[EH13] common mistakes

Common mistakes
[EH13]
The following pages show you the type of
mistakes that advanced learners of English
make when they write exam papers. All our
information on the type of mistakes that
students make in writing comes from the
Cambridge Learner Corpus. The Cambridge
Learner Corpus (CLC) is based on a large
collection of exam papers that have been
written by students taking Cambridge ESOL
English exams. At the moment this corpus
contains nearly 28 million words of English
written by learners and it is growing all
the time.
The mistakes below have been grouped into
different types, for example a learner may have
spelled a word wrongly, or they may have used
a regular tense for an irregular verb. Many of
these mistakes are well-known to teachers.
The Cambridge Learner Corpus has been
developed in partnership with Cambridge
ESOL, whose exams are taken by students
all over the world.
The Top 10 Spelling Mistakes
The list below shows you the ten words that
advanced students most often spell wrongly
in the Cambridge Learner Corpus. The bold
letters in these words show you which parts
of the words learners most often get wrong.
To help you spell these words correctly, pay
special attention to these letters in the correct
spellings:
Correct spelling
1 accommodation
2 which
3 government
4 beginning
5 denitely
6 successful
7 environment
8 advertisement
9 believe
10 colleague
Spelling words in English can be difcult for
learners because sometimes a word is very
similar to a word in their own language but
is not spelled the same. This is why French
learners of English, for example, spell success
with only one s, or colleague without an a.
Another thing that makes spelling difcult
is that some words in English do not sound
exactly as they are spelled. In the word
denitely, for example, the second i sounds
more like an a. It is important that students
of English learn these differences.
The Top 10 Uncountable Noun Mistakes
An uncountable noun is a noun such as
furniture, music, health or happiness that
has no plural form and is not a singular noun.
Because uncountable nouns have no singular
or plural form, they cannot be used with a,
an, many, few, several etc. At an entry for an
uncountable noun in this dictionary you will
see the grammar code [U] and at an entry for
a countable noun, you will see the grammar
code [C]. At an entry for a noun that can be
both countable and uncountable, you will see
the grammar code [C OR U]. For examples of
these, see the entries below:
"
adjective with special permission not to do or pay
something: Goods exempt from this tax include books
and childrens clothes.
*
Pregnant women are exempt
from dental charges under the current health system.
Word partners for exercise healthy activity
do/get/take exercise . be good exercise . daily/
regular exercise . strenuous/vigorous exercise
. gentle/light/moderate exercise . a form of exercise
. an exercise class/programme/routine
Word partners for exercise practice
perform/take part in an exercise . the aim/object/
point/purpose of the exercise . a futile/pointless
exercise . a useful/worthwhile exercise . an exercise
in sth
exercise /"ek.s@.saIz/ /-s -/
"
noun healthy activityk1
.
E [Cor U] physical activ-
ity that you do to make your body strong and healthy:
Swimming is my favourite form of exercise.
*
You really
should take more exercise.
*
I do stomach exercises most
days. practicek2
.
E [C] an action or actions intended
to improve something or make something happen:
Ships from eight navies will be taking part in an exercise
in the Pacific to improve their efficiency in combat.
*
It
would be a useful exercise for you to say the speech aloud
several times.
*
an exercise in public relations 3
.
E [C] a
short piece of written work which you do to practise
something you are learning: The book has exercises at
the end of every chapter. usek 4 [U] formal the use of
something: The exercise of restraint may well be difficult.
ceremonyk 5 exercises [plural] us formal a ceremony
which includes speeches and usually traditional music
or activities: graduation exercises
Common mistake: exercise
Warning: Check your spelling!
Exercise is one of the 50 words most often spelled
wrongly by learners.
"
verb do healthy activityk1
.
I [I or T] to do physi-
cal activities to make your body strong and healthy: She
exercises most evenings usually by running.
*
Awork-out
in the gym will exercise all the major muscle groups. 2 [T]
If you exercise an animal, you make it walk or run so
that it stays strong and healthy: Now hes retired he
spends most afternoons exercising his dogs. usek 3
.
A
[T] formal to use something: I exercised my democratic
right by not voting in the election.
*
Always exercise cau-
tion when handling radioactive substances.
*
Weve
decided to exercise the option (= use the part of a legal
agreement) to buy the house we now lease.
"
idiom exercise your mind formal to worry you: The
whole situation is exercising our minds greatly.
Lexercise Kbike noun [C] a machine for taking exercise
which looks similar to and is used like a bicycle but
does not move from one place
exert /Ig"z3;t/ /-"z ;t/ verb usek1 [T] to use something
such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to
make something happen: If you were to exert your influ-
ence they might change their decision.
*
Some managers
exert considerable pressure on their staff to work extra
hours without being paid. make an effortk 2 exert
yourself [R] to make a mental or physical effort: I was
too tired to exert myself.
exertion /Ig"z3;.S
@
n/ /-"z ;-/ noun effortk 1 [C or U]
when you make a lot of mental or physical effort: I get
out of breath with any kind of physical exertion.
*
We
were exhausted after our exertions. usek2[U] whenyou
use something such as authority, power, influence, etc.
in order to make something happen: the exertion of
influence over who was appointed to the job
exfoliant /eks"f@U.li.
@
nt/ /-"foU-/ noun [C or U] a sub-
stance with which you exfoliate
exfoliate /eks"f@U.li.eIt/ /-"foU-/ verb [I or T] to remove
dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, in order to
improve the appearance . exfoliation /eks%f@U.li"eI.S
@
n/
/-%foU-/ noun [U]
ex gratia /eks"greI.S@/ adjective, adverb formal An ex
gratia payment is not necessary, especially legally, but
is made to show good intentions: Ex gratia payments
were made to all those who had been affected by the spil-
lage.
exhale /eks"heIl/ /"--/ verb [I or T] formal to send air out
of your lungs: Take a deep breath in then exhale into the
mouthpiece. cCompare inhale . exhalation /%eks.h@"leI.-
S
@
n/ noun [C or U]
exhaust /Ig"zO;st/ /-"zA;st/
"
verb [T] tirek 1
.
A to make someone extremely
tired: The long journey exhausted the children.
*
Ive
exhausted myself with all that cleaning. usek 2 to use
something completely: How long will it be before the
worlds fuel supplies are exhausted?
*
Im afraid hes
exhausted my patience.
*
We seem to have exhausted
this topic of conversation (= we have nothing new to
say about it).
"
noun [U] the waste gas from an engine, especially a
cars, or the pipe the gas flows through: Car exhaust is
the main reason for the citys pollution. cSee picture The
Car on page P20
exhausted /Ig"zO;.stId/ /-"zA;-/ adjective
.
I extremely
tired: Exhausted, they fell asleep.
*
By the time they
reached the summit they were exhausted.
exhaustible /Ig"zO;.stI.bl0 / /-"zA;-/ adjective describes
supplies of something which can be used completely
so there are none left: It is clear that many of the Earths
resources are exhaustible.
exhausting /Ig"zO;.stIN/ /-"zA;-/ adjective
.
I making
you feel extremely tired: Ive had an exhausting day.
exhaustion/Ig"zO;s.tS
@
n/ /-"zA;-/ noun [U]
.
