hear and listen
TRANSCRIPT
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Hear and Listen
To any layman, hearing and listening may appear to be one and the same thing, but there is a subtle differe
between the two words.
At one level, they are of course both functions of the ear that involve receiving sounds and processing th
However, herein lies the difference: any sound that is received by the ear and noted by the brain can be said
have been heard; it is only when a conscious effort is made to hear something that listening comes into play.
For example, if the sounds from a conversation carry to you, but you make no effort to understand what is be
said, you must say that you heard the conversation. On the other hand, as soon as you make a conscious effor
understand or pay attention to what you are hearing, you are listening. Therefore, we do not hear songs,
listen to them (unless, of course, they are simply part of the background and we arent actually paying attentio
them).
It must be noted that hear can be used in place of listen sometimes, but listen should not be used in plac
hear. For example, you may tell someone that you heard what he or she said, and it is understood that you w
listening, ie, paying attention. You will learn these variations with practice in conversation.
Much and Many
Much and many are both determiners that suggest an unspecified quantity, with more or less the same basic
meaning: in great quantity or in large number. There is, however, a distinction in their usage.
Much, not many, is used for uncountable nouns, which are in singular form.
I have much faith in him.
How much money do you have in your wallet?
There was much compassion in his voice.
On the other hand, many is used for countable nouns, which are in plural form, and here much cannot be used
Many youngsters today are taking to atheism.
How many days remain?
There are many obstructions ahead for us.
See and Watch
See and watch are words that are commonly misunderstood as being interchangeable, but while both refer to
optic function, they are not one and the same thing. They stand for different ways of using the eye.
To see something is simply to look at it or spot it; it may be unintentional, ie, you may not have been looking fo
Example : I saw a man up ahead.
To watch something is look at something closely or intently, generally because it is moving. Example : I watche
the movie.
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Loose and Lose
Lose and loose are often mixed up, and this is understandable because there is only an o of difference betwe
them. They do not, however, have any meanings in common.
Loose is generally used as an adjective, the opposite of tight or contained.
The dog is running loose in the streets.
These jeans are loose around my waist.
Lose is a verb that means to suffer the loss of, to miss.
Dont lose the car keys.
We cannot afford to lose this match.
Have and Has
Have and has are both used to denote possession, form the perfect tense, and the past tense of both is had, they are used differently.
Have is used with
- the following pronouns: I, you, we, they. Examples : 'I have a pencil.' 'We have a big house.'
- pluralised nouns: Example : 'Doctors have a rough time, dealing with illnesses all the time.'
Has is used with the third person singular (he, she, it). Examples : 'She has your money.' 'Amit has the book.'
Some and Any
Both some and any are used to refer to indefinite quantities, i.e., when it is not necessary to specify a number
For example, I would like some milk indicates that the speaker wants milk, but it is not stated how much of it he
she wants. Similarly, Is there any cake left? does not specify how much cake the speaker wants there to be; any
amount will do for the purpose of the question. There are important differences between the two that must be
grasped for usage, however.
Some
Some is commonly used in affirmative statements, such as I would like to have some fun.
Any is hardly ever used in such statements, except to emphasise that the quality of the object does not matter.
example, I would like any apples suggests that the speaker does not care what kind of apples they are (indicatin
desperate need or desire for apples), whereas I wouldlike some apples does not suggest anything about the
quality of the apples or desperation of the speaker.
Any
Any is commonly used in negative statements, such asWe do not have any apples. Here, some may not be
used.
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Any is also used in affirmative statements, if the statements contain negative words such as hardly, barely,
never, without, little, etc. For example,We hardly have any apples cannot be rewritten as We hardly have
some apples.
In questions
While both any and some can be used in questions, any is more common and natural in this form.
Do you have any apples? can be rewritten as Do you have some apples?However, some is not always
applicable. For example, in the case ofDo you have any ideawhat the score is?, any cannot be replaced by
some.
Some is more commonly used in offers and requests, such as Would you like some tea?
If clauses
Both some and any are common in if clauses, with similar meanings, as inIf you need some/any assistance, f
free to give me a ring.
Beside and Besides
It is easy to confuse beside and besides, but they are not one and the same thing. Beside is a preposition,
whereas besides works as both a preposition and an adverb, and although besides is sometimes used in place
beside, they have distinct meaning.
Beside means by or at the side of. For example: He stood beside his new car proudly.
As a preposition, besides means in addition to or apart from. For example: What are you working on besides
research project? As an adverb, it means furthermore.As in, He was not selected because he did not have a go
grasp of his concepts. Besides, he did not seem very keen.
As mentioned above, the distinction between the two words is sometimes ignored. Besides can never mean at
side of, but beside is often used in place of besides. This can lead to misunderstanding, though; the
sentence There was no one beside him in the hallcould mean that he was all by himself, or that there was no
next to him.
Principle and Principal
Principle and principle are often confused but do not, in fact, share any meanings.
Principle is only a noun and usually refers to a rule or standard. The principles of socialism, for exam ple, referthe tenets of the socialist ideology. My principles prevent me from taking such petty action suggests that
speakers moral/ethical stand is against the action being spoken of.
Principal, on the other hand, is both a noun and an adjective. As a noun, it has special financial and l
connotations, but in general usage it refers to someone who holds a high position or is important in a cer
context: a meeting of all the principals involved in the deal. As an adjective it has the sense of most importa
My principal concern is to get my health back.
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Stationery and Stationary
These two words are among the most frequently confused in the English language, although their meanings
vastly different.
Stationery is a noun that refers to writing material and office supplies such as pens, paper, clips, etc.
Stationary is generally an adjective that is used to describe something that is not moving. For example, a man w
is standing in one place can be described as stationary.
The difference in the spellings of the two words can be used to remember their meanings: the second a
stationary can be thought to stand for adjective. It is replaced by an e in stationery.
Was and Were
The basic difference between were and was is obvious: were is used when the number of objects or ent
exceeds one, as in We were late for the dinner. Was is used when only one object or entity is being referred
as in I was late for the dinner.
There are, however, nuances in their use. For example, Everyone was well-dressed seems incorrect becaeveryone refers to more than one person. However, here the implication of the pronoun comes into p
everyone refers to all the members of a group individually, as do none (None of us was well-dressed) and e
(Each of us was well-dressed). Hence, was is used after these words instead of were. On the other hand,
refers collectively to the entire group (All of us were well-dressed).
This does not mean, however, that all and were necessarily always go together. When all is used with count
nouns, it is correct to use were, as inAll the apples were stale. However, when it is used with non-count
nouns, which are in the singular form, was must be used, as in All the milk was over.
What about 'The examination was failed by all the students'? This, too, can be confusing. After all, here all refer
the collective student body but was is used. This is because the verb was acts on the singular examination,
on the phrase all the students. If the subject (examination) were to be pluralised (examinations), was wo
have to replaced by were.
Lastly, the use of were as the past subjunctive of the present to be is important. A subjunctive is used to exp
possibility, hope, supposition, etc., rather than to state a fact. Hence, we say, If I/he were famous... instead o
I/he was famous...
Double Negatives
A double negative is when two negatives used in a sentence cancel each other out to make a positive. This mustbe misunderstood to mean that double negatives are an accepted grammatical device; they are grammatic
incorrect and must not be used.
How does one avoid double negatives? It is quite simple. When using the negative form of a v
(e.g. arent,dont,wont, etc), do not follow it up with a negative determiner/quant
(e.g. nowhere, nothing, never, etc). Consider the following sentences:
They arent going nowhere.
They dont do nothing.
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They wont never stop.
