compulsory · CSS study notes
VI. Pairs of Words — 58 Confusables with Meanings & Sentences (10 marks)
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Syllabus: Ten pairs of seemingly similar words are given; bring out the difference in any five by first explaining them in parenthesis and then using them in sentences. 5 pairs × 2 marks. Choose the five you are surest of — attempting a sixth doesn't earn extra.
Answer Format (copy this exactly)
Credible (believable): The witness gave a credible account of the robbery.
Creditable (deserving praise): The team's performance in the final was creditable despite the defeat.
Both halves are marked: a correct meaning with a vague sentence ("This is credible.") loses half the marks. The sentence must make the meaning unmistakable from context.
A – C
| # | Word 1 (meaning): sentence | Word 2 (meaning): sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Access (a way of approaching or entering): Rural women still lack access to basic health care. | Excess (an amount beyond what is needed): An excess of fertiliser damages the soil. |
| 2 | Accept (to receive or agree to): She accepted the offer of a scholarship. | Except (excluding): Everyone attended except the chairman. |
| 3 | Adapt (to adjust to new conditions): Migrants must adapt to a new culture. | Adopt (to take up or legally take as one's own): The assembly adopted the resolution unanimously. |
| 4 | Advice (noun: a recommendation): His advice saved me from a costly mistake. | Advise (verb: to recommend): The doctor advised him to rest. |
| 5 | Affect (verb: to influence): Inflation affects the poor most severely. | Effect (noun: a result): The new policy had little effect on unemployment. |
| 6 | Allusion (an indirect reference): The speech contained an allusion to Iqbal's poetry. | Illusion (a false perception): The oasis turned out to be an illusion. |
| 7 | Alternate (every other; by turns): The committee meets on alternate Mondays. | Alternative (another possible choice): Solar power is a viable alternative to imported oil. |
| 8 | Amiable (friendly — of a person): Our amiable neighbour greets everyone. | Amicable (friendly — of a relationship or settlement): The dispute was resolved in an amicable manner. |
| 9 | Ascent (upward climb): The ascent of K2 is notoriously dangerous. | Assent (formal approval): The bill became law after the President's assent. |
| 10 | Beneficent (doing good, charitable): The beneficent donor funded a hospital. | Beneficial (producing good results): Regular exercise is beneficial to health. |
| 11 | Beside (next to): He sat beside his mother. | Besides (in addition to): Besides English, she speaks French and Pashto. |
| 12 | Canvas (strong cloth): The artist painted on a large canvas. | Canvass (to seek votes or opinions): Workers canvassed door to door before the election. |
| 13 | Childish (immature, silly — negative): Throwing tantrums at forty is childish. | Childlike (innocent, trusting — positive): The old poet retained a childlike wonder. |
| 14 | Cite (to quote as evidence): The judge cited an earlier ruling. | Site (a location): The site for the new dam has been finalised. |
| 15 | Complement (something that completes): Good teaching is the complement of good textbooks. | Compliment (praise): She received compliments on her speech. |
| 16 | Contemptible (deserving contempt): Cheating the poor is contemptible. | Contemptuous (showing contempt): He gave a contemptuous smile at the suggestion. |
| 17 | Continual (repeated with breaks): The continual power cuts disrupted our studies. | Continuous (without interruption): The Indus provides a continuous flow of water. |
| 18 | Corporal (relating to the body — punishment): Corporal punishment is banned in schools. | Corporeal (material, physical rather than spiritual): Angels are not corporeal beings. |
| 19 | Council (an advisory/governing body): The Council of Common Interests met on Monday. | Counsel (advice; a lawyer): The accused's counsel sought an adjournment. |
| 20 | Credible (believable): The witness gave a credible account. | Creditable (praiseworthy): Her performance was creditable despite the defeat. |