A whenyou
are extremely tired: She felt ill with/from exhaustion.
exhaustive /Ig"zO;.stIv/ /-"zA;-/ adjective complete or
thorough: an exhaustive study/report . exhaustively
/Ig"zO;.stIv.li/ /-"zA;-/ adverb The survey was exhaus-
tively documented.
exLhaust Kpipe noun [C] (us usually tailpipe) the pipe at
the back of a vehicle through which waste gas escapes
from the engine
exhibit /Ig"zIb.It/
"
verb [I or T]
.
A to show something publicly: He fre-
quently exhibits at the art gallery.
*
In the summer the
academy will exhibit several prints which are rarely seen.
*
He exhibited great self-control considering her rude-
ness.
"
noun [C] 1 an object such as a painting that is shown
to the public: The museum has a fascinating collection of
exhibits ranging from Iron Age pottery to Inuit clothing.
2 legal a thing used as evidence (= proof that some-
thing is true) in a trial: Is exhibit Cthe weapon which you
say was used?
exhibition /%ek.sI"bIS.
@
n/
"
noun [C or U]
.
I when objects such as paintings are
shown to the public, or when someone shows a partic-
ular skill or quality to the public: The photographs will
be on exhibition until the end of the month.
*
Theres a
new exhibition of sculpture on at the city gallery.
*
The
athletes third, and winning, jump was an exhibition of
skill and strength.
"
idiom make an exhibition of yourself disapproving to do
something stupid in public: I hope I didnt make an
exhibition of myself last night.
exhibitionism/%ek.sI"bIS.
@
n.I.z
@
m/ noun [U] 1 disapproving
behaviour which tries to attract attention: Its exhibi-
tionism to flaunt wealth so blatantly. 2 formal when
someone shows their sexual organs in public
exhibitionist /%ek.sI"bIS.
@
n.Ist/ noun [C] 1 someone who
tries to attract attention to themselves by their beha-
exercise Important words to learn:
.
E Essential
.
I Improver
.
A Advanced
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
488
ger and cooler: The wind is expected to freshen as it
moves in from the east. drinkk 3 [T] (also freshen up)
mainly us If you freshen someones especially alcoholic
drink, you add more to it: Here, let me freshen your
drink.
"
phrasal verbs freshen (sb/sth) up [M] to make some-
one or something clean and pleasant: Would you like to
freshen up after your journey?
*
[R] Imjust going to have
a shower to freshen myself up.
freshen sth up [M] to make something different and
more interesting or attractive: The Prime Minister has
freshened up her Cabinet with a few new faces.
fresher /"freS.@
r
/ /- / noun [C] uk informal a student
who has recently started studying at a college or uni-
versity
fresh-faced /"freS.feIst/ adjective looking young: fresh-
faced 18- and 19-year-old soldiers
freshly /"freS.li/ adverb recently done: freshly baked bread
*
freshly made sandwiches
*
freshly washed hair
freshman/"freS.m@n/ noun [C] us 1 (informal frosh) a stu-
dent in the first year of high school, college, or uni-
versity: Hes a freshman at Harvard.
*
Greg and Jody
met in their freshman year at college and married soon
after they graduated. 2 someone who has recently
started any particular job or activity: a freshman in
Congress
*
a freshman football player
freshwater /"freS%wO;.t@
r
/ /-%wA;.8 / adjective [before
noun] living in or containing water that is not salty:
freshwater fish
*
a freshwater lake/river cCompare salt
water
fret /fret/
"
verb [I] (-tt-) to be nervous or worried: Dont fret - Im
sure hes OK.
*
She spent the day fretting about/over
what shed said to Nicky.
"
noun [C] any of the small raised metal bars across the
long thin part of a stringed musical instrument such as
a guitar, that showyou where to put your fingers on the
strings in order to produce different notes cSee picture
Music on page P25 . fretted /"fret.Id/ /"fre8-/ adjective
Guitars and lutes are fretted musical instruments.
fretboard /"fret.bO;d/ /-bO;rd/ noun [C] a fingerboard
(= long strip of wood on a stringed musical instrument
against whichthe strings are pressed) withfrets such as
on a guitar c See picture Music on page P25
fretful /"fret.f
@
l/ adjective behaving in a way that shows
you are unhappy, worried or uncomfortable: By mid-
night the children were tired and fretful (= complaining
a lot because they were unhappy). . fretfully /"fret.f
@
l.i/
adverb
fretsaw /"fret.sO;/ /-sA;/ noun [C] a saw for cutting
curves and inside corners in wood
fretwork /"fret.w3;k/ /-w ;k/ noun [U] decorative open
patterns especially cut out of wood or metal or made in
embroidery
Freudian /"frOI.di.@n/ adjective relating to the ideas or
methods of Sigmund Freud, especially his ideas about
the way in whichpeoples hidden thoughts and feelings
influence their behaviour
KFreudian Lslipnoun [C] something which you say by acci-
dent which is different from what you intended to say,
and which seems to show your true thoughts
FRG /ef.A;"gi;/ /-A;r-/ noun [U] abbreviation for (the
country which used to be called the) Federal Republic
of Germany
Fri noun written abbreviation for Friday
friable /"fraI.@.bl0 / adjective specialized easily broken into
small pieces
friar /fraI@
r
/ /fraIr/ noun [C] a man belonging to one of
several Roman Catholic religious groups, whose mem-
bers often promise to stay poor
friary /"fraI@.ri/ /"fraI .i/ noun [C] a building in which
friars live
fricassee /"frIk.@.si;/ noun [C or U] a dish made of pieces
of meat, especially chicken or veal (= meat from young
cows) cooked and served in a white sauce
friction /"frIk.S
@
n/ noun [U] forcek 1 the force which
makes it difficult for one object to slide along the sur-
face of another or to move through a liquid or gas:
When you rub your hands together the friction produces
heat. disagreementk2 disagreement or unfriendliness
caused by people having different opinions: Theres a
lot of friction between my wife and my mother.
*
Politics
is a source of considerable friction in our family.
*
Border
clashes have led to increased friction between the two
countries. . frictional /"frIk.S
@
n.
@
l/ adjective
Friday /"fraI.deI/ noun [C or U] (written abbreviation Fri)
.
E the day of the week after Thursday and before
Saturday: Shall we go to the theatre on Friday?
*
I love
Fridays because I leave work early.
fridge /frIdZ/ noun [C] (also refrigerator, us old-fashioned
ice-box)
.
A a piece of kitchen equipment which uses
electricity to preserve food at a cold temperature: Dont
forget to put the milk back in the fridge. c See picture In
the Kitchen on page P1
fridge-freezer /%frIdZ"fri;.z@
r
/ /-z / noun [C] (us
usually refrigerator-freezer) a piece of kitchen equip-
ment divided into two parts which are used to keep
food fresh, one of which is a fridge and the other a
freezer
Lfridge Kmagnet noun [C] a small decorative magnet used
for fastening messages and notes to a fridge
fried /fraId/ adjective cooked in hot oil or fat: a fried egg
Word partners for friend
have / find / make friends . be / become friends with
sb . sbs best /closest /oldest friend
friend /frend/
"
noun [C] person you likek 1
.
E a person who you
knowwell and who youlike a lot, but who is usually not
a member of your family: Shes my best/oldest/closest
friend - weve knowneach other since we were five.
*
Hes
a family friend/friend of the family.
*
This restaurant
was recommended to me by a friend of mine.
*
Weve
been friends for years.
