Why Learning Commonly Confused Words is Essential in English?

“I do not have many patience for this.”

“Oh, God. I have seen the affects of the cyclone.”

“Do not show off as if you have much dresses with you.”

Do these sentences sound weird to you? Do you think these are correct sentences? Are the words correctly used in sentences?

Since I have your attention now, I must tell you that all the above sentences are incorrect. It is quite high time that you learn the usage of all the similar words. It is quite essential that along with learning the various words in English, you must also learn similar words, their meanings, and their usage in different situations. 

For example, the terms affect and effect. These are two different words with different meanings and usages, but not a lot of people use these words correctly. Many people do not know the usage of these words and end up writing incorrect sentences. Similarly, the words like much and many. These words are also different, but a lot of people get confused with their usage. It is essential that you know the difference between much and many and to use them in sentences. The term ‘many’ is used to indicate numbers, whereas the term ‘much’ is used to explain the quantity of something.

Learning Commonly Confused Words in English

Whether it is synonyms or generally confused words, it is essential to learn because it helps in better communication. Learning the correct words and the correct usage of the words helps in expressing yourself and makes the communication clearer and more accurate. Many people believe that learning different difficult words can strengthen your vocabulary. But, in reality, along with learning the various words, it is also essential to learn all the words that are most commonly used and are generally confused. Although the generally confused words may sound similar or have similar spellings, the meanings are very different.

The confusing words can make it difficult for you to speak or write accurately. If you are confused between words, you can either use them in the wrong way or confuse them with the other words, resulting in incorrect meanings. Therefore, for all English learners, it is essential to first make a note of all the confusing terms. Once you master all the confusing English words, you can be a more confident speaker. Once you learn these confusing words, you will not freeze while speaking. So, if you wish to learn the commonly confused words, you can learn from English Difference Between Articles which can be your best guide. Below, we have given a few tricks for you to overcome such fears of confusion. 

What to Do When You Come Across Confusing English Words?

If you are a learner and you come across confusing words in English, do not freeze out. A good dictionary can help you overcome these situations. Having a good dictionary with you when you are confused with words is quite a good habit. Besides the dictionary, having a good book for vocabulary can also be helpful. The digital dictionary is beneficial in today’s digital world as it gives you the correct pronunciation, meaning, and usage. 

There was a time when people had to carry a dictionary and thesaurus. But, with time, the evolution of digital dictionaries has been quite helpful. The traditional dictionary and thesaurus only provide the related words and meanings, but the digital dictionary and thesaurus provide the word map. With the word map, you can reach out to similar words, confusing words, their meanings, and usage in different scenarios. This will be an easier method of reaching out to the commonly confused English words.

Commonly Confused Terms

We have listed some of the commonly confused words for your reference. 

Homophones

Words that sound similar but have different meanings.

• Aloud and allowed
• Right and write
• Die and dye
• Bare and bear
• You’re and your

Homographs

Words with the same spellings and different meanings.

• Bear
• Subject
• Object
• Bow
• Produce
• Date
• Tear
• Lie
• Content

Words with difficult spellings

• Awkward 
• Weird
• Rhythm
• Desert and Dessert
• Specially and Especially

The more words you learn, the better you will be able to communicate and the more confident you become. You can learn the various words, but keep in mind to make the learning process easier and smoother. Do not worry when you are confused with the words. There is always a way out. Learn the various words and their meanings to improve your speaking skills.