If you want to vote in the affirmative, would you vote eye, aye, or I? Would you put a needle through an eyelet or an islet? Would you put eyes, ayes, or ice in your drink? If you say something in a joking manner, are you being facetious or factious? Is a pseudonym a factitious name or a fictitious name?
eagle eye, wikipedia
expropriation, appropriation
Expropriation means a taking, especially by a government.
The expropriation of the houses by the rebel government caused the citizens to rebel.
An appropriation is anything, especially money, that has been set aside for a special purpose.
The large appropriation for the new medical center will be awarded at the banquet this evening.
eye, aye, I
The eye is the organ that enables us to see.
At all times, the detective kept one eye on the man he suspected of robbing the bank.
Aye is another way of saying yes.
Her reply was aye.
I is the nominative singular pronoun that the speaker uses to refer to himself or herself.
I am going shopping.
Stone islet in Coron, Palawan, wikimedia commons
eyelet, islet
An eyelet is a small hole in fabric intended for decoration, or it is a metal ring for lining this small hole.
The hole needs to be reinforced with an eyelet so it doesn’t tear.
An islet is a small island.
The drenched passengers from the sunken ship were ecstatic to see an islet not too far from their present location.
eyes, ayes, ice
Eyes are the organs that enable us to see.
Her eyes are blue.
Ayes would be more than one answer in the affirmative.
The ayes have it; the resolution has passed.
Ice is the solid form of water.
The cooler was filled with ice to keep the drinks cold.
cat’s eyes, flickr
facetious, factious
If something is said in a facetious manner, it isn’t meant to be taken seriously. It is meant to be humorous or amusing.
She was facetious so often that people tended not to take anything she said seriously.
Factious means rebellious, hostile, or belligerent.
Factious book reviews only show the immaturity of the reviewer.
facial, facile
Facial pertains to the face.
When the chair was pulled out from under him, his facial expression was priceless.
Facile means easy. It also means accomplished.
The facile test answers were way too simple for all of the students.
congratulatory handshake, pixabay
facilitate, felicitate
When you facilitate a job or a situation, you make it less difficult.
Actually reading the book will facilitate the writing of the book report.
When you felicitate someone, you congratulate them.
The stranger walked over to the young author to felicitate her on the publication of her new book.
faction, fraction
A faction is a smaller group (clique) within a larger group. It can also mean party strife or intrigue.
The faction was slowly taking control of the organization.
A fraction is a fragment or part of something larger.
Only a mere fraction of the citizens wanted the new law to be implemented.
graves with flowers, public domain
factitious, fictitious
If something is factitious, it is not natural. It has been manufactured.
Factitious flowers of every color adorned the graves.
If something is fictitious, it is false or not genuine.
The fictitious name on her passport was soon discovered.
confusing words, www.confusing-words.com
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