Category:
Confusing words (Part 1)
In English, there are a lot of words that sound alike but have different meanings. Here are some easily confusing words that may cause you trouble misusing them.
| Word 1 | Meaning | Word 2 | Meaning | |
| accept | to agree to receive or do | except | not including | |
| advice | recommendations about what to do | advise | to recommend something | |
| affect | to change or make a difference to | effect | a result; to bring about a result | |
| aisle | a passage between rows of seats | isle | an island | |
| all together | all in one place, all at once | altogether | completely; on the whole | |
| aloud | out loud | allowed | permitted | |
| altar | a sacred table in a church | alter | to change | |
| appraise | to assess | apprise | to inform someone | |
| aural | relating to the ears or hearing | oral | relating to the mouth; spoken | |
| bare | naked; to uncover | bear | to carry; to put up with | |
| bazaar | a Middle Eastern market | bizarre | strange | |
| berth | a bunk in a ship, train, etc. | birth | the emergence of a baby from the womb | |
| born | having started life | borne | carried | |
| bough | a branch of a tree | bow | to bend the head; the front of a ship | |
| brake |
a device for stopping a vehicle; to stop a vehicle |
break |
to separate into pieces; a pause |
|
| breach | to break through, or break a rule; a gap | breech | the back part of a gun barrel | |
| broach | to raise a subject for discussion | brooch | a piece of jewellery | |
| canvas | a type of strong cloth | canvass | to seek people’s votes | |
| censure | to criticize strongly | censor |
to ban parts of a book or film; a person who does this |
|
| cereal |
a grass producing an edible grain; a breakfast food made from grains |
serial | happening in a series | |
| chord | a group of musical notes | cord | a length of string; a cord-like body part | |
| climactic | forming a climax | climatic | relating to climate | |
| coarse | rough | course | a direction; a school subject; part of a meal | |
| complement |
to add to so as to improve; an addition that improves something |
compliment |
to praise or express approval; an admiring remark |
|
| council | a group of people who manage or advise | counsel | advice; to advise | |
| cue | a signal for action; a wooden rod | queue | a line of people or vehicles | |
| curb | to keep something in check; a control or limit | kerb | (in British English) the stone edge of a pavement | |
| currant | a dried grape | current | happening now; a flow of water, air, or electricity |