Academic Qualifications

affect, effect “Affect”, verb, means “cause a change in, has an influence on”: e.g. “Some plants are easily affected by cold.” More often than not, “effect” occurs as a noun, meaning “result, outcome”, e.g. “The disastrous effect of acid rain on the environment is clear.”

affidavit

In formal English, “effect” can also be used as a verb meaning “to bring about” or “to accomplish”: e.g. “The new monetary policy has effected great improvements in the economy.” Note spelling AIDS Acronym for acquired immune deficiency syndrome; takes capitals, e.g. HIV/AIDS allude, elude “Allude”, verb, means to refer to something indirectly

“Elude”, verb, means to not be caught by or to avoid someone or something; or a thought that you cannot remember; or something that you do not succeed in achieving alternate, alternative “Alternate”, verb, means to happen or exist one after the other repeatedly

“Alternate”, adjective, means with first one thing, then another thing, and then the first thing again

all together, altogether

alumna “Alternative”, adjective, means a second or further choice “All together”, adverb, means to be together in a single group

“Altogether”, adverb, means “completely” or “in total” Female former member (of college, etc.); not italicised

alumnae Plural form for female-only former members (of college, etc.); not italicised

alumni

Plural form for either male-only or mixed-gender former members (of college, etc.); not italicised alumnus Male former member (of college, etc.); not italicised among, between “Among” means “surrounded by and associated with”, e.g. “Children among the crowd were the most taken with the story.”

“Between” refers to the position of something in relation to two other points, both literally and figuratively, e.g. “The child walked between her two brothers.”; and “There is a fine balance between freedom of speech and libel.” (OED)