Most Confusing English Words with Exercise: Part 3

PEAK & PEEK

Peak

Meaning: The point of highest activity, quality, or achievement
Example: He is at peak of his career.

Peek

Meaning: Make an appearance
Example: Moonlight peeked in through the gaping hole in the roof.

PEDAL & PEDDLE

Pedal

Meaning: A foot-operated throttle, brake, or clutch control in a motor vehicle
Example: A brake pedal.

Peddle

Meaning: Try to sell something by going from place to place
Example: She peddled plastic materials around the country.

QUITE & QUIET

Quite

Meaning: To a certain or fairly significant extent or degree
Example: It's quite warm outside.

Quiet

Meaning: Making little or no noise
Example: They were listening to the teacher quietly.

RIGHT & WRITE

Right

Meaning: Morally good, justified, or acceptable
Example: I think I have taken the right decision.

Write

Meaning: Mark (letters, words, or other symbols) on a surface, typically paper, with a pen, pencil, or similar implement:
Example: Write down your address.

ROAD & RODE

Road

Meaning: A wide way leading from one place to another
Example: She lives at 15 Park Road.

Rode

Meaning: past of ride
Example: He rode the child on his back.

STEAL & STEEL

Steal

Meaning: Taking another person's thing without permission or legal right and without intending to return it
Example: Thieves stole her bicycle.

Steel

Meaning: An alloy of iron
Example: Its blades are of strong steel.

SWEET & SUITE

Sweet

Meaning: Having the pleasant taste characteristic of sugar or honey
Example: I want a cup of hot sweet tea.

Suite

Meaning: A set of rooms
Example: The hotel has two presidential suites.

THRONE & THROWN

Throne

Meaning: A ceremonial chair for a sovereign, bishop, or similar figure
Example: The doors led into a large throne room.

Thrown

Meaning: Push or force (someone or something) violently and suddenly.
Example: The door was thrown open.

THEIR & THERE

Their

Meaning: Belonging to or associated with the people
Example: Parents always help their children.

There

Meaning: Used for place or position
Example: We went to London and stayed there ten days.

VAIN & VEIN

Vain

Meaning: Producing no result; useless
Example: Their efforts will go in vain.

Vein

Meaning: A blood vessel
Example: Such a clot will move to the heart along the main vein of the body.

Test Your Memory

1. Package holiday sales hit a ........ of around 15 million. (Peak/peek)
2. His socks were so full of holes his toes …….through. (Peak/peek)
3. I am not able to manage a clutch……. (Pedal/peddle)
4. They …… goods up and down the country - on foot. (Pedal/peddle)
5. She is …… beautiful. (Quite/quiet)
6. He was ……in the class. (Quite/quiet)
7. She admitted that we were……. (Right/write)
8. Let me …… his name on the paper. (Right/write)
9. They met with a …… accident. (Road/rode)
10. He regularly …… in favorable places. (Road/rode)
11. Add carbon to iron to make …… stronger and tougher. (Steel/steal)
12. She was found guilty of …… from her company. (Steel/steal)
13. The club's two hospitality …… were full with corporate guests. (Sweet/suites)
14. The ……. natural taste of honey. (Sweet/suites)
15. Two massive golden …… sat in the center of the enormous room. (Thrown/throne)
16. One passenger was …….. out. (Thrown/throne)
17. I am not going ….. (There/their)
18. They were desperate to show ….. work. (There/their)
19. Going to the village was the ……. attempt to find him. (Vain/vein)
20. The pulmonary …….. are big veins that come from the lungs. (Vain/vein)

ANSWERS

1. Peak
2. Peeked
3. Pedal
4. Peddle
5. Quite
6. Quiet
7. Right
8. Write
9. Road
10. Rode
11. Steel
12. Stealing
13. Suites
14. Sweet
15. Thrones
16. Thrown
17. There
18. Their
19. Vain
20. Veins