IELTS Vocabulary: Commonly Confused Words

Commonly Confused Words

Make sure you write your vocabulary accurately. Can you spot the WRONG WORD in each of the following sentences? (There is one mistake in each sentence.)

1. We need to reduce pollution to protect our plant.

2. Governments should provide free sports facilities to improve pubic health.

3. Cars produce harmful grasses such as carbon-dioxide.

4. We need to make sure that individuals and companies pay their taxis.

5. Nowadays the economic is in a global recession.

6. The number of animals in Oaktree City is growing up.

7. Most kids study hard in school.

8. Many students wanna be like their friends.

9. The number of tourists raised between 1990 and 2000.

10. The proportion of tourists travelling overseas increased to 30 percentage.

Continue reading for the answers and explanations...



Answers and Explanations

1. We need to reduce pollution to protect our PLANET.

 Don't confuse PLANT and PLANET (EARTH)

2. Governments should provide free sports facilities to improve PUBLIC health.

Don't confuse PUBLIC and PUBIC (something else entirely!).

3. Cars produce harmful GASES such as carbon-dioxide.

GASES / GRASSES

4. We need to make sure that individuals and companies pay their TAXES.

You pay TAXES but you take TAXIS (TRANSPORTATION).

5. Nowadays the ECONOMY is in a global recession.

This one is the wrong word form. The sentence requires the NOUN: ECONOMY, not the ADJECTIVE: ECONOMIC. 

6. The number of animals in Oaktree City is growing UP

Children GROW UP when they become adults. Only use GROW UP to talk about this process. Here, the number is GROWING.

7. Most STUDENTS study hard in school.

You must use vocabulary which is suitable for academic writing. KIDS is too INFORMAL. Use PUPILS (Br.E) STUDENTS or CHILDREN

8. Many students WANT TO be like their friends.

Again, this is too INFORMAL. Don't write abbreviations (short forms) such as WANNA, GONNA or HAFTA.  Use WANT TO, GOING TO or HAVE TO.

9. The number of tourists ROSE between 1990 and 2000.

Know the difference between RAISE and RISE? Both are VERBS but one takes an OBJECT. Compare these sentences:

• The sun RISES every morning.
• The soldier RAISES the flag every morning. 

 (Here THE FLAG is the OBJECT.) 

In the example sentence there is NO OBJECT so you must use RISE - ROSE - RISEN

10. The proportion of tourists travelling overseas increased to 30 PERCENT.

Here you are talking about a NUMBER so use PERCENT or just write the symbol %

(PER means FOR EVERY and CENT means ONE HUNDRED, so PERCENT means FOR EVERY HUNDRED)

• The percentage of tourists rose.  (NO NUMBER)
• The proportion of tourists rose to 30 percent. (NUMBER)

 PROPORTION = PERCENTAGE

Remember to make sure you use the right words to maximise your vocabulary score! 

Hope this helps!