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AccuracyGrammar Your mistakes Words people mix up

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Words people mix up

Pairs that look alike, sound alike or translate the same way. Compare them side by side, then try a short quiz to see if the difference has stuck.

Search words people mix up

Start with these

make vs doB1Make is mostly for creating or producing something (make a cake, make a plan); do is for tasks, jobs and activities (do homework, do the shopping). Fixed pairs like make a mistake must be learned.
affect vs effectB1Affect is usually a verb: to change something. Effect is usually a noun: the change or result. Smoking affects your health; it has a bad effect on it.
bored vs boringB1Bored describes how a person feels; boring describes the thing that causes the feeling. The lesson was boring, so the students were bored.
interested vs interestingB1Interested describes how you feel (interested in art); interesting describes what makes you feel that way (an interesting book).
fun vs funnyB1Fun means enjoyable (the party was fun); funny means it makes you laugh (a funny joke). A fun day is not always a funny one.
lose vs looseB1Lose is a verb: to stop having something, or not win (lose your keys, lose a game). Loose is an adjective: not tight or not fixed (a loose shirt).
look vs see vs watchB1See is what your eyes notice without trying; look (at) means you choose to turn your eyes to something; watch means you look at something that moves or changes for a while (watch TV).
bring vs takeB1Bring means carry something to the place where you or the listener are; take means carry it away to another place. Bring your book to class; take this letter to the post office.
remember vs remindB1You remember something yourself; someone or something reminds you, so that you remember. Remind me to call Mom.
rise vs raiseB1Rise has no object: prices rise, the sun rises. Raise needs an object: you raise your hand, a shop raises its prices.
lie vs layB1Lie (lie, lay, lain) has no object: you lie on the bed. Lay (lay, laid, laid) needs an object: you lay something down. The past of lie is lay, which is why people mix them up.
advice vs adviseB1Advice is the noun and is uncountable (some good advice, a piece of advice); advise is the verb (I advise you to rest).
job vs workB1A job is countable: the position you are paid for (a job, two jobs). Work is usually uncountable: what you do, or the place you go (go to work). Say 'looking for a job' or 'looking for work', not 'a work'.
travel vs trip vs journeyB1Travel is the general activity (air travel); a trip is a visit somewhere and back (a business trip); a journey is the traveling from one place to another, often long, or a long process of change (life is a journey).
alone vs lonelyB1Alone means without other people, which is a fact (live alone); lonely is the sad feeling of having no one (feel lonely). You can be alone without being lonely.
rob vs stealB1You steal a thing (steal a phone); you rob a person or a place (rob a bank, rob someone of their money).
hope vs wishB1Hope is for things that may really happen (I hope you pass); wish is for things that are not true or are unlikely, and takes a past tense (I wish I had more time).
actually vs currentlyB1Actually means 'in fact' or 'really', often to correct an idea (he's actually quite shy); currently means 'at the present time'. Actually never means 'now'.
especially vs speciallyB1Especially means 'more than usual' or 'in particular' (especially in winter); specially means 'for one particular purpose' (specially made for children). Never use specially for 'in particular'.
economic vs economicalB2Economic is about the economy (economic growth); economical means saving money, fuel or time (an economical car).
historic vs historicalB1Historic means important in history (a historic moment); historical means connected with the past or with history as a subject (historical records).
classic vs classicalB1Classic means excellent and popular for a long time, or a typical example (a classic film, a classic mistake); classical means traditional and serious in style, especially music (classical music).
electric vs electricalB1Electric describes a thing that works by electricity (an electric car, an electric guitar); electrical is more general, about electricity as a system or subject (electrical equipment, an electrical engineer).
sensible vs sensitiveB2Sensible means practical and showing good judgment (a sensible decision); sensitive means easily upset, or quick to notice feelings or small changes (sensitive skin).
efficient vs effectiveB1Effective means it works and gets the result you want; efficient means it works without wasting time, money or energy. A medicine is effective; a machine is efficient.
possibility vs opportunityB1A possibility is something that might happen or be true (a possibility of rain); an opportunity is a good time or situation to do something you want (a job opportunity).
adapt vs adoptB1Adapt means change to fit a new situation (adapt to a new school); adopt means take something and start using it as your own (adopt a policy, adopt a child).
principal vs principleB2A principle is a rule or belief (moral principles); a principal is the head of a school, and as an adjective means 'main' (the principal reason).
complement vs complimentB1A compliment is something nice you say about someone (pay someone a compliment); a complement is something that goes well with another thing and completes it.
ensure vs insure vs assureB2Ensure means make sure something happens; insure means protect something with insurance; assure means tell someone firmly so they stop worrying (I assure you).
continuous vs continualB1Continuous means without any break (continuous rain); continual means happening again and again, often in an annoying way (continual interruptions).
imply vs inferB2The speaker implies: suggests something without saying it. The listener infers: works out what is meant. What are you implying? What can we infer from the data?

More pairs

2671 pairs

abandon vs quitB1
abandoned vs desertedB2
abbreviation vs contractionB2
abduct vs kidnapB2
abhor vs abhorrentC2
ability vs capacityB1
ability vs possibilityB1
able vs canB1
abnormal vs uncommon vs unusualB2
abnormally vs unusuallyB2
aboard vs abroadB1
abolish vs cancelB2
aboriginal vs indigenous vs nativeB2
abound vs abundantC1
absence vs absentB1
absentee vs absenteeismB2
absolute vs obsoleteC1
absolutely vs utterly vs veryB2
absorb vs adsorbB1
academic vs academyB2
acceleration vs bandwidth vs speed vs velocityC1
accent vs dialectB2
access vs excessB2
accessible vs attainable vs available vs freeB2
accident vs disasterB1
accident vs incidentB1
accidental vs incidentalB1
accidentally vs deliberatelyB2
accommodate vs accommodation vs housingB2
accord vs accountC1
accountability vs responsibilityC2
accountable vs responsible vs responsiveC1
accountant vs accounting vs auditorB2
accumulative vs cumulativeC1
accuracy vs correctness vs exactnessB2
accurate vs exactC2
accusation vs allegation vs denunciationC2
accuse vs blameB1
ache vs pain vs sufferingB2
acknowledge vs admitB1
acquaintance vs buddy vs friend vs mateB2
acquire vs requireB1
acquisition vs buyout vs merger vs takeoverC1
acquit vs convictC2
acre vs hectareC1
active vs positiveB1
actor vs actressB1
actual vs currentB2
actual vs factualB2
actually vs practicallyB2
acute vs chronic vs cuteC1
ad vs addB1
adapt vs adeptC2
adaptable vs adaptive vs adjustableC1
adaptation vs adoptionB2
adapted vs adoptedB2
adapter vs converterB2
addict vs fan vs fanaticC1
addicted vs addictiveB2
addition vs edition vs reprint vs versionB2

Showing 60 of 2671 pairs