Speaking and Vocabulary

Lesson 41

Synonyms
Target Skills:
• To learn adjectives and their synonyms to describe a
people, things, and feelings.

Introduction
Describing Physical
A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or Appearance
nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same
language. Words that are synonyms are said to be beautiful – physically
attractive
synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called
synonymy. Synonyms: alluring,
appealing, charming,
big - large heavy - weighty thin – slim dazzling, delicate,
elegant, exquisite, good-
Synonyms can be any part of speech (such as nouns, verbs, looking, gorgeous,
pleasing, splendid,
adjectives, adverbs or prepositions), as long as both words stunning, superb
belong to the same part of speech.

Examples: Ugly – very unattractive

• Verb buy and purchase or unpleasant to look at

• Adjective big and large Synonyms: ill-favored,

hard-featured, unsightly,
bad-looking, appalling,
• Adverb quickly and speedily unlovely

• Preposition on and upon

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 Note that synonyms are defined with
respect to certain senses of words; for
instance, pupil as the aperture in the iris of
the eye is not synonymous with student.

Such like, he expired means the same as he

died, yet my passport has expired cannot be
replaced by my passport has died.

Here is a list of synonyms you can use to describe things, feelings or people:
big – large blank – empty broad – wide
center – middle Cunning – clever dangerous – risky
eatable – edible false – untrue fertile – fruitful
gay – cheerful glad – happy hard – difficult
high – tall huge – enormous intelligent – clever
lazy – indolent little – small loving – fond
loyal – faithful mad – crazy new – modern
nice – kind noisy – rowdy old – ancient
oral – verbal polite – courteous poor – destitute
quick – rapid/fast rare – scarce ready – alert
real – genuine rich – wealthy rude – impolite
sad – unhappy safe – secure sleepy – drowsy
usual – normal weak – feeble well-known - famous

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 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 42

Antonyms
Target Skills:
• To learn words and their synonyms to describe a
people, things, and feelings.

Introduction
Adding a Pre-Fix
An antonym is a word that is the opposite meaning of another. It
comes from the Greek words “anti” for opposite and “onym” for Sometimes, an antonym can be
name. Since language is complex, people may at times, disagree on easily made by adding a prefix.
what words are truly opposite in meaning to other words. Examples of antonyms that were
made by adding the prefix “un”
Working with Antonyms are:
• Likely and unlikely
• Able and unable
Sometimes you need to take two steps to enlarge your findings when • Fortunate and unfortunate
doing antonym research: • Forgiving and unforgiving
By adding the prefix “non” you
Step 1: Search for the antonyms for a word. can make these pairs:
Here is an example of antonyms for the word "good" . • Entity and nonentity
• bad, badly, badness, evil, evilness, ill, malevolent, malicious, poorly, • Conformist and nonconformist
wicked • Payment and nonpayment
• Combatant and noncombatant
Step 2: Search for synonyms of the antonyms identified in step one. Lastly, adding the prefix “in” can
If you take the first antonym listed, “bad,” and search for synonyms, make the following pairs:
you would be shown 73 synonyms for “bad.” That would give you a lot • Tolerant and intolerant
of antonyms to choose from when looking for that perfect antonym for • Decent and indecent
good, including words such as: awful, dreadful, hard, hopeless, inferior, • Discreet and indiscreet
lousy, painful, rotten, severe, stale, terrible, and tough. • Excusable and inexcusable

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 Categories of Antonyms
There are three categories of antonyms:

• Graded antonyms - deal with levels of the meaning of the words, like if
something is not “good”, is may still not be “bad.” There is a scale
involved with some words, and besides good and bad there can be average,
fair, excellent, terrible, poor, or satisfactory.

• Complementary antonyms - have a relationship where there is no middle

ground. There are only two possibilities, either one or the other.

• Relational antonyms - are sometimes considered a subcategory of

complementary antonyms. With these pairs, for there to be a relationship,
both must exist.

