The English language is often very confusing. The sections below list seven pairs of words that are sometimes substituted for one another. The definitions given are not full, but are enough to indicate the basic differences between the words.

Break/Brake

The words break and brake sound the same but have very different meanings. Both can be used as a noun or a verb and have multiple meanings. We will look at the nouns here.

Definitions

Break – a gap or a brief holiday

Brake – a device for slowing or stopping a vehicle

Examples

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Sally needed a break from work so she took a holiday

Bob was driving too fast and had to use the brake pedal to slow down

Licence/License

These two words sound very similar but have a subtle, but important, difference. Licence is a noun and license is a verb. As a general rule with this type of association the word ending -ce is the noun form and the word ending -se is the verb form. The associated words licensee and licensor can also be confusing.

Definitions

Licence – permission to engage in an activity (e.g. driving, selling alcohol) or a certificate of that permission

License – to give permission to engage in an activity

Examples

In order to legally drive a car you must hold a driving licence

Only the local authority could license John to sell alcohol

Associated words

Licensee – someone who holds a licence

Licensor – someone who grants a licence

Assurance/Insurance

Assurance and insurance are both policies that promise to pay a premium. They differ in the circumstances under which the contracts mature.

Definitions

Assurance – a contract in which money is paid at the end of a fixed period, or at death

Insurance – a contract in which money is paid only in particular circumstances

Examples

To provide for her family after her death, Jane took out a life assurance policy

When Gerald drove into his neighbour’s wall, he had to make a claim on his car insurance policy

It’s/Its

Confusion between it’s and its is very common and the two are often seen used incorrectly.

Definitions

It’s – a contraction of it is or it has (the apostrophe marks the missing letters)

Its – belonging to a thing already mentioned

Example

It’s a common sight in autumn to see a tree lose its leaves

Bow/Bough

These two words can cause problems individually. Bow has two different pronunciations, with entirely different meanings, and can be a noun or a verb in both. The -ough ending of bough can be said in several ways (e.g. though, thought, cough). But here, we will look at instances where the nouns bow and bough sound the same.

Definitions

Bow – a bending of the head or body in greeting or respect

Bow – the front of a ship

Bough – a main branch of a tree

Examples

Alan was required to bow when he met the queen

Linda was too heavy for the bough and it broke away from the tree

Site/Sight

Site and sight are another two words that sound the same but have different meanings and, again, both can be used as a noun or a verb. The nouns are considered below.

Definitions

Site – an area set aside for a building, town or object

Sight – the process of seeing

Sight – a device used to guide the eye

Examples

You must always wear a hard hat on a building site

Anton looked through the rifle sight at his target

Desert/Dessert

These words are pronounced similarly, but the emphasis is on the first syllable in desert, as a noun, and the second in dessert, or desert as a verb.

Definitions

Desert – arid land with sparse vegetation and low annual rainfall

Dessert – sweet course usually served at the end of a meal

Examples

Having to ride a camel across the desert terrified Charlie

Abigail couldn’t resist a large slice of cake for dessert

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