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Confusable words in English V

set 28

Postado por Alexandre Siqueira em Learners | Sem comentários

To finish, temporarily, the set of basic confusables in English, let’s look at the following words: travel and trip (as nouns).

According to the brand new 5th edition of the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, an authoritative dictionary for advanced learners of English,

travel X trip

1. travel (or traveling) is used to mean the general activity of moving from place to place. It’s an uncountable noun.

Air travel is becoming cheaper.

Her work involves a lot of traveling.


2. trip, on the other hand, is when you go on a short journey, or a journey you do not usually make, and come back again. Use this when the emphasis is on where you are going or why you are going there. It’s a countable noun.

my first trip to the States

a business trip

(Reference: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 5th edition)


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Confusable words in English IV

ago 14

Postado por Alexandre Siqueira em Learners | 4 comentários

Pass and spend is also another pair of very basic words that can be used inaccurately.  According to the LDOCE Online,

pass X spend

1. Pass is, among several other meanings, a transitive verb related to time.  If, for example, you pass time or pass your life in a particular way, you spend it in that way.

We passed the summer really  uncomfortably.

We played games to pass the time.

2. Spend time doing something is a collocation more usually used than “pass time” doing something.

I spent the whole day watching TV.

Let’s spend the night together, dancing and laughing!

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Confusable words in English III

ago 14

Postado por Alexandre Siqueira em Learners | 2 comentários

Another very simple distinction should be made between the words music and song.  Although they have to do with the same content area, they are not synonymous.  See below:

music X song

1. Music is a series of sounds made by instruments or voices in a way that is pleasant or exciting.  It also refers to the art of writing or playing music.

I often listen to music when I’m in the car.

I’m thinking about studying music at college.

2. A song is a short piece of music with words that you sing.  It also refers to the musical sounds made by birds and some other animals such as whales.

I love listening to pop songs on the radio.

Have you ever heard the song of the lark?

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Confusable words in English II

ago 13

Postado por Alexandre Siqueira em Learners | Sem comentários

Brazilian students of English sometimes find it hard to distinguish between the words job and work.  The difference, however, is very simple to grasp.  Check it out:

job X work

1. A job is something a person does regularly in order to earn money.  If you want somebody to employ you, you can say you are looking for a job.  A job is also a particular task you have to do, like cleaning or writing an e-​​mail.

A local school offered me a job.

If I didn’t have all these posts to write, I could get so many other jobs done.  :D


2. Work is similar to job in that you also do it regularly, and get paid to do it.  You can also say you are looking for work if you want somebody to employ you.  However, unlike job, work is an uncount noun, and is also used as a verb.  Work is also the various jobs you have to do, especially things you do not enjoy doing.

I thought everyone would have a job, and that I’d find work easily.

A housewife’s work can take 8 or 9 hours a day.

He was working at a bank.


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Confusable words in English I

ago 13

Postado por Alexandre Siqueira em Learners | Sem comentários

Some pairs of basic English words are known to cause confusion even at intermediate and more advanced levels.  Below, you can find a very short list of such pairs, with explanations and examples.  Practice activities will follow on after the list has been covered.  Bold print in the examples indicates common collocations.  Reference materials (upon which explanations, examples, and activities are largely based) include the following:

  • Carpenter, Edwin (1993). Confusable Words (Cobuild English Guides 4). Cobuild
  • Swan, Michael & Walter, Catherine (1997). How English Works. Oxford
  • Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online. Pearson Longman
  • bring X take
  • job X work
  • music X song
  • pass X spend
  • travel X trip

bring X take

1. To bring a person or thing with you when you come to a place is to have them with you.

Why haven’t you brought me here before?

Please, bring you dictionary to every lesson.

2. To take a person or thing with you when you go to a place is to have them with you.

She gave me some books to take home.

There are limits on the amount of money you can take abroad.

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