LESSON
Easily Confused Words
25
Read Words in Context
Griots: Keepers of History
Vocabulary Words
Some stories have been passed along orally from one
generation to another. They have not been written down. In
Africa, special people have been given the honor of retelling the
stories of their ancestors. They are called griots (GREE-oz).
Long ago, griots were advisors to the kings of the great
empire of Mali. Today, they still perform important tasks by
giving advice to people in their community. Their most
important job, though, is to retell the ancient stories of their
ancestors.
Griots tell different kinds of stories to help them inform
and entertain people. Sometimes they tell trickster tales to
advise people about what is right or wrong. They also share
myths to explain customs that are part of their community.
Griots might even dress in a costume to portray a certain
character. Good stories can affect, or influence, how people live.
The griots’ stories and songs have a strong effect on
people. Sometimes, the listeners suspect that parts of the
stories are not exactly true. Even so, they don’t want to lose the
stories of their past, so it’s not important to them that every
detail is accurate.
For entertainment, the audience expects griots to “raise a
song” so the community can respond. This
is called “call and response.” When
griots sing a song-tale, they play
stringed instruments that they
pluck, and they wear long, loose
robes. Griots have been retelling
stories for hundreds of years now.
The art of storytelling remains a
beautiful living tradition in Africa
and other places.
advice/advise
affect/effect
costume/custom
expect/suspect
loose/lose
Word Learning Tip!
Sometimes words are easy
to confuse because they
sound almost alike. However,
they have very different
meanings. The two easily
confused words may have
come from different languages. Or, they may have
come from the same word,
but as their pronunciations
started to change, so did
their meanings.
Vocabulary
Building Strategy
It is sometimes easy to
confuse words because they
sound similar, but remember
their meanings are always
different. One way to tell the
difference between words that
are easily confused is to look
at the context in which a word
is used. Then create a clue
tied to the spelling of the
word to help you remember
that word’s meaning.
Lesson 25 • Easily Confused Words
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources
181
LESSON
25
Easily Confused Words
Connect Words and Meanings
advice/advise
affect/effect
costume/custom
expect/suspect
loose/lose
Directions Choose the correct vocabulary word for each definition. Write it in the blank.
1. Definition: to influence people, or to change someone or something (borrowed from the
Latin word affectare, meaning “to exert influence”) _____________________ (effect, affect)
2. Definition: to think that something ought to happen (borrowed from the Latin word
expectare, meaning “to hope or to look for”) _______________________ (suspect, expect)
3. Definition: not fastened or attached firmly (borrowed from the old Norse word lauss)
______________________________________ (lose, loose)
4. Definition: clothes worn for some purpose or occasion (borrowed from the Old French and
Italian word costume, meaning “fashion or habit”) __________________ (costume, custom)
5. Definition: to give someone a suggestion about what to do (borrowed from the Old
French avis, meaning “opinion”) __________________________________ (advise, advice)
6. Definition: to think something might be true (borrowed from the Latin word suspicere,
meaning to “to look under”) ____________________________________ (suspect, expect)
7. Definition: a tradition in a culture or society (borrowed from the Latin word cōnsuē tūdō,
meaning “habit”) ___________________________________________ (costume, custom)
8. Definition: a suggestion about what someone should do (borrowed from the Old French
phrase a vis, meaning “opinion”) _________________________________ (advice, advise)
9. Definition: the result or consequence of something (borrowed from the Latin word
effectus, meaning “result or completion”) _____________________________ (affect, effect)
10. Definition: to not have something anymore (developed from the Old English word losian,
meaning “to lose”) _______________________________________________ (lose, loose)
Write a Trickster Tale Work with a partner. Brainstorm a clever animal character for your story. For
example, you might want to use a tortoise, an owl, or a mosquito! Then discuss how the animal
character advises people about something that is right or wrong. Write the story in your personal word
journal. Use at least six vocabulary words in your tale.
182 Chapter 4 • Words and Their Histories
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources
LESSON
Easily Confused Words
25
Use Words in Context
advice/advise
affect/effect
costume/custom
expect/suspect
loose/lose
Directions Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. Write the word in the blank.
1. Margot doesn’t want to _____________ (loose/lose) any of the beads on the antique dress.
2. The dress is very old, so many of the beads are _________________________ (loose/lose).
3. Because the new coach ____________________________________ (ed) (affect/effect) the
team in a positive way, it had a winning season.
4. The _____________________________________________ (affect/effect), or result, of the
teacher’s new grading system was that a student could earn bonus points.
5. Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday on October 3, 1863. Through
the years, celebrating Thanksgiving has become a favorite _________________________
(costume/custom) of many people.
6. Carmelo thought it was fun to wear a __________________ (costume/custom) to the party.
7. Leah didn’t ________________________________________ (expect/suspect) that so many
people would come to her concert.
8. She didn’t ______________ (expect/suspect) that her mother had invited many of the people.
9. “What would you _______________________________________ (advice/advise) me to do
regarding that problem?” asked Jermaine.
