Confusing Words in English

Confusing Words: Astronomy (noun) and Astrology (noun)
Meaning:
Astronomy (the branch of science that deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.)
Astrology (the divination of the supposed influences of the stars and planets on human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects.)
Astronomy vs Astrology Clarification: Both astronomy and astrology are different from each other in terms of meanings

Astronomy vs Astrology – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

The reason behind the confusion between astronomy and astrology is that both of these words are related to study. The study of almost same things. However, there is a difference in the style of both of these subjects. One word is related to the scientific research while the other one is, somehow, a belief.

Let us find out the differences between astronomy and astrology separately.

Astronomy

This particular word is used as a noun within sentences. Astronomy means a scientific study. It is the study of those bodies that are outside of the atmosphere of the earth. For instance, stars, planets planetoid, asteroid etc.

1. There are a variety of heavenly objects to study in the field of astronomy.

2. I love to study astronomy in order to discover new divine bodies present outside the earth’s atmosphere.

3. Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another. (Plato)

Astrology

This particular word is also used as a noun within sentences. Astrology is more than a study. It is, in fact, the belief that the movement of the heavenly bodies outside the earth’s atmosphere has an influence on human’s life and the earth. Astrology originated in the late 1600.

You can say that the study of astrology is regarded as a pseudoscience. Now, even the professionals used to take advice from astrologers in order to make their lives better. Astrologers predict the future events on the basis of the movements of celestial bodies situated outside this globe.

1. Many people don’t believe in astrology.

2. Some professionals say that the study of astrology is based on assumptions.

3. Astrology is a language. If you understand this language, the sky speaks to you. (Dane Rudhyar)

Difference

As you have read that there is a clear difference between astronomy and astrology. Astronomy is, no doubt, a scientific study.

Astrology is said to be a belief in which astrologers examine or more likely to say assume the influence of the movements of heavenly bodies that are present outside of the earth’s atmosphere. You have heard about the zodiac signs like Leo, Libra, Virgo, Aries etc. These signs are a result of the study of astrology.

Astrology is a Pseudoscience

Astronomy is a Natural Science

What Did You Learn?

Both astronomy and astrology are different from each other in terms of meanings. The only similarity is that they both are related to the study of celestial bodies.

Astronomy is the study of natural science in which celestial bodies that are outside of the earth’s atmosphere are studied scientifically.

Astrology, on the other hand, is a pseudoscience in which people have a belief that the movement of celestial bodies has a direct influence on the earth and human’s life.

Confusing Words: Bare (adjective/verb) and Bear (noun/verb)
Meaning:
Bare (without covering or clothing; naked)
Bear (carry the weight of; support.)
Bare vs Bear Clarification: The two words are pronounced in a similar manner but both have very different meanings.

Bare vs Bear – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Confusing words such as bare vs. bear are, sometime, very hard to understand. In this post, I will explain the difference between bare and bear. It is very important to keep them apart.

Like the other homophones, bare and bear has same pronunciation but they are spelled differently. Furthermore, their meanings and usage within sentences also differ. They cannot be interchangeable.

Let us define each term separately so that you can easily get the difference between both of these confusing words.

Bare

This particular word is used as an adjective or a verb within sentences. As an adjective, bare means not covered or unclothed. While as a verb, it means to expose or to uncover.

1. Please, don’t walk on the floor with bare feet. (as an adjective)

2. I was scared when the dog bared its teeth and turned to me. (as a verb)

3. I cannot bare my head outside home. (as a verb)

Bear

Bear has two different meanings. The word ‘bear’ can be used as a noun or a verb within sentences.

As a noun, bear is used to refer a large and strong mammal covered with thick fur. They are mostly found in colder areas (in the woods). For example,

1. I was very scared when I encountered a large black bear in the woods.

As a verb, bear means to tolerate something terrible; to hold something; give birth; to produce fruit, flower or plants. For example,

1. I can’t bear this kind of awful attitude in my class.

2. I hope that the tree will bear fruits in the coming season.

The three tenses of bear are; bear (present), bore (past), borne (past participle). For instance, she had borne four children.

What Did You Learn?

Bear and bare are two different words that cannot be interchangeable. Furthermore, Bear is used as a noun or a verb within sentences.

Bear: As a noun, it is used to refer a mammal and as a verb, it means to tolerate or to hold something.
Bare: It is used as an adjective or a verb within sentences. In both cases, bare is used to refer of being uncovered or exposed.

Confusing Words: Bear (noun) and Bare (adjective)
Clarification: Bear with me is the correct expression which means ‘request for patience’.

Bear With Me or Bare With Me – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

If you note down the above two expressions, you will come to know that there is just one-letter difference between these expressions, bare and bear. The confusion is because of the homophones ‘bear’ and ‘bare’. The pronunciation is exactly the same but the meanings and the usage are totally different from each other.

Firstly, I will define the words ‘bear’ and ‘bare’ separately and use these words within sentences. In this way, it will be easy for you to differentiate between the above expressions.

Bear

As a noun, bear is used to refer a large and strong mammal covered with thick fur. They are mostly found in colder areas (in the woods). For example,

• I was very scared when I encountered a large black bear in the woods.

As a verb, bear means to tolerate something terrible. For example,

• I can’t bear this kind of awful attitude in my class.

Expression: Bear With Me

From the above discussion, bear, as a noun, does not fit into this phrase. This particular expression is used to request for patience or tolerance. For example,

• The teacher asked the students to bear with her and make no noise.

