12 Vocabulary / Spelling – Confusing word pairs

Category: Vocabulary /Spelling

Concept: Confusing Word Pairs

Connections to The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Language (2023):

_____B2 Language Foundations for Reading and Writing

__________B2.1 Word-Level Reading and Spelling: Using Morphological Knowledge

__________B2.2 Vocabulary

Prior Knowledge:

• Understanding basic sound/symbol relationships
• Understanding basic parts of speech (nouns, verb); and verb tenses
• Recognizing the concept of homophones

What’s the definition?

Pairs of words can be confused if they resemble one another visually, sound the same or nearly the same, or have subtle differences in meaning or grammatical function.

What does it look/sound like?

Below are examples of word pairs fitting the various categories indicated above. Consult the chapter on homophones for understanding more about words with the same pronunciation but different spellings and meanings.

homographs: Words having the same spelling but different meanings and sometimes different pronunciations.

Other confusing word pairs: Some word pairs have slight differences in spelling or pronunciation that can be challenging to remember. Students will require lots of practice with identifying and using these words correctly.

Why does it matter?

Confusing word pairs often tax even mature speakers and writers of English. Because each word in the pair is a legitimate English word, their misuse in context often goes undetected by spell checks. For example, the following errors with accept/except were not highlighted by a spell check: I will except all answers accept those that are late. These fine distinctions are even more challenging for English Language Learners, especially those whose first language is pattern-based with few exceptions. Confusing word pairs can impact reading, writing, and vocabulary acquisition.

How do I teach this?

It is important to bring specific attention to frequently mistaken word pairs for students. Encourage them to adopt strategies for distinguishing each word and use class time to brainstorm tricks for dealing with these challenges. Highlight these features as they appear in student writing and in classroom reading in various subject areas.

Help students practise the correct use of these words in context, either by providing proofreading passages or options from which to choose

For example:

——–Don’t (overdo/ overdue) your workout.

——–A rest is (overdo/ overdue).

——–If your belt is too (lose/loose) you may (lose/ loose) your pants.

Students with a keen interest in language may find it exciting to explore more advanced word pairs. Challenge them to find additional online videos and lists that are geared to more advanced language users, using Confusing Word Pairs in a search engine.

Word pairs with small differences in pronunciation can be approached through careful articulation of the sounds and syllables in each word.

Some ELL students may have difficulty hearing or pronouncing the slight variations in sound or stress patterns between words in a pair. For example, content (substance) vs. content (happy). Have them work with a partner to use the words in context.

Provide students with (or have them create) flash cards in which pairs of words are written along with the correct meaning. Sort the words to match meaning and words. As a follow-up, have students create their own sentences using the words and share them with a partner.

Encourage students to create visual representations of confusing word pairs or find images to aid in memory.

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Online Resources:

This useful video (3:32 min) highlights five Confusing Word Pairs. https://youtu.be/ge2Xt7VYdLU?si=NaABgaSvSkVjS2GE