Easily confused pairs

Question 1

Effect
(Ef-fect)
Noun

Answer 1

Definition: The result of a previous action
or circumstance
E.g., An increase in tourism was just
one effect of the new trade agreement
between the two nations.

Question 2

Effect
(Ef-fect)
Verb

Answer 2

Definition: To make something happen
E.g., The passing of the new law
surrounding digital rights effected many
changes, both positive and negative.

Question 3

Affect
(Af-fect)
Noun

Answer 3

Definition: A feeling or emotional
response to something
E.g., The psychologist noted that many
patients in the study exhibited positive
affects to instrumental music.

Question 4

Affect
(Af-fect)
Verb

Answer 4

Definition: To influence something, often
by creating a change
E.g., The city was affected by the forest
fires to such an extent that a state of
emergency was declared.

Question 5

Complement
(Com-ple-ment)
Noun

Answer 5

Definition: Something that completes
something else
E.g., The applicant’s educational
experience is an excellent complement to
her creative skillset.

Question 6

Complement
(Com-ple-ment)
Verb

Answer 6

Definition: To complete something
E.g., The bike share program complements
the city’s recent green initiative.

Question 7

Ambiguous
(Am-big-u-ous)
Adjective

Answer 7

Definition: Unclear or unsure in meaning
E.g., Some critics were displeased with
how ambiguous the novel’s ending was,
while others enjoyed how it was open to
interpretation.

Question 8

Ambivalent
(Am-biv-a-lent)
Adjective

Answer 8

Definition: Having conflicting or
undecided feelings about something
E.g., The council members were
ambivalent about whether additional
funding should be given to the project

Question 9

Discreet
(Dis-creet)
Adjective

Answer 9

Definition: Careful, or restrained in one’s
actions
E.g., She had long been praised as a
discreet person, and throughout her
medical career, she had never broken a
patient’s confidence.

Question 10

Discrete
(Dis-crete)
Adjective

Answer 10

Definition: Separate, or individual
E.g., It was only in the early twentieth
century that scientists were finally able to
identify electrons and protons as discrete
components of an atom.

Question 11

Compliment
(Com-pli-ment)
Noun

Answer 11

Definition: Words of praise directed at a
person or thing
E.g., The ambassador gave his highest
compliments to the new head of state.

Question 12

Compliment
(Com-pli-ment)
Verb

Answer 12

Definition: To direct words of praise
towards a person or thing
E.g., After the lecture, many of the
students complimented the guest speaker
on her entertaining use of visuals

Question 13

Imply
(Im-ply)
Verb

Answer 13

Definition: To convey an idea or sentiment
without explicitly stating it
E.g., The customer’s body language
implied that he was not happy that the
flight was delayed.

Question 14

Infer
(In-fer)
Verb

Answer 14

Definition: To draw a conclusion based on
the information you are given
E.g., The geologist inferred from the rock
formations that this region had once been
below sea level.