Confusing words - part 1

Contents

1. ACCEPT / EXCEPT____________________________________________________2
2. ADVICE / ADVISE____________________________________________________2
3. AFFECT / EFFECT____________________________________________________2
4. ANYONE / ANY ONE / ANYWAY / ANY WAY_________________________________2
5. ANYTHING / EVERYTHING / ANYWHERE / EVERYWHERE______________________2
6. BESIDE / BESIDES___________________________________________________2
7. BRING / TAKE / FETCH________________________________________________2
8. DESERT / DESSERT___________________________________________________3
9. DRIVE / RIDE_______________________________________________________3
10. ECONOMIC / ECONOMICAL_____________________________________________3
11. IN / INTO__________________________________________________________3
12. IT’S / ITS__________________________________________________________3
13. LEARN / TEACH / STUDY_______________________________________________3
14. LEND / BORROW_____________________________________________________3
15. LEND / LOAN________________________________________________________4
16. LAY / LIE / LIE______________________________________________________4
17. LIVE / LIFE_________________________________________________________4
18. LOOK / WATCH / SEE_________________________________________________4
19. LOSE / LOOSE_______________________________________________________4
20. OF / OFF___________________________________________________________4
21. ONCE / ONE’S / ONES_________________________________________________4
22. OVER / ABOVE______________________________________________________5
23. PAST / PASSED______________________________________________________5
24. PERSONAL / PERSONNEL______________________________________________5
25. PIECE / PEACE______________________________________________________5
26. PRIZE / PRICE / PRISE________________________________________________5
27. QUIT / QUITE / QUIET________________________________________________5
28. RAISE / RISE________________________________________________________5
29. SAFE / SAVE________________________________________________________6
30. SAY / TELL_________________________________________________________6
31. STATIONARY / STATIONERY____________________________________________6
32. STEAL / STEEL______________________________________________________6
33. THEN / THAN________________________________________________________6
34. THERE / THEIR / THEY’RE______________________________________________6
35. THIS / THESE_______________________________________________________6
36. TO / TOO / TWO_____________________________________________________7
37. UNDER / BELOW_____________________________________________________7
38. WEATHER / WHETHER________________________________________________7
39. WHEREVER / WHERE EVER_____________________________________________7
40. WHO’S / WHOSE_____________________________________________________7
Choose the correct word from the following pairs:
1. ACCEPT / EXCEPT
1. I offered her an apology, but she wouldn’t __________ it.
2. The museum is open daily __________ Mondays.
3. Everyone was there ___________ for Sally.
4. The new telephones will ___________ coins of any denomination.

2. ADVICE / ADVISE
1. I ___________ you to see a doctor.
2. She didn’t listen to her father’s __________.
3. I’m very grateful to you for your __________.
4. I really don’t know what to ____________.

3. AFFECT / EFFECT
1. The punishment had no ________ on him. As soon as he left the prison he
began to steal again.
2. The new taxes will __________ the rich. They’ll have to pay more.
3. The higher bus fares won’t ___________ me. I have a car.
4. The medicine had an immediate _________ . I felt better at once.

4. ANYONE / ANY ONE / ANYWAY / ANY WAY

1. I love him ___________.
2. Is there ____________ of these books you didn’t like?
3. Is there _____________ I can help you?
4. ____________ can see that this is not right.

5. ANYTHING / EVERYTHING / ANYWHERE / EVERYWHERE

1. He has done ____________ in his life.
2. You can use this card _____________.
3. Have you seen my glasses ______________ ?
4. He never does ____________ for me.

6. BESIDE / BESIDES
1. There is not much to do ___________ setting the table.
2. There was a small table _____________ the bed.
3. __________ Peter and me, who else is coming to your party tonight ?
4. Sarah was ___________ herself with joy, when Tom proposed to her.
5. It was too late to go to the cinema. ___________, I was too busy.

7. BRING / TAKE / FETCH

1. Can you ________ me to the station, please ?
2. You can ________ your wife to our party.
3. This glass has been used - please _________ me a clean one.
4. Can you ________ some milk when you come home ?

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5. She ________ the dogs for a walk every morning.
6. He _________ another chair from the dining room. (s.p.)

8. DESERT / DESSERT
1. He _______ed his wife and family for another woman.
2. If you make the main course, I’ll make a __________.
3. Banyuls is an excellent _____________ wine.
4. They were lost in the Sahara ___________ for several days.

9. DRIVE / RIDE
1. Can I _______ with you ? I don’t have a car.
2. The _______ to my parents’ house takes 20 minutes.
3. Most children like to _______ on trains.
4. Can you _______ ? I’m too tired.