D – I
| # | Word 1 (meaning): sentence | Word 2 (meaning): sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Decease (death — formal): On the decease of the owner, the estate passed to his son. | Disease (illness): Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease. |
| 22 | Deprecate (to express disapproval of): The editorial deprecated the use of force against protesters. | Depreciate (to lose value): The rupee depreciated sharply against the dollar. |
| 23 | Desert (dry barren land / to abandon): The Thar is a vast desert. / He deserted his post. | Dessert (sweet course): Kheer was served as dessert. |
| 24 | Discreet (careful, tactful): A diplomat must be discreet about sensitive matters. | Discrete (separate, distinct): The project was divided into discrete phases. |
| 25 | Disinterested (impartial): A judge must be disinterested in the outcome of the case. | Uninterested (not interested): The students seemed uninterested in the lecture. |
| 26 | Economic (relating to the economy): Pakistan faces serious economic challenges. | Economical (thrifty, not wasteful): A hybrid car is more economical to run. |
| 27 | Elicit (to draw out): The question elicited a thoughtful answer. | Illicit (illegal): Police seized illicit liquor. |
| 28 | Eligible (qualified): Graduates aged 21–30 are eligible for the CSS exam. | Illegible (unreadable): His illegible handwriting cost him marks. |
| 29 | Emigrate (to leave one's country): Thousands of doctors emigrate every year. | Immigrate (to enter another country to settle): His family immigrated to Canada in 2010. |
| 30 | Eminent (distinguished): Dr Abdus Salam was an eminent physicist. | Imminent (about to happen): The Met Office warned of an imminent storm. |
| 31 | Ensure (to make certain): Please ensure that all doors are locked. | Insure (to protect with insurance): He insured his car against theft. |
| 32 | Exceptional (unusually good): She showed exceptional talent in mathematics. | Exceptionable (open to objection): His exceptionable remarks drew criticism. |
| 33 | Farther (greater physical distance): Quetta is farther from Lahore than Multan is. | Further (additional; to a greater degree): The matter needs further discussion. |
| 34 | Formally (officially): The treaty was formally signed yesterday. | Formerly (previously): Faisalabad was formerly called Lyallpur. |
| 35 | Historic (important in history): 1947 was a historic year for the subcontinent. | Historical (relating to history): The museum displays historical documents. |
| 36 | Hoard (a hidden store / to stockpile): Traders hoarded sugar to raise prices. | Horde (a large crowd): A horde of fans rushed onto the field. |
| 37 | Human (relating to people): To err is human. | Humane (compassionate): Prisoners must be treated in a humane manner. |
| 38 | Imaginary (existing only in the mind): The child talked to an imaginary friend. | Imaginative (creative): An imaginative teacher makes history come alive. |
| 39 | Industrial (relating to industry): Faisalabad is a major industrial city. | Industrious (hard-working): The industrious farmer rose before dawn. |
| 40 | Ingenious (clever, inventive): The engineer found an ingenious solution. | Ingenuous (innocent, naïve): His ingenuous reply made everyone smile. |
J – W
| # | Word 1 (meaning): sentence | Word 2 (meaning): sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Judicial (relating to courts): Judicial independence is vital to democracy. | Judicious (showing good judgement): A judicious use of resources prevented waste. |
| 42 | Loose (not tight): The screw was loose. | Lose (to be deprived of): Don't lose your admit card. |
| 43 | Luxuriant (growing thickly): The valley was covered with luxuriant forests. | Luxurious (very comfortable and costly): They stayed in a luxurious hotel. |
| 44 | Momentary (lasting a moment): There was a momentary silence. | Momentous (of great importance): Partition was a momentous event. |
| 45 | Moral (relating to right and wrong): Honesty is a moral duty. | Morale (confidence, spirit): The victory boosted the army's morale. |
