Confusing Word Pairs

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Confusing Word Pairs

Presented by the Business Writing Center,

training business writers since 1997

Select the correct word or phrase for each of the following questions to test your knowledge of the most commonly confused words in business writing.

1. We could not _________ the explanation.

a) except b) accept c) Don’t Know 2. We were not ________ to the idea. a) adverse b) averse c) Don’t Know 3. We found everything _________ the right document. a) except b) accept c) Don’t Know 4. The chemical had _______ effects on her system. a) averse b) adverse c) Don’t Know 5. The cost will _______ the final contract. a) effect b) affect c) Don’t Know 6. We know that the _____ of the merger will create problems. a) effect b) affect c) Don’t Know 7. The plaintiff found herself _______ several hostile women. a) between b) among c) Don’t Know 8. The agreement was made ________ two employees of the business. a) between b) among c) Don’t Know 9. The owners _______ the building in the fall. a) apprised b) appraised c) Don’t Know 10. John agreed to keep Linda ______ of all changes in the agreement. a) appraised b) apprised c) Don’t Know 11. The defendant did his best to _______ the plaintiff that the damage was minimal. a) assure b) ensure c) Don’t Know 12. The owners added a scaffold to ______ that workers were safe. a) ensure b) assure c) Don’t Know 13. The __________ meeting occurs every other month. a) bimonthly b) semimonthly c) Don’t Know 14. A ________report is produced twice a year. a) biannual b) semiannual c) Don’t Know 15. The committee read the document and _________ objectionable parts. a) censured b) censored c) Don’t Know 16. The result of his misconduct was a vote to ________ the alderman. a) censor b) censure c) Don’t Know 17. The firm agreed that increasing client satisfaction was our _______ goal. a) common b) mutual c) Don’t Know 18. It was in the parties’ _________ interest to reach an agreement quickly. a) common b) mutual c) Don’t Know 19. Using the invention was the highest ________ someone could pay the inventor. a) compliment b) complement c) Don’t Know 20. The new subsidiary ________ the focus of the larger company. a) complimented b) complemented c) Don’t Know 21. The legal team is _________ of staff members from three firms. a) comprised b) composed c) Don’t Know 22. The legal team _______ the top defense lawyers in the country. a) composes b) comprises c) Don’t Know 23. The incidents occurred for three _______ months: June, July, and August. a) consecutive b) successive c) Don’t Know 24. The defendant’s behavior continued over three ______ months: December, March, and July. a) consecutive b) successive c) Don’t Know 25. Mark’s ______ absence resulted in his termination. a) continuous b) continual c) Don’t Know 26. Once started, the motor will run _______ until it runs out of gas. a) continuously b) continually c) Don’t Know 27. Both tried to be ______ about their romance, but were unable to keep it secret. a) discreet b) discrete c) Don’t Know 28. The incidents occurred in three _______ periods. a) discreet b) discrete c) Don’t Know 29. The residents smelled the ______ odor of marijuana. a) distinct b) distinctive c) Don’t Know 30. The defendant’s recording was easy to assign to him because of his _________ voice. a) distinct b) distinctive c) Don’t Know 31. Dr. Rogers was an _________ scientist. a) imminent b) eminent c) Don’t Know 32. As the crowd grew unruly, it was apparent that violence was ___________. a) eminent b) imminent c) Don’t Know 33. The two defendants were ______ happy with the verdict of innocence. a) exceedingly b) excessively c) Don’t Know 34. The two talked __________ in the interview. a) excessively b) exceedingly c) Don’t Know 35. There were _______ hours logged than the company expected. a) less b) fewer c) Don’t Know 36. The amount of gasoline was ________ than we had budgeted for. a) less b) fewer c) Don’t Know 37. We decided to go ________ with the project. a) forward b) foreword c) Don’t Know 38. Most of the really valuable information was in the book’s _________. a) forward b) foreword c) Don’t Know 39. The fires were ___________ to the firm’s growth, but not long-term problems. a) obstacles b) impediments c) Don’t Know 40. The city’s zoning ordinance became an _________ the builders could not overcome. a) obstacle b) impediment c) Don’t Know 41. The minister’s statement ______ that he knew who had stolen the books. a) inferred b) implied c) Don’t Know 42. We _______ from his statements that he was not happy with the results. a) implied b) inferred c) Don’t Know 43. We learned that to find something quickly, we needed to look in the books’ __________. a) indices b) indexes c) Don’t Know 44. The report listed the cost-of-living ________ that affected the economy during those years. a) indices b) indexes c) Don’t Know 45. We knew that the keynote speaker ________ the speaker we wanted to hear. a) preceded b) proceeded c) Don’t Know 46. After the city approved the plans, the company ______ with digging the foundation. a) preceded b) proceeded c) Don’t Know 47. The ____________ reason we did not pursue it was the cost. a) principle b) principal c) Don’t Know 48. We did not want to continue the case, mostly because of _______. a) principle b) principal c) Don’t Know 49. The dining room was not easily ___________. a) assessable b) accessible c) Don’t Know 50. The impact on our firm will not be _________ for at least three months. a) accessible b) assessable c) Don’t Know
You have finished the test Please check your answers. When you are sure you have finished, click on Submit
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