Commonly Confused Words

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Some words in English cause trouble for speakers and writers because they share a similar pronunciation, meaning, or spelling with another word. For example, read aloud the following sentences containing the commonly confused words 'new' and 'knew':

These words may sound alike when spoken, but they have entirely different usages and meanings. 'New' is an adjective that describes the sweater, and 'knew' is the past tense of the verb 'to know'.

'New' and 'knew' are just two of the words that can be confusing because of their similarities. Familiarise yourself with the following list of commonly confused words. Recognising these words in your own writing and in other pieces of writing can help you choose the correct word.

Accept, Except

• Accept (verb). Means to take or agree to something offered. 'They accepted our proposal for the conference.'
• Except (conjunction). Means only or but. 'We could fly there, except the tickets cost too much.'

Affect, Effect

• Affect (verb). Means to create a change. 'Hurricane winds affect the amount of rainfall.'
• Effect (noun). Means an outcome or result. 'The heavy rains will have an effect on the crop growth.'

Break, brake

• Break (verb). To damage something. 'If you drop the cup, it will probably break.' It can also mean a pause from work or an activity. 'I need to take a break'.
• Brake (verb). To make a vehicle go slower or stop. 'When it's icy, brake gently.'

By, Buy

• By (preposition). Means next to. 'My glasses are by the bed.'
• Buy (verb). Means to purchase. 'I will buy new glasses after the doctor’s appointment.'

Desert, Dessert

• Desert (noun). Arid land with sparse vegetation. 'They were lost in the desert for nine days.'
• Dessert (noun). Sweet food eaten at the end of a meal. 'We'll have fruit for dessert.'

Its, It’s

• Its (pronoun). A form of 'it' that shows possession. 'The butterfly flapped its wings.'
• It’s (contraction). Joins the words it and is. 'It’s the most beautiful butterfly I have ever seen.'

Lie, lay

• Lie (verb). To be in a horizontal or resting position. 'It must be boring to lie in your bed all day.'
• Lie (verb). To make an untrue statement with the intent to deceive. 'They lie when they say they weren't here.'
• Lay (verb). To put something down. 'Lay your books on the table.'

Loose, Lose

• Loose (adjective). Describes something that is not tight or is detached. 'Without a belt, her pants are loose on her waist.'
• Lose (verb). Means to forget, to give up, or to fail to earn something. 'I win, you lose.'

Meet, Meat

• Meet (verb). To encounter someone or something. 'I meet him every day on my way to work.'

• Meat (noun). A food item. 'We have stopped eating meat altogether.'

Quite, Quiet, Quit

• Quite (adverb). Means really or truly. 'My work will require quite a lot of concentration.'
• Quiet (adjective). Means not loud. 'I need a quiet room to complete the assignments.'
• Quit (verb). Means to stop or to end. 'I will quit when I am hungry for dinner.'

Raise, Rise

• Raise (verb). To lift or move something or someone upwards. 'They raised the flag.' 'Raise' is a transitive verb, which means that it takes a direct object (the flag).
• Rise (verb). To move upwards or to increase. 'The sun rises in the east.' 'Rise' is an intransitive verb and is never followed by a direct object.

Than, Then

• Than (conjunction). Used to connect two or more items when comparing. 'Registered nurses require less schooling than doctors.'
• Then (adverb). Means next or at a specific time. 'Doctors first complete medical school and then obtain a residency.'

Their, They’re, There

• Their (pronoun). A form of 'they' that shows possession. 'The dog walker feeds their dogs every day at two o’clock.'
• They’re (contraction). Joins the words 'they' and 'are'. 'They’re the sweetest dogs in the neighbourhood.'
• There (adverb). Indicates a particular place. 'The dogs’ bowls are over there, next to the pantry.'
• There (pronoun). Indicates the presence of something. 'There are more treats if the dogs behave.'

Through, Threw, Thorough

• Through (preposition). Indicates movement from one end or side of something to the other. 'They walked slowly through the woods.'
• Threw (verb). Past tense of the verb 'to throw'. 'He threw the ball through the window.'
• Thorough (adjective) Detailed and careful. 'They did a thorough search of the area but found nothing.'

To, Two, Too

• To (preposition). Indicates movement. 'Let’s go to the circus.'
• To. A word that completes an infinitive verb. 'to play, to ride, to watch.'
• Two. A number. 'Two clowns squirted the elephants with water.'
• Too (adverb). Means also or very. 'The people were too loud, so we left.'

Whether, Weather

• Whether (conjunction). Used especially in reporting questions and expressing doubts. 'The authorities debated whether to build a new car park.'
• Weather (noun). Describes temperature, humidity, and wind conditions. 'The weather is expected to remain clear for the next few days.'

Who’s, Whose

• Who’s (contraction). Joins the words 'who' and either 'is' or 'has'. 'Who’s the new student?', 'Who’s met him?'
• Whose (pronoun). A form of 'who' that shows possession. 'Whose schedule allows them to take the new student on a campus tour?'

Your, You’re

• Your (pronoun). A form of 'you' that shows possession. 'Your jacket is unzipped.'

• You’re (contraction). Joins the words 'you' and 'are'. 'You’re the girl I saw yesterday.'

The following strategies can help you to avoid misusing confusing words.

• Use a dictionary. Keep a dictionary at your desk while you write. Look up words when you are uncertain of their meanings or spellings. Many dictionaries are also available online, and the internet’s easy access will not slow you down. Check out your cell phone or smartphone to see if a dictionary app is available.
• Keep a list of words you commonly confuse. When you notice a pattern of confusing words, keep a list nearby, and consult the list as you write. Check the list again before you submit an assignment.

• Study the list of commonly confused words. You may not yet know which words confuse you, but before you sit down to write, study the words on the list. Prepare your mind for working with words by reviewing the commonly confused words identified in this text.