Vocabulary
Commonly confused words, one pair per page
Some English words sound alike or look alike, and the difference is one small rule. Each page explains both words in plain English, shows the pattern in examples, and ends with a 15-question drill where every answer is explained.
How to use these pages
Pick the pair that confuses you
Choose a pair you have mixed up before, not the one that looks easiest. The pairs at the top are for beginners; the pairs at the bottom are for upper-intermediate learners.
Read the meaning of each word
Learn each word on its own before you compare them. The meanings box gives the part of speech and the job of the word in a sentence, without grammar jargon.
Fix it with the drill
15 short sentences, marked the moment you choose an answer. Every answer comes with the reason, so a wrong answer teaches the rule that the right answer would have tested.
These pages are about word choice, not grammar rules. If you want the tenses and the sentence patterns, start with the grammar topics and use the CEFR map to work by level.
A1-A2
Vocabulary pairs at CEFR A1-A2.
Make vs do
Make creates a result you can point at. Do performs a job or activity, often a routine one. The fixed phrases decide the rest.
15 instant-marked questions
Bring vs take
Bring moves something here, to the speaker or the shared place. Take moves something there, away from the speaker.
15 instant-marked questions
Hear vs listen
Hear is what reaches your ears without trying. Listen means you pay attention to the sound on purpose.
15 instant-marked questions
There, their or they're
There names a place or introduces a thing. Their belongs to them. They're is the short form of they are.
15 instant-marked questions
Your vs you're
Your means belonging to you. You're is the short form of you are.
15 instant-marked questions
To, too or two
To with one o points the way or introduces a verb. Too with two o's means also or more than enough. Two spells the number 2.
15 instant-marked questions
A2
Vocabulary pairs at CEFR A2.
Its vs it's
Its means belonging to it, with no apostrophe. It's is the short form of it is or it has.
15 instant-marked questions
Fun vs funny
Fun is the enjoyment you feel. Funny is what makes you laugh. Funny also means strange.
15 instant-marked questions
Desert vs dessert
Desert has one s and means dry land or to leave someone. Dessert has two s’s and is the sweet food after a meal.
15 instant-marked questions
Peace vs piece
Peace means calm, quiet and no fighting. Piece means a part or portion of something.
15 instant-marked questions
A2-B1
Vocabulary pairs at CEFR A2-B1.
Quiet vs quite
Quiet is about low noise and has two syllables. Quite is an adverb that makes the next word stronger: quite good means fairly good.
15 instant-marked questions
Then vs than
Then tells you when or what is next. Than compares one thing with another after a comparative word.
15 instant-marked questions
Affect vs effect
Affect is the action and effect is the result. If the or an fits in front of the word, effect is the one you need.
15 instant-marked questions
Borrow vs lend
Borrow means you receive and give back. Lend means you give and get back. The preposition from and the person after the verb tell you which one to use.
15 instant-marked questions
Fewer vs less
Fewer goes with plural countable nouns, like fewer cars. Less goes with uncountable nouns and measurements, like less traffic.
15 instant-marked questions
Lose vs loose
Lose is a verb: to stop having something, or to not win. Loose is an adjective: not tight and not fixed.
15 instant-marked questions
Advice vs advise
Advice is the thing you receive. Advise is the action of giving it. The ending sound follows the job: ice for the noun, eyes for the verb.
15 instant-marked questions
Weather vs whether
Weather is the condition outside. Whether means if, usually when there are two choices.
15 instant-marked questions
Speak vs talk
Speak is for languages and formal or one-way moments. Talk is for conversation and friendly exchange.
15 instant-marked questions
Learn vs teach
Learn means you receive knowledge or a skill. Teach means you give that knowledge to someone else.
15 instant-marked questions
B1
Vocabulary pairs at CEFR B1.
Especially vs specially
Especially means particularly or above all. Specially means for a special purpose, and it usually goes with made, designed or trained.
15 instant-marked questions
Rise vs raise
Rise means to go up by itself, with no object. Raise means to move something up or increase it, so it always needs an object.
15 instant-marked questions
Lie vs lay
You lie down, but you lay something down. Lie has no object, lay needs one, and the past of lie is lay, which is the root of the confusion.
15 instant-marked questions
Practice vs practise
In British English, practice with a c is the noun and practise with an s is the verb. American English uses practice for both.
15 instant-marked questions
B1-B2
Vocabulary pairs at CEFR B1-B2.
Stationary vs stationery
Stationary with -ary means not moving. Stationery with -ery means the paper and pens you write with.
15 instant-marked questions
Complement vs compliment
Complement with an e means to complete or go well with something. Compliment with an i is the praise you give or receive.
15 instant-marked questions
Sight, site or cite
Sight is about seeing, site is a place or a website, and cite means to quote a source.
15 instant-marked questions
Remember vs remind
Remember is memory that stays in your own head. Remind means to make someone else remember, so it needs a person after the verb.
15 instant-marked questions
B2
Vocabulary pairs at CEFR B2.
Who vs whom
Who does the action, like he. Whom receives the action, like him, and often follows a preposition.
15 instant-marked questions
Principal vs principle
Principal means main, or the head of a school, or the capital sum of a loan. Principle is always a noun: a rule or a belief.
15 instant-marked questions
What to do next
Read the page for your pair, then take the drill. When the drill feels easy, check the CEFR level map for the grammar topics at the same level, browse the common English idioms, or test your overall level with the free A1 to C2 level test.