| 46 | Official (authorised): The official results will be announced tomorrow. | Officious (interfering, bossy): The officious clerk demanded needless documents. |
| 47 | Personal (private, individual): He left for personal reasons. | Personnel (staff): Security personnel cordoned off the area. |
| 48 | Practical (sensible; useful in practice): She has a practical approach to problems. | Practicable (able to be done): Building the road in winter is not practicable. |
| 49 | Precede (to come before): A short speech preceded the ceremony. | Proceed (to go on): Let us proceed with the agenda. |
| 50 | Prescribe (to recommend officially): The doctor prescribed antibiotics. | Proscribe (to ban): The government proscribed the militant outfit. |
| 51 | Principal (main / head of a college): The principal cause of the flood was deforestation. | Principle (a fundamental rule): He refused the bribe on principle. |
| 52 | Respectful (showing respect): Be respectful towards your elders. | Respective (belonging to each separately): The students returned to their respective homes. |
| 53 | Sensible (reasonable): It was a sensible decision to save money. | Sensitive (easily affected; delicate): Kashmir is a sensitive issue. |
| 54 | Stationary (not moving): The truck crashed into a stationary bus. | Stationery (writing materials): Buy stationery before the exam. |
| 55 | Temporal (worldly; relating to time): The caliph held both spiritual and temporal authority. | Temporary (lasting a short time): The flood victims lived in temporary shelters. |
| 56 | Urban (relating to cities): Urban population is growing rapidly. | Urbane (polished and courteous): The urbane ambassador charmed his hosts. |
| 57 | Venal (open to bribery): A venal officer sold licences. | Venial (pardonable — of a fault): Arriving late once is a venial error. |
| 58 | Wave (to move the hand; a ridge of water): The children waved at the passing train. | Waive (to give up a right or claim): The university waived the fee for needy students. |
Memory Hooks for the Trickiest Ten
- Affect/Effect: Affect = Action (verb), Effect = End result (noun).
- Principal/Principle: the principal is your pal; a principle is a rule.
- Stationary/Stationery: stationery = envelopes; stationary = standing still.
- Complement/Compliment: complement enhances/completes; compliment = I like it.
- Discreet/Discrete: in discrete the two e's are kept separate by the t.
- Eminent/Imminent: Eminent = Excellent; Imminent = Immediate.
- Disinterested: impartial, not bored — the most-tested pair in CSS.
- Venal/Venial: venal = for sale; venial = trivial.
- Proscribe/Prescribe: proscribe = prohibit.
- Ingenious/Ingenuous: ingenuous = naïve, like an unsuspecting child.
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Practice: cover the right two columns, write your own meaning + sentence for 10 pairs a day, then check. Add any new confusables you meet in newspapers to the bottom of this page.
📜 CSS Past Papers 2021–2026 — Every Pair Solved (Q6, 10 marks)
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Gap found: of the 48 pairs set from 2021 to 2026, only 9 were on the list above. Papers have moved from common confusables (2023) to homophones (2022, 2024) and rare literary words (2021, 2025). 2020 asked idioms instead — solved on the Idioms page. Format: Word (meaning): sentence. Pick the five you are surest of.
CSS 2021
| Word 1 (meaning): sentence | Word 2 (meaning): sentence |
|---|---|
| Gibe (a taunting remark): The opposition leader's gibe about the budget drew laughter. | Jibe (to agree, be consistent — informal): His actions do not jibe with his promises. |
| Epigram (a short, witty saying): Wilde's epigrams are quoted in countless speeches. | Epigraph (a quotation or inscription at the start of a book or on a building): The novel opens with an epigraph from Iqbal. |
| Brawl (a noisy, rough fight): A brawl broke out outside the stadium. | Bawl (to cry or shout loudly): The hungry infant bawled all night. |
| Crib (a baby's cot; to copy dishonestly): The baby slept soundly in his crib. | Crypt (an underground vault beneath a church): The bishop was buried in the crypt of the cathedral. |