*
Jose and Pilar are (good) friends
of ours.
*
Were (good) friends with Jose and Pilar.
*
She
said that she and Peter were just (good) friends (= they
were not having a sexual relationship).
*
Ive made a lot
of friends in this job.
*
He finds it difficult to make
friends. cSee also befriend 2 someone who is not an
enemy and who you can trust: You dont have to pretend
anymore - youre among friends now. person giving
moneyk 3 someone who gives money to a theatre,
other arts organization or charity in order to support
it: The Friends of the Royal Academy raised 10 000
towards the cost of the exhibition.
"
idioms Afriend in need (is a friend indeed). saying This
means that a friend who helps you when you really
need help is a true friend. . have friends in high places
to know important people who can help you get what
you want . What are friends for? (also Thats what
friends are for.) saying said to a friend who has thanked
you for doing something special for them. With friends
like you, who needs enemies? humorous saying said to or
about someone who says he or she is your friend but
who is treating you very badly
Common mistake: friend
Warning: Choose the correct verb!
To talk about starting a friendly relationship with
someone, dont say meet/find/get friends, say make
friends:
If you dont speak English, its hard to meet friends.
If you dont speak English, its hard to make friends.
Important words to learn:
.
E Essential
.
I Improver
.
A Advanced friend
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F
573
obj + -ing verb] I sit by the
window and watch people
walking past.
*
[+
question word] Just watch
how he slides that ball in
past the goalkeeper.
*
Bonner watched
helplessly as the ball
sneaked in at the near
post.
*
Shell pretend that
she hasnt seen us - you
watch. 2
.
A [T] to stay with something or someone
such as a child for a short time to make certain that
they are safe: If you want me to watch the kids for a
couple of hours while you go out, just let me know.
*
Could you watch my bags for me, while I go to the toilet?
be carefulk3
.
A [T] tobe careful of something: I have
to watch my weight (= be careful not to become too
heavy) now Im not doing so much sport.
*
Watch your
language (= Do not use rude words) in front of ladies,
young man!
*
[+ (that)] Watch (that) you dont get glue
on your fingers, wont you?
*
[+ question word] Watch
what youre doing with that knife, Jim, its sharp.
*
You
want to (= You should) watch him- hes a bit of a strange
character.
"
idioms watch your back to be careful of the people
around you, making certain that they do nothing to
harm you: I have to watch my back at work - there are a
lot of people who would like my job. . watch your step to
be very careful about how you behave: Hell have to
watch his step if he wants to keep that job of his!
. watch it informal used to tell someone to be careful:
Watch it, you nearly knocked my head off with that plank!
. watch paint dry informal humorous used to refer to an
activity that you consider extremely boring: "So you
dont want to watch the football?" "To be honest I would
rather watch paint dry". . watch the clock disapproving to
often notice the time and wish that it was later, espe-
cially when you are doing work that you do not like
. watch the world go by to look at people as they go
past: I love sitting in outdoor cafes watching the world
go by. . watch this space If someone says watch this
space, they mean that there will very soon be an excit-
ing change in their situation.
"
phrasal verbs watch out
.
I used to warn someone of
danger or an accident that seems likely to happen:
"Watch out!" he shouted, but it was too late - she had
knocked the whole tray of drinks on the floor.
watch out for sb/sth to be careful to notice someone or
something interesting: Watch out for his latest movie,
which comes out next month.
watch over sb to protect someone and make certain that
they are safe: The prince has two bodyguards watching
over him every hour of the day.
"
noun small clockk 1
.
E [C] a small clock which is
worn on a strap around the wrist or, sometimes, con-
nected to a piece of clothing by a chain: My watch seems
to have stopped - it says 10:15 but Imsure it must be later.
*
He glanced nervously at his watch. lookingk2
.
A [S
or U] when you watch or give attention to something or
someone, especially to make certain nothing bad hap-
pens: Once your name has been linked with a drug
offence, the police keep a close watch on you.
*
The sol-
diers slept at night, except for one who stayed awake on
watch/to keep watch. 3 [S] a person or group of soldiers
or guards whose duty is to protect a person, place or
thing from danger or attack 4 [C] a fixed period of time
during which a person or a group of soldiers or guards
has the duty of protecting and warning of danger
"
idiom a watch out when you watch carefully and look
for someone or something: Keep a watch out for Nicki
and Steve - they should be here somewhere.
watchable /"wQtS.@.bl0 / /"wA;.tS@-/ adjective informal
approving describes a television programme or film
that is entertaining: Its not the most profound series
Ive ever seen but its very watchable.
watchdog /"wQtS.dQg/ /"wA;tS.dA;g/ noun [C] organi-
zationk 1 a person or organization responsible for
making certain that companies obey particular stan-
dards and do not act illegally: The Countryside Commis-
sion was set up as the governments official watchdog on
conservation. dogk2 us for guard dog
-watcher /-wQtS.@
r
/ /-wA;.tS / suffix used with nouns
to describe a person who is interested in and enjoys
watching a particular thing: Royal-watchers have once
again been speculating on the health of the princess.
watcher /"wQtS.@
r
/ /"wA;.tS / noun [C] a person who
watches television or films: The new channel is certainly
good news for the movie watcher. cSee also viewer
watchful /"wQtS.f
@
l/ /"wA;tS-/ adjective paying careful
attention and ready to deal with problems: Under the
watchful eye of their mother, the two boys played on the
shore.
*
She keeps a watchful eye on her husband to see
that he behaves himself. . watchfully /"wQtS.f
@
l.i/
/"wA;tS-/ adverb . watchfulness /"wQtS.f
@
l.n@s/
/"wA;tS-/ noun [U]
watchman /"wQtS.m@n/ /"wA;tS-/ noun [C] a person
who is employed to guard a building or several build-
ings
watchstrap /"wQtS.str&p/ /"wA;tS-/ noun [C] mainly uk
(us watchband) a strip of leather or other material or a
metal chain which fastens a watch onto your wrist
watchtower /"wQtS%taU@
r
/ /"wA;tS%taUr/ noun [C] a
tower built especially around the edges of prisons and
army camps, the top of which provides a good position
from which to see anyone who is coming close
watchword /"wQtS.w3;d/ /"wA;tS.w ;d/ noun [C usually
singular] (a word or phrase which represents) the main
ideas or principles directing the way that someone
behaves or the way that something is done: And remem-
ber, let caution be your watchword.
water /"wO;.t@
r
/ /"wA;.8 /
"
noun 1
.
E [U] a clear liquid, without colour or taste,
which falls from the sky as rain and is necessary for
animal and plant life: a bottle/drink/glass of water
*
bottled/mineral/tap water
*
hot/cold water
*
Can I
have a drop of water in my whiskey, please?
*
Is the
water hot enough for a bath?
*
The human body is
about 50% water. 2
.
E [U] an area of water, such as
the sea, a lake or a swimming pool: The waters much
warmer today - are you coming for a swim?
*
I like swim-
ming but I dont like getting my head under (= in) water.
