similar words

similar words

In this list you will find some pairs of words which look or sound similar. Some others (for example lay and lie) are explained in other parts of the book. Look in the Index to find out where.
  • beside and besides
      Beside = 'at the side of or 'by'.
      Come and sit beside me.
      Besides = (a) 'as well as' (preposition)
      (b) 'also', 'as well' (adverb)
      a. Besides German, she speaks French and Italian.
      b. I don't like those shoes. Besides, they're too expensive.
  • clothes and cloths
      Clothes are things you wear: skirts, trousers etc.
      Pronunciation: /klaudz/.
      Cloths are pieces of material for cleaning.
      Pronunciation: /ktoGs/.
      Clothes has no singular: we say something to wear, or an article of clothing, or a skirt etc, but not a clothe.
  • dead and died
      Dead is an adjective. a dead man Mrs McGinty is dead That idea has been dead for years.
      Died is the past tense and past participle of the verb die.
      Shakespeare died in 1616. (NOT Shakespeare dead . . .)
      She died in a car crash. (NOT She is dead in . . .)
  • economic and economical
      Economic refers to the science of economics, or to the economy of a country, state etc.
      economic theory economic problems
      Economical means 'not wasting money'. an economical little car an economical housekeeper
  • elder and eldest, older and oldest
      Elder and eldest are often used before the names of relations: brother, sister, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter. Older and oldest are also possible.
        My elder/older brother has just got married.
        His eldest/oldest daughter is a medical student.
        If I say my elder brother/sister, I only have one brother or sister older than me. If I have more, I say eldest.
        We say elder son/daughter when there are only two; if there are more we say eldest.
        Elder and eldest are only used before brother, sister etc.
        In other cases we use older and oldest.
        She likes older men
        I'm the oldest person in my office.
  • experience and experiment
      The tests which scientists do are called experiments.
        Newton did several experiments on light and colour.
        (NOT . .. severahexperiences . . .)
      We also use experiment for anything that people do to see what the result will be.
        Try some of this perfume as an experiment.
      Experiences are the things that you 'live through'; the things that happen to you in life.
        I had a lot of interesting experiences during my year in Africa.
      The uncountable noun experience means 'learning by doing things' or 'the knowledge you get from doing things'.
        Salesgirl wanted experience unnecessary.
    • female and feminine; male and masculine
        Female and male say what sex people, animals and plants belong to.
          A female fox is called a vixen.
          He works as a male nurse.
      Feminine and masculine are used for qualities and behaviour that are supposed to be typical of men or women.
        She has a very masculine laugh.
        It was a very feminine bathroom.
      Feminine and masculine are also used for grammatical forms in some languages.
        The word for 'moon' is feminine in French and masculine in German.
    • its and it's
        Its is a possessive determiner, like my, your, his and her.
        The cat's hurt its foot (not . , . it's foot.)
        It's is a contraction for it is or it has.
        It's late, (not Its late.) It's stopped raining.
    • last and latest
        We use latest for things which are new.
        What do you think of his latest film?
        Last can mean 'the one before this'.
        I like his new film better than his last one.
        Last can also mean 'the one at the end', 'final'.
        This is your last chance.
    • look after and look for
        Look after = 'take care of'.
        Will you look after the children while I'm out?
        Look for = 'try to find'.
        'What are you doing down there?' Looking for my keys.'
    • lose and loose
        Lose is a verb — the opposite of find.
        I keep losing my keys. (NOT . . . loosing . . .)
        Loose is an adjective — the opposite of tight.
        My shoes are too loose.
    • presently and at present
        Presently most often means 'not now, later'.
          'Mummy, can I have an ice-cream?' Presently, dear.'
          He's having a rest now. He'll be down presently
        Presently is sometimes used to mean 'now', especially in American English. This is the same as 'at present'.
          Professor Holloway is presently researching into plant diseases.
    • price and prize
        The price is what you pay if you buy something.
        What's the price of the green dress?
        A prize is what you are given if you win a competition, or if you have done something exceptional.
        She received the Nobel Prize for physics.
  • principal and principle
      Principal is usually an adjective. It means 'main', 'most important'. What is your principal reaion for wanting to be a doctor?
      The noun Principal means 'headmaster' or 'headmistress' (of a school for adults).
      If you want to leave early you II have to ask the Principal.
      A principle is a scientific law or a moral rule.
      Newton discovered the principle of universal gravitation.
      She's a girl with very strong principles
  • quite and quiet
      Quite is an adverb of degree — it can mean 'fairly' or 'completely'.
        Our neighbours are quite noisy.
        Quiet is the opposite of loud or noisy.
        She's very quiet. You never hear her moving about.
  • sensible and sensitive
      If you are sensible you have 'common sense'. You do not make stupid decisions.
        I want to buy that dress.' 'Be sensible, dear. You haven't got that much money.'
      If you are sensitive you feel things easily or deeply — perhaps you can easily be hurt.
