right_wrong_word

official = which go with position and responsibility)

-This is typical of the kind of food that is prepared in this region. (Not *tipical*)

(= true to type; compare typically)

U

unable • impossible

-It will be impossible to see you on Friday.

(Not *It will be unable*)

-I'll be unable to see you on Friday. (Not */'// be impossible*)

{It + impossible; human subject + unable)

underground/subway

- We travelled on the underground (BrE)/ subway (AmE).

(= the underground railway system; informally tube in London, metro in Paris)

-We went there by underground/subway.

(Not *with the underground/subway*)

-Cross the road by the subway.

(= a path running under a road or railway) understand

-Do you understand what I'm telling you ? (Not *Are you understanding*)

(stative use only)

-/ understand his/him refusing our offer.

(Not *understand him to refuse*)

undertaker • entrepreneur

-The Channel Tunnel was financed by a group of entrepreneurs. (Not * undertakers*)

(= businessmen who take on financial risk)

-The undertakers carried the coffin to a big black limousine.

(= people who take charge of dead bodies and arrange funerals)

underwear

-/ like to wear clean underwear every day. (Not *underwears*)

(underwear is uncountable)

unknown

-It was a journey into the unknown. (Not *the unknowns*)

(= that thing or those things which are not known)

-The unknown is always to be feared. (the unknown + singular verb)

unless * if... not

-She 'd be nicer if she didn't complain so much. (Not *unless she complained*)

-If you don't co-operate/Unless you co-operate, I won't be able to help you.

(unless and if... not are interchangeable only when they mean 'except on the condition that')

unsympathetic • disagreeable

-That shop assistant is extremely disagreeable. (Not * unsympathetic*)

(= not nice/friendly, not likeable)

-The police are rightly unsympathetic towards people who drink and drive.

(i.e. they don't show understanding)

until/till • by

- She will arrive by 5. (Not *until*)

(= any time before and not later than; by combines with affirmative 'point of time verbs' like arrive, finish, leave)

-She won't arrive by 5. She'll arrive at 6.

-She won't arrive until/till 6.

(= any time before and not later than; by or until/till with negative verbs, but with different meanings; note the spelling until, not *untill*)

-I'll wait here until/till 5. (Not *by*) (until/till, not *by*, with 'continuity verbs' like lie, live, sit, stay, wait, work)

-Children have to stay at school until/till they are 16.

(Not *by*; preferable to until/till the time)

-Most babies can walk by the time they are two years old. (Not *until/till*)

-Wait here until/till he arrives. (Not *until/ till he will arrive* *until that he arrives*) (until/till as a conjunction + present tense)

up • over

-We want a roof over our heads. (Not *up*) (= covering, often not touching)

-The manager's office is up the stairs.

(= in that direction)

urbane • urban

-I don't like urban life. (Not * urbane*) (= of the city)

-An urbane manner is a great social asset. (Not *urban*)

(= relaxed and confident)

use

-What is the use of this gadget?

(noun: pronounced /ju:s/)

-How do you use this gadget?

(verb: pronounced /ju:z/)

-The car belongs to my father, but I make use of it occasionally. (Not *do use*)

(= I use it)

-It's no use crying over spilt milk.

(Not *lt's ho use to cry*)

191

-I get up at 7. (Not *use to get up*)

(simple present for habitual actions: used to is a past form only)

used to: didn't use to

-You didn't use to smoke.

(usedn't to/used not to are low-frequency alternative forms; didn't used to is unlikely because the grammatical forms of the negative and the question (Did you use to?) require use. We often avoid the problem with never: You never used to smoke.)

used to • be used to • accustomed to

-/ used to get up early when I worked as a baker, but I don't have to get up early in my present job. (Not */ was used to get up* *I used to getting up*)

(past habit)

-/ am used to getting up early.

(Not *am used to get up* *I use to get up*)

-/ am accustomed to getting up early.

(Not *am accustomed to get up*)

(be accustomed to is more formal than be used to but has the same meaning to refer to present habit)

-When I started working as a baker, I didn't like getting up early, but I soon got used to it/became accustomed to it.

(Not */ used to it*)

-/ soon got/became accustomed to/got used to getting up early when I started working as a baker. (Not */ got used to get up*)

usually • usual

/ don't feel well and I'm not as hungry as usual/as I usually am. (Not *as usually*)

I usually have one large meal a day.