All of the above employ the double negative, and are hence grammatically incorrect. Formerly, the double nega
was a device for emphasis, but the effort to make English conform grammatically to formal logic has rendere
unacceptable today. Logically, the meanings of the above sentences, deduced by applying the formula negati
negative = positive, are:
They are going somewhere. (arent + nowhere = somewhere)
They do something. (dont + nothing = something)
They will stop. (wont + never = will)
The ban on multiple negatives also applies to combination with adverbs such as hardly and scarcely. It is there
regarded as incorrect to say I couldn't hardly do it or The vehicle has scarcely no fuel.
To, Too and Two
It is best to be clear on the meanings of these three words so as not to confuse them in everyday usage.
To
To functions as
1. A preposition, in which case it always precedes a noun, as in I am going to schooland He is on his way ho2. An infinitive, in which case it always precedes a verb, as in I am going to study and I am going to ta
vacation.
Too
Too functions
1. As a synonym for also, as in I would like to come, too and He worked on the project, too.2. As a synonym for excessively, where it precedes an adjective or an adverb, as in I am too tired to cont
or This pastrami is much too salty.
Two
Two is the number that follows one and precedes three. It has no other meaning.
Either and Neither
It is important to grasp the meanings and difference between either and neither so that we dont get confu
between the two. Both words can be used as pronoun, conjunction and adjective; however, the use of eithe
considered positive, while the use of neither is considered negative
As adjective:
Either indicates one or the other, or both. For example:
You may use either hand for the purpose. = You may use your right or left hand for the purpose.
There were tall houses on either side of the river. = There were tall houses on both sides of the river.
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Neither indicates not one or the other; none of the two. For example;
Neither twin was invited to the wedding. = None of the twins was invited to the wedding.
As pronoun:
Either indicates one or the other. For example:
Both buses are headed in that direction, you can get on either. = Both buses are headed in that direction, you
get on one or the other.
Neither indicates not one or the other. For example:
Both pups were pure-breed, but neither displayed the characteristic traits of its breed. = Both pups were p
breed, but not one or the other displayed the characteristic traits of its breed.
As conjunction:
Either is used with or to imply a choice of alternatives. For example:
You can either play on the computer or watch TV. = You can do one of two things: play on the computer or wa
TV.
Neither is used with nor to negate both parts of a statement. For example:
I can neither play on the computer nor watch TV. = I cannot play on the computer or watch TV.
Either is also used as an adverb, to mean also, following negative expressions. For example:
If you dont go, I wont go either. = If you stay, I will stay also.
Neither, on the other hand, is not used as an adverb.
Your and You're
Your is the second person possessive adjective, or, in simpler terms, it is used to describe something as belon
to you. It is nearly always followed by a noun. For example,
Is this your wallet? Your presence at the table is very much appreciated. What happened to your foot?
You're is the contraction of you are and is often followed by the present participle, ie, verb form ending in i
For example,
Youre looking ill. Youre going to be late. Youre a fool.
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Could, Would and Should
Would, should and could are auxiliary verbs, meaning that their function is to assist main verbs. For exampl
the sentence, I would like to meet him, like is the main verb that is assisted by would. They can be define
the past tenses respectively of will, shall and can, but each has many uses that sometimes even express the pres
tense. It is important to be able to differentiate between the three so as not to use them incorrectly. We s
discuss some of the common functions of the three words here.
Would
1. To ask questions:
Would you like to see the doctor? = Do you want to see the doctor?
2. With who, what, when, where, why, how:
How would he react?
What would she do?
In both sentences, would is more or less interchangeable with will.
3. To make polite requests:
I would like more salad, please. = I want more salad, please.
4. To show a different response if the past had been different:
I would have done something if I had known you were in trouble. = I didn't know that you were in. This is why I
not do anything to help.
5. To explain an outcome to a hypothetical situation:
Were I to win a million dollars, I would go on a world cruise. = If I win a million dollars, I will go on a world cruise.
6. To show habitual past action:
The dog would howl whenever its owner would leave it alone at home.
Think of would as did.
7. To show preference between two choices, used with rather or sooner:
I would sooner face the punishment than lie and escape it. = I prefer speaking the truth to lying.
8. To show intention:
He said he would do it. = He said it was his intention to do it.
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Should
1. To ask questions (it is generally interchangeable with ought in such cases):
Should I submit my assignment now? = Am I supposed to submit my assignment now?
2. To show obligation:
You should brush your teeth twice a day.
Here, too, should can be replaced with ought to, but in this context it is used to make a persuasive statement.
3. To express a hypothetical situation:
Should you wish to do so, you may. = If you wish to do so, you may.
4. To express what is likely:
If you take the highway, you should be there in two hours.
Here, should means something like probably will.
Could
1. As the past tense of can:
There was a time when I could run a mile without breaking a sweat.
2. To ask questions:
Could I submit my assignment now? = Am I allowed to submit my assignment now?
3. To show possibility:
You could do a lot better. = You have the potential to do a lot better.
4. To express tentativeness or politeness:
I could be wrong. = I may be wrong.
Till and Until
English speakers are often found asking for the difference(s) between the words till and until. The fact of
matter is, however, that when till acts as a preposition or conjunction, there is no difference between the
words.
To clarify, till has multiple meanings: it works as a noun, verb, preposition and conjunction. Until, on the ot
hand, works only as a preposition and a conjunction; in these capacities, both words mean exactly the same th
and are thus entirely interchangeable. Till is actually the older word. Until was formed by the addition to it of
prefix un-, meaning up to. Today, as the first word in a sentence, until is generally preferred.
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Of and Off
The words of and off are used so frequently in modern English that people often confuse them. For example,
sentence, He took off without a word could be mistakenly written as He took of without a word, and the mea
would be lost. Let us discuss the distinctions between the two words.
The word of has several functions, but it is most in use as a preposition that denotes various relations describe
the sentence. For instance, it indicates a point of reckoning: South of the border. It is also commonly used to p
out what something is made of or what it contains: Heart of gold (this is metaphorical, of course), Cup of t
Another relation frequently described by of is that of possession, as in Queenof England.
Off is also a very common word with large number of functions as well, but it is most frequently used as an adv
or a preposition. As an adverb, it is used usually to describe a state of discontinuance, or suspension: Turn off
light. As a preposition, it is used to indicate the physical separation or distance from a position of rest, attachm
or union, as in Take it off the table or The gas station is just off the corner ahead.
In and Inside
In and inside are words that are more or less synonymous as prepositions, and can be used in most ca
interchangeably. There is a subtle difference, however, which explains why inside cannot replace in in phralike in the thick of it.
Inside is generally used to contrast with outside; therefore, it carries with it the strong suggestion of be
physically enclosed. For example, to say We were inside Russia sounds wrong, doesnt it? This is because ther
sense of being surrounded by walls, or tangible boundaries on all sides, when one says one is inside somethin
is almost strictly locative, which in grammar/linguistics refers to words that indicate location. For example, to
The clothes are inside the cupboard sounds correct.
On the other hand, in is used more generally; it carries no such suggestion. To go in can mean simpl
participate in something (Im in the group), or to be at a place (Im in Chennai); it does not conjure image
enclosures or walls, or being physically surrounded.
Do and Does
The difference between do and does is very basic. Do is a verb (seeAuxiliary Verbs), and does is its third pe
singular present tense.
Thus, when the subject is represented by the pronouns I, you, we, or they, we must use do.
I do not know the way.
Do you know the way?
We do not know the way.
Do you they know the way?
On the other hand, when the subject is represented by the pronouns he, she or it, we must use does.
He does not know the way.
She does not know the way.
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It does not look like the right way.
Tell and Say
Both tell and say refer to the act of communicating verbally with someone, but they are used differently.
important to keep the differences in their usage in mind, for the two words are not interchangeable.
With direct speech, we use say. Tell is only used with direct speech that is commanding or informative.
She said, I must leave.
Let me go, I said.
He told her: Leave.
It isthat way, he told her.
