Usage Tips
This is where we explain commonly confusing word pairs and groups. With the help of brief and succinct explanations, we help you deal with the intricate differences in Word Usage in the English Language.
What is this section about?
Usage differences can be painful as well as challenging. Sample this: What is the difference between continual and continuous? Or for that matter, when to use abjure or when to use adjure? Or when you should one use who and when should one use whom? Do these problems bother you? Do they confuse you? In case you are perplexed by these problems, you can breathe a sigh of relief. We help you with your grammar and usage issues. We use our extensive databank of usage tips to supply some of the most useful ones to our users.
How to use this section?
- We have listed usage tips alphabetically in this section and tried to cover as many as possible. Click the tab of each letter to discover tips related to it.
- We recommend you to explore 3 to 5 tips on a daily basis and ensure you follow them regularly.
- In order to draw maximum benefit from this section, it is important that you work with these words and use them as extensively as possible. Once you start to use them, you will be able to remember the subtle differences between these words. Also, you can use mnemonics and tricks to learn these differences.
USAGE TIPS: ALPHABETICAL ORDER LISTING
Ability & Capacity
Abjure & Adjure
Ablution & Absolution
Abrogate & Arrogate
Abstruse & Obtuse
Abysmal & Abyssal
Accede & Exceed
Accelerate & Exhilarate
Accent, Ascent & Assent
Accept & Except
Access, Assess & Excess
Accidental & Incidental
Acclamation & Acclimation
Acetic, Ascetic & Aesthetic/Esthetic
Acuity, Acumen & Acute
Adapt, Adept & Adopt
Adduce & Deduce
Adjoin & Adjourn
Adverse & Averse
Advice & Advise
Aerie, Airy & Eerie
Affect & Effect
Affluent & Effluent
Agnostic & Atheist
Aid & Aide
Ail & Ale
Aisle & Isle
Alimentary & Elementary
All Mighty & Almighty
All Ready & Already
All Together & Altogether
All Ways & Always
Allay, Alley & Ally
Allusion, Delusion, Elusion & Illusion
Altar & Alter
Alternate & Alternative
Amiable & Amicable
Amity & Enmity
Amoral & Immoral
Apiary & Aviary
Apposite & Opposite
Appraise & Apprise
Arrant & Errant
Assay & Essay
Assure, Ensure & Insure
Auger & Augur
Aureole & Oriole
Auricle & Oracle
Avenge & Revenge
Aver, Avert & Evert
Avocation & Vocation
Awful & Offal
Bail & Bale
Bait & Bate
Bald & Bawled
Ballad, Ballet & Ballot
Barbel & Barbell
Baron & Barren
Bastard & Dastard
Bastille & Bastion
Beatify & Beautify
Beetle & Betel
Benediction & Malediction
Benevolence & Malevolence
Beseech & Besiege
Biannual, Biennial & Perennial
Bidding & Biding
Bisect & Dissect
Bogey & Bogy
Bolder & Boulder
Borough, Burro & Burrow
Bouillon & Bullion
Breach & Breech
Bridal & Bridle
Broach & Brooch
Cabal & Cable
Cache & Cachet
Callous & Callus
Calvary & Cavalry
Cannon & Canon
Canter & Cantor
Canvas & Canvass
Capable & Culpable
Capital & Capitol
Carat, Caret & Karat
Carousal & Carousel
Cask & Casque
Casket & Gasket
Casual & Causal
Cataclasm & Cataclysm
Cede & Seed
Cellar & Seller
Censer, Censor & Censure
Centripetal & Centrifugal
Ceremonial & Ceremonious
Chafe & Chaff
Champagne & Champaign
Clench & Clinch
Cliché & Clique
Climacteric, Climactic & Climatic
Collaborate & Corroborate
Collision & Collusion
Complacent & Complaisant
Complement & Compliment
Condemn & Contemn
Condemnation & Commendation
Confidant, Confidante & Confident
Connote & Denote
Conscience, Conscientious & Conscious
Contemptible & Contemptuous
Continual & Continuous
Corporal & Corporeal
Corps & Corpse
