Confused Words 3

It’s been a little while since I last wrote a Confused Words post and there’s no time like the present, so here are some more words that are, for whatever reason, sometimes confused.

Flew, Flu, Flue
Flew: this is the past tense of the word fly and is used when referring to something that has moved through the air. For example, the girl ‘flew‘ the kite in the park.
Flu: this is the abbreviated form of Influenza, an infectious disease caused by a virus. For example, when you’re ill with ‘flu,’ drink plenty of water.
Flue: this is used when referring to a duct used for waste gasses and smoke. For instance, make sure the ‘flue‘ is open before you light the fire.

Knight, Night
Knight: this is used when talking about a man who serves his King or Queen as a soldier in armour. For example, the valiant ‘knight‘ fought bravely for the King.
Night: this is the period of a day between sunset and sunrise. For example, the ‘night‘ sky was dark.

Flee, Flea
Flee: this word is used when referring to the act of running away or escaping quickly from a scary or dangerous situation. For instance, they were forced to ‘flee‘ from the burning building.
Flea: is used when referencing the wingless, jumping insect which feeds on blood. For example, the stray dog had ‘fleas’.

Scold, Scald
Scold: this means to admonish or to tell someone off. For instance, she ‘scolded’ the child for touching the stove.
Scald: this is used when referring to a burn or injury caused by hot liquid. For example, he was ‘scalded’ when his coffee spilled.

Wander, Wonder
Wander: this word is used to describe a slow or leisurely walk. For example, she ‘wandered’ through the woods.
Wonder: this is used when referring to a desire to know something. For example, he ‘wondered’ where he had left his keys.

Rowed, Rode, Road
Rowed: this is the past tense of the word row, meaning to propel with oars. For example, she ‘rowed‘ the boat expertly.
Rode: this is the past tense of the word ride, which means to be carried on the back of an animal such as a horse. For instance, she ‘rode‘ the horse like a professional.
Road: this is used in reference to a thoroughfare or passage that takes you from one place to another. For example, he travelled along the main ‘road‘ through the town.

As always, thank you for reading my words!

Until next time,


© 2018 GLT


Categories: Confused Words

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5 replies

  1. Ohh, this post is the bee’s knees! 😀

    Curiously, in my native tongue, the word for the common cold is also derived from influenza, causing some confusion as to which is which. Also, I’ve come to absolutely loathe most all of the puns riffing on knight/night. Like the Cruise vehicle “Knight and Day”, Batman’s “Knightmare”, or the 2008 Knight Rider. Yech. Otherwise odd, though, I love knights a lot…

    Thanks! Tons of fun! 🙂


  2. Oh man! You have isolated some of the most confused words! When I taught some of my students made some of these mistakes! Keep them coming!

    Liked by 1 person

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