Words Causing Confusion

English has plenty of confusing words. Correct use of some of the most common among them are given below.

Compliment (noun) – expression of approval, admiration etc.

Complement (noun) – that which makes something complete

• My compliments to your husband.
• The party must consist of fifty people. Here are forty. We need ten more to reach our complement.

Medal (noun) – flat piece of metal given as an award or made to commemorate an event
Meddle (verb) – interfere with other’s things

• He won the gold medal.
• Do not meddle with other people’s affairs.

Affect (verb) – have an effect on
Effect (noun) – result
Effect (verb) – bring about, cause to happen

• The climate affected his health.
• He was deeply affected by the sad news.
• Mongooses are not so much affected by cobra-bites as men are.
• The effect of cobra-bite on a man is often deadly.
• The new principal effected many changes in the college.

Prophesy (verb) – say what will happen in the future
Prophecy (noun) – power of telling what will happen in the future

• I prophesy that it will rain tomorrow.
• Did you hear my prophecy that it would rain tomorrow?

Stationary (adjective) – not moving or changing
Stationery (noun) – writing-materials

• When an object isn’t moving, it is stationary.
• Articles like writing paper, pencils and pens are called stationery.

Dependant (noun) – somebody who depends upon another for a home, food etc.
Dependent (adjective) – depending

• I have many dependants.
• Kids are usually dependent on their parents till they can earn enough to support themselves.

Licence (noun) – permission to do something
License (verb) – give permission to

• You must get a driving licence.
• This shop is licensed to sell tobacco.

Disease (noun) – illness of body, mind
Decease (noun) – death

• Cholera is a terrible disease.
• The deceased means the dead people.

Difference (noun)
Deference (noun) – respect

• There is no difference between this and that.
• He is very polite to his parents and treats them with great deference.

Assent (noun) – give one’s agreement to
Ascent (noun) – way up

• He gave his assent to the proposal.
• The temple is at the top of the hill and the ascent is very steep.

Illicit (adjective) – unlawful
Elicit (verb) – get an answer from somebody

• Liquor made without a licence is illicit.
• I asked him many questions to elicit what had really happened.

Eminent (adjective) – distinguished
Imminent (adjective) – likely to come or happen soon

• People whose names are familiar to everyone are not necessarily eminent.
• He is an eminent scholar.
• The sky is heavily clouded, so rain seems imminent.

Illusion (noun) – false idea or belief
Allusion (noun) – hint

• It is an illusion to think that the sun moves across the sky.
• He did not make a single allusion to the examination results in his speech.
• W B Yeats makes several allusions to Indian mythology in his poems.

President (noun) – head of a state or organization
Precedent (noun) – taken as an example of or as a rule for what comes later

• He is the President of the United States.
• I will let you do this now, but don’t take it as a precedent. I will not let you do this again.

Adverse (adjective) – hostile
Averse (adjective) – harbouring dislike to

• The officer was not promoted because there was an adverse report against him.
• He is not averse to violent methods.
• Which cat is averse to fish?

Accelerate (verb) – increase the speed
Expedite (verb) – assist and hasten the progress of

• He suddenly accelerated the car; it shot forward and soon disappeared from view.
• All steps have been taken to expedite the formation of the new state.

Application (noun) – the process of applying, enforcement
Implication (noun) – meaning implied but not explicitly stated

• The application of the tax measures will cause hardship to the middle class.
• The implications of his statement are far-reaching.

Ancient (adjective) – very old
Antique (adjective) – old-fashioned

• Some people harp on the ancient glory of Indian culture.
• In the museum we have some remarkable relics of antique sculpture.

Apprehend (verb) – grasp, get a hold on the meaning of a thing
Comprehend (verb) – understand fully

• I can apprehend the bare principles of the Theory of Relativity but I cannot comprehend the full implications of that theory.

Amiable (adjective) – lovable
Amicable (adjective) – friendly

• His amiable qualities endear him to everybody.
• We have arrived at an amicable settlement of the dispute.

Adapt (verb) – make something suitable to or for a purpose
Adopt (verb)

• Success often depends on your ability to adapt yourself to changing circumstances.
• The merchant who had no children of his own adopted John as his heir.

Avert (verb) – turn away, ward off
Invert (verb) – turn upside down

• We must make every effort to avert a Third World War.
• He inverted the bottle to show that there was not a drop left.

Advise (verb)
Advice (noun)

• I advised him to study law.
• His advice was helpful.

Affection (noun) – love
Affectation (noun) – pretence

• He has great affection for his mother.
• I hate affectation in speech and manner.

Canvas (noun)
Canvass (verb) – request votes

• This tent is made of canvas.
• The candidates have been vigorously canvassing the support of the voters.

Childlike (adjective) – like a child
Childish (adjective) – immature

• He has a childlike simplicity about him.
• His conduct is extremely immature.

Congenial (adjective) – suitable, agreeable
Congenital (adjective) – from birth

• In congenial surroundings a child’s mind develops very well.
• His blindness is congenital.

Capture (verb) – seize
Captivate (verb) – fascinate

• He was captured by his enemies.
• He was captivated by her beauty.

Compliment (noun) – expression of regard
Complement (adjective) – that which completes

• Please, convey my compliments to your brother.
• The ship has its full complement of sailors.

Confident (adjective) – sure
Confidential (adjective) – trusted, secret

• I am confident of success this time.
• I shall tell you something, but keep it confidential.

Comprehensive (adjective) – exhaustive
Comprehensible (adjective) – understandable

• This book gives a comprehensive account of the whole of English grammar.
• You must present your ideas in a lucid and comprehensible manner.

Confirm (verb) – ratify
Conform (adjective) – comply with

• The decisions of the board were later confirmed by the minister.
• This practice does not conform to the rules laid down by the committee.

Eligible (adjective) – qualified
legible (adjective) –readable

• You are not eligible for the post.
• Write legibly.

Facilitate (verb) – make easy
Felicitate (verb) – congratulate

• Audio-visual aids will facilitate the teaching of science subjects.
• We held a meeting to felicitate the winners.

Graceful (adjective) – full of grace
Gracious (adjective) – full of kindness

• She looked graceful.
• The princess was very gracious and readily agreed to preside over the women’s conference.

Industrial (adjective) – pertaining to industry
Industrious (adjective) – hard-working

• India’s industrial development in recent years has been remarkable.
  Industrious students should be encouraged and rewarded.

Ingenuous (adjective) – frank, open
Ingenious (adjective) – clever

• His ingenuous nature has made him popular.
• He has made an ingenious device that can make sugar out of coal.