(adverb of frequency)

vacancy • holiday/vacation

-I'm on holiday/vacation. (Not *vacancy*) (holiday is the general word in BrE and vacation is the general word in AmE)

-Most children enjoy their summer holidays. (Not *vacations*)

(we often use the plural holidays to refer to long periods off work or school)

-Ask the hotel if it has a vacancy/any vacancies next weekend.

(= unfilled room(s))

-/ need a holiday job. I wonder if the hotel has a vacancy/any vacancies.

(= unfilled position(s))

192

values • valuables

-Guests are advised to leave all their valuables at the desk.

(Not *values* *valuable*)

(= things, especially jewellery, that are worth a lot of money)

-Traditional values are constantly being challenged. (Not * valuables*)

(= principles)

vapour • steam

The kettle's boiling and the kitchen is full of steam. (Not *steams* *vapour* *vapours*) (steam, uncountable, is water vapour)

Heat the test tube till a brown vapour is given off. (Not * steam*)

(vapour, countable or uncountable = gas that is produced when liquid is heated)

veal • calf

-One of our cows had a calf/twin calves last night. (Not *veal/veals*)

(calf, plural calves, is the name of the live animal: a young cow or bullock)

-Veal is very expensive meat.

(veal is meat from a calf/calves; but note calf-liver, calves' liver)

venison • deer

-The park is full of deer.

(Not *deers* *venison* *venisons*)

(deer - singular and plural form - is the name of the live animal)

-Venison is lean meat. (venison is meat from deer)

very • distant

Stonehenge was built in the distant past, but no one knows exactly when. (Not *very*) We sat through the film to the very end. (very, as an adjective meaning 'true', 'precise', has limited uses: the very beginning, the very book I want, etc.)

very • very much

Your flat is very much larger than ours. (Not *very larger*)

I like your painting very much. (Not */ like your painting very*; I really like your painting is a colloquial alternative)

I very much like your painting.

(Not */ very like*)

1 felt very much alone. (Not *very alone*) (very much with comparatives, verbs, and adjectives beginning with a-, like alone)

- Tom's very clever. (Not *very much clever*)

-This train's going very slowly. (Not *very much slowly*)

(very as an intensifier + adjective/adverb) via • by

-Shall I send this by air? (Not *via air*) (by air, by land, by sea)

-I couldn't fly to Beijing direct and had to go via Frankfurt.

(i.e. through one place on the way to another)

vicar • curate • pastor • priest

- Have you met our new vicar?

(a vicar is the priest in charge of a local Anglican church)

-The Bishop began his career as a young curate in our parish church.

(a curate is a priest who is junior to the vicar of an Anglican church)

-Have you met the new pastor?

(pastor = 'priest' in Protestant churches)

-Father O'Reilly has been a priest for more than 20 years.

(priest is the general term for an appointed/ ordained officer of a Christian church; terms like vicar, curate and pastor are not used to refer to Roman Catholic priests)

villager • peasant

-The villagers are opposed to any plans to put a motorway close to the village. (peasants is unlikely in ordinary contexts) (= the people who live in the village)

-In this part of the country, the peasants still work the land in traditional ways.

(= people who live by growing food in traditional ways)

visage • face

-She's got such a sad face. (Not *visage*)

-He turned to the child, his grim visage softening in a sudden smile.

(= facial appearance: old-fashioned/literary)

vis-a-vis • face to face • facing • in front of

-We moved the chairs so that we sat face to face/facing each other. (Not *vis-a-vis*)

-Can you remember the name of that hotel in front of/facing the station ?

(in front of refers to position in space, not the direction someone/something is facing)

-How do you feel vis-a-vis these changes?

(formal = with regard to, concerning)

visual • optic(al)

-You may have damaged the optic nerve. (optic(al) = of the eye, is technical)

-Advertising exploits to the full the power of visual images. (Not *optical*)

vital * vivid • lively • alive

Professor Flynn's lively lectures attract large audiences. (Not *vital* * alive*)

(= full of life)

The explorer gave us a vivid account of life in the Antarctic. (Not * vital*)

(i.e. it brought the place to life)

-If he's to get the job, your recommendation is vital. (Not *lively*)

(= very necessary; but note that the nouns vitality and liveliness mean 'the condition of being full of life')

Is your grandfather alive ? (Not * lively*) (= having life; not dead)

Even at 90, Grandpa is so lively.

(= full of life)

vitro: in vitro • crystal • window/shop window • window display

Look at this wonderful window/shop window/window display. (Not * vitro*)

I want a bag like the one in the window/in the shop window/in the window display.

