Most Commonly Misused English Words and Phrases

Learn English words that are very confusing while using them in sentences. In this lesson, you are going to learn confused and misused English words with their meanings and example sentences also with helpful charts. This lesson is going to clear the problem of English speakers. Learn this lesson and enhance your English vocabulary.

Most Commonly Misused Words

Learn the most commonly confusing or misusing words listed in English with their meanings:

Words	Meanings	Words	Meanings
Accept	Receive	Except	Leave out
Affect	Influence	Effect	Result
Allowed	Permitted	Aloud	Clearly heard
Allude	Make indirect reference	Elude	Escape from something
Ate	Past tense of eat	Eight	The number
Break	Smash, split	Brake	Stopping device
By	Preposition	Buy	Purchase
Capital	City, wealth	Capitol	Building
Coarse	Rough	Course	Way or path
Ensure	Guarantee	Insure	Financial liability
Farther	Physical distance	Further	Abstract idea
For	Preposition	Four	The number
Forth	Forward	Fourth	Comes after third
Hear	Perceive	Here	In this place
Loose	Free	Lose	Misplace
Peace	Absence of war	Piece	Part, portion
Plain	Simple	Plane	Flat surface
Principle	Rule	Principal	Chief person
Quiet	Silent	Quite	Really, positively
Than	Comparison	Then	At that time
To	In the direction of	Too	Also
Weak	Feeble	Week	Seven days
Weather	Atmospheric conditions	Whether	If, in case
Which	What one	Witch	Sorceress
Who	Subject	Whom	Object

Misused English Words and Phrases

Able	Capable
Meaning: Having the power or opportunity to do something.	Meaning: Having the power or ability to do a particular thing; gifted.
Example: He is able to run.	Example: Show your teacher what you are capable of.

Accede	Exceed
Meaning: Assent or agree to a request, proposal, etc.	Meaning: To be greater than.
Example: I accede to your proposal.	Example: Their success exceeded all expectations.

Accept	Except
Meaning: Consent to, receive something offered.	Meaning: Exclude from, set apart from a list, to leave out.
Example: Give her a little time to accept the idea.	Example: The stores will be open daily except for Sundays.

Abstain	Refrain
Meaning: Do without; hold oneself back from	Meaning: To hold oneself from; to keep oneself from some action
Example: He is a total abstainer.	Example: Please refrain from spitting in public places.

Adopt	Adapt
Meaning: They were unable to have children of their own, so they decided to adopt.	Meaning: The world will be different, and we will have to be prepared to adapt to the change.
Example: The assembly adopted the new measure.	Example: They adapted themselves to the change quickly.

Accident	Incident
Meaning: Something bad that happens that is not expected or intended and that often damages something or injures someone:	Meaning: An unexpected and usually unpleasant thing that happens.
Example: He was injured in an accident at work.	Example: We just want to put that embarrassing incident behind us.

Affect	Effect
Meaning: The climate affected his health.	Meaning: Impression produced on the mind of a spectator, hearer, reader, etc.
Example: Some plants are quickly affected by the cold.	Example: He has effected great reforms.

Affection	Affectation
Meaning: Love; disease.	Meaning: Pretense
Example: I have a great affection for my students.	Example: It is always easy to distinguish between sincerity and affectation.

All ready	Already
Meaning: Quite prepared.	Meaning: That time.
Example: I’m all ready to go.	Example: He has already performed the task.

Advice (Noun)	Advise (Verb)
Example: He paid no heed to my advice.	Example:  I advise you not to waste your time.

Altar	Alter
Meaning: Raised place on which offerings are made to a god.	Meaning: To change.
Example: Many people sacrificed their lives at the altar of freedom.	Example: I’m sorry I can not alter my decision now.

Alternate	Alternative
Meaning: By turns, first the one and then the other.	Meaning: Scientists are developing an alternative approach to treating the disease.
Example: The doctor sees the patient on alternate days.	Example: He developed an alternative design for the new engine.

Avenge	Revenge
Meaning: To avenge is to obtain satisfaction by punishing the wrongdoer.	Meaning: Retaliate or vindicate.
Example: God avenges the oppressed.	Example: He revenged himself for the insult.

Ascent	Assent
Meaning: Act of climbing up; upward movement.	Meaning: Concurrence.
Example: I have never made an ascent in a balloon.	Example: He gave his assent to the proposal.

Angel	Angel
Example:  He is an angel, not a man.	Example:  A triangle has three angles.
Example: She is an angel of a girl.	Example: The soldiers were being attacked from every angle.

Ant	Aunt
Example:  The aunt was going to drown.	Example:  My aunt sent me a  birthday present.
Example: Some ants live in trees.	Example: His aunt has three cats.

Air	Heir
Meaning: Birds fly in the air.	Meaning: He is an heir to a large property.
Example: She opened the windows to air the room.	Example: His heirs could inherit millions of dollars.

Avocation	Vocation
Meaning: Hobby, pastime pursued pleasure rather than gain.	Meaning: Profession; occupation.
Example: My favorite avocation is reading.	Example: This isn’t just a job for me; it’s a vocation.

Artist	Artiste
Meaning: A person who practices one of the fine arts (poetry, painting, or sculpture).	Meaning: A professional singer or dancer.
Example: Each poster is signed by the artist.	Example: She was a popular French music hall artiste in the late 19th century.

Opposite	Apposite
Meaning: Standing in front; contrary.	Meaning: Proper, judicious.
Example: My house is situated opposite the post office.	Example: This is a very apposite comparison.

We hope these explanations have cleared up any confusion or lingering vocabulary questions you may have. The next time you are unsure of which of these words to use.

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