Confusing words

There are some words which can cause confusion if we are not careful about their spelling because they can be mistaken for another word which is very similar in spelling.

Complete the following sentences.

1. The plants are ………………… They need more water and sunlight. (die / dye)

2. The floor has a rough surface which makes …………………… very difficult. (mop / mope)

3. I was ………………… that I would win the first prize. (hope / hop)

4. It took me several days to ………………. out the paint on the walls. (scrap / scrape)

5. The bird …………………. from branch to branch (hoped / hopped)

6. The lie detection test was used to find out whether the witness had ……………….. in his statement. (lied / lain)

7. He was ………………… mad when he heard that his son had failed the test. (hoping / hopping)

Answers

1. The plants are dying. They need more water and sunlight.

2. The floor has a rough surface which makes mopping very difficult.

3. I was hoping that I would win the first prize.

4. It took me several days to scrape out the paint on the walls.

5. The bird hopped from branch to branch.

6. The lie detection test was used to find out whether the witness had lied in his statement.

7. He was hopping mad when he heard that his son had failed the test.

Please share this post if you like it, or comment below if you have questions.

Read more »

Idioms – W

Idiomatic expressions formed from words beginning with W

In the wake of

Following as a result of

• In the wake of the recent terror attacks in the city, police have beefed up security.

Walk off with something

To walk off with something is to win it or steal it.

• He walked off with the first prize.

Drive someone up the hill

To drive someone up the hill is to make them very irritated.

• His rude replies drove his mother up the hill.

Go to the wall

When a business goes to the wall, it fails.

Be on the warpath

When two people are on the warpath, they are very angry with one another.

Ward something off

To ward something off is to prevent something from harming you.

• Eat lots of vegetables and fruits to ward off illnesses.

Be washed out

When an event is washed out, it is postponed or cancelled because of the rain.

• The third test cricket match was washed out.

Wash your hands of

When you wash your hands of, you take no further responsibility for something.

Watch your back

To watch your back is to protect yourself against unexpected danger.

Water something down

To water something down is to make it less forceful by changing or leaving out things.

Hold water

When a theory or a belief holds water, it seems possible or reasonable.

Please share this post if you like it, or comment below if you have questions.

Read more »

Verbs worksheet

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate verb form.

1. A duck …………………… with short steps, swaying from side to side. (walk)

2. A horse ………………….. rapidly by leaps. (run)

3. Androcles told him what …………………. at the forest. (happen)

4. Animals …………………. Kindness and respond to it. (understand)

5. There was a little tree that …………………. in the woods bravely. (stand)

6. I …………………… two kilometers yesterday. (walk)

7. My grandmother …………………… us every week. (call)

8. The elephants knew that they ………………… walking over the mice. (be)

9. I ………………… you tomorrow. (meet)

10. I …………………… your dad tomorrow. (meet)

11. She ………………. her money in a wooden box. (keep)

12. When the crow dropped some pebbles into the pot, the water level in it ……………… (rise)

Answers

1. A duck walks with short steps, swaying from side to side.

2. A horse runs rapidly by leaps.

3. Androcles told him what had happened at the forest.

4. Animals understand kindness and respond to it.

5. There was a little tree that stood in the woods bravely.

6. I walked two kilometers yesterday.

7. My grandmother calls us every week.

8. The elephants knew that they were walking over the mice.

9. I will meet you tomorrow.

10. I am meeting your dad tomorrow.

11. She keeps her money in a wooden box.

12. When the crow dropped some pebbles into the pot, the water level in it rose.

Please share this post if you like it, or comment below if you have questions.

Read more »

Proper nouns and common nouns

Common nouns are names of people, places and things in general. Examples are: mother, tiger, city and table.

Proper nouns are the names of a particular person, place or thing. Examples are: Karan, India, Jasmine, Antarctica, Greenland and Alps.

In the following sentences underline the common nouns and circle the proper nouns.

Tips:

It is easy to identify proper nouns – they always start with a capital letter.

It is easy to identify common nouns – they have both singular and plural forms.

1. The boys were flying kites on the beach.

2. There was an earthquake in Italy on Monday.

3. Radha bought a bicycle for her brother.

4. India is the seventh largest country in the world.

5. Jane, my sister, wants to be an airhostess.

6. I forgot my umbrella at home.

7. America is one of the most developed countries in the world.

8. Agra is on the banks of river Yamuna.

9. The coach was angry when the boys lost the championship.

10. Titanic is the name of the ship that sank on its maiden journey.

Answers

1. The boys were flying kites on the beach. (boys, kites and beach – common noun)

2. There was an earthquake in Italy on Monday. (earthquake – common noun; Italy and Monday – proper nouns)

3. Radha bought a bicycle for her brother. (Radha – proper noun; bicycle and brother – common nouns)

4. India is the seventh largest country in the world. (India – proper noun; country and world – common nouns)

5. Jane, my sister, wants to be an airhostess. (Jane – proper noun; sister and airhostess – common nouns)

6. I forgot my umbrella at home. (umbrella and home – common nouns)

7. America is one of the most developed countries in the world. (America – proper noun; countries and world – common nouns)

8. Agra is on the banks of river Yamuna. (Agra and Yamuna – proper nouns; banks and river – common nouns)

9. The coach was angry when the boys lost the championship. (coach, boys and championship – common nouns)

10. Titanic is the name of the ship that sank on its maiden journey. (Titanic – proper noun; ship, name and journey – common nouns)

Please share this post if you like it, or comment below if you have questions.

Read more »

Grammar exercise

Test your understanding of English grammar with these exercises

1. She is taller ……………….. her husband. (than / then)

2. He put the books ………………….. the table. (on / in)

3. Get the cat ……………….. the piano. (off / of)

4. The baby ………………….. his mother. (resembles / resembles to)

5. The child sat ………………….. his mother. (beside / besides)

6. The clown …………………….. the audience with his tricks. (amused / amusing)

7. He is nursing a …………………. heart. (broken / breaking)

8. It is raining cats and ……………….. (mice / dogs)

9. I gave ……………….. chemistry because I didn’t like it. (up /in)

10. I can’t wait ……………….. the holidays. (for / till)

Answers

1. She is taller than her husband.

2. He put the books on the table.

3. Get the cat off the piano.

4. The baby resembles his mother.

5. The child sat beside his mother.

6. The clown amused the audience with his tricks.

7. He is nursing a broken heart.

8. It is raining cats and dogs.

9. I gave up chemistry because I didn’t like it.

10. I can’t wait for the holidays.

Please share this post if you like it, or comment below if you have questions.

Read more »