Confusing words – part 8

Contents
1. A LONG / ALONG_________________________________________________2
2. ACCENT / ASCENT / ASSENT_______________________________________2
3. ADVENTURE / VENTURE___________________________________________2
4. AFFRONT / EFFRONTERY___________________________________________2
5. AISLE / ISLE____________________________________________________2
6. ALL TOGETHER / ALTOGETHER______________________________________2
7. ALLUSIVE / ELUSIVE______________________________________________3
8. ALTERNATE / ALTERNATIVE________________________________________3
9. AMORAL / IMMORAL______________________________________________3
10. AMID / AMONG__________________________________________________3
11. ANECDOTE / ANTIDOTE___________________________________________3
12. APPRAISE / APPRISE______________________________________________3
13. ARTIST / ARTISTE________________________________________________3
14. ASSUME / PRESUME______________________________________________4
15. AURAL / ORAL___________________________________________________4
16. AVOCATION / VOCATION__________________________________________4
17. BREACH / BREECH_______________________________________________4
18. CERTAIN / CURTAIN______________________________________________4
19. COARSE / COURSE_______________________________________________4
20. CUE / QUEUE____________________________________________________4
21. DEFUSE / DIFFUSE_______________________________________________5
22. DRAFT / DRAUGHT_______________________________________________5
23. DUAL / DUEL____________________________________________________5
24. ELICIT / ILLICIT_________________________________________________5
25. ERRAND / ERRANT_______________________________________________5
26. FINALLY / AT LAST / LASTLY / IN THE END____________________________5
27. FLAUNT / FLOUT_________________________________________________6
28. FLOUNDER / FOUNDER____________________________________________6
29. FREEZE / FRIEZE_________________________________________________6
30. GRISLY / GRISTLY / GRIZZLY_______________________________________6
31. HOARD / HORDE_________________________________________________6
32. HOLLY / HOLY / WHOLLY__________________________________________7
33. LIVE / STAY_____________________________________________________7
34. LOATH / LOATHE_________________________________________________7
35. LOOK AFTER / LOOK BACK / LOOK FORWARD__________________________7
36. METER / METRE__________________________________________________7
37. PALATE / PALLET / PALETTE________________________________________7
38. PEDAL / PEDDLE_________________________________________________8
39. SHORTAGE / SHORTNESS__________________________________________8
40. TORTUOUS / TORTUROUS__________________________________________8
Choose the correct word from the following pairs:

1. A LONG / ALONG
1. We walked _________ the beach collecting small crabs in a bucket.
2. He had _________ way to go before he can present the plans to the public.
3. We were going _________ at about 50 miles an hour.
4. _________ line of traffic edged its way forward.

2. ACCENT / ASCENT / ASSENT

1. They cheered the ___________ of the hot-air balloon.
2. She’s French but she speaks with an impeccable English ___________.
3. Have they ___________ to the terms of the contract?
4. It was a tough course over a gradual ___________.
5. Pay attention to the ___________ on the words, because they show you how to
pronounce them.
6. Once the directors have given their ___________ to the proposal we can begin.

3. ADVENTURE / VENTURE
1. She advised us to look abroad for more lucrative business _____________.
2. Coming to your screens shortly, the amazing _____________ of “Robin Hood”.
3. Sam won’t come - he’s got no sense of _____________.
4. As we set off into the forest, we felt as though we were _____________ into the
unknown.

4. AFFRONT / EFFRONTERY
1. He regarded the comments as an _____________ to his dignity.
2. He was silent all through the meal and then had the _____________ to
complain that I looked bored.
3. Turning his back on me was a deliberate _____________.
4. One juror had the _____________ to challenge the coroner’s decision.

5. AISLE / ISLE
1. There are the Bikini Islanders, a gentle people who consider the tiny _________
their home.
2. Would you like an _________ seat or would you prefer to be by the window?
3. This season a floaty chiffon knee-length skirt paired with a Fair _________
sweater or a tweedy jacket will look extremely hip.
4. I spend much of my time at the shops, wandering through the _________.

6. ALL TOGETHER / ALTOGETHER

1. We are _______________ to celebrate his anniversary.
2. The book was € 13.50 and the magazine was € 5.25, so it was € 18.75
_______________.
3. Put your clothes _______________ in one pile and I’ll wash them for you.
4. She wrote less and less often, and eventually she stopped _______________.

