Confused Words Exercise (191)

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.)

  • The next emperor _____ to the throne while the empire was being beset by danger from without and within.

  • The governor admitted that he got the best ______ not from his advisors, but from his grandmother.

  • The best _____ came from a twelve-year-old girl in the audience.

  • The detective did not want to get his friend into trouble, but he felt he must ______ their superior of what had happened.

  • The fact that the preliminary framing has collapsed does not _____ well for the project as a whole.

Answers and Explanations

1. The next emperor acceded to the throne while the empire was being beset by danger from without and within.

Accede means to come into an office; exceed means to go beyond or do more than is expected or warranted.

2. The governor admitted that he got the best advice not from his advisors, but from his grandmother.

Advice is a noun meaning "opinion given or offered as to what action to take." Advise is a verb meaning to offer such opinion.

3. The best idea came from a twelve-year-old girl in the audience.

In common usage, an idea is a notion or intention. Ideal is an adjective that refers to something that exists only in imagination. Example: "Tell me what your ideal job would be."

4. The detective did not want to get his friend into trouble, but he felt he must apprise their superior of what had happened.

Appraise means, "to assess the value of something." Apprise means, "to inform."

5. The fact that the preliminary framing has collapsed does not augur well for the project as a whole.

An auger is a carpenter’s tool used for boring holes. In this sentence, augur is a verb meaning "to foretell by means of signs or omens."

Related Articles

Subscribe to our articles and exercises