Should you accept an invitation or except one? Do you eat dessert or desert after your meal? English is full of confusing words, but with these simple explanations you can master using these confusing English words! Also try and focus on the pronunciation of these words which will help in understanding them better.

  1. ‘Dessert’ - Pronunciation - dih-ZURRT (ZURRT is a stronger sound)

    OR

‘Desert’ - Pronunciation - DEH-zirt (DEH is a stronger sound)

Dessert is a sweet dish, while the desert is a hot, dry place which is often full of sand.

  • I ordered ice cream for dessert after my main course.
  • I visited a desert while I was in Saudi Arabia.
  1. ‘Accept’ – Pronunciation- AK-sept ( AK is the stronger sound)

    OR

‘except’- Pronunciation – IK-sept (IK is the stronger sound)

To accept means to receive or agree to something, while except means ‘excluding’.

  • If you are happy with the contract, sign here to accept.
  • I like most vegetables except for carrots.
  1. ‘There’ – Pronunciation – THU-AIR (focus is on the whole word)

  OR

‘their’ – Pronunciation – THEE-R (focus is on the whole word)

There is an adverb of place which we user to talk about where something is. Their is a possessive pronoun that we use to talk about something that belongs to a group of people.

  • He has lived there for 20 years.
  • They love their country.
  1. ‘Principle’ – Pronunciation – prin-se-PEL (PEL is a stronger sound)

     OR

‘principal’ – Pronunciation – prin-se-PAL (PAL is a stronger sound)

Principles are beliefs, values or basic truths, while principal means the head of a school, or the main thing.

  • He has many principles. One of which is that we should all be kind to each other.
  • The principal actor in the play gave a great performance.
  1. ‘Advice’ – Pronunciation – uhd-VAIS (VAIS is a stronger sound)

   OR

‘advise’ – Pronunciation – uhd- VAIZ (VAIZ is a stronger sound)

Advice is a noun and advise is a verb, so you can advise someone by giving them good advice.

(Tip – the word ending with ice- is a noun and ise- is a verb)

  • My mother always gives good advice.
  • I advised him to look for another job.
  1. ‘Affect’ – Pronunciation – UH-fekt (UH is a stronger sound)

   OR

‘effect’ – Pronunciation – IH-fekt (IH is a stronger sound)

Affect is a verb and effect is a noun.

  • The war has affected all sectors of the economy.
  • The effect of the war is enormous.
  1. ‘Personal’ - Pronunciation – per-son-AL (AL is a stronger sound)

      OR

‘personnel’ –Pronunciation-per-son-NEL(NEL is a stronger sound)

Your personal details include your name, age and nationality, while personnel means the employees of a company.

  • Be careful with your personal details on the Internet.
  • This company has great personnel – they all work so hard!

Hope the meaning and pronunciation has helped to understand these words better. Once you have mastered the pronunciation it will make learning and remembering the spellings of these words easier.