Some may find these words confusing, if the exact meanings aren't clear because they have different meanings which often cause us trouble.

1. By Kamol Karmakar
Lecturer, DELL, USTC.

2. i) Distance (both farther & further)
Dhaka is farther/ further away than Feni from
Chittagong.
ii) Additional (only ‘further’ but not farther)
The girl asked some further questions.

3. i) Hear: *auditory perception/ perceived by ear
*background music *happens without any
intentional effort
I heard a knock at the door.
ii) Listen to: *paying attention *concentrating
I'm listening but I can't hear anything.

4. i) Tenses after hope (present tense with a future
meaning)
I hope this lockdown lifts soon.
I hope your journey becomes a safer one.
ii) Negative sentences (putting NOT with the
verb that comes after hope)
I hope they don’t reach us. (I don’t hope)

5. Special uses of hope
i) ‘I was hoping’ to introduce a request.
I was hoping he could buy us lunch.
ii) ‘I had hoped’ to talk about hopes for things
that did not happen.
I had hoped that at least 30 students would
join today’s class.

6. i) House: refers to a building.
We stayed overnight at Shakib’s. (at Shakib’s
house)
ii) Home: refers to where we live, in a personal/
emotional way).
He should be at home now.
Note: ‘home’ as an adverb with verbs such as get,
go, come, arrive, travel, drive, we don’t use ‘to.’
I’m going home now.
Not: I’m going to home now.

7. i) Opportunity: degree to which we can make
something happen if we choose.
I have the opportunity to go there tomorrow. (I
can go)
ii) Possibility: meaning something might happen.
There is a possibility of my going there
tomorrow. (I may go)

8. i) Play- a piece of dramatic literature. (Noun)
Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Play – to act in plays, to play games/ musical
instruments. (verb)
Do you play chess?
ii) Game: an activity like, for example, cricket, or
football.
Cricket is an exciting game.

9. i) Road: connects two points, used for both town
and country.
Can we hit the road? (to leave/ to start journey)
ii) Street: public ways which have buildings on
either side. Only appears in a city or town, not
in rural areas.
I texted you the street address.

11. i) Say: we say something.
She said he was her best friend.
Focuses on the words someone said:
‘Hello,’ she said.
ii) Tell: we tell someone something.
She told me he was her best friend.
Focuses more on the content or message of what
someone said:
She told him they were going on holiday.

12. i) See & Look at: short time
Did you see that?
Look: command/ demand.
Look at me!
ii) Watch : longer time
Watching a movie
Watching TV
Watching people

13. i) A sensible person has common sense, doesn’t
make stupid decisions.
I love her, because her character is sensible and
very good.
ii) A sensitive person feels things easily or deeply,
and maybe easily hurt.
Don’t shout at her – she’s very sensitive.