CHAPTER 11 Correct Word Usage^251
peal (ring), peel (remove outer layer)
pedal (foot-operated lever), peddle (sell)
peer (gaze, stare), pier (dock)
plain (simple), plane (airplane)
plum (fruit), plumb (weight attached to line)
praise (admire), prays (speaks to God), preys (hunts someone or something)
presence (attendance; being there), presents (gifts)
principal (school administrator; main), principle (belief)
quarts (one-quarter of a gallon), quartz (crystalline mineral)
rain (precipitation), reign (period in offi ce), rein (horse’s bridle)
raise (lift), rays (narrow beams of light), raze (demolish)
rap (tap; music genre), wrap (cover something)
read (interpret written material), reed (tall water plant)
real (genuine), reel (spool)
rest (relax), wrest (gain control)
review (look at something critically), revue (variety show)
ring (chime; encircle), wring (squeeze)
role (position; task), roll (turn over and over)
root (underground base of plant), route (course)
rote (repetition), wrote (past tense of write)
rye (cereal grain), wry (amusing and ironic)
sail (travel by water), sale (opportunity to buy goods at discount)
scene (sight; view), seen (past participle of see)
seam (place where pieces join), seem (look as if)
seas (salt waters of Earth), sees (perceive with eyes), seize (take hold of
something)
serge (strong cloth), surge (rush forward)
sew (stitch), so (as a result), sow (plant seed or an idea)
side (perimeter of fi gure), sighed (made exhaling sound)
slay (kill), sleigh (horse-drawn carriage for in the snow)
soar (fl y), sore (painful)