Vocabulary is a vast ocean and it would be well nigh impossible

to claim that one has managed to learn all words quite

different from say Mathematics (Geometry) where we can claim
to have learnt all the theorem / formulae.
In an effort to provide structured Vocabulary reading, we bring
to you some common words and their confusing alternatives.
These could be words with similar spellings but different
pronunciations called heteronyms, or words with different
spellings but similar pronunciations called homonyms.
This is, of course, not a comprehensive list and the eager
student is urged to refer to some good vocabulary building
book or internet resource to further augment his vocabulary.

CONFUSABLES.
words that have
similar spellings or
pronunciation

 Affect (v): To have an influence on as in affected his

health
Effect (v): To bring about as in effect changes
Effect (n): result or (in the plural) property
Amend: To improve
Emend: (of a text) remove errors, edit
Appraise: Estimate the value of
Apprise: To inform
Affluent : Wealthy
Effluent : Waste Water

 Adherence: firm attachment

Adherent: advocate or supporter
Ail: to cause trouble or discomfort
Ale: alcoholic beverage
Altar: the worship table
Alter: change
Antecedence: act of going before in time
Antecedents: individuals who have gone before

 Abjure : Renounce
Adjure : Beseech , Plead
Accent: way of speaking or emphasis
Ascent: upward movement
Assent: to agree

Allusion: indirect or casual mention

Illusion: presentation of a false or misleading idea
Delusion: mistaken belief of a confused state of mind
Elusion: clever escape

 Allude: to refer indirectly or casually

Elude: to avoid or to escape
Allusion: indirect reference
Illusion: false idea or image
Amoral: not subject to or lacking moral distinctions
Immoral: violating conscience or public morality
Bail: security given for release from jail
Bale: a large bundle
Bass: deep or low in sound
Base: bottom part which supports that above it

 Born: come into existence

Borne: carried or tolerated
Broach: introduce (a topic)
Brooch: ornamental pin
Bouillon: clear soup with a strong flavor
Bullion: precious metals, formed into bars
Bloc: group with shared purpose
Block: chunk, piece or hinder, oppose
Bolder: more daring
Boulder: a large rock

 Balmy: Fragrant, Aromatic, Sweet Smelling

Barmy: Crazy, Insane, Lunatic
Cache: hidden storage
Cash: money
Cannon: A gun or a stroke in Billiards
Canon: a clergyman, a law, or a term in music
Canvas: a type of cloth
Canvass: to ask for votes
Callous: unfeeling
Callus: hard thickened skin

 Censer: container for incense (agarbatti)

Censor: examines books, films etc before public
release
Censure: to disapprove
Confidant: someone in whom you confide
Confident: bold and trusting
Corps: a body of people
Corpse: a dead body
Copse: a group of trees
Capitol :A building occupied by a state legislature
Capital: A seat of government, Wealth

 Cease: stop
Seize: grab by force
Siege: prolonged period of trouble. (The enemy laid
siege to the town)
Chic: stylishness, elegance
Chick: small chicken or bird
Clich: overused expression
Click: make a light, sharp sound
Clique: small, exclusive group of people
Climactic: related to the climax
Climatic: related to the climate

 Conscious: (adj.) awake, perceiving

Conscience: (n) sense of obligation to be good
Conscientious: (adj.) careful or thorough
Cite: quote
Sight: vision
Site: exact location
Cede: yield
Seed: beginning of a new plant
Dinghy: a small boat
Dingy: dirty, grimy, in a poor condition
Discreet: tactful or prudent
Discrete: distinct or separate

 Expand: enlarge
Expend: pay out money
Expansive: broad
Expensive: costing a lot of money
Extant: still existing
Extent: limit
Expatiate: write or speak in great detail
Expiate: atone or make amends for
Ewe: female sheep
Yew: a variety of evergreen tree

 Exalt: glorify
Exult: rejoice
Essay: a short composition
Assay: chemical analysis
Erasable: of being rubbed out or removed
Irascible: easily provoked to anger
Envelop: enfold or surround completely
Envelope: container for a letter
Eminent: outstanding
Imminent: impending, about to happen soon

 Effective: producing the desired result

Efficient: producing the desired result with the least
waste
Elicit: to draw forth
Illicit: illegal
Faun: a rural god or deity
Fawn: a young deer OR to flatter
Forbear: To abstain
Forebear: An ancestor
Fortuitous: Accidental
Fortunate: lucky

 Gourmet: a connoisseur of food

Gourmand: Greedy
Grisly: horrible
Grizzly: a type of bear
Hoard: to store, accumulate
Horde: a tribe or a group
Human: (n) referring to a person
Humane: (adj.) kindness, benevolence, sympathy
Immanent: Inherent, by birth, already present
Imminent: impending, in the near future

