12 Commonly Confused English Verbs
These verb pairs and groups are often mixed up. Learn their meanings and usage with clear examples:
Borrow vs. Lend
Borrow: take and use temporarily.
“Can I borrow your pen?”
Lend: give something temporarily.
“I will lend you my pen.”
Make vs. Do
Make: create or produce.
“She made a cake.”
Do: perform an action or task.
“I need to do my homework.”
Lie vs. Lay
Lie (intrans.): recline.
“I’m going to lie down.”
Lay (trans.): put/place.
“Please lay the book on the table.”
Rise vs. Raise
Rise: go up by itself.
“The sun rises at 6 AM.”
Raise: make something go up.
“They raised the flag.”
Lose vs. Loose
Lose: misplace or fail to win.
“Don’t lose your keys!”
Loose: not tight; free.
“My shoe is too loose. I need a tighter fit.”
Spend vs. Waste
Spend: use money/time.
“I spent two hours reading.”
Waste: use poorly or unnecessarily.
“Don’t waste your time on gossip.”
Say vs. Tell
Say: speak words (no direct object).
“She said hello.”
Tell: inform someone (needs object).
“He told me the news.”
Hear vs. Listen
Hear: receive sound passively.
“I can hear birds outside.”
Listen: pay attention to sound.
“Listen to the song carefully.”
Know vs. Meet
Know: have knowledge or familiarity.
“I know Sheila.”
Meet: encounter for the first time.
“Nice to meet you!”
Bring vs. Take
Bring: carry toward the speaker.
“Please bring the book here.”
Take: carry away from the speaker.
“Don’t forget to take your umbrella.”
Flee vs. Flee
Flee: run away (no confusion).
“The suspect fled the scene.”
Bind vs. Bound
Bind: tie something.
“He bound the books together.”
Bind doesn’t change form.
Commonly Confused Verb Pairs
| Verb 1 | Verb 2 | Difference | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Say | Tell | “Say” = express words; “Tell” = inform someone | He said hello. / He told me a secret. |
| Speak | Talk | “Speak” = more formal; “Talk” = more casual :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} | She spoke at the conference. / Let’s talk later. |
| Bring | Take | “Bring” = toward the speaker; “Take” = away | Bring your book to class. / Take it home with you. |
| Borrow | Lend | “Borrow” = receive; “Lend” = give :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2} | Can I borrow a pen? / I will lend you one. |
| Come | Go | “Come” = toward the speaker; “Go” = away :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} | Please come here. / I have to go now. |
🔁 Confusing Verbs with Similar Meanings
| Verb | Similar Verb | Difference | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | See / Watch | “Look” = direct your eyes; “See” = notice; “Watch” = observe actively. | Look at this! / I saw him yesterday. / Let’s watch a movie. |
| Win | Earn / Gain | “Win” = in competition; “Earn” = via work; “Gain” = acquire weight/experience. | She won the race. / He earned $500. / I gained weight. |
| Do | Make | “Do” = perform a task; “Make” = create or produce. | Do your homework. / Make a cake. |
| Lie | Lay | “Lie” = recline (no object); “Lay” = put something down (needs object). | I’m going to lie down. / Lay the book on the table. |
Sources:
• Differences among “look/watch/see” explained by Cambridge & Test‑English :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
• “Win/Earn/Gain” distinctions from Espresso English & My Lingua Academy :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
Learn More Confusing Verbs
• Differences among “look/watch/see” explained by Cambridge & Test‑English :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
• “Win/Earn/Gain” distinctions from Espresso English & My Lingua Academy :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
🧠 Verbs with Similar Forms
| Base | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| Lie (recline) | lay | lain |
| Lay (put) | laid | laid |
| Rise | rose | risen |
| Raise | raised | raised |
| Sit | sat | sat |
| Set | set | set |
🔍 Note:
– Lie/Lay/Lain: “lie” (intransitive) vs. “lay” (transitive) :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
– Rise/Raise: “rise” is intransitive; “raise” is transitive :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
– Sit/Set: “sit” = be seated; “set” = put/place :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.
🔄 Confusing Irregular Verbs
| Verb | Past | Past Participle | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Begin | began | begun | ✔ He has begun working. ❌ Not “has began.” |
| Drink | drank | drunk | I have drunk enough water. |
| Forget | forgot | forgotten | I’ve forgotten your name. |
| Swim | swam | swum | He has swum across the river. |
• Begin/began/begun irregular forms explained (past‑participle usage) :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
• “Swam/swum” and other strong irregular verbs :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
• “Swam/swum” and other strong irregular verbs :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
🔍 Bonus: Tricky Lookalikes
Effect (noun) ≠ Affect (verb)
Effect = result; Affect = to influence something.
The movie had a strong effect on me. / It affected my mood.
— “Affect is a verb… Effect is a noun” :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Hear vs. Listen
Hear = receive sounds; Listen = pay attention to them.
I heard a noise. / I’m listening to music.
— “Hearing is a sense. Listening is a voluntary action.” :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Lose vs. Loose
Lose = to misplace or fail to win; Loose = not tight.
I don’t want to lose my phone. / My pants are loose.
✅ Tips to Master Them
- Use them in context – create sentences.
- Make flashcards – one side word, the other meaning + example.
- Group similar verbs – compare and contrast.
- Practice speaking – use them in daily conversations.