(Not *in (the) vitro*)

It's so hot in here - let's open the window. Someone threw a brick at our shop window and broke it. (Not *crystal*)

(a shop window is made of plate glass, not crystal)

—Wine tastes better out of a crystal glass, ((lead) crystal = high quality glass, made

with lead)

The egg was fertilized in vitro.

(= 'in glass', outside the body)

W

wage • wages • salary

-My salary is paid on the 28th of the month. (Not *wage* *wages*)

(a salary is paid monthly)

-Women often get paid a low wage/low wages, especially for part-time work.

(a wage or wages are paid daily or weekly)

-When I worked as a waitress, the wages were low, but the tips were good.

(preferable to the wage was low; we generally use wages in front of a verb)

wagon • carriage • car • compartment • cart • sleeper/sleeping car

-Which carriage/compartment are we in?

(Not *wagon* *cart*)

(a (railway) carriage (AmE car) is a section of a train which is divided into compartments to carry people)

193

-We're travelling by car. (Not * wagon*) (BrE motorcar, AmE automobile: formal)

-The goods have already been loaded onto railway wagons.

(Not *carts* *carriages* *compartments*) (a wagon is a section of a train, sometimes with an open top, for carrying goods)

-If you're going to travel overnight, you should go by sleeper/sleeping car.

(Not *by sleeping*; preferable to wagon-lit) (= a railway carriage with beds for passengers)

-People were fleeing from the fighting, on carts/wagons piled high with their possessions. (Not *cars*)

(= vehicles with two or four wheels, drawn by horses or pulled by hand)

wait for • expect • look forward to • await

-I'm expecting the bus to arrive in the next ten minutes. (Not *waiting*)

(i.e. I believe that it will; expecting is a mental process)

-My wife's expecting a baby.

(Not *waiting a baby* *waiting for a baby*) (expecting is a physical process here)

- I'm waiting for the next bus.

(Not *waiting the next bus* * expecting for*) (= staying here until the bus comes; waiting is a physical state)

-We're (very much) looking forward to your visit. (Not *waiting (for)* * expecting* *we're looking very forward to*)

(= expecting with pleasure; we often end e.g. a letter with a polite phrase using look forward to, not *wait* *expect*\ compare / hope to see you which expresses uncertainty)

-Outside Parliament, the crowds wait for/await the arrival of the procession. (Not * await for*)

(wait for and await - without for - mean the same, but await is very formal)

wake up/awake • waken

-It was late when I woke up/awoke.

(Not *awoke up*)

(we have to say either / woke up, or / awoke, but we cannot say */ awoke up*; 1 awoke is literary and should be avoided in everyday speech. The parts are: wake - woke - woken; awake - awoke - awoken)

-I was woken (up)Avakened by a car alarm.

(Not *awoken*)

walk • ride • drive • flight

- Let's go for/go on a ride. (Not * do/make*)

194

-I've had a ride on my bike.

(Not *walk* *made/done a ride*)

Let's go for/go on/Let's have a drive (in the car). (Not *walk* *do/make a drive*) Let's go for a ride.

(i.e. on horseback)

It's a long flight to Delhi. (Not *ride*)

(i.e. in a plane)

Have a good flight! (Not *Make/Do*) We've had a very good walk.

(Not *made/done a walk* *taken*)

I think I'll have a walk. (Not *make/do*) I think I'll go for a walk.

(Not * go for walk* *go walk*)

(i.e. on foot; take a walk also has limited uses: Let's take a walk round the garden.)

want

/want some water. (Not *I'm wanting*)

(stative use)

/don't want any tea. Do you? - Yes, I want some please. (Not */ want please. *)

Have you ever been to Spain? - No, but I want to. (Not *I want.*)

Are you coming with us? -No, I don't want to. (Not * I don't want.*)

/ want to tell you the truth.

(Not */ want tell you* *I want to you tell*)

-I want you to tell me the truth.

(Not *want you tell* *want that you tell*)

want • need • demand (nouns)

There's a very great need for money to help the flood victims. (Not *want* *demand*) I'm ill for want of sleep.

(Not *need* *demand*)

(= lack, shortage of)

There's very little money left after we've met the wants and needs of our children. (wants and needs is a fixed phrase)

There's a big demand for umbrellas in wet weather.

