Name: _________________________

Commonly Confused Words:

Decent vs. Descent vs. Dissent
Decent, descent, and dissent sound a little alike, but their meanings are different.
Decent is an adjective meaning proper, polite or modest.
Example 1: He asked for a decent burial.
Example 2: The poor girl wore a decent dress to school. Dece
nt
Descent is a noun meaning the way down or passage down.
Desc
Example 1: The plane made its descent to the runway.
ent
Example 2: He is a person of Irish descent. Disse
Dissent may be a verb or noun. When it is a verb, it means to not agree. nt
As a noun it means a different opinion.
Example 1: Phillip will dissent when they vote.
Example 2: The dissent of the citizens must be recognized.

Choose decent, descent or dissent to complete each sentence.

1. It was a long _______________________ from the top of the mountain.

2. The justice will _______________________ on the ruling.

3. The young mother needed a _______________________ night’s sleep.

4. The runner was in _______________________ shape for the race.

5. There will be no _______________________ to the action of the committee.

6. The _______________________ into the cave made Edward tremble with fear.

7. Any _______________________ person would know to say thank you.

8. Religious _______________________ was common during the Reformation.

9. The ancestors of those of Italian _______________ mostly came to America in the early 20th century.

10. The worker found a _______________________ job at the factory.

Copyright © 2014 K12reader.com. All Rights Reserved. Free for educational use at home or in classrooms. www.k12reader.com
 Key
Name: _________________________

Commonly Confused Words:

Decent vs. Descent vs. Dissent
Decent, descent, and dissent sound a little alike, but their meanings are different.
Decent is an adjective meaning proper, polite or modest.
Example 1: He asked for a decent burial.
Example 2: The poor girl wore a decent dress to school. Dece
nt
Descent is a noun meaning the way down or passage down.
Desc
Example 1: The plane made its descent to the runway.
ent
Example 2: He is a person of Irish descent. Disse
Dissent may be a verb or noun. When it is a verb, it means to not agree. nt
As a noun it means a different opinion.
Example 1: Phillip will dissent when they vote.
Example 2: The dissent of the citizens must be recognized.

Choose decent, descent or dissent to complete each sentence.

1. It was a long _______________________
descent from the top of the mountain.

justice will _______________________

2. The dissent on the ruling.

young mother needed a _______________________

3. The decent night’s sleep.

runner was in _______________________

4. The decent shape for the race.

will be no _______________________
5. There dissent to the action of the committee.

_______________________
6. The descent into the cave made Edward tremble with fear.

_______________________
7. Any decent person would know to say thank you.

8. Religious dissent
_______________________ was common during the Reformation.

ancestors of those of Italian _______________

9. The descent mostly came to America in the early 20th century.

worker found a _______________________

10. The decent job at the factory.

Copyright © 2014 K12reader.com. All Rights Reserved. Free for educational use at home or in classrooms. www.k12reader.com