Graded Antonyms – Express relationships along a continuum

fat - skinny young - old happy - sad
hard - soft last - first foolish - wise
fast - slow warm - cool wide - narrow
abundant - scarce joy - grief dark - light
dangerous - safe clever - foolish early - late
empty - full smart - dumb risky - safe
bad - good pretty - ugly best – worst
simple – challenging soft – hard worried – calm
sane – crazy rich – poor cool – hot
wet – dry late – early ignorant – educated
big – small optimistic – pessimistic excited - bored

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 Complementary Antonyms – Express two opposite possibilities

man – woman push – pull dead – alive

day – night absent – present exit – entrance

sink – float true – false pass – fail

input – output interior – exterior exhale – inhale

occupied – vacant leave – arrive pre – post

question – answer single – married hired – fired

crooked – straight identical – different yes – no

wet – dry sharp – dull fantasy – reality

Relational Antonyms – A relationship results in two possibilities

husband – wife doctor – patient buy – sell

predator – prey above – below former – later

give – receive teach – learn instructor – pupil

servant – master borrow – lend come – go

toward – away divisor – dividend parent – child

east – west north – south seller – buyer

brother – sister mother – daughter slave – master

floor – ceiling front – back up – down

raise – lower win – lose part – whole

offense – defense behind – after on – off

trap – release lost – found left – right

give – get employer – employee customer - supplier

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 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 43

Homonyms
Target Skills:
• To learn words with the same sound but different in meaning and
use.

Introduction
Homographs
Homonyms, homophones and homographs can bring
Homographs are words that
confusion to even adults and teachers. are spelled the same, but have
different meanings and are
Homonyms (also called homophones) are words that often pronounced differently as
well. Some examples of
sound like one another but have different meanings. homographs are:
Some homonyms are spelled the same, like bark (the • bass as in fish vs bass as in
sound a dog makes) and bark (the outer layer of a music
tree trunk). Some homonyms are spelled differently, • bow as in arrow vs bow as in
like one (the number) and won (having been bending or taking a bow
victorious). at the end of a
performance

• close as in next to vs close as

Homonyms can present an especially difficult problem in shut the door
because they sound alike, but the different spellings mean • desert as in dry climate vs
different things. Changing one letter in a word could alter desert as in leaving
alone.
the whole meaning of a sentence.
 Homonyms

• A bear (the animal) can bear (tolerate) very cold temperatures.

• The driver turned left (opposite of right) and left (departed from) the
main road.

Homophones, also known as sound-alike words, are words that are

pronounced identically although they have different meanings and often
have different spellings as well. These words are a very common source
of confusion when writing.
Common examples of sets of homophones include: to, too, and two;
they're and their; bee and be; sun and son; which and witch; and plain
and plane.

Words that sound alike (homonyms):

Accept, Except:
Accept is a verb meaning to receive. Except is usually a preposition meaning excluding. I will accept all
the packages except that one. Except is also a verb meaning to exclude. Please except that item from the list.

Affect, Effect:
Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning result. The drug did not
affect the disease, and it had several adverse side effects. Effect can also be a verb meaning to bring about.
Only the president can effect such a dramatic change.

Allusion, Illusion:
An Allusion is an indirect reference. An illusion is a misconception or false impression. Did you catch
my allusion to Shakespeare? Mirrors give the room an illusion of depth.

Capital, Capitol:
Capital refers to a city, capitol to a building where lawmakers meet. Capital also refers to wealth or
resources. The capitol has undergone extensive renovations. The residents of the state capital protested the
development plans.

Elicit, Illicit:
Elicit is a verb meaning to bring out or to evoke. Illicit is an adjective meaning unlawful. The reporter
was unable to elicit information from the police about illicit drug traffic.
Emigrate from, Immigrate to:
Emigrate means to leave one country or region to settle in another. In 1900, my grandfather emigrated
from Russia. Immigrate means to enter another country and reside there. Many Mexicans immigrate to
the U.S. to find work.

Hint:
Emigrate begins with the letter E, as does Exit. When you emigrate, you exit a country.
Immigrate begins with the letter I, as does In. When you immigrate, you go into a country

Principle, Principal:
Principal is a noun meaning the head of a school or an organization or a sum of money. Principle is a
noun meaning a basic truth or law. The principal taught us many important life principles.
Hint:
To recognize the spelling of Principal first think of yourself as a greedy opportunist. You definitely
would want to be a pal of anyone who is in a position of power or anything to do with money. This
principal has pal in it.