(i.e. a lot of people want to buy them) war

-Make love, not war. (Not *Do war*) Why does the world have so many wars ? (Not *make/do wars*)

wardrobe

cupboard

wardrobe • cupboard • cloakroom • guardroom

-Put these plates in the cupboard. (Not *wardrobe*)

(a cupboard is for general storage)

-Hang your suit in the wardrobe.

(Not usually cupboard)

(a wardrobe is a cupboard, especially for storing clothes; also 'a collection of clothes' as in She has a large wardrobe.)

-Leave your coat in the cloakroom. (Not * guardroom*)

(= the place in a theatre, etc., where you can leave coat, hats, etc. AmE also checkroom; there is no word *guardrobe* in English; a guardroom is a building for military guards)

warehouse • storeroom • department store

-There's a large storeroom at the back of the shop. (Not usually warehouse)

(= a room where goods are kept till needed)

-The new Spring fashions will arrive from our warehouse soon. (Not * storehouse*)

(= a large separate building where goods are kept on a large scale)

-You can buy almost anything in a big department store. (Not *warehouse*)

(= a large shop with different departments)

warn • advise

-We always advise/warn our children to be very careful when crossing the road.

-She warned me of the danger. (Not *for*)

-I warned you that you 'd be punished if you did that again. (Not *advised*)

(advise = suggest; warn = bring attention to possible danger)

was • were

-If you were me, you'd go. (Not *you was*) (I/he/she/it was; you/we/they were: not e.g. *You told me you was ill. *)

-What would he do if he were/he was in my position ?

(were can be used in all persons after if and expresses greater doubt than was)

wash • get washed • wash myself

-/ must get up and wash/get washed.

(it would not be 'wrong' to say wash myself, but it would be unusual)

-Have a wash. (Not *Wash yourself*)

-Polly can almost wash herself now.

(the reflexive use often refers to children, invalids, etc., to show conscious effort)

-/ think I'll have a wash. (Not *make/do*)

(= wash myself)

-/ think I'll do a wash. (Not *make a wash*)

(= wash some clothes: i.e. do a task)

washing • washing-up

-I've done the washing. (Not *made*)

-I've done the washing-up. (Not *made*) (do the washing refers to clothes; do the washing-up refers to dishes and pans)

waste • waist

-Let me measure your waist. (Not *waste*) (= the middle part of the human body)

-Consumer societies produce a lot of waste. (Not *waist*)

(= rubbish)

water • a glass of water

-I've just drunk a glass of water/two glasses of water. (Not *a water* *two waters*)

-I drink a lot of water. (Not *many waters*) (water is uncountable)

wax • candle • polish

-/ keep a candle by my bed in case of a power cut. (Not *a wax*)

-My shoes need a bit of polish. (Not *wax*)

-All the figures in Madame Tussaud's are made of wax.

(= the substance from which candles are made and which is often used as polish)

way

-It was hard to make our way through the crowd. (Not *do our way*)

-In no way can I agree to these terms.

(Not *In no way I can agree ...*)

(inversion after negative adverbs; formal. Compare normal word order with a negative verb: I can't agree in any way.)

way • process

-We 're in the process of reorganizing our office. (Not *on/in the way of*)

(i.e. we are doing this)

-We 've been through a bad economic period, but recovery is now on the way.

(i.e. it has begun)

ways • manners

-John may not be very clever, but he has excellent manners. (Not *ways*)

(= acceptable ways of behaving socially)

-After I got married, it took me a long time to get used to him and his funny little ways.

(= behaviour, sometimes eccentric)

weak • weaken • get/become weak

-Martha got/became very weak during her illness. (Not *weaked* *weakened*)

(= became thin, lost weight and strength)

Lack of exercise really weakens the muscles.

(= makes them weak)

I'm afraid I weakened at lunchtime and ate a chocolate. (Not *got weak*)

(= gave in, lost my determination) wealth • riches

-You should see the Crown jewels. It's hard to imagine so much wealth.

(Not *so many wealths/riches*)

-The pursuit of wealth/riches is the basis of capitalism.

(wealth is uncountable; riches is literary and descriptive)

weather • whether

/ don't know whether you've heard the news. (Not *weather*)

What's the weather like today? wed • marry

-We're going to marry/get married in May. (preferably not wed, get wed(ded)) (marry/get married are the normal words; wed, be wed and get wed(ded) are oldfashioned)

week

I'll go next week. (Not *the other week*) I saw him last week. (Not *the past week*)

I've been home late every night in/during the past/last week.

