Spell-checkers have come a long way since a West Coast beach boy with an FBI record invented the first prototype at MIT in the 1960s. Nowadays, the technology is not only ubiquitous in all word processors, quietly creating more error-free writing around the world, it also exists online, where it can point out mistakes in real time while we write emails or post on social media.

But while spell-checkers’ ability to catch slipups and understand context has evolved tremendously, most of these programs still struggle to identify homophones, those pesky words that sound the same but carry different meanings and, often, different spellings.

A while/Awhile
It had been a while since the long-lost lovers had seen each other, but their passion was still so true they didn’t mind waiting awhile for their fast-approaching reunion.

Accept/Except
Everyone except Christopher, who has already discovered the truth, needs to accept the fact that the world is not flat.

Affect/Effect
The technicians didn’t realize that the special effect that creepily breathed down viewers necks would affect audience members so deeply. People ran out of the theater screaming.

Aide/Aid
The teacher’s aide was the first to arrive at school that day. So when the tornado hit, she gave as much aid to the kids as possible.

Aloud/Allowed
After breaking the television set he wasn’t allowed to touch, Bart had to repeat this phrase aloud 1,000 times: I will not replace the television dials with marshmallows.

Anytime/Any time
Call anytime! Actually, scratch that. Call me at any time after 5:00 p.m.

Bizarre/Bazaar
The strange, old-fashioned bazaar featured a freak show made up of bizarre and mysterious people.

Capital/Capitol
The protesters left their own state capitals to converge on the Capitol building in Washington, DC, and rally for their cause.

Cite/Site/Sight
The site of the excavation came into sight as they emerged from the tunnel. If the bones were in fact dinosaur bones, then scientists would need to cite the analysis taken from this discovery in every paleontology research paper for the next hundred years.

Compliment/Complement
The winemaker received compliment after compliment for her incredible pairing. Each selected dish seemed the perfect complement to the chosen vintages.

Conscience/Conscious
My conscience plagues me most when I’m sleeping. Then, when I wake up, I become conscious of the guilt I’m feeling for my actions.

Desert/Dessert
If only this hot, sandy desert was made of dessert. Then I could simply eat my way out of it.

Elude/Allude
If you’re going to allude to your diamond heist so casually in conversation, you should prepare to elude the authorities, who will most likely find out about the theft.

Credit: Grammerly

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Boss... This is literature section. FP is once in 6months.