Commonly confused words in english Pt. 2
Simple words have a way to throw us off in an exam where time and accuracy is of the essence. So let’s spend a few moments on more words that I’ve seen students stumble on, but you don’t have to. Following my first post on Words That Confuse, here’s more:
Counsel vs. Council
Counsel: Advice or guidance; a legal advisor.
Eg.: He sought counsel from his lawyer.
Council: A group of people convened for advice or decision-making.
Eg.: The city council meets once a month.
Imply vs. Infer
Imply: To suggest or hint at something without saying it directly.
Eg.: His tone seemed to imply that he was unhappy.
Infer: To deduce or conclude information from evidence and reasoning.
Eg.: From her expression, I could infer she was upset.
Adverse vs. Averse
Adverse: Harmful or unfavorable.
Eg.: The adverse weather conditions caused the event to be canceled.
Averse: Having a strong dislike or opposition to something.
Eg.: She is averse to eating spicy food.
Historic vs. Historical
Historic: Important in history.
Eg.: The signing of the treaty was a historic event.
Historical: Relating to history or past events.
Eg.: She loves reading historical novels.
Adapt vs. Adopt
Adapt: To change or adjust to new conditions.
Eg.: Species must adapt to survive in changing environments.
Adopt: To take up or start to use or follow something.
Eg.: They decided to adopt new policies in the company.