More Confusing Word Pairs: Accept/Except, Advice/Advise, Principal/Principle and More

Ten more pairs of English words that trip up writers, with clear definitions, example sentences and memory tricks.

Some word pairs cause endless mistakes, in emails, essays and social posts alike. Here are ten more that deserve a clear explanation.

Accept vs except

Accept (verb): to receive or agree. She accepted the job.
Except (preposition): excluding. Everyone came except Tom.

Trick: except contains an x, like the cross that excludes something.

Advice vs advise

Advice (noun): a recommendation. He gave me good advice.
Advise (verb): to give advice. I advise you to wait.

Trick: the noun has a c (like ice), the verb has an s. The same pattern applies to practice (noun) and practise (verb) in British English.

Principal vs principle

Principal (adjective or noun): main, or a head of a school. The principal reason. The school principal.
Principle (noun): a rule or belief. It's a matter of principle.

Trick: the school principal is your pal.

Stationary vs stationery

Stationary (adjective): not moving. The car was stationary.
Stationery (noun): paper and writing materials.

Trick: stationery has an e, like envelope.

Lose vs loose

Lose (verb): to misplace or fail to win. Don't lose your keys.
Loose (adjective): not tight. A loose screw.

Trick: lose has lost an o.

Farther vs further

Farther: physical distance. We drove farther than planned.
Further: additional or figurative. Further information. Let's discuss it further.

Many writers use further for both, and dictionaries record this, but the distinction is still widely observed in careful writing.

Discreet vs discrete

Discreet: careful and tactful. A discreet inquiry.
Discrete: separate and distinct. Three discrete categories.

Trick: in discrete, the two es are separated by the t, like separate things.

Council vs counsel

Council: a group that governs or advises. The city council.
Counsel: advice, or a lawyer. Seek counsel.

Elicit vs illicit

Elicit (verb): to draw out. The question elicited a strong response.
Illicit (adjective): illegal or forbidden. Illicit trade.

Ensure vs insure vs assure

Ensure: make certain. Ensure the door is locked.
Insure: protect with insurance (also used in American English for "ensure").
Assure: tell someone confidently, to reassure. I assure you it's safe.

How to stop confusing them

Learn one pair a day, and write a sentence.
Make a mnemonic that suits you.
Use the dictionary to check part of speech, since many confusions come from mixing nouns and verbs.
Proofread specifically for your personal trouble pairs.

Keep a personal list

Everyone has a few words they always doubt. Note yours, and review the list before important writing.

Look up confusing words with English Dictionary →