Common Confusions
Learn to tell apart a set of word pairs that look or sound alike but serve different purposes: its/it’s, your/you’re, then/than, who/whom, say/tell, make/do, bring/take, since/for and affect/effect.
Similar words, different jobs
These word pairs sound alike but are not interchangeable.
Some pairs of English words are confused because they sound identical or nearly identical, even though they carry entirely different meanings, such as its and it’s. Other pairs are confused because their meanings overlap closely, such as say and tell.
This page brings together nine word pairs that are commonly mixed up, with a clear explanation and examples for each one.
The central idea
Sounding alike does not mean meaning the same thing.
Compare two words that sound the same but serve completely different roles in a sentence.
01
A Contraction
Stands in for two shortened words.
It’s cold outside. (it is)
02
A Possessive Word
Shows that something belongs to something else.
The dog wagged its tail.
The useful question is: What job is this word actually doing?
For each pair on this page, the words may look alike, but one usually answers a different grammatical question than the other: who is doing what, when something happens, or what kind of word is needed here.
Its and It’s
One shows possession. The other is a contraction.
01
its
Shows that something belongs to it. Never uses an apostrophe.
The company announced its new plan.
02
it’s
A contraction of it is or it has.
It’s been a long week.
A quick check
Try replacing the word with it is or it has. If the sentence still makes sense, it’s is correct. If not, use its.
Your and You’re
This pair follows the same pattern as its and it’s.
01
your
Shows that something belongs to you.
Is this your umbrella?
02
you’re
A contraction of you are.
You’re going to love this restaurant.
The same quick check applies
Try replacing the word with you are. If the sentence still makes sense, you’re is correct.
Then and Than
One is about time. The other is about comparison.
01
then
Refers to time or sequence: next, at that time, or after that.
We ate dinner, then watched a film.
02
than
Used to compare two things.
She is taller than her brother.
A quick check
If the sentence is comparing two things, use than. If it is describing a sequence of events, use then.
Who and Whom
One is the subject form. The other is the object form.
01
who
Refers to the person performing the action.
Who called the office?
02
whom
Refers to the person receiving the action.
Whom did you call?
A quick check
Try answering the question with he or him. If he fits, use who. If him fits, use whom. Many speakers use who for both in everyday conversation, while whom remains common in more formal writing.
Say and Tell
One usually stands without a listener named. The other usually names one.
01
say
Focuses on the words spoken. Does not usually name the listener directly afterward.
She said hello.
02
tell
Focuses on the listener. Usually names the person being spoken to.
She told me the news.
If a listener is named directly afterward, use tell
say to someone
tell someone (no “to”)
He said to me that he was tired. / He told me that he was tired.
Some fixed expressions only use one or the other
tell a story, tell the truth, tell the time
say a prayer, say goodbye
These pairings are learned individually rather than by a single rule.
Make and Do
One is about creating. The other is about performing an activity.
01
make
Used for creating or producing something new.
He made a cake for the party.
02
do
Used for general activities, tasks and duties.
She did the laundry this morning.
Common fixed expressions
make a decision, make a mistake, make progress
do a favour, do business, do homework
Many uses of make and do exist in set expressions that do not always follow the general pattern exactly and are best learned individually.
Bring and Take
Both describe carrying something, but in opposite directions.
01
bring
Movement toward the speaker’s current location.
Please bring your umbrella when you come here.
02
take
Movement away from the speaker’s current location.
Please take your umbrella when you leave.
A quick check
Picture where the speaker is standing. If something moves toward that point, use bring. If it moves away from that point, use take.
Since and For
One marks a starting point. The other marks a length of time.
01
since
Marks the point in time something started.
I have lived here since 2020.
02
for
Marks the length of a period of time.
I have lived here for six years.
A quick check
If the word after it is a specific point in time, such as a year, date or day, use since. If the word after it is a duration, such as an amount of hours, days or years, use for.
Affect and Effect
One is usually a verb. The other is usually a noun.
01
affect
A verb meaning to influence or change something.