        Don't shout at her — she's very sensitive, (not ... very sensible.)
  • shade and shadow
      Shade is protection from the sun.
      I'm hot. Let's sit in the shade of that tree.
      We say shadow when we are thinking of the 'picture' made by an unlighted area.
      In the evening your shadow is longer than you are.
  • some time and sometimes
      Some time means 'one day'. It refers to an indefinite time, usually in the future.
        Let's have dinner together some time next week.
    Sometimes is an adverb of frequency . It means 'on some occasions', 'more than once'.
      I sometimes went skiing when I lived in Germany.
  • --- >>>
  • 'copula1 verbs
  • 'social' language
  • (a) few and (a) little
  • (a)round and about
  • (be) used to + noun or... -ing
  • (Great) Britain, the United Kingdom, the British Isles and England
  • -ing form ('gerund')
  • -ing form after to
  • -ing form or infinitive?
  • abbreviations
  • about to
  • above and over
  • across and over
  • across and through
  • active verb forms
  • actual(ly)
  • adjectives ending in -Iy
  • adjectives without nouns
  • adjectives: order
  • adjectives: position
  • adverbs of manner
  • adverbs: position (details)
  • adverbs: position (general)
  • after (conjunction)
  • after (preposition); afterwards (adverb)
  • after all
  • afternoon, evening and night
  • ages
  • ago
  • all (of) with nouns and pronouns
  • all and every
  • all and whole
  • all right
  • all with verbs
  • all, everybody and everything
  • almost and nearly
  • also, as well and too
  • although and though
  • among and between
  • and
  • and after try, wait, go etc
  • another
  • any (= 'it doesn't matter which')
  • any and no: adverbs
  • appear
  • articles: a and an; pronunciation of the
  • articles: a/an
  • articles: countable and uncountable nouns
  • articles: introduction
  • articles: special rules and exceptions
  • articles: talking in general
  • articles: the
  • articles: the difference between a/an and the
  • as and like
  • as if and as though
  • as much/many ... as ...
  • as well as
  • as, because and since (reason)
  • as, when and while (things happening at the same time)
  • as...as ...
  • ask
  • at all
  • at, in and on (place)
  • at, in and on (time)
  • be + infinitive
  • be with auxiliary do
  • be: progressive tenses
  • because and because of
  • before (adverb)
  • before (conjunction)
  • before (preposition) and in front of
  • begin and start
  • big, large, great and tall
  • born
  • borrow and lend
  • both (of) with nouns and pronouns
  • both with verbs
  • both... and...
  • bring and take
  • British and American English
  • broad and wide
  • but = except
  • by: time
  • can and could: ability
  • can and could: forms
  • can with remember, understand, speak, play, see, hear, feel, taste and smell
  • can: permission, offers, requests and orders
  • can: possibility and probability
  • close and shut
  • come and go
  • comparison: comparative and superlative adjectives
  • comparison: comparative and superlative adverbs
  • comparison: much, far etc with comparatives
  • comparison: using comparatives and superlatives
  • conditional
  • conjunctions
  • contractions
  • countable and uncountable nouns
  • country
  • dare
  • dates
  • determiners
  • discourse markers
  • do + -ing
  • do and make
  • do: auxiliary verb
  • during and for
  • during and in
  • each and every
  • each other and one another
  • each: grammar
  • either... or...
  • either: determiner
  • ellipsis (leaving words out)
  • else
  • emphasis
  • emphatic structures with it and what
  • enjoy
  • enough
  • even
  • eventual(ly)
  • ever
  • every and every one
  • except
  • except and except for
  • exclamations
  • excuse me, pardon and sorry
  • expect, hope, look forward, wait, want and wish
  • explain
  • fairly, quite, rather and pretty
  • far and a long way
  • farther and further
  • fast
  • feel
  • fewer and less
  • for + object + infinitive
  • for, since, from, ago and before
  • for: purpose
  • future perfect
  • future progressive
  • future: introduction
  • future: present progressive and going to
  • future: shall and will (interpersonal uses)
  • future: shall/will (predictions)
  • future: simple present
  • gender (masculine and feminine language)
  • get (+ object) + verb form
  • get + noun, adjective, adverb particle or preposition
  • get and go: movement
  • go ... -ing
  • go meaning'become'
  • go: been and gone
  • had better
  • half (of)
  • hard and hardly
  • have (got) to
  • have (got): possession, relationships etc
  • have + object + verb form
  • have: actions
  • have: auxiliary verb
  • have: introduction
  • hear and listen (to)
  • help
  • here and there
  • holiday and holidays
  • home
  • hope
  • how and what... like?
