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Commonly Confused Words: Practice Questions with Answers

11 practice questions on Commonly Confused Words, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.

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1. Q.1

   Choose the correct word: "I am happy to ___ your invitation to the ceremony." (A) except (B) accept

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   Answer: accept

   Solution:

   1. The sentence needs a verb meaning "to agree to receive" — that’s "accept." "Except" means "excluding," which doesn’t fit here.

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2. Q.2

   Choose the correct word: "The news will ___ our decision." (A) effect (B) affect

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   Answer: affect

   Solution:

   1. The sentence needs a verb meaning "to influence" — that’s "affect." "Effect" is usually the noun for the resulting outcome, not the verb for influencing.

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3. Q.3

   Choose the correct word: "The school’s ___ addressed the students during the assembly." (A) principle (B) principal

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   Answer: principal

   Solution:

   1. The sentence needs a noun for the head of the school — that’s "principal." "Principle" refers to a fundamental rule or belief, not a person.

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4. Q.4

   Choose the correct word: "He is taller ___ his brother." (A) than (B) then

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   Answer: than

   Solution:

   1. Comparing two things ("taller... his brother") needs the comparison word "than," not the sequence word "then."

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5. Q.5

   Choose the correct word: "Please make sure the dog’s collar isn’t too ___." (A) lose (B) loose

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   Answer: loose

   Solution:

   1. The sentence needs an adjective meaning "not tight" — that’s "loose." "Lose" is a verb, which doesn’t fit this position.

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6. Q.6

   Choose the correct word: "If you don’t study, you might ___ the exam." (A) lose (B) loose

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   Answer: lose

   Solution:

   1. The sentence needs a verb meaning "to fail to win/pass" — that’s "lose." "Loose" is an adjective, which doesn’t fit here.

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7. Q.7

   Choose the correct word: "She decided to ___ the invitation from her college roommate." (A) except (B) accept

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   Answer: accept

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8. Q.8

   Choose the correct word: "Everyone attended the meeting ___ Rahul, who was on leave." (A) except (B) accept

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   Answer: except

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9. Q.9

   Choose the correct word: "Honesty is an important ___ to live by." (A) principal (B) principle

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   Answer: principle

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10. Q.10

    Choose the correct word: "She bought some ___ from the shop near her office." (A) stationary (B) stationery

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    Answer: stationery

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11. Q.11

    Choose the correct word: "The car remained ___ at the signal for several minutes." (A) stationary (B) stationery

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    Answer: stationary

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