Bare

This particular word is used as an adjective within sentences. As an adjective, bare means not covered or unclothed.

• Please, don’t walk on the floor with bare feet.

Expression: Bare With Me

From the above discussion, bare is not suitable for this expression. If we look at the meaning, bare with me would mean a request or an invitation to be uncovered or exposed. In this way, it is clearly not making sense.

Got it?

Bear With Me = Request for Patience

So, it has been clear that, from the above two expressions, bear with me is the correct expression to use for the meaning to request for patience or tolerance. On the other hand, bare with me is clearly an incorrect expression.

If you will feel confusion again, just recall the meanings of bear (as a verb) and bare.

Bear with me = Correct

           Bare with me = Wrong             

What Did You Learn?

Bear with me is the correct expression which means ‘request for patience’. In this expression, bear is taken as a verb not as a noun. As a noun, bear is a mammal that, for sure, does not fit into this expression.

Confusing Words: Bail (noun/verb) and Bale (noun/verb)
Meaning:
Bail (the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money is lodged to guarantee their appearance in court.)
Bale (a large wrapped or bound bundle of paper, hay, or cotton.)
Clarification: Bail and bale are not interchangeable. They are homophones.

Bail vs Bale – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Homophones are said to be the most confusing words in English vocabulary. Writers should be careful with word choice. Incorrect word choice can give a very bad impression on their writings. Today, I am coming up with two such words that can be confusing because these words are homophones.

When you speak out bail and bale together, you will feel that both of these words sound exactly same. This is the reason of the confusion between these words.

However, the meanings and the functions of both of these words are totally different from each other.

Continue reading the post to get out of your confusion!

Bail

The word ‘bail’ is used as a noun or a verb within sentences. As a noun, it means release of a prisoner or an accused person, not permanently but temporarily. For example,

1. He was accused of murder, but was released on bail.

2. His bail was refused by the honorable judge.

As a verb, bail means to remove water by using a container; to release an accused person by paying as his/her guarantee. For example,

1. Nobody got the news because he was immediately bailed out of the jail.

2. The captain called everyone to bail out the boat.

Bale

Like bail, bale is also used as a noun or a verb within sentences. As a noun, it is used to refer something (such as, paper or cotton etc.) tightly bundled or packed together. For example,

1. At the end, he was not able to grab another bale of cotton.

2. I have ordered hundreds of bales of straws and got them today.

As a verb, bale means to make or pack (something) into bales. For example,

1. The manager ordered his workers to bale out all the extra papers.

2. He further baled the bales of cotton.

Got the Difference?

I hope from the above discussion it is now clear that bale and bail are two different words that cannot be interchangeable. Both of these words are homophones. Their pronunciation is same but the meanings are totally different from each other.

Bale + Bail = Homophones

To bale is to pack something whereas, to bail is to release a prisoner or to remove water from a boat.

What Did You Learn?

Bail and bale are not interchangeable. They are homophones. Both of these words can be used as nouns or verbs within sentences.

Bale is used to refer something that is tightly bundled together or it can be the process of packaging. On the other hand, bail is the release of a prisoner; it can be the process of removing the water from a boat or to release an accused person.

Confusing Words: Verb
Meaning: perform or undergo the first part of (an action or activity).
Clarification: Began and begun are two forms of an irregular verb ‘begin’.

Began vs Begun – What is the Difference, Definition & Meaning?

Sometimes, English language can be difficult to understand. The words can be problematic to writers and even speakers. It happens, sometimes, that the use of past tense can make confusion among writers. There are many irregular verbs in English vocabulary that don’t end up with regular –d, -ed, or –ied.

Though began and begun are the forms of an irregular verb ‘begin‘, but you cannot use these words interchangeably. There are rules to be followed in order to make your text an error-free piece of writing.

Let us discuss each term separately so that you can easily get the difference between began and begun. First of all, you need to get the definition of begin.

Definition of Begin: It is used as a verb within sentences. Begin means to start or to commence the earliest part of an action. For example,

• I will begin my story with a famous quote of Shakespeare on life.

Began

It is the simple past tense of the verb begin. You do not need any word like helping or auxiliary verbs to stable began. It can stand alone in the sentence to make sense. For example,

1. I began to work on our project to finish it before the due date.

2. It based farmland property assessments on 4-year-old crop prices, meaning taxes climbed even as farm revenues began to decline. (WBAA)

Begun

It is the past participle form of the verb begin. As being a past participle form, begun cannot stand alone but should be used with helping or auxiliary verbs. For example,

1. I have begun to work on my project.

2. She had begun to help me on my project.

3. Skanska USA and DPR Construction, first tapped to build the project, left after work had begun, which Reuters points out is rare for a project of this scale. (Quartz)

Check Out: The Difference Between Capital and Capitol.

Got the Difference?

It is very important to understand the difference between began and begun that are often get confused. I hope that after reading the above explanation you have found the differences between begin and began.

The use of simple past and past participle is quite easy to memorize. You do not need any helping or auxiliary verb to be used with began (simple past) whereas, begun (past participle) needs an auxiliary or helping verb to be used with it.

Began = Simple Past (does not need helping verbs)

Begun = Past Participle (needs helping verbs)

What Did You Learn?

Began and begun are two forms of an irregular verb ‘begin’. Began is the simple past form of begin and is not used with any auxiliary or helping verb. On the other hand, begun is the past participle form of begin and is always used with an auxiliary or a helping verb.