Desperate / disparate

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.

CENSOR / CENSURE / SENSOR

1. Ministers were ___________ for their lack of decisiveness during the crisis.

2. I have been assured that there is no fault with the temperature ___________ or gauge.

3. Part of his film has been banned by the ___________.

4. His dishonest behaviour came under severe ___________.

5. The letters she received were ___________.

6. The security device has a heat ___________ which detects the presence of people and animals.

CHILLI / CHILLY

1. She was feeling a little _________, so she ate some _________ to warm herself up.

2. Cut the _________ open and remove the seeds.

3. I went to see the sales manager but got an rather _________ reception.

4. The chicken is seasoned with a blend of cayenne, _________, and black and white pepper.

CLIMACTIC / CLIMATIC

1. Some parts of the world seem to be experiencing ____________ changes.

2. She was marvellous in the ____________ sleepwalking scene in Macbeth.

3. And the final ____________ emotional moment is cringe inducing rather than searing moving.

4. Under certain ____________ conditions, desert locusts increase in number.

COMPEL / IMPEL

1. As a schoolboy he was ____________ to wear shorts even in winter.

2. She was in such a mess I felt ____________ to offer your services.

3. I wonder what it is that ____________ him to exercise all the time.

4. A sense of duty ____________ Harry to answer her questions. (s. past)

CURB / KERB

1. Traces of the stone ________ can be seen on the east side.

2. You really need to ________ your spending.

3. Works to raise ________ and improve lighting on the A414 in Danbury will begin on Monday.

4. The police are trying to ________ under-age drinking.

DEMUR / DEMURE

1. The lawyer requested a break in the court case, but the judge ___________.

2. She taught her how to act polite, ___________, obedient and respectful.

3. She gave him a ___________ smile.

4. No, no,’ he ___________, waving his hands in front of his face.

5. She agreed to his request without ___________.

DESPERATE / DISPARATE

1. The two cultures were so utterly ____________ that she found it hard to adapt from one to the other.

2. The situation is ____________ - we have no food, very little water and no medical supplies.

3. For us to succeed it is essential for ____________ groups to work together to achieve these common goals.

4. He seems to have a ____________ need to be loved by everyone.

DOUSE / DOWSE

1. We watched as demonstrators _________ a car with petrol and set it alight.

2. Now he happily _________ for earth-radiation with a pair of rods.

3. This gentleman, a Sea Bee, claimed that he could _________ for gold!

4. He grabbed a thick cloth from his pack, and _________ the torch.

DRAW / DRAWER

1. Jordy had always been a good _________, he could _________ trees amazingly.

2. The museum has turned out to be a big _________ for school children in the city.

3. They discovered a stash of money hidden at the back of a _________.

4. But despite his efforts, it’s not enough: the points are still even and the match is a _________.

ENVELOP / ENVELOPE

1. The graveyard looked ghostly, ____________ in mist.

2. The teacher opened the sealed ____________ containing the exam papers.

3. The children play at hide-and-seek and ____________ themselves in a big sheet.

4. We’re trying to push the ____________ as much as possible.