piece / peace
A) In order to achieve a state of ________, the parties involved must calmly discuss the matter at hand and then jointly come up with a mutually beneficial solution to the issue.
B) Fran felt guilty about taking a __________ of the pie due to the fact that she hadn’t contributed to the purchase of the delicious-looking dessert.
plain / plane
A) Many people believe that meditation is an easy and efficient way to connect oneself with the spiritual __________.
B) Elaine is definitely a picky eater. At fast food restaurants, she almost always orders a __________ cheeseburger or two.
principal / principle
A) The nation’s __________ cities are cultural melting pots and hubs of international and economic activity.
B) In this dog-eat-dog, unsympathetic system, many people find themselves losing sight of their original __________.
then / than
A) First came a bizarre moaning noise from right outside of the front door; __________ came a scratching sound from around the kitchen window.
B) The last film in the series enjoyed considerably more financial success __________ its predecessors did.
threw / through
A) Before Liane could capture it, the mouse had run __________ a tiny hole in the wall.
B) Tom crumpled up the piece of paper and then __________ it in the direction of the recycling bin; unfortunately for Tom, he missed the bin by about a foot.
weather / whether
A) Talking about the __________ is risky: it could either liven up a conversation or completely kill it.
B) The headmistress was conflicted; she did not know __________ to support the rule or reject it.
who’s / whose
A) “__________ joining us for dinner tonight?” My mother asked cheerfully as we drove toward the grocery store.
B) To almost everyone’s surprise, Jane, __________ qualifications for the position were much more impressive than those of any of the other candidates, was not offered the job.
accept / except
A) Everyone __________ Tommy seemed distraught because of the election results. Some people had even called in sick.
B) The candidate could not __________ his rejection; he demanded to know why he had been rejected.
a lot / allot
A) Maureen is nervous about becoming a mother because her family and friends keep reminding her that __________ of hard work and responsibility comes along with having a child.
B) At the debate, each presidential candidate was __________ an equal amount of time to share the highlights of his or her plan for the country.
allusion / illusion
A) The district’s name is an __________ to the nation’s first president.
B) The magician’s __________ made it seem as though his assistant was actually standing on water.