*
Dad, I swam a whole length of the pool under water
(= with the whole head and body below the surface of
the water)! 3 [U] the level of an area of water: High
water this morning at Portsmouth is at 11.17 a.m. 4waters
[plural] a the area of sea near to and belonging to a
particular country: St Lucia depends on its clean coastal
waters because fishing and tourism provide much of its
income. b the water contained in a particular lake, river
or section of sea: In the shallow waters of the Gulf of
Mexico, oil rigs attract shoals of fish, and fishermen too.
c uk (us water) the liquid that surrounds a baby inside a
pregnant womans womb: At 3 a.m. her waters broke,
and the baby was born soon after. 5 the waters [plural]
old use water from a spring, especially when used for
drinking or swimming in, in order to improve the
health: People used to come to this city to take (= drink
and swim in) the waters.
"
idioms water off a ducks back mainly disapproving cri-
ticisms of or warnings to a particular person that have
no effect on that person: Ive told him that hes heading
for trouble, but he doesnt listen - its just water off a
ducks back. . water under the bridge problems that
someone has had in the past that they do not worry
about because they happened a long time ago and can-
not now be changed: Yes, we did have our disagreements
Important words to learn:
.
E Essential
.
I Improver
.
A Advanced water
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
W
1639
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 3rd edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
Here are some examples of typical mistakes
that students make with uncountable nouns,
followed by the correct way to say each
sentence:
He gave me an advice.
He gave me some advice.
*He gave me a piece of advice.
He gave me a lot of advices.
He gave me many advices.
He gave me a lot of advice.
*Note that you can make some of these nouns
countable by adding a phrase such as piece
of or item of before the noun, e.g. She gave
me two very useful pieces of advice.
The words numbered 110 below, taken from
the Cambridge Learner Corpus, are the ten
uncountable nouns that advanced students
most often use wrongly as if they were
countable.
Uncountable noun
1 information pieces of information
2 advice pieces of advice
3 transport methods of transport
4 equipment pieces of equipment
5 behaviour* types of behaviour
6 research* pieces of research
7 training
8 knowledge
9 software pieces of software
10 accommodation
*These words also have meanings that can be
made plural. See the main dictionary for these.
Although a lot of languages have words that
do not have a plural form, these are not always
the same words in different languages. The
words for furniture in German, Russian and
Italian, for example, all have a plural form.
Therefore it is easy for learners of English to
make mistakes with uncountable nouns.
The Top 10 Mistakes Using Nouns
With Irregular Plurals
To make most countable nouns plural in
English, you usually add an s at the end, for
example, dog dogs. However, some nouns
do not follow this rule and have an irregular
plural form. The following list shows the ten
nouns with irregular plural forms that cause
the most difculty for advanced learners
of English. The words on the left show the
singular form of the noun and the words on
the right show the correct plural form:
Singular Plural
1 life lives
2 child children
3 belief beliefs
4 country countries
5 company companies
6 hero heroes
7 wife wives
8 city cities
9 sheep sheep
10 activity activities
Note that in this dictionary an entry for a
noun with an irregular plural form will show
the plural form at the start of the entry:
Lchewing Kgumnoun [U]
.
A a sweet that you keepinyour
mouth and chewto get its flavour, but whichyoudo not
swallow: Would you like a piece/stick of chewing gum?
chewy /"tSu;.i/ adjective describes food that needs to be
chewed (= crushed with the teeth) a lot before it is
swallowed: The meat was tasteless and chewy.
chi /tSi;/ noun [U] (also chi, or qi) in some systems of
Chinese medicine and exercise, the most important
energy that a person has
chiaroscuro /ki%A;.r@"skU@.r@U/ /-%A;r.@"skjUr.oU/ noun
[U] specialized the use of areas of light and darkness in a
painting: Caravaggio is famous for his use of chiaroscuro.
chic /Si;k/ adjective stylish and fashionable: I like your
haircut - its very chic.
*
a chic restaurant . chic noun
[U] British politicians are not renowned for their chic.
chicane /SI"keIn/ noun [C] specialized a piece of road with
severe bends like an S, which forces drivers to go more
slowly, especially in motor racing
chicanery /SI"keI.n
@
r.i/ /-n -/ noun [U] formal clever,
dishonest talk or behaviour which is used to deceive
people: The investigation revealed political chicanery
and corruption at the highest levels.
Chicano /tSI"kA;.n@U/ /-noU/ noun [C] (plural Chicanos)
informal someone living in the US who was born in
Mexico or whose parents came from Mexico
chichi /"Si;.Si/ adjective informal disapproving trying too
hard to be decorated in a stylish or attractive way and
therefore having no real style or beauty: They live in a
rather chichi part of town.
chick /tSIk/ noun [C] birdk 1 a baby bird, especially a
young chicken womank2 slang a young woman. This
word is considered offensive by many women.
chicken /"tSIk.In/
"
noun birdk1
.
E [Cor U] a type of bird kept on a farm
for its eggs or its meat, or the meat of this bird which is
cooked and eaten: A male chicken is called a cock and a
female chicken is called a hen.
*
Were having roast/fried
chicken for dinner. personk 2 [C] informal a coward
(= person who is not brave): Jump, you chicken!
"
idioms a chicken and egg situation informal a situation
in which it is impossible to say which of two things
existed first and which caused the other one . play
chicken slang to play dangerous games in order to dis-
cover who is the bravest
"
adjective [after verb] childs word not brave; cowardly:
Why wont you jump? Are you chicken?
"
phrasal verb chicken out slang disapproving to decide
not to do something because you are too frightened: I
was going to go bungee jumping, but I chickened out.
chickenfeed /"tSIk.In.fi;d/ noun [U] informal a small and
not important amount of money: Theyre losing $200
000 on this deal, but thats chickenfeed to/for a company
with yearly profits of $25 million.
chickenpox /"tSIk.In.pQks/ /-pA;ks/ noun [U] an infec-
tious disease that causes a slight fever and red spots on
the skin: Chickenpox is common among children.
chickenshit /"tSIk.In.SIt/ noun [C], adjective us slang dis-
approving for chicken (PERSON) (= a person who is not
brave) Cmon, dont be such a chickenshit - just go up and
ask her to dance.
Lchicken Kwire noun [U] netting (= material in the form
of a net) made of metal wire, which was originally used
to make closed areas for chickens
Lchick Kflick noun [C] informal humorous a film about rela-
tionships, romance, etc. that attracts mainly women
Lchick Klit noun [U] informal humorous stories written by
women, about women, for women to read
chickpea /"tSIk.pi;/ noun [C] uk (us garbanzo bean) a hard
pale brown round bean which can be cooked and eaten
chicory /"tSIk.
@
r.i/ /- -/ noun [U] 1 (us also endive, aus-
tralian also witlof) a vegetable with white leaves that
taste bitter and are eaten raw in salads 2 a powder
made from the root of this plant and added to or used
instead of coffee
chide /tSaId/ verb [T] formal to speak to someone
severely because they have behaved badly: She chided
him for his bad manners.
chief /tSi;f/
"
adjective [before noun] most importantk1
.
I most
important or main: The chief problemwe have in the area
now is the spread of disease.
*
The weather was our chief
reason for coming here. person in chargek2 highest in
rank: the chief fire officer/accountant
"
noun [C]
.
A the person in charge of a group or orga-
nization, or the ruler of a tribe: a police chief
*
A new
chief of the security forces has just been appointed.
*
[as
form of address] uk humorous Can you sign this form for
me, chief?
