FCE word distinction

FCE   word distinction

1.      If a watch /clock says 11.50 at 12 o’clock , then it is 10’ slow ; if it says 12.05, it is 5’ fast .

If it gets faster every day ,it gains (; if it gets slower every day , it loses (time) .When one puts it to the right time , one sets it .-> I set my watch by the radio

2.      To set an example -> Drink your milk and set a good example to your sister.

To give an example -> large animals ,for example , elephants

3.      Hardly /scarcely/ barely……… When,   No sooner ….than ,  Not only …but

 +  inversion

Hardly/ scarcely/ barely  ever/ any/ at all

4.      Meat : Cow->beef , pig - pork -ham, calf -veal , lamb -lamb

5.      (BRE )to hire things for short time -> let’s hire a car for the weekend,

To  rent things for a longer period -> you rent a house /flat and the owner lets it out.

To Hire/appoint people ->we are going to appoint a new history teacher.

 But in AME rent for  all the above and the owner rents them out .  Buses /ships/ aircraft are chartered.

6.      To cheat  at cards /in an exam/ on sb /sb out of sth

To deceive     an audience /the enemy

7.      Delicate  flavor /stage/ child

Slim  chance / hope/ figure/ child

8.      Rare   = uncommon and perhaps valuable things->rare species of birds

Scarce = uncommon useful things that we are short of ,perhaps only temporarily -> parking spaces are scarce on Sundays.

9.      Shape  one’s character / an object

Form   a plan/ an impression/ a habit / an idea/ the basis

10.   Clear  sky/ water / instructions/ voice

Clean water / wound / room

11.   Precious  jewelry(= loved) / metals/ stone / stone/ time

Valuable  advice / jewelry (=expensive) / time

12.   Replace  = take the place of -> I’ve replaced the old sofa with a new one

Substitute  =  put in the place -> they substituted Garry for John in the team.

13.   Imaginative = good at producing new ideas -> an imaginative child

Imaginable = that can be thought/ imagined->  Computers now allow us to do things that were hardly imaginable only a few years ago.

Imaginary  = unreal -> the story is set in an imaginary world.

14.   A flock of birds, a pack of wolves/dogs , a swarm of bees / flies/ insects / tourists, a school of whales, a fleet/a shoal  of fish , a herd of cows / cattle

15.   False smile/ promise/ teeth/ friend/ address

Artificial flowers/ limbs

Fake smile / address/ painting

16.   Earn  a living/ money/ a wage/ approval/ a reputation

Gain  weight / attention/ approval/ a reputation/ respect/ knowledge/ experience/ time/ admission to the university

Win  money/ a bet / a race / approval/ at cards/ the war/ a prize/ a cup/ $100/ a shield

Beat an opponent / an enemy/  a rival

17.   Refuse  an invitation/ an offer/ help/ sb permission

Deny  a charge / oneself sth / sb permission

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correlative conjuctions

Adjectives easily confused

 Adjectives easily confused

Fat vs.  thin:          people/animal s->   a fat/thin man , a fat / thin girl, a fat / thin cat

Fat for a few names of things -> a fat book/dictionary

Thick vs. thin: usually apply to things -> A thick book, thin material

Thick = stupid (for people ) -> Some people are really thick.

Tall vs.  short: for people’s height -> A tall / short boy

Tall vs. small: buildings, mountains, trees etc. -> A tall / small block of flats, pine etc

High vs. low: buildings, things, sound -> A high /low building, a high / low stool, a high / low voice, a high / low note,  a high mountain ,a  low hill

Long vs. Short : length, time ,distance -> a long /short skirt / time/ walk

Loud vs. soft -> a loud /soft knock on the door

Hard vs. soft -> a hard /soft apple, a hard / soft mattress

Old vs. young: people -> an old man/a young teacher

Old vs. new: things -> an old/ new handbag, an old/ new house

New= a newcomer -> a new boss, a new secret

Large vs. big vs. great : people /things

Large/big:  for size -> a large / big man, a large / big box

Great:  for importance -> a great professor, a great idea / a great monument

Small vs. little : small opposite of big  -> a small / little boy, a small/ little  house

Little: quantifier a little sugar, or to express love, pity, etc -> your sweet little baby

Better vs. worse -> ‘How’s Liz? She’s much better / nearly well.’

‘How’s Bob?’ ‘He’s still ill- much worse.’

Elder / eldest vs. younger/ youngest: used for people in a family -> my elder brother / my youngest son.

Old-older- oldest : for people / things -> my older brother/son, my oldest child, the oldest tree in the garden etc.