With reported speech, either of the two words may be used, but as you may have noticed above, tell is follow
by a pronoun. The object must be specified when using tell. Thus, you say something, but you tell some
something.
She said that she had to leave.
He told her to leave.
Will and Going to
Will and going to are the two forms of simple future used in English. They are used more or less interchangea
but there are certain subtle differences between them that even many experienced English speakers are not aw
of. The main rule to keep in mind is that: if the decision to act was made before the time of speaking, going to m
be used; if not, will must be used.
Will
There are two primary distinct uses for will:
1. To express voluntary action. Voluntary action refers to the following:
a. Any action that the speaker offers to perform.
I will take you up on that offer.
I will get you your breakfast in bed.
b. Any action that the speaker declines to perform.
I will not (wont) be able to come for your party.
I will not do your work for you.
c. Any action that the speaker requests the listener to perform.
Will you come home on Friday night?
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Will you take me to the amusement park?
2. To express a promise.
I will come back to work as soon as I make a full recovery.
I will call you later tonight.
Going to
There is one primary distinction for use of going to: it is used to express plans, i.e. the intention of the speake
do something in the future. This can take two forms:
1. To state such an intention:
I am going for the match on Thursday.
I am going to ensure that we have fun on this trip.
2. To ask about such an intention:
Are you going to watch the match on Thursday?
Are you going to Jaipur with the others?
Will/Going to
Both will and going to can be used when making predictions about the future.
It looks like it will rain today. = It looks like it is going to rain today.
I dont think he willdo it. = I dont think hes going to do it.
Idle and Idol
Idle is an adjective which means inactive
It is also used as a verb in the same sense, meaning spending time without doing anything.
Sentences:
1. The machines lying idle are causing great losses to the company.
2. He is jobless, and thus is usually idle at home.
Idol is a noun used to describe a person who is greatly admired and loved.
Also, it is used to describe an image or a representation of god.
Sentences:
1. The idol of Lord Krishna is made up of gold.
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2. Sachin Tendulkar has emerged as an idol for millions of young sportsmen.
Allusion and Illusion
Allusion is a noun which means an expression where an object is referenced to, without mentioning it clearly.
Sentences
1. The novel she was reading made multiple allusions to the Bible.
2. His speech was basically an allusion of the speech made by Martin Luther King.
Illusion is a noun which means an untrue idea or a belief.
Sentences
1. A magicians task is to create illusions.
2. Indian education system is based on the illusion that marks are more important than learning.
Plain and Plane
PLAIN is an adverb which means, simple and ordinary looking, with no decorations.
It is also used as an adverb to emphasize upon something
As a noun, Plain is also used to define a large flat area, with fewer trees
Sentences:
1. She is wearing a plain dress.2. I mean, you took the wrong way home, thats plain stupid.3. High mountains rise above the plain.
PLANE is a noun, commonly used to describe an airplane.
In mathematical terms, it is used to define a flat surface where a straight line joining two points can wholly lie.
Sentences:
1. The plane is flying high, above the sky.2. Two planes intersect each other in a three-dimensional surface
Irrelevant and Irreverent
Irrelevant is an adjective which means something which is not significant or unimportant.
Sentences:
1. The questions asked were irrelevant to our syllabus.
2. The arguments made by the lawyer were irrelevant to the case,
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Irreverent is an adjective used to define a person who doesnt respect things, which are generally taken seriously
Sentences:
1. Criminal minds are known for irreverence for the laws.
2. The news report was irreverent towards the Prime Minister
Which and Who
Which is a pronoun which is used to extract information for one or more persons or things. It is also used to
the previously mentioned information.
Sentences:
1. Which mango is the sweetest of them all?
2. Which holiday destination is your favourite?
3. This is the same car which won the race for him.
Who is a pronoun used to ask about the identity of a particular person. It is also used to give further informa
about a subject previously mentioned.
Sentences:
1. Who is that guy in a black shirt?
2. Who is this childs father?
3. This is the same girl who passed out of school 20 years ago.
Born and Borne
Born is an adjective which is used to describe the result of birth.
Also, it is used to describe a person who has a natural ability to do a particular job.
Sentences:
1. He was born and brought up in India.
2. He was born to be an engineer.
Borne is an adjective which means to carry, or to transport
Sentences:
1. Malaria is a mosquito- borne disease.
2. The responsibility of her young siblings was borne by her from a very tender age.
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Cereal and Serial
Cereal is a noun which means a grain used to make different food products.
Sentences:
My cornflakes are made of cereals.
Cereals are a healthy breakfast to have.
Serial is a noun which means a television show.
Sentences:
I never miss my favourite serial, Fear Factor.
The serials on discovery are amazing.
Brake and Break
Brake is a noun which means a function in a vehicle to slow down or completely stop it.
Sentences:
I applied brakes to my car to avoid it from banging into the other car.
The driver immediately applied brakes to stop the train.
Breakis a verb which means to form one or more pieces of an object.
Sentences:
The glass broke into several small pieces.
Please dont touch the vase or else it will break.
Pray and Prey
Pray is a verb which means to devote oneself in front of god.
Sentences
Let us all pray to god for peace.
I go to church every Sunday to pray.
Prey is a noun which means to be a victim or being in danger of.
Sentences
The lion is looking for its prey.
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The old man fell prey to the thieves.
Wait and Weight
Wait is a verb which means an action which causes delay of time
Sentences
I had to wait for twenty minutes for the bus to arrive.
We have to wait outside till the movie starts.
Weightis a noun which means heaviness or the pressure applied by an object.
Sentences
The weight of the box is 10kg.
Ram used to weigh 78kgs once, but now he is 65kgs.
Which and Who
Which is a pronoun which is used to extract information for one or more persons or things. It is also used to
the previously mentioned information.
Sentences:
1. Which mango is the sweetest of them all?
2. Which holiday destination is your favourite?
3. This is the same car which won the race for him.
Who is a pronoun used to ask about the identity of a particular person. It is also used to give further informa
about a subject previously mentioned.
Sentences:
1. Who is that guy in a black shirt?
2. Who is this childs father?
3. This is the same girl who passed out of school 20 years ago.
Suit and Suite
Suit is a noun which means set of something, maybe clothes, cards, jewellery, etc.
Sentences:
The suit looks perfect on you.
Suite is a noun which means a connection series of rooms to be used together
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Sentences:
The Presidential suite of this hotel is very luxurious.
Wave and Waive
Wave is a verb which means to move to and fro of any object which is either living or non-living.
Sentences
The boy waved his hands at her.
The people waved the flag to stop the bus.
Waiveis a verb which means to deny or not agree to something.
Sentences
I waived my right to my grandfathers property.
The Supreme Court waived the death penalty for eight criminals.
Tire and Tyre
Tire is a verb which means to grow weary or to become in need of rest or sleep.
Sentences:
Sammy got tired after playing for so long.
The journey was very tiring.
Tyre is a noun which means a rubber covering the wheels of vehicles.
Sentences:
The tyre of the car has been deflated by someone.
The tyres of truck are huge.
Aesthetic and Ascetic
Aesthetic is an adjective which is concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
Ii is also used as a noun which means a set of principles concerning the work of a particular artist or his work.
Sentences:
That designers clothes usually have an aesthetic quality.
Greek philosophy derives highly from aesthetics.
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Ascetic is an adjective which refers to strict self- discipline and abstention from all kinds of indulgence, especially
religious reasons.
It is also a noun which refers to a person who practices such self-discipline
Sentences:
Ascetic practices are followed deeply in Buddhism.
He gradually became an ascetic, with a large number of followers.
Anecdote and Antidote
Anecdote is a noun which means a short, amusing and an interesting story, which sometimes is taken as a rumou
Sentences:
There are numerous anecdotes about the personal lives of celebrities.
Our grandparents always have one or the other anecdote to tell us.
