Confusing Words Explained

We have already talked many times about how confusing the English language can be. Following on this theme, today, we are going to have a look at pairs and groups or words that can be, and often are, easily mixed up. Some of these words sound similar, and some sound exactly the same but have different spelling and different meanings (homophones). This can be very difficult when writing in English, as generally your spell checker will not identify the wrong usage of a word, as long as the word you have used does exist. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of examples we could look at, but we will try and pick out the most frequently mistaken, and hopefully explain the difference, so you will never need to wonder which one to use again.

1. Affect / Effect

So we are starting off with a really tricky one. Let’s try to be clear about when we should use affect and when should it be effect.

Affect is a verb meaning to influence something, have an impact, and produce a change in physical or emotional feelings.

 Examples:

Smoking can adversely affect your health.

The increase in the price of petrol does not affect me, as I don’t have a car.

Effect is generally a noun and it is the result or the change that has occurred.

Examples:

The medicine had an immediate effect on the pain.

A good night’s sleep has a positive effect on your whole day!

  

2. Accept / Except

Although these words are often confused they actually have very different meanings.

To accept something is to take or receive something that has been offered to you. This covers a whole host of things such as an invitation to a party, a cup of coffee, a proposal, or a public duty or obligation. You can also accept another person’s point of view or theory meaning to regard as true.

Whereas except means "with the exclusion of".

Example

 I think I know everyone here, except that gentleman.

It can also replace “other than” in some sentences, meaning “if it were not the fact that.....”

Examples:

He never phones, except when he wants a favour!

I would make you a cup of tea, except I am too busy.

3. Lay / Lie

This tricky pair of irregular verbs causes no end of confusion!

To lay means to put or place something or someone somewhere. Whereas to lie is to assume a horizontal position, to rest or recline.

The easiest way to remember is that you lay something down, but you lie down by yourself.

So, for example, you would lie down on the bed, but you would lay your book on the bedside cabinet.

I think much confusion is caused by the fact that the past tense of to lie is to lay, but let’s leave that one for another day!

We should also remember that lie also has another meaning, which is to tell an untruth.

4. Pour/ Poor/ Pore/Paw

Yes all these sound the same, and in spoken English we would only know the right meaning by the context of the sentence they were used in. However when it comes to written English we need to make sure we use the right one or our work can become nonsensical.

To pour is to cause something to flow from a container. We may offer to pour a drink for someone.

However to be poor is to lack sufficient money to enjoy a reasonable standard of life. To be lacking essentials such as sufficient food and heat.  Poor can also be used to describe things lacking in quality, such as the standard of his work was poor, or the children had a poor diet (meaning lacking sufficient vitamins and minerals).   

   

 A pore is a minute opening in a surface, especially the skin, through which microscopic particles can pass. The beauty industry sells many products claiming to cleanse pores, leading to healthier looking, radiant skin.

Last, but not least we have paw, which is the name given to an animal’s foot. To paw, when used as a verb is to touch or feel something, usually in a clumsy or unwanted way!

I hope that these explanations have helped to clarify things a little for you. Any questions please let us know. Otherwise, see you next week with some more easy to mix up words!   

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