Practice
English practice: confusing words
Sign in to saveMina wrote that she wanted to loose her keys. Her friend understood the message, but the word she needed was lose. A small spelling change can create a different English word.
Choose common confusing English words by checking their meaning, word class, spelling, and the sentence around them.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
I need some advice before I choose a course. /aɪ niːd sʌm ədˈvaɪs bɪˈfɔːr aɪ tʃuːz ə kɔːs/
The short answer
Do not choose a confusing word by sound alone. Ask what the sentence means, identify the word class it needs, and compare the pair in a complete sentence.
Please accept my apology for the delay.
Why it works: Accept is a verb. Except usually means excluding.
4 more examples
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I need some advice before I choose a course.
Advice is a noun, so it can follow some.
Not this:My tutor
advisedme to choose the evening course. What changes: Advised is a verb that describes the tutor's action. -
The weather may affect the match.
Affect is usually a verb meaning influence.
Not this:The weather had a serious
effecton the match. What changes: Effect is usually a noun after an article such as a. -
I do not want to lose this address.
Lose is a verb for no longer having or finding something.
Not this:This shirt feels
loosearound the shoulders. What changes: Loose is usually an adjective meaning not tight. -
They are going to their new office after lunch.
Their shows possession before the noun office.
Not this:
They'regoing to meet us after lunch. What changes: They're is the short form of they are, followed here by going.
Read the full guide
When two choices seem possible, read the whole sentence before deciding. Look for clues such as an article before a noun, to before a base verb, or a position after be that may require an adjective. Then say what each candidate word means in that exact context.
Read the meaning before the spelling
Start with the message the writer wants to give. If a sentence talks about influence, affect may fit. If it names the result of influence, effect may fit. Sound and spelling can help later, but they should not make the first decision.
The new timetable affected my journey.
Affected describes what the timetable did. It did not name the result.
Which word names a result: affect or effect?
Effect usually names the result: The change had an effect on my journey.
Use grammar as a second clue
The words around a gap often show the word class you need. An article such as a or an commonly introduces a singular noun. To often introduces the base form of a verb. After be, an adjective may describe the subject.
She gave me useful advice.
Useful describes the noun advice. You would not normally write useful advise in this position.
She advised me to wait.
The subject she needs a verb, and advised is the past-tense verb.
Separate words that look almost the same
Lose and loose have similar spellings but different jobs. Lose is a verb. Loose commonly describes something that is not fixed or tight. The double o in loose is a useful visual reminder, but a full sentence gives the stronger check.
Be careful not to lose your ticket.
After to, English needs the base verb lose.
One screw is loose on the chair.
Loose describes the screw, so it works as an adjective after is.
Check short forms carefully
Apostrophes can show missing letters. They're means they are. Their has no apostrophe because it is a possessive word. There usually points to a place or introduces a sentence, as in There is a message for you.
Their train leaves at six.
Their comes before the noun train and tells whose train it is.
They're waiting near the entrance.
You can expand they're to they are: They are waiting near the entrance.
Build a useful review habit
Review a small group of confusing words often. Write two short sentences for each pair, with one word in each sentence. Read them aloud, cover the target word, and decide which one belongs. Correct the sentence only after you can explain the reason.
We will accept card payments.
Accept is the action the shop will take.
The shop is open every day except Monday.
Except removes Monday from the list of open days.
Before you go
Remember this
Read for meaning, then inspect the grammar around the blank. Ask whether you need a noun, verb, adjective, or another form. Compare two complete sentences and keep the pair in your own example list.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice: confusing words"
Why do I confuse English words that look similar?
Similar spelling, similar pronunciation, and related meanings can make two words feel interchangeable. They usually have different jobs in a sentence. Read the full sentence, decide what it means, and then check whether the gap needs a noun, verb, adjective, or another word class.
I need some advice before I choose a course.
What is the difference between advice and advise?
Advice is a noun that means guidance or an opinion about what to do. Advise is a verb meaning to give that guidance. You can say some advice, but you advise a person to do something. The spelling and final sound are different too.
My tutor advised me to choose the evening course.
How can I remember affect and effect?
Start with the sentence pattern instead of a memory trick. Affect is commonly a verb meaning influence, as in affect the result. Effect is commonly a noun meaning result, as in an effect on the result. A dictionary can help with less common uses.
The weather may affect the match.
When should I use lose and loose?
Use lose for the verb when someone no longer has, wins, or finds something. Use loose for an adjective when something is not tight or fixed. Check the grammar: after to or do not, a base verb such as lose is usually needed.
The weather had a serious effect on the match.
How do I check there, their, and they're?
Their shows possession before a noun. They're is short for they are, so try expanding it in the sentence. There often refers to a place or begins a sentence such as There is a problem. Read the words after the choice to confirm the pattern.
Please accept my apology for the delay.