Category: Vocabulary

A2 · B1 · B2 · Vocabulary

Confusing words: travel – trip – journey

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travel/trip/ journey

travel (uncountable noun) term used to refer to the act or activity of travelling.

travel (verb intransitive transitive)  to go from one place to another. When meaning long distances, we usually use travel instead of trip. We also use this word when we talk about travelling for a reason such as work, etc.

  • I love travelling – I’d love to travel around the world – Tomorrow I have to get up early. I’m travelling.

trip (countable noun) an excursion or a journey somewhere and back, especially for pleasure.

  • We went on a boat trip to the island.

journey (countable noun) the act of travelling from one place and another. Here the focus is placed on talking about what happens between the beginning and ending of these points. For example, if going from Madrid to Paris on a train, you enjoyed it because it was quick, you had a good meal and a nice nap, you would say something like ‘your journey was nice’. But if you had bad weather, the food was horrible and the person on the seat next to you, kept dropping off, snoring almost all the way, you’d probably say that your ‘journey was horrible’.

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A2 · B1 · B2 · Vocabulary

Confusing words: say – tell

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say/ tell

Both are verb associated to communication but both are used quite differently. Look at some of the examples of how to use these words.

say

say something/say something to somebody/say  as a reporting verb.

  • Ask him to say something in English.
  • She didn’t say anything to him about the party
  • She said that she liked it very much.

Say in impersonal passive structures

  • It is said that many lost their lives in WWII

Say + what/how/when/why

  • He didn’t say why he had come.

Tell

 tell somebody something / tell somebody to do something

  • She told him a bedtime story
  • They told me to get the job done as soon as possible.

tell somebody about something/tell a joke or a story

  • The company manager told them about the strike.
  • Mike told us this really funny joke.

We don’t  use say to somebody.

  • She said to me that I couldn’t go. She told me that I couldn’t go.

It is much more common to use ‘tell’ for orders

  • The fireman told us to be careful.

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B1 · B2 · Vocabulary

Confusing words: advise – advice

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advise/advice

Advise /əd’vaɪz /  (verb) Notice that these two words have a different pronunciation

Meaning to tell somebody what you think they should or shouldn’t do in a particular situation. Here are some patterns for this verb.

  • Advise somebody: His brother couldn’t advise him because he was far too busy.
  • Advise something: The government has advised extreme caution.
  • Advise somebody to do something: I would advise you to check this essay before handing it in.
  • advise that: They advised that a bottle of water should always be carried with visitors.
  • advise doing something: I’d advise booking your table in advance.

Advice / əd’vais / (uncountable noun)

Meaning  the  information  that is given on a particular issue.

  • Advice on health care.
  • Ask your teacher for advice/ask your teacher’s advice.
  • Take my advice. Let me give you a piece of advice/some advice.

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B1 · B2 · Vocabulary

Confusing words: after- later- afterwards

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after/later/afterwards

After (Prep) meaning later than something, or following another event in time. This form is used in front of a noun phrase.

  • We’ll leave after they call.
  • They lost contact after their grandmother’s death.

Later (Adv) Meaning after the time of speaking

  • See you later!

Later (Adj) Meaning after something else or in the future or an advance period of something.

  • The taxi arrived an hour later than expected.
  • The concert has been postponed to a later date.
  • She wrote her most interesting poems in her later life.

Afterwards ( is used when referring to an action followed by another one.

  • We went out to dinner and afterwards we went to the theatre.

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B1 · B2 · Vocabulary

Confusing words: ache-hurt-pain

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Ache/hurt/pain

Ache (verb) meaning that a part of your body hurts in a continuous and dull way. Ache (noun) referring to a continuous dull pain. This word is usually used in combination with the part of body that is in pain.

  • Stomach ache, toothache, headache, or my stomach aches.

Hurt (verb transitive and intransitive) to cause physical pain to yourself/somebody. This verb doesn’t give information on the type of pain/ache it only explains that somebody is in a certain degree of pain or that somebody/something is causing it.

  • Stop! You’re hurting me!
  • Yesterday I fell over. Now my leg hurts/I hurt my leg.

Pain (noun) Not usually used as a verb. Meaning referring to physical suffering in general, often more severe than ‘ache’, used with parts of the body. e.g. pain in my leg, arm, shoulder etc.

  • He was clearly in pain.
  • This should help relieve the pain.

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