(= the week that has gone by)

week • weak

I feel weak with hunger. (Not *week*) I'll see you in a week. (Not *a weak*)

weekly/once a week • by the week

-/ visit my parents weekly/once a week.

(Not *by week*)

-How do you charge - by the day, or by the week? (Not *with the week* *weekly*)

weigh

-/ weigh 65 kilos. (Not *I'm weighing*)

(stative use)

196

-What are you doing? - I'm weighing myself.

(dynamic use)

welcome (to)

- Welcome home!

(spelling: not *Wellcome* *Well come*)

-Welcome to Egypt! (Not * Welcome in*)

-You are welcome! (Not *Be welcome!*)

-Thank you for going to so much trouble. -

You're welcome!

(= Don't mention it, etc.)

wet • get wet • wet oneself

-It's wet today. (Not *It has/It makes wet*)

(= it's rainy)

-/ got very wet walking home without an umbrella. (Not */ wet* *I wet myself*)

(= became wet)

-/ wet/wetted the car well before I started washing it.

(= made it wet; wet can be regular or irregular)

-/ think the baby has just wet himself again.

(= urinated)

What (a)! • How!

-How tall you've grown! (Not *What tall*)

-How difficult it is! (Not * What difficult*)

-What a tall boy you are!

(Not *How tall boy* *What tall boy*)

-What a surprise! (Not *What surprise!*) (What + a/an for countable nouns)

-What dreadful weather we had!

(Not *How dreadful weather* *What a dreadful weather*)

(What + uncountable noun: no a/an)

What + noun • Which + noun

-What book/books did you buy?

-What soap do you use ?

(What + noun makes a general inquiry)

-Which book/books did you buy?

-Which soap do you use ?

(Which + noun refers to a limited choice)

-Which boy wants/Which boys want to come with us?

-What boy wants/What boys want to come with us?

(What + noun to ask about people is possible, but less common than Which)

what for • why

-What did you do that for? (Not *For what?*)

-Why did you do that?

(Not *Why ...for?* *For why?*)

when • if

-/'// call for you at 8 tomorrow morning if that isn't too early. (Not *when*)

(if for conditional sentences, not when)

-Come straight home when the party's over.

(= at the time when, as soon as)

-When/If it rains heavily, our river floods. (if and when are used interchangeably to mean 'on those occasions when')

Who • How

-How wonderful! (Not *Who*)

-Who is he?

(= inquiring about identity)

-How is he ?

(= inquiring about health)

who • whom question-words

-Who paid the waiter? - John did.

-Who(m) did John pay? - The waiter.

-Who(m) did you give it to/buy it for? - John.

(technically, the question-word Who asks for the subject and Whom asks for the object; in practice, Who ... ? is accepted in place of Whom ... ? in everyday style)

relative pronouns

-He's the man who rang me. (Not *whom*) (who refers to the subject)

-He's the man who(m) I met on holiday. (whom refers to the object but is commonly reduced to who in everyday speech)

-The person to whom I complained is the manager. (Not *who* after a preposition) (very formal and usually avoided)

-The person who(m) I complained to is the manager.

(possible, but generally avoided)

-The person (-) I complained to is the manager.

(normal omission of whom)

whoever • whomever

-Invite whoever you like to your party.

(preferably not whomever)

(the object form whomever is extremely rare and its occasional use is affected; it is commonly quite wrong as a relative after a preposition: / want to know the name of whoever was responsible, not *whomever*)

-Whoever told you that? (Not *Whomever*)

(emphatic form of Who ?)

whose • his • her

-He's the man whose car was stolen. (Not *the man his car* *the man whose his car*)

-She's the woman whose car was stolen.

(Not *the woman her car* *the woman whose her car*)

-He's the man I told you about. His car was stolen.

-She's the woman I told you about. Her car was stolen.

whose • who's

-Who's coming with us? (Not * Whose*)

(= Who is?)

-Who's borrowed my pen ? (Not * Whose*)

(= Who has?)

-Whose is this car? (Not *Who's*)

(= To whom does it belong?)

why: that's why • why ... should

-We've got high inflation. That's why prices keep going up. (Not *For this* *For that*)

(= that's the reason)

-We wanted to know why we should wait.

(Not *why to wait*)

(why is the only question-word that cannot be followed by a to-infinitive in reported questions; compare: / asked what I should do/what to do.)

why • because

-Why did you leave early? - Because I had to go to a meeting. (Not *Why ... ? - Why ...*) (Why in questions; Because in answers)

why don't you/why not

-If you don't like the wallpaper in this room, why don't you change it/why not change it?