10. ECONOMIC / ECONOMICAL

1. It’s not very __________ to leave the lights on when you’re not in the room.
2. Because of the recent strikes, the _____________ situation of the country
is very bad.
3. She’s an economist. She’s an expert in _____________ matters.
4. It’s a very _____________ car. It uses very little petrol.

11. IN / INTO
1. The dog is ______ the house somewhere.
2. The frog changed_______ a handsome prince.
3. She put the basket ________ the boot and set off for Central Park.
4. Her books have been translated _________ more than twenty languages.

12. IT’S / ITS

1. Look at this tree. ______ leaves are so pretty !
2. “______ a very friendly dog” said ______ owner.
3. My pain was gone, but now ______ back.
4. ______ been raining, the pavement is wet.
5. Look to the dog ! ______ wagging _______ tail.

13. LEARN / TEACH / STUDY

1. His mother ________ at the university in Oxford.
2. You have to ________ to listen to your inner voice.
3. Your English will improve a lot, if you ________ every day.
4. Can you please ________ me how to make a cake ?
5. She wants to ________ how to swim.

14. LEND / BORROW

1. I can _________ you my car for the weekend.
2. She used to _________ money and not bother to pay it back.
3. He _________ a novel from the library.
4. He doesn’t like _________ing his books.

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15. LEND / LOAN
1. If you need a coat, I can ________ you one.
2. Thank you very much for the ________ of your umbrella.
3. The bank refuses to ________ to students.
4. She’s trying to get a ________ to start her own business.

16. LAY / LIE / LIE

(fill in simple past forms only)

1. The snow ________ thick on the hills.

2. Trudy ________ five eggs last week.
3. The theft ________ heavy on his conscience.
4. I suspect he ________about his age.
5. He ________his hand on my shoulder.

17. LIVE / LIFE

1. The concert was broadcast ________ on the Internet.
2. Ocean ________ is being threatened by global warming.
3. I ________ with my parents in London.
4. He touched a ________ wire and got an electric shock.

18. LOOK / WATCH / SEE

1. There is a scary man outside ________ing my house.
2. I can’t ________ any fruit juice in the fridge.
3. He ________ed at his daughter with pride in his eyes.
4. She was ________ out of the window.
5. Football is very popular and many people go and _______ matches on
Sunday.
6. Did you ________ the advert in the newspaper ?

19. LOSE / LOOSE

1. Look after that money, or you’ll _______ it.
2. That screw is a bit _______. You’d better tighten it.
3. The opposite of ‘to find’ is to _______.
4. I tied the dog to a tree but it got _______ and ran away.

20. OF / OFF
1. The boys jump _______ the bridge into the river.
2. I’m very proud _______ my son, he worked very hard.
3. Keep _______ the grass ! You mustn’t walk there !
4. You’ll find more exercises on the back _______ the page.

21. ONCE / ONE’S / ONES

1. _______ again I was left with all the washing up.
2. Why don’t you throw those gloves away and get some new _______.
3. One ought to respect _______ parents.
4. He keeps his stamps - he’s got some very rare _______ - in a fireproof safe.
5. This house _______ belonged to my grandfather.

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6. I go swimming _______ a week.

22. OVER / ABOVE

1. The car was going _______ a hundred miles an hour.
2. He broke his arm _______ the elbow.
3. The thaw is setting in _______ zero degrees Celsius.
4. He must be _______ seventy by now.

23. PAST / PASSED

1. I’ve ________ the exam!
2. She _______ the post office on her way home, but forgot to go in.
3. The thief hid in a doorway and the policeman ran _______ him.
4. It was _______ midnight when I finally got to bed.
5. The truck driver _______ a couple of cyclists before driving _______ a
parked RV.
24. PERSONAL / PERSONNEL
1. The new director is likely to make major changes in __________ .
2. Her uncle takes a __________ interest in her progress.
3. I will give the matter my ___________ attention.
4. The __________ department will help you find a flat to rent.

25. PIECE / PEACE

1. After a busy day, all I want is _______ and quiet.
2. This jigsaw puzzle has two ________ missing.
3. The _______ conference was organized by the UN.
4. The vase lay on the floor in _______.
5. The beauty queen said her favourite food was a _______ of pie and that
she’d like to see world _______.
26. PRIZE / PRICE / PRISE
1. He robbed a bank. Now he has to pay the _______.
2. Sally almost won the first _______ in the beauty contest.
3. The burglar _______ the window and climbed through.
4. Can you guess the asking _______ of this house ?

27. QUIT / QUITE / QUIET

1. Would you _______ your job if you inherited lots of money?
2. She’s got _______ a bit of money.
3. Press Q to _______ the program.
4. He’s _______ attractive but not what I’d call gorgeous.
5. Could you keep _______ while I’m on the phone, please ?
6. It was a _______ wedding, with just a few friends and relations.

