Tricky Eighth Grade Word Pairs: List 1

Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for eighth-grade students.
14 words 415 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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 Jun 25 13:51:58 EDT 2025

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