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Has someone ever told you that you used a wrong word? Well, you're not alone. Many people confuse terms without even knowing it. You might think that it's usually the English language learners who get the names of concepts or objects all mixed up, but it's not unusual for native speakers to get tangled up in misconceptions too.

The truth is, some terms seem so synonymous that people don't even bother to look them up. So, if you ever find yourself in an argument whether muffins have icing or whether tofu and panner are the same thing, it might mean that you need to do some research. But no worries. This time we've got you covered. Inspired by a Scoop Whoop post we dug around and collected some of the most confusing words to explain the differences between them.

Check out if you've made any of these mistakes and let us know in the comments.

(h/t)

#3

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

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Sanne H.
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In The Netherlands, many people say "England" while we actually mean the UK (just like many people say "Holland" while they actually mean The Netherlands by the way). A historical thing I guess.

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Juha Virtanen
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sanne H, I guess that's the practice everywhere, just calling the whole bunch of sub-areas "England"....

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Randy Inbred
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well this will all change when Scotland gets independence! #brexit

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Timothy Kemp
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

no, it won't. Great Britain is an island, the largest island in the British Isles. By definition it includes most of Scotland, regardless as to whether we become an independent nation or not.

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The Famous Junkie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The U.K./GB is weird isn’t it. We’re effectively countries inside another country!

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Darren Gilbert
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The term British Isles is controversial in Ireland, where there are objections to its usage due to the association of the word British with Ireland. The Government of Ireland does not recognise or use the term and its embassy in London discourages its use. As a result, Britain and Ireland is used as an alternative description and Atlantic Archipelago has had limited use among a minority in academia, while British Isles is still commonly employed.

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Jezergirl
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Italians do another mistake: they talk about England meaning the United Kingdom. -_-

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Bored Fox
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jetzergirl - That is acommon mistake nearly everywhere. For example here in Finland many people talk about 'England' when they mean the whole UK.

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stellermatt
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yep, northern ireland but not the republic of ireland, who both have their own national football teams, but there's only one unified rugby team.

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Darren Gilbert
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The term British Isles is controversial in Ireland, where there are objections to its usage due to the association of the word British with Ireland. The Government of Ireland does not recognise or use the term and its embassy in London discourage its use. As a result, Britain and Ireland is used as an alternative description, and Atlantic Archipelago has had limited use among a minority in academia, while British Isles is still commonly employed.

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Hugh Walter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Forgot the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man; both UK not Britain, left the Shetland's off both images!

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Eleanor Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don’t forget the Isle of Wight, Isle of Skye, the Hebrides. All British Isles.

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Kevin Braid
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

not for much longer, Scotland will be going indy soon, the UK will cease to exist and rightfully so, not many ppl know this sadly but the Brits are robbing the s**t out of Scotland.

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Laura
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

UK also includes Isle of White (sp?) and Isle of Man and other territories

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Don Lawson
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, the United Kingdom also includes the Isle of Man (between Great Britain and Northern Ireland), the Channel Islands (between England and France), Gibraltar, and a scattering of little islands around the world..

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Gemma Lees
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We also own the disputed Falklands because it gives us an interest in Antarctica and any oil or gas that's ever drilled for there.

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Daniel Losinger
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Didn't there used to be a British Empire? Whatever happened to that?

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Corinne Stephan
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The transfer of Hong Kong to China in 1997 marked for many the end of the British Empire. Fourteen overseas territories remain under British sovereignty. After independence, many former British colonies joined the Commonwealth of Nations, a free association of independent states.

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Derpy Bob
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

FYI, Brit here, this ones actually wrong, Britain only includes Scotland, England, Wales, Great Britain includes same stuff as UK, British Isles is all of the islands, including Republic of Ireland

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Peta Hurley-Hill
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No,the Republic of Ireland is it's own autonomous country.Britain only occupies Northern Ireland,which is a part of the United Kingdom.