Antidote is a noun meaning a remedy to counter a particular poison.
Sentences:
After a snake bit him, He was immediately administered an antidote.
Spa and beauty treatments act as a perfect antidote to stress.
Marital and Martial
Marital is an adjective which is used for marriage or related to marriage.
Sentences:
Tom and Jill had a marital breakdown.
Jack was asked his marital status during the interview.
Martial is an adjective which mean situation of war or warfare.
Sentences:
The country will have martial law for 2 years.
The commander has been facing a court martial.
Coma and Comma
Coma is a noun which means unconscious or deep sleep.
Sentences:
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The boy was hit so hard on the head that he went into coma.
She died because she had slipped into coma.
Comma is a noun which is a punctuation mark (,) used to indicate pause or to wait in the sentence.
Sentences:
Dave did the cleaning, while Sam did cooking.
The shopkeeper had so many varieties of fruits like apples, mango, banana, grapes.
Improving Vocabulary by Learning Root Words
The English language has its roots in languages like Greek and Latin. An understanding of the common root word
will help us make educated guesses about the meaning of new words and substantially strengthen our vocabula
Given below is a list of commonly used root words, their meanings and some examples of words formed using throot words.
ROOT MEANING EXAMPLE WORDS
Ambi Both
Ambidextrous Use both hands well Ambiguity Double meaning, can be
interpreted in more than one way
Aqua Water
Aquarium Artificial environment forwater plants and animals
Aquatic Plant or animal living in water
Art Skill
Artistic Natural skill in art Artisan Skilled manual work
Auto Self
Automatic Working by itself Autonomous Having self-government
Bi Two, Twice
Biannual Occurring twice in a year Bigamy Being married twice
Bio Life
Biology Study of living things Biohazard Risk to living things
Cardio Heart
Cardiology Branch of medicine dealingwith the heart
Cardiovascular Pertaining to the heartand blood vessels
Cent Hundred Centenary Hundredth Anniversary Centenarian Person who is hundred or
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more years old
Cert Sure
Certificate Document attesting a fact likebirth, death, graduation, marriage etc
Certitude Feeling of certainty
Chrono Time
Chronology Study of events in the orderof their occurrence
Chronograph Instrument that recordstime with high accuracy
Counter Contrary
Counter-intuitive Contrary to intuition Counter-productive Having the opposite
effect as intended
De Remove
Detoxify Remove the poisonoussubstances
Dethrone Remove from the throne
Dem People
Democracy System of governmentelected by the people
Demography - Statistics of births, deaths,mortality etc. of people
Derm Skin
Dermatologist Doctor specialized in thestudy of skin disorders
Dermatitis Inflammation of the skin
Flor Flower
Florist Person who sells flowers Floral Decorated with flowers
Gastro Stomach
Gastritis Inflammation of the stomachlining
Gastroenterologist Doctor specialized inthe study of stomach and intestinal
disorders
Grat Pleasing
Gratify Delight or please someone Gratuity Tip, token of appreciation
Hepa Liver
Hepatitis Inflammation of the liver Hepatic Relating to the liver
Hept Seven
Heptagon Figure with seven sides Heptathlon Athletic event having seven
events
Hex Six
Hexagon Figure with six sides Hexavalent Having a valency of six
Inter Between Interconnect Connect with each other
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Interdepend Depend on each other
Iso Equal
Isosceles Triangle having two equal sides Isobar Line on map connecting points of
equal barometer pressures
Jud Law
Judiciary Collective of judges Judgement Decision of a court
Kilo Thousand
Kilogram Thousand grams Kilolitre Thousand litres
Lacto Milk
Lactic Obtained from mil Lactose Sugar occurring in milk
Mal Bad
Malevolent Wishing bad things on others Malice Intention to do evil
Mort Death
Mortuary Place where dead bodies arekept until they are cremated or buried
Mortician - Undertaker
Narr Tell
Narrate - To tell a story Narrator - Person who tells a story.
Nov New
Novelty Newness or originality Novice - Beginner
Oct Eight
Octagon Figure with eight sides Octave Stanza of eight lines
Ocu Eye
Ocular Connected with the eyes Oculist Specialist in the medical
treatment of eye disorders
Omni All
Omnipresent Present everywhere at thesame time
Omnivorous Eating all kinds of foods
Ortho Straight
Orthodontics Dealing with straighteningof teeth
Orthopaedics Dealing with thestraightening of bones
Pan All
Panorama An all-around view Pandemic Prevalent all over a country or
world
Ped Foot
Pedicure Treatment of the feet Pedal Foot operated lever
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Poly Many
Polygon Figure with many sides Polygamy Having more than one husband
or wife at the same time
Psych Mind
Psychiatry Study of mental diseases Psych Prepare oneself mentally for a task
Quad Four
Quadruple Increase four times Quadrangle Figure having four sides
Quin Five
Quintuple Increase five times Quintuplet Five children born at the same
time
Semi Half
Semi-circle Half of a circle Semiaquatic Animal living partly on land
and partly in water
Sept Seven
Septuplet Seven children born at thesame time
Septuagenarian People aged before 70and 79
Trans Across
Transpacific Across the Pacific Ocean Transnational Across national boundaries
Tri Three
Triangle Figure with three sides Triathlon - Athletic event having three
events
Uni One
Unitarian People who believes God is oneperson
Unique One of a kind
Vince Conquer
Invincible One who cannot be conquered Convince Persuade a person
1. Alter other together any short2. 2. Aud light air sound water 3. 3. Biblio vehicle college school book 4. 4. Bio education life gd evil5. 5. Ced eat go sleep wake6. 6. Chrom color water snow sand7. 7. Derm teeth skin bone muscle8. 8. Ego other together another self 9. 9. Duo one two three four
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10. 10. Equ less more small equal
1. Fil like film like water like thread like air 2. 2. Geo planets solar system earth stars3. 3. Hemo blood muscles bones nails4. 4. Hydro electricity water coal wood5. 5. Ject catch throw fight love6. 6. Min small ellipse large time7. 7. Neuro nerve nails blood bones8. 8. Ped hand elbow foot mouth9. 9. Script read listen learn write10. 10. Vac full half empty semi
Prefixes
Prefixes are placed before the words to modify their meanings; like suffixes, they are groups of letters that rar
serve a purpose unless attached to a word. Here is a list of commonly used prefixes to give you an idea of howidentify them.
Prefix Meaning Examples
-a On/in/out/from Away, aboard, arise, alight
-al all Alone, already
-be by Below, before
-by Be/on the side Bypass, byword
-for through forget,forgive
-fore before Forecast,foresee
-gain against Gainsay
-in in Inside, income
-mis wrong Mislead, mistake
-over Above/beyond overflow, overcharge
-out out Outside, outcome
-to this Today, tonight
-un Not/to reverse an action Unkind, untie
-under below Underground, undersell
-with Against/back Withdraw, withhold
-wel In good condition Welcome, welfare
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Suffixes
Suffixes are placed after words to modify their meanings; like prefixes, they are groups of letters that rarely serve
purpose unless attached to a word. Here is a list of some of them to give you an idea of how to identify suffixes.
