Assistance / assistants

Confusing words – part 9

Contents

1. ADDUCE / DEDUCE / DEDUCT__________________________________ 2

2. AFFLUENT / EFFLUENT________________________________________ 2

3. AID / AIDE________________________________________________ 2

4. ALIGHT / LIGHT_____________________________________________ 2

5. ALLUDE / ELUDE____________________________________________ 2

6. ALTHOUGH / BUT____________________________________________ 2

7. AMBIGUOUS / AMBIVALENT / EQUIVOCAL_________________________ 3

8. AMUSE / BEMUSE___________________________________________ 3

9. ANT / AUNT________________________________________________ 3

10. AROUSE / ROUSE___________________________________________ 3

11. ASSISTANCE / ASSISTANTS____________________________________ 3

12. AUGER / AUGUR____________________________________________ 3

13. AVENGE / REVENGE_________________________________________ 4

14. BAIL / BALE________________________________________________ 4

15. CENSOR / CENSURE / SENSOR_________________________________ 4

16. CHILLI / CHILLY_____________________________________________ 4

17. CLIMACTIC / CLIMATIC_______________________________________ 4

18. COMPEL / IMPEL____________________________________________ 4

19. CURB / KERB_______________________________________________ 5

20. DEMUR / DEMURE___________________________________________ 5

21. DESPERATE / DISPARATE_____________________________________ 5

22. DOUSE / DOWSE____________________________________________ 5

23. DRAW / DRAWER____________________________________________ 5

24. ENVELOP / ENVELOPE________________________________________ 5

25. ESPECIALLY / SPECIALLY______________________________________ 6

26. FEWER / LESS______________________________________________ 6

27. FINALLY / FINELY____________________________________________ 6

28. FLAIR / FLARE______________________________________________ 6

29. FOREWORD / FORWARD______________________________________ 6

30. LAID / LAIN________________________________________________ 6

31. LAST / TAKE_______________________________________________ 7

32. LOW / SHORT______________________________________________ 7

33. MINIMAL / NOMINAL_________________________________________ 7

34. PASS AWAY / PASS OUT_______________________________________ 7

35. PATIENCE / PATIENT’S / PATIENTS_______________________________ 7

36. RING / WRING______________________________________________ 7

37. SERVE / SERVICE___________________________________________ 8

38. TURBID / TURBULENT / TURGID_________________________________ 8

39. VAIN / VANE / VEIN__________________________________________ 8

40. WADE / WEIGHED___________________________________________ 8

 

Choose the correct word from the following pairs:

ADDUCE / DEDUCE / DEDUCT

1. The player had points ___________ for arguing with the referee.

2. Rather, before even ___________ the evidence, they have already made up their minds that the answer is ‘yes’.

3. The ___________ that the fish died because of water pollution.

4. A number of factors are ___________ to explain the situation.

5. The landlord said he would ___________ the amount from the housing deposit.

6. We cannot ___________ very much from these figures.

AFFLUENT / EFFLUENT

1. Cigarette smoking used to be commoner among ____________ people.

2. Ground water is polluted by industrial ____________ and human waste.

3. He is becoming more and more ____________.

4. ____________ from local factories are finding their way into the river.

AID / AIDE

1. A former ________ has published a book about his experiences in the White House.

2. A woman in the street saw that he was in trouble and came to his ________.

3. A thesaurus is a useful ________ to writing.

4. The prime minister instructed his ________ not to speak to the press about the matter.

5. About a fifth of the country’s income is in the form of foreign ________.

ALIGHT / LIGHT

1. The suspect ___________ from the train atEuston and proceeded to Heathrow.

2. The lamp caught fire and set ___________ to the curtains.

3. He was smoking in bed and his blankets caught ___________.

4. It’s a north-facing room so it doesn’t get much ___________.

ALLUDE / ELUDE

1. The thief ___________ the authorities for months.

2. She had a way of ___________ to Jean but never saying her name.

3. After three years, the cup still ___________ him.

4. She mentioned some trouble that she’d had at home and I guessed she was ___________ to her son.

ALTHOUGH / BUT

1. Edinburgh is an interesting place ___________ it takes a long time to get there.

2. Grace is an excellent athlete ___________ she injured her leg recently.

3. Harry is a great friend ___________ we don’t see each other often.

4. Laura cooked roast beef for me ___________ I don’t eat meat.

AMBIGUOUS / AMBIVALENT / EQUIVOCAL

1. He has fairly _____________ feelings towards his father.

2. What do you think the title really means? It’s rather _____________, isn’t it?

3. They are _____________ and, in some cases, they are just wrong.

4. If you don’t use the correct grammar the meaning can be a bit _____________ and lead to confusion.

5. His words to the press were deliberately _____________ - he didn’t deny the reports but neither did he confirm them.

6. Some loved her, some hated her, few were _____________ about her.

AMUSE / BEMUSE

1. Sue was __________ by her boyfriend’s strange behaviour.

2. Joan was not __________ by the joke her brother told.

3. He was __________ by what was happening.

4. I think it __________ him to see people make fools of themselves.

ANT / AUNT

1. She always behaves badly when her ________ come to visit.

2. A hundred hungry ________ came to our picnic.

3. My ________ is afraid of ________. She gets hysterical when she sees one.

4. I’ve got ________ I my pants - I can’t wait to get started on my experiment.

AROUSE / ROUSE

1. She finally __________ herself at lunchtime and got out of bed.

2. Both lectures __________ a lot of interest I the subject of geology. (s. past)

3. The goal __________ the supporters and they began to really get behind the team.

4. The programme __________ strong feelings, as you can see by the number of letters received.

ASSISTANCE / ASSISTANTS

1. A hurling team managers, their _____________ and parents are asked to attend.

2. We hope this financial contribution will be of _____________.

3. I own many people my thanks for their support and _____________ during the preparation of this book.

4. She returned to the store and, with the help of two _____________, found a wig she liked.

AUGER / AUGUR

1. The workmen need an _________ to remove the material from the pipe.

2. The company’s sales figures for the first six months _________ well for the rest of the year.

3. We use the _________ to drill holes, the sweeper to sweep the parking lot, the hammer to bust concrete.

4. The movement of troops _________ ill for the peace of the area.

AVENGE / REVENGE

1. He wants to __________ the murder of his brother.

2. He wants __________ for the murder of his brother.

3. She took __________ on him for leaving her by smashing up his car.

4. She determined to herself on the killer.

BAIL / BALE

1. The girl is charged with manslaughter and is on ________ awaiting trial.

2. The sheepherder went over to his storage hut and brought out one ________ of wool.

3. Calcot, Bakersfield, Calif., has annual sales of 1.4 million ________ of cotton.

4. Because of a previous conviction, the judge refused to grant ________.

5. The straw is left on the field to be ________ later.

6. It was so boring I ________ early.