6.4 Usage, Word Choice & Transitions

Commonly Confused Words

The GED Assessment Guide singles out frequently confused words and homophones as a core editing skill. These words sound alike or look alike but have different meanings, and the drop-down menu will offer the wrong twin as a distractor. Master this table.

For affect vs. effect, use the mnemonic RAVEN — Remember: Affect is a Verb, Effect is a Noun. Substitution also works: if influence fits, use affect; if result fits, use effect. For than vs. then, remember that than has an a for compare, while then has an e for time sequence. For to / too / two, too means also or excessively (It is too cold, too), two is the number, and to covers everything else. For accept / except, accept means to receive and except means excluding — Everyone accepted the offer except me.

Double Negatives

Standard written English allows only one negative per idea. Pairing a negative verb such as didn't, won't, or can't with a second negative word like nobody, nothing, or nowhere is a double negative and is wrong. Fix it by switching the second word to an any- form: She didn't tell nobody becomes She didn't tell anybody.

Verb Tense Consistency

Keep verbs in one tense unless the meaning requires a shift. Switching from past to present without a reason is a common error the GED asks you to fix. When two past actions occur, put the earlier one in the past perfect (had + past participle) and the later one in the simple past.

Wrong: By the time she arrived, the movie already started. Right: By the time she arrived, the movie had already started.

The past perfect had started shows that the movie began before she arrived, keeping the sequence of past events clear.

Modifier Placement

A modifier should sit next to the word it describes. A misplaced modifier lands next to the wrong noun (I saw a dog on the way to school with three legs — the school does not have three legs). A dangling modifier is an opening phrase with no logical subject; the noun it modifies must appear immediately after the comma.

Dangling: Walking to work, the rain soaked my coat. (The rain was not walking.) Fixed: Walking to work, I got my coat soaked by the rain.

Whenever a sentence opens with an -ing or -ed participial phrase, the very next noun must be the one performing that action.

The limiting word only is the most misplaced modifier in English; it should sit directly before the word it limits. Compare Only she reviewed the budget (no one else did) with She reviewed only the budget (nothing else). Moving only changes the meaning, so the GED will offer several placements and ask for the one that matches the intended idea.

Wordiness and Redundancy

Clear writing cuts empty phrases and repeated ideas. The GED rewards the most concise option that keeps the meaning.

Before: At this point in time, it is our intention to begin the process of finalizing the report. After: We intend to finalize the report now.

Also delete redundancies where one word already contains the other's meaning: free gift, final outcome, past history, end result, unexpected surprise. A caution: conciseness never means dropping needed information. The best answer keeps every fact but removes only the empty words, so reject any "shorter" choice that changes or loses meaning. When two options are both grammatically correct, the GED almost always rewards the tighter one.

Transitions and Logical Connectors

Transitions signal how ideas relate. On drop-down items you must choose the connector that matches the logic between the two sentences — a contrast word where the ideas actually agree is wrong.

The trials showed promising results. Consequently, the FDA approved the drug.

Here the second idea is a result of the first, so consequently fits; a contrast word like however or nevertheless would be illogical. Always read both sentences and ask whether the second one adds, opposes, results from, or illustrates the first.

Double Negatives

Standard written English allows only one negative per idea. Pairing not or -n't with another negative word (nobody, nothing, none, never, hardly, barely) creates a double negative, which the GED marks wrong.

Wrong: She didn't tell nobody about her plan. Right: She didn't tell anybody about her plan. (or She told nobody about her plan.)

When a contraction like didn't or won't is present, switch the second word to an any- form: anybody, anything, anywhere, ever. Also avoid can't hardly and can't barely — the words hardly and barely are already negative, so write can hardly or can barely.

Verb Forms After Modals

After a modal verb (will, would, can, could, shall, should, may, might, must), always use the base form of the next verb — never to + verb and never an -s ending.

Wrong: The bill would boosts growth. / The bill would to boost growth. Right: The bill would boost growth.

Transition Punctuation

A conjunctive adverb used to join two independent clauses (however, therefore, consequently, moreover, nevertheless) needs a semicolon before it and a comma after it.

The results were strong; however, the trial was small.

Placed inside one clause, the same word is set off by commas: The trial, however, was small. A comma alone before however between two clauses creates a comma splice.

A Few More Confusable Pairs