Than, Then:
Than is a conjunction used in comparisons; then is an adverb denoting time. That pizza is more than I
can eat. Tom laughed, and then we recognized him.
Hints:
Than is used to compare; both words have the letter a in them.
Then tells when; both are spelled the same, except for the first letter.
There, Their, They're:
There is an adverb specifying place; it is also an expletive. Adverb: Sylvia is lying there unconscious.
Expletive: There are two plums left. Their is a possessive pronoun. They're is a contraction of they are.
Fred and Jane finally washed their car. They're later than usual today.
Hints:
If you are using there to tell the reader where, both words have h-e-r-e. Here is also a place.
If you are using their as a possessive pronoun, you are telling the reader what
"they own. Their has h-e-i-r, which also means heir, as in someone who inherits something. Both
words have to do with ownership.
They're is a contraction of they are. Sound out they are in the sentence and see if it works. If it does
not, it must be one of the previous versions.

To, Too, Two:

To is a preposition; too is an adverb; two is a number. Too many of your shots slice to the left, but the last
two were right on the mark.
Hints:
If you are trying to spell out the number, it is always t-w-o. Two has a w which is the first letter in
word. The opposite of word is number.
Too is usually used as also when adding or including some additional information. Whenever you
want to include something else, think of it as adding; therefore you also need to add an extra o.

Your, You're:
Your is a possessive pronoun; you're is a contraction of you are. You're going to catch a cold if you don't
wear your coat.
Hints:
Sound out you are in the sentence. If it works in the sentence it can be written as you're. If it sounds
awkward, it is probably supposed to be Your.
EXAMPLE: You're shoes are muddy. "You are shoes are muddy" does not work, so it should be
written as: Your shoes are muddy.
ad/add doughs/doze its/it's
allowed/aloud earn/urn jam/jamb
ant/aunt ewe/you jeans/genes
ate/eight eye/I knead/need/kneed
ball/bawl fare/fair knight/night
band/banned feat/feet knows/nose/no's
bear/bare find/fined lead/led
be/bee fir/fur leased/least
billed/build flea/flee lessen/lesson
blew/blue flew/flu/flue lie/lye
board/bored flower/flour links/lynx
boy/buoy for/four/fore load/lode/lowed
brake/break forth/fourth loan/lone
by/bye/buy foul/fowl locks/lox
beach/beech frees/freeze loot/lute
bolder/boulder gneiss/nice maid/made
bread/bred gnu/knew/new mail/male
brouse/brows gored/gourd maize/maze
capital/capitol gorilla/guerrilla meet/meat
caret/carrot/carat/karat grays/graze medal/meddle
cell/sell grate/great mince/mints
cent/scent/sent guessed/guest miner/minor
census/senses gym/Jim missed/mist
cereal/serial hale/hail mooed/mood
chews/choose hall/haul morning/mourning
choral/coral hare/hair muscle/mussel
chute/shoot heal/heel/he'll mussed/must
clothes/close heard/herd nays/neighs
colonel/kernel hew/hue no/know
creak/creek hi/high none/nun
crews/cruise higher/hire nose/knows/no's
cymbal/symbol him/hymm not/knot/naught
days/daze hair/hare one/won
dear/deer hoarse/horse or/oar/ore
dew/do/due hole/whole overdo/overdue
die/dye hour/our paced/paste
disc/disk idle/idol pail/pale
discreet/discrete idle/idol/idyl pain/pane
discussed/disgust in/inn pair/pare/pear
doe/dough incite/insight pain/pane
praise/prays/preys sea/see to/too/two
presence/presents seam/seem toad/toed/towed
principal/principle seas/sees/seize toe/tow
prince/prints
serf/surf told/tolled
quarts/quartz
serge/surge tracked/tract
quince/quints
sew/so/sow trussed/trust
rain/reign/rein
shoe/shoo use/ewes
raise/rays/raze
side/sighed vein/vane
rap/wrap
sighs/size verses/versus
read/reed
sign/sine vial/vile
read/red sight/site/cite vice/vise
real/reel slay/sleigh wade/weighed
reek/wreak soar/sore wail/whale
rest/wrest soared/sword waist/waste
review/revue sole/soul wait/weight
right/rite/write son/sun waive/wave
ring/wring some/sum Wales/whales
road/rode/rowed spade/spayed war/wore
roe/row staid/stayed ware/wear/where
role/roll stair/stare warn/worn
root/route stake/steak wax/whacks
rose/rows stationary/stationery way/weigh/whey
rote/wrote steal/steel we/wee
roux/rue straight/strait weather/whether
rye/wry suede/swayed we'd/weed
sacks/sax summary/summery weld/welled
sail/sale sundae/Sunday we'll/wheel
sawed/sod tacks/tax wen/when
scene/seen tail/tale we've/weave
taut/taught weak/week
tea/tee which/witch
teas/tease/tees whirled/world
tents/tense whirred/word
tern/turn whine/wine
there/their/they're whoa/woe
threw/through who's/whose
throne/thrown wood/would
thyme/time worst/wurst
tide/tied yoke/yolk
tighten/titan you'll/yule
your/you're/yore
 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 44

