Difference between gaff and gaffe

This is part of the difference between series.

I’ve heard some people confusing the words gaff and gaffe. Here’s the difference between the two.

Gaff

Gaff refers to a type of spear with a hook or barbed end, used for landing large fish.

That tuna was so large, we need that new gaff to help get it in the boat..

Gaffe

Gaffe refers to a faux pas or social misstep.

You made a gaffe when you used the wrong pronoun to refer to him.

A simple trick for remembering this is that gaffe ends with an E, and it describes an error, which starts with an E.

Which words do you confuse? Let me know in the comments below.

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By Kim Siever

I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business. Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.