Commonly Confused Words in English

Some vocabulary pairs can be confusing. Have a look at ten common English word pairs, then decide which one to use in the exercise below.

bring / take 

(you bring something from another place to here; but you take something from here to another place)

lend / borrow

(you lend something to another person; but you borrow something from a person)

effect / affect

(the effect – noun – is the result of something; while something affects – verb – something)

economic / economical

(something which is economic relates to the economy; while economical means it's cheap)

watch / look at

(you watch something that is moving or is interesting; while you look at something stationary)

check / control

(you check something for mistakes, or to ensure it's working properly; you control something through having authority)

attend / assist

(you attend an event by being there; but you assist a person if you help them)

remember / remind

(you remember to do something / or having done something; but you remind someone else not to forget something)

stay / be

(you stay at a hotel for the night, but you like to be with friends)

lose / loose

(you lose something when you can no longer find it; but something which is loose is not tight)