Misused Words and Phrases

Target Skills:
• To be familiar with commonly misused words and phrases

When you hear someone using grammar incorrectly do you Other Phrases
make an assumption about his or her intelligence or He did good vs. He did well
education? There's no doubt that words are powerful things
The phrases good and well get
that can leave a lasting impression on those with whom you interchanged so much that
some people think they are
interact. In fact, using an idiom incorrectly or screwing up
actually interchangeable words.
your grammar is akin to walking into a meeting with messy They’re not. If you’re ever
confused about which to use,
hair. That's according to Byron Reese, CEO of the venture-
here’s a tip: Use “well” as an
backed internet startup Knowingly. The company recently adverb (words used to describe
verbs) and “good” as an
launched Correctica, a tool that scans websites looking for
adjective (words used to
errors that spell checkers miss. And the business world is no describe nouns).
exception. "When I look for these errors on LinkedIn
For example:
profiles, they're all over the place--tens of thousands," he • The dog runs well
He is a good dog
says.

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 When you hear someone using grammar incorrectly do you make an assumption
about his or her intelligence or education? There's no doubt that words are
powerful things that can leave a lasting impression on those with whom you
interact.

In fact, using an idiom incorrectly or screwing up your grammar is akin to walking

into a meeting with messy hair. That's according to Byron Reese, CEO of the
venture-backed internet startup Knowingly. The company recently launched
Correctica, a tool that scans websites looking for errors that spell checkers miss.
And the business world is no exception. "When I look for these errors on LinkedIn
profiles, they're all over the place--tens of thousands," he says.

Here is the list of the some of the most commonly misused phrases on the Web.

1. Prostrate cancer
It's an easy misspelling to make--just add an extra r and "prostate cancer" becomes
"prostrate cancer," which suggests "a cancer of lying face-down on the ground." Both the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Mayo Clinic websites include this misspelling.

2. First-come, first-serve
This suggests that the first person to arrive has to serve all who follow. The actual phrase is "first-
come, first-served," to indicate that the participants will be served in the order in which they arrive.
Both Harvard and Yale got this one wrong.

3. Sneak peak
A "peak" is a mountain top. A "peek" is a quick look. The correct expression is "sneak peek,"
meaning a secret or early look at something. This error appeared on Oxford University's site as well
as that of the National Park Service.

4. Deep-seeded
This should be "deep-seated," to indicate that something is firmly established. Though "deep-seeded"
might seem to make sense, indicating that something is planted deep in the ground, this is not the
correct expression.

5. Extract revenge
To "extract" something is to remove it, like a tooth. The correct expression is "exact revenge,"
meaning to achieve revenge. Both The New York Times and the BBC have made this error.

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5. Extract revenge
To "extract" something is to remove it, like a tooth. The correct expression is "exact revenge,"
meaning to achieve revenge. Both The New York Times and the BBC have made this error.

6. I could care less

"I couldn't care less" is what you would say to express maximum apathy toward a situation. Basically
you're saying, "It's impossible for me to care less about this because I have no more care to give. I've
run out of care." Using the incorrect "I could care less" indicates that "I still have care left to give--
would you like some?"

7. Shoe-in
"Shoo-in" is a common idiom that means a sure winner. To "shoo" something is to urge it in a
direction. As you would shoo a fly out of your house, you could also shoo someone toward victory.
The expression started in the early 20th century, relating to horse racing, and broadened to politics
soon after. It's easy to see why the "shoe-in" version is so common, as it suggests the door-to-door
sales practice of moving a foot into the doorway to make it more difficult for a prospective client to
close the door. But "foot in the door" is an entirely different idiom.

8. Emigrated to
With this one there is no debate. The verb "emigrate" is always used with the preposition "from,"
whereas immigrate is always used with the preposition "to." To emigrate is to come from
somewhere, and to immigrate is to go to somewhere. "Jimmy emigrated from Ireland to the United
States" means the same thing as "Jimmy immigrated to the United States from Ireland." It's just a
matter of what you're emphasizing--the coming or the going.

9. Slight of hand
"Sleight of hand" is a common phrase in the world of magic and illusion, because "sleight" means
dexterity or cunning, usually to deceive. On the other hand, as a noun, a "slight" is an insult.