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7. ALLUSIVE / ELUSIVE
1. The answers to these questions remain as ___________ as ever.
2. Her music is witty, ironic, and ___________.
3. I’m tired of his ___________ speech. He should just say what he means.
4. I had no luck in tracking down this ___________ man.

8. ALTERNATE / ALTERNATIVE
1. This dessert with ______________ layers of chocolate and cream is delicious.
2. High vehicles must take an ______________ route because of low clearance
under the bridge.
3. An ______________ venue for the concert is being sought.
4. Sarah agreed to continue therapy on an ______________ week schedule.

9. AMORAL / IMMORAL
1. Humans, he argues, are __________ and what guides them is not any sense of
morality but an instinct for survival.
2. The council judged the film to be __________ and obscene.
3. The client pays for the __________ expertise of the lawyer.
4. It’s an __________ tax, because the pour will pay relatively more.

10. AMID / AMONG

1. ________ the chaos he went mad.
2. He preferred the first wine ________ the four options.
3. She enjoyed being ________ her friends.
4. The two prisoners escaped ________ the confusion that followed the fire.

11. ANECDOTE / ANTIDOTE

1. He has a talent for recollection and ___________.
2. Sales of nerve gas ___________ increased dramatically before the war.
3. He told one or two amusing ___________ about his years as a policeman.
4. Regular exercise is the best ___________ to tiredness and depression.

12. APPRAISE / APPRISE

1. The president has been ____________ of the situation.
2. At the end of each teaching practice, trainee teachers are asked to
____________ their own performance.
3. He had the stamp collection ____________ by an expert.
4. Have the customers been fully ____________ of the advantages?

13. ARTIST / ARTISTE

1. The competition is intended for upcoming ___________ and not for
professionals.
2. A good ___________ can produce a very realistic effect using only light and
shade.
3. There was a magic show and a puppet show by ___________ who had come all
the way from Tilonia.

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4. He described her as one of the greatest film ___________ of the 20th century.

14. ASSUME / PRESUME

1. I ___________ you knew each other because you went to the same school;
2. Two of the journalists went missing and are ___________ dead.
3. I ___________ the role of the aggressor in the conversation. (s.p.)
4. He had ___________ too great a level of familiarity.

15. AURAL / ORAL

1. Only in borderline cases will pupils have an ________ exam.
2. My cousin has an ________ impairment, so he uses a hearing aid.
3. The information can be hold in written, ________, or visual form.
4. They rely on ________ interviews rather than written ones.

16. AVOCATION / VOCATION

1. My father is a chemist but painting is his ____________.
2. Jim’s ____________ is teaching, though his hobby is bee keeping.
3. Even then, farming for them was a hobby, an ____________, a link to a way of
life that was slipping away.
4. Not all of us have a ____________ to be nurses or doctors.

17. BREACH / BREECH

1. René rose and picked up the rifle, checking the ___________ in the firelight to
make sure it was loaded.
2. They stopped paying their rent, which was a ___________ of the rental
agreement.
3. We ___________ the perimeter of the facility by cutting a hole in the fence.
(s.p.)
4. He was a ___________ birth but emerged fit and well weighing six pounds

18. CERTAIN / CURTAIN

1. __________ of the candidates were well below the usual standard, but others
were very good indeed.
2. The song has a __________ appeal, but I’m not sure what it is.
3. The could see nothing through the __________ of smoke.
4. The police seem __________ they will find the people responsible for the attack.
5. I’m trying to match up this wallpaper with some suitable __________ material.

19. COARSE / COURSE

1. He needs to take a _________ of antibiotics to get over the infection.
2. The wool sweater felt _________ against her skin.
3. His language was _________ and caused quite a stir.
4. The _________ comprises a class book, a practice book and an audio tape.
5. I assume they plan to have children in the _________ of time.
6. Of _________ my face is _________ – I haven’t shaved for a few days.

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20. CUE / QUEUE
1. They started washing up, so that was our ________ to leave the party.
2. She was at the head of the ________ but I was at the tail end.
3. I was just wondering where Sarah was, when, right on ________, she came in.
4. There’s a ________ of companies wanting to sell the product.

