Basic English Language Skills
Developed for Oxbridge Academy
To help you choose the right words in various situations, we’ve 
compiled a list of commonly confused words in the English 
language, along with examples of how to use them correctly:
Accept/Except
To “accept” something means to receive or approve of it.
E.g. Jane accepted the apple gratefully.
“Except” means that something is being excluded.
E.g. She would eat any fruit except oranges.
 
Advice/Advise
“Advice” is a noun.
E.g. John gave him advice regarding his bank loan.
“Advise” is a verb.
E.g. John advised him that it was a bad idea to take out a third bank 
loan.
Affect/Effect
To “affect” something is to make some change to it.
E.g. The power cuts affect the company’s ability to manufacture goods.
To “effect” something is to bring it about, to put it into effect.
E.g. He effected the change in schedule when he realised that production 
was too slow.
An “effect” is a change that occurs as a consequence of something
else.
E.g. The power cuts had a negative effect on the company’s ability to
manufacture goods.