30 Confusing English Verbs and How to Use Them

Learning English can feel like solving a puzzle, especially when it comes to verbs.

These action words are the backbone of every sentence, yet many English verbs confuse even advanced learners.

After teaching English for over a decade, I’ve noticed that students repeatedly struggle with the same set of verbs.

Today, I’ll share 30 of the most confusing English verbs and simple strategies to master them.

Table of Contents

Why English Verbs Are So Confusing

English borrows words from many languages, creating irregular patterns that don’t follow standard rules. Unlike languages with consistent verb conjugations, English has evolved through centuries of linguistic mixing, leaving us with verbs that behave unpredictably.

Dr. Steven Pinker, a Harvard linguist and author of “The Language Instinct,” explains that irregular verbs persist because they’re used so frequently that speakers resist changing them to regular patterns. This frequency paradox means the most common verbs are often the most irregular.

The 30 Most Confusing English Verbs

1. Lie vs. Lay

Lie means to recline or rest (intransitive – no object needed). Lay means to put something down (transitive – needs an object).

I lie down on the bed. (present)
I lay down yesterday. (past of “lie”)
I lay the book on the table. (present of “lay”)
I laid the book down yesterday. (past of “lay”)

Memory tip: “Lie” is what you do, “lay” is what you do to something else.

2. Rise vs. Raise

Rise means to go up naturally (intransitive). Raise means to lift something up (transitive).

The sun rises every morning.
Please raise your hand.
Prices rose last month.
The company raised salaries.

3. Sit vs. Set

Sit means to be seated (intransitive). Set means to place something (transitive).

I sit in this chair daily.
Set the cup on the counter.
We sat for hours.
She set the alarm for 6 AM.

4. Affect vs. Effect

Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning the result.

Rain affects my mood. (verb)
The effect of rain is flooding. (noun)
The medicine affected her sleep.
The side effects were mild.

Memory tip: Affect = Action (verb), Effect = End result (noun).

5. Bring vs. Take

Bring means movement toward the speaker. Take means movement away from the speaker.

Bring your homework to class. (to where I am)
Take this letter to the post office. (away from where I am)

6. Lend vs. Borrow

Lend means to give temporarily. Borrow means to receive temporarily.

I lend money to friends. (I give)
I borrow books from the library. (I receive)

7. Teach vs. Learn

Teach means to give knowledge. Learn means to receive knowledge.

Teachers teach students.
Students learn from teachers.

8. See vs. Look vs. Watch

See happens naturally without effort. Look means to direct your eyes intentionally. Watch means to observe something over time.

I see a bird. (automatic)
Look at this picture. (intentional)
Let’s watch a movie. (extended observation)

9. Hear vs. Listen

Hear is automatic sound reception. Listen is intentional focus on sounds.

I hear music from next door. (automatic)
Please listen to my explanation. (intentional)

10. Say vs. Tell

Say focuses on the words spoken. Tell focuses on the person receiving information.

She said “hello.”
She told me her name.
What did you say?
Tell me a story.

11. Make vs. Do

Make creates something new. Do performs an action or activity.

Make dinner, make friends, make a mistake
Do homework, do exercise, do business

12. Come vs. Go

Come means movement toward the speaker. Go means movement away from the speaker.

Come to my house. (toward me)
Go to the store. (away from here)

13. Accept vs. Except

Accept means to receive willingly (verb). Except means excluding (preposition).

I accept your apology.
Everyone came except John.

14. Advise vs. Advice

Advise is the verb (action). Advice is the noun (thing given).

I advise you to study more. (verb)
His advice was helpful. (noun)

15. Loose vs. Lose

Loose means not tight (adjective). Lose means to misplace or not win (verb).

My pants are loose. (not tight)
Don’t lose your keys. (misplace)

16. Choose vs. Chose

Choose is present tense. Chose is past tense.

I choose vanilla ice cream. (present)
Yesterday, I chose chocolate. (past)

17. Breathe vs. Breath

Breathe is the verb (action). Breath is the noun (thing).

Breathe deeply. (verb)
Take a deep breath. (noun)

18. Clothe vs. Clothes

Clothe means to dress someone (verb). Clothes are garments you wear (noun).

Parents clothe their children. (verb)
I bought new clothes. (noun)

19. Emigrate vs. Immigrate

Emigrate means leaving your country. Immigrate means entering a new country.

They emigrated from Italy. (left)
They immigrated to America. (entered)

20. Imply vs. Infer

Imply means to suggest indirectly (speaker does this). Infer means to conclude from evidence (listener does this).

The teacher implied the test was difficult.
Students inferred they should study more.

