Vocabulary
TOEIC Vocabulary: 15 Confusable Word Pairs (affect / effect, rise / raise…)
Part 5 likes to offer two words that look or sound alike. The table below lists pairs that cause the most errors. Learn them as pairs, each with its own example.
Free extract from the Noto Tracks TOEIC course
| Pair | Difference | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| affect / effect | affect is usually a verb (to influence); effect is usually a noun (a result) | The strike affected deliveries. The strike had a serious effect on deliveries. |
| rise / raise | rise has no object (rise, rose, risen); raise takes an object (raise, raised, raised) | Prices rose. The company raised prices. |
| lend / borrow | you lend something to someone; you borrow something from someone | Could you lend me a pen? Can I borrow your pen? |
| economic / economical | economic = about the economy; economical = saving money | economic growth · an economical car |
| personal / personnel | personal = private, individual; personnel = employees, HR | personal information · the personnel office |
| complimentary / complementary | complimentary = free or praising; complementary = completing each other | complimentary parking · complementary skills |
| advice / advise | advice is a noun (uncountable); advise is a verb | She gave me useful advice. She advised me to wait. |
| receipt / recipe | receipt = proof of payment; recipe = cooking instructions | Keep the receipt. Follow the recipe. |
| ensure / insure / assure | ensure = make certain; insure = buy insurance; assure = tell someone confidently | Ensure the door is locked. We insured the van. I assure you it's safe. |
| considerable / considerate | considerable = large; considerate = kind to others | a considerable increase · a considerate neighbor |
| beside / besides | beside = next to; besides = in addition to | Sit beside me. Besides the fee, there is a deposit. |
| later / latter | later = after; the latter = the second of two | Call me later. Of the two offers, I prefer the latter. |
| lose / loose | lose = fail to keep; loose = not tight | Don't lose your badge. A loose cable caused the problem. |
| respectful / respective | respectful = showing respect; respective = belonging to each one | Be respectful to visitors. They returned to their respective offices. |
| reliable / reliant | reliable = can be trusted; reliant on = depending on | a reliable supplier · reliant on one supplier |
Trap In Part 5, a confusable word is often placed next to the correct answer with the same spelling at the start: complementary / complimentary, economic / economical. Read the whole sentence and ask what it means, not which word "looks right."
Other vocabulary topics
- Corporate development36
- Dining out36
- Entertainment36
- Finance and budgeting38
- General business: contracts, negotiations, marketing, sales, warranties, conferences40
- Health36
- Housing and corporate property37
- Manufacturing36
- Offices36
- Personnel38
- Purchasing: ordering, shipping, invoices37
- Technical areas37
- Travel37
- Word families
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