Covet, Covert & Overt
Creak & Creek
Credible & Creditable
Credulity & Credulous
Crevasse & Crevice
Critic & Critique
Croak & Crock
Crochet, Croquet & Croquette
Crumby & Crumm
Cubical & Cubicle
Cue & Queue
Currant & CurrentCarat vs. Career & Careen
Dammed & Damned
Dangle & Tangle
Debar & Disbar
Débutant & Débutante
Deca-, Dec- & Deci-
Deceased & Diseased
Decent, Descent & Dissent
Decry & Descry
Defendant & Plaintiff
Defer & Differ
Definite & Definitive
Defuse & Diffuse
Delegate & Relegate
Deluded & Diluted
Delusion & Illusion
Denounce & Renounce
Depravation & Deprivation
Deprecate & Depreciate
Descendant & Descendent
Desolate & Dissolute
Detract & Distract
Device & Devise
Diagnosis & Prognosis
Diffident & Dissident
Digress & Regress
Dilemma & Difficulty
Dinghy & Dingy
Disburse & Disperse
Discomfit, Discomfort & Disconcert
Discreet & Discrete
Disinterested & Uninterested
Distracted, Distrait & Distraught
Doubtful & Dubious
Douse & Dowse
Dudgeon & Dungeon
Earthly & Earthy
Eatable & Edible
Eave & Eve
Ecology & Environment
Egress & Ingress
Either & Ether
Elegy & Eulogy
Elemental & Elementary
Elicit, Illicit & Licit
Eligible, Illegible, Ineligible & Legible
Emanate, Eminent, Immanent & Imminent
Emerge & Immerge
Emigrant & Immigrant
Empathy & Sympathy
Emulate & Imitate
Endemic, Epidemic & Pandemic
Enervate & Innervate
Entomology & Etymology
Envelop & Envelope
Epigram & Epigraph
Epitaph & Epithet
Equable & Equitable
Erasable & Irascible
Ere & Err
Erotic & Erratic
Erratum (S) & Errata (Pl)
Every Day & Everyday
Everyone, Every One
Everything, Every Thing
Evoke, Invoke, Revoke
Evolution, Revolution
Evolve & Devolve
Exalt, Exult
Exceed & Excel
Exceptionable & Exceptional
Exclude & Exude
Exercise & Exorcise
Exhort, Export & Extort
Expand & Expend
Expanse & Expense
Expanse & Expense
Expansive & Expensive
Expletive & Explicative
Explicit & Implicit
Explosion & Implosion
Expose & Exposé
Expostulate & Postulate
Extant & Extent
Eyelet & Islet
Gag & Gaga
Gain & Gainly
Gait & Gate
Galleon, Gallon & Galloon
Gambit & Gamut
Gamble & Gambol
Gantlet & Gauntlet
Gap & Gape
Garret & Garrote
Generic & Genetic
Genius & Genus
Genteel & Gentle
Gesture & Jester
Ghastly & Ghostly
Gibe & Jibe & Jive
Gild & Guild
Gilt & Guilt
Gist & Grist & Jest
Glance & Glimpse
Glut, Gluten & Glutton
Goer & Gore
Goggle & Google & Googol
Golf & Gulf
Gored & Gourd
Gorilla & Guerrilla & Guerilla
Gourmand & Gourmet
Graft & Graphed
Grantee & Granty
Grate & Great
Gray & Grey
Grease & Greece
Greave & Grieve
Grill & Grille
Grip & Gripe & Grippe
Grisly & Gristly & Grizzly
Groan & Grown
Guessed & Guest & Quest
Guise & Guys
Hart & Heart
Haunch & Hunch
Haunted & Hunted
Haven & Heaven
Heal, Heel & He’ll
Hearsay & Heresy
Hence & Thence
Heroin & Heroine
Hew & Hue
Hiatus & Quietus
Historic & Historical
Hoar, Hoer & Whore
Hoarse & Horse
Hoes & Hose
Homeless & Homeliness
Human, Humane
Hurdle & Hurtle
Hyperbola, Hyperbole
Hypercritical & Hypocritical
Hardy & Hearty
Hard & Hardly
Hanged & Hung
Hangar & Hanger
Handsome & Hansom
Hammer & Yammer
Halve & Have
Hallow, Halo, Hollow & Holler
Hall & Haul
Hair & Hare
Hail & Hale
Homeless & Homeliness
Haunted & Hunted
Idle, Idol, Idyll & Idyllic
Imbrue & Imbue
Imitate, Intimate & Intimidate
Immoral & Immortal
Immunity & Impunity
Impassable, Impassible & Impossible
Impetuous & Vehement
Impinge & Infringe
Impostor & Imposture
Imprudent & Impudent
Inane & Insane
Incipient & Insipient
Incite & Insight
Incoherent & Inchoate
Incredible & Incredulous
Indeterminable & Indeterminate
Indict & Indite
Indigenous & Indigent
Indignant & Indignity
Indiscreet & Indiscrete
Inequity & Iniquity
Inert, Insert & Inset
