Ingles ; speaking

Grammar to go!

Language health-check

Student worksheet: Similar words/confusable
words/right or wrong words
time for your language health-check. Find out how Grammar Scan can help you achieve greater accuracy. First do the diagnostic tests to check your knowledge. then look at the extracts from Practical English Usage to fill in any gaps.

1. Lend, borrow or both?
Can I…………………………………….. your bicycle to go to the shops?

2. Broad, wide or both?
A. The car is too ……………………………… for the garage. B. The river is about a kilometre ………………………………………. C. Everyone loves pandas: it’s because of their beautiful …………………………. eyes. D. We’ve reached ………………………………………. agreement on all the most important issues.
(Upper Intermediate Test 28)

3. Right or wrong? (use of ‘alike’)
A. He’s alike his brother. B. He’s gottwo very alike daughters. C. His two daughters are very much alike. [ [ [ ] ] ]

4. Always, ever or both?
A. I shall …………………………..remember you. B. I’ve loved you …………………… since I met you.
(Advanced Test 29)

5. Match the words with the definitions or comments.
alone lonely lonesome lone

A. suggests unhappiness (British and American English) ………………….. B. not generally used before nouns…………………………. C. rather literary …………………………. D. suggests unhappiness (more common in American English) …………………..

6. South or southern?
A. She’s got a beautiful ………………… accent. B. My room’s on the ……………………. side of the house. C. What’s the capital of …………………………… Africa? D. Most of the country’s population is concentrated in the ……………………….. counties. E. We spent our holiday on the …………………… coast.
(Expert Test28)

© Michael Swan 2010

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page 1

Grammar to go!

Language health-check

confusable words/right or wrong words What are the results?

Student answer sheet: Similar words/

1. borrow (see PEU 109) 2. A. wide B. wide (see PEU 115) 3. A. Wrong. Alike should be like B. Wrong Alike should be similar-looking C. Right (see PEU 34) 4. A. always B. ever (see PEU 191.5) 5.A. lonely B. alone (see PEU 44) 6. A. southern B. south (see PEU 172) C. lone C. South D. lonesome D. southern E. south C. wide D. broad

What’s the diagnosis?
0-2 correct. It looks like you may still have a lot to learn. You will need to revise the basics in Practical English Usage. 2-4 correct. Not bad. You have a pretty high language level but there are some gaps. You will need to studysome sections of Practical English Usage. 4-6 correct. Congratulations a very good command of English. Use Grammar Scan and Practical English Usage to check any tricky points that are still not clear.

© Michael Swan 2010

PhotocoPiable

page 2

Grammar to go!

Language health-check

Here’s the treatment!
Similar words/confusable words/right or wrong words
1. borrow and lendBorrowing is taking (for a time). Can I borrow your bicycle? (NOT Can I lend your bicycle?) You borrow something from somebody. I borrowed a pound from my brother. (NOT I borrowed my brother a pound.) Lending (AmE also loaning) is giving (for a time). You lend something to somebody, or lend somebody something. I lent my coat to Steve, and I never saw it again. Lend me your comb for a minute, will you?(NOT Borrow me your . . .) For lend in passive structures, see 415.

2. broad and wide
1 physical distance
To talk about the physical distance from one side of something to the other, we more often use wide. We live in a very wide street. The car’s too wide for the garage. Broad can also be used in this physical sense, especially in more formal descriptions. Across the broad valley, themountains rose blue and mysterious. She wore a simple green dress with a broad black belt Note also: broad shoulders; a broad back; wide eyes; a wide mouth. Wide is used in expressions of measurement: note the word order. The river is about half a mile wide. (NOT . . . wide half a mile.)

2 abstract meanings
Both words can express more abstract meanings. Common...