| Barmy (foolish, crazy — informal): Swimming in the flooded river was a barmy idea. | Balmy (pleasantly warm and mild): We walked along Clifton beach on a balmy evening. |
| Peat (decayed plant matter used as fuel): Irish farmers once burned peat to heat their homes. | Petite (small and slender — of a woman): The petite gymnast won the gold medal. |
| Monogamous (having one partner at a time): Swans are largely monogamous birds. | Monogenous (produced asexually; descended from a single source): Monogenous reproduction in some worms requires no partner. |
| Postilion (a rider on the lead horse of a carriage): The postilion guided the royal coach through the gate. | Posterior (situated at the back; later): The scan showed damage to the posterior wall of the heart. |
CSS 2022 — homophones
| Word 1 | Word 2 |
|---|---|
| Annalist (a writer of annals/chronicles): The court annalist recorded every Mughal campaign. | Analyst (one who analyses): The analyst predicted a rise in inflation. |
| Gest (a tale of heroic deeds, usually in verse): The minstrel recited a gest of the knight's adventures. | Jest (a joke): He made the remark in jest, but she took it seriously. |
| Sleigh (a sledge drawn by animals): Tourists rode a sleigh across the snow at Naltar. | Slay (to kill violently): In the legend, the prince slays the dragon. |
| Shoot (to fire; a young plant stem): Fresh shoots appeared after the first rain. | Chute (a sloping channel; a parachute): Grain slid down the chute into the truck. |
| Coign (a projecting corner; "coign of vantage" = good viewpoint): From his coign on the fort wall, the guard watched the valley. | Coin (metal money; to invent a word): The term "globalisation" was coined in the twentieth century. |
| Key (a device to open a lock; a vital factor): Education is the key to progress. | Quay (a landing place for ships): Containers were unloaded at the quay of Karachi port. |
| Wile (a cunning trick): The fox used every wile to escape the hunters. | While (a period of time; during): Please wait here for a while. |
| Leek (a vegetable of the onion family): She added chopped leeks to the soup. | Leak (an escape of liquid or information): The leak of the exam paper forced a retest. |
CSS 2023
| Word 1 | Word 2 |
|---|---|
| Antic (a playful or absurd act, usually "antics"): The clown's antics delighted the children. | Antique (an old, valuable object): She collects antique furniture. |
| Draught (a current of air; a drink): A cold draught blew through the broken window. | Drought (a long period without rain): Tharparkar suffers recurrent drought. |
| Quaint (attractively old-fashioned): Murree still has quaint colonial cottages. | Queer (strange, odd): There was a queer silence in the empty hall. |
| Momentary/Momentous · Compliment/Complement · Eminent/Imminent — already on this page (rows 44, 15, 30). | |
| Faint (to lose consciousness; weak): She fainted in the heat of the rally. | Feint (a deceptive move): The boxer feinted with his left before striking with his right. |
| Immigrant (one who comes to settle in a country): Canada welcomes skilled immigrants. | Emigrant (one who leaves his own country): Pakistani emigrants send billions home in remittances. |
CSS 2024 — homophones
| Word 1 | Word 2 |
|---|---|
| Creak (a squeaking sound): The old door creaked open. | Creek (a narrow inlet or stream): Mangroves line Korangi Creek in Karachi. |
| Palate (roof of the mouth; sense of taste): Spicy biryani suits the Pakistani palate. | Palette (an artist's board for mixing colours): The painter mixed ochre on his palette. |
| Elicit/Illicit — row 27 above. Faint/Feint — see 2023. | |
| Peal (a loud ringing of bells or laughter): A peal of laughter filled the room. | Peel (the skin of fruit; to remove it): Peel the mango before slicing it. |
| Taut (stretched tight): The tightrope walker checked that the rope was taut. | Taught (past tense of teach): She taught English for twenty years. |
| Rheum (watery discharge from the eyes or nose): The old man wiped the rheum from his eyes. | Room (space; a part of a building): There is no room for complacency. |