The weather affected our plans.
02
effect
A noun meaning a result or an outcome.
The storm had a serious effect on the town.
A quick check
Ask whether the sentence needs an action word or a naming word. An action generally needs affect; a result generally needs effect.
An exception worth knowing
The new policy will effect real change.
Effect can occasionally be used as a verb, meaning to bring something about or make it happen. This use is far less common than the noun form and mainly appears in more formal writing.
A practical decision guide
Ask what job the word is actually doing.
01
Could the word be replaced with a longer phrase?
Try expanding a possible contraction, such as it is or you are, to check whether it still fits.
02
Is the sentence about time, or about comparison?
Time points toward then or since; comparison points toward than.
03
Does the sentence need a verb or a noun?
This decides pairs like affect/effect and often make/do.
04
Is a specific fixed expression involved?
Some pairings, such as tell the truth or do a favour, need to be learned individually.
Common errors
Mistakes are useful when you understand why they happen.
The company announced it’s new plan.
The company announced its new plan.
This sentence shows possession, so no apostrophe is needed.
She is taller then her brother.
She is taller than her brother.
This sentence compares two people, so than is needed rather than then.
She said me the news.
She told me the news.
Since the listener is named directly afterward, tell is needed rather than say.
I have lived here since six years.
I have lived here for six years.
Six years is a length of time, so for is needed rather than since.
The medicine had no affect on the symptoms.
The medicine had no effect on the symptoms.
This sentence needs a naming word for the result, so effect is needed rather than affect.
Your turn
Practise choosing the correct word.
These activities are part of the learning process. There are no scores, no grades and no limit on how many times you may try.
Is this ___ jacket on the chair?
✅ Exactly! This sentence shows possession of the jacket.
❎ Not quite. Try replacing the word with you are and see if it still makes sense.
Whose jacket is it?
We finished dinner, ___ went for a walk.
✅ Exactly! This sentence describes a sequence of events.
❎ Not quite. No comparison is being made here.
Is this sentence comparing two things?
Could you help me ___ a decision about this?
✅ Exactly! Make a decision is a fixed expression.
❎ Not quite. Think of the fixed expression used with the word decision.
Compare with make a mistake or make progress.
Please ___ your ID when you come to the office tomorrow.
✅ Exactly! Movement is toward the speaker’s location, the office.
❎ Not quite. Think about where the speaker will be standing.
The word come signals movement toward the speaker.
Try it another way
Complete the sentences.
Type the correct word from each pair.
✅ Exactly! This word follows the preposition to and refers to the object.
❎ Not quite. Try answering with him to check which form fits.
✅ Exactly! Do the dishes is a fixed expression for this general task.
❎ Not quite. Nothing new is being created here.
✅ Exactly! This sentence needs a naming word for the result.
❎ Not quite. This word follows a significant, so it needs to be a noun.
Notice the difference
Correct the word choice mistake.
Rewrite each sentence using the correct word.
Its been a long day.
✅ Exactly! This is a contraction of it has, so it needs an apostrophe.
❎ Not quite. Try expanding the word to it has and see if that fits.
Please bring your umbrella when you leave the house.
✅ Exactly! Leaving the house means moving away from the speaker’s location, so take is correct.
❎ Not quite. Think about which direction the umbrella is moving as the person leaves.
Quick review
Nine pairs, nine small distinctions.
its shows possession; it’s is a contraction of it is or it has.
your shows possession; you’re is a contraction of you are.
then relates to time or sequence; than is used for comparison.
who is the subject form; whom is the object form.
say focuses on the words spoken; tell usually names the listener.
make is used for creating something; do is used for general activities.
bring means movement toward the speaker; take means movement away.
since marks a starting point; for marks a length of time.
affect is usually a verb; effect is usually a noun.
Remember
A quick substitution test solves most of these confusions.
Try expanding a possible contraction, ask whether the sentence needs a verb or a noun, or picture the direction something is moving. These small checks usually reveal the correct word far faster than trying to memorise every rule at once.