176 EASILY CONFUSED ENGLISH WORDS

 176 EASILY CONFUSED ENGLISH WORDS

1.HAVE AN APPOINTMENT vs  MEET SOMEONE

I have an appointment with my doctor 

I'm meeting my friends this weekend

2. FOR vs SINCE

For: How long something last              

Since: when something began

3. SUCH vs SO

Such: such + adj + N   (James is such a nice guy)                         

So: So +Adj  (James is so nice)

                        

4. FUN vs FUNNY

Fun: things you enjoy                           

Funny: something that makes you laugh   

5. NOTIFY vs LET S.O KNOW

Notify: thông báo   (Businesses notify their customers)                                

Let so know: thông báo (informal)  (I'm going to let my friend know)

6. BOTH vs NEITHER vs EITHER

Both= 2/2 things       (Both tea and coffee contain caffein)

Neither = 0/2 things  (In the morning, I drink either tea or coffee)                       

Either = 1/2 things    (In the morning, I drink either tea or coffee)

7. HISTORY vs STORY

History: past events based on fact

Story: real or imaged events to entertain

8. STOP TO DO vs STOP DOING

Stop to do: stop another action to do the action in the infinitive

Stop + V-ing: stop!

9. MUST vs HAVE TO: talk about obligation

Must: an obligation we decide for ourselves or others (My boss tell me "You must be more organised")

Have to: an obligation that people decide for us, a law or rule. (At BBC, we have to show our passes to enter the building)

10. TOO vs VERY

Too: it's a problem

Very: to make an adjective or adverb stronger (can be good or bad)

11. PERSON vs PERSONS vs PEOPLE VS PEOPLES

Person: a man, woman or child

Persons: plural countable noun, like people but more formal (formal written)

People: a group of humans, plural countable noun = Nation (The Aztecs were a people that live in the Americas: người Azects là một dân tộc sống ở châu Mỹ)

Peoples:  plural countable noun, come from the other meaning of people (formal written) There are many peoples on the Earth.

12. MUSTN'T vs DON'T HAVE TO

Mustn't: talk about obligations (In the house, I mustn't wear shoes)

Don't have to: not about the obligation, the choice is yours (If the teacher said: "You don't have to do homework", then the choice is yours)

13. COME BACK vs GO BACK = return

Come back: return HERE (I'm at work now. Tomorrow, I'll come back here)

 

Go back: return THERE (I'm at work know. Tonight, I'll go back home)

14. RAISE vs RISE = go up

Raise: direct object, when you raise something means you raise it up (I raise my eyebrows when I'm surprised) <Raised>

Rise: not direct object, when something rises up means it goes up by itself (The sun rises at 6a.m) <rose risen>

15. STEAL vs ROB = take something without permission

Steal: talk about object (Somebody stole my phone)

Rob: talk about victim (The man robbed a bank last night) (Someone robbed me and stole my phone)

16. EVERY TIME vs ALL THE TIME

All the time: always or usually happens (Many people think that in the UK, it rains all the time)

Every time: talk about each, individual time something happens (Every time I go to the beach, it rains)

We don't know how often I go to the beach but each time I go, it raines

17. PLAY vs DO vs GO

Play: team sports or ball games (I play football. I don't play tennis)

Do: individual activities (I do exercise. I don't do Judo)

Go: activities ending -ing (I go running. I don't go swimming)

18. THINK ABOUT vs THINK OF

Think about= consider

Think of = imagine