Uses of Confusing Verbs in IELTS Grammar

Dec 31, 2021

Definite words have a similar appearance to others, while others have a similar sound. Distinguishing between such concepts can be quite difficult. In this handout, we've included some of the recurring confusing word pairs in IELTS grammar, along with definitions and examples of how they're used in context.

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The following list is intended to assist you in keeping track of such terms.

Affect vs. Effect

Affect is a verb that refers to the act of impacting. Effect is a noun that refers to the outcome.

While the student at first did not notice how studying affected his exam, the effects quickly became apparent.

Access Vs Excess

As a noun, access refers to the ability to walk in, for eg: "access to the theatre," in terms of a verb, it means "to enter," as in "access the auditorium from the other side."

Excess is a noun or adjective that refers to an amount that is higher than usual, for eg "an excessive amount of spices" & "excess luggage."

Allude vs. Elude

A reference to something or someone in an ambiguous way is defined by the verb called allude, for eg "he alluded to problems at his previous college."

When we say "elude," we are referring to the action of "avoiding or escaping someone or something by being speedy, clever, or intelligent," as in "a criminal who has evaded capture."

Allusion vs. Illusion vs. Elusion

Despite the obvious discrepancies in spelling, the terms allusion, illusion, and elusion continue to be misused. This could be explained by their phonetic resemblance. The following are examples for avoiding misunderstandings while using these terms.

Allusion is a term that refers to "a remark planned to evoke a memory without overtly naming it" or "an indirect or fleeting allusion."

On the contrary, an illusion is something that deceives by creating a false or misleading image of reality" or "a situation of deception." Due to the widespread use of the term "illusory," most people are familiar with the term.

Finally, the term elusion refers to "the act or incident of evading or escaping."

Edition vs. Addition

In the English language, the term addition refers to the process of adding things to something else. Eg: The restaurant is elongated by the addition of rooms.

In English, the term "edition" refers to a particular form of a published text.

I acquired the paperback edition of a work that was much needed.

Bass vs Base

While these terminologies look similar, they are quite distinct! Remember:

Bass is a noun that can refer to either a kind of fish or a musical note.

Base includes a variety of noun definitions (e.g., the lowest form of something), as well as a few verb and adjective definitions.

The sheer number of definitions makes it difficult to keep track of them all. But if we note that "bass" refers to the fish or the low sound, you can be confident of its correctness in other contexts.

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Bridle vs. Bridal

Bridal is an adjective that expresses items belonging to a bride or wedding, for eg: "bridal gown" and "bridal party."

Bridle is a term that refers to a device that goes on the head of a horse and is used to guide and manage the animal. Also, a noun, the verb bridle has two meanings: "to fasten or loosen the bridle of a pony," and "to respond furiously," as in "he bridled in response to their criticism of his skills."

Climactic vs. Climatic

Both descriptors are climatic. Climactic is synonymous with climax; it refers to the "most exciting part," for eg: "the film's climactic pursuit scene."

Climatic suggests "climate-related," as in "regional climate attributes that make it perfect for grape cultivation."

Collaborate vs. Corroborate

Collaborate means "joining forces with another person or group to achieve a goal," as in "collaborating for a team project."

Corroborate has the definition "to confirm or establish a statement, theory, or other assertion by providing information, for eg: "two witnesses corroborated her statement" and "new study corroborated a thought."

Currant vs. Current vs Courant

Currant, current, and courant are all pronounced equally, if not in usage. Current is both a noun and a verb. Currant is a raisin-like berry that is widely used in bakeries, etc, where current is used to refer to electric, water movements) and an adjective ("occurring in the present moment"). The less often used courant is "newspaper."

The term "currant" refers to the raisin-like fruit that grows on a Mediterranean shrub and is used in pastries, jams, etc.

Current is the plural form of the noun "current," which refers to the power of flowing water or the movement of an electric charge.

One complex factor is the presence of a third term, courant, which means "newspaper" and is the name of the United States' oldest major newspaper, the Hartford Courant. Typically, this word sounds similar to current and currant.

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Desert vs. dessert

Desert is a term that refers to a land that is generally covered in sand and very humid. Desert also implies "to abandon a location," as in "people abandoned the town," or "to abandon or withdraw support from someone.

Dessert is a sweet snack consumed following a meal: "ice cream for dessert."

Detract vs. distract

Both distract and detract are verbs. decrease the worth or value of something (a quality or achievement). For Eg: "These minor quibbles in no way detract from her final achievements."

Distract is "to cause someone to divert their attention away from someone or something," as in "noises from the window distracted the children."

Device vs. devise

The term device refers to a thing, mechanism, or piece of equipment that has been created for a specific use, for eg: "electronic devices."

The verb devise means "to conceive or plan anything tough or sophisticated," as in "devising a compact technique of converting sunshine to electricity."

Eminent vs. imminent

Both imminent and eminent are adjectives. Eminent refers to someone who has gained achievement, is well-known, and is admired, for eg: "an eminent physician."

Imminent suggests "shortly or very soon," as in "expecting their imminent arrival" or "an imminent arrival."

Envelop vs. envelope

Envelop is a verb that refers "to totally encompass or surround someone or something," as in "she enveloped the baby in the blanket" and "the mountains were enveloped in mist."

Envelope is a noun that relates to a wrapper or a cover for a letter, card. Additionally, the term "push the envelope" is used in the phrase "beyond the usual or normal limitations by doing something unique, risky, or unusual," as in "a writer whose debut book presses the envelope."

Formally vs. formerly

Formally refers to actions that are taken in a legit, accurate, or official manner, for eg: "guests draped formally" and "she has formally declared her candidacy."

Formerly denotes "before," as in "This computer that was formerly owned by my neighbor."

Forth vs. fourth

The terms forth and fourth are sometimes confused due to their similar pronunciation but distinct meanings. For Eg:

In the case of an adverb, forth represents onward in time or place.

In the case of an adjective, fourth refers to the basic form of the number four.

The difference between FORth and FORward is easily remembered by remembering that FORth drives FORward.

Hoard vs. horde

Hoard is a noun that refers to a large sum of something valuable that is covered, for eg: "a dragon's hoard of wealth," and a verb that means "to collect a large quantity of something precious," as in "a dragon hoarding valuables."

Horde is a collective noun that refers to a countless number of individuals, for eg: "a horde of shoppers crammed into the store."

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Personal vs. personnel

Personal refers to things that belong to or are associated with a certain individual, for eg: "personal property" and "my personal opinion," or to a person's private thoughts, feelings, or other attributes, for eg: "a highly personal question."

Personnel is a term that means individuals who work for a specific business or organisation.

Quiet vs. quite

Quiet is an adjective that refers to anything or someone that is extremely quiet:

Eg: - Throughout the exam, the classroom was extremely quiet.

Quite is an adverb that refers to something that is a little or a lot but not entirely.

Eg:- It was a rather quiet day at work today.

resume vs. résumé

As in "the musicians resumed their performance," resume is a verb that often means "to begin again after pausing."

A résumé is a term that is specifically used to refer to a brief document that describes your education, employment history, and other relevant information that you provide to an employer when applying for a job.