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Bored Fox
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The United Nations is UN (not UK) and it has members from really many countries...

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#4

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

PublicDomainPictures , Foto-Rabe Report

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athornedrose
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

or as we were taught, poisonous: hurts if you bite it, venomous: hurts if it bites you.

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#8

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Pexels , pen_ash Report

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Lucida
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my language (Swedish) both have the same name but with "land" and "water" at the beginning of the word, like "waterturtle" and "landturtle".

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#10

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Alaska Fisheries Science Center , GFDL&CC Report

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Marlene Riethmüller
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

had been told 'shrimp' is used more in American English, while 'prawn' is favoured in British English

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#20

Commonly Misused Words

adege , Hans Report

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Lizard Queen
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." - Terry Pratchett

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#22

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Luctheo , Annca Report

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Hans
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This does not really belong here, does it? A champagne is still a sparkling wine, so technically it is a specialisation, not two thing that are confused but essentially are different.

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#23

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Stanze , Skeeze Report

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Neeraj Jha
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Their expression say that they are disappointed in you that you didn't know this.

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#25

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Linda De Volder , Dmitry Dzhus Report

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Hans
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do not tell this to all this alternative right movements who claim that there are certain "people" native to places, and that their intermingling with other "races" will weaken the national identity. We may form nations and e may come from different ethnicies, but we are all humans!

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#26

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

seagul , mareke Report

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Rue Granger
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I never know... What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?" "Stalagmite has an 'm' in it"

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#27

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

earth247woman , Illuvis Report

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Cactuar Jon
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How do people not know the difference between a butterfly and a moth???

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#28

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

willems_87 , Nahal08 Report

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N G
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What do you call a Gorilla that has a Banana stuck in each ear ? Answer: Anything you like..... because he can't hear you

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#30

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Ben_Kerckx , fsHH Report

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Rue Granger
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I'm pretty sure people know this. Right? Or is it just me?

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#31

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

BubbleJuice , kathydetweiler Report

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Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did a Masters and a PhD in anurans. The distinction between 'frogs' and 'toads is arbitary. Not all dryish anurans are short-leggedish, or smoothish, or stringy-eggedish, and not all mucussy anurans are the obverse in one or more of those characteristics. The notion of frogs versus toads is simply a gradient of perceptions with no biological significance. And the teeth thing that another commernter claimed is a nonsense...

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#32

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

NickRivers , webandi Report

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Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wasps can be pollinators - there are many species of orchids whose flower structures are predicated on exactly this fact. Look it up.

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#33

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Liz Mochrie , George Wesley & Bonita Dannells Report

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Vivek Mhatre
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paneer is awesome. Especially when coated with a layer of spiced corn flour or spiced bread.

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#34

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

GLady , Dennis Candy Report

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Neeraj Jha
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not sure about this.. The one on the right is also eaten as a fruit in my natives.. It's more like a different variety of Banana..

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#35

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Wounds_and_Cracks , Couleur Report

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Mary-Jane Scharnick
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in S.A the tangerines are called naartjies. pronounced 'nar-chies' . think it comes from the Afrikaans language.

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#36

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

SofieZborilova , MartinStr Report

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Dian Ella Lillie
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like other differences on this list, the distinctions are arbitrary and not consistent. There is not biological difference between kangaroos and wallabies, save size, and small kangaroos and be smaller than large wallabies. Some wallaby species are distinctly plain in colour. My bona fides? I'm a biologist, with three species of macropod that that come out to graze on my paddocks every night.

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#37

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

Alexas_Fotos , Glavo Report

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Cactuar Jon
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rats are amazing, intelligent creatures and it's about time people stopped being scarred of them and start educating themselves about them. They deserve respect.

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#39

Commonly-Misused-Words-Pairs-Different-Meaning

RitaE , Mooss Report

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Neeraj Jha
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought it's more of US/UK thing. UK calls it biscuits while US cookies.. no?

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