Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
AWAY / AWEIGH
The word away can be used as either an adverb or an adjective, and each part of speech boasts a number of meanings. When used as an adjective, however, most of those meanings relate to distance in either space or time. The word aweigh is an adjective and has only one meaning: raised just clear of the bottom (when speaking of an anchor).
INCORRECT: The anchor is away now, Captain.
CORRECT: The anchor is aweigh now, Captain.
ALSO CORRECT: Our lakeside cabin is only about twenty miles away from our home.
ALSO CORRECT: I can’t believe our wedding is only two weeks away!
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