What are 20 tricky words?

Tricky Words That Trip Up Even Seasoned Writers

Even the most confident writers can stumble over certain pairs of words that sound alike or seem interchangeable—but aren’t. Knowing the difference isn’t just about grammar snobbery; it’s about clarity and precision.

Accept and except are often confused because they sound nearly identical. But “accept” means to receive or agree (“I accept your apology”), while “except” means to exclude (“Everyone’s invited except John”).

Then there’s affect and effect. Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence (“The weather affected our plans”), while effect is typically a noun meaning result (“The effect was surprising”). Though both can switch roles in rare cases, sticking to this rule keeps things simple.

Lie and lay are another headache. “Lie” means to recline and doesn’t take an object (“I need to lie down”). “Lay,” however, requires something to be laid (“She lay the book on the table”). And yes, the past tense of “lie” is “lay”—which only adds to the confusion.

People often mix up bring and take. Use “bring” when something is coming toward you (“Bring the cookies to the party”) and “take” when it’s moving away (“Take your umbrella”).

Imply and infer are commonly swapped. To imply is to suggest (“He implied he was late”), while to infer is to conclude based on evidence (“I inferred he was upset”).

And no, nauseous doesn’t mean you feel sick—it technically means “causing nausea” (though common usage is slowly shifting). You’re probably nauseated, not nauseous.

Finally, comprise means to include or consist of. So a whole comprises its parts—not the other way around. Saying “The team is comprised of ten members” grates on purists; better to say “comprises” without “is” or use “composed of.”

Mastering these tricky pairs doesn’t make you pedantic—it makes you clear.