Tricky Twelfth Grade Word Pairs: List 3

Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for twelfth-grade students.
10 words 31 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. allude
    make an indirect reference to
    We had talked around him, alluded to him without quite mentioning him. Kindred
    To see more usage examples of "allude," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "allude" and "elude," click here.
  2. elude
    escape, either physically or mentally
    Even if they were lucky enough to elude the patrol, they could not possibly hide from the bloodhounds. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad
    To see more usage examples of "elude," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "allude" and "elude," click here.
  3. correlation
    a reciprocal connection between two or more things
    Let’s start with the positive correlation: books in the home equal higher test scores. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
    To see more usage examples of "correlation," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "correlation" and "corollary," click here.
  4. corollary
    occurring at the same time, along with, or as a consequence
    The high rate of turnover had the corollary benefit of keeping to a minimum the number of individuals who understood the building’s secrets. The Devil in the White City
    To see more usage examples of "corollary," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "correlation" and "corollary," click here.
  5. definitely
    without question and beyond doubt
    He would swear definitely that there had been eight china figures upon the dining table when he laid the table for lunch. And Then There Were None
    To see more usage examples of "definitely," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "definitely" and "definitively," click here.
  6. definitively
    in a conclusive way
    The truth is that this is not a question that I—or anyone else, for that matter—can answer definitively. Blink
    To see more usage examples of "definitive," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "definitely" and "definitively," click here.
  7. figuratively
    in a non-literal sense
    We were, literally and figuratively, in the same boat. Life of Pi
    To see more usage examples of "figuratively," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "figuratively" and "literally," click here.
  8. literally
    in a sense limited to explicit meaning
    I also found on Google the next day that Popocatepetl is really a volcano, and the name is literally Nahuatl for “smoking mountain.” The Last Cuentista
    To see more usage examples of "literally," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "figuratively" and "literally," click here.
  9. pragmatic
    concerned with practical matters
    Bobby’s pragmatic philosophy was similar to the old Arabic saying “Trust in Allah but tie up your camel.” Endgame
    To see more usage examples of "pragmatic," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "pragmatic" and "dogmatic," click here.
  10. dogmatic
    characterized by assertion of unproved principles
    She can, at times, feel like a very opinionated friend, or a brilliant but demanding teacher: a little too dogmatic, slightly exhausting. The Guardian
    To see more usage examples of "dogmatic," click here.
    To learn more about the commonly confused words "pragmatic" and "dogmatic," click here.
Created on Fri May 30 12:38:50 EDT 2025 (updated Fri May 30 12:40:15 EDT 2025)

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