Affect vs Effect and 20 More Pairs

Welcome to the B2-level spelling test on commonly confused English words — 21 word pairs that look or sound alike but carry completely different meanings. These are the exact pairs that trip up intermediate learners in IELTS Writing, Cambridge FCE, business emails, and academic essays.

You'll practise classic troublemakers like affect vs effect, lose vs loose, accept vs except, principal vs principle, assure vs ensure, and imply vs infer. Each word is shown with a clear definition and native-audio pronunciation — listen, type the word, and get instant feedback on your spelling.

Why these pairs matter at B2

• Meaning changes, not just spelling. Writing "ensure" when you mean "assure", or "fewer" when you mean "less", changes what you're actually saying to the reader.
• Exam markers notice. Confusing effect and affect in an IELTS Task 2 essay signals a gap in upper-intermediate control — even if every other sentence is perfect.
• These words appear everywhere. In academic writing, news articles, business correspondence, and daily conversation. Getting them right quietly raises the quality of everything you write.

How to use this test

Work through all 42 words in one sitting, or focus on the pairs you find hardest. The retry mistakes button loops you back through any words you missed until they stick. Aim to reach a perfect score before moving on.

Want more spelling practice? Try our basic homophones spelling test for sound-alike pairs like their/there/they're, or work through the 50 most commonly misspelled English words. For a wider B2 spelling workout across all topics, see the full B2 spelling exercise index.