The reasons transcribers face this problem are:

• Limited vocabulary
• Not understanding the context of the dictation
• Not having good listening skills, yet.
• The dictation itself is bad with background noise, difficult accent, or different pronunciation from what the transcriptionist is familiar with.

On occasions the person dictating these words may not always say them clearly (or use them properly) and if you are not paying attention, you may transcribe the word incorrectly.

Here are just a few words of which you should be aware:

accede: stick to agreement
exceed: surpass

accept: receive
except: exclude

adapt: adjust
adept: proficient

adverse: opposed
averse: not interested

affect: change, influence
effect: (v) to bring about (n) result, impression

all right: all right
alright: outdated usage

allude: refer to indirectly
elude: avoid

allusion: insinuation
illusion: apparition

already: previously
all ready: everything prepared

altar: place of worship
alter: to change

appraise: value
apprise: inform, notify

assistants: helpers
assistance: help

capital: seat of government; money
capitol: building where legislative body meets

cease: stop
seize: apprehend

cite: speak of
sight: vision
site: location

complement: collection
compliment: praise

continual: happens frequently in time: close succession
continuous: uninterrupted

council: praise
consul: ambassador

console: comfort
counsel: advice

descent: decline
dissent: disagree

disapprove: condemn
disprove: discredit

elicit: extract
illicit: illegal

eligible: qualified
illegible: indecipherable

emigration: moving from a country
immigration: moving to a country

eminent: outstanding, revered
imminent: threatening to happen soon

farther: forward
further: additionally

floe: large sheet of floating ice
flow: move, run freely, circulate

formally: in a dignified way
formerly: previously

imply: speaker implies (suggests)
infer: hearer infers (perceives)

incidence: occurrence
incidents: situations

lay: to set down, to place or put an item down
lie: to recline

passed: go by
past: earlier

principal: first in authority; main participant; amount of a debt less interest
principle: basic truth or assumption

pray: to ask for by prayer or supplication
prey: animal hunted or caught for food; victim

residence: dwelling
residents: occupants

right: correct
rite: ceremony
wright: worker
write: compose

their: possessive form of “them”
they’re: they are
there: at that place

stationary: not moving: fixed
stationery: writing material: letterhead, envelopes, etc.

suit: a set of clothes; legal action
suite: number of items making up a set, series, or sequence

waiver: the giving up of a claim
waver: to hesitate; also tremble or quaver

through: by way of
threw: tossed

whose: of or relating to whom
who’s: who is

your: of or relating to you
you’re: you are

Related posts:

1. Commonly Confused Words: Advice and Advise
2. Podcast Transcription – Transcribing my Favorite Podcasts, Just for Fun!