21. DEFUSE / DIFFUSE

1. Television is a powerful means of ____________ knowledge.
2. Bomb disposal experts have ____________ a 110-pound bomb at a subway
station this afternoon.
3. The negotiator successfully ____________ the situation (s.p.)
4. The drop of red dye ____________ slowly in the water. (s.p.)

22. DRAFT / DRAUGHT

1. He shut the door so quickly that it blew a ___________ across the room.
2. They hired an architect to ___________ the plans for their new home.
3. The heavy curtains at the windows cut out ___________.
4. This is only a rough ___________ - the finished article will have pictures too.
5. He ended, and emptied his tankard in a single ___________.

23. DUAL / DUEL

1. The two men fought a _______ over the lady.
2. This room has a _______ purpose, serving as both a study and a dining room.
3. Everything he says has a _______ meaning.
4. The two boxers are locked in a _______ for the championship title.

24. ELICIT / ILLICIT

1. The questionnaire was intended to __________ information on eating habits.
2. Suspecting that his wife was having an __________ affair, he warned her to
stop.
3. He was hopeful that his request would __________ a positive response.
4. The UN estimated that the __________ drug trade is worth billions every year.

25. ERRAND / ERRANT

1. I’ll meet you at six, I’ve got some ___________ to run first.
2. His ___________ son ran up debts of over £3000.
3. A mountaineer and his St Bernard setting off on an __________ of mercy.
4. No search parties are sent out for the ___________ travellers.
5. Leave the car at home, walk for short ___________ or use your bike.

26. FINALLY / AT LAST / LASTLY / IN THE END

1. There were no taxis and we _____________ got home at 2 pm.
2. She has _____________ given me the book she promised me.
3. We need eggs, milk, sugar, bread and, _____________, we mustn’t forget
yoghurt for Dad.

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4. We were going to ski in Austria, then the South of France and _____________
we decided to go to Italy.
5. I’ve thanked my parents but _____________ I must thank all my friends for
their help.
6. And then, _____________, after months of discussion they offered to buy our
house.
7. They’re here _____________ !! We’ve been waiting half an hour.
8. She had over twenty interviews but Jasmine has _____________ got a job as a
journalist.

27. FLAUNT / FLOUT

1. Many motorcyclists ____________ the lax by not wearing helmets.
2. He’s got a lot of money but he doesn’t ____________ it.
3. The orchestra decided to ____________ convention, and wear their everyday
clothes for the concert.
4. Flavio was ____________ his tan in a pair of white trunks.

28. FLOUNDER / FOUNDER

1. He lost the next page of his speech and _____________ about for a few
seconds.
2. The ferry _____________ in a heavy storm, taking many of the passengers and
crew with it. (s.p.)
3. She is the _____________ and managing director of the company.
4. His car _____________ around in the mud. (s.p.)
5. The scheme _____________ because of lack of organizational backing. (s.p.)

29. FREEZE / FRIEZE

1. She’ll prepare the food ahead of time and _________ it.
2. She came out with a revolver and told the boys to _________.
3. The walls were decorated with a _________ of horses.
4. Without a sleeping bag, you would _________ to death out here on the
mountainside.
5. He wore a woman’s loose gown of _________, blue trousers, and large torn
boots.

30. GRISLY / GRISTLY / GRIZZLY

1. A __________ bear is a very large, greyish-brown bear from North America.
2. The gang committed a series of __________ crimes.
3. At the years went on he became __________ in appearance.
4. The beef was extremely __________.
5. The 55-year-old Canadian had suffered a __________ death.

31. HOARD / HORDE

1. Archaeologists found a __________ of treasures in an Egyptian tomb.
2. The store was filled with __________ of people pushing and shoving to get at
the sales items.
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3. Fearing a natural disaster, he __________ enough canned goods and bottled
water to fill a large shed. (s.p.)
4. When they heard the concert was free, they came in their __________.

32. HOLLY / HOLY / WHOLLY

1. She believes that the union of man and woman in _________ matrimony is for
ever.
2. Nothing and no one is ever _________ good nor _________ bad, whatever we
may think.
3. Every garden should have _________ with berries for Christmas.
4. King Arthur searched for the _________ Grail.
5. If you simply must have an evergreen, then what about a variegated
_________?
6. The plan to build the road through the forest is _________ misconceived.

