Confusing Words in English, Part 3 — Well vs. Good, Other vs. Another and more!
- Thomas
- 2 jul
- 3 Min. de lectura
English learners often struggle with certain words that seem similar but have different meanings or uses. In this third part of our "Confusing Words in English" series, we’ll look at five more tricky word pairs and sets: well vs. good, we vs. us vs. our, other vs. another, bring vs. take, and much vs. many. You’ll find tips and examples to help you remember the differences—and there’s a quiz at the end to test yourself!
Well vs. Good
These are both positive words, but they have different uses.
Good is an adjective. It describes nouns.
Well is usually an adverb. It describes how someone does something.
Examples:
She is a good dancer. (Describes the noun “dancer”)
She dances well. (Describes the verb “dances”)
I don’t feel well today. (“Well” can also mean “healthy” here.)
Tip: If you’re talking about how something is done, use well. If you’re describing a person, place or thing, use good.
We vs. Us vs. Our
All of these are forms of the same pronoun group, but they are used in different sentence positions.
We is the subject (the one doing the action).
Us is the object (the one receiving the action).
Our is a possessive adjective (shows something belongs to “us”).
Examples:
We are going to the beach.
They invited us to the party.
Our car is parked outside.
Tip: Try replacing the word with a name. If you’d say “John and I,” use we. If you’d say “John and me,” use us. If you’re talking about something that belongs to you both, use our.
Other vs. Another
These two words both talk about “an additional” or “a different” thing, but they’re used differently.
Another = one more item (used with singular countable nouns).
Other = different or remaining items (used with plural or singular uncountable nouns, or before plural countable nouns).
Examples:
I’d like another cup of coffee.
The other students are already here.
Let’s try another idea.
Do you have any other questions?
Tip: If you’re talking about one more item, use another. If you’re talking about the rest or a different item, use other.
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Bring vs. Take
These both involve carrying something, but the direction matters.
Bring = to carry something toward the speaker or a place.
Take = to carry something away from the speaker or a place.
Examples:
Please bring your homework to class. (The homework is going toward the class)
Don’t forget to take an umbrella with you. (You are going away from your current location)
She will bring snacks to the party.
Can you take this book to Sarah?
Tip:
Bring = come
Take = go
Think about the direction: If the action is coming toward the speaker, use bring. If it’s going away, use take.
Much vs. Many
Both describe quantity, but they go with different types of nouns.
Many is used with countable nouns (e.g. apples, books, cars).
Much is used with uncountable nouns (e.g. water, time, money).
Examples:
How many friends do you have?
I don’t have much time today.
There weren’t many chairs in the room.
She spent much of her life traveling.
Tip: If you can count it one-by-one, use many. If you can’t (like sand, rice, or air), use much.
For extra practice, read this article about countable vs. uncountable nouns.
📝 Quiz Time!
Choose the correct word for each blank.
He plays the guitar really (good/well).
They gave (we/us/our) free tickets to the show.
I’ll need (other/another) day to finish this report.
Can you (bring/take) this box upstairs?
How (much/many) milk do you drink each day?
Answers
well
us
another
take
much
Let us know in the comments if you’ve been confused by any other word pairs! You might see them in Part 4 of this series. You can also find parts 1 and 2 linked below.