"
idiomtoo many chiefs and not enough Indians informal
too many managers and not enough people to do the
work
Kchief Lconstable noun [C usually singular] in Britain, the
police officer in charge of the police in a particular area
Kchief exLecutive noun [Cusually singular] the person with
the most important position in a company: Shes the
chief executive of one of the countrys largest charities.
the KChief ELxecutive noun [S] us the president of the
United States
Kchief eKxecutive Lofficer noun [C] (abbreviation CEO) the
person with the most important position in a company
Kchief Ljustice noun [C usually singular] the most impor-
tant judge of a court of law, especially a very important
court in a country
chiefly /"tSi;.fli/ adverb mainly: The island chiefly attracts
upmarket tourists.
*
magazines intended chiefly for teen-
agers
Kchief of Lstaff noun [C] one of the highest-ranking offi-
cers in the armed forces
chieftain /"tSi;f.t
@
n/ noun [C] the leader of a tribe
chiffon /"SIf.Qn/ /SI"fA;n/
"
noun [U] a very thin, almost transparent cloth of silk
or nylon
"
adjective [before noun] us describes food which is
made light, especially by adding the clear part of eggs
which have been beaten: lemon chiffon pie
chignon /"Si;.njQ/ /-njA;n/ noun [C] a womans hair-
style where the hair is arranged in a knot or roll at the
back of her head
chihuahua /tSI"wA;.w@/ noun [C] a very small dog with
large eyes and smooth hair
chilblain /"tSIl.bleIn/ noun [C] a painful red swelling on
the toes or fingers, caused by cold weather
child /tSaIld/ (plural children)
"
noun [C] 1
.
E a boy or girl fromthe time of birth until
he or she is an adult, or a son or daughter of any age: an
eight-year-old child
*
As a child I didnt eat vegetables.
*
A small group of children waited outside the door.
*
Both her children are now married with children of
their own.
*
Jan is married with three young children.
*
They campaign for the rights of the unborn child.
cSee also brainchild 2disapproving anadult whobehaves
badly, like a badly behaved child: Hes such a child if he
doesnt get his own way. 3 a child of sth someone who
has been very influenced by a particular period or situa-
tion: Me, Im a child of the sixties.
"
idioms be childs play informal to be very easy: Using
computers nowadays is childs play compared to how dif-
ficult they were to use twenty years ago. . Children should
be seen and not heard. saying said to emphasize that you
think children should behave well and be quiet
. (great) with child old use (very) pregnant
Lchewing Kgum Important words to learn:
.
E Essential
.
I Improver
.
A Advanced
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
234
The Top 10 Irregular Verb Mistakes
The following list from the Cambridge
Learner Corpus shows the ten irregular verbs
that cause the most difculty for advanced
students of English. The bold letters in this
list show you the letters in these verbs forms
that students most often get wrong:
Verb Correct inection
1 write writing
2 pay paid
3 occur occurred
4 study studying
5 develop developed
6 choose chosen
7 be being
8 happen happened
9 rise rose
10 prefer preferred
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 3rd edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
Writing essays
Note that in this dictionary an entry for an
irregular verb will show the irregular forms at
the start of the entry.
feel excited . Lglue Ksniffing noun [U] Drugs, glue sniffing
and under-age drinking are prevalent amongst the older
teenagers.
gluey /"glu;.i/ adjective (gluier, gluiest) covered with glue
glum/glVm/ adjective (glummer, glummest) informal 1 dis-
appointed or unhappy, and quiet: You look glum. Whats
up?
*
Hes very glum about the companys prospects.
. glumly /"glVm.li/ adverb "Ill never find another job at
my age," she said glumly. . glumness /"glVm.n@s/ noun
[U]
glut /glVt/ noun [C] a supply of something that is much
greater than can be sold or is needed or wanted: The fall
in demand for coffee could cause a glut on/in the market.
*
The current glut of graduates means that many of them
will not be able to find jobs. . glut verb [T often passive]
(-tt-) Higher mortgage rates and over-building left some
markets glutted with unsold houses.
gluten /"glu;.t
@
n/ /-8
@
n/ noun [U] a protein which is
contained in wheat and some other grains: a gluten-
free diet
glutinous /"glu;.tI.n@s/ /-8I-/ adjective sticky: Short-
grain rice turns into a soft glutinous mass when cooked.
glutton /"glVt.
@
n/ /"glV8-/ disapproving
"
noun [C] a person who regularly eats and drinks more
than is needed
"
idioms be a glutton for sth to like something very
much: Sophie is a glutton for books. . be a glutton for
punishment to be someone who seems to enjoy doing
something that you consider unpleasant: Hes a real
glutton for punishment, taking on all that extra work
without getting paid for it.
gluttonous /"glVt.
@
n.@s/ /"glV8-/ adjective disapproving
eating and drinking more than you need . gluttonously
/"glVt.
@
n.@.sli/ /"glV8-/ adverb
gluttony /"glVt.
@
n.i/ /"glV8-/ noun [U] disapproving when
people eat and drink more than they need to: They treat
Christmas as just another excuse for gluttony.
glyKcemic Lindex noun [S] (abbreviation GI) a system for
listing foods according to howquickly they increase the
level of sugar in your blood
glycerine, us also glycerin /"glIs.
@
r.i;n, -In/ /- .rIn/
noun [U] a colourless sweet thick liquid which is used
in making explosives and medicines and for making
foods sweet cCompare nitroglycerine
glycerol /"glIs.
@
.rQl/ /-rA;l/ noun [U] specialized glycer-
ine
glycogen/"glaI.k@U.dZ@n/ /-koU-/ noun [U] specialized a
substance found in the liver and muscles which stores
carbohydrate and is important in controlling sugar
levels in the blood
gmnoun written abbreviation for gram
GM /%dZi;"em/ adjective [before noun] abbreviation for
genetically modified
KGM Lfood noun [C or U] genetically modified food: food
from crops whose genes have been scientifically chan-
ged: Agricultural companies have failed to convince con-
sumers that GM foods are safe.
GMO /%dZi;.em"@U/ /-"oU/ noun [C] abbreviation for
genetically modified organism: a plant or animal
whose genes have been scientifically changed
GMT /%dZi;.em"ti;/ noun [U] abbreviation for Greenwich
Mean Time
gnarled /nA;ld/ /nA;rld/ adjective rough and twisted,
especially because of old age or no protection from bad
weather: a gnarled tree trunk
*
The old man drew a long
gnarled finger across his throat.
gnat /n&t/ noun [C] a very small flying insect that bites
animals and people
gnaw/nO;/ /nA;/
"
verb [I + prep; T] bitek 1 to bite or chew something
repeatedly, usually making a hole in it or gradually
destroying it: Babies like to gnaw hard objects when
theyre teething.
*
A dog lay under the table, gnawing
on a bone. feel worriedk 2 to make you feel worried
or uncomfortable: The feeling that Ive forgotten some-
thing has been gnawing at me all day.
"
phrasal verb gnaw away at sth to gradually reduce or
spoil something: Bad debts are continuing to gnaw away
at the banks profits.
gnawing /"nO;.IN/ /"nA;-/ adjective continuously
uncomfortable, worrying or painful: Ive had gnawing
doubts about this project for some time.