21. Complement vs. Compliment

Complement means to complete or match well. Compliment means to praise.

This wine complements the meal. (matches)
She complimented my cooking. (praised)

22. Principal vs. Principle

Principal is a person (school head) or main thing. Principle is a rule or belief.

The principal announced new rules. (person)
Honesty is an important principle. (belief)

23. Desert vs. Dessert

Desert is a dry, sandy place or means to abandon. Dessert is sweet food after a meal.

The Sahara is a famous desert. (place)
He deserted his post. (abandoned)
We had cake for dessert. (sweet food)

24. Stationary vs. Stationery

Stationary means not moving. Stationery is writing materials.

The car remained stationary. (not moving)
I bought stationery for school. (paper, pens)

25. Capital vs. Capitol

Capital refers to a city, money, or uppercase letters. Capitol is the government building.

Paris is the capital of France. (city)
Congress meets at the Capitol. (building)

26. Ensure vs. Insure vs. Assure

Ensure means to make certain. Insure means to protect with insurance. Assure means to tell someone confidently.

Please ensure the door is locked. (make certain)
Insure your car against accidents. (protect)
I assure you everything will be fine. (tell confidently)

27. Farther vs. Further

Farther refers to physical distance. Further refers to degree or additional.

The store is farther than I thought. (distance)
We need further discussion. (additional)

28. Historic vs. Historical

Historic means important in history. Historical means related to history.

The moon landing was a historic event. (important)
She studies historical documents. (related to history)

29. Elicit vs. Illicit

Elicit means to draw out or obtain. Illicit means illegal or forbidden.

The teacher tried to elicit responses. (obtain)
Illicit drugs are dangerous. (illegal)

30. Alternate vs. Alternative

Alternate means to switch back and forth (verb) or every other (adjective). Alternative is another choice (noun).

We alternate between coffee and tea. (switch)
What’s the alternative to driving? (other choice)

Practical Learning Strategies

1. Context Association Method

Instead of memorizing definitions, learn verbs through real situations. I’ve found that students remember “borrow vs. lend” better when they practice with actual scenarios: “Can I borrow your pen?” versus “Can you lend me your pen?”

2. Physical Movement Technique

For verbs involving direction like “bring/take” or “come/go,” use physical gestures. Point toward yourself for “bring” and “come,” and away for “take” and “go.” This kinesthetic approach helps cement the concepts.

3. Story Creation

Create memorable stories using confusing verb pairs. For example: “Lisa lies on her bed every night, but yesterday she lay there thinking about where to lay her new carpet.” The narrative context makes the grammar pattern stick.

4. Frequency Tracking

Research by corpus linguist Michael McCarthy shows that the most frequently used verbs are often the most irregular. Focus extra practice time on high-frequency confusing verbs like “make/do” and “see/look/watch.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Based on my classroom experience, here are the most frequent errors:

Overusing “make” instead of “do” – Remember: make creates, do performs
Confusing past forms – Practice irregular verb tables regularly
Mixing transitive/intransitive verbs – Ask yourself: “Does this verb need an object?”
Ignoring context – The same word can be different parts of speech

Advanced Tips for Mastery

Use Collocation Dictionaries

Native speakers don’t just know individual words; they know which words naturally go together. The Oxford Collocations Dictionary shows you that we “make progress” not “do progress,” and “do research” not “make research.”

Study Etymology

Understanding word origins helps predict meanings. “Emigrate” contains “ex” (out), while “immigrate” contains “in.” This knowledge transfers to similar word pairs.

Practice with Authentic Materials

Read newspapers, watch English movies, and listen to podcasts. Exposure to natural language use reinforces correct verb patterns better than isolated grammar exercises.

Testing Your Knowledge

Regular self-assessment prevents fossilization of errors. Create sentences using confusing verb pairs, record yourself speaking, or ask English-speaking friends to correct your usage. The key is consistent, mindful practice.

Building Long-term Retention

Neurolinguistic research by Dr. Patricia Kuhl at the University of Washington suggests that spaced repetition and meaningful context are crucial for language retention. Review these verbs weekly, use them in your daily conversations, and celebrate small improvements.

Conclusion

Mastering confusing English verbs requires patience, practice, and the right strategies. Focus on understanding patterns rather than memorizing rules, use these verbs in meaningful contexts, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes – they’re part of the learning process.

Remember, even native English speakers sometimes confuse these verbs. What matters is clear communication and continuous improvement. With consistent practice using the techniques outlined above, you’ll gain confidence in using these tricky verbs correctly.

Start with five verbs from this list, practice them for a week, then gradually add more. Language learning is a marathon, not a sprint, and every step forward counts.