MID-T ERM EXAMINATION IN TECHNICAL ENGLISH

Confusing words are words that are very similar and commonly confused. Choose the correct word to
complete the question. Each question has only one correct answer. Underline your answer.
1. The (audience, spectators) applauded enthusiastically after the performance was finished.
2. I haven't seen him (since, for) over five years.
3. (Besides, beside) the fact that it was difficult; the exam also included questions that we had
never studied before.
4. I told my boss that I wanted a big (rise, raise).
5. The article's (title, headline) read "Politician Wants Answers".
6. His opinion had no (effect, affect) on my decision.
7. He (lay, lie) down for a short nap.
8. Could you give me the (receipt, recipe) for that wonderful dessert?
9. They (controlled, inspected) his passport on entering the country.
10. Please finish your work (by, finish) five o'clock.
11. He was cooking dinner (while, during) the football match.
12. Could you go to the store and get me some (stationary, stationery)?
13. I need to (sow, sew) a new button onto my shirt.
14. You will find the book (beside, besides) the lamp on the table.
15. You can choose from (between, among) four prizes!
16. It's so hot! I need to find some (shadow, shade).
17. (Although, Despite) his having studied French, he found the course very difficult.
18. The movie was (so, such) boring he fell asleep!
19. Try to use your (phantasy, imagination) when answering this question.
20. I (wandered, wondered) about how my friend was doing in Rotterdam.
21. He should be arriving (briefly, shortly).
22. They went to a basketball (play, game) on Saturday night.
23. Unfortunately, unemployment is on the (rise, raise) again.
24. I wasn't able to do any work because of the (continual, continuous) interruptions.
25. You can't wear those trousers! They are (creased ,crinkled)
26. Did Henry Ford (invent, discover) the car?
27. The car needs to have its (breaks, brakes) repaired.
28. (As long as, As far as) I'm concerned, you can come along.
29. (Despite, Although) he was reluctant to help, he finally lent a helping hand.
30. The (principle, principal) of the school welcomed the new students to classes.
31. Olympia is the (capital, capitol) of Washington State.
32. That painting by Picasso is (worthless, priceless).
33. Have you decided (weather, whether) you would like to come?
34. You shouldn't leave litter (laying, lying) on the ground.
35. I spent my evening (looking at, watching) television.
36. The political situation is (actually, currently) very unstable.
37. Art (objection, criticism) is a very subjective matter.
38. The car tried to (overcome, overtake) the bus on the freeway.
39. You will just have to (except, accept) his decision.
40. Could you wait a moment? I would like to stop (to telephone, telephoning) my mother.
41. Could you give me some (advice, advise) on this problem?
42. Please (remember, remind) me to pick up some bread at the market
43. John (borrowed, lent) me $50 until next Monday.
44. He (said, told) us about his trip to Chicago.
45. His help with the contract was (invaluable, valueless).
46. He is a very (sensible, sensitive) person. He always has time to listen to people's problems.
47. Jack went to the library to (lend, borrow) the latest Stephen King novel.
48. Mary (assured, ensured) us we had made a good decision.
49. He (laid, lay) the book on the table.
50. Unfortunately, he made quite a serious (fault, mistake) while working on the plumbing.

1. She worked harder (than, then) she had ever worked before.
2. If I had known your number, I would (have, of) called.
3. The bingo game has (all ready, already) started.
4. (Whose, Who's) shorts are hanging from the flagpole?
5. Britney has (alot, a lot) of problems.
6. The program changes will not (affect, effect) you.
7. What is your (principal, principle) reason for wearing a parrot on your head?
8. (Whose, Who's) hiding in your closet?
9. Last year Beckham (lead, led) the league in goals.
10. Get your facts first, and (than, then) you can distort them as much as you please.
11. The ultimate result of shielding men from the (affects, effects) of folly is to fill the world with
fools.
12. There cannot be a crisis next week: my schedule is (all ready, already) full.
13. Computers are being called on to perform many new functions, including the consumption of
homework (formally, formerly) eaten by the dog.
14. Kate (implied, inferred) that she had a good alibi, but Jack (implied, inferred) otherwise from her
nervous behavior.
15. Many are predicting that the TV series Lost won’t last much longer because (fewer, less) people
are watching these (days, daze).
16. Although the recording (device, devise) was primitive, (you're, your) voice came across clearly.
17. I was (conscience, conscious) after the collision but (to, too) frightened (to, too) move.
18. (Quiet, Quite, Quit) was restored, and the judge (preceded, proceeded) with the case.
19. Following the ice storms, (there, their, they're) (maybe, may be) a plague of locusts and a swarm
of frogs.
20. The handle was (lose, loose) and could (have, of) fallen off at any moment.

