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50+ Confusing Words in English (PDF)

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In this lesson we’ll talk about commonly confused or confusable words in English. This lesson deals with words which regularly cause problems because they are easily confused. It is fairly common to hear mistakes such as ‘I’m so boring’ (instead of ‘I’m so bored’) or ‘An eventual solution would be…’ (instead of ‘A possible solution would be…’).

The entries in this lesson are designed to help you when you are not sure which of two or more words is suitable for a particular context. There are many reasons why certain words are confusable.

Confusing Words List

1.
Accept: to receive (verb) – I accept your invite.
Except: excluding (preposition) – I will invite everyone except him.

2.
Advice: an opinion or a recommendation about what could or should be done (noun) – She never accepts my advice about her marriage.
Advise: to recommend, suggest, or counsel (verb) – He advised me to stop smoking.

3.
Affect: to influence (verb) – She affected my life.
Effect: a result (noun) – I still feel its effects.

4.
Apart: separate one from another; in pieces or parts (adverb) – My favorite song is “Love will tear us apart” from Joy Divison.
A part: one piece of a whole (noun) – You are a part of me, I can’t let you go.

5.
Breath: inhaled or exhaled air (noun) – Her beauty took my breath away.
Breathe: to exhale and inhale (verb) – I can hardly breathe today.

Check Also:
500+ English Verbs List (V1 V2 V3 Verb Forms)
Differences Between American & British English (PDF)
Difference Between Who and Whom ?‍?
Difference Between WILL and GOING TO & Future Tense ✅

6.
Here: in this place (adverb) – I have been here all day long.
Hear: perceive with the ear the sounds (verb) – I can’t hear you from here.

7.
Its: belonging to something (adjective) – Our car was useless without its tires.
It’s: “it is” or “it has” (contraction) – It is your life, live it like a miracle.

8.
Lose: to fail to keep or maintain (verb) – I lose it recently, maybe I lost it two days ago.
Loose: not tight or secure (adjective) – One of the screws is loose.