Words often confused and misused -6

1.    Contagious  and Infectious

Contagious/kənˈteɪdʒəs/          A disease which spreads by contact

     Leprosy is a contagious disease, but can be cured completely with proper treatment.

     Infectious /ɪnˈfekʃəs/                  A disease spread by air or water

     After the floods, the area was teeming with infectious diseases.

         2.    Continual and  Continuous  

Continual /kənˈtɪnjʊəl/ Very frequent ( can have breaks)

      It has been raining continually since morning.

      Continuous  /kənˈtɪnjʊəs/        Without break

      Watching  television continuously for long hours is harmful to the eyes.

3.       Corps and Corpse   
      

Corps /kɔː(r)/                  A division of an army

     I was a member of the National Cadet Corps when I was in school.

     Corpse /kɔː(r)ps/            A dead body

     The police found the corpse of a young girl in a thick bush.

4.       Council and Counsel    

     Council  /ˈkaʊns(ə)l         Committee, board, ruling body, Assembly

     The member’s suggestion was rejected by the council.

     Counsel /ˈkaʊns(ə)l/      Advice; guidance

     Mrs. Revathi spends hours giving counsel to students in trouble.

5.       Credible and Credulous

      Credible /ˈkredəb(ə)l/     Believable

Savitha’s explanation did not sound credible.
Credulous         /ˈkredjʊləs/     One who easily believes others

       My boss is a credulous person and can be influenced easily.