Suffix Meaning Examples
-able/-ible capable of portable, legible
-ac/-ic like/related to cardiac, Nordic
-acy state/quality of being privacy, legitimacy-acious/-icious full of gracious, malicious
-al related to logical, philosophical
-ance/-ence state/quality of being maintenance, permanence
-dom state/quality of being freedom, kingdom
-eer/-er/-or person who mountaineer, writer, counsellor
-escent becoming, to be adolescent, fluorescent
-esque like/reminiscent of picturesque, Kafkaesque
-fy to make magnify, electrify
-iferous containing, yielding vociferous, carboniferous
-ise make, become civilise, terrorise-ish having qualities of hellish, fiendish
-ism doctrine, belief, practice favouritism, communism
-ist person who chemist, florist
-ity state/quality of being ingenuity, oddity
-less without brainless, endless
-mentstate/quality of being, result of
action, process
enjoyment, embankment,
abridgement
-ness state of being thinness, loneliness
-oid like celluloid, ovoid
-ose full of adipose, verbose-osis condition hypnosis, psychosis
-ous full of illustrious, nauseous
-ship position held friendship, membership
-sion/-tion state/quality of being torsion, transition
-tude state/quality of being fortitude, certitude
-y characterised by funny, greedy
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are combinations of words that perform the function of a verb. These combinations necessarily include a verb and either an adverb or a
preposition (or both). They form one complete semantic unit because the words that comprise a phrasal verb together describe one action. For example:
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example Sentences
ask around To ask the same question frommany people I have not seen him here but I
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will ask around.
I am not sure if there arevacancies, but I will ask around
the office.
add up to something To equal/corroborate a fact
She explained why the workwas not ready, but her story
does not add up.
The clues we found at the houseand the museum must add up tosomething.
ask someone out To invite someone on a date
I want to ask her out but she isdating someone.
I wish I could muster the
courage to ask her out.
blow something up To exaggerate
The girls in school always blow
gossip up to huge proportions.
My mother blows myachievements up in front of
guests.
back someone up To support
The captain will not back him
up just because he is his son.
You may be wrong but I will
back you up because you are my
brother.
blow up To explode
The army is going to blow up
that building with a bomb.
Our calculations were wrong
and the rocket blew up just afterliftoff.
break downTo stop functioning (usually
for vehicle, machine, etc.)
The old train is certain to breakdown if it is not maintained
properly.
He was driving recklessly and
the old car broke down.
break something down To divide and subdivide
They broke the students downinto groups of four.
The detective said they were
still breaking the information
down to make sense of it.
break into something To enter forcibly/ interrupt
The newspaper reported a
break-in at the bank.
Last night, two thieves brokeinto the house next door.
break up To end a relationship A break up can lead to
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emotional trauma.
After being together for fiveyears they have decided to break
up.
break out To escape
The Taliban helped 500 inmatesescape of the Afghan jail.
Ten inmates broke out of prison
in the southern town yesterday.
break out To spread
There was a world panic when
SARS broke out in China in
2002.
The news about the adulterous
affair will break out in
tomorrows newspaper.
bring someone downTo upset someone or to make
someone unhappy
The boss manages to bring
down my mood every day.
His pessimistic comments bringdown the whole group.
bring someone up raise a child
I was broke up in a conservativeHindu family.
After being abandoned by hisparents in Ghana he was
brought up by an Italian couple.
bring up To initiate a conversation on asubject
My sister walks out of the room
when I bring up the subject of
sports.
I will bring up the issue of
cleanliness in the meeting today.
call aroundTo phone different
places/people
We called around but we could
not find the spare part weneeded.
I have not seen him today but Iwill call around and inquire.
call someone back To return a phone call
Please me back when you get
this message.
I could not answer your callearlier but I will call back
shortly.
call something off To abandon or cancel
The referee has decided to call
off the game due to bad
weather.
They have decided to call offthe wedding due to financial
troubles.call someone up To phone someone The boss wants you to call up
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the client now.
She will call you up later todiscuss the issue.
calm down relax after being angry
It is going to be okay, please
calm down.
The crew asked us to calm downduring turbulence.
catch up
To get to the same point as
someone else/ or to work hard
in order to equal withsomeone
You will have to walk faster ifyou want to catch up with
Maya.
You have studied a lot more and
I need to catch up.
check inTo reach and register at a
hotel or airport
When you arrive at the airport,
you have to check in at the
airline desk.
At a hotel, check-in is normally
required in order to obtain a
room key.
check out To leave a hotel
You will have to return the
room when you check out of thehotel.
Please ensure that you are inpossession of all your
belongings before checking-outof the hotel.
cheer upUsed as an expression to asksomeone to be happy
She cheered up when she heard
that the result was positive.
Cheer up, it is your birthday!
chip in To contribute/help
If everybody chips in, we can
get a bottle of the most
expensive wine.
I do not have enough money for
a pizza so all of you need tochip in as well.
clean something up To tidy a place
They need to clean up theplatform because it is really
dirty.
You must clean up the room
before the president arrives.
come across something find unexpectedly
I came across these books when
I was tidying the cupboard.
While reading this book I cameacross new information
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regarding dinosaurs.
come apartTo separate/ fall down/ breakdown
The flimsy decorations came
apart halfway through thecelebrations.
The group of friends came apartonce they went to different
colleges.
come down with something To become sick
Her son came down with the flu
last weekend.
My throat is sore; I think I am
coming down with a cold.
come forwardTo support/ to take an
initiative
The hospital is anxious for more
donors to come forward.
Who will come forward and
take the responsibility?
come from somewhere To originate in
He resides in Brazil although he
comes from Spain.
Most of the stench comes fromthe open drain behind the house.
count on someone/something To rely on a person or thing
Can I count on you to complete
this essay by tonight?
I could not complete the task soI am counting on you to do it.
cross something outTo draw a line throughsomething
Kindly cross out your old
telephone number and write the
new one.
That word is wrong and you
need to cross it out as soon as
possible.
cut back on somethingTo use or consume less ofsomething
My financial advisor has asked
me to cut back on unnecessary
expenditure.
We need to cut back on driving
since the price of petrol is at an
all-time high.
cut intoTo interrupt in betweensomething or someone
He cut into the argument with apoint of his own.
He asked if could cut in on the
dance between Tim and me.
cut something offTo cut something with
something sharp
The butter is frozen. Cut off a
small blob and let it rest outside
so that it melts faster.
He cut off a small piece from
the large slab of cheese using aknife.
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cut something offTo stop providing/to break allrelations with someone
The cable company cut off ourconnection because we did not
pay our bill.
After he was convicted, his
family decided to cut him off.
cut something out To remove pieces or part ofsomething
She looked over the article and
cut the introduction out and
rewrote it.
She cut a piece out of the chunkof cheese and placed it on the
counter.
do something over To do something again
You sang the wrong words this
time; we will have to do it over.
My homework assignment wasunacceptable, so my teacher
asked me to do it over.
do away with somethingTo dispose of or discard
something
It is time to do away with all
these old files.
My mother asked me to do away
with all the unusable toys.
dress upTo be dressed in a fancier or
better way than normal
The party is at a fancy restaurant
so we need to dress upappropriately.
I was asked to dress up for the
mayors party.
drop back To move back in a position
He dropped back to fifthposition because he fell off his
motorcycle.
The coach asked the attacking
players to drop back.
drop in/by/overTo come without an
appointment
I thought Id drop in and say hi.
I was surprised when shedropped in unannounced at
midnight.
Drop someone/something off
To take someone/something
somewhere and leave them/it
there
Can you drop me off at the busstop?
I will drop him off at the train
station before reaching the
venue.
drop out To quit a class, school, etc.
He dropped out of the chess
club because it was too difficultfor him.
She dropped out of college but
managed to set up her owncompany.
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eat outTo eat outside of home,
usually in a restaurant
I eat out almost five days aweek.
I do not feel like cooking today
so lets eat out?
end upTo do/to eventually reach/todecide
If you do not work, you will endup on the streets.
He studied history at college but
ended up working at a bank.
fall apart To break into pieces
This wall will fall apart if we do
not use cement.
The house of cards stood for a
minute but then fell apart.
fall down
To fall on the ground/ to fall
off from somewhere to theground
If he does not walk carefully on
the ledge, he will fall down.
He was walking carelessly and
thus, fell down.
fall out To separate
The veteran cricketer has fallen
out of favour.
