Tricky Word Pairs: Change One Letter, Change the Meaning

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Even small changes can result in big differences. In this article, we'll introduce pairs of English words that sound the same or very similar to one another. But you'll need to look carefully because their meanings are very different.

In some cases, only one letter has been changed between the two words. In other cases, the letters are the same, but their order is different. How many of these word pairs do you know?

Bear/Bare

Bears, of course, are large, furry animals like pandas or grizzlies that can be found in many parts of the world. They can be very dangerous, but they can also compete in funny competitions.

"Bear" can also be a verb that means "to carry the weight of" or "support."

These shelves are too weak to bear the weight of all these books.

It can also mean "accept" or "tolerate."

I can't bear listening to that music anymore. Please turn it off!

"Bare" is mostly used as an adjective, and it can mean "exposed" or "not covered."

The kids enjoyed running in the sand in their bare feet.

It can also mean "basic" or "simple," such as in the common expressions "bare necessities" and "bare minimum."

We don't have space in our suitcase for extra items, so only pack the bare necessities.

Hole/Whole

A hole is a hollow, or empty, place in something solid.

The workers used the construction equipment to make a large hole in the ground.

"Whole" is another word for "complete" or "entire."

I watched the whole season of that new show last weekend. I couldn't stop!

Pray/Prey

To pray is to speak to a god or powerful spirit to ask for help or to give thanks.

The church was full of people praying silently.

It's often used in a more casual way to refer to hoping strongly for something.

I'm praying that I can finish this project in time.

"Prey" is a noun for an animal that is hunted by another animal (called the "predator").

Mice are prey for large birds like hawks and owls.

Sell/Cell

"Sell" is a verb for exchanging an item or service for money.

The market has lots of stalls selling snacks and other stuff.

"Cell" can refer to the smallest unit of a living thing.

White blood cells are responsible for defending the body from diseases.

It is also the name for a room designed to hold prisoners.

He had to spend the night in a jail cell after being caught by the police.

In the past, it was also short for "cellular phone," though it isn't often used this way today.

I'll be away from the office today, but you can call me on my cell.

Quiet/Quite

These two words share the same letters but in a different order.

"Quiet" is an adjective meaning "not loud."

Be quiet so that you don't wake up the baby.

On the other hand, "quite" is an adverb used for adding emphasis, similar to "very" or "completely."

It's quite hot today, so make sure to drink plenty of water.

Dairy/Diary

A woman sitting in a park and writing in her diary

Just like the previous pair of words, these two can be easy to mistake without looking closely.

"Dairy" is an adjective referring to foods that are made from milk.

You can find cheese, yogurt and other dairy products in the back section of the grocery store.

A diary is a book for recording personal thoughts and experiences.

Keeping an English diary can be a good method of self-study for language students.

Desert/Dessert

A desert is an area of land that is very dry and has little or no plant life. They are often covered in sand.

Although they are hot during the day, deserts can become very cold at night.

If you add another "S" to "desert," you get "dessert," which is the sweet food you eat after a meal.

A slice of cheesecake is my favorite dessert.

Expect/Except

To expect is to think that something will happen in the future.

I brought an umbrella because I expect it to rain today.

If you change the order of the letters, you can get "except." We use this word to remove something from a group or to say that it is not included.

All of my friends smoke except for Jamie; he hates cigarettes.

Both of these words also have noun forms.

What are your expectations for today's company meeting?
Everyone must attend the meeting; no exceptions.

Plane/Plain

A plane is a vehicle with wings that can fly in the air.

The plane was full of tourists excited to go on an exotic vacation.

"Plain" is an adjective for describing something simple or basic.

For business meetings, it's best to wear a plain, white shirt with a nice tie.

Compliment/Complement

A delicious meal of meat complemented with a glass of red wine

"Compliments" are nice comments given to someone.

She received many compliments on her beautiful dress.

It can also be used as a verb.

I complimented him on the way he calmly handled the stressful situation.

On the other hand, "complement" is a verb that means "to go together well with."

White wines often complement fish, while red wines complement meat dishes.

Don’t be fooled!

When speaking, reading or writing English, you'll need to be careful of these tricky word pairs. If you are ever not sure which word is being used, pay extra attention to the context to help you make the right choice.

Don't worry if it takes you some time to learn these; even native English speakers sometimes get confused by them! Practice using them with a tutor and you will improve faster!