Similar Words That Are Often Interchangeably Used Wrongly

Similar Words That Are Often Interchangeably Used Wrongly

1. INQUIRE/ENQUIRE: Inquire (inquiry) is a formal inquest ie, by legal, formal institutions and boards and are often documented, while enquire (enquiry) is an informal act of questioning.

2. I'M/ AM: I'm is simply a contraction of "I am" ie, it means I am. Example: I'm washing the dishes.

On the other hand, "am" is on its own a first person present form of "be". Example: I really am sorry for your loss.

3. COMPLEMENT/ COMPLIMENT: Complement means to complete. Example: He complemented the sweet taste with some added salt and spice.

Compliment means a remark, salutation and (but not limited to) flattery. Example: He complimented her beauty all night.

4. KNOW/ NO: Know means to have knowledge of; whilst No is simply the opposite of yes. Example: No, I don't know how to dance.

5. SOURCE/ SAUCE: Source is the origin of a thing, trend, phenomenon, etc. Sauce is often an added flavour to a dish/food.

Example: The source of modernity is Africa.

Example: He uses tomato sauce to consume bread.

6. CEASE/ SEIZE: To cease simply is to stop, while to seize is to confiscate, arrest or withhold.

Example: Pray without ceasing.

Example: Their results were seized by the examination body

NB: Seize should as well not be mistaken for "size"

7. INVISIBLE/ INVINCIBLE: Invisible means "not seen" (it has to do with vision), while invincible means powerful and/or untouchable.

Example: He wore an invisible cloak. It made him invincible against enemy attack.

8. REIGN/ RAIN: Reign means a period of domination, while rain refers to waterfall in drops from the sky (or a large quantity of something)

Example: During his reign, rain ceased to fall. Hence, drought and famine.

9. I (capitalized)/ i: I (when capitalized) is simply the first person perspective, while "i" is just the ninth letter of the English alphabet.

Example: I'm running late.

10. WONDER/ WANDER: Wonder means to be amazed, to wish to know, etc. Wander implies movement, to (mentally, physically or emotionally) move about.

Example: He wondered why the dog kept wandering up and about in the house. It made his mind wander searching for answers.

11. THERE/ THEIR: There simply is a (physical or mental) location (of something), whilst their is a second/third person pronoun.

Example: Their house is right there.

12. SURLY/ SURELY: Surly infers terrible, ugly, arrogant, etc while surely means definite, positive, truthful, etc.

Example: The surly waitress will surely get little or no customer appraisal.

13. IT'S/ ITS: It's is a contraction of "it is", while its is a pronoun that expresses "belonging to".

Example: Its main property is that it's very coerce and tough, slow but stable.

NB: when in doubt of which to use, substitute with "it is" to see if it fits properly in such context. Same applies for am and I'm.

14. YOUR/ YOU'RE: YOUR is a second person pronoun, while you're simply is "you are".

Example: Your dog chewed on the phone. You're therefore responsible for whatever replacement(s) must be made.

15. QUIET/QUITE: To be quiet is to be free of noise (or disturbance); quite means to a degree or extent of.

Example: The quiet reserved lad over there in suit is quite handsome as well.

READ ALSO: Words many of us use incorrectly

16. AVIOD/AFFORD: Avoid means to prevent something from happening while Afford means to be able to pay for something. 

Example: We were too poor to afford a doctor.

17. STATIONERY/STATIONARY: Stationary means static, stagnat, not moving while Stationery is pen, pencil, paper e.t.c

18. SECTION/SESSION: Section is a part of a longer thing while Session is the period of an activity. e.g court-session, school-session.

19. PRIZE/PRICE: Price is the cost of something. Prize is a gift that is usually won after a competition.

20. JUNCTURE/JUNCTION: Juncture means a point in discussion or stetch of time. Junction is a place where two or more roads meet.

21. GUARD/GUIDE: Guard is protect. e.g The King's guard while guide is to lead towards something.

22. RUNNING/RUNNY: Running means one following the other or the act of athletics or sprinting while Runny refers to the excessive production of water in the eyes or mucus in the nose, as a result of infection or cold.

23. SITE/CITE/SIGHT: Cite is to mention. Site is a new place for building a housing project while Sight is the power of seeing with the eyes.

24. MORAL/MORALE/MURAL: Moral means having to do with manners. Morale means sense of courage. Mural means painting. 

Others include: LAUNCH/LUNCH, BREAK/ BRAKE



You can also add some other Similiar words with same sound you know...