*
After three
days, we felt an agonizing, gnawing hunger.
gneiss /naIs/ noun [U] specialized a type of metamorphic
rock that contains light and dark bands formed of
minerals such as quartz and mica
gnocchi /"njQk.i/ /"njA;.ki/ plural noun small round
balls made from potato or wheat flour mixed with
water, that you eat in soup or with sauce
gnome /n@Um/ /noUm/ noun [C] 1 an imaginary, very
small, old man with a beard and a pointed hat, in tradi-
tional childrens stories 2 a model of a gnome used as a
garden decoration: I dont think garden gnomes are in
very good taste. 3 the gnomes of Zurich literary the
powerful bankers (= people who own or control
banks) from Switzerland who control a lot of money,
much of it belonging to foreign governments
gnomic /"n@U.mIk/ /"noU-/ adjective formal describes
something spoken or written that is short, mysterious
and not easily understood, but often seems wise: Peter
is always coming out with gnomic utterances/pronounce-
ments.
GNP /%dZi;.en"pi;/ noun [U] specialized abbreviation for
Gross National Product: the total value of goods and
services produced by a country in one year, including
profits made in foreign countries cCompare GDP
gnu /nu;/ noun [C] (plural gnu or gnus) a large African
animal with a long tail and horns that curve to the
sides, which lives in areas covered with grass
go /g@U/ /goU/
"
verb (going, went, gone)
move/travelk 1
.
E [I usually + adv/prep] to travel or
move to another place: We went into the house.
*
I went
to Paris last summer. Have you ever been there?
*
We
dont go to the cinema very oftenthese days.
*
Wouldnt it
be quicker to go by train?
*
Does this train go to New-
castle?
*
Where do you think youre going? Shouldnt you
be at school? 2
.
E [I usually + adv/prep] to be in the
process of moving: Cant we go any faster?
*
We were
going along at about 50 miles an hour.
*
to go down the
road
*
to go up/down stairs
*
to go over the bridge
*
to
go through a tunnel
*
figurative Ive got a tune going
around/round in my head (= I am continually hearing
it) and I just cant remember the name of it. 3
.
E [I] to
move or travel somewhere in order to do something:
[+ -ing verb] We go shopping every Friday night.
*
Ive
never gone skiing.
*
Theyve gone for a walk, but they
should be back soon.
*
[+ to infinitive] Shes gone to meet
Brian at the station.
*
Theres a good film on at the
Odeon. Shall we go? 4 where has/have sth gone?
.
A
said when you cannot find something: Where have my
keys gone?
leavek5
.
E [I] to leave a place, especially in order to
travel to somewhere else: Is it midnight already? I really
must go/must be going.
*
She wasnt feeling well, so she
went home early.
*
mainly uk What time does the last
train to Bath go?
*
Im afraid hell have to go (= be dis-
missed from his job) - hes far too inefficient to continue
working for us.
*
This carpets terribly old and worn - it
really will have to go (= be got rid of). 6 to go
.
A mainly
us If you ask for some food to go at a restaurant, you
want it wrapped up so that you can take it away with
you instead of eating it in the restaurant: Id like a
cheeseburger and strawberry milk shake to go, please.
gluey Important words to learn:
.
E Essential
.
I Improver
.
A Advanced
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
612
Collocation Mistakes
A collocation is a combination of two or more
words that are frequently used together. In
this dictionary, collocations are shown in
the example sentences that come after the
denitions. You will see them clearly because
they are shown in bold letters:
tions, trains, etc: a railway station/timetable/siding, etc.
*
Thomas Grant worked on the railway(s) for fifty years.
raiment /"reI.m@nt/ noun [U] old use clothes
rain /reIn/
"
noun [U] 1
.
E drops of water from clouds: Rain is
forecast for tomorrow.
*
Come inside out of the rain.
*
We had heavy/light rain all day.
*
We got caught in
pouring/torrential (= a lot of) rain without either rain-
coats or umbrellas.
*
There will be showers of rain/rain
showers (= short periods of rain) in the east.
*
It looks
like rain (= as if rain is going to fall). 2 the rains [plural]
the season of the year in tropical countries when there
is a lot of rain: Villagers are now waiting for the rains to
come so that the rice will grow.
*
This is the third year in
a row that the rains have failed.
"
idiom come rain or shine whatever happens: Come
rain or shine, Ill see you on Thursday.
"
verb [I]
.
E If it rains, water falls fromthe sky in small
drops: I think its starting to rain.
*
Its raining hard/
heavily (= a large amount of rain is falling).
"
idioms It never rains but it pours. uk (us When it rains,
it pours.) saying said when one bad thing happens, fol-
lowed by a lot of other bad things, which make a bad
situation worse . Its raining cats and dogs! old-fash-
ioned something that you say when it is raining heavily
. rain on sbs parade to do something that spoils some-
ones plans: Im sorry to rain on your parade but youre
not allowed to have alcohol on the premises.
"
phrasal verbs rain (sth) down to fall in large amounts,
or to direct something in large amounts, usually force-
fully or violently: Bombs rained down on the besieged
city.
*
Her attacker rained down blows on her.
rain sth off uk (us rain sth out) If an event is rained off, it
cannot start or continue because it is raining: His
hockey match was rained off.
rainbow /"reIn.b@U/
/-boU/ noun [C]
.
A an
arch (= curved shape) of
different colours seen in
the sky when rain is
falling and the sun is
shining: The tropical
butterflys wings were
shimmering with all the
colours of the rainbow.
Lrain Kcheck us
"
noun [C] 1 a piece of paper that you are given by a
shop when something which is advertised for sale at a
certain price is not available. This piece of paper allows
you to buy the product at the advertised price when it
becomes available. 2 a ticket that allows you to see an
event at a later time if bad weather stops that event
from happening
"
idiom take a rain check (on sth) informal used to tell
someone that you cannot accept their invitation now,
but would like to do so at a later time: Mind if I take a
rain check on that drink? Ive got to work late tonight.
raincoat /"reIN.k@Ut/ /-koUt/ noun [C] a coat which
protects the wearer against rain: a plastic raincoat
raindrop/"reIn.drQp/ /-drA;p/ noun [C] a single drop of
rain
rainfall /"reIn.fO;l/ /-fA;l/ noun [U] rain, or the amount
of rain that falls: Heavy rainfall ruined the match.
*
The
average annual rainfall in this region: 750 mm.
rainforest mainly uk, mainly us rain forest /"reIn.fQr.Ist/
/-fO;r-/ noun [C or U]
.
A a forest in a tropical area
which receives a lot of rain: a tropical rainforest
Lrain Kgauge noun [C] a device for measuring how much
rain falls
rainstorm /"reIn.stO;m/ /-stO;rm/ noun [C] a weather
condition with strong wind and heavy rain
Lrain Kwater noun [U] water that has fallen as rain, rather
than water which has come from a tap
rainy /"reI.ni/
"
adjective raining a lot: We had three rainy days on holi-
day, but otherwise it was sunny.
"
idiom save/keep money for a rainy day to save money
for a time when it might be needed unexpectedly: Luck-
ily she had saved some money for a rainy day.
raise /reIz/
"
verb [T] liftk1
.
E to lift something to a higher posi-
tion: Would all those in favour please raise their hands?
*
He raised the window and leaned out.
*
Mary Quant
was the first fashion designer to raise hemlines. increa-
sek 2
.
E to cause something to increase or become
bigger, better, higher, etc: The government plan to raise
taxes.
*
I had to raise my voice (= speak more loudly) to
make myself heard over the noise.
*
The inspector said
that standards at the school had to be raised.
