Commonly Confused Words Flashcards
Learn more about commonly confused words in English and become a better writer and speaker.
When do you use farther and when do you use further?
Farther for physical distance; further for metaphorical distance.
Example: I can run farther when I’m being chased by a rabid dog. When I finally reached my girlfriend’s house, I realized our romance wouldn’t go any further.
Name the difference between imply and infer
To imply is to suggest; to infer is to conclude.
Example: His tattoo of her name on his neck implied they were more than friends. I infer from her smile that she likes the tattoo.
What is the difference between straight and strait?
Straight is used for orderliness and directness.
Strait usually refers to something constricted, such as a narrow passage of water connecting two seas.
Example: Make sure your necktie is straight when commanding your crew, as this strait is difficult to navigate.
What is the difference between coarse and course?
Coarse is an adjective meaning rough or vulgar.
Course is a noun meaning a route or a part of a meal, or a verb meaning “to flow”.
Example: The asphalt on the race course is pretty coarse.
What is the difference between loathe and loath?
If you loathe (verb) something, you hate it.
When you are loath (adjective) to do something, it means you are unwilling or reluctant.
Example: I’m loath to give you money because I loathe money-grubbing people like you.
What is the difference between flaunt and flout?
Flaunt is to show off or display proudly.
Flout is to dismiss authority with contempt.
Example: A teenager might flout her curfew so she can flaunt her new outfit at the party.
What is the difference between precede and proceed?
Precede means “to come before” while proceed means “to begin” or “to go forward”.
Example: The written test precedes the driving exam. If you pass both, you can proceed to pick up your license.
What is the difference between segway and segue?
(seh-gway)
A Segway is a wheeled personal transporter; a segue is an unbroken transition.
Example: While riding around on his Segway and talking on the phone, he managed to segue from the topic of economics to politics.
What is the difference between i.e. and e.g.?
i.e. stands for “id est”, which means “in other words”.
e.g. stands for “exempli gratia”, which means “for example”.
Example: If you continue this behavior, the principal will remove you from school. i.e. You’ll be expelled.
She may inform you in various ways, e.g. via letter, a phone call to your parents, or even a personal visit.
What is the difference between confidant and confident?
Confident is an adjective describing someone who has confidence or certainty.
Confidant is a noun and is used for someone you entrust to keep your secrets. (It is also pronounced “confi-dahnt”)
Example: I am confident that I can trust my confidant to keep this secret.
What is the difference between phase and faze?
A phase (n) is a stage of a process; (v) to do something in gradual steps.
A faze (v) is to disturb or unsettle.
Example: My colleague was fazed by my deep knowledge about the phases of the moon.
What is the difference between borne and born?
Born means “brought to life by birth”, while borne is the past participle of “to bear” such as to carry, withstand, and produce.
Example: When the baby was born, he carried a pathogen that originated from labradors. i.e. It was a labrador-borne disease.
What is the difference between forgo and forego?
To forgo something means to go without, while forego means to go before something.
Example: We have our foregoing generations to thank for having been willing to forgo steam-powered cars.
Is it deep-seated or deep-seeded?
deep-seated
Example: I have a deep-seated fear of heights: my legs start shaking, my heart pounds in my chest, and I get dizzy.
Deep-seeded does not really exist as a compound word, unless you’re really into gardening and have your own lingo.
Do you achieve peace of mind or piece of mind when attending a meditation class?
peace of mind
You can give someone a piece of your mind when they double park, but when you want to feel at ease, you need to achieve peace of mind.
What is the difference between perspective and prospective?
Perspective is the way you look at something, while prospective means probable or potential.
Example: The prospective candidate had an interesting perspective on marketing.
What is the difference between exacerbate and exasperate?
Exacerbate means to worsen, while exasperate means to irritate.
Example: The manager became exasperated when he found out that the intern had exacerbated the financial situation.