Here are the answers to the Review Quiz on Commonly Confused Words.

1. than 11. effects

2. have 12. already
3. already 13. formerly
4. Whose 14. implied; inferred
5. a lot 15. fewer; days
6. affect 16. device; your
7. principal 17. conscious; too; to
8. Who's 18. Quiet; proceeded
9. led 19. there; may be
10. then 20. loose; have
 9. Collaborate or Corroborate
1. Affect or Effect The prosecutor closed the case,
"Our ultimate freedom is the right and admitting that he was unable to find
power to decide how anybody or witnesses to _____ the allegations
anything outside ourselves will _____ made against Mr. Soprano.
us." (Stephen R. Covey)
10. Credible or Credulous
2. Allusion or Illusion "The most imaginative people are the
"The single biggest problem in most _____: for them everything is
communication is the _____ that it has possible." (Alexander Chase)
taken place." (George Bernard Shaw)
11. Dazed or Dazzled
3. Aural or Oral _____ by months of gladhanding and
While visual learners prefer to learn posturing, the candidates stumbled
information through charts and graphs, around the stage like finalists in a dance
_____ learners prefer to hear marathon.
information.
12. Defuse or Diffuse
4. Capital or Capitol "Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes
Bismarck is the _____ of North Dakota from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those
and the state’s second largest city. who _____ it: it proves nothing but the
bad taste of the smoker." (George Eliot)
5. Cereal or Serial
"Here's what we do. We leave the car 13. Eminent or Imminent
here, we take the plates off, we scratch If so _____ an establishment as a three-
the _____ number off the engine block, star Michelin restaurant can serve toxic
and we walk away." (Kramer in shellfish, what hope is there for anyone
Seinfeld) else?

6. Chord or Cord 14. Fair or Fare

The governor touched a responsive The driver teased the poor child who
_____ with voters of both parties, had forgotten her bus _____.
especially with her promise to veto any
budget plan that included an increase in 15. Faze or Phase
taxes. I'm happy to say that the first _____ of
our operation has met with
7. Click or Clique considerable success.
The vice president of China belongs to a
_____ known as the "princelings," 16. Finally or Finely
descendants of prominent communist "My sister's bringing up had made me
officials. sensitive. In the little world in which
children have their existence,
8. Climactic or Climatic whosoever brings them up, there is
The new music director favors full- nothing so _____ perceived and so
bodied, robust sound, which can build _____ felt as injustice." (Charles
to daring decibel levels in _____ Dickens, Great Expectations)
moments.
17. Flare or Flair
The bright spot in the sky was an 25. Hurdling or Hurtling
unusually large solar _____, a "The ground beneath our feet is
stupendous explosion that belched spinning at a thousand miles an hour.
radiation and billions of tons of matter The entire planet is _____ around the
far into space. sun at 67,000 miles an hour. And I can
feel it." (The Doctor in Doctor Who)
18. Flaunt or Flout
The first priority of the commission 26. Ingenious or Ingenuous
should be to identify restaurant owners "Salvatore was now a great big husky
who knowingly _____ public-health fellow, tall and broad, but still with that
laws. _____ smile and those trusting, kindly
eyes that he had had as a boy." (William
19. Flew, Flu, or Flue Somerset Maugham, "Salvatore")
"The Wright brothers _____ right
through the smoke screen of 27. Leaches or Leeches
impossibility." (Charles F. Kettering) "You are feeding off the violence and
the despair of the drug trade. You are a
20. Formally or Formerly parasite who _____ off the culture of
"Home computers are being called drugs." (Maury Levy in The Wire)
upon to perform many new functions,
including the consumption of 28. Lead or Led
homework _____ eaten by the dog." "We can chart our future clearly and
(Doug Larson) wisely only when we know the path
which has _____ to the present." (Adlai
21. Forth or Fourth E. Stevenson)
"A reformer is one who sets _____
cheerfully toward sure defeat." (Lydia 29. Liable or Libel
M. Child) "If you shoot me, you're _____ to lose a
lot of those humanitarian awards."
22. Gibe, Jibe, or Jive (Chevy Chase in Fletch)
"Do you promise to jump, _____, wail,
groove, rock steady, and at all times 30. Loose or Lose
lend a helping hand to your fellow "The best way to find yourself is to
music lovers?" (The Little Mermaid: _____ yourself in the service of others."
Ariel's Beginning) (Mohandas Gandhi)

