Free confusing words guide
Confusing English words, finally clear
The word pairs that trip up learners and native speakers alike. Each one with a one-line answer, examples, a memory trick and a quick quiz.
Words that sound the same
Homophones like their, there and they're: words you say the same way but spell differently and use for different things.
- theirvstherevsthey'reUse their for possession (their house), there for a place or "there is", and they're only as a short form of "they are".
- yourvsyou'reUse your to show something belongs to you (your bag) and you're only as a short form of "you are".
- itsvsit'sUse its for possession (the cat licked its paw) and it's only as a short form of "it is" or "it has".
- tovstoovstwoUse to for direction or before a verb, too for "also" or "more than enough", and two for the number 2.
- whosevswho'sUse whose to ask or say who owns something (whose bag?) and who's only as a short form of "who is" or "who has".
- affectvseffectUse affect as a verb (to change something) and effect as a noun (the result).
- acceptvsexceptUse accept as a verb meaning to agree or receive, and except to mean "not including".
- weathervswhetherUse weather for rain, sun and temperature, and whether when talking about a choice or doubt, like "if".
- breakvsbrakeUse break for damaging something or a short rest, and brake for the part that stops a car or bike.
- peacevspieceUse peace for calm or no war, and piece for a part of something, like a piece of cake.
- principalvsprincipleUse principal for "main" or a head teacher, and principle for a rule or belief.
- stationaryvsstationeryUse stationary (with a) to mean not moving, and stationery (with e) for paper, pens and envelopes.
- complementvscomplimentUse complement when things go well together, and compliment for saying something nice about someone.
- hearvshereUse hear for sounds you notice with your ears, and here for this place.
- writevsrightUse write for putting words on paper or a screen, and right for correct, or the opposite of left.
- buyvsbyvsbyeUse buy for paying for something, by for near, how or who did it, and bye as a short form of goodbye.
- knowvsnoUse know for having information in your head, and no as a negative answer or to mean "not any".
- wearvswhereUse wear for having clothes or glasses on your body, and where to ask or talk about a place.
- flourvsflowerUse flour for the white powder used in baking, and flower for the colourful part of a plant.
- allowedvsaloudUse allowed when something is permitted, and aloud when you say or read something so others can hear.
Words that look alike
Pairs like lose and loose or quiet and quite, where one letter changes the meaning and often the sound.
- losevslooseLose (one o, /luːz/) is a verb: you lose a game or your phone. Loose (two o's, /luːs/) is an adjective meaning not tight.
- quietvsquiteQuiet (two syllables, KWAI-et) means not noisy. Quite (one syllable, rhymes with white) means fairly or rather.
- desertvsdessertA desert (DEZ-ert) is a dry, sandy place. A dessert (di-ZERT) is the sweet course after a meal.
- advicevsadviseAdvice (with c, ending /s/) is the noun: you give or get advice. Advise (with s, ending /z/) is the verb: you advise someone.
- breathvsbreatheBreath (rhymes with death) is the noun: take a breath. Breathe (rhymes with seethe) is the verb: breathe in and out.
- clothvsclothesCloth (/klɒθ/) is material or a piece of fabric. Clothes (/kləʊðz/) are the things you wear, and the word is always plural.
- choosevschoseChoose (/tʃuːz/, rhymes with shoes) is the present: I choose. Chose (/tʃəʊz/, rhymes with nose) is the past: yesterday I chose.
- latervslatterLater (/ˈleɪtə/, LAY-ter) means after some time. Latter (/ˈlætə/, LAT-ter) means the second of two things already mentioned.
- adaptvsadoptAdapt means change to fit something new. Adopt means take something as your own, like a child, a pet or an idea.
- consciousvsconscienceConscious is an adjective meaning awake or aware. Conscience is a noun: the inner voice that tells you right from wrong.
- personalvspersonnelPersonal (PER-son-al) means about one person or private. Personnel (per-son-NEL) means the staff of an organisation.
- thenvsthanUse then for time or order (first this, then that). Use than to compare (bigger than, better than).
- throughvsthoughvsthoroughThrough (/θruː/) means from one side to the other. Though (/ðəʊ/) means although. Thorough (/ˈθʌrə/) means careful and complete.
- devicevsdeviseA device (with c, ending /s/) is a gadget or tool. To devise (with s, ending /z/) is to invent or plan something.
- dairyvsdiaryDairy (/ˈdeəri/, rhymes with hairy) means milk products. A diary (/ˈdaɪəri/, DIE-a-ree) is a book for your daily notes or plans.