10. Honed in
First, it's important to note that this particular expression is hotly debated. Many references now
consider "hone in" a proper alternate version of "home in." That said, it is still generally accepted that
"home in" is the more correct phrase. To home in on something means to move toward a goal, such
as "The missile homed in on its target." To "hone" means to sharpen. You would say, "I honed my
résumé writing skills." But you would likely not say, "The missile honed in on its target." When
followed by the preposition "in," the word "hone" just doesn't make sense.

11. Baited breath

The term "bated" is an adjective meaning suspense. It originated from the verb "abate," meaning to
stop or lessen. Therefore, "to wait with bated breath" essentially means to hold your breath with
anticipation. The verb "bait," on the other hand, means to taunt, often to taunt a predator with its
prey. A fisherman baits his line in hopes of a big catch. Considering the meaning of the two words,
it's clear which is correct, but the word "bated" is mostly obsolete today, leading to ever-increasing
mistakes in this expression.

12. Piece of mind

This should be "peace" of mind, meaning calmness and tranquility. The expression "piece of mind"
actually would suggest doling out sections of brain.

13. Wet your appetite

This expression is more often used incorrectly than correctly--56 percent of the time it appears online,
it's wrong. The correct idiom is "whet your appetite." "Whet" means to sharpen or stimulate, so to
"whet your appetite" means to awaken your desire for something.

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14. For all intensive purposes
The correct phrase is "for all intents and purposes." It originates from English law dating back to the
1500s, which used the phrase "to all intents, constructions, and purposes" to mean "officially" or
"effectively."

15. One in the same

"One in the same" would literally mean that the "one" is inside the same thing as itself, which makes
no sense at all. The proper phrase is "one and the same," meaning the same thing or the same person.
For example, "When Melissa was home schooled, her teacher and her mother were one and the
same."

16. Make due

When something is due, it is owed. To "make due" would mean to "make owed," but the phrase to
"make do" is short for "to make something do well" or "to make something sufficient." When life
gives you lemons, you make do and make lemonade.

17. By in large
The phrase "by and large" was first used in 1706 to mean "in general." It was a nautical phrase
derived from the sailing terms "by" and "large." While it doesn't have a literal meaning that makes
sense, "by and large" is the correct version of this phrase.

18. Do diligence
While it may be easy to surmise that "do diligence" translates to doing something diligently, it does
not. "Due diligence" is a business and legal term that means you will investigate a person or business
before signing a contract with them, or before formally engaging in a business deal together. You
should do your due diligence and investigate business deals fully before committing to them.

19. Peaked my interest

To "pique" means to arouse, so the correct phrase here is "piqued my interest," meaning that my
interest was awakened. To say that something "peaked my interest" might suggest that my interest
was taken to the highest possible level, but this is not what the idiom is meant to convey.
20. Case and point
The correct phrase in this case is "case in point," which derives its meaning from a dialect of Old
French. While it may not make any logical sense today, it is a fixed idiom.

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 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 45

Commonly Confused Words

Target Skills:
• To be familiar with commonly confused words and phrases

English has a lot of commonly confused words. They either look alike, sound alike or,
worst of all, look and sound alike but have completely different meanings. Other words
look and sound different but are similar in meaning, and it’s hard to determine which is
the correct one in a given context.

Example:
Accept vs. Except
Accept (verb) - to receive
• I accepted all my birthday gifts with gratitude.
Except (conjunction) - apart from; otherwise than; were it not true
• When Susan travels, she packs everything except the kitchen sink.

Affect vs. Effect

Affect (verb) - to have an effect on; influence; produce a change in; to stir the emotions
• The dog's death affected his owners.
Effect (noun) - anything brought about by a cause or agent; result
• The new speed limit law had little effect on the speed of the motorists.
 Adjectives generally describe nouns, so even if you use the word “bad”
following a verb in a sentence, if it’s meant to describe the thing itself, then
use the adjective. “Bad” here means the same as “rotten,” “rancid” or
“stinky,” all of which are adjectives. If you can replace “bad” with another
adjective and still have a sentence that makes sense, then you know that
“bad” was the correct choice. Adverbs often describe the manner in which
something is done. To say, “your feet smell badly” is to say that your feet
are inhaling through the nose and perceiving odors, and that they’re going
about it all wrong.

Hopefully the following list of pairs of commonly confused words will help you keep them
straightened out.

