All the classmates (accept/ except) Jeanette attended the reunion.

• accept

• except

• neither

An early frost in Florida can (affect/ effect) the orange crop negatively.

• affect

• effect

• neither

We had to walk (farther/ further) than the map indicated.

• farther

• further

• neither

Answer explanation

Farther usually refers to the physical distance.

Further usually refers to an extent or degree.

He is one of many fanatics who made a fortune from (elicit/ illicit) trade in cigarettes.

• elicit

• illicit

• neither

(It's/ Its) been a long time since we've seen grandma.

• It's

• Its

• Neither

Not (everyone/ every one) understood Mr. Brown's joke Friday.

• everyone

• every one

• neither