Task 5. Synonyms and confusable words

1. Choose the correct collocation.

 

2. The dentist told me to shut/close my mouth.

3. I didn’t know what to do when I got into my car and couldn’t start/begin the engine.

4. I want to buy a sweater for my dad. He needs one in a big/large size.

5. I haven’t finished/ended my essay yet. I can’t decide how to finish/end it.

6. At what time do you plan to shut/close the conference?

7. All societies develop their own stories about how the world started/began.

8. It’s far too big/large a problem for you to solve on your own.

9. It’s never easy to finish/end a relationship.

 

2. Complete each phrase with a word meaning either “old” or “alone” (old, ancient, antique, elderly, single, lonely, alone, solitary, sole, only, unique).

 


1. a………………figure on the horizon

2. a shop selling………………furniture

3. to be an…………………..child

4. the………….survivor of the accident

5. to study………………history

6. to live…………..

7. to feel desperately…………………

8. to catch up with………………friends

9. support for………………….parents

10. a home for………………..people


 

3. Correct these sentences.

1. Were many people damaged in the earthquake?

2. Single parents growing children without a partner’s support are entitled to financial help from the government.

3. My mobile isn’t working. I need to load the battery.

4. She has a lot of beautiful elderly jewellery.

5. When we moved house, two men helped us to charge the van.

6. That’s not news – it’s antique history!

7. I don’t know how to charge a gun, let alone fire one.

8. I’ve never been very successful at raising plants.

4. Use the following verbs in the correct form to complete each collocation.