Words Frequently Confused, the second volume in the four volume series, Know Your English, is based on S. Upendran’s popular weekly column published in The Hindu. It contains a selection of about 480 pairs of words that are frequently confused. Each entry gives the meaning of the words and points out the difference between them. Examples are also provided showing how the words can be used in everyday contexts. Some of the entries also contain information about the pronunciation and the etymology (origin) of the word.

S. Upendran has been writing the column, Know Your English, in The Hindu, since 1992. He is a Professor in the Department of Materials Development at the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. The selections in this book are those that featured between 1992 and 2011.

1. A few, few, quite a few
2. Abbreviation, acronym
3. Academic, academician
4. Ache, pain
5. Acquit, exonerate
6. Acute, chronic
7. Adhesive, cohesive
8. Adjoin, adjacent
9. Admission, admittance
10. Adverse, averse
11. Advice, advise
12. Adviser, advisor
13. Aestivate, hibernate
14. Affect, effect
15. Afflict, inflict
16. Ageing, aging
17. Agnostic, atheist
18. Ago, before
19. Alibi, excuse
20. All right, alright
21. Allude, elude
22. Alone, lonely
23. Alongwith, along with
24. Alphabet, letter
25. Alternate, alternative
26. Although, though, albeit
27. Alumni, alumnae, alumna, alumnus
28. A.M., P.M.
29. Ambassador, High Commissioner
30. Ambiance, ambience
31. Ambivalent, indifferent
32. Amid, among, amongst
33. Among, between
34. Amoral, immoral
35. Ample, enough
36. Amuse, bemuse
37. Annex, annexe
38. Another, other
39. Anyway, anyways
40. Apartment, flat
41. Apoplexy, apocalypse
42. Apposite, opposite
43. Appraise, apprise
44. Argument, quarrel
45. Army, military
46. Aroma, smell
47. Arrested, detained
48. Artist, artiste
49. As if, as though
50. As scheduled, on schedule
51. Assassinate, murder
52. At/on weekends
53. Autograph, signature
54. Autopsy, post mortem
55. Avoid, evade
56. Award, reward
57. Await, wait
58. Baby boomer, Generation X, Generation Y
59. Backward, backwards
60. Baggage, luggage
61. Bail, parole
62. Banquet, dinner
63. Barber, hairstylist
64. Battle, war
65. Beach, shore
66. Beat, hit
67. Beautiful, pretty
68. Beehove, behove
69. Believe, believe in
70. Biannual, biennial
71. Bibliography, reference
72. Bigot, fanatic
73. Bimonthly, fortnightly
74. Biodata, cv, resume
75. Birding, birder
76. Blind in, blind to
77. Blue-collar, pink-collar, white-collar
78. Bravado, bravery
79. Break a sweat, break into a sweat
80. Breeze away, breeze through
81. Briefly, shortly
82. Browse, peruse
83. Buzzword, password
84. Call at, call on
85. Call for, call upon, drop in on
86. Call off, put off
87. Callous, callus
88. Capsize, overturn
89. Cemetery, graveyard
90. Cent percent, hundred percent
91. Centre, center
92. Change, alter
93. Chauffeur, driver
94. Chew at, chew out
95. Childish, childlike
96. Choose, pick
97. Chubby, flabby
98. Cite, quote
99. Citizen, resident, netizen
100. Client, clientele
101. Climate, weather
102. Co-brother, brother-in-law, co-brother-in-law
103. Collaborate, corroborate
104. Colourful, coloured
105. Command of, command over
106. Comic, comical
107. Compare, contrast, liken
108. Compare to, compare with
109. Compel, impel
110. Complacent, complaisant
111. Complement, compliment
112. Complex, complicated
113. Comptroller, controller
114. Compulsive, impulsive
115. Concert, recital
116. Condole, condolence
117. Confidant, confidante
118. Contagious, infectious
119. Continually, continuously
120. Convicted, sentenced
121. Cool down, cool off
122. Corrigenda, errata
123. Cost, price
124. Couch potato, fax potato, mouse potato
125. Cousin, half brother
126. Crises, crisis
127. Criteria, criterion
128. Criticism, critique
129. Cronyism, nepotism
130. Crush, infatuation
131. Cupboard love, puppy love
132. Curd, curds
133. Custom, habit
134. Cut, crack a joke
135. Cynic, sceptic
136. Damage, damages
137. Damsel, spinster
138. Day by day, day-to-day
139. De facto, de jure
140. Dead, departed
141. Dead cheap, dirt cheap
142. Deadly, deathly
143. Deal in, deal with
144. Defence, defense
