
Commonly Confused Words
Wondering which of two words to use? You might be working with commonly confused words.
Some words are easily confused with one another because they are:
- Similar in spelling (e.g. personal and personnel)
- Similar in pronunciation (e.g. affect and effect)
- Homophones (identical pronunciation but different meanings, e.g. their, they’re and there)
This infographic describes some commonly confused words.

Learn more
Find out more about commonly confused words in:
- 20 Commonly Confused Word Pairs
- Frequently confused words
- A List of Commonly Confused Words
- A Look At Some Commonly Confused Words
- Top 20 Most Commonly Confused Homophones
- Top 30 Commonly Confused Words in English
Test your knowledge
Related Blog Posts
The Myth of Multitasking
Learn why multitasking is a myth and can cause harm. Try out some alternative productivity techniques.
First Peoples Principles of Learning
The First Peoples Principles of Learning are an expression of the shared wisdom of Elders and educators within British Columbia’s First Peoples communities. First identified in relation to the English …
How to Spot a Misleading Graph
We tend to trust graphs because they’re based on facts. Graphs can be manipulated to distort information. Learn to evaluate graphs.