Some Confusing English Pairs The following pairs of words can be confusing to English students. Try and create a sentence with each word to help other students identify the differences between the pears and spot & explain the deliberate mistake: 1. Dessert and desert 2. There and their 3. Accept and except 4. Principal and principle 5. Break and brake 6. Affect and effect 7. Personnel and personal 8. Weather and whether 9. Write and right 10. Stationary and stationery