Commonly Confused Words, Grade 5: List 1

Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for fifth-grade students.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. bare
    not having a protective covering
    The old man’s feet were bare, but the sharp stones and pebbles did not trouble him. The Book of Three
    To see more usage examples of "bare," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "bare" and "bear," click here.
  2. bear
    a large animal with claws and thick fur
    The bears would be hidden away in their dens where they slept soundly all winter long. Little House in the Big Woods
    To see more usage examples of "bear," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "bare" and "bear," click here.
  3. lay
    put in a horizontal position
    She lays a photograph on the counter and spins it in my direction. The Light in Hidden Places
    To see more usage examples of "lay," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "lay" and "lie," click here.
  4. lie
    tell an untruth; pretend with intent to deceive
    “He can't be trusted. I tried to talk to him. But he lies.” The Marvellers
    To see more usage examples of "lie," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "lay" and "lie," click here.
  5. lone
    being the only one; single and isolated from others
    Ahead was a lone streetlight, casting a yellow circle of light onto the cracked sidewalk. The Honest Truth
    To see more usage examples of "lone," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "lone" and "loan," click here.
  6. loan
    give temporarily; let have for a limited time
    “If you need some cash, I can loan you some.” Amari and the Night Brothers
    To see more usage examples of "loan," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "lone" and "loan," click here.
  7. lose
    fail to keep or to maintain
    “I have to go. I can’t lose this job, or my brothers don’t eat.” The Light in Hidden Places
    To see more usage examples of "lose," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "lose" and "loose," click here.
  8. loose
    not affixed
    In the middle of the dirt floor there was a large, fairly deep hole covered over with loose boards. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad
    To see more usage examples of "loose," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "lose" and "loose," click here.
  9. accept
    receive willingly something given or offered
    It doesn’t feel right to accept his money, too. Starfish
    To see more usage examples of "accept," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "accept" and "except," click here.
  10. except
    excluding
    I had never really owned anything of my own, except for Pete’s baseball. Life Is So Good
    To see more usage examples of "except," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "accept" and "except," click here.
  11. affect
    have an influence upon
    “Maybe we should wake the others. This decision affects us all.” The House of Hades
    To see more usage examples of "affect," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "affect" and "effect," click here.
  12. effect
    a phenomenon that is caused by some previous phenomenon
    His skin tingled, and he wondered if it was a side effect of the poison. The House of Hades
    To see more usage examples of "effect," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "affect" and "effect," click here.
  13. desert
    arid land with little or no vegetation
    “We have to walk through a desert with no water?” Without Refuge
    To see more usage examples of "desert," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "desert" and "dessert," click here.
  14. dessert
    a dish served as the last course of a meal
    "Let's have some of your ice cream for dessert." Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2
    To see more usage examples of "dessert," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "desert" and "dessert," click here.
  15. farther
    more distant in especially space or time
    I shove him away, stepping back, farther and farther, well past five feet. Five Feet Apart
    To see more usage examples of "farther," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "farther" and "further," click here.
  16. further
    to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage
    Having achieved this much, I was scared to go further. Middlesex: A Novel
    To see more usage examples of "further," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "farther" and "further," click here.
  17. adopt
    take into one's family
    Mr. Jonathan had adopted both her and her brother out of foster care. The Stars Beneath Our Feet
    To see more usage examples of "adopt," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "adopt" and "adapt," click here.
  18. adapt
    make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
    To shorten and adapt Wells’s novel, Koch cut its female characters. Spooked!
    To see more usage examples of "adapt," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "adopt" and "adapt," click here.
  19. capital
    a seat of government
    I circle all the capitals that start with B: Boise, Baton Rouge, Bismarck, and of course Boston. Muffled
    To see more usage examples of "capital," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "capital" and "capitol," click here.
  20. capitol
    a building occupied by a state legislature
    The silver-and-white capitol building was flying the Alabama state flag and the stars and bars of the Confederate banner. Because They Marched
    To see more usage examples of "capitol," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "capital" and "capitol," click here.
Created on Wed Jan 03 14:50:50 EST 2024 (updated Mon Mar 04 09:23:29 EST 2024)

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