Confused about vs confused of

Question

Although it sounds right most of the time to say "I am confused about xxx",
there are times I feel it's also okay to say "I am confused of xxx" ......

I am confused about the difference between Taiwan and China

I am always confused of the difference between Taiwan and China
(as in, I am always confused - pause - OF the difference between Taiwan and China)

is it correct to use "confused of" ????????
if yes, what's the difference between "about" and "of" ?

Thanks

Mr Wordy · Accepted Answer

"confused of" is always wrong. "confused about" is fine.

Seraphin · Answer

Thanks a lot.
However, the former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice once said
"we take very serious obligation to defend our allies. No one should be confused of that".
Is this one of the exceptions to the "confused of" always wrong ? Thanks

Mr Wordy · Answer

Seraphin
However, the former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice once said

"we take very serious obligation to defend our allies. No one should be confused of that".

Is this one of the exceptions to the "confused of" always wrong ? Thanks

To me, "confused of" is always wrong, with no exceptions. I'm a British English speaker. Perhaps American English is more tolerant of this expression, or perhaps it was just a slip. ("we take very serious obligation to" is also mangled, so maybe she was having a bad day!)

Any native AmE speakers around?

Seraphin · Answer

my bad !!

she said "strongly", NOT "seriously" - and DEFINITELY not "serious" !! It's a typo from my part - I apologize

- although the "confused of" part still stands as a correct quote.

Anonymous · Answer

'Confused about' is the correct collocation.

'Confused by' is probably what Mz Rice had meant to say. We use 'confused by' when we are using 'confused' as part of a passive construction, and can change the sentence to an active mood;
Active
'The difference between Taiwan and China is confusing'
Passive
'I am confused by the difference between Taiwan and China'.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks that's a very good example. Is it also "correct" to say: I am confused "about" the difference between Taiwan and China? I think it's also grammatically correct.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Yes

Clive · Answer

Consider this difference in meaning.

'I am confused by the difference between Taiwan and China.' I know the difference. This knowledge confuses me.

'I am confused about the difference between Taiwan and China.' I am confused because I don't know the difference.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Can i use "confused on" like on "confused on which to choose pbt or ibt"or it's better to write "i'm really confused about which to choose....." thanks

Clive · Answer

Say 'confused about'.

There are contexts in which 'confused on' is OK, but I suggest you should only consider that when you feel that the rest of your English is very, very good.

Clive

Confused about vs confused of

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions