10 Commonly Confusing Words in English
Do you face confusion about whether to use ‘affect’ or ‘effect’ in a sentence?
Are you uncertain about the difference between ‘accept’ and ‘except’?
Do you sometimes use ‘their’ instead of ‘there’ or vice versa?
Well, if you do so then you aren’t alone. All of us at some point do commit such errors. Even the most fluent English speakers admit to committing such blunders.
Welcome to the World of Confusing Words!
English is definitely an easy language to learn but at times these confusing words make it difficult to master. But fret not! This blog post is your guide to the most common confusing words in the English language.
Nothing is easy until you practice. The same goes for languages. All languages have some difficult areas to master, and in English, the confusing words are challenging.
Here is the list of some of the most common English words we get perplexed with
1. assure: to remove someone’s doubts or concerns about something
Example: I assure you, that the project will be completed on time.
ensure: to make sure something happens – to guarantee it
Example: I will ensure that everyone comes to the office on time.
2. Stationery: things needed for writing such as paper, pens, and envelopes
Example: He has gone to buy office stationery.
Stationary: not moving
Example: The car remained stationary at the signal for a long time.
3. Lose: to misplace something
Example: I tried everything to lose weight
Loose: not firmly or tightly fixed in place
Example: The screws of the table have become loose.
4. Breath: the air that we inhale and exhale
Example: I tried everything to lose weight
Breathe: He took a deep breath and began climbing the hill.
Example: I can’t breathe properly as my nose is blocked due to the cold.
5. Principal: the person in charge of a school
Example: The principal of our school is very strict.
Principle: a rule or code of conduct.
Example: The fundamental principle of democracy is equality.
6. Affect: to make difference to someone or something
Example: Rains affected the cricket match.
Effect: something that happens because of something else
Example: This fundamental principle of democracy is equality.
7. There: indicates a place
Example: Put the cups there near the shelf.
Their: personal pronoun which refers to belonging to
Example: It was their plan to go to a movie.
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8. Look: to direct your eyes in a particular direction
Example: We should not look directly at the sun.
See: to notice or become aware of something or someone using your eyes
Example: I cannot see anything without my glasses.
Watch: to look at something or someone for a while and to pay attention to what is happening
Example: We are going to watch a movie.
9. Cereal: a type of grain
Example: Wheat is a common cereal.
Serial: something which occurs in a sequence
Example: I am watching a new serial on Netflix.
10. Empathy – the ability to understand someone else’s perspective and feelings
Example: After hearing her tragic story, I developed empathy for her.
Sympathy – feeling sorrow for someone’s suffering
Example: I don’t feel any sympathy for my arrogant and selfish brother.
Well, the above are only a few examples of the many such confusing words in English and if you wish to gain confidence in using them correctly, we recommend you join Learn From Native – the best app to learn English speaking fluently. Our curriculum is specially designed to offer practice with not only commonly confused words but also homophones, homographs, and homonyms. Apart from the regular exercises, our students are made proficient in these complex concepts by regular practice in different areas of language skills. We train our students to construct grammatically correct English sentences and simultaneously encourage them to learn and use new vocabulary words. We have courses ranging from the Beginners to the Advanced level ensuring that students become proficient in all four skills of the English language – listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
The importance of the English language is known to all, so, what are you waiting for? Download the Learn From Native App, take a free demo class, and get rolling on an engaging and life-changing journey of English learning.