| Wreak (to cause damage): The floods wreaked havoc across Sindh. | Reek (to smell strongly and unpleasantly): The alley reeked of rotting garbage. |
CSS 2025 — rare literary words
| Word 1 | Word 2 |
|---|---|
| Blurt (to say suddenly and tactlessly): Nervous, he blurted out the secret. | Blert — not in Oxford or Merriam-Webster; only in dialect/slang glossaries. Skip this pair. |
| Aeipathy (a lasting, unchanging passion): His aeipathy for poetry never faded, even in old age. | Apathy (lack of interest or feeling): Voter apathy led to a low turnout. |
| Defenestration (throwing someone out of a window; abrupt removal from office): The Defenestration of Prague sparked the Thirty Years' War. | Dénouement (the final resolution of a plot): In the dénouement, the lost brothers are reunited. |
| Vallum (an earthen rampart, especially Roman): Archaeologists traced the vallum behind Hadrian's Wall. | Vellum (fine parchment made from calfskin): The medieval Qur'an was written on vellum. |
| Sow (to plant seed): Farmers in Punjab sow wheat in November. | Sough (a soft murmuring sound of wind): The sough of wind through the pines lulled us to sleep. |
| Sere (dry and withered): Sere leaves crackled underfoot in autumn. | Seer (a prophet): The seer foretold the fall of the kingdom. |
| Crepuscular (relating to twilight; active at dusk): Bats are crepuscular creatures. | Crepitation (a crackling sound): The doctor heard crepitation in the patient's lungs. |
| Uxoricide (the killing of one's wife): He was convicted of uxoricide. | Uxorious (excessively fond of one's wife): The uxorious king granted his queen's every whim. |
CSS 2026
| Word 1 | Word 2 |
|---|---|
| Dependant (noun: a person who relies on another): Employees can claim medical cover for their dependants. | Dependent (adjective: relying on): Pakistan is heavily dependent on imported oil. |
| Funeral (a ceremony for burying the dead): Thousands attended the poet's funeral. | Funereal (gloomy, suited to a funeral): A funereal silence fell over the hall after the verdict. |
| Fain (gladly — archaic): I would fain help you, but I have no time. | Feign (to pretend): He feigned illness to avoid the meeting. |
| Gamble (to risk money on chance): He gambled away his inheritance. | Gambol (to skip about playfully): Lambs gambolled in the meadow. |
| Hoard/Horde · Ingenious/Ingenuous · Luxuriant/Luxurious — rows 36, 40, 43 above. | |
| Moat (a deep ditch around a fort): The Lahore Fort was once ringed by a moat. | Mote (a tiny particle): A mote of dust floated in the sunbeam. |
➕ 30 More Likely Pairs (same style as recent papers)
| Pair | Meanings |
|---|---|
| Allude / Elude | refer indirectly / escape |
| Aural / Oral | of hearing / of the mouth, spoken |
| Bloc / Block | political alliance / solid piece; obstruct |
| Censor / Censure | suppress content / criticise formally |
| Cession / Session | giving up territory / a meeting period |
| Complacent / Complaisant | smugly self-satisfied / eager to please |
| Cue / Queue | signal / line of people |
| Diffuse / Defuse | spread out / reduce tension, disarm |
| Elegy / Eulogy | mournful poem / speech of praise |
| Flaunt / Flout | show off / openly disregard a rule |
| Forbear / Forebear | refrain / ancestor |
| Gorilla / Guerrilla | ape / irregular fighter |
| Hail / Hale | ice pellets; greet / healthy |
| Imply / Infer | suggest / conclude |
| Incite / Insight | provoke / deep understanding |
| Loath / Loathe | unwilling (adj.) / hate (verb) |
| Mantel / Mantle | shelf above a fireplace / cloak; responsibility |
| Meddle / Medal | interfere / award |
| Naval / Navel | of the navy / belly button |
| Palatable / Palpable | tasty, acceptable / obvious, touchable |
| Prophecy / Prophesy | prediction (noun) / predict (verb) |
| Raze / Raise | demolish completely / lift |
| Reign / Rein | rule / strap to control a horse |
| Sceptic / Septic | doubter / infected |
| Stationary / Stationery | (row 54) |
| Tortuous / Torturous | winding, complex / causing pain |
| Troop / Troupe | soldiers / group of performers |
| Vain / Vein | conceited, futile / blood vessel |
| Vial / Vile | small bottle / wicked |
| Wary / Weary | cautious / tired |