The coach and the player had a
fall out and the latter decided to
quit.
figure something out To study/understand
She needs to figure out what theproblem is.
We need to figure out the route
before commencing the trek.
fill something inTo write information in aform, etc.
Fill in the blank spaces andsubmit the sheet.
You must fill in the form inorder to obtain a ticket.
fill something upTo fill something completelyor to the top
I want you to fill up the tankwith diesel.
She wanted to fill up the entire
glass with wine.
find out To search/discover
How do I find out where helives?
I need you to find out whetherhe is lying or not.
get something across/over To communicate
He is a good orator and has noproblem getting his message
across.
He could not get across the
message.
get along/on To like each other One must get along with their
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colleagues.
It is about time you buried thehatchet and got along with each
other
get away To go on a vacation or a leave
They are planning a romanticget away for their anniversary.
We have not travelled in a while
so we are planning a getawaythis summer.
get away with something
do something (usually
something wrong) withoutbeing noticed or punished
He will not get away with an
abusive remark like that.
You cannot steal cars in broad
daylight and expect to get away
with it.
get back To return
She did not get back home until
5 oclock.
The boss needs you to get backfrom the Bahamas and complete
the report.
get back at someone To retaliate/to take a revenge
My brother got back at me for
eating his piece of cake.
After being humiliated in
public, she decided to get back
at her with ruthless intent.
get on something To step onto something
The train was full so we could
not get on.
To reach the chandelier, you
must get on the stool.
get over something To recover/overcome
The stock market is slowly
getting over the recession.
You need to get over the fact
that he stole your bicycle.
get together To meet
Do you want to get together this
Saturday?
Lets get together at the mallthis weekend.
get up To stand/get out of bed
Please get up, this seat isreserved for ladies.
You are not allowed to sit there,so, kindly get up.
give something awayTo reveal/give something forfree/donate
The ice cream company isgiving away free scoops
tomorrow.
Before dying, he had pledged to
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give away half his money tocharity.
give something back To return
You must give the bone back tothe dog.
You have her mobile phone andneed it give it back to her.
give inTo unwillingly stop fighting
or arguing
The dictator finally gave in to
the mounting pro-democracy
protests.
After arguing for over two
hours, I decided to give in to herdemands.
give up To stop trying
This exam is really difficult andI think I am going to give up.
Never give up, never surrender!
go after someone To follow someone
The big dog is going to go after
the cat.
The police decided to go afterthe criminal after he had robbeda bank.
go after something To try to achieve something
My father always encouragedme to go after my goals.
She is really working hard going
after the top prize.
go against someone or something To oppose
Does he really want to go
against the policies of thecompany?
You cannot go against the coach
and expect to remain with the
team.
go aheadTo proceed/start/initiate
something
The General wants us to go
ahead with the plan.
The centre has asked the states
togo ahead with FDI in the
retail sector.
go back To return to a place
This place is very dangerous; Isuggest you go back home.
He needs us to go back to the
office and collect his
belongings.
go outTo leave home to go out for
an occasion, etc.
Lets go out for dinner tonight
to celebrate your promotion!
I will go out in the evening to
watch the play.go out with someone To date someone Tim has wanted to go out with
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Mary for a long time now.
She is going out with two boysat the same time.
go over somethingTo pay a visit to
someone/something nearby
Its great that Hari has moved
next door; I can just go over tohis place whenever Im bored!
She is going over to his place
later tonight.
go over To check or review
Here are your insurance papers,
please go over them carefully so
that you know all the details.
We need to go over this
brochure and select a location
for the meeting.
grow apart To end a friendship
We used to be great friends, but
after college we began to growapart.
We were good friends but grew
apart after graduating from
college.
grow up To become an adult
It is always hard for parents
when their children grow up.
The puppy was tiny when they
found it but it grew up to be ahuge dog.
grow out of somethingTo get too big for something,
usually a piece of clothing
I will buy a new pair of trousersif and when I grow out of this
pair.
I have gained weight and grown
out of the pants I purchased last
summer.
grow into something To grow big enough to fit
Initially he had some trouble at
the new office, but things wentsmoothly after he grew into his
role.
She has become taller andgrown into the dress.
hand something downTo give something used to
someone else
When I was a child, I was
handed down my brothers
clothes.
Please hand down your old
books to underprivilegedchildren.
hand something outTo distribute to a group of
people
The party members were
spreading their propaganda by
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handing out fliers.
The boss is going to hand out alist of responsibilities to
everybody today.
hand something over To give (usually unwillingly)
The thieves asked us to handover all our belongings.
The landlord requested us to
hand over the keys to theapartment.
hang in To stay strong and positive
When my friend was diagnosed
with cancer, all I could say to
him was, Dont lose hope.Hang in there.
Dont lose heart, hang in there!
hang on To wait for a short time
Hang on, let me get ready and
then we can leave.
Hang on, Im coming too!
hang outTo spend time relaxing or
chilling out
My friends and I generally hangout at malls.
Lets hang out at the bar after
work tonight.
hang up To end a phone call
When I get angry with someoneon the phone, I simply hang up.
I did not wish to talk to him
anymore so I decided to hang upthe phone.
Hold someone/something back To prevent from doing/going
If you have a complaint, donthold back; you cannot fix the
problem if you do not voice it.
You must hold him back from
committing such a dangerous
stunt.
hold something backTo hide an emotion/to bestopped by something or
someone
He was a great athlete, but he
was held back from succeeding
by his parents, who wanted himto study instead.
He held back his tears even
though he was distraught.
hold on To wait for a short time
She asked the taxi driver to hold
on while she located her wallet.
He has asked you to hold on to
his book until he returns.
keep on doing something continue doingHe asked them to keep on
working while he looked
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around.
The musicians kept on playingeven though it was raining.
keep something from someoneTo not tell/not do/to keep a
secret
Why do you keep secrets from
me?
You have a wonderful voice soyou must not keep from singing.
Keep someone/something out
To stop someone or
something from entering at a
place
The insects must be kept out atall costs.
The gate has been installed tokeep out stray dogs.
keep something up To continue at the same rate
Keep up the good work!
Keep up this speed for the rest
of the journey and we will reachon time.
let someone down To disappoint someone
You can rely on her; she willnever let you down.
You have let me down with this
disappointing performance.
let someone in To permit to enter
Please lock the door and do not
let anybody in.
Yes, he is a guest so please let
him in.
look after someone/something To take care of
Nurses are supposed to look
after patients.
I need you to look after my dog
while Im away.
look down on someone
To belittle someone/ to
consider someone inferior tooneself
She always looks down on her
staff and treats them badly.
A lot of people look down on
them because they are poor.
look for someone/something To try to find
Do you want to look for the pen
we lost yesterday?
Let us look for the ball in the
garage.
look forward to somethingTo be excited about some
future plan, etc.
Are you looking forward to
tonights football match?
I am really looking forward to
the weekend!
look into something To investigate
We are going to look into the
price of cars today.
They need to look into the
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matter carefully in order toavoid a lawsuit.
look out To be careful
Dont forget to look out formosquitoes in the swamp.
Look out for speeding buses onthe highway.
look out for someone/something To be extra careful or vigilant
The guide told them to look out
for pickpockets in the
marketplace.
Look out for hurricane alerts on
the island at this time of theyear.
look something over To check/examine
Give the document a look overfor errors.
The teacher wants the student to
look over his answers onceagain.
look up to someoneTo respect someone
immensely
I look up to my sister because
she is a wonderful human being.
I look up to my coach because
he was a great sportsman.
make something up To lie about something
When asked why I hadnt done
my homework, I made up a
story about having done it but
forgotten that that day was theday of submission.
You must stop making up
stories because we know you
are lying.
make up To forgive each other
He returned my money very
late, but tried to make up for itby treating me to lunch.
