Here are 7 commonly confused word pairs in which most of them are started with the initial A. Each word is followed by the definition and an example taken from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online. This is only a brief explanation but I hope you find it useful. There is also the translation into Indonesian inserted in the brackets after the words and below the example sentence.

1. Accept VS Except

Accept (menerima) is a VERB [intransitive and transitive] meaning “to take something that someone offers you, or to agree to do something that someone asks you to do” [≠ refuse] e.g.:

Rick accepted her offer of coffee.

Indonesian: Rick menerima tawaran minum kopinya.

Except (kecuali) is a PREPOSITION used to introduce the only person, thing, action, fact, or situation about which a statement is not true, e.g.:

The office is open every day except Sundays.

Indonesian: Kantor itu buka setiap hari kecuali hari Minggu.

2. Advice VS Advise

Advice (nasihat) is a NOUN [uncountable] meaning “an opinion you give someone about what they should do”. 

There’s lots of advice in the book on baby care.

Indonesian: Ada banyak nasihat dalam buku perawatan bayi.

Advise (menasihati) is a VERB [intransitive and transitive] meaning “to tell someone what you think they should do, especially when you know more than they do about something”.

She needed someone to advise her.

Indonesian: Dia butuh seseorang untuk menasihatinya.

3. Angel VS Angle

Angel (malaikat) is a NOUN [countable] meaning “a spirit who is God’s servant in heaven, and who is often shown as a person dressed in white with wings” such as in:

the angel Gabriel

Indonesian: Malaikat Gabriel

It can also mean “someone who is very kind, very good, or very beautiful”

That little girl of theirs is an angel.

Indonesian: Gadis kecil mereka adalah anak yang baik hati.

Angle (sudut) is a NOUN [countable] meaning “the space between two straight lines or surfaces that join each other, measured in degrees”

an angle of 45°

Indonesian: Sudut 45°

 

4. Affect VS Effect

Affect (mempengaruhi) is a VERB [transitive] meaning “to do something that produces an effect or change in something or in someone’s situation” e.g.:

a disease that affects the central nervous system

Indonesian: Penyakit yang mempengaruhi sistem saraf pusat

Effect (pengaruh/efek) is a NOUN [uncountable and countable] meaning “the way in which an event, action, or person changes someone or something”, e.g.:

My parents’ divorce had a big effect on me.

Indonesian:  Perceraian orangtuaku memiliki pengaruh besar dalam hidupku.

 

5. Aisle VS Isle

Aisle (lorong) is a NOUN [countable] meaning “a long passage between rows of seats in a church, plane, theatre etc, or between rows of shelves in a shop”

Go pass the aisle.

Indonesian: Lewati lorong itu.

Isle (pulau) is a NOUN [countable] meaning “a word for an island, used in poetry or in names of islands”

the British Isles

Indonesian: Kepulauan Britania

 

6. A lot VS Allot

A lot (banyak) is a DETERMINER meaning “many” or “much”, e.g.:

She has a lot of friends.

Indonesian: Dia punya banyak teman.

Allot (mengalokasikan) is a VERB meaning “to divide or portion out”.

She will allot some fund for charity.

Indonesian: Dia akan mengalokasikan dana untuk amal.

 

7. Already VS All ready

Already (sudah) is an ADVERB meaning “before now, or before a particular time”.

She has already left.

Indonesian: Dia sudah pergi.

All ready (siap) is an ADJECTIVE meaning “fully prepared”

We are all ready for the trip!

Indonesian: Kami sudah siap!

Reference:

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online

 

Summarized and written up by Luh Windiari

TranslationPapers Bali