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GENERAL ENGLISH · GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

WORDS
OFTEN
CONFUSED
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1 Warm up

In pairs or small groups, discuss the following questions.

1. Do you know any words that get commonly confused in your language? What are their meanings?
2. Are you aware of any methods that will allow you not to confuse them?
3. Has it happened to you to mix up two words in English? Which ones?

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UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

2 Commonly confused words

Part A: Look at the box below.

Many English words are often used incorrectly. Here are some of the most common.

fewer: a smaller number, used before a countable noun

less: a smaller amount, used before an uncountable noun

among: used when talking about a group

between: used when talking about two things

farther: to a greater distance

further: to a greater degree or extent, but can also be used to talk about distance

who: refers to the subject of a sentence

whom: refers to the object of a sentence

specially: used to show a specific purpose

especially: used to put a person, thing or situation above others, to show a specific purpose

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WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

Part B: Choose the best options from the words in bold for the sentences below.

1. I really don’t know to who / whom believe. Both of you can’t be telling the truth.

2. He couldn’t choose among / between France and Spain for his holiday.

3. He especially / specially liked his new computer.

4. There was much fewer / less rain than the year before, but it still caused problems.

5. He made cheese pie especially / specially for her, as he knew it was her favourite.

6. The market was crowded yesterday. I hope there will be fewer / less people today.

7. We will find a new manager from among / between the current staff.

8. I don’t think they’ll reduce the price any farther / further. It’s already very cheap.

3 Commonly confused nouns

Part A: Match the words to the pictures

Group 1

base bass desert dessert draw drawer

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Group 2

aisle isle price prize waist waste

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Part B: Now, put the pairs of words from part A into the correct categories below.

1. pronounced the
same but spelt
differently:
2. pronounced and
spelt differently:

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WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

Part C: Now choose the correct option for each of the sentences below.

1. He put the ticket for the match in a draw / drawer to keep it safe.

2. It’s hard to measure the amount of waist / waste currently in the ocean.

3. The price / prize was a large amount of money. He spent it on a holiday.

4. It’s easy to get lost in the desert / dessert, so take enough to eat and drink.

5. The vase had a very heavy base / bass, so it was hard to lift.

6. Roberto sat next to the aisle / isle on the trip, so he could move around easily.

4 Commonly confused verbs

Part A: Look at the box below.

• Verbs can be transitive or intransitive.

• Transitive verbs are used with an object - the receiver of the action.
• Intransitive verbs are not used with an object.

• Set is a transitive verb. It has many meanings, but a common one is to put something
somewhere.

She set the shopping down on the table.

• Shopping is the direct object of the sentence.

• Sit is commonly used as an intransitive verb. It is notused with a direct object.

My grandmother sits in a chair all day long.

• Some verbs can be used as both transitive and intransitive verbs.

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Part B: Complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets. When you do the
exercise, look out for transitive and intransitive verbs.

Example: The man set (set / sit) the newspaper on the table.

1. Saskia (lay / lie) all the tables while Ramon polished glasses.

2. Eric (borrow / lend) Sophie some money to get the bus home.

3. My dog will (rise / raise) his front paw if he wants me to give him a
treat.

4. The masked men (steal / rob) a lot of money from the bank.

5. We had to (brake / break) suddenly when we went around a sharp

bend.

6. That smell (remember / remind) me of my grandfather. He was always

smoking a pipe.

5 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Complete the definitions below for words that are often confused with certain verbs.

advice breath effect except loose

1. (n): an opinion someone gives you about the best thing to do in a situation

2. (adj.): not fastened or tight

3. (preposition): but not or not including

4. (n): the result of an influence

5. (n): the air that goes in and out of your lungs

Part B: Which of these words do you get confused with?

1. advice

2. breath

3. effect

4. except

5. loose

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Now, put the correct words in these questions, and then answer them with your partner.

advice advise

a. Could you me on which book to read next?

b. Can you give me some on how to prepare for a job interview?

breath breathe

a. Do you take a deep before you start your yoga practice?

b. How often do you deeply to calm your mind?

affect effect

a. What does caffeine have on your sleep?

b. Does lack of sleep your productivity at work?

accept except

a. Did you the offer to join the company?

b. Have you ever received anything a birthday gift from your best friend?

loose lose

a. W did you wear clothing to the gym today?

b. Did you weight after following a strict diet plan?

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TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
Students share their views on the following questions, which relate to topics that will be looked at in the lesson.
Encourage students to share their views and develop their ideas, correcting any mistakes.

2. Commonly confused words

Part A:
5 mins.
Students go through the box and read about the differences between commonly confused words.
Both farther and further can be used to talk about distance, but farther cannot be used to ‘a higher level’.
It has become common to use who instead of whom. Whom is more formal, and sounds strange to native speakers
in certain contexts. For example: ’Whom did you invite to the party?’ sounds very old-fashioned and it would be
appropriate to say ’Who did you invite to the party?’
Both especially and specially can be used to say that something is for a specific purpose, but only especially is used
to mean particularly or above others.
Part B:
5 mins.
Students can work in pairs and then check their answers with the teacher.

1. whom 2. between 3. especially 4. less

5. specially 6. fewer 7. among 8. further

3. Commonly confused nouns

Part A:
5 mins.
Students can work in pairs and then check with the teacher.
Group 1:

1. base 2. desert 3. draw 4. dessert 5. drawer 6. bass

Group 2:

1. aisle 2. waist 3. isle 4. prize 5. price 6. waste

Part B:
5 mins.
Now students classify the pairs of confusing words from part A to the correct categories. First, let students do it
on their own but you may want to drill the pronunciation to show the differences.

1. PRONOUNCED THE SAME BUT SPELT DIFFERENTLY: bass/base ≀ aisle/isle ≀ waist/ waste
2. PRONOUNCED AND SPELT DIFFERENTLY: desert/dessert ≀ price/prize ≀ draw/drawer

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TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

desert: /‘dez@(r)t/ - dessert: /di‘z3:t/ (There is an ‘i’ sound in dessert but not desert.)
aisle/isle: /ail/
waist/waste: /weist/
price: /prais/ - prize: /praiz/
bass/base: /beis/
draw: /drO:/ - drawer: /drO:r/ (The ’r’ in drawer is pronounced softly.)
Part C:
5 mins.
Let students work on their own or in pairs, then check as a class. Monitor and assist as needed.

1. drawer 2. waste 3. prize 4. desert 5. base 6. aisle

4. Commonly confused verbs

Part A:
5 mins.
Students go through the box and read about the differences between commonly confused verbs.
Part B:
10 mins.
Students can work in pairs and then check with the teacher.
lay/lie: These verbs are particularly confusing as lay is the past of lie. Lay is a transitive verb, lie is an intransitive
verb and takes a preposition. To help students remember - you lay something down, but you lie down.
steal/rob: Steal is used to talk about things that were taken, whereas rob is used to talk about the person or place
from which things were taken.

1. laid 2. lent 3. raise 4. stole 5. brake 6. reminds

5. Focus on vocabulary

Part A:
10 mins.
Put students in pairs or small groups and ask them to complete this exercise. If necessary they can use dictionaries.

1. advice 2. loose 3. except 4. effect 5. breath

Part B:
5 mins.
Now, in the same pairs/groups students look for the words that might be similar in some way and by this confusing.
Assist as needed.

1. advise 2. breathe 3. affect 4. accept 5. lose

Speaking
5-10 mins.
1

a. advise b. advice
2

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TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

WORDS OFTEN CONFUSED

a. breath b. breathe
3

a. effect b. affect
4

a. accept b. except
5

a. loose b. lose

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