Confusable words (commonly confused word pairs) MCQ — 14 Practice Questions with Answers

Explanation

The rule is that 'affect' is the verb meaning to influence, while 'effect' is usually a noun meaning result and only rarely a verb meaning to bring about. The cue is 'will ______ every clerk', which requires a base-form verb showing influence on people. Therefore, 'affect' is the only correct choice; the other options either have the wrong meaning or the wrong part of speech.

Explanation

In standard usage, "effect" is usually a noun meaning result, while "affect" is usually a verb meaning to influence. The cue is "had a good", which requires a noun after the article and adjective. In the sentence, "effect" correctly means the result of the medicine on the patient. Therefore, both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

Explanation

"Concise" means brief, clear, and free from unnecessary words. The cue in option C is "twenty pages" and "every minor detail", which indicates excessive length and detail, not conciseness. Options A, B, and D use "concise" or "precise" correctly: a summary may be concise, and figures or measurements may be precise. Therefore, only option C uses the confusable word incorrectly.

Explanation

The rule is that 'lose' is a verb meaning to misplace or be deprived of something, while 'loose' is usually an adjective meaning not tight or not firmly fixed. The cue is 'Do not ______ the original receipt', which warns against misplacing the receipt. Therefore, A is true, R is true, and R correctly explains A.

Explanation

The rule is that principal means a head of an institution or chief/main, and principle means a rule, belief, or standard. Under the standard exam distinction, farther is used for physical distance, while further means more, additional, or advanced. The cues in List II are "head of an institution", "rule", "physical distance", and "additional". Therefore, the only correct matching is 1-d, 2-b, 3-a, 4-c.