 Idea: (n) thought, belief

Ideal: (n) something/ one embodies perfection
Ideal: (adj.) embodying an ultimate standard of
excellence or perfection
Lumbar: the lower back of the human body
Lumber (n): wood, timber
Lumber (v): to walk slowly and heavily
Lightening: make brighter or less heavy
Lighting: illumination
Lightning: electrical discharge in the atmosphere
Levee: raised portion along a river to prevent flooding
Levy: impose or collect

 Marital: relating to marriage

Marshal: peace officer
Martial: military or warlike
Material: fabric
Materiel: equipment and supplies of an army or an
organization
Mean: lacking kindness
Mien: a persons manner or appearance
Moral: good according to a standard of right and wrong
Morale: spirit or attitude
Meet: come together
Mete: apportion

 Official: authorized
Officious: meddlesome or intrusive
Ordinance: regulation or law
Ordnance: military weapons and equipment
Overdue: past the expected time
Overdo: do too much or go too far
Pail: bucket with a handle
Pale: lacking color
Partially: to some extent (partially blind)
Partly: in some parts (. based partly on facts..)

 Peak: highest point

Pique: feeling of sharp anger or resentment
Peek: a quick look
Pedal: use a foot operated lever (pedal my bicycle)
Peddle: go from place to place selling (peddle his wares)
Peer: equal
Pier: landing place for ships
Perpetrate: perform or commit
Perpetuate: preserve forever
Perquisite: special privilege accorded a position or office
Prerequisite: something required in advance

 Plaintiff: brings a case in court of law

Plaintive: sad, mournful
Palate: roof of ones mouth
Palette: a flat plate for mixing paints, used by
artists
Pallet: a platform or a mattress
Pellet: a small capsule
Persecute: harass, maltreat, oppress
Prosecute: take legal action against
Precede: go ahead of
Proceed: go forward

 Physic: medicine
Physics: a subject
Physique: well developed body structure
Populace: all the inhabitants of a place
Populous: having many inhabitants
Practicable: workable or feasible
Practical: useful, based on past performance
Prescribe: give as a direction to be followed
Proscribe: prohibit, ban or condemn
Presentiment: premonition, sixth sense
Presentment: offering of a note or bill of exchange for
acceptance or payment

 Root: origin OR cheer for

Rout: terrible defeat
Route: a well planned path
Review: a survey or a report
Revue: a musical show
Rhyme: matching of sounds in verse
Rime: frost
Scull: oar to row a boat
Skull: the bone of the head
Satire: make fun of, sarcasm
Satyr: a woodland deity / god

 Suit: a legal action, a matched set of clothes, meet

the requirement
Suite: matched furniture or connected rooms
Stake: strong stick or post
Steak: slice of meat or fish
Spacious: roomy
Specious: counterfeit, misleading, false
Soluble: capable of being dissolved in another
substance
Solvable: capable of being solved or explained
Sleight: skill and dexterity
Slight: slender

 Stationary: unmoving, fixed

Stationery: writing materials
Stile: steps, especially wooden
Style: shape or manner
Troop: a company of people
Troupe: company of performers

Tare: a plant used as a cover crop; net weight

Tear: rip apart
Tear: drop of fluid from the eye
Tier: layer or row of vertical arrangement

Told: the past tense of tell

Tolled: to ring as in: the bells tolled

 Undo: cancel or reverse

Undue: beyond what is appropriate
Urban: relating to a city or city life
Urbane: refined and sophisticated
Vice: defect or fault
Vise: tool having two jaws that can be tightened
Waiver: voluntary relinquishment of a right
Waver: go back and forth on a decision
Yoke: crosspiece holding two things together
Yolk: yellow part of an egg

Two words
or
one word ?

 All together: (adv.) considered as a whole

Altogether: (adv.) completely, entirely
All together, there are 32 students in the class.
His comment raises an altogether different issue.
Anyone: (pronoun) any person at all
Any one: (adj.+ noun) specific item in a group
Anyway: (Adv.) in any case, nonetheless
Any way: (adj.+ noun) any particular course, direction,
or manner
Every one: each, without exception
Everyone: all

 All ready: (adj.) complete preparedness

Already: (adv.) expressing time
At last I was all ready to go, but everyone had already
left.
Awhile: (adv.) for a short time. Doesnt require a
preposition
A while: (article + noun) period of time, usually used
with for
Please wait awhile.
We talked for a while.
Maybe: (adv.) perhaps
May be: (verb)
Maybe we should wait until the rain stops.
This may be our only chance to escape.

 No one: nobody
None: not one
No one came to the party
None of the children finished lunch
No body: no group
Nobody: no person
No body of laws can be called perfect.
Nobody spoke to him.
Some time: a period of time
Sometime: at an unspecified time
Sometimes: now and then
I will need some time to think.
We must have lunch sometime.
Sometimes I feel the need to shout aloud