7/23/2019 Commonly Confused Words SAT

1/2

COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS

accept/except: To accept something means to agree totake it. To except somethingis to exclude it.adapt/adopt/adept:To adapt something means tomake it suitable or a particular purpose (from

apt, which means appropriate or suitable). Toadopt means to choose as ones own. Someoneadept is highly skilled. afect/efect:To afect means to inuence. An efect is a result or consequence. They are easilyconfused because to afect means to have an efecton something.allude/elude/allusion/illusion:To allude to somethingmeans to make a subtle or indirect reerenceto it. To elude something means to escaperom it. An allusion is a subtle reerence, but anillusion is a deception or misconception.ami!alent/ami"uous: When youre ambivalentyou have conicting eelings about something. Somethingambiguous is unclear or having more than oneinterpretation. cite/site/si"#t:To cite means to mention as a sourceo inormation or to commend or meritoriousaction. A site is aplace where a planned activity occurs.To sightmeans to see at a specic location.compliment/complement: A compliment is apraisingpersonal comment. A complement is somethingthat completes or maes a whole. (!otice theple in complement and complete.)

council/counsel: A council is a committee. To counsel is to give advice. disc$ete/disc$eet: "iscrete means distinct.

7/23/2019 Commonly Confused Words SAT

2/2

bike) or indicate missing letters in a contraction(as in cant as a contraction of cannot). #n eachof the confusing word pairs abo$e% apostrophes

indicate cont$action) not possession& its = it is

or it has, theyre = they are, youre =you are, and

whos = who is or who has.The possessi$es are

the ones without apostrophes.mo$ale/mo$al: &orale (n& mor'A) is shared enthusiasmor and dedication to a goal. A moral(n& *+'al) is a lesson orprinciple about goodbehavior. p#ase/'a+e: Aphase is a stage in a process. The idiom tophase out means toeliminate in stages.To a'e someone means todisturb his or her composure. p$ecede/p$oceed/p$oceeds: Toprecede somethingmeans to come beore it (pre( before). Toproceedmeans to go on, usually ater a pause (proforward).

)roceeds are unds received rom aventure. p$incipal/p$inciple: Aprincipal is yourpal,the heado a school. #ts also the initial investment in aninterest(bearing account. (oney in the bancan be a pretty goodpal, too% eh-) Aprinciple isa guiding rule.$eticent/$eluctant: Someone reticent is reserved orreluctant to talk reely. ont use it to meanreluctant.