“They accorded him due praise.” “They gave him the desired information.”
Act, Action
“The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.” “Suit the action to the word.” Action suggests the operation; act, the accomplished result.
Adherence, Adhesion
These words were once interchangeable, but are now distinct. Adhesion relates to physical bodies; adherence to mental states.
“What course will you take?” is better than “What course will you adopt?”
Affect, Effect
These words are sometimes confounded. “The climate affected their health.” “They sailed away without effecting their purpose.”
Aggravate, Exasperate