*
Our little
chat has raised my spirits (= made me feel happier).
existk 3
.
E to cause to exist: Her answers raised
doubts/fears/suspicions in my mind.
*
This discussion
has raised many important issues/problems.
*
The
announcement raised a cheer/laugh.
*
I want to raise
(= talk about) two problems/questions with you.
*
I
want to start my own business if I can raise (= obtain)
the money/cash/capital/funds.
*
formal The chapel was
raised (= built) as a memorial to her son. developk4
.
E
to take care of a person, or an animal or plant, until they
are completely grown: Her parents died when she was a
baby and she was raised by her grandparents.
*
The
lambs had to be raised by hand (= fed artificial milk by
people) when their mother died.
*
The farmer raises
(= breeds) chickens and pigs.
*
The soil around here
isnt good enough for raising (= growing) crops. card
gamesk 5 If you raise another player in a game of
cards, you risk more money than that player has risked:
Ill raise you.
*
[+ two objects] Ill raise you $50. stopk
6 formal to end or stop: They agreed to raise the trade
embargo if three conditions were met.
*
After three weeks
the siege was raised. communicatek7 to communicate
with someone, especially by telephone or radio: Ive
been trying to raise Jack/Tokyo all day.
"
idioms raise (a few) eyebrows to cause surprise or
shock: Jemmas miniskirt raised a few eyebrows at the
board meeting. . raise your game to make an effort to
improve the way that you do something: Theyre going
to have to raise their game if they want to stay in the
Premiership this season. . raise your hand to/against sb
to hit someone: Never raise your hand to a child.
"
noun [C] us for rise (= increase in pay) She asked the
boss for a raise.
-raiser /-reI.z@
r
/ /-z / suffix a person or thing that
causes the stated thing to exist or be obtained: a
money-raiser
*
These new taxes are designed to be a rev-
enue-raiser.
raisin /"reI.z
@
n/ noun [C] a dried black grape
raison de tre /%rez.A~ ;"det.r@/ /%reI.zA;n-/ noun [Cusually
singular] (plural raisons de tre) a reason for existence:
Her job is her raison detre.
the Raj /D@"rA;dZ/ noun [S]
the period of British rule
in India: the days of the
Raj
rajah /"rA;.dZ@/ noun [C] a
male Indian ruler cSee
also rani
rake /reIk/
"
noun [C] toolk1 a
garden tool with a long
handle and long pointed
metal parts sticking out
in a row at the bottom,
used for making the earth
level or for collecting
leaves, etc. mank2 old-
fashioned a man,
raiment Important words to learn:
.
E Essential
.
I Improver
.
A Advanced
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1172
As well as the collocations that you see in the
example sentences, you will nd collocations
in small blue boxes in the main dictionary.
These blue boxes have the words Word
partners for . . . at the top. Here is an example
of a Word partner box for the word house:
night)?
*
He returned in the early/small hours (= at
night, after midnight). 4 work long/regular/unsocial,
etc. hours used to describe how many hours in the day
you work or what part of the day you work: Shes a
nurse so she often works unsocial hours.
*
Hes paid
well but he works long hours. 5 for hours (and hours)
.
I informal for a very long time: I waited for him for
hours. 6 at all hours (of the day and night) disapproving
repeatedly during the day and the night: They keep ring-
ing me up at all hours (of the day and night).
"
idioms after hours after the usual hours of work . hour
after hour
.
A for many hours without stopping: I sat by
her bedside for hour after hour. . your hour has come
literary If you think your hour has come, you think
you are going to die: I thought my hour had come when
he pointed his gun at me. . (from) hour to hour If some-
thing changes from hour to hour, it is different every
hour. . in sbs hour of need literary when someone
urgently needs help: She helped me in my hour of need.
. out of hours mainly uk (us after hours) If you drink in a
bar out of hours, you drink alcohol at a time when it is
not allowed by law . till all hours disapproving very late:
He stays up drinking till all hours.
hourglass /"aU@.glA;s/
/"aUr.gl&s/ noun [C]
a glass container filled
with sand that takes one
hour to move from an
upper to a lower part
through a narrow
opening in the middle,
used especially in the
past to measure time
Lhourglass Kfigure noun [C
usually singular] If a
woman has an hourglass
figure, she has a very
small waist.
Lhour Khand noun [C usually
singular] the part on a
clock or watch which points to the hours. It is shorter
than the minute hand.
hourly /"aU@.li/ /"aUr-/
"
adjective 1
.
A done or happening every hour: Theres
an hourly bus service into town.
*
Take two tablets at
hourly intervals. 2 hourly fee/rate, etc. the amount that
is charged or earned every hour
"
adverb
.
A once every hour: Trains call here hourly.
Word partners for house
build / buy / rent / sell a house . a beautiful / fine /
derelict / rambling house . a terraced / semi-
detached /detached house
house
"
noun /haUs/ (plural houses /"haUzIz/ )
homek 1
.
E [C] a building which people, usually one
family, live in: a detached/semi-detached house
*
to buy/
rent a house
*
house prices
*
She lives in a little house uk
in/us on Cross Street. cSee also farmhouse; roadhouse
2 [Cusually singular] all the people living in a house: Try
not to wake the whole house when you come in! 3 [C] a
building where animals are kept: the monkey/lion house
at the zoo
*
a hen house 4 [C] a building or part of a
building which is used for a special purpose: the Sydney
Opera House
*
Broadcasting House
businessk 5 a business or organization of the stated
type, especially one that produces books or designs
clothes: a publishing house
*
a fashion house
*
uk a
curry house (= South Asian restaurant)
musick6 [U] (also house music) popular dance music
with a fast regular beat, usually produced on electronic
equipment: House music first appeared in the late 1980s.
school groupk 7 [C] uk any of a small number of
groups which the children in a school are put in for
sports and other competitions: an inter-house football
match
familyk 8 [C] an important family, especially a royal
one: The British Royal Family belong to the House of
Windsor.
politicsk9 [C] an organization which makes laws, or
its meeting place 10 the House the members of the
organization which makes laws: The House began sit-
ting at 3 p.m./rose at 2 a.m. 11 [S] the group of people
who suggest a subject for a debate: The motion for
tonights debate is, "This house believes that capital pun-
ishment should be abolished."
theatrek 12 [C] the people watching a performance,
especially in a theatre: The opera played to a full/packed
house.
"
idioms get on like a house on fire informal If two peo-
ple get on like a house on fire, they like each other very
much and become friends very quickly: I was worried
that they wouldnt like each other but in fact theyre get-
ting on like a house on fire. . get/put your own house in
order to solve your own problems: You should put your
own house in order before you start telling me what to do!
. go (all) round the houses uk to waste time doing or
asking something in a very complicated way . house of
cards a complicated organization or plan that is very
weak and can easily be destroyed or easily go wrong
. on the house If you have something on the house, it
is given to you free by a business: All the drinks were on
the house.
"
verb [T] /haUz/ to give a person or animal a place to
live, or to provide space for something: It will be difficult
to house all the refugees.
*
The museum houses the big-
gest collection of antique toys in Europe.
