Words
The vocabulary distinctions that decide lexical reasoning questions — and trip people up in everyday writing. Each page gives you the exact difference, clear examples, and a way to remember which is which.
- affect vs effectAffect is usually the verb (to influence); effect is usually the noun (the result).
- imply vs inferThe speaker implies (hints); the listener infers (works it out).
- principal vs principlePrincipal means main (or a head person/sum); a principle is a rule or belief.
- complement vs complimentA complement completes something; a compliment is praise.
- discreet vs discreteDiscreet means tactful; discrete means separate and distinct.
- elicit vs illicitElicit is a verb (to draw out); illicit is an adjective (illegal).
- precede vs proceedPrecede means to come before; proceed means to go forward.
- stationary vs stationeryStationary (with an a) means not moving; stationery (with an e) is writing materials.
- council vs counselA council is a group of people; counsel is advice (or to advise).
- disinterested vs uninterestedDisinterested means impartial; uninterested means bored or indifferent.
- fewer vs lessFewer is for things you can count; less is for quantities you can't.
- practise vs practiceIn UK English, practise is the verb and practice is the noun.
Ready to practise? Start with the Word Meaning guide or Contextual Word Choice.
Why word pairs matter on verbal tests
Lexical questions — word meaning, analogies, odd-one-out and contextual word choice — turn on small distinctions: the difference between two near-synonyms, or the exact sense a sentence calls for. Test-writers build their traps from precisely the pairs people blur in everyday writing, so learning the distinction cleanly is worth more than memorising long word lists.
How this fits your prep
Use these pages as quick, targeted revision alongside the lexical drills. If vocabulary came up as a weak area in your diagnostic, read the pair pages here, then practise in the question bank and the relevant method guides. New pairs are added over time.