Words easily confused

The words in each group below are close in meaning and may even correspond to the same word when translated into Russian (or Belarusian). Despite the similarity they cannot be used to replace one another because each word has a spe­cific (different) meaning. In addition to semantic peculia­rities, they may also have syntactical differences. Some verbs-synonyms, for example, are followed by a direct object in the sentence, while others require an indirect object. It is important for a learner of English to know the prepositions that are used with an indirect object after each verb. Often learners find it difficult to differentiate between parts of speech or forms of the same word, e.g. adverb/adjective; present participle/past participle.

hard/hardly interesting/interested

Confusion can be caused, too, by words different in meaning but having a resemblance in spelling or/and pronunciation"

lose/loose quite/quiet

A. Verbs

bite/beat do/make reach/achieve get/have remember/remind/recall hear/listen (to) forget/leave lie/lay

rise/raise wait(for)/expect drive/ride steal/rob lend/borrow pass/take point(to)/show bring/take/fetch go/come/walk fall/drop carry/bear/wear fit/suit/match see/look/watch study/learn/teach speak/say/talk/tell

wear/ put on /dress/ to be dressed(in) leave/stay(in, at) suggest/offer sit/sat/seat

B. Adjectives/Adverbs/Conjunctions

happy/lucky easy/light tall/high hard/hardly interesting/interested exciting/excited heavy/difficult/hard empty/free/vacant/spare bare/naked like/as either/too still/yet/already late/lately/(the)latest happily/luckily

at least/at last/finally so/such except/besides still/else/other/more

C. Nouns

pair/couple play/game language/tongue place/seat/room/space cook/cooker shade/shadow country/state food/meal hour/clock/o'clock/watch road/street/way/path event/case/incident/accident land/earth/soil