So far this grammar topic is concerned, there is a long list of such words bearing separate meaning.
Readers very often get confused seeing such pair words and unless dictionary is seen, meanings are not clear.
Let us have a look at such important words as per Alphabetical order which are very important for
school and college students.
A
Access: (entry)- He has an easy access to the minister.
Excess:( More than required)- I have not any excess money.
Adopt:(Take legally)- We have finally adopted a child.
Adapt:( get adjusted)- My son has adapted with the present situation.
Affect:( have an effect )-The flood affected people are helpless.
Effect:(Have an after effect)- I consulted the side effect of this medicine.
Advice:(noun- giving advice)- I met my grandmother seeking advice.
Advise:(verb- to give advice)- They advised me to read hard.
Amiable (gentle) - He is an amiable person
Amicable: ( peaceful) - They came to an amicable solution to the problem.
Alter (change) - I cannot alter the plan.
Altar (offering place) - He offered flower at the alter.
B
Buy (to purchase) - He bought a car yesterday.
Bye (farewell) - He bade me bye.
Bid (to give) - I bade him farewell.
Beat ( Punish) - The teacher beats him daily.
Berth ( seat) - He got his berth reserved in the train.
Birth ( born)- I visited my birth place.
C
Childish ( older behaving like child) - Nobody likes your childish manner.
Childlike(very gentle) - I am impressed by his childlike manner.
D
Due ( fixed )- WE have to follow due process.
Dew ( water drops) - I like dew drops.
Dare ( brave)- He dares facing a tiger.
Dear( close) - He is my dear friend.
Dire ( serious) - You have to face dire consequences.
E
Eligible (fit)- you are eligible for the post.
Illegible (not clear) - His handwriting is not illegible.
Elicit - (to get) -His good manners elicit praise from everyone.
Illicit ( illegal)- He sells illicit lacquer.
Economic (financial)- His economic condition is not good.
Economical (careful in expenses) - Being himself economical, he saves some money.
Eminent (famous) - He is an eminent educationist.
Imminent (likely to happen) - He guessed about this imminent disaster.
F
Fair (beautiful) - She is a fair girl.
Fare (fare of bus/rickshaw) - Bus fare has increased.
Fear ( terror) - I fear lions.
Fit (eligible) - He is fit for the job.
Feet (lowermost part) - There is a lake at the feet of the hill.
Feat (skillfulness0 -The magician shows his feat.
Farther (Far) -I can not go farther than you.
Further (more) - He has made further progress.
G
Goal (Aim) : My goal is different.
Gaol (Jail) : He was put in gaol.
H
Hard (tough) :Iron is hard.
Herd (group) : I saw a herd of sheep.
Hardly (somehow): He hardly passed the examination.
Honorary (temporary) : He is an honorary Secretary.\
Honourable (respected) : Mr. Das is an honorable person.
Human( person) : They are good human beings.
Himane(kind) : Ashoka was a humane ruler.
I
Idle(workless) : An idle brain is valueless.
Ideal(having principles) :: He is an ideal man.
Industrial(industry) : Durgapur is an industrial town.
Industrious(hard working) : Anuj is very industrious .
J
Jealous: He is jealous of my success.
Zealous (enthusiastic) : She is a zealous learner.
L
Late( being late) : you are late today.
.Lately(recently) : The CM came here lately.
Lose (to lose) : I lost Pan card.
Loose : This shirt is very loose.
M
Memorial( a place) : I visited Victoria Memorial.
Memorable: 15th August is a memorable day.
Moral: His moral character is good.
Morale : He has high moral in life.
O
Old : This is an old furniture.
Ancient (old): This ancient name is forgotten.
P
Physics (science) : He knows physics.
Phusique(health ) : He has a strong physique.
Popular (famous) : He is very popular.
Populous (full of people) : This city is populous.
Pray: I offer prayers.
Prey: Eagle is a bird of prey.
Principal(main) : He is the Principal of this school.
Principle: Mr. Sarma is a man of principles.
Q
Quiet (silent) : Let me go to a quiet place.
Quite(complete) : I am quite well.
R
Right: This is right.
Rite: we follow funeral rites.
Route : This is the only route to Goa.
Root (main): This is the root cause of poverty.
S
Short : This pencil is short.
Shortly( indicates future): They will arrive shortly.
Seize Police seized the thief.
Cease (stop): At last rain has ceased.
Sit: Please sit beside me.
Seat : I have occupied a few seats.
Sole (main) : This is my sole purpose.
Soul : Every living thing has a soul.
Stationary (fixed): The Sun is stationary.
Stationery : He has a stationery shop.
Storey: This is a five storey building.
Story (tale): He told me a story.
V
Vain (usekess): All his efforts are in vain.
Vein (Nerve): Blood circulates through veins.
W
Wander: This is a wandering star.
Wonder (surprise): I wondered at the flower.
Weak; The patient is very weak.
Week: This is a weekly newspaper.
Wright (maker): I am a playwright.
Rite (customs): We perform death rites.
EXERCISE FOR PRACTICE :::
1)I have an _____to the ministers colony (access/excess).
2)The couple_____ a baby(adopt/adapt)
3) My warning has no _____on him (affect/effect).
4) We wan our parents_____(advice/advise).
5) Nobody can _____the plan (alter/altar).
6) Both the parties came to an ______solution (amiable/amicable).
7) Please ____with us (bear/bare).
8) This is a water _____disease(borne/born)
9) Please sit ____ me (beside/besides).
10) He got his ______reserved in the train .(berth/birth)
11) This bag is made of _____clothe(canvas/canvass).
12) Which ____do you belong to ? (caste/cast)
13) I _____all the copies(check/cheque)
14) No one likes your ______manner (childish/ childlike)
15) This _____ is reserved for stadium.(site/cite)
16) _______punishment is prohibited these days (corporal/corporeal)
17) He put on _____ cloth(coarse/course)
18) Sarma is a member of the ______(council/counsel).
19) The Hindus follow different_____(custom/costume).
20) The ______ left no Will while dying. (decease/disease).
21) Do you use hair______(dye/die)
22) Who ______America ? (discover/ invent)
23) Your handwriting is not ______(eligible/illegible)
24) Do you know any ______speaker (imminent/eminent).
25) Pay your bus ____(fair/fare).
26) I am _____in my decision (firm/farm).
27) Are you interested in _____ studies? (farther/further)
28) The dull student ______passed (hard/hardly).
29) Dr. Barua is an _______Secretary of the organization (honorary/ honorable).
30) Bishakhapatnam is an ______ area. (industrial/industrious)
31) Raju is a _____ reader (jealous/ zealous)
32) He is a man of high______(moral/morale)
33) India is a ______country(popular/populous)
34) Eagle is a bird of _____ (pray/prey).
35) _____ the book on the table (put/keep).
ANSWERS:
1) access 2) adopt 3) effect
4) advice 5) alter 6) amicable
7) bear 8) borne 9) beside
10) berth 11) canvas 12) caste
13) check 14) childish 15) site
16) corporal 17) coarse 18) council
19) custom 20) decease.. 21) dye
22) discover 23) illegible 24) eminent
25) fare 26) firm 27) farther
28) hardly 29) honorary 30) industrial
31) zealous 32) morale 33) populous
34) prey 35) keep.