Last time we talked about 4 groups of English words that many would consider confusing. Do you remember the differences between these two similar words in each group? In this article, we will continue to talk about the next 4 sets of similar words. Be careful not to misuse them again in the future!
1. Eminent vs Imminent
Eminent: famous/prominent
Giorgio Vasari was an eminent architect and painter in Italy.
Imminent: coming soon
The fortune-teller says that there will be an imminent disaster in the country.
2. Complement vs Compliment
Complement: to make a thing better when combining with another thing
For me, cheese is the perfect complement to wine.
Compliment: praise/admiration
The fortune-teller announces there will be an imminent disaster in the country soon.
3. Empathy vs Sympathy
Empathy: the ability to share sb’s feelings by imagining oneself in his or her situation
She has great empathy with people. She can always put herself in others’ shoes.
Sympathy: the ability to understand and care for sb’s suffering
He has a lot of sympathy for the homeless children. Therefore, he regularly donates money to them.
4. Envelop vs Envelope
Envelop: to completely surround sth
This haunted house is enveloped in a spooky atmosphere, which makes many people cry.
Envelope: a paper container for a letter
The company pays attention to recycling, even its envelope is made from recycled papers.
