Commonly confused words
Some English words look or sound alike but mean different things, like affect and effect, or there, their and they're. Each guide below explains the difference in plain English, with examples and a tip to help you remember.
- accept vs exceptAccept means "to receive or agree to"; except means "not including".
- advice vs adviseAdvice is the noun; advise is the verb.
- affect vs effectAffect is usually a verb meaning "to influence"; effect is usually a noun meaning "a result".
- allude vs eludeAllude means "to refer indirectly"; elude means "to escape or avoid".
- allusion vs illusionAn allusion is an indirect reference; an illusion is a false idea or appearance.
- aloud vs allowedAloud means "out loud"; allowed means "permitted".
- already vs all readyAlready means "before now"; all ready means "completely prepared".
- altogether vs all togetherAltogether means "completely" or "in total"; all together means "everyone or everything in one place or at once".
- among vs betweenBetween is traditionally used for two things and among for more than two, although between is also used for more than two when each is considered individually.
- amount vs numberUse amount with things you cannot count and number with things you can.
- bare vs bearBare means "uncovered"; bear is the animal, or a verb meaning "to carry" or "to put up with".
- bizarre vs bazaarBizarre means "very strange"; a bazaar is a market.
- bought vs broughtBought is the past of buy; brought is the past of bring.
- brake vs breakA brake stops a vehicle; break means to damage something or to have a rest.
- breath vs breatheBreath is the noun; breathe is the verb.
- canvas vs canvassCanvas is a strong cloth; canvass means to ask people for votes or opinions.
- ceiling vs sealingA ceiling is the top surface of a room; sealing means closing something tightly.
- complement vs complimentA complement completes or goes well with something; a compliment is praise.
- compose vs compriseThe parts compose the whole; the whole comprises the parts.
- council vs counselA council is a group of people who make decisions; counsel means advice, or to give advice.
- criteria vs criterionCriterion is singular; criteria is the plural.
- dependant vs dependentIn British English, a dependant is a person (a noun) and dependent is the adjective. American English uses dependent for both.
- desert vs dessertA desert is a dry, sandy area; a dessert is a sweet course at the end of a meal.
- discreet vs discreteDiscreet means "careful not to attract attention"; discrete means "separate and distinct".
- disinterested vs uninterestedDisinterested means "impartial"; uninterested means "not interested".
- dual vs duelDual means "having two parts"; a duel is a fight between two people.
- elicit vs illicitElicit means "to draw out a response"; illicit means "illegal or not allowed".
- emigrate vs immigrateYou emigrate from a country and immigrate to a country.
- eminent vs imminentEminent means "famous and respected"; imminent means "about to happen".
- ensure vs insure vs assureEnsure means "make certain"; insure means "protect with insurance"; assure means "tell someone confidently to remove doubt".
- everyday vs every dayEveryday (one word) is an adjective meaning "ordinary"; every day (two words) means "each day".
- farther vs furtherFarther is used for physical distance; further is used for distance and also to mean "more" or "additional".
- fewer vs lessUse fewer with things you can count and less with things you cannot count.
- flair vs flareFlair is a natural talent or style; a flare is a sudden flame or a widening shape.
- flour vs flowerFlour is powder for baking; a flower is part of a plant.
- forth vs fourthForth means "forwards"; fourth means number four in a series.
- hear vs hereHear is about listening; here is about place.
- historic vs historicalHistoric means "famous or important in history"; historical means "about or from the past".
- imply vs inferA speaker implies something; a listener infers it.
- its vs it'sIts shows possession; it's is short for "it is" or "it has".
- lay vs lieLay needs an object (you lay something down); lie does not (you lie down). The past tense of lie is lay, which adds to the confusion.
- lead vs ledLed is the past of the verb lead; lead (rhymes with bed) is also a heavy metal.
- licence vs licenseIn British English, licence is the noun and license is the verb. American English uses license for both.
- lightning vs lighteningLightning is the flash in a storm; lightening means making lighter.
- loath vs loatheLoath is an adjective meaning "unwilling"; loathe is a verb meaning "to hate".
- lose vs looseLose is a verb meaning "to fail to keep"; loose is an adjective meaning "not tight".
- moral vs moraleA moral is a lesson about right and wrong; morale is the confidence and spirit of a group.
- passed vs pastPassed is the past tense of pass; past is about time before now, or means "beyond".
- peace vs piecePeace is calm or the absence of war; a piece is a part of something.
- peak vs peek vs piqueA peak is a top; a peek is a quick look; pique means to stir interest or to annoy.
- personal vs personnelPersonal means "private or individual"; personnel are the people employed by an organisation.
- plain vs planePlain means "simple" or a large flat area; a plane is an aircraft, a flat surface or a tool.
- practice vs practiseIn British English, practice is the noun and practise is the verb. In American English, practice is used for both.
- precede vs proceedPrecede means "to come before"; proceed means "to go on".
- principal vs principlePrincipal means "main" or the head of a school; principle means a basic truth or rule.
- program vs programmeIn British English, a programme is a show, plan or schedule, and a program is computer software. American English uses program for all of these.
- quiet vs quiteQuiet means "not noisy"; quite means "fairly" or "completely".
- rain vs reign vs reinRain falls from the sky; reign is the rule of a monarch; a rein is a strap to control a horse.
- role vs rollA role is a part or function; a roll is something rolled, a small loaf, or a list of names.
- sight vs site vs citeSight is about seeing; a site is a place; cite means "to quote as evidence".
- stationary vs stationeryStationary means "not moving"; stationery means paper, pens and other writing materials.
- story vs storeyIn British English, a storey is a level of a building and a story is a tale. American English uses story for both.
- then vs thanThen is about time or order; than is used to compare.
- there vs their vs they'reThere is about place or existence; their means "belonging to them"; they're is short for "they are".
- to vs too vs twoTo is a preposition or part of a verb; too means "also" or "more than enough"; two is the number 2.
- wander vs wonderWander means "to walk without purpose"; wonder means "to think curiously" or a feeling of amazement.
- weather vs whetherWeather is about rain and sunshine; whether introduces a choice.
- were vs where vs we'reWere is the past of are; where is about place; we're is short for "we are".
- which vs witchWhich asks or says which one; a witch is a woman said to have magic powers.
- who vs whomWho is the subject of a verb; whom is the object. In everyday English, "who" is often used for both.
- who's vs whoseWho's is short for "who is" or "who has"; whose asks or says who something belongs to.
- your vs you'reYour shows that something belongs to you; you're is short for "you are".