He is taking her out to dinner tomake up for being at work on
their anniversary.
make someone up To apply cosmetics
She was so nervous she almostwent on stage without any make
up.
That actor uses a lot of make up
before shooting a scene.
mix something up To get confused
We got through most of the
show without any mix ups, butright at the end the lead actor
forgot one of his lines.
The experienced striker pouncedon a defensive mix-up to fire
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home into an open goal.
pass away To die
I took two weeks off work
because my grandfather passedaway.
Our dog had been ill for a fewmonths and passed away last
night.
pass out To lose consciousness
It was so hot in the examination
hall that one of the studentspassed out for a couple of
minutes.
He walking in the sun and
passed out due to the heat.
pay someone back To return the owed money
There should be no money
issues between friends, so when
I lend money to my friends I tell
them they can pay backwhenever it is convenient for
them.
You can borrow money now but
you must pay back within a
week.
pay for somethingTo be punished for doingsomething bad
It is my policy to pay for
everything when I am out on adate.
The police swore that theterrorist would pay for
destroying the building.
pick something out To choose
I always let my mother pick out
my clothes, because she has
excellent taste.
The concierge at the hotel
helped us pick out a nicerestaurant.
Point someone/something outTo point or indicate using
your finger
I tried to give the touristsdirections orally, but they
couldnt understand me, so Ipointed out the turning they
were supposed to take.
I have asked the professor topoint out all the mistakes in my
assignment.
put something off To postpone
I was very tired that day, so I
put off the meeting till after the
weekend.
The boss has asked us to put offour lunch plan to a later hour.
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put something together To assemble
We had to put together thepresentation in 2 days.
The different parts have been
provided in order to put together
this mountain bike.
put up with someone/somethingTo bear or tolerate somethingor someone
My roommate told me to move
out, saying, I cant put up with
your irresponsible ways
anymore!
The company is not going to put
up with inappropriate behaviour
at the workplace.
put something onTo wear a dress/accessories
on your body
I did not need to put on the t-
shirt to know it was too big for
me.
Pick out a dress, put it on, and
decide whether you like it ornot.
run into someone/somethingTo meet someone
unexpectedly
I ran into an old friend fromcollege the other day.
It was a pleasant surprise when I
ran into him at the mall the
other day.
run over someone/somethingTo drive a vehicle over a
person or thing
Your toy is broken because I ran
over it with my car.
The truck accidently ran over a
cat on the highway.
run awayTo leave unexpectedly/ toescape
The bride had run away with
someone else on the weddingday.
The children made a plan to runaway from home to join the
circus.
run out
To have nothing left of
something
They ran out of sandwiches at
the cafe.
She couldnt make tea as theyhad run out of milk.
send something back To return
I sent back the steak because it
raw.
This product is not what we had
ordered and we are going to
send it back.
set something up To arrange/organize
They want to set up a lemonade
stall at the fair.
The government needs to set up
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a commission for the riotvictims.
set someone upTo trick/trap someone or
something
The hunter set the lion up forthe trap but it escaped.
The people at the bank were partof a set up by the police to catch
the criminal.
show offTo act boastfully when people
watch
He wants to show off his house
by illuminating it.
Most people simply love to
show off their wealth in front oftheir friends.
sleep overTo stay somewhere out of
home, for the night
Jack is planning a sleepover athis place on his birthday.
The first sleepover at a friends
place can be a big deal for somechildren.
sort something outTo organise/ to resolve asituation
You may want the lawyers to
sort the issue out.
We need to sort out these cards
and arrange them according to
size.
stick to something To continue doing something
You will not lose weight if you
do not stick to the diet.
Most people do not stick to the
same job for a long period.
switch something off To turn off
Could you switch the light off
please?
Please switch off the television
before going to bed.
switch something on To turn on
He turned the machine on again
and it stopped making a noise.
Grandmother wants you to
switch on the radio for her.
take something back To return something
I need to take my money backfrom him.
He can keep my bag for now but
Im going to take it backtomorrow.
take off To start flying
I feel that the most thrilling part
of any plane journey is when it
takes off.
The plane finally took off after
taxiing for twenty minutes.take something off To remove something (usually I was about to take off my
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items of clothing) clothes when I realised therewas someone else in the room.
I want you to take this off the
list and include that instead.
take something out To remove from a place
She took out some money fromthe safe.
Please take out the garbage after
dinner.
take someone out
To take someone out with
yourself and also to pay forthem
My girlfriend was very
depressed because she had lost
her job so I took her out fordinner.
On the last day of college the
professor took the students outfor lunch.
tear something up To rip something into pieces
My boss simply tears up thearticles he doesnt like.
The cat tore up the newspaper.
think back To recall or remember
Whenever I think back to myschool days, tears of nostalgia
come to my eyes.
Think back to the time when we
were at the beach.
think something over To consider
You must think this job offer
over before taking a decision.
This is my proposal, think it
over, and let me know.
throw something awayTo trash something or to
dispose of
I like that bag, please do not
throw it away.
These dirty clothes need to be
thrown away.
turn something down To decrease the volume
I want to turn down the volume.
The old man has asked me to
turn down the volume.
turn something down To refuse
He asked her to marry him but
she turned him down.
He turned down the offer from
ABC Corporation.
turn something off To switch off
He turned off the lights before
going to bed.
Please turn off the fans when
you leave.
turn something on To switch on She forgot to turn on the charger
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so her cell stayed off.
He asked her to turn on thecoffee machine.
try something out To test
Do you want to try out this new
shampoo?
Most people refrain from tryingout a new cuisine.
use something upTo use something entirely or
to finish all
I get very tense when my friendscome over because they use up
all my supplies.
I cannot print this page because
all the ink in the printer has
been used up.
ake up To stop sleeping
I generally wake up at about 7
in the morning.
You need to wake up early in
the morning for karate practice.
arm upTo prepare the body for
exercise
It is a good idea to warm upbefore engaging in strenuous
physical activity.
It is essential to warm up a little
before swimming.
ear offTo diminish in qualitybecause of frequent use
The difference between superior
and inferior products is that thelatter wear out much more
quickly.
The sole of this old shoe has
worn out.
ork out To exercise
My lifestyle has gotten so
sedentary since I joined theoffice that I have signed up for
daily work outs at the gym.
Only a few people take gym
memberships to actually work
out.
ork outTo be successful with
something
I really hope that things work
out for you.
This job will work out only if I
can get my own office.
In each of the above cases, the phrasal verb shares no similarity with the verb that it replaces. These are idioma
phrasal verbs, commonly used in informal, everyday speech. Phrasal verbs are not necessarily idiomatic, thou
they can be literal as well. For example, literal phrases such as look up, walk across and switch off are
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considered phrasal verbs, because the action described by each cannot be described if any of the words in
phrase are omitted. If up is taken out of look up, the description of the action will be incomplete.
Synonyms
Synonyms are words which have similar meanings. The meaning of these words need not be exactly the same. Mo
words can have one or more synonyms.
Quiz on Synonyms
Trying to find out synonyms of new words you encounter is a good way of improving English vocabulary.