All Intensive Purposes vs. All Intents and Purposes

"All intensive purpose" is an incorrect use of the phrase "all intents and purposes."
"All intents and purposes" is a phrase that means "for all practical purposes" or "under most usual
situations."
• For all intents and purpose, she planned to buy the refrigerator but still wanted to check the
reviews.

A Lot vs. Allot

A lot (noun phrase) -many
• A lot of people came to the party.
*"A lot" is always two separate words. "Alot" is not a real word.
Allot (verb) - to distribute, give or assign
• Fifteen minutes were allotted to each of the speakers at the conference.

Allusion vs. Illusion

Allusion (noun) - an indirect reference
• The Austin Powers movies often make allusions to the James Bond films.
Illusion (noun) - a false idea or conception; belief or opinion not in accord with the facts; an unreal,
deceptive, or misleading appearance or image
• The magician created the illusion that he was levitating.
Complement vs. Compliment
Complement (noun) - that which completes or brings to perfection; (verb) - to make complete
• Red wine is a nice complement to a steak dinner.
Compliment (noun) - something said in admiration, praise, or flattery; (verb) - to pay a compliment
to; congratulate
• She gave me a nice compliment when she said I looked thin.

Comprise vs. Compose

Comprise (verb) - to include; to contain; to consist of; to be composed of
• The state of North Carolina comprises 100 counties.
Compose (verb) - to form in combination; make up; constitute
• One hundred counties compose the state of North Carolina.

Desert vs. Dessert

Desert (verb) - to forsake or abandon; to leave without permission; to fail when needed
• Soldiers should not desert their posts.
Desert (noun) - dry, barren, sandy region
• The largest desert in the world is the Sahara.
Dessert (noun) - a sweet course served at the end of a meal
• Fruit makes a healthy dessert after lunch or dinner.

Done vs. Did

Done (adjective) - completed; sufficiently cooked; socially acceptable
Done (verb) - the past participle of do
• After an hour, the roast was done.
Did (verb) - past tense of do
• The children did not want to leave the playground.

Elicit vs. Illicit

Elicit (verb) - to draw forth; evoke
• The teacher elicited answers from the students.
Illicit (adjective) - unlawful; illegal
• The teacher discovered illicit drugs in a student’s desk.

Fair to Midland vs. Fair to Middling

Fair to midland - an incorrect use of the phrase "fair to middling"
Fair to middling (phrase) - something that is moderate to average in quality
• The temperature was fair to middling today.

Had Bought vs. Had Boughten

Had Bought (verb) - the past perfect tense of the verb buy
• The teacher had bought Christmas presents for all of students early in the year.
Had Boughten - incorrect usage of the past perfect tense
Hone vs. Home
Hone (verb) - to sharpen; to yearn or long for; to grumble or moan
• Practicing the piano daily is a good way to hone your skills.
Home (noun) - dwelling; place where a person lives
• After the long drive, we were all ready to be home and asleep.

Idiosyncrasy vs. Idiosyncracy

Idiosyncrasy (noun) - any personal peculiarity or mannerism; individual reaction to food or drug.
• Twins have idiosyncrasies, which often help to distinguish one from the other.
Idiosyncracy is a misspelling of idiosyncrasy.

Imitated vs. Intimated

Imitated (verb) - past tense of the verb imitate, which means to seek to follow the example of;
impersonate; mimic
• The toddler imitated the dog by crawling on hands and knees and barking.
Intimated (verb) - to make known indirectly; to hint or imply
• The pirate intimated that he knew where the treasure was buried.

In a Sense vs. In Essence

In a sense (idiom) - in a way; in one way of looking at it
• In a sense, computers have been a boon to society.
In essence (idiom) - by nature; essentially
• The cat is, in essence, quiet and timid.

In One Foul Swoop vs. In One Fell Swoop

In one foul swoop - an incorrect use of the phrase "in one fell swoop"
In one fell swoop - a phrase meaning "all at once"
• In one fell swoop, the toy was demolished by the child.

Its vs. It’s

Its (possessive pronoun) - of, belonging to, made by, or done by it
• The dog will only eat its food when I am also eating.
It’s (contraction) of it + is
• It’s a very strange dog.

