Bob Barton of Farmington, Conn., has kindly sent me a list of frequently confused words compiled during his 30-year editing career. I've incorporated some from the first half of the alphabet into a quick quiz. Can you select the correct word in each sentence?

1. This quiz is (altogether, all together) too difficult. 2. This quiz will (appraise, apprise) your usage knowledge. 3. A good score will (auger, augur) well for your success as a writer. 4. These quizzes are (biannual, biennial) events that appear every September and March.

5. Sneaking a glance at the answers before finishing constitutes a (breach, breech) of the rules. 6. Bob's concern about usage strikes a (chord, cord) with many readers. 7. I hope this quiz will (compliment, complement) my other columns on correct usage. 8. The (climatic, climactic) moment for some readers will come when they realize they got all 16 items correct.

9. People will surely (cue, queue) up to take this quiz. 10. Please be (discreet, discrete) by not revealing the answers to your friends. 11. Knowing the (entomology, etymology) of a word may help you on this quiz. 12. Don't (flaunt, flout) the rules of this quiz

13. I hope your responses (gibe, jibe) with the correct answers. 14. A good score indicates your usage knowledge is (hail, hale) and hearty. 15. I hope a (hoard, horde) of readers take this quiz. 16. Try to (home, hone) in on the correct answers.

Answers:

1. altogether (totally), not all together (in one group) 2. appraise (assess), not apprise (to inform) 3. augur (foretell, portend), not auger (a tool for boring) 4. biannual (occurring twice a year), not biennial (occurring every two years)

5. breach (break), not breech (rear) 6. chord (musical notes), not cord (rope) 7. complement (to make complete), not compliment (praise) 8. climactic (pertaining to a climax), not climatic (pertaining to climate)

9. queue up (to line up), not cue up (to set up, prepare, as when a billiards player gets ready to hit the cue ball) 10. discreet (prudent, tactful), not discrete (separate, distinct) 11. etymology (study of word origins), not entomology (study of insects) 12. flout (to treat with disdain), not flaunt (to display boastfully)

13. jibe (to agree), not gibe (to taunt) 14. hale (free from defect, sound), not hail (to greet, or icy precipitation) 15. horde (a multitude), not hoard (to save, accrue) 16. home (zero in), not hone (sharpen)

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Conn., invites your language sightings. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via e-mail to Wordguy@aol.com or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.