Tricky Eleventh Grade Word Pairs: List 1

Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for eleventh-grade students.
10 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. decent
    socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous
    You know, when we agreed to take you in, we hoped we could improve you—build you—make you a decent human being. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
    To see more usage examples of "decent," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "decent," "descent" and "dissent," click here.
  2. descent
    a movement downward
    He bowed and vanished down the steps, his soft-soled slippers whispering against the stone as he made his descent. A Game of Thrones
    To see more usage examples of "descent," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "decent," "descent" and "dissent," click here.
  3. dissent
    the act of protesting
    I shook my head: it required a degree of courage, excited as he was becoming, even to risk that mute sign of dissent. Jane Eyre
    To see more usage examples of "dissent," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "decent," "descent" and "dissent," click here.
  4. precedent
    an example that is used to justify similar occurrences
    Mrs. Gascoyne said they didn’t want to treat me differently from everyone else in the school because then everyone would want to be treated differently and it would set a precedent. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
    To see more usage examples of "precedent," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "precedent" and "president," click here.
  5. president
    the leader of a republic or democracy
    In 1789 George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States. An Indigenous People’s History of the United States
    To see more usage examples of "president," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "precedent" and "president," click here.
  6. wreck
    something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
    It all looks like a wreck inside, as you’d expect, things tumbled everywhere, lots of busted everything. The Knife of Never Letting Go
    To see more usage examples of "wreck," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "wreck," "wreak" and "reek," click here.
  7. wreak
    cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
    Could a few pigs truly wreak this much destruction? 1491
    To see more usage examples of "wreak," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "wreck," "wreak" and "reek," click here.
  8. reek
    smell badly and offensively
    The guy reeked like moldy garlic pizza wrapped in gym shorts. The Lightning Thief
    To see more usage examples of "reek," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "wreck," "wreak" and "reek," click here.
  9. ado
    a great deal of fuss, concern, or commotion
    People are making a big thing about the second man to receive the Covid-19 vaccine being called William Shakespeare, but I think it’s much ado about nothing. BBC
    To see more usage examples of "ado," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "ado" and "adieu," click here.
  10. adieu
    a farewell remark
    He thanked the rest of us politely for coming and bid us adieu. Salon
    To see more usage examples of "adieu," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "ado" and "adieu," click here.
Created on Thu Jun 05 14:21:37 EDT 2025 (updated Thu Jun 05 14:22:19 EDT 2025)

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