Lhouse arKrest noun under house arrest legally forced to
stay in your house as if it were a prison: The opposition
leader has just been put/placed under house arrest.
houseboat /"haUs.b@Ut/ /-boUt/ noun [C] a boat which
people use as their home, often kept in one place on a
river or canal
housebound/"haUs.baUnd/ adjective unable to leave your
home, especially because you are ill: Shes been house-
bound since the accident.
housebreaker /"haUs%breI.k@
r
/ /-k / noun [C] a person
who illegally enters a house in order to steal something
. housebreaking /"haUs%breI.kIN/ noun [U]
housebroken /"haUs%br@U.k
@
n/ /-%broU-/ adjective us
for house-trained
housebuyer /"haUs%baI.@
r
/ /- / noun [Cusually plural] a
person who wishes to buy, or is buying a house or other
form of place to live in
Lhouse Kcall noun [C] when a doctor or other health
worker comes to your home, usually to give treatment
LHouse ComKmittee noun [C] in the US, a group of
people chosen by the House of Representatives to
consider a particular matter: He appeared before the
House Committee on Space, Science and Technology.
housefly /"haUs.flaI/ noun [C] a small common fly often
found in houses
houseful /"haUs.fUl/ noun a lot of people or things in your
house: Weve got a houseful of visitors at the moment.
houseguest /"haUs.gest/ noun [C] mainly us a person
who stays at someone elses house for one or more
nights
household /"haUs.h@Uld/ /-hoUld/ noun [C; + sing/pl
verb]
.
A a group of people, often a family, who live
together: By the 1960s, most households had a TV.
*
household chores
*
household expenses
householder /"haUs%h@Ul.d@
r
/ /-%hoUl.d / noun [C] the
person who owns or is in charge of a house
Khousehold Lname noun [C] a famous person that most
people know of: He was a household name in the 1950s.
hourglass Important words to learn:
.
E Essential
.
I Improver
.
A Advanced
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
700
If you use common collocations when you are
writing and speaking, your English will sound
more natural and be easier to understand.
Remember that collocations exist in all
languages, but different words go together in
different languages. In some languages you
do a mistake, but in English, you make a
mistake. On the other hand, while in some
languages you make your homework, in
English you do your homework. Use the lists
below to learn how to avoid the most common
mistakes with collocations.
1 Verb + noun
This list shows you the ten mistakes that
advanced students most often make when
they choose a verb to go with a noun. In most
cases it is clear what the student means, but
the problem is that the combination of verb +
noun that they have used is not a collocation,
does not sound natural, and is considerd to be
incorrect. In each case, a more natural verb +
noun combination with the same meaning is
shown under the incorrect combination.
Noun 1 : experience
Example:
I know several people who have made
the same experience.
I know several people who have had the
same experience.
Noun: 2 friend
Example:
I found it difcult to nd friends and
felt very lonely.
I found it difcult to make friends
and felt very lonely.
Noun: 3 research
Example:
It is impossible to make any research
without the Internet.
It is impossible to do any research
without the Internet.
Noun: 4 work
Example:
Francesca makes her work very
efciently.
Francesca does her work very
efciently.
Noun: 5 mistake
Example:
People often do the same mistakes.
People often make the same mistakes.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 3rd edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
Noun: 6 survey
Example:
I made a survey of the level of job
satisfaction in our department.
I carried out/did a survey of the level
of job satisfaction in our department.
Noun: 7 effort
Example:
It is worth doing an effort to live a
healthier life.
It is worth making an effort to live a
healthier life.
Noun: 8 child/children/baby
Example:
They married young, got two children,
and led an ordinary life.
They married young, had two
children, and led an ordinary life.
Noun: 9 business
Example:
I spent two days in the ofce making
business by phone.
I spent two days in the ofce
conducting/doing business by phone.
Noun: 10 change
Example:
They suggested doing some changes to
the schedule.
They suggested making some changes
to the schedule.
2 Adjective + Noun
This list, from the Cambridge Learner Corpus,
shows the ten mistakes that students make
most often when they choose an adjective
to go with a noun. In most cases it is clear
what the student means, but the problem is
that the combination of adjective + noun that
they have used does not sound natural and
is considered to be incorrect. In each case, a
more natural adjective + noun combination
with the same meaning is shown under the
incorrect combination.
1 Noun: number/amount/quantity
Example:
a big number of tourists/students/
customers etc.
a large number of tourists/students/
customers etc.
a big amount of money/food/
information etc.
a large amount of money/food/
information etc.
In my country we eat a big quantity of
pasta.
In my country we eat a large quantity
of pasta.
2 Noun: choice
Example:
They offer only a little choice of cold
snacks.
They offer a limited/narrow choice of
cold snacks.
3 Noun: range/variety/choice
Example:
There is a big range of study materials
available.
There is a wide range of study
materials available.
They provide a big variety of hot meals
every day.
They provide a wide variety of hot
meals every day.
They offer a bigger choice of meals.
They offer a wider choice of meals.
4 Noun: noise
Example:
Suddenly there was a big noise.
Suddenly there was a loud noise.
5 Noun: pressure
Example:
I am already overworked and under
high pressure.
I am already overworked and under
great/a lot of pressure.
6 Noun: importance
Example:
This fact is of very big importance to me.
This fact is of very great importance
to me.
7 Noun: amount
Example:
They earn a high amount of money.
They earn a large amount of money.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 3rd edition
Cambridge University Press 2008
8 Noun: tree/building/person
Example:
It is a high building.
He is not very high.
It is a tall building.
He is not very tall.
9 Noun: progress
Example:
I have made quite big progress in
speaking English.
I have made great/a lot of progress in
speaking English.
10 Noun: decrease
Example:
There was a little decrease in prots in
the second year.
There was a slight decrease in prots
in the second year.
The Top 10 Verb + Verb
Combination Mistakes
This list shows the ten mistakes that advanced
students most often make when they put one
verb after another verb. In each case the form
of the second verb is incorrect.
1 Main Verb: suggest
suggest (sb) to do sth
I suggest to send our colleagues
on a similar course.
suggest (that) sb do sth
I suggest (that) we send our colleagues
on a similar course.
2 Main Verb: recommend
recommend to do sth
I recommend to employ a part-time
assistant.
recommend doing sth
I recommend employing a part-time
assistant.
3 Main Verb: look forward to
look forward to do sth
I look forward to hear from you.
look forward to doing sth
I look forward to hearing from you.
4 Main Verb: need
need do sth; need doing sth
We need resolve a lot of other important
problems.
need to do sth
We need to resolve a lot of other
important problems.
5 Main Verb: consider
consider to do sth
I would like you to consider to refund at
least some of my money.
consider doing sth
I would like you to consider refunding
at least some of my money.
6 Main Verb: want
want do sth
If you want have the body you have
always dreamed of, you must join a gym.
want to do sth
If you want to have the body you have
always dreamed of, you must join a gym.
7 Main Verb: be used to
be used to do sth
You should be used to work in teams and
be computer literate.
be used to doing sth
You should be used to working in
teams and be computer literate.
8 Main Verb: (would) like
would like do sth
I would like thank the families for their
help.
would like to do sth
I would like to thank the families for
their help.
9 Main Verb: can
can to do sth
We need to nd new markets where we
can to sell our products.
can do sth
We need to nd new markets where we
can sell our products.
10 Main Verb: help
help (sb) doing sth
My job was to help operating the roller-
coaster.
help (sb) to do sth; help (sb) do sth
My job was to help (them) to operate
the roller-coaster. My job was to help
(them) operate the roller-coaster.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 3rd edition
Cambridge University Press 2008