English Vocabulary

Words confused owing to similar sound

Allowed (Verb): let somebody do something
Aloud (adverb): audibly

• He allowed me to go.
• She cried aloud for mercy.

Alter (verb): change, make or become different
Altar (noun): holy table in a church

• You must alter the order of the words.
• The priest bowed before the altar.

Bare (Adjective): not covered
Bear (Verb): tolerate
Bear (noun): an omnivorous four legged animal that has thick fur

• As he had no shirt the sun burnt his bare skin.
• I can't bear this pain.
• A bear has thick fur

Birth (noun): event of being born
Berth (noun): bed on ship or train

• What is your date of birth?
• Can I reserve a berth in the train?

Bore (noun) something that bores
Bore (verb): make somebody uninterested
Boar (noun): a wild animal

• He bored me with his silly jokes.
• The boar is a brave wild animal.

Brake (noun): device that slows or stops a machine

Break (verb): separate something into pieces

• See if you can break this stick?
• You stop a car by applying the brake.

Counsel (noun): counsel means advice.
Council (noun): an assembly of people meeting regularly to advise or organize something.

• People who give advice are called counsellors.
• A council is a group of people met together on some business.

Current (noun): flow of water or air
Current (adjective): existing now
Currant (noun): small dried grapes

• This river has strong current.
• You must be aware of current events.

Fair (noun): gathering of stalls and amusements for public entertainment. An exhibition to promote particular products.

Fair (adjective): light complexion
Fare (noun): the money a passenger on public transport has to pay

• Her skin is fair, not dark.
• How much is the railway fare?

Herd (noun): a large group of animals that live or are kept together.
Heard (verb): perceive with the ear

• A herd of cattle
• I heard him talking.

Hole (noun): cavity, aperture
Whole (adjective): entire, complete

• There is a hole in my socks.
• Rabbits live in holes.
• She spent the whole night reading.
• You have eaten a whole loaf.

Piece (noun): a portion separated from the whole
Peace (noun): freedom from war

• Please give me a piece of paper.
• Do you want war or peace?

Plane (noun): aircraft
Plain (noun): flat expanse of land
Plain (adjective): simple and ordinary

• She had a plain face.
• The Gangetic plain is very fertile.

Practice (noun): the doing of something repeatedly to improve one's skills
Practise (verb): do something repeatedly so as to become skilful

• Practice makes man perfect.
• You need to practise cricket regularly.

Prey (noun): animals hunted by other animals
Pray (verb): speak to God

• What a tiger kills is its prey.
• I pray that no tiger will ever catch me.

Principal (noun): the head of a school or college
Principal (adjective): the most important
Principle (noun): rules or beliefs governing one's personal behaviour

• He is the principal of the college.
• He is the principal player in the team.
• To gamble is against my principle.

Sight (noun): faculty of seeing
Site (noun): place where something stands

• A blind man has no sight.
• I will build my house on this site.

Whether (conjunction): expresses a doubt or choice between alternatives
Weather (noun): the state of the atmosphere at a place and time

• You are going to take this medicine whether you like it or not.
• We had to cancel the trip because of bad weather.
• In May the weather is hot.

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