This document discusses words that are often confused and misused. It provides examples of commonly confused word pairs like accept/except, advise/advice, affect/effect, borrow/lend, can/may, complement/compliment, continual/continuous, emigrate/immigrate, fewer/less, precede/proceed, raise/rise, aggravate/irritate, bad/badly and gives their correct definitions and examples of proper usage to help distinguish between them. The document aims to help clarify the differences between words that have similar sounds or meanings but different accepted usages.

1. (Words often confused and misused)

2.  Many words, for what ever reason, are often
confused with another word and therefore
misused. Sometimes the words look or sound
somewhat alike, or they may have a
somewhat similar meaning but have different
accepted usages.

3.  Accept – means to receive or to agree to
something
Example: “He did not accept the position”
 Except- means to exclude or leave out.
Example: “Everyone except John is here”.
1. Everybody attended the review
( accept,except) Kyn because he
2. ( accepted, excepted)my proposal.

4.  Advise- is a verb meaning an act of guidance
Example: Advise her what she should do.
 Advice- is a noun meaning a
recommendation that is given.
Example: He gave me his advice.
3. My mother ( advise, advice ) me to see
the doctor.
4. Thanks for the ( advise, advice).

5.  Affect- is a verb meaning to influence.
Example: His attitude will affect his chances.
 Effect- is a noun indicating a result or
outcome.
Example: What is the effect of smoking?
5. I was not ( affected, effected) by the
rumors.
6. This is the ( affect, effect) of rumors.

6.  Borrow – means that the person is taking or
wishes to take.
Example: May I borrow your car?
Lend – means to give or to let use.
Example: I am going to lend him my car.
7. Mikko wants to ( borrow, lend ) his book
to me.

7.  Can- means to be able or capable of doing
something.
Example: He can operate the machine.
( is able to )
 May- means to seek or give permission.
Example: He may operate the machine.
( giving permission)
8. (Can, May)I go out of the room?

8.  Complement – refers to people or things that
go well or work well together.
Example: The vinegar complements with
chicharong bulaklak.
 Compliment – means to praise.
Example: They complimented us on the
increased sales.
9. How I wish he will ( complement, compliment )
me for the things I’ve done for him.

9.  Continual- refers to something that occurs
regularly, but with interruption.
Example: His continual complaints are
irritating.
 Continuous – means something that occurs
without a pause.
Example: The rain continuously pours.
12. She ( continually, continuously ) escaped
from her classes.

10.  Emigrate - means to leave one’s country to
settle to another.
Example: To avoid political persecution, he
emigrated from Russia.
 Immigrate – means to enter a new country to
settle there.
Example: Because of political persecution, he
immigrated to the United States.
13. They (immigrate, emigrate) to Korea.

11.  Fewer – is used for things that can be
counted.
Example: We have had fewer plant accidents
this year.
 Less – is used for things or ideas that cannot
be counted.
Example: He is less qualified than she is.
14. Put ( fewer, less) sugar in your coffee.

12.  Precede – means to come or go before
someone or something.
Example: The band will precede the float.
Careful investigation should
precede any action.
 Proceed – means to go on, usually after any
interruption.
Example: We can now proceed to the plan

13.  Raise – means to lift or raise. It requires an
object.
Example: Those who agree, raise your hand.
 Rise – means to get up or go up. It requires
no direct object.
Example: Please rise when the President
enters.
17. Don’t ( raise, rise) unless you are being called.
Just 18. ( raise, rise ) a question later.

14.  Aggravate – means to make worse ( a
situation or condition)
Example : His actions aggravated the
situation.
The rubbing aggravated the wound.
 Irritate – means to annoy or to make sore.
Example: The loud noise irritated me.
My skin is quite irritated.
19. The new shampoo you bought
( aggravates, irritates) my scalp.

15.  Bad – is an adjective meaning disagreeable,
offensive, defective.
Example: Mother feels bad this morning.
There is a bad odor inside the room.
 Badly – is an adverb meaning in a bad
manner.
Example :We are badly needed in the clinic.
20. He behaved ( bad, badly) in the meeting.

16. Thank you!
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Shyrell-Dablio-Gestosani