Commonly confused English words

In English, there is a long list of commonly confused words that may look the same, sound the same or even look and sound the same, but may mean slightly different things. Because of this, a spell check won’t necessarily identify them as being wrong.

Listed below are twenty of the most commonly confused words, along with their definitions and parts of speech. Sample sentences are also provided so that you can see how to use them in the correct context.  There is a short test at the end for you to test your grasp of these words.

accept vs except

These two words are often confused because they sound almost the same.

  • Accept is a verb which means to receive something willingly.
    The boy accepted responsibility for the accident.
  • Except is a preposition meaning not including, or to excluded.
    We all went to the beach, except John who stayed at home to study.

advice vs advise

These two words sound almost the same  but one is a noun and the other is a verb.

  • Advice is a noun. It is used when an opinion or recommendation is offered or given.
    I would like advice on which bank account to open.
  • Advise is a verb which means to offer an opinion or recommendation.
    The bank manager advised me to open a cheque account.

affect vs effect

These two words have elements of meaning in common, but are used in different situations.

  • When used as a verb, effect means to achieve something or to succeed in achieving something.
    Production was stopped until repairs could be effected.
  • When used as a noun, effect refers to a change that occurs as a result of something else happening.
    Loud music can have a harmful effect on your hearing.
  • Affect is a verb which means to change or influence.
    Loud music can affect your hearing.

altogether vs all together

When spoken, these words sound the same, which explains why they are often confused.

  • Altogether is an adverb which means entirely; wholly; completely.
    Altogether, the meal came to $50.
  • All together is a phrase meaning with each other or together in a group.
    The family was all together for the last time in June.

along vs a long

When spoken, these words sound the same, which explains why they are often confused.

  • Along is a preposition meaning beside or parallel to.
    There was a row of beautiful oak trees along the river.
  • A long is a phrase used to refer to the length of an object or a period time.
    The journey was exhausting: the roads were poor and it took us a long time to get there.

aloud vs allowed

When spoken, these words sound the same, which explains why they are often confused.

    • Aloud is an adverb meaning not silently; loudly.
      Please read the first paragraph aloud to the class.
  •  Allowed is a verb. It means to have permission to do something.
    Sir, smoking is not allowed here.

altar vs alter

These words sound almost the same.

  • Altar is a noun. It is an elevated platform on which religious rights are performed.
    The pilgrims put flowers at the foot of the altar to honour their ancestors.
  • Alter is a verb meaning to change.
    The tailor altered my suit because it was too big for me.

aural vs oral

These two words have similar pronunciations so are commonly confused.

  • Aural is an adjective. It relates to the sense of hearing.
    Juma has had an aural impairment since I childhood so has difficulty hearing.
  • Oral is an adjective. It means to be spoken; using speech or relating to the mouth.
    I am so nervous because I have an oral exam today.
    The teeth are situated in the oral cavity.

bazaar vs bizarre

These two words sound the same. Their spellings are also similar.

  • Bazaar is a noun. It is used to describe a market place or shopping area where items such as fruit, vegetables and clothing are sold.
    We went to the local bazaar to buy herbs and spices.
  • Bizarre is an adjective. It means strange or odd.
    The entire conversion was quite bizarre and made me very uncomfortable.

cereal vs serial

These two words sound they same.

  • Cereal is a noun that is used to refer to grains such as wheat and rye.
    I always add cold milk to my breakfast cereal.
  • Serial is also a noun and refers to a story or TV programme that is heard or viewed in parts.
    My favourite TV serial comes on at 5 o’clock on Mondays. I never miss it.

coarse vs course

These two words sound the same as their spellings are similar.

  • Course is an adjective used to refer to something that has a rough, harsh texture.
    The fabric was course like a sack and could not have been very comfortable to wear.
  • Course is a noun. It can mean one of three three things – a direction; a school or university subject or part of a meal.
    During the hike, we walked along the course of the river.
    Next year, I want to take one humanities course and one science course.
    The meal consisted of three courses – a starter, a main meal and a pudding.

complement vs compliment

These two words sound the same as their spellings are similar.

  • A compliment is a noun. It is a polite expression of praise and encouragement.
    It’s a compliment to your parenting style that your children are so well behaved.
  • Complement is an adjective. It means to complete something or make it perfect.
    Her jacket really complements the rest of her outfit.

desert vs dessert

These two words are often confused because there is a subtle difference in pronunciation, and their spellings are similar.

  • A desert is a noun that describes a sandy, arid region that gets little rainfall.
    The Namib Desert attracts tourists eager to experience its austere beauty.
  • A dessert is also a noun. It describes the cake or pudding that we eat after the main course of a meal.
    My favourite dessert is ice cream and chocolate sauce.

elicit vs illicit

These two words are often confused because there is a subtle difference in pronunciation.

  • Elicit is a verb. It means to get or produce a response or a reaction to something.
    The speaker tried to elicit a response from the audience but most people were half asleep.
  • Illicit is an adjective that means illegal or unlawful.
    The police raided the house and found a stash of illicit drugs.

ensure vs insure

These two words are often confused because there is a subtle difference in pronunciation.

  • Ensure is a verb which means to make certain or sure.
    To ensure the safety of our children, we must insist that they wear seat belts at all times when travelling in a car.
  • Insure is a verb. It means to guarantee against loss, harm or damage.
    It is important to insure your house and car against unforeseen circumstances such as a robbery, fire or other natural disasters.

loose and lose

These two words are often confused because there is a subtle difference in pronunciation.

  • Loose is an adjective which means free or unattached; not attached to anything.
    Pamela got such a fright when the front wheel of her bicycle came loose while she was cycling.
  • Lose is a verb. It means to be deprived of something or to fail to win.
    I lose my car keys so often that I think I should tie them around my neck.
    The players have really trained hard because they do not want to lose the soccer match against Stars.

practice vs practise

These words are used differently in British English and American English.

  • In British English, practice is used as a noun and practise as a verb. The noun form refers to something that is habitual or usual or to the business of a professional person.
    It is good practice to cut out junk food.
    His dental practice is in High Street.
  • The verb form means to perform something repeatedly so that you become good at it.  It can also mean to work as something or to pursue a particular profession or religion.
    My son spends hours practising his hop hop moves and can now perform them like a pro.
    She practises law.
  • In American English, practice is used as both a noun and a verb. Practise is not used at all.
  • (For more information on  differences between British and American spellings, read https://www.chapter2blog.com/british-vs-american-spelling/

principal vs principle

These two words sound almost the same as their spellings are similar.

  • Principal can be a noun and an adjective. When used to as a noun, it refers to someone who is the head or chief of a school or institution.
    Mr Jacobs was the principal at the school for over ten years. 
  • When used as an adjective, it is used to describe the highest rank or position.
    Maisy is currently the principal ballet dancer at the Royal Academy of Dance.
  • Principle is a noun. It is used to describe a general truth or something that is accepted by society as being correct.
    My grandfather was a man of sound moral principles.

stationary vs stationery

These two words sound almost the same and their spellings are similar.

  • Stationary is an adjective meaning standing still or not moving.
    The truck bumped into the stationary vehicle parked at the side of the road.
  • Stationery is a noun. It is used to describe writing materials.
    The office is running low on stationary, especially paper.