Top 25 Confusing words in English

Let’s face it- English can be a bit confusing language. It contains certain words that sounds alike but are different in writing which leads to spell-check issue every time with most of us. You will also find words that might share similar meanings but different usage. For e.g. ‘floor’ and ‘flour’ are two different words catering different meanings but similar pronunciation. Such words can be perplexing for everyday usage and even your electronic spell correct cannot detect the grammatical error you might make. Well, that’s the beauty of this language that can bring out the inquisition in you and might end up falling in love with this language. So, here is a list of top 25 confusing words that might help you in bewildering situations.

 

1. Accept– to take willingly

          Except– to exclude something

 

2. Affect– to influence

          Effect– to cause

 

3. Bare– naked

          Bear– is an animal or to carry

 

4. Break– to smash

          Brake– to stop

 

5. Serial- happening in series

          Cereal- a grass producing edible grain

 

6. Coarse- rough

          Course– a direction; a school syllabus; a part of meal

 

7. Dessert- a waterless area; to abandon someone

          Desert- a sweet dish

 

8. Dual- having two parts

          Duel- a fight or a contest between two people

 

9. Foreword– an introduction to a book

          Forward– onwards, ahead

 

10. Hear– to listen with ears

          Here– pointing towards a direction

 

11. Hole– a gap or a space

         Whole– complete, entire

 

12. Lay– to set or put down flat

         Lie– to remain in a certain place

 

13. Loose– something’s not tight

          Lose– to misplace or not able to find

 

14. No– opposite of yes, not agreeing

          Know– to understand and realize

 

15. Poll– voting in election

          Pole– a long slender piece of wood

 

16. Principal– most important; head of the school

          Principle– a fundamental rule or belief

 

17. Piece– a part or segment of something

          Peace- sense of calm

 

18. Right– a direction; something which is correct

          Write– to note down

 

19. Sight– to suspect or see

          Site– the place of incident or action

 

20. Storey– floors of a building

          Story– a narration of hypothetical or real situation

 

21. Than– comparison

         Then– denotes time (past)

 

22. To– referring preposition

         Too– in excess

        Two– counting ‘two’

 

23. Wander– to get lost in a place

         Wonder– to think or ponder upon

 

24. Were– a past verb

          We’re– we are

 

25. Your– referring noun

          You’re– you are