10. Can you give me some good _____________________________________ (advice/advise)
about what to tell him?” asked Maya.
Write About a Custom in the United States Work with a partner. Talk about some customs that people
follow in the United States. Make a list in your personal word journal. Then choose a custom where
people might wear costumes. Write about a costume that you might wear to celebrate the custom. Use all
the vocabulary words in your description.
Lesson 25 • Easily Confused Words
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources
183
LESSON
25
Easily Confused Words
Put Words Into Action
advice/advise
affect/effect
costume/custom
expect/suspect
loose/lose
Directions Read each sentence. If the boldface vocabulary word is not used correctly in the sentence,
write the correct word in the blank. If the word is correct, write correct.
1. Mariko wore a Japanese custom to the party.
_______________________
2. A coach should advice players on how to be better in a sport. _______________________
3. How did the book affect you? Did it make you feel happy?
_______________________
4. Be careful not to loose your sunglasses.
_______________________
5. “I suspect you to review all the notes you took,” said Mr. Wang. _______________________
6. Jeremy’s favorite custom is the West Indian Parade
that happens every September.
7. “Be careful! The hinges on the door are lose,” said DeeDee.
_______________________
_______________________
8. “What affect will the snowstorm have on our trip?”
Deanna asked. “Will we still be able to go to the play?”
_______________________
9. “I expect everyone to turn in their assignments on time,”
said Mr. Gee.
_______________________
10. “Please advice us of your plans when you know them,”
Mrs. Knight said.
_______________________
Write Mixed-Up Sentences Write six sentences on a separate piece of paper. In some sentences, use the
correct vocabulary word. In other sentences, use the word with which it is easily confused. Exchange your
sentences with another student, and challenge him or her to find the mixed-up word, cross it out, and write the
correct word. For example, “The advise that Brittany gave her brother was very helpful.” Advise should be advice.
184 Chapter 4 • Words and Their Histories
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources
LESSON
Easily Confused Words
25
Review and Extend
advice/advise
affect/effect
costume/custom
expect/suspect
loose/lose
BONUS WORDS Here are some other words that are easily confused. Even though they sound very
similar, they are spelled differently and have different meanings.
Word
Meaning
Sentence
lay
to put or to place
Lay the coats on the bench.
lie
to get into or be in a flat position
Lie down on the blanket.
Directions Read each sentence. Choose the vocabulary word or bonus word that best fits and write it in
the blank.
1. Rosalinda took off her wet raincoat. “Don’t _______________________________ (lie, lay)
it on the chair,” said her mother.
2. Matt was feeling sick. “I think I’d better ___________________________ (lie, lay) down,”
he told his brother.
3. Moving away from the old neighborhood had a big ____________________ (affect, effect)
on Tim. He missed his friends a lot.
4. The job of a school counselor is to ________________________________ (advice, advise)
students about how to deal with problems.
5. The bus comes to this bus stop every ten minutes. I _______________________________
(expect, suspect) that a bus will come very soon.
6. If you keep a lot of change in your pockets, you may ______________________________
(loose, lose) some of it.
7. It is a ___________________________________ (custom, costume) in the United States to
celebrate the Fourth of July.
8. Ming liked the ________________________________ (advice, advise) that Coach Murphy
gave her about her gymnastics program.
Create Word-Reminder Tips Work with a partner. Brainstorm some ideas for two tips that might help you
not confuse these vocabulary words. What techniques could you use to memorize the words so you
don’t confuse them? Write the tips in your personal word journal. For example, here’s a tip for loose and lose:
Remember that the word lose has lost one of its o’s.
Lesson 25 • Easily Confused Words
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources
185
LESSON
25
Easily Confused Words
Check Your Mastery
Directions Read each sentence. Write the correct word in the blank.
1. Rhea took her friend’s _________________________________________ (advise, advice)
and studied for the test.
2. The big blizzard last night had a huge _____________________________ (affect, effect)
on my going to school today.
3. My favorite _____________________________________ (costume, custom) is watching
the fireworks on the Fourth of July.
4. I ___________________________________ (suspect, expect) that Sally is having a party
because I hear a lot of talking and music.
5. My little sister has a __________________________________ (lose, loose) tooth that will
probably fall out in a day or two.
6. What might you ____________________________________ (suspect, expect) to happen
when those two teams play against each other in the soccer tournament?
7. Darcy plans to wear an elephant _______________________________ (costume, custom)
to the parade.
8. How do you think your sister’s decision will ________________________ (affect, effect)
the horse’s training?
9. Maury called Nellie to ______________________________ (advice, advise) her that the
band would rehearse at 3 o’clock on Wednesday.
10. Dwight doesn’t want to _________________________________ (loose, lose) the stamps,
so he puts them in his back pocket.
186 Chapter 4 • Words and Their Histories
Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success: Grade 4 © Scholastic Teaching Resources