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Picture it: You’re having a conversation in English when, all of a sudden, you hesitate. You begin to question if the word you’re about to use is the right one. 

Does that sound like you? No worries; this is super common for people learning English as a second language and also for native-level speakers. 

Whether they’re spelled similarly or they’re homophones, English has lots of confusing words that are ready to trip you up.

But what are the most commonly confused words?

Below, we uncover the difference between 15 sets of easily confused words with examples, so you never have to wonder again.  

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1. Advise vs. Advice

“Advise” and “advice” are frequently confused because their spelling is so similar—after all, “s” and “c” can often make the same sound. However, these words are actually pronounced differently and one can’t be used in the place of the other.

Advise (verb)

Meaning: To give a suggestion

Pronunciation: ad-VIZE

Example: “I feel like I’m always making bad decisions. I’d love to speak to someone who could advise me on how to live my life!”

Advice (noun)

Meaning: An opinion or suggestion

Pronunciation: ad-VICE

Example: “I took your advice and asked my boss for a raise. She agreed!”

2. Affect vs. Effect

These words are very commonly mixed up; sometimes they’re even pronounced the same way. But they’re not interchangeable, so make sure you know which is which.

Affect (verb)

Meaning: To cause something to change

Pronunciation: uh-FEKT

Example: “If you work all the time and never take time to relax, it will affect your mental health.”

Effect (noun)

Meaning: The change that happens to something as the result of an action

Pronunciation: ee-FEKT/uh-FEKT

Example: “Inflation has had a major effect on the price of everything from gas to groceries.”

3. Breath vs. Breathe

With the addition of just one letter, the pronunciation of “breathe” becomes quite different from “breath.” 

Breath (noun)

Meaning: The air that you inhale and exhale through your mouth or nose

Pronunciation: “Breth”

Example: “Whenever you start to feel upset or stressed, just take a few deep breaths and you’ll calm down.”

Breathe (verb)

Meaning: To inhale and exhale air through your nose or mouth

Pronunciation: “Breethe”

Example: “When the air is too hot and humid, I find it hard to breathe.”

4. Complement vs. Compliment

“Complement” and “compliment” are a couple of the most confusing words in English. As homophones, they share the same pronunciation; their spellings also differ by only one letter. Who can blame you if you get them mixed up once in a while?

Here is more on look-alike words in English.

Complement (verb/noun)

Meaning: 

1. To make something complete or better (verb)

2. Something that makes something else complete or better (noun)

Pronunciation: COM-pluh-ment

Example: “I think tomatoes are the perfect complement to cheese—they just taste so good together!”

Compliment (verb/noun)

Meaning:

1. To say something nice about someone or something (verb)

2. An expression of praise for someone or something (noun)

Pronunciation: COM-pluh-ment

Example: “My neighbor is so sweet. Every time I see her, she compliments my hair or clothes.”

5. Emigrate vs. Immigrate

It’s pretty common for people to use “immigrate” when they actually mean “emigrate.” To “immigrate” means to enter another country and live there. While these two words refer to a similar context, they have really specific uses.

Emigrate (v)

Meaning: To leave your country to live somewhere else (usually used with “from”)

Pronunciation: EM-i-grate

Example: “When my grandpa was five, his family emigrated from Italy.”

Immigrate (v)

Meaning: To move to a new country to live (typically used with “to”)

Pronunciation: IM-i-grate

Example: “I’m a second-generation American. My parents immigrated to the United States in their 20s.”

6. Ensure vs. Insure

The pronunciation difference between “ensure” and “insure” is so slight that you might not even notice it. What you should take note of, however, are their very different meanings. 

Ensure (verb)

Meaning: To make certain 

Pronunciation: en-SHUR

Example: “To ensure we send your delivery to the correct building, can you please confirm your address?”

Insure (verb) 

Meaning: To protect something against damage or risk by purchasing insurance

Pronunciation: in-SHUR

Example: “That’s a really expensive bike. I recommend insuring it in case it gets damaged or stolen.”

7. Lay vs. Lie

“Lay” vs. “lie”: The confusion is real. Here’s the thing about these two similar words: “Lay” is a transitive verb, meaning the action needs to be done to direct object in order to make sense.  “Lie,” however, is intransitive, which means it makes sense without an object. 

Lay (verb)

Meaning: To gently put someone or something down in a flat position (used with an object)

Pronunciation: lei

Example: “The baby fell asleep in her stroller. I’m going to lay her down in her crib.”

Lie (verb)

Meaning: To be in a flat position on a surface (used without an object)

Pronunciation: lai

Example: “I love Saturday mornings because I get to lie in bed as long as I want.”

8. Lead vs. Lead vs. Led 

You’re probably wondering why there are three words here. Bear with us:

First of all, we have the noun “lead,” which is a type of metal. Then, we have the present and past tense of the verb “to lead.”

Because the metal “lead” has the same pronunciation as “led”—which is the past tense of “to lead”—it’s common for people to mistakenly write “lead” when they’re referring to the past tense verb.

For example, “Yesterday, the tour guide lead us to the historical site” (it should be “led”).

It would kind of make sense if the present and past tenses were both spelled “lead”; just take the present verb “read” (pronounced “reed”) and the past verb “read” (pronounced “red”)!

Here is more on words with several meanings in English.

Lead (noun)

Meaning: A heavy, soft metal (noun)

Pronunciation: led

Example: “People think pencils contain lead, but they’re actually made of graphite and clay.”

Lead (verb)

Meaning: To go in a particular direction and have others follow you

Pronunciation: leed

Example: “I know where the restaurant is. Follow me—I’ll lead the way.”  

Led (verb)

Meaning: The past tense of the verb “to lead”

Pronunciation: led

Example: “It was really dark when we got lost, but the forest ranger found us and led us to safety.”

