EXPLANATION:
The previous two lessons of “What Word?” were written to help you avoid some common mistakes in English. This lesson is going to be quite similar. Use a good dictionary to do the following exercise.
Look at the various sentences for each word set and decide which word is best. Some will be easier than others…
Good luck!
Except or accept?
1. I went to watch my brother ………………….. his award for winning a Mathematics competition.
2. I don’t like many types of fast-food ………………….. pizza.
Descent or decent?
3. My grandfather was a very ………………….. man.
4. I have done a great deal of research into my ………………….. because I want to know more about my relatives.
Desert or dessert?
5. I don’t usually have ………………….. after my dinner because I don’t have a sweet tooth.
6. The Sahara ………………….. is a huge dry area, but there is still a lot of life.
Here or hear?
7. Come over ………………….. please, I need your help.
8. Did you ………………….. the news? There is going to be a big storm coming ………………….. soon.
Knew or new?
9. I ………………….. that it was time to buy a ………………….. computer when my old one started smoking.
10. I once ………………….. a ………………….. guy at work who ………………….. how to fly a helicopter.
Off or of?
11. It is important to take ………………….. your shoes when you enter someone’s home.
12. My favourite time ………………….. day is when I can head home and get out ………………….. my work clothes.
Peace or piece?
13. My test last night was a ………………….. of cake!
14. I wish that the world could live in ………………….. and harmony.
There, their or they’re
15. ………………….. are many types of beautiful flowers in Vietnam.
16. ………………….. going to come and visit us this evening.
17. ………………….. car is much faster than ours.
To, two or too?
18. Last night they went ………………….. the market ………………….. get their groceries.
19. I saw ………………….. beautiful houses at the weekend, but they were both much ………………….. expensive for me.
20. ………………….. many people have started going ………………….. work at the same time, and today there were ………………….. major traffic jams in the centre of town.
Answers:
(Don’t look until you have had a good try!)
1. I went to watch my brother accept his award for winning a Mathematics competition.
2. I don’t like many types of fast-food except pizza.
3. My grandfather was a very decent man.
4. I have done a great deal of research into my descent because I want to know more about my relatives.
5. I don’t usually have dessert after my dinner because I don’t have a sweet tooth.
6. The Sahara Desert is a huge dry area, but there is still a lot of life.
7. Come over here please, I need your help.
8. Did you hear the news? There is going to be a big storm coming here soon.
9. I knew that it was time to buy a new computer when my old one started smoking.
10. I once knew a new guy at work who knew how to fly a helicopter.
11. It is important to take off your shoes when you enter someone’s home.
12. My favourite time of day is when I can head home and get out of my work clothes.
13. My test last night was a piece of cake!
14. I wish that the world could live in peace and harmony.
15. There are many types of beautiful flowers in Vietnam.
16. They’re going to come and visit us this evening.
17. Their car is much faster than ours.
18. Last night they went to the market to get their groceries.
19. I saw two beautiful houses at the weekend, but they were both much too expensive for me.
20. Too many people have started going to work at the same time, and today there were two major traffic jams in the centre of town.
This material is provided by the Australian Centre for Education and Training (ACET).