This is a guide to help learners to communicate easily in both speech and writing through a better understanding of the English language.
Constrain / restrain
‘Constrain’ means ‘to stop someone from doing what they want to do.’
Financial factors should not constrain doctors from prescribing the best treatment for patients.
‘Restrain’ means ‘to stop someone from doing something often by using physical force.’
Norma had to restrain her child from running out into the street.
Contagious / infectious
A disease that is contagious can be passed from person to person by touch.
An infectious illness can be passed from one person to another, especially through the air you breathe.
Flu is highly infectious.
Contemptible / contemptuous
‘Contemptible’ means ‘not deserving any respect at all.’
They were portrayed as contemptible cowards.
‘Contemptuous’ means ‘showing that you think someone or something deserves no respect.’
Bob was openly contemptuous of his uncle.
Continual / continuous
‘Continual’ means ‘continuing for a long time without stopping.’
We had continual rain for two hours.
‘Continuous’ means ‘continuing to happen or exist without stopping.’
There is a continuous flow of information.
Continuance / continuation / continuity
‘Continuance’ and ‘continuation’ both mean the act of continuing.
‘Continuity’ is the state of being continuous.
Emma asked for a continuance of her tenancy.
The continuation of the serial will be published next week.
Converse / inverse
‘Converse’ of a fact, word or statement is the opposite of it.
Some teachers welcomed the change, but for the majority of them, the converse was true.
‘Inverse’ is the complete opposite of something.
Contrary / opposite
Contrary ideas, opinions, or actions are completely different and opposed to each other.
The General gave contrary orders.
If one thing or person is opposite another, they are facing each other.
There was a picture on the wall opposite the door.
Correspond to / correspond with
‘Correspond to’ means ‘to be very similar to or the same as something else.’
The French Baccalaureate exam roughly corresponds to English Advanced Levels.
‘Correspond with’ means ‘to write letters to someone and receive letters from them.’
Fiona stopped corresponding with Bob.
Co-respondent / correspondent
A co-respondent is the third party in a divorce suit.
A correspondent is one who writes a letter. In journalism a correspondent is a reporter or someone who specialises in a particular subject such as international affairs.
Corporal / corporeal
‘Corporal’ is of or belonging to the human body.
Corporal punishment was abolished in Britain in 1986.
‘Corporeal’ means ‘relating to the body, rather than to the mind, feelings, or spirit.’
Humans have corporeal desires.
Council / counsel
A council is a board or assembly of people convened for deliberation or advice.
A counsel gives advice, opinions or instructions.
In law, a counsel is a lawyer or Attorney-at-Law.
Councillor / counsellor
A councillor is a member of a council.
A counsellor is an advisor.
Credible / credulous
‘Credible’ means ‘capable of being believed.’
‘Credulous’ means ‘ready to believe anything.’
The officer was unable to give a credible explanation for his behaviour.
Samson charmed credulous investors out of millions of rupees.
Crevasse / crevice
A crevasse is a deep cleft or fissure in a glacier.
A crevice is a crack, rift or fissure in the ground.