  • if only
  • if so and if not
  • if-sentences with could and might
  • if: ordinary tenses
  • if: special tenses
  • ill and sick
  • imperative
  • in and into (prepositions)
  • in case
  • in spite of
  • indeed
  • infinitive after who, what, how etc
  • infinitive of purpose
  • infinitive without to
  • infinitive: negative, progressive, perfect, passive
  • infinitive: use
  • instead of... -ing
  • inversion: auxiliary verb before subject
  • inversion: whole verb before subject
  • irregular verbs
  • it's time
  • it: preparatory object
  • it: preparatory subject
  • last and the last
  • let's
  • letters
  • likely
  • long and for a long time
  • look
  • look (at), watch and see
  • marry and divorce
  • may and might: forms
  • may and might: permission
  • may and might: probability
  • mind
  • modal auxiliary verbs
  • more (of): determiner
  • most (of): determiner
  • much (of), many (of): determiners
  • much, many, a lot etc
  • must and have to; mustn't, haven't got to, don't have to, don't need to and needn't
  • must: deduction
  • must: forms
  • must: obligation
  • names and titles
  • nationality words
  • need
  • negative questions
  • negative structures
  • neither (of): determiner
  • neither, nor and not... either
  • neither... nor...
  • next and nearest
  • next and the next
  • no and none
  • no and not
  • no and not a/not any
  • no more, not any more, no longer, not any longer
  • non-progressive verbs
  • noun + noun
  • numbers
  • once
  • one and you: indefinite personal pronouns
  • one: substitute word
  • other and others
  • ought
  • own
  • participle clauses
  • participles used as adjectives
  • participles: 'present' and 'past' participles (-ing and -ed)
  • passive structures: introduction
  • passive verb forms
  • past tense with present or future meaning
  • past time: past perfect simple and progressive
  • past time: past progressive
  • past time: present perfect progressive
  • past time: present perfect simple
  • past time: simple past
  • past time: the past and perfect tenses (introduction)
  • perfect tenses with this is the first time..., etc
  • personal pronouns (I, me, it etc)
  • play and game
  • please and thank you
  • possessive with determiners (a friend of mine, etc)
  • possessive's: forms
  • possessive's: use
  • possessives: my and mine, etc
  • prepositional verbs and phrasal verbs
  • prepositions after particular words and expressions
  • prepositions and adverb particles
  • prepositions at the end of clauses
  • prepositions before particular words and expressions
  • prepositions: expressions without prepositions
  • present tenses: introduction
  • present tenses: present progressive
  • present tenses: simple present
  • progressive tenses with always
  • punctuation: apostrophe
  • punctuation: colon
  • punctuation: comma
  • punctuation: dash
  • punctuation: quotation marks
  • punctuation: semi-colons and full stops
  • question tags
  • questions: basic rules
  • questions: reply questions
  • questions: word order in spoken questions
  • quite
  • real(ly)
  • reflexive pronouns
  • relative pronouns
  • relative pronouns: what
  • relative pronouns: whose
  • relatives: identifying and non-identifying clauses
  • remind
  • reported speech and direct speech
  • reported speech: orders, requests, advice etc
  • reported speech: pronouns; 'here and now' words; tenses
  • reported speech: questions
  • requests
  • road and street
  • say and tell
  • see
  • seem
  • shall
  • short answers
  • should
  • should after why and how
  • should and would
  • should, ought and must
  • should: (If I were you) I should ...
  • similar words
  • since (conjunction of time): tenses
  • singular and plural: anybody etc
  • singular and plural: irregular plurals
  • singular and plural: plural expressions with singular verbs
  • singular and plural: pronunciation of plural nouns
  • singular and plural: singular words ending in -s
  • singular and plural: singular words with plural verbs
  • singular and plural: spelling of plural nouns
  • slow(ly)
  • small and little
  • smell
  • so am I, so do I etc
  • so and not with hope, believe etc
  • some and any
  • some/any and no article
  • some: special uses
  • somebody and anybody, something and anything, etc
  • sound
  • spelling and pronunciation
  • spelling: -ise and -ize
  • spelling: -ly
  • spelling: capital letters
  • spelling: ch and tch, k and ck
  • spelling: doubling final consonants
  • spelling: final -e
  • spelling: full stops with abbreviations
  • spelling: hyphens
  • spelling: ie and ei
  • spelling: y and i
  • still, yet and already
  • subject and object forms
  • subjunctive
  • such and so
  • suggest
  • surely
  • sympathetic
  • take
  • take (time)
  • tall and high
  • taste
  • telephoning
  • telling the time
  • tenses in subordinate clauses
  • that: omission
  • the same
  • there is
  • think
  • this and that
  • too
  • travel, journey and trip
  • unless and if not
  • until and by
  • until and to
  • used to + infinitive
  • verbs with object complements
  • verbs with two objects
  • way
  • weak and strong forms
  • well
  • when and if
  • whether and if
  • whether... or...
  • which, what and who: question words
  • who ever, what ever, how ever etc
  • whoever, whatever, whichever, however, whenever and wherever
  • will
  • wish
  • worth ... -ing
  • would
  • would rather
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