Commonly Confused Words (Fill in the Blanks)
In each sentence, choose the correct word from the pair of similar terms. If both words possibly can be correct, choose the more plausible one.
1. He was __________ about whether the change was a good idea.
a) ambivalent
b) ambiguous
2. Her score on the test was _______________.
a) exceptionable
b) exceptional
3. His ________ companion became even more obnoxious as the night wore on.
a) arrant
b) errant
4. I asked them to ___________ my latest short story.
a) criticize
b) critique
5. She delivered the ____________ at her father’s memorial service.
a) elegy
b) eulogy
6. He runs the _________ from slapstick comedian to arch satirist.
a) gamut
b) gauntlet
7. We went to see her perform in a musical _______.
a) revue
b) review
8. To what _______ are you willing to go to prevent that from happening?
a) extant
b) extent
9. The major ________ of the religion are listed below.
a) tenants
b) tenets
10. The place has a certain _______ to it.
a) cache
b) cachet
11. Any business leader with a ______ of sense would say this is the perfect time to borrow money to rebuild the country.
a) whit
b) wit
12. In an integrated curriculum, subjects are not dissected and separated into _____ chunks.
a) discreet
b) discrete
13. She finally _____ in her silliness and got back to work.
a) reined
b) reigned
14. A company’s name change always _____ the business.
a) effects
b) affects
15. He never seemed _____ by my requests.
a) fazed
b) phased
16. She likes to __________ his facial tics.
a) imitate
b) emulate
17. He __________ a talent for music when he was very young.
a) evoked
b) evinced
18. The floral print __________ her green blouse.
a) complimented
b) complemented
19. They __________ the tension by beginning with an apology.
a) diffused
b) defused
20. The __________ look on her face told him that his excuse had not satisfied her.
a) incredulous
b) incredible
21. They didn’t realize that they were in __________ danger.
a) imminent
b) eminent
22. He __________ an example to illustrate his point.
a) cited
b) sited
23. Albany is the __________ of New York.
a) capitol
b) capital
24. Her __________ manner was appealing at first, but her eagerness to help soon became annoying.
a) complaisant
b) complacent
25. I am __________ to delegate that responsibility to him.
a) loath
b) loathe
26. Do you mean to __________ that I stole your cell phone?
a) infer
b) imply
27. The students are ___________ in learning algebra.
a) disinterested
b) uninterested
28. The state ____________ is a miniature of the one in Washington D.C.
a) capitol
b) capital
29. Between the years 1845 and 1855, nearly a million people _______ from Germany to the United States.
a) emigrated
b) immigrated
30. The agents used torture to ___________ information from the prisoners.
a) illicit
b) elicit
Answers
1. He was ambivalent about whether the change was a good idea.
Ambivalent means contradictory or unsure. Ambiguous, on the other hand, involves something that can be understood in two or more possible ways.
2. Her score on the test was exceptional.
Exceptional is the right word in this context. Exceptionable means being likely to cause objection.
3. His arrant companion became even more obnoxious as the night wore on.
Arrant means without moderation, while errant means traveling or given to traveling.
4. I asked them to critique my latest short story.
Critique means to evaluate both the merits and demerits, while criticize usually means to find faults on something.
5. She delivered the eulogy at her father’s memorial service.
Eulogy is a a commendatory oration or writing, while elegy refers to a poem or song.
6. He runs the gamut from slapstick comedian to arch satirist.
Gamut means “an entire range or series,” and a gauntlet is a protective glove, a trial or ordeal, or, in idiomatic use, a literal or figurative challenge to another to engage in combat.
7. We went to see her perform in a musical revue.
A revue is a performance of loosely related songs, dances, and skits; a review is an analysis, critique, summary, or survey (though the word is sometimes used interchangeably with revue).
8. To what extent are you willing to go to prevent that from happening?
Extent means “magnitude,” “range,” or “scope,” while extant means “existing.”
9. The major tenets of the religion are listed below.
A tenet is a belief, doctrine, or principle, generally one shared by a group of people; a tenant is a person who rents property from another.
10. The place has a certain cachet to it.
Cachet refers to prestige or a feature or quality associated with prestige (as well as other meanings); a cache is a location for hiding or storing something, or a short-term computer memory.
11. Any business leader with a whit of sense would say this is the perfect time to borrow money to rebuild the country.
This sentence refers to a modicum, or small amount, of sense; a whit is a small amount.
12. In an integrated curriculum, subjects are not dissected and separated into discrete chunks.
The chunks in question are discrete (meaning “separate”), not discreet (meaning “prudent” or “unobtrusive”).
13. She finally reined in her silliness and got back to work.
The person restrained her behavior as if controlling a horse with reins; reign means “to rule,” which may erroneously lead writers to think that the idea is of ruling one’s behavior.
14. A company’s name change always affects the business.
As a verb, effect means “to bring about.” Here, the meaning is “causes an impact,” which is the definition of affect.
15. He never seemed fazed by my requests.
Faze means “disconcert,” while the verb form of phase refers to carrying out in stages or introducing by stages. Requests can be phased, but one cannot be phased by them.
16. She likes to imitate his facial tics.
a) imitate
To emulate is to try to be like someone or something admired; to imitate is to copy behavior or another quality.
17. He evinced a talent for music when he was very young.
b) evinced
To evince is to reveal or to demonstrate evidence of; to evoke is to bring to mind or call forth.
18. The floral print complemented her green blouse.
b) complemented
To compliment is to express one’s admiration or approval; to complement is to add so as to complete or enhance.
19. They defused the tension by beginning with an apology.
b) defused
To defuse is to reduce the impact of an unpleasant quality; diffuse means to spread out over a wide area.
20. The incredulous look on her face told him that his excuse had not satisfied her.
a) incredulous
Incredible means “unbelievable” or “extremely good or large”; incredulous means “disbelieving.”
21. They didn’t realize that they were in imminent danger.
a) imminent
Eminent means “well known and respected”; imminentmeans “happening very soon.”
22. He cited an example to illustrate his point.
a) cited
To site is to locate or situate; to cite is to give an example or source.
23. Albany is the capital of New York.
b) capital
A capitol is a building or building complex in which legislators meet (the term is often capitalized to specify a particular building); a capital is a seat of government.
24. Her complaisant manner was appealing at first, but her eagerness to help soon became annoying.
a) complaisant
Complaisant means “willing to please”; complacent means “self-satisfied, smug.”
25. I am loath to delegate that responsibility to him.
a) loath
To loathe is to hate; loath means “reluctant” or “unwilling.”
26. Do you mean to imply that I stole your cell phone?
b) imply
To imply means suggest, while to infer means to draw a conclusion by reasoning.
27. The students are uninterested in learning algebra.
b) uninterested
The word uninterested indicates simple lack of interest, while disinterested connotes a lack of self-interest in a matter to be decided.
28. The state capitol is a miniature of the one in Washington D.C.
a) capitol
A capitol is a building that serves as a center of government; a capital is the chief city in a country or a state.
29. Between the years 1845 and 1855, nearly a million people emigrated from Germany to the United States.
a) emigrated
To emigrate is to leave a country with the intention of settling in another. To immigrate is to pass into a new country of residence.
30. The agents used torture to elicit information from the prisoners.
b) elicit
Elicit is to draw out a response. Illicit means not lawful.