Infer, Imply & Insinuate
Ingenious & Ingenuous
Insidious & Invidious
Laboratory & Lavatory
Lacks & Lax
Ladder, Later & Latter
Lade & Laid
Lain & Lane
Lair & Layer
Lam & Lamb
Lama & Llama
Lapse, Elapse & Relapse
Lascivious , Licentious & Lust
Lateral & Literal
Lath & Lathe
Lather & Leather
Laudable & Laudatory
Leach & Leech
Lean & Lien
Levee & Levy
Liable, Libel & Slander
Liar & Lyre
Liberal, Libertarian & Libertine
Licorice & Lickerish
Linage & Lineage
Lineament & Liniment
Linear & Lineal
Links & Lynx
Liqueur & Liquor
Literal & Littoral
Livid & Vivid
Loath & Loathe
Local & Locale
Lucre & Looter
Lugubrious & Salubrious
Lumbar & Lumber
Luxuriant & Luxurious
Macrocosm & Microcosm
Magnate & Magnet
Main & Mane
Maize & Maze
Malady, Medley & Melody
Mall, Maul & Moll
Man’s Laughter & Manslaughter
Manner & Manor
Mantel & Mantle
Marital & Martial
Marquee & Marquis
Mask & Masque
Massive & Missive
Masterful & Masterly
Mean & Mien
Medal & Meddle
Media, Median & Medium
Meet & Mete
Mustard & Mustered
Pail & Pale
Pain & Pane
Pair, Pare & Pear
Pairing & Paring
Palate, Palette & Pallet
Pall & Pawl
Parameter & Perimeter
Pariah & Piranha
Parlay & Parley
Passé & Posse
Pastor & Pasture
Pathetic & Prophetic
Pawing & Pawning
Peak, Peek & Pique
Peal & Peel
Pedal & Peddle
Pedant, Pendent & Pundit
Peer & Pier
Penance & Pennants
Percent, Percentage & Percentile
Perfect & Prefect
Perpetual & Perpetuity
Perplex & Puzzle
Perquisite, Prerequisite, Requisite
Persecute & Prosecute
Personal & Personnel
Perspective, Prospective & Prospectus
Perspicacious & Perspicuous
Peruse & Pursue
Petrify, Putrefy & Purify
Phenomenon, Phenomena & Phenomenal
Pidgin & Pigeon
Piteous, Pitiable & Pitiful
Plait, Plate & Pleat
Plebeian & Proletarian
Plum & Plumb
Pommel & Pummel
Populace, Populous, Population & Populist
Poring & Pouring
Portion & Potion
Practicable & Practical
Praise & Prays
Pray & Prey
Precede, Proceed & Proceeds
Precedence & Precedents
Precedent & President
Precipice, Precipitate, & Precipitous
Preclude & Prelude
Predicate, Predict & Predictive
Premier, Première & Premiere
Premise & Surmise
Prescribe & Proscribe
Prescribed & Required
Presence & Presents
Presumably & Supposedly
Pretend, Portend, Portent,& Potent
Prevent & Hinder
Preview, Purview, & Purvey
Pride & Pried
Prier & Prior
Pries & Prize
Principal & Principle
Prodigal & Profligate
Prodigy & Progeny
Profit & Prophet
Program & Pogrom
Prophecy & Prophesy
Propose & Purpose
Pros & Prose
Prosperity & Posterity
Prostate & Prostrate
Protean & Protein
Providence & Province
Prude & Prudent
Pupil, Student, & Scholar
Puttee & Putty
Rack & Wrack
Rabble, Rubble, & Ruble
Rabbet, Rabbit, & Rabid
Rain, Reign, & Rein
Rapped, Rapt, & Wrapped
Rappel & Repel
Raven & Ravine
Ravage & Ravish
Rational & Rationale
Readable & Legible
Real & Reel
Reality &Realty
Recitation & Resuscitation
Recent, Resent & Resent, Rescind
Receipt, Recipe & Reseat
Reference & Reverence
Recluse & Recuse
Recitation & Resuscitation
Rest & Wrest
Restful, Restive & Restless
Resumé & Résumé, Resume; & Resume
Tack & Tact
Tare, Tare, Tear & Tare
Tease, Teas & Tees
Tacks vs Tax
Tail vs Tale
Talents vs Talons
Taper vs Tapir
Taser vs Teaser
Taught vs Taut vs Taunt vs Tot
Tea vs Tee vs Tee
Team vs Teem
Temerity vs Timidity vs Timorous
Tenant vs Tenet
Tenor vs Tenure
Tense vs Tents vs Tens
Tepid vs Torpid
Tern vs Terne vs Turn
Than vs Then
Their vs There vs They’re
Therefor vs Therefore
This vs That
Thong vs Throng
Thorough vs Throughout
Thrash vs Thresh
Threw vs Through vs Thru
Throw vs Throe
Thrown vs Throne
Throws vs Throes
Tick vs Tic
Tied vs Tide
Tier vs Tire vs Tyre
Time vs Thyme