Commonly Confused Words in the English Language
Posted: April 21, 2015
Even the most seasoned writer can succumb to the confusion that similar words in the English language can cause. Although there are countless similar words that can be confusing, these ten are the most common, most often because their meanings aren't understood.
These tips help sort through the confusion with examples for using them correctly.
Top 10 Confused Words in English
Maeve Maddox, Editor at Daily Writing Tips, walks us through ten commonly confusing words, and offers clarity on their usage.
In compiling a list of the top ten confused words, it’s difficult to choose between simple misspellings and words whose meanings are mixed up in the mind of the writer.
For example, the word
altar (raised structure for sacrifice) is frequently misspelled as
alter. The writer probably knows the difference between the noun altar and the verb alter, but hasn’t learned the fact that they are spelled differently.
Likewise, the pair
its/it’s usually tops lists of “confused words,” but it seems to me that writers who commit errors with this pair have problems with the correct use of the apostrophe in general.
The words in the following list represent misunderstanding of the words’ meanings and not simply an inability to spell them correctly. Notice that this post covers words starting with the letters
a and
b.
1. affect / effect
These two words have specialized meanings in psychology, but in ordinary speech and writing,
affect is most often used as a verb meaning “to act on or to cause a change” and
effect as a noun meaning “a change that is the result of some action”:
How will the move to New Orleans affect the family? (verb)
What is the effect of this move on the children? (noun)
Note:
Effect can also be used as a verb meaning “to cause” or “to bring about”:
The new mayor has effected positive change in the police department.
2. advice / advise
The error with this pair results from mispronunciation and failure to distinguish between a noun and a verb. The
c in
advice is pronounced with the sound of /s/. The
s in advise is pronounced with he sound of /z/.
Advice is a noun meaning “recommendation regarding a decision.”
Advise is a verb meaning “to recommend”:
She always gives me good advice. (noun)
What do you advise me to do? (verb)
Read the entire article,
Top 10 Confused Words in English [A-B], on
Daily Writing Tips.