WORDS YOU MAY CONFUSE (60) ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR ELEMENTARY

ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR ELEMENTARY

WORDS YOU MAY CONFUSE (60)

This unit looks at words which are easy to mix up.

A	SIMILAR SOUNDS  Quite /kwaɪt/ / quiet /ˈkwaɪət/ ·         This book is quite good. bad ______quite good _______good ·         My bedroom is very quiet [silent]. lose /luːz/ loose /luːs/ ·         A: Why do I always lose my keys! ·         B: Here they are. ·         A: Oh, thank you! ·         If you lose something, you do not know where it is / you can’t find it. ·         These trousers are very loose. (loose means they are not tight, because they are too big) fell / felt ·         Fell is the past of fall. ·         Yesterday I fell and broke my arm. ·         Felt is the past of feel. ·         I felt ill yesterday, but I feel OK today. cook / cooker ·         He is a very good cook [the person who cooks]. ·         This cooker costs £500. [the thing you cook on]
B	SIMILAR OR RELATED MEANINGS Lend / borrow If you lend something, you give it. If you borrow something, you get it. Sam wants a bicycle: ·         SAM: Will you lend me your bicycle? (= you give it to me for one day / an hour, etc.) or Can I borrow your bicycle? (= I get it from you) ·         RITA: Yes, take it. ·         SAM: Thanks. check / control ·         The passport officer checked my passport. [looked at it] ·         We use the mouse to control the computer. [tell it what to do]
C	OTHER WORDS OFTEN MIXED UP  They’re waiting for the bus. I hope I pass my exams. [I really want to pass] I haven’t studied; I expect I’ll fail my exams. [it’s probable] In English the afternoon is from about 12 o’clock till 5 or 6 pm. The evening is from 5 or 6 pm until about 9 or 10 pm. After 9 or 10 pm it is the night.

Exercises

60.1	Fill the gaps with words from A opposite. The first letter is given. 1 Please be q____uiet_____ . The baby is sleeping. 2 If you l___________ your passport you must call the embassy. 3 I f___________  tired this morning, but I am OK now. 4 We are going to buy a c___________  for our new kitchen. 5 She f___________  and broke her leg. She had to go to hospital. 6 It’s q___________  cold today. 7 Do you have this skirt in a smaller size? This one is too l___________ 8 My sister is a good c___________  . I love eating at her house.
60.2	What does each word below sound like? Circle the correct word. 1 lose juice shoes 2 loose juice shoes 3 quite right higher 4 quiet right higher
60.3	Answer these questions. 1 Why do we use a mouse with a computer? To ______control it _________________ 2 What does the passport officer do to your passport? He/She _____________________ 3 If you want to use someone’s camera for two hours, what do you say? Can I_____________________ 4 What do you say to someone at 3 pm? Good _____________________ 5 What do people do at a bus stop? They _____________________ 6 What do you say to a friend if you need £1? Can you _____________________ 7 What do you say if someone makes too much noise? Please be _____________________
60.4	Answer these questions. 1 Are you expecting any visitors today? 2 What do you hope to do this summer? 3 Do you borrow things from your friends? What things? 4 Would you lend £100 to your best friend? Look at these units to find other words that are often confused: Do and make                      Units 40 and 41 Take and bring                  Units 43 and 44 Say, tell, speak and talk    Unit 48 Rob and steal                     Unit 34 OVER TO YOU Look up these pairs of verbs in a dictionary and make notes on the difference in meaning: ·         lie - lay – lain ·         lay - laid - laid ·         rise - rose - risen ·         raise - raised - raised

ANSWER KEY

60.1	2	lose
	3	felt
	4	cooker
	5	fell
	6	quite
	7	loose
	8	cook

60.2	2	loose – juice
	3	quite – right
	4	quiet – higher

60.3	2	He/She checks it.
	3	Can I borrow your camera?
	4	Good afternoon.
	5	They wait for the bus.
	6	Can you lend me £ 1?
	7	Please be quiet.

60.4	Possible answers
	1	I am expecting my brother at 5.30. (= He said he would come at 5.30.)
	2	I hope to go on holiday to Spain. (= I really want to go to Spain.)
	3	Sometimes I borrow books and DVDs.
	4	Yes, but only to my best friend!