145. Deism, theism
146. Demise, death
147. Deny, refute
148. Dependent, dependant
149. Depromoted, demoted
150. Desire, aspire
151. Despatch, dispatch
152. Despise, hate
153. Deter to do, deter from doing
154. Detract, distract
155. Died, killed
156. Different from, different than
157. Dine in, dine at
158. Dinner, supper
159. Disassemble, dissemble
160. Debar, disbar
161. Disburse, disperse
162. Discover, invent
163. Discreet, discrete
164. Discuss, discuss about, discussion about
165. Disguise, guise
166. Disinterested, uninterested
167. Dispense, dispense with
168. Displace, misplace
169. Disposed of, disposed off
170. Dispute, quarrel
171. Dissatisfied, unsatisfied
172. Disused, unused
173. Drink in, drink down
174. Drop out, dropout
175. Due to, owing to
176. Earmark, hallmark
177. Eatable, edible
178. Eavesdrop, overhear
179. Edgy, nervous
180. Educated, learned
181. Egoist, egotist
182. Effeminate, metrosexual
183. Elder, older
184. Emigrate, immigrate
185. Eminent, famous
186. Emulate, imitate
187. Enclosed, enclosed herewith
188. Energize, enervate
189. English teacher, teacher of English
190. Enough, enough of
191. Envelope, envelop
192. Endemic, epidemic
193. Enquiry/ inquiry, query
194. Erstwhile, former
195. Escort, convoy
196. Especially, specially
197. Even so, even though
198. Every day, everyday
199. Ex, former
200. Exalt, exult
201. Expel, rusticate
202. Expect, hope
203. Expire, die
204. Extempore, impromptu
205. Extinct, extinguish
206. Fable, parable
207. Faculty, faculties
208. Fairly, rather
209. Familiar with, familiar to
210. Far-fetched, far-reaching
211. Fares, prices
212. Farther, further
213. Fat chance, slim chance
214. Fat, plump, buxom
215. Fatal, fateful
216. Father-in-laws, fathers-in-law
217. Faux pas, blunder
218. Feminist, hominist, masculinist
219. Fictitious, facetious
220. Fight against, fight with
221. Fill in a form, fill out a form
222. Financial, fiscal
223. First cousin, second cousin, cousin once removed
224. Flammable, inflammable, non flammable
225. Floor, ground
226. For sale, on sale
227. Forbear, forebear
228. Forbid, prevent
229. Foreword, preface
230. Forget, disremember
231. Forthwith, immediately
232. Fragile, frail
233. Friend, companion
234. Funds, money
235. Gawk, gaze
236. Genius, prodigy
237. Gentle, genteel
238. Get dressed, dress up
239. Gift, present
240. Give up, give in
241. Glance, glimpse
242. Godown, warehouse
243. Good Morning, good afternoon, good night
244. Gourmet, gourmand
245. Graceful, gracious
246. Grumble about, grumble at
247. Half pants, shorts
248. Handsome woman, beautiful woman
249. Handy, portable
250. Hanged, hung
251. Harbour someone, house someone
252. Hat, cap
253. Have to, must
254. Head Master, Principal
255. Heartfelt, hearty
256. Heartthrob, sweetheart
257. Histrionics, hysterics
258. Hoard, horde
259. Homely, at home
260. Homemaker, housewife, househusband
261. Home, house, residence
262. Homicide, manslaughter, murder
263. Homophone, homonym
264. Honourable, honorary
265. Horrible, horrific
266. Hospice, hospital
267. Hostellite, hosteller
268. Hotel, motel
269. Hotel, restaurant
270. Housekeeper, housesitter
271. How are you? How do you do?
272. However, how ever
273. However, nevertheless
274. Human, humane
275. Hungry, famished, peckish
276. Ice cool, ice cold
277. Ill sick
278. Ill-informed, misinformed
279. Impasse, deadlock
280. Impassioned, impassive
281. Imply, infer
282. In camera, on camera
283. Incomparable, uncomparable
284. In short supply, in short order
285. In spite of, despite
286. In the end, at the end
287. In time, on time
288. Incidence, incident
289. Infant, toddler
290. Infiltrator, intruder
291. Informer, informant
292. Ingenious, ingenuous
293. Instinct, intuition
294. Intense, intensive
295. Interfere, intervene
296. Interpreter, translator
297. Introvert, taciturn
298. Invaluable, valuable
299. Invite, invitation
300. Its, it’s
301. Jail, prison
302. Journal, magazine
303. Journey, sojourn
304. Judgement, judgment
305. Junk, obsolete
306. Kidnap, hijack
307. Kitchen, mess, pantry
308. Laconic, taciturn
309. Lacto-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, vegan
310. Lanky, tall
311. Lastly, last but not least
312. Lawyer, attorney
313. Lay, lie
314. Learn something by heart/rote
315. Learned, learnt
316. Lease, rent
317. Leave, holiday
318. Leave behind, forget
319. Lecturn, podium
320. Lengthy, long
321. License, licence
322. Life assurance, life insurance
323. Lightning, lightening
324. Likeable, likable
325. Loath, loathe
326. Lonely, lonesome
327. Look at, watch
328. Look over, overlook
329. Look, see
330. Loose, lose
331. Loving child, lovely child
332. Luxurious, luxuriant
333. Man of promise, man of promises
334. Mania, phobia
335. Many, many a
336. Marriage, wedding
337. Martyr, victim
338. Masochist, sadist
339. Maybe, perhaps
340. Medical shop, chemist’s
341. Megalomaniac, kleptomaniac
342. Memento, souvenir
343. Meet, visit
344. Militant, terrorist
345. Misbehaviour, misdemeanour
346. Misfit, unfit
347. Misogamist, misogynist
348. Miss, Ms
349. Missive, letter
350. Mobile, moveable
351. Momentary, momentous
352. Monday through/to Friday
353. Monologue, soliloquy
354. Motherland, fatherland
355. Mouthpiece, spokesperson
356. Movie, movies, cinema
357. Muddle along, muddle around
358. Murder, kill
359. Must, ought to
360. Naked, nude
361. Native place, hometown
362. Naught, nought
363. Negligent, negligible
364. Neophyte, beginner
365. New York minute, Facebook minute
366. Next week, the next week
367. Nickname, pseudonym
368. No priest, not a priest
369. Nonetheless, nevertheless
370. Noticeable, notable
371. Notorious, infamous
372. Obliged, obligated
373. Obtain, attain
374. Occupation, designation
375. Odious, odorous
376. Odour, smell
377. On foot, by foot
378. Overspeeding, speeding
379. Panacea, placebo
380. Partake, take part
381. Partially, partly
382. Passenger, traveller
383. Peek, peep
384. Place, put
385. Plenty, aplenty
386. Portend, portent
387. Possible, probable
388. Practical, practicable
389. Premier, premiere
390. Prepone, advance
391. Prescribe, proscribe
392. Preserve, conserve
393. Prevaricate, procrastinate
394. Prolonged, protracted
395. Proper question, question proper
396. Prophecy, prophesy
397. Purposely, purposefully
398. Push over, pushover
399. Quash, squash
400. Rare, scarce
401. Rational, rationale
402. Re-count, recount
403. Re-cover, recover
404. Referee, umpire
405. Regret, repent
406. Relinquish, surrender
407. Reminisce, remember
408. Reputed, reputable
409. Revue, review
410. Robber, thief, burglar
411. Sachet, sashay
412. Salary, wages
413. Scarce, sparse
414. Scare, scarify
415. Scholarship, stipend
416. Scoot down, scoot over
417. Seasonable, seasonal
418. Sell, sell out
419. Semblance, resemblance
420. Sentimental, emotional
421. Shop, shoppe
422. Should, must
423. Show someone the door, show someone to the door
424. Sicken at, sicken of
425. Similar, identical
426. Simple, simplistic
427. Simpleton, simple minded
428. Sink, drown
429. Smile at, laugh at
430. So far, till now
431. Sob, weep
432. Sometime, sometimes, some time
433. Spare, stepney
434. Speak English, speak in English
435. Spectators, audience
436. Stagger, totter
437. Staircase, stairway
438. Stammer, stutter
439. Stationary, stationery
440. Story, tale
441. Stumble over, stumble on
442. Swap, swop
443. Take care of, take care
444. Talk to, talk with
445. Tasteful, tasty
446. Television serial, television series
447. Thrice, three times
448. Thumb through, leaf through
449. Tiffin, breakfast
450. Timing, timings
451. Tiresome, tiring
452. Too, very
453. Towards, toward
454. Translation, transliteration
455. Treason, treachery
456. Troublemaker, trouble shooter
457. Tryst, rendezvous
458. Unaware, unawares
459. Underemployed, unemployed
460. Up-and-coming, upcoming
461. Up to, until, till
462. Update, up-to-date
463. Utensil, vessel
464. Utopia, dystopia
465. Vacant, empty
466. Varsity, university
467. Vendor, seller
468. Verbal, oral
469. Vertically/ horizontally/ physically/visually challenged
470. Vocation, avocation
471. Voracious, veracious
472. Walkable, walking
473. While, whilst
474. Whiskey, Whisky
475. Wish, desire
476. Word for word, word by word
477. Worrisome, worrying
478. Worthwhile, worth while
479. Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely