Commonly Confused Words

Among the most common errors in usage are those which arise from confusing certain pairs or sets of words.So here are some of such words with which we often get confused.

ABLE-CAPABLE
able means "having the ability to perform a given act"
capable means "having adequate capacity to do or to make"

ACCEPT-EXCEPT
accept means "to receive"
except means "make an exception of"

ALLUSION-DELUSION-ILLUSION
allusion means "reference"
delusion means "fixed abberation of mind"
illusion means "situation wherein a person has misinterpreted the data of his senses"

ANXIOUS-EAGER
anxious is used when anxiety is involved
eager means "highly desirous"

AWARE-CONSCIOUS
aware means "have a cognizance of"
conscious means "one's physical & mental situation at a given moment"

BETWEEN-AMONG
between is used when only two persons,objects, or ideas are under consideration
among is used when three or more are involved

FEWER-LESS
fewer is used only when an actual count can be made
less is used when referring to quantity


IMPLY-INFER
imply is used by speakers & writers
infer is used by listeners & readers

LEARN-TEACH
learn is used when one is the receiver of facts or any other type of lesson,he is learning
teach is used when one is imparting the information to a second person,he is teching


SHALL-WILL
shall is used in context of first person
will is used in context of second & third person