I Could Of vs. I Could Have

I could of - an incorrect use of the verb phrase could have; when written as a contraction
"could've" sounds like "could of."
I could have - is the past perfect tense of the verb could
• I could have gone to the play, but I had to study that night

I Should of vs. I Should Have

I should of - an incorrect use of the verb phrase should have; when written as a contraction
"should've" sounds like "should of."
I should have - is the past perfect tense of the verb should
• I should have gone to the play instead of study because I failed my test anyway.
I Would Of vs. I Would Have
I would of - an incorrect use of the verb phrase would have; when written as a contraction "would've"
sounds like "would of."
I would have - is the past perfect tense of the verb would
• I would have gone to the play except my car wouldn't start.

Lead vs. Led

Lead (noun) - a heavy, soft, malleable, bluish-gray metallic chemical element used in batteries and in
numerous alloys and compounds
• I think it was Mrs. White in the billiard room with the lead pipe.
Led (verb) - past tense and past participle of the verb "to lead"
• The two coaches have each led their teams to numerous championships.

Lose vs. Loose

Lose (verb) - to become unable to find; to mislay; to fail to win or gain
• Did you lose your glasses again?
• How many games did your team lose last season?
Loose (adjective) - not tight; giving enough room
• I’ve lost twenty pounds, and now these jeans are really loose.

More/Most Importantly vs. More/Most Important

More/most importantly - a phrase used often in writing to show emphasis; however, many grammarians
insist that this is not correct usage. The adverbial ending of -ly is not needed.
More/most important - this phrase should be used instead
• The most important part of story is the ending.

Passed vs. Past

Passed (verb) - past tense of the verb "to pass"
• I think we passed the store. Let’s turn around and go back.
Past (adjective) - of a former time; bygone; (noun) - the time that has gone by; days, months, or years
gone by
• In the past, I’ve gotten lost a lot, but this time I know where we are.

Precede vs. Proceed

Precede (verb) - to be, come, or go before in time, place, order, rank, or importance
• The election of a new president precedes his inauguration.
Proceed (verb) - to advance or go on, especially after stopping
• After your first assignment has been completed and approved, you may proceed to the second one.
Principal vs. Principle
Principal (noun) - a governing or presiding officer, specifically of a school; (adjective) - first in rank,
authority, importance, degree, etc.
• The student’s parents had to have a meeting with the principal.
Principle (noun) - a fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or motivating force, upon which others are based
• The student’s parents thought that they had instilled stronger moral principles in their son.

Seen vs. Saw

Seen (verb) - past participle of the verb see; must be used with the verbs has, have, or had
• I have seen the movie three times.
• *Note: I seen the movie three times is not correct though it is commonly used in spoken language.
Saw (verb) - past tense of the verb see
• I saw the movie yesterday.

Sell vs. Sale

Sell (verb) - to give up, deliver or exchange for money
• People who move often sell unwanted items instead of packing them.
Sale (noun) - the act of selling; the work, department, etc. of selling
• After Christmas sales always bring in the bargain shoppers.

Site vs. Sight

Sight (noun) - something seen, a view, field of vision
• She was a sight for sore eyes.
Site (noun) - a piece of land considered for a specific purpose
• The corner lot was a perfect site for the new shopping center.

Spitting Image vs. Spirit and Image

"Spitting image" is a phrase that means exactly like. The first known use in writing of this phrase was in
1901.
• Karen is the spitting image of her mother.
"Spirit and Image" - There is some speculation that the "spit" in the phrase "spitting image" came from the
word "spirit" in the phrase "spirit and image." However, there is no etymological basis for this belief since
the phrase "spirit and image" used in reference to an exact likeness is not found in writing. The terms
"spit," "spit and image," and "dead spit" have all been found to refer to a likeness since the 1800's.

Stationary vs. Stationery

Stationary (adjective) - not moving or not movable; fixed or still
• I rode the stationary bike at the gym for an hour.
Stationery (noun) - writing materials; specifically, paper and envelopes used for letters
• My grandmother has given me a lot of stationery over the years. I think she wants me to use it to write
her.
• Just put it over there.
Taut vs Taunt
Taut (adjective) - tightly stretched; showing strain; tidy or well-disciplined
• The taut rope held the luggage to the roof.
Taunt (verb) - to reproach in scornful or sarcastic language; to drive or provoke
• The home team taunted the visitors with cheers every time the visiting team made an error.

Than vs. Then

Than (conjunction) - used to introduce the second element in a comparison
• My right foot is bigger than my left foot.
Then (adverb) - at that time; next in order; (adjective) - of that time; (noun) - that time
• Take off all your clothes first. Then get in the shower.
• Emily drove up to New York with her then boyfriend, Nick.
• Let's wait until we're hungry; we can decide what we want to eat then.