23. Hardy or Hearty 31. Miner or Minor

"_____ laughter is a good way to jog Parents are conditioned to put up with
internally without having to go a few _____ accidents when they leave
outdoors." (Norman Cousins) their children home alone--a broken
vase, spilt milk on the rug.
24. Homed or Honed
Last year scientists re-engineered E coli 32. Official or Officious
bacteria so that instead of swimming Julia Child once grabbed a pepper mill
toward food they _____ in on from the hands of an _____ waiter
substances released by dangerous before he had a chance to spoil her
pathogens. carefully ordered dish.
 The teacher tried to make conversation,
33. Palate, Palette, or Pallet but the boy remained _____ and
"Yes, gentlemen, I have here just about refused to make eye contact.
the handiest, dandiest little bookful of
gastronomical surprises that ever 42. Restive or Restless
tempted the jaded _____ of a fastidious "My _____, roaming spirit would not
f-f-food fancier." (Daffy Duck) allow me to remain at home very long."
(Buffalo Bill Cody)
34. Peak, Peek, or Pique
"The man who unified China in the third 43. Riffled or Rifled
century B.C. conquered six other feudal With quiet precision, the thief _____
states to do it, built the first version of the pouch, placed most of its contents
the Great Wall and in a fit of _____ may in a briefcase, and walked confidently
have buried hundreds of scholars alive." out of the embassy.
(Time magazine, May 18, 2008)
44. Role or Roll
35. Plain or Plane "Change does not _____ in on the
"I remain just one thing, and one thing wheels of inevitability, but comes
only, and that is a clown. It places me through continuous struggle." (Martin
on a far higher _____ than any Luther King, Jr.)
politician." (Charlie Chaplin)
45. Stanch or Staunch
36. Pole or Poll "There's an evil on these seas that even
"A public-opinion _____ is no substitute the most _____ and bloodthirsty pirates
for thought."(Warren Buffett) have come to fear." (Tia Dalma in
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's
37. Prescribed or Proscribed End)
The Canadian government added the
Somali al-Shabaab group to its list of 46. Suit or Suite
_____ terror groups. "I'd walk through hell in a gasoline
_____ to play baseball." (Pete Rose)
38. Principal or Principle
"All animals, except man, know that the 47. Tack or Tact
_____ business of life is to enjoy it." "The Viper, to me, is the quintessential
(Samuel Butler) American muscle car--brute power,
great looks and about as much _____ as
39. Prostate or Prostrate a grunge band crashing a cotillion." (Bill
"Miss Everglot, what are you doing Griffith, The Boston Globe)
here? You should be at home, _____
with grief." (Pastor Galswells in Corpse 48. Troop or Troupe
Bride) In the end, the plucky singing Scot lost
out to a dance _____.
40. Regretful or Regrettable
The movie is beautiful, luscious, and 49. Vale or Veil
elegiac, but it has the _____ drawback "Our own self-love draws a thick _____
of being dreadfully boring. between us and our faults." (Lord
Chesterfield)
41. Reluctant or Reticent
 50. Who's or Whose "Never go to a doctor _____ office
plants have died." (Erma Bombeck)

Here are the answers to the 50 questions in our Big Quiz on Commonly Confused Words.

1. affect 26. ingenuous

2. illusion 27. leeches
3. aural 28. led
4. capital 29. liable
5. serial 30. lose
6. chord 31. minor
7. clique 32. officious
8. climactic 33. palate
9. corroborate 34. pique
10. credulous 35. plane
11. Dazed 36. poll
12. diffuse 37. proscribed
13. eminent 38. principal
14. fare 39. prostrate
15. phase 40. regrettable
16. finely, finely 41. reticent
17. flare 42. restless
18. flout 43. rifled
19. flew 44. roll
20. formerly 45. staunch
21. forth 46. suit
22. jive 47. tact
23. Hearty 48. troupe
24. homed 49. veil
25. hurtling 50. whose