- angelvsangleAn angel (/ˈeɪndʒəl/, AIN-jel) is a winged spirit or a very kind person. An angle (/ˈæŋɡəl/) is the space between two lines.
Words with similar meanings
Make or do, say or tell, borrow or lend: words that translate to the same thing in many languages but are not used the same way in English.
- makevsdoUse make when you create or produce something; use do for tasks, jobs and activities. Many uses are fixed collocations you learn by heart.
- sayvstellTell is followed by a person (tell someone something); say is not (say something, or say something to someone).
- speakvstalkSpeak is more formal and is used for languages and one person addressing others; talk is more informal and suggests a conversation between people.
- borrowvslendYou borrow something from someone (you receive it); you lend something to someone (you give it). Both mean it comes back later.
- bringvstakeBring means movement towards here (where the speaker or listener is); take means movement away from here to somewhere else.
- robvsstealYou rob a person or place (a bank, a shop, someone); you steal a thing (money, a phone, a car).
- lookvsseevswatchSee happens without trying, look is a short, deliberate action, and watch means looking at something for a while, usually because it moves or changes.
- hearvslistenHear happens to you without effort; listen is something you choose to do with attention. Listen needs to before an object.
- funvsfunnyFun means enjoyable (a fun party); funny means it makes you laugh (a funny joke) or it's strange.
- jobvsworkJob is countable (a job, two jobs) and means a position or task; work is usually uncountable and means the activity or the place.
- remembervsremindYou remember something yourself; someone or something reminds you, which makes you remember. Remind always needs a person after it.
- lievslayLie means to be flat and has no object (lie down); lay means to put something down and always needs an object (lay the book on the table).
- risevsraiseRise has no object, things rise by themselves (the sun rises); raise needs an object, you raise something (raise your hand).
- tripvstravelvsjourneyTravel is mainly a verb or a general activity; a trip is a visit somewhere and back; a journey is the actual movement from A to B.
- historicvshistoricalHistoric means important in history (a historic moment); historical means about or from the past (a historical film, historical records).
- economicvseconomicalEconomic is about the economy (economic crisis, economic growth); economical means saving money or not wasteful (an economical car).
- sensiblevssensitiveSensible means practical and reasonable; sensitive means easily affected or aware of feelings. They are false friends for many learners.
- alonevslonelyAlone is a fact: no one is with you. Lonely is a feeling: you are sad because you lack company. You can be alone without being lonely.
Confusing grammar words
Small words with big grammar rules: since or for, fewer or less, who or whom, good or well.
- sincevsforUse since with a starting point (since Monday, since 2020) and for with a length of time (for three days, for ten years).
- fewervslessUse fewer with plural countable nouns (fewer cars) and less with uncountable nouns (less traffic).
- amongvsbetweenUse between for two separate people or things, and among for a group or crowd where the members aren't seen one by one.
- whovswhomWho is the subject (who called?) and whom is the object (whom did you call?). In everyday English, who is fine for both.
- goodvswellGood is an adjective that describes things (a good job); well is an adverb that describes actions (you did it well).
- boredvsboringBored describes how you feel; boring describes the thing that causes that feeling. A boring film makes you bored.
- agovsbeforeUse ago to count back from now (two days ago) with the past simple. Use before to count back from another past time, or to mean 'at any time until now'.
- muchvsmanyUse many with plural countable nouns (many books) and much with uncountable nouns (much water).
- eachvseveryEach looks at people or things one by one and can be used for two; every looks at the whole group and needs three or more.
- i.e.vse.g.i.e. means 'that is' and explains or narrows down; e.g. means 'for example' and gives some examples, not the full list.
- in timevson timeOn time means at the planned time, not late. In time means early enough to do something or before it's too late.
- used tovsbe used toUsed to + verb is a past habit that has stopped (I used to smoke). Be used to + -ing or noun means something is normal for you (I'm used to the noise).
- alreadyvsyetUse already in positive sentences for something that has happened (I've already eaten). Use yet in questions and negatives (Have you eaten yet? I haven't eaten yet).
- fewvsa fewA few means some, a small number (positive). Few without 'a' means not many, or not enough (negative).
- farthervsfurtherUse farther for physical distance and further for distance or for 'more, extra' (further details). If unsure, further is always correct.
- IvsmeUse I as the subject, before the verb (Tom and I left). Use me as the object or after a preposition (He called Tom and me; between you and me).