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Words that sound similar

Word

Hint

Accept
Except

Verb: to receive (I accept your apology.)
Not including (Everyone is going except me.)

Affect
Effect

To have an influence on. Note: this word is only used as a verb
Can be used as either a noun (a result) or as a verb (to bring something about.)

Allowed
Aloud

Permitted (Am I allowed to smoke here?)
To speak or laugh so that other people can hear

Aural
Oral

Related to the ability to hear
Related to speaking or to the mouth

Broach
Brooch

Verb: to carefully introduce a topic that may be sensitive
Noun: decorative jewellery worn on clothing

Change
Exchange

Verb: to make something different 
Verb: to give something and receive something else in return

Choose
Chose

Present tense of the verb to choose; stress the /oo/sound
Past tense of the verb to choose; stress the /o/ sound

Complementary
Complimentary

Adjective: describes when two different things match or go well together
Adjective: free; no charge

Coarse
Course

Adjective: describes a rough texture; rude or offensive material (for example: coarse jokes)
Noun: this word has many meanings; for example: a series or program

Council
Counsel

Noun: a group of people with a particular responsibility
Verb: to advise

Foreword
Forward

Noun: an introduction to the author or the subject, at the beginning of a book
Adjective: relating to the future (eg forward planning)

Loose
Lose

Adjective, meaning ‘not tight’ (I lost weight and now my clothes are loose.)
Verb; think of ‘lost’ to help you remember this word (I win: you lose.)

Of
Off

Stress the /ov/ sound
Stress the /ff/ sound

Passed
Past

Verb, the past tense of to pass (The car passed me at full speed.)
Can be an adverb, an adjective, a noun – but never a verb

Personal
Personnel

Adjective: individual or private
noun: employees or staff

Principal

Principle

Noun: the head of, or person in charge, of an institution
Adjective: the most important (eg the principal reason)
Noun: a belief or value (eg Truth is a basic principle.)

Quiet
Quite

Adjective: to be silent or almost noiseless (The class was completely quiet.)
Adverb; can mean either almost (It’s quite impossible.) or completely (She was quite lovely.)

Role
Roll

Noun: relating to the way someone is involved in an activity
Multiple meanings, as a verb, noun, adjective, prep: refer to a good dictionary

Stationary
Stationery

Adjective: not moving (There was a stationary car outside the house.)
Noun: paper, envelopes, writing pads, etc. The ‘e’ in envelope will help you to
remember.

 

For additional support see the Words That Sound Similar Tip Sheet.