33. LIVE / STAY

1. When I was younger I _________ in Scotland, but now I am living in Germany.
2. Where did you _________ while you were at the conference?
3. When I first moved to Scotland I _________ with friends until I found a place to
live.
4. She has been _________ in Britain for nine years and is studying at Portsmouth
University.

34. LOATH / LOATHE

1. She is _________ to give up her hard-earned liberty.
2. “Do you like fish?” “No, I _________ it.”
3. They were _________ to admit their mistake.
4. The two men _________ each other.

35. LOOK AFTER / LOOK BACK / LOOK FORWARD

1. If you look ___________ your clothes they last a lot longer.
2. I’m looking ___________ to seeing you all next month.
3. When you look ___________ on this in a year or two, it won’t seem so bad.
4. In the circumstances, I look ___________ to receiving your cheque within the
next seven days.
5. He looked ___________ on his time as president with pride.
6. I think looking ___________ her elderly mother is quite a drain on her energy.

36. METER / METRE

1. You have to sit two _________ away from the TV screen.
2. You’ll need some change for the parking _________.
3. The women’s 200 _________ event will be followed by the men’s 100
_________.
4. Britain’s water companies are planning to _________ water consumption.

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37. PALATE / PALLET / PALETTE
1. The __________ is defined anatomically as the roof of the mouth.
2. The portrait is dominated by her own image, holding a __________ and a
paintbrush in her hands.
3. The warehouse will hold more than 90,000 __________ storing 30 million Easter
eggs.
4. Matisse’s __________ typically consists of bright blues, greens and oranges.
5. Exhausted, Jean slumped into the straw __________ and closed her eyes.
6. Jackson had developed quite a discerning __________ over the years.

38. PEDAL / PEDDLE

1. The products are generally ____________ door to door.
2. We were ____________ like mad against the wind, but didn’t seem to be
getting anywhere.
3. Further tests are planned on gas, brake and clutch ____________.
4. The organization has ____________ the myth that they are supporting the local
population.

39. SHORTAGE / SHORTNESS

1. The disease may cause sweating, nausea, vomiting, and ____________ of
breath.
2. There’s a ____________ of food and shelter in the refugee camps.
3. The long hot summer has led to serious water ____________.
4. Because of the ____________ of time, question 4 remained unanswered.

40. TORTUOUS / TORTUROUS

1. They had a ____________ five days of fitness training.
2. The travellers took a ____________ route.
3. On the other hand, however, he wouldn’t have to continue with that
____________ pain anymore.
4. Varicose veins are ____________, twisted, or lengthened veins.

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Key
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 along a long along A long
2 ascent accent assented ascent accents assent
3 ventures adventures adventure venturing
4 affront effrontery affront effrontery
5 isle aisle Isle aisles
6 all together altogether all together altogether
7 elusive allusive allusive elusive
8 alternate alternative alternative alternate
9 amoral immoral amoral immoral
10 Amid among among amid
11 anecdote antidotes anecdotes antidote
12 apprised appraise appraised apprised
13 artistes artist artistes artists
14 assumed presumed assumed presume
15 oral aural aural oral
16 avocation vocation avocation vocation
17 breech breach breached breech
18 Certain certain curtain certain curtain
19 course coarse coarse course course course,
coarse
20 cue queue cue queue
21 diffusing defused defused diffused
22 draught draft draughts draft draught
23 duel dual dual duel
24 elicit illicit elicit illicit
25 errands errant errand errant errands
26 finally at last lastly in the end lastly in the end at last finally
27 flout flaunt flout flaunting

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28 floundered foundered founder floundered floundered
29 freeze freeze frieze freeze frieze
30 grizzly grisly grizzly gristly grisly
31 hoard hordes hoarded hordes
32 holy wholly, wholly holly Holy holly wholly
33 lived stay stayed living
34 loath loathe loath loathe
35 after forward back forward back after
36 metres meter metres, meter
metres
37 palate palette pallet palette pallet palate
38 peddled pedalling pedals peddled
39 shortness shortage shortages shortness
40 torturous tortuous torturous tortuous

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