Their vs. There vs. They’re

Their (adjective) - of, belonging to, made by, or done by them
• They were proud of their work.
There (noun) - that place or point
• Just put it over there.
They’re (contraction) of they + are
• They’re going out to dinner tonight.

To vs. Too vs. Two

To (preposition) - in the direction of and reaching; as far as; to the extent of
• I’m going to Baltimore.
Too (adverb) - in addition; as well; besides; also; more than enough; superfluously; overly; to a
regrettable extent; extremely
• I’m going to Baltimore, too.
• I'm too busy. I can't go to Baltimore.
Two (adjective) the number 2
• I have two jobs.

Your vs. You're

Your (adjective) - belonging to you
• Is this your dog?
You're (contraction) - you are
• You're a great mother!

Who vs. Whom

Who (subject pronoun) - what or which person or persons; the person or persons that, or a person
that (used to introduce a relative clause)
• Who is going to the party with you?
Whom (object pronoun) - what or which person or persons; the person or persons that, or a person
that (used to introduce a relative clause)
• With whom are you going to the party?
 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 46:

Speaking Exercise 1
Target Skills:
• Describing your family

Scenario: You and your partner are going to talk about your family. Use the
vocabulary words you have learned from the previous lessons.

Task 1. Give some information about your family by answering the questions
below:

a. Do you have a sister? How does she look like? What is her personality?

b. Do you have a brother? How does he look like? What is his personality?

c. What are your parents like?

d. What do you and your family like to do together?

e. What is the best memory you have of your family doing something together?

Task 2: Construct your own question and ask your partner about his/her family.
Make at least 5 questions. Take note of the vocabulary words that he/she uses.

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 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 47:

Speaking Exercise 2
Target Skills:
• Describing your community

Task: Answer the following questions. Make at least 3 sentences for each
question. Try to use the appropriate vocabulary words, idioms, and phrases
you have learned from the previous lessons:

• What do you like about your community?

• What do you think should be changed in your community?

• How can you help your community?

• What do the people in your community do for recreation?

• What do you think is the most important thing about community?

• Does your community have special days to get together?

• Does your community have meetings?

• Would you like to raise your children in a community like yours? If yes, tell me why.
If no, tell me why?

• How can you live in a community and maintain your privacy?

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 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 48:

Speaking Exercise 3
Target Skills:
• Describing jobs

Task: Discuss about your job by answering the following questions.

Make at least 3 sentences for each question. Try to use the appropriate
vocabulary words, idioms, and phrases you have learned from the
previous lessons:

1. Can you describe your current job?

2. Do you like your job? Why or why not?
3. Do you think your personality and background suit your job well?
4. At what age would you like to retire? What do you think you will do when you
retire?
5. Can you talk about what a typical day at your current job is like?
6. Can you describe some of the people that you work with?
7. What was your first job?
8. Do you think it is more important to make a lot of money or to enjoy your job?
9. Which jobs do you think are the most prestigious?
10. Who would you hire an employee with a lot of experience or an employee
with a lot of education?

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 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 49:

Speaking Exercise 4
Target Skills:
• Expressing Feelings and Emotions

• Task: Answer the following questions elaborately. Justify your

responses by sharing personal experience. Use the vocabulary
words, idioms and phrases learned from the previous lessons:

• Do bad mannered people upset you?

• Do you get angry when you watch the news on TV and see all the terrible
things happening in the world? Can you recall a recent news that you
have watched?
• Does it annoy you when someone interrupts you when you are speaking?
• How do you react when someone knows everything better than you and
says so?
• Does it drive you crazy when you have invited people to dinner and they
come late and the meal is spoiled?
• Does it make you angry when people make nasty comments about you ?
• Does it upset you when you see homeless people?
• Does it upset you when you see people hitting children or animals?

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 Speaking and Vocabulary
Lesson 50:

Speaking Exercise 5
Target Skills:
• Initiate a conversation

Task: Discuss and express your thoughts about the topics below. Elaborate your
statements with the use of vocabulary words, idioms, and phrases learned from the
previous lessons. You can also ask questions to initiate the conversation.

Note: Spend at least 1 minute for each topic.

1. Fashion and Clothing

2. Travel and Holiday
3. Health and Fitness
4. Music
5. Technology
6. Sports
7. Weather
8. Government
9. Business
10. Animals

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