9. Loose vs. Lose

“Loose” and “lose” have different pronunciations and super different meanings. However, as you can see, these two words have very similar spellings. It’s easy to mix up these two.

Loose (adjective)

Meaning: Not tight or secure

Pronunciation: loos

Example: “I don’t think you know how to tie your shoes properly. The laces are always coming loose.”

Lose (verb)

Meaning: 

1. To fail at winning a game or competition

2. To be unable to find something that has been misplaced

Pronunciation: looz

Example: “Whenever I lose my glasses, it takes me forever to find them because I can’t see!”

10. Principle vs. Principal

Have you ever heard the saying that you can remember the spelling of “principal” because it has the word “pal” in it, and the principal is your friend (pal)? It’s pretty ridiculous, but it does clear things up a bit.

However, that doesn’t cover everything, as “principal” has more than one meaning—and, to add another layer of confusion, it’s also pronounced the same way as “principle.” 

Principle (noun)

Meaning: Something you believe that helps you decide what is right and wrong

Pronunciation: PRIN-ci-puhl

Example: “I would never eat meat. It’s against my principles.”

Principal (noun/adjective)

Meaning: 

1. The person in charge of a school (noun)

2. Main; most important (adjective)

Pronunciation: PRIN-ci-puhl

Example: “My principal reason for getting a new job was to make more money.”

11. Desert vs. Dessert

“Desert” and “dessert” are a classic example of easily confused words due to their similar spellings and pronunciation.

Desert (noun)

Meaning: A hot, sandy, and dry land, often with sparse vegetation and little to no precipitation

Pronunciation: dih-ZURT

Example: “The Sahara Desert is one of the largest deserts in the world.”

Dessert (noun)

Meaning: A sweet course typically eaten at the end of a meal

Pronunciation: dih-ZURT

Example: “I can’t wait to try the chocolate cake for dessert after dinner.”

12. Imply vs. Infer

“Imply” and “infer” are frequently mixed up because they involve understanding indirect communication, but they actually refer to different aspects of communication.

Imply (verb)

Meaning: “Imply” means to suggest or indicate something indirectly

Pronunciation: im-PLAI

Example: “She didn’t say it directly, but her tone implied that she was unhappy with the decision.”

Infer (verb)

Meaning: “Infer” means to deduce or draw a conclusion about something from evidence or information presented

Pronunciation: in-FUR

Example: “Based on the evidence, we can infer that the suspect was at the scene of the crime.”

13. Capital vs. Capitol

“Capital” and “capitol” are similar words often confused due to similar spelling and pronunciation, but they have distinct meanings related to governance and finance.

Capital (noun/adjective)

Meaning:

Pronunciation: KAP-i-tuhl

Example: “The company’s logo is designed with a capital ‘A’.” “Venture capitalists provided the necessary capital for the startup.”

“Chester visited Brasίlia, the capital of Brazil.”

Capitol (noun)

Meaning: Capitol is a noun referring to the building where a legislature meets, often the seat of government at the state or national level

Pronunciation: KAP-i-tuhl

Example: “Paul visited the cafe in the basement of the capitol after watching a bill become a law.”

14. Good vs. Well

“Good” and “well” are frequently misused because they can both be positive descriptors, but they function differently in a sentence.

Good (adj)

Meaning: Describing the quality or nature of something

Pronunciation: gud

Example: “She hasn’t felt good about playing since her injury last season.”

Well (adverb)

Meaning: Describing how something is done, indicating proficiency or manner

Pronunciation: wel

Example: “She played well throughout the concert, impressing the audience with her skills.”

15. Fewer vs. Less

“Fewer” and “less” are adjectives called quantifiers and are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings based on countability.

Fewer (adjective)

Meaning: Referring to a smaller number of items that can be counted individually

Pronunciation: FYOO-er

Example: “The census determined that fewer people live in the city now than last year.”

Less (adjective)

Meaning: Referring to a smaller amount or quantity of something that cannot be counted individually

Pronunciation: LES

Example: “For better health, people should use less salt in their diet.”

Get the hang of the most confusing English words

We’ve thrown a lot of information at you, so don’t be discouraged if you need a little more practice. Just take our advice:

Reviewing this confusing vocabulary regularly will ensure that you know it inside and out!

FAQs

In this section, let’s look at the most common questions people ask about confusing words in English

What are confusing words called?

Confusing words are sometimes called homophones or commonly confused words.

What does commonly confused words mean?

Commonly confused or misused words refer to words with similar spelling, pronunciation, or similar meanings.

What word is often confused/ misused?

Some examples of words that are often confused and misused are “effect”/”affect”, ”accept/ except”, and a possessive pronoun that sounds like other structures like “its/it’s” and ”your/ you’re”.

What is the most confusing word in the English language?

The most confusing word in the English language varies, but “effect” and “affect” are frequently cited due to their similar spelling and meanings.

Summing up: The 15 most commonly confused English words

Mastering the distinctions between commonly confused words is essential for effective writing and speaking. With certain words possessing several meanings or sharing similarities, choosing the correct word can significantly impact clarity and precision in communication.

Embracing this linguistic journey not only enhances one’s writing skills but also fosters a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of language.

So, let’s continue our language quest and learn how to convey our thoughts with clarity and conviction.

Learn languages at your pace

Andrea Byaruhanga

Andrea is a Canadian freelance writer and editor specializing in English, e-learning, EdTech, and SaaS. She has a background as an ESL teacher in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. In her free time, Andrea loves hanging out with her husband and children, creating recipes in the kitchen, and reading fiction. She also loves camping and jumping into lakes whenever possible. Learn more about Andrea on LinkedIn or check out her website.

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