Below is a list of words that speakers and writers of English often get confused with. They are called false cognates because they sound or are written so similarly that they are often confused with. Go through the list to avoid any mistake from now on.
1)
Alternately: - means "taking turns"
Usage: - We paddled
alternately so neither of us would get too tired.
Alternatively: - means "as an option"
Usage: - Instead of going by train, we could have gone
alternatively by car.
2)
Advice: - a noun meaning "an opinion given with the intention of helping"
Usage: - My mother still gives me
advice even though I'm 40 years old.
Advise: - a verb meaning "to give counsel or advice"
Usage: - The meteorologist
advised listeners to stay indoors because of the extremely cold temperatures.
3)
Ascent: -an upward movement
Usage: -Leo's
ascent to the presidency of the company came slowly.
Assent: - means "to agree to"
Usage: -Greta could not begin the project unless management
assented.
4)
Ascribe: -means "to attribute to"
Usage: - She
ascribed her feelings of jealousy to insecurity.
Describe: - means "to show what something is by drawing a picture with words"
Usage: -
Describe in detail what the man looked like.
5)
Beside: - means "next to"
Usage: -Place the dishes
beside the sink.
Besides: - is an adverb or preposition that means "also, additionally"
Usage: -I would enjoy going on a vacation
besides.
6)
Conscience: -the feeling or knowledge of right and wrong:
Usage: -My
conscience wouldn't allow me to compete with someone so much weaker than me.
Conscious: -to being awake and aware
Usage: - Molly Coddle was still
conscious after banging her head on the headboard.
7)
Deduction: -drawing a general principle from particular facts or instances
Usage: -I've seen hundreds of robins and they all have red breasts. (General principle-all robins have red breasts.)
Induction: - is the explanation of particular facts or instances from a general principle
Usage: -That bird must be a robin because it has a red breast. (General principle-all robins have red breasts.)
8)
Explicit: -means "clear and direct"
Usage: -Please give me
explicit directions.
Implicit: -means "indirectly, with some parts understood"
Usage: -They
implicitly agreed to never talk on the subject again.
9)
Gibe: -"to taunt, jeer, make fun of"
Usage: -His classmates
gibed Billy Earl for wearing funny clothes.
Gybe: - "to swing a fore-and-aft sail from one side of a sailboat to the other to change course"
Usage: -When the wind shifted, Felix
gybed when he should have tacked.
Jibe: -being in agreement
Usage: -Our views on everything from baseball to Socrates seem to
jibe.
10)
Hoard: -"to collect and keep for oneself"
Usage: -Squirrels
hoard acorns during the winter.
Horde: -a large group
Usage: -
Hordes of people go Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving.