There are various words in English language which is quite confusing. Often these English words are similar in pronunciation but have different meanings. Some words look the same, while others sound the same. Knowing these difference between common confusing words will help you to speak English confidently without looking for differences.
We have curated the list of common confusing words with meaning and examples.
Confused Words in English
Below is the list of confused words in English.
Affect vs. Effect
Affect is a verb meaning to influence while Effect is a noun meaning result.
- Example: While the student didn’t see how studying affected his test-taking, the positive effects soon became clear.
Lie vs. Lay
Lie is a verb meaning to recline or rest on a surface. Lay is a verb meaning to put or place.
- Example: Kim lies down to take a nap every day at 3:30 p.m. Before falling asleep, Kim lays her bracelet on the table.
Allusion, Illusion
An allusion is an indirect reference.
- Example: Did you catch my allusion to Shakespeare? Illusion is a false or misleading appearance. Mirrors give the room an illusion of depth.
Assure, Esure, Insure
Assure and ensure are generally interchangeable, though assure is more often used for people.
- Example: Fir I assure you, sir, I am unarmed. Please ensure that the lid is tight. Insure is almost exclusively used in a financial sense. Have you insured your car yet?
A while, awhile
A while is a noun phrase.
- Example: Let’s sit for a while. Awhile is an adverb. Let’s sit awhile. Many agree this is a nitpicky distinction since the only difference seems to be the use of a preposition before a while.
Bring, Take
If the action is directed toward you, use bring.
- Example: Bring home the bacon. If the action is away from you, use take. Take out the trash.
Conscience, Conscious
Conscience is a noun referring to a sense of right and wrong.
- Example: I would have stayed in bed, but my conscience said I should get up. Conscious is an adjective meaning awake or aware. Being conscious now of the light, how could I live in the dark.
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Elicit, Illicit
The verb elicit means to evoke or draw out. The police elicited from the criminal the names of his accomplices. The adjective illicit means illegal. George was guilty of committing illicit acts.
Emigrate, Immigrate, Migrate
Emigrate means to move away from one’s country. For example, We emigrated from Canada in 2002. Immigrate means to move into another country.
- Example: We immigrated to the United States. Migrate, when referring to people, means to relocate within the same land. Thousands of pioneers sought their freedom by migrating west. For animals, migration means to relocate. Geese spend much of the spring and fall migrating between warm and cool climates.
Empathy, Sympathy
Empathy is a psychological attachment in which one imagines another’s experience. Sympathy is compassion for or emotional alignment with a person or other entity.
Every day, Everyday
Every day is a noun phrase.
- Example: what time do you wake up every day? Everyday is an adjective: How do you like my everyday attire?
Height, Heighth
While both of these spellings are etymologically sound (heighth is an Old English variant of height), most sources recommend using the more commonly accepted spelling height.
Lose vs. Loose
Lose is a verb meaning to misplace. Loose is an adjective meaning slack, moveable, or weak.
- Example: I always manage to lose my loose-fitting tank top.
Every one, Everyone
Every one is a noun phrase meaning each.
- Example: Every one the flowers bloomed. Everyone is a noun meaning all, and usually refers exclusively to people. Everyone finished the course with ease.
Infer, Imply
To imply something is to hint it, basically. But that statement implies that my involvement was deliberate. To infer something is to gather it, surmise it, or come to the conclusion.
- Example: Am I to infer, Governor, that if we do not surrender our land we will be evicted or killed?
Uninterested, Disinterested
Uninterested means not interested.
- Example: Finding a disinterested judge in this matter may prove difficult. She was uninterested in my art. Disinterested means unbiased.
Borrow/Lend
You borrow or take money/things from someone, but you lend or give someone money/things.
- Example: If you borrow more money than you can repay, your credit score may suffer. By lending money to people banks earn a good return.
Complement/Compliment
Complement is a noun or verb that means “to make something whole or complete.”
- Example: The purse she was wearing was a perfect complement to her dress. Compliment is a noun or verb meaning “praise.” Guests were complimenting the bride on her beautiful gown.
Could have/Should have/Would have
Use these forms instead of the non-existing forms such as “could of/should of/would of” or “coulda/shoulda/woulda.”
- Example: Nobody could have predicted the impact of this accident on the environment.
Due to/Because of
Due to has a meaning of “caused by.” It usually modifies a noun and is used after the verb “to be.” The substitute phrase “caused by” can be used to check if the sentence makes sense.
- Example: Her loss of appetite was due to a severe cold. Her loss of appetite was caused by a severe cold., The rise in gas prices was due to oil refinery problems., the rise in gas prices was caused by oil refinery problems. Because of also expresses causality, but it typically modifies a verb. Because of a severe cold she lost her appetite. Gas prices rose because of oil refinery problems.
Of/Off
Of is a preposition used to indicate part of the whole, origin, relation, cause, motive, or reason.
- Example: Can I have a cup of water please? My friend is of Irish descent. Off is a preposition indicating physical separation or distance. He likes to walk off the beaten path. I took a jar of apple butter off the shelf.
Raise/Rise
Rise (rose, risen) means to “go up.”
- Example: Because of recent rains, the water level in the river has been steadily rising. Raise (raised, raised) means to “cause something to move up.” The candidate promised not to raise taxes when elected.
Quiet/quite
Quiet /quite / spelt and pronounced differently, and have different meanings. Quiet is an adjective meaning ‘making very little noise’ or ‘having little activity or excitement’. Quite is an adverb which usually means ‘a little or a lot, but not completely’.
- Example: The children are very quiet. I wonder what they’re doing? Shall I go and see? It’s a very quiet, peaceful village and we love living there. I’ve been quite busy this week. I hope things are not so busy next week.
Homophones/Homograph/Homonyms Examples
Homophones are words that sound the same but are different in meaning or spelling.
- Example: Homographs are spelled the same, but differ in meaning or pronunciation. Homonyms can be either or even both.
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Common mistakes in words
Words sound or looks similar, so people find it difficult to make difference in those word. Reading words carefully and understanding meaning can help.
Commonly Confused Words in English – FAQs
What is confusing words?
Confusing words are the words that is quite similar in pronunciation but have different meaning.
Give two examples of commonly confused words?
except
accept/ except
Both are busy little words skipping around to different meanings, but they never run into each other. It’s the verb form that confuses, and it’s usually except when accept is wanted.
What are commonly confused verbs?
Lie vs Lay: Lie means To recline or to rest To not tell the truth, while lay means To put, place or set down
What are 20 examples of homograph?
bow, row, sewer, sow, minute, read, desert, lead, bass, close, dove, live, mobile, polish, object, produce, refuse, resume, wind, and wound.