LIST OF SYNONYMS
Abroad - Overseas
Accord - Agreement
Admit - Confess
Agree - Consent
Alike - Same
Allow - Permit
Amount - Quantity
Angry - Mad
Answer - Response
Ask- Inquire
Attire - Dress
Away - Absent
Awful - Terrible
Baby - Infant
Beautiful - Pretty
Becoming - Fitting
Beg - Implore
Begin - Commence
Belly - Stomach
Big - Large
Bizarre - Weird
Blank- Empty
Brave - Bold
Broad - Wide
Bucket - Pail
Busy - Active
Calamity - Disaster
Candy - Sweets
Center - Middle
Change - Transform
Chiefly - Mainly
Choosy - Picky
Close - Shut
Collect - Gather
Complete - Total
Confine - Restrict
Confuse - Mixed Up
Considerate - Thoughtful
Contrary - Opposite
Correct - Right
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Cunning - Clever
Dash - Sprint
Daybreak- Dawn
Dedicated - Committed
Deliberate - Planned
Delicate - Fragile
Destiny - Fate
Disclose - Reveal
Discount - Reduction
Disgrace - Shame
Eager - Keen
Elevate - Raise
Enormous - Huge
Enquire - Investigate
Evaluate - Assess
Evil - Bad
Exactly - Precisely
Except - Apart From
Exit - Leave
Extra - Additional
Fair - Unbiased
False - Untrue
Famous - Renowned
Fantastic - Great
Fast - Quick
Finish - Complete
Formerly - Previously
Fortunate - Lucky
Fun -Entertaining
Function -Operate
Funny - Amusing
Garbage - Trash
Get - Receive
Glad - Happy
Glitter - Sparkle
Good - Fine
Grab - Seize
Grumble - Grouse
Hall - Corridor
Handsome - Good Looking
Happily - Fortunately
Hard - Difficult
Hazard - Danger
Help - Assist
Hint - Tip
Huge - Enormous
Hurt - Injure
Hurry - Rush
Ignore - Snub
Ill - Sick
Imitate - Mimic
Immediate - Instantly
Impact - Affect
Impartial - Neutral
Important - Significant
Inconsiderate - Thoughtless
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Infamous - Notorious
Infect - Contaminate
Informal - Casual
Innocent - Harmless
Inspect - Examine
Instructions - Directions
Insufficient - Inadequate
Intellectual - Mental
Intelligent - Smart
Intend - Mean
Inventory - Stock
Invoice - Bill
Jealous - Envious
Job - Work
Joy - Delight
Kid - Child
Kind - Benevolent
Learn - Memorize
Lethal - Deadly
Listen - Hear
Little - Small
Lots - Many
Loving - Fond
Loyal - Faithful
Lucid - Clear
Mad - Crazy
Make - Build
Maintain - Preserve
Maybe - Perhaps
Meeting - Assembly
Mild -Gentle
Misery - Distress
Modern - Contemporary
Movie - Film
Native - Local
Necessary -Essential
Near - Close
New - Recent
Nice - Pleasant
Noon - Midday
Notify - Inform
Numerous - Many
Odd - Strange
Old - Mature
Ornament - Decoration
Outgoing - Friendly
Overlook- Miss
Oversee - Supervise
Part - Section
Particular - Specific
Perception - Insight
Perfect - Flawless
Possibility - Opportunity
Praise - Compliment
Provide - Supply
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Quake - Tremble
Quite - Fairly
Raise - Lift
Real - Genuine
Receive - Get
Regret - Remorse
Reliable - Dependable
Remark- Comment
Renew - Resume
Respond - Reply
Rest - Relax
Rich - Wealthy
Rock- Stone
Rude - Impolite
Sad - Unhappy
Safe - Secure
Scared - Afraid
See - Look
Select - Choose
Significant - Meaningful
Sincere - Honest
Sleepy -Drowsy
Slim - Sender
Steady - Firm
Stop - Cease
Suggest - Propose
Sure - Certain
Symbolize - Represent
Talk - Speak
Temper - Mood
Temporary - Transitory
Think- Ponder
Tiny - Small
Transform - Convert
Trustworthy -Reliable
Try - Attempt
Uncommon - Unusual
Uncooked - Raw
Under - Below
Unfortunate - Unlucky
Use - Utilize
Usually - Generally
Vague - Indistinct
Vanquish - Conquer
Vary - Differ
Vast - Huge
Want - Desire
Weak- Feeble
Withstand - Resist
Yell - Shout
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Antonyms
Antonyms are words which have almost opposite
meanings. Most words can have one or moreantonyms.
Quiz on Antonyms
Each time you learn a new English word, try to findout its antonyms. This is a good way to improve yourvocabulary.
LIST OF ANTONYMS
AboveBelow
AbsentPresent
AchieveFail
AddSubtract
AfraidConfident
AfterBefore
AmateurProfessional
AncientModern
ArgueAgree
ArriveDepart
ArrogantHumble
AscendDescend
AttackDefend
AwakeAsleep
BadGood
BeautifulUgly
Before - After
BetterWorse
BigLittle
BirthDeath
BlackWhite
BluntSharp
BoldTimid
BraveCowardly
BriefLong
BrightDull
BusyIdle
BuySell
CautiousCareless
CheapExpensive
CleanDirty
CloseOpen
ColdHot
ComplexSimple
ComplimentInsult
CoolWarm
CrazySane
CrookedStraight
CruelKind
Dark- Light
Day - Night
DeepShallow
DecreaseIncrease
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Demand - Supply
DestroyCreate
DivideUnite
Down - Up
DrunkSober
EastWest
EasyDifficult
EndBegin
EvenOdd
EveningMorning
ExpandContract
FailPass
FalseTrue
FatSkinny
FictionFact
Float - Sink
FollowLead
Foolish - Wise
ForgiveBlame
Freeze - Boil
FullEmpty
GenerousStingy
GentleRough
Giant - Dwarf
GiveReceive
GloomyCheerful
GriefJoy
Guilty - Innocent
HappySad
HardSoft
HeavenHell
HeavyLight
HighLow
Hire - Fire
HugeTiny
Hungry - Full
IdleActive
InOut
Include - Exclude
IndividualGroup
InnocentGuilty
InsideOutside
JoySadness
KindCruel
KnowledgeIgnorance
LastFirst
LaughCry
LessMore
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LieTruth
LikeDislike
LikelyUnlikely
LiquidSolid
LonelyCrowded
LongShort
LooseTight
LostFound
LoveHate
MajorMinor
ManWoman
MarvelousTerrible
MatureImmature
Maximum - Minimum
MixSeparate
MoistDry
MoreLess
MostLeast
MoveStay
NearFar
NeverAlways
NewOld
NoiseyQuiet
NoneAll
NorthSouth
NothingSomething
NowThen
ObviousHidden
OddEven
OftenSeldom
OldYoung
OnOff
Optimist - Pessimist
OrdinaryExtraordinary
OverUnder
PainPleasure
PanicCalm
PartialComplete
PassiveActive
Peace - War
PermanentUnstable
PlayWork
PlentifulSparse
PoliteRude
PoorRich
PositiveNegative
PowerfulWeak
PraiseCriticism
PrideModesty
PrivatePublic
ProblemSolution
ProfitLoss
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QualityInferiority
QuickSlow
RaiseLower
RandomSpecific
RareCommon
RawCooked
RegretRejoice
RememberForget
RightWrong
RigidFlexible
RiseSink
RoughSmooth
RudePolite
SameDifferent
SegregateIntegrate
SeldomOften
SellBuy
SendReceive
ShameHonor
ShortLong
ShowHide
Simple - Complicated
SingleMarried
SourSweet
SpendEarn
StartStop
StartedFinished
StayLeave
StiffFlexible
StopGo
StrengthWeakness
Strong - Weak
StudentTeacher
SturdyWeak
Sunny - Cloudy
SuperbInferior
TameWild
TeachLearn
TemporaryPermanent
ThinWide
TidyMessy
TimidBold
TogetherApart
Top - Bottom
TowardAway
TragicComic
Transparent - Opaque
TriumphDefeat
TrueFalse
UnionSeparation
UniqueCommon
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UpsetStabilize
UrgeDeter
VacantOccupied
VagueDefinite
VerticalHorizontal
Victory - Defeat
VillainHero
Visible - Invisible
Wax - Wane
WealthPoverty
Well - Sick
WetDry
WhiteBlack
WildTame
WinLose
WithWithout
WorthyWorthless
Young - Old