Commonly Confused Words

• Abut

  To border or lie next to
• About

  Almost or nearly
• Accept

  To agree to something or receive something willingly
• Except

  To exclude or omit
• Adapt


  To make apt or suitable; to adjust
• Adopt

  To opt or choose as one's own; to accept
• Adapt

  To adjust
• Adopts

  Takes in, takes up, or votes for
• Adepts

  Always incorrect
• Adds

  Combines or expands
• Advice

  Suggestion or guidance
• Advise

  To suggest or give advice to
• Affect


  To influence or to pretend
• Effect


  To accomplish or produce as a result (verb); result (noun)
• Agree to

  To agree to a plan of action
• Agree with

  To agree with someone else
• Agree on

  To agree with others on a course of action
• Aid

  Help or assistance (noun or verb)
• Alde

  Always incorrect
• LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY POINTERS: Commonly Confused Words
• Ail

  To feel unwell or have pain (noun or verb)
• Ale


  A type of drink
• All of

  Unnecessary except before pronouns
• Allusion

  A reference to something
• Illusion

  A false idea or faulty interpretation of the facts
• Already

  Even now or previously (adverb)
• All ready

  Completely prepared (adjective phrase)
• Alters

  Changes (verb)
• Altars

  Tables used in religious ceremonies (noun)
• Altogether

  Entirely or on the whole
• All together

  All parts of a group considered together
• Angry with

  Angry at a person
• Angry at

  Angry at a thing
• Assess

  To evaluate (verb)
• Asses


  The animal (plural noun)
• Augur

  A prophet or the act of prophesying (noun or verb)
• Auger

  A tool (noun)
• Bare

  Undressed, simple, or to reveal (adjective or verb)
• Bear

  The animal or to support or produce (noun or verb)
• Beet

  The plant (noun)