Commonly Confused Words

abstract vs concrete

Concrete refers to what exists physically and can be seen, touched, heard or measured: <em>She put the concret...

accept vs except

Accept is a verb meaning to receive or agree to something: "She accepted the job offer." Except is usually a p...

accuracy vs precision

<em>Accuracy</em> is how close a value is to the truth; <em>precision</em> is how fine or how repeatable it is...

active vs passive

In the <strong>active</strong> voice the subject performs the action: <em>the committee rejected the proposal<...

acute vs chronic

Acute means sudden in onset and short in duration: <em>she was admitted with acute appendicitis</em>. Chronic...

addition vs edition

An <em>addition</em> is something added to what was already there: "the conservatory is a recent addition to t...

advice vs advise

Advice is a noun: the guidance itself, as in <em>her advice saved me a fortune</em>. Advise is a verb: the act...

affect vs effect

"Affect" is almost always a verb meaning to influence or change something ("The rain affected our plans"). "Ef...

albeit vs although

Albeit introduces a short phrase with no subject and verb of its own, while although introduces a complete cla...

alone vs lonely

Alone states a fact: nobody else is there. <em>I live alone and I like it.</em> Lonely describes a feeling: yo...

altar vs alter

An altar is a raised table used for worship or sacrifice: "They exchanged vows at the altar." To alter is to c...

alternate vs alternative

<em>Alternate</em> means every other one, or taking turns: <em>The bins are collected on alternate Tuesdays.</...

although vs though

As conjunctions joining two clauses, they mean exactly the same thing and are interchangeable: "Although the f...

among vs amongst

There is no difference in meaning or grammar: <strong>among</strong> and <strong>amongst</strong> are intercha...

among vs between

Use between when the things are separate and individually in play, however many there are: "the differences be...

angry vs annoyed

Both describe displeasure, but they sit at different strengths: annoyed is mild, passing irritation, while ang...

anxious vs eager

<em>Anxious</em> carries worry: "I'm anxious about the results." <em>Eager</em> carries keen anticipation: "Sh...

anybody vs anyone

There is no difference in meaning: anybody and anyone are interchangeable in every ordinary sentence. "Has any...

anyway vs anyways

Anyway is the standard form and the one to use in writing: "The train was late, but we got there anyway." Anyw...

apartment vs flat

These are the same thing under two dialect labels: a self-contained home inside a larger building. American En...

as vs because

<em>Because</em> gives the reason and answers the question 'why?': 'We left early because it started raining.'...

assure vs ensure

<strong>Assure</strong> means to remove someone's doubt, and it takes a person as its object: <em>I assured he...

attorney vs lawyer

Lawyer is the broad term for anyone qualified in law: "she trained as a lawyer". Attorney strictly means someo...

aye vs eye

Aye means yes — it is the word used in formal votes and at sea: "The ayes have it." An eye is the organ you se...