Confusing Words Quiz

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Instructions:

Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks.

You have 15 seconds for each question. The explanation sections are not timed.

Instructions:

Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks.

You have 15 seconds for each question. The explanation sections are not timed.

1. Successful heads of Architecture use business capabilities to differentiate between business requirements for cost-efficiency and the need for selective responsiveness, but _____ difficult to get business capabilities right.

A. its

B. it's

Explanation: Its means belonging to it (a possessive without an apostrophe, like ours, his, hers); it’s is a contraction of it is or it has.

2. I hope you are doing _____.

A. good

B. well

Explanation: Good is an adjective; adjectives modify nouns. Well is an adverb; adverbs modify verbs, adverbs, and adjectives.

In this sentence, the word being modified—doing—is a verb. Hence, the correct modifier is well, not good.

Explanation: Good is an adjective; adjectives modify nouns. Well is an adverb; adverbs modify verbs, adverbs, and adjectives.

In this sentence, the word being modified—doing—is a verb. Hence, the correct modifier is well, not good.

3. Liquidity remains abundant as the government maintains its _____ monetary policies.

A. loose

B. lose

Explanation: Loose means free from restraint or not securely attached; lose means to fail to keep at hand.

4. Oracle, _____ business is more diversified, reported a 17% increase.

A. who's

B. whose

Explanation: Who’s is a contraction of who is or who has; whose refers to something that belongs to someone.

5. According to CEB research, identification of high-potential talent is a top priority _____ 51% of HR professionals.

A. between

B. among

Explanation: Between is used to talk about distinct, individual items (even if there are more than two of them); among is used to talk about things that aren't distinct items or individuals.

6. The attrition of new hires is greater _____ that of all the other employees combined.

A. then

B. than

Explanation: Then is used for talking about sequences and time; than is used for comparison.

7. Increased team credibility with stakeholders reduced the _____ of time dedicated to creating presentations by 33%.

A. number

B. amount

Explanation: Number is used for count nouns; amount is used for mass nouns.

8. Companies must _____ they have their risk policies in place to _____ their customers.

A. insure, assure

B. ensure, assure

C. assure, ensure

Explanation: Insure means to limit financial liability; ensure means to guarantee an event or condition; assure means to remove doubt or anxiety.

9. Focusing solely on developing a rep’s baseline skills is likely to _____ minimal returns.

A. elicit

B. illicit

Explanation: Elicit means to call forth or draw out something, such as information or a response; illicit means something unlawful or not permitted.

10. Artificial Intelligence and machine learning will be increasingly embedded into _____ things—appliances, speakers, and hospital equipment.

A. everyday

B. Every day

Explanation: Everyday (one word) is an adjective and means “commonplace” or “routine;” every day (two words) is an adverb and means “daily.”

11. Some corporate treasurers are struggling to protect businesses from______ currency risks.

A. averse

B. adverse

Explanation: Averse means to oppose or be reluctant; adverse means unfavorable.

12. As a _______ executive advisor at XYZ Inc., Brent serves as the company's chief storyteller, broadly spanning subjects from customer loyalty to sales rep performance to organizational productivity.

A. principle

B. principal

Explanation: Principle means the fundamental basis of a system of thought or belief; principal means main or most important.

13. The issues of the new tool have been fixed, and the work can now _____.

A. proceed

B. precede

Explanation: Proceed means to carry on or go forward; precede means to go or come before.

14. It's hard to know how much the company has spent in total because the report doesn't provide an itemized _____ for a persuasive business case.

A. breakdown

B. Break down

Explanation: Breakdown (one word) is a failure to function or an analysis (especially relating to statistics); break down (two words) means to stop functioning or to separate into parts.

15. For new and better ways to increase their customer loyalty, service organizations need to look no _____ than their own service representatives.

A. further

B. farther

Explanation: Further refers to figurative and nonphysical distances; farther refers to physical distances.

16. Unions representing the county’s 8,000 workers agreed to _____ cost-of-living raises for the next two years.

A. forgo

B. forego

Explanation: Forgo means to do without; forego means to go before.

17. Firms’ strategies may _____ under the weight of millions of Americans entering their retirement years in the coming decades.

A. flounder

B. founder

Explanation: Flounder means to stumble; founder means to collapse, sink, or fall.

18. The State Department should appoint a liaison to _____ intellectual property theft.

A. prosecute

B. persecute

Explanation: Prosecute means to initiate legal proceedings; persecute means to harass and treat cruelly.

19. The courses are designed to _____ the core curriculum by focusing on one topic and providing the practical tools required to be effective.

A. compliment

B. complement

Explanation: Compliment is to make an admiring remark; complement is to complete or make perfect.

20. We build management’s risk awareness to _____ better risk information from the business.

A. attain

B. obtain

Explanation: Attain means to accomplish through effort; obtain means to gain possession.

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