28. RAISE / RISE

1. He _______ed his voice in anger.
2. The sun _______ in the East.
3. The host was very friendly. He _______ to welcome us.

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4. We were born and _______ in New York.

29. SAFE / SAVE

1. Swim lessons can _______ your children’s lives.
2. Better to be _______ than sorry.
3. It is necessary to _______ for your future.
4. I hope you have a _______ and pleasant journey.

30. SAY / TELL

1. My boss _______ me to work harder. (past s.)
2. Lisa _______ that she works in an office.
3. _______ your brother why you lied to him.
4. She _______ she probably lost her purse in the department store. (past s.)
5. How do I know ? I can’t _______ the future.

31. STATIONARY / STATIONERY

1. A __________ can print more than just wedding invitations.
2. The traffic got slower and slower until it was __________.
3. The __________ supplies are kept in that cupboard over there.
4. The motorcyclist collided with a __________ van.
5. You'll be able to get a tube of glue at the __________'s down the road.
6. The car full of __________ was __________.

32. STEAL / STEEL

1. He always _______ the show.
2. They were so poor they had to _______ in order to eat.
3. The ________ workers are on strike.
4. These _______ plates are mainly used in the automotive industry.
5. The thieves tried to _______ some _______ cables to sell as scrap metal.

33. THEN / THAN

1. We sold more products _______ we did last year.
2. This project is more challenging _______ I thought.
3. If he is sick, _______ you will have to go to the meeting.
4. Do your homework, _______ you can play.

34. THERE / THEIR / THEY’RE

1. The students are happy. They've finished _________ homework.
2. I’ve got an LCD TV. _________ much better than regular TVs.
3. ________ are many foreign students in my classroom.
4. Tom and Peter left _________ books over _________.
5. “Where are the cyclists?” asked Tom. “They’re over there on their bikes”
replied Joe.
35. THIS / THESE
1. Where were you _______ day last year ?
2. Life is expensive _______ days.
3. Are _______ your keys ?
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4. ________ is the best news I’ve heard all week !

36. TO / TOO / TWO

1. We chose for the lesser of _______ evils.
2. The parents had only just had a baby, so they decided that it was _______
early _______ try for another.
3. You can walk from here _______ the station in under 10 minutes.
4. I’ll probably rent that motorhome next year _______.
5. That son of hers should learn to stand on his own _______ feet.
6. I had my back ________ them, so I couldn’t see what they were doing.

37. UNDER / BELOW

1. He collapsed 200 metres _________ the summit.
2. The photo was hidden _________ the mattress.
3. The moon disappeared _________ the horizon.
4. This car can go from nought to sixty in _________ five seconds.

38. WEATHER / WHETHER

1. I don’t know __________ the __________ is meant to be good or bad
today.
2. Their holiday was spoilt by bad __________.
3. She can’t decide __________ she ought to marry him.
4. What’s the __________ like? Is it sunny?.

39. WHEREVER / WHERE EVER

1. _____________ have you been. I’ve been looking for you everywhere !
2. You always lose your keys ! _____________ did you put them now ?
3. I’ll find him, ______________ he has gone.
4. _____________ have you put my briefcase ? I can’t find it anywhere.

40. WHO’S / WHOSE

1. There was a picture in the paper of a man _______ house had been flooded.
2. _______ been using my computer ?
3. _______ your new business partner ?
4. _______ wallet is lying there on the floor ?
5. _______ that person over there? Is he the guy _______ wallet was stolen?

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Key

1 2 3 4 5 6
1 accept except except accept
2 advise advice advice advise
3 effect affect affect effect
4 anyway any one any way Anyone
5 everything everywher anywhere anything
e
6 besides beside Besides beside Besides
7 take bring fetch bring takes fetched
8 deserted dessert dessert desert
9 ride drive ride drive
10 economical economic economic economical
11 in into in into
12 Its It’s / its it’s It’s It’s / its
13 teaches learn study teach learn
14 lend borrow borrows lending
15 lend loan lend loan
16 lay laid lay lied laid
17 live life live live
18 watching see looked looking watch see
19 lose loose lose loose
20 off of off of
21 Once ones one’s ones once once
22 over above above over
23 passed passed past past passed,
past
24 personnel personal personal personnel
25 peace pieces peace pieces piece,
peace
26 price prize prised price
27 quit quite quit quite quiet quiet
28 raised rises rose raised
29 save safe save safe
30 told says Tell said tell
31 stationer stationary stationery stationary stationer stationery,
stationary
32 steals steal steel steel steal, steel
33 than than then then
34 their They’re There their/there They’re/
there/their
35 this these these This
36 two too, to to too two to
37 below under below under
38 whether, weather whether weather
weather
39 Where ever Wherever wherever Where ever
40 whose Who’s Who’s Whose Who’s,
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whose

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