(Not *why not to change it?*)

-I think I'll change my mind. - Fine./Go ahead./By all means. (Not *Why not?*) (Why not, suggesting 'there's no objection to it', is not an appropriate rejoinder after an affirmative statement)

wide/width

-How wide/What width is this room?

(Not *How much wide is* *How much width has*)

-This room is three and a half metres (wide).

(Not *has width three and a half metres*)

wide • widely

-He kicked the ball, but it went wide of the goalposts. (Not *went widely*)

(wide is an adjective and gives go the sense of be)

-It is widely believed that the universe started with a big bang. (Not *wide*)

(adverbial use as an intensifier = to a high degree or to a great exient)

197

widen • let out

-/ think you should let the skirt out at the waist. (Not *widen*)

(let out for making clothes wider; the opposite is take in)

-The traffic won't get back to normal till they finish widening the road.

(= making it wider)

wild • game

-There's a lot of opposition to hunting game these days. (Not *wild*)

(= wild animals hunted for food, especially as a sport)

-There's a lot of opposition to hunting wild animals. (Not *wild* *wilds*)

{wild is an adjective)

wild • savage

-How could you protect yourself if you were attacked by a savage/wild animal?

{savage = fierce and out of control; wild = in a state of nature, and not necessarily savage)

-The ancient Greeks thought that people who lived outside their world were savages and barbarians.

(= wild people; old-fashioned and now offensive)

will/would

-He said he will/would arrive at 6.

(Not *will/would to arrive*)

-If you hear a car, that will be Roland.

(i.e. it's very possible; would in past sequences is more uncertain than will)

-Will/Would you open the window please? {Would is more polite than Will in requests)

-Now he's old, he will sit in the sun for hours.

-When he was old, he would sit in the sun for hours.

{will for present habit; would for past habit)

-Friday will be fine/would be fine. {will and would in place of the present: tentative)

-He told me he would be late.

(past may follow past, especially in indirect speech)

will/won't • shall/shan't

-He will/won't be here at 6. (Not * shan't*)

-We will/won't/We shall/shan't be here at 6. {will/won't in all persons for prediction; shall/shan't is a possible alternative only after / and we; the usual abbreviation is 'II, so the shall/will distinction is lost; won't is the abbreviation of will not; shan't is the abbreviation of shall not; we sometimes use shall/shan't after he, you, etc., when

198

granting/refusing permission: You shall/shan't be allowed out.)

will • want to

-/ want to have an early night. (Not *will to have*)

(Not *will* for want to)

-/ think I will (I'll) have an early night.

(= I intend to)

wish (for)

-/ wish I knew the answer to your question. (Not *I'm wishing*)

(stative use)

-We often wish for things we can never have. (Not *wish things*)

(wish for = desire to have)

-/ wish things were better.

(Not *wish for things to be*) (wish + (that) clause)

-/ wish it was/were Friday.

(Not */ wish it is*)

(were can be used in all persons after wish and is more tentative than was)

-/ wish I could/we could be with you.

(Not */ wish I would/1 wish we would*)

-/ wish they could be with us.

(Not */ wish they would*)

-/ wish he would do as he's told. (Not */ wish he could*)

(could expresses ability: present or future reference; would = be willing to)

-/ wish to apply for a visa.

(Not *wish that I apply*)

-/ wish you to know that I'll be retiring soon. (Not *wish that you know*)

with • and

-John and his brother built up this business. (Not *with*)

-John built up this business with his brother.

with • in

-Who's the woman in the red dress? (= wearing)

-Who's the man with the stick? (Not *in*) (= carrying)

-Who's the woman with the little boy? (= accompanied by)

-Who's the man with the beard? (Not *in*)

(= 'having': physical characteristics; in a beard would mean the beard was false)

-Say it in a loud voice. (Not *with*) (in + voice quality)

with no • without any

-/ can't manage without any help/with no help. (Not *without no help*)

(the preposition without contains the negative, so we use any after it)

without

-They tried to leave the restaurant without paying. (Not * without to pay*)

wonder • wander

-/ love wandering /'wonderiŋ/ around second-hand bookshops. (Not *wondering*)

(= walking about without purpose)

-I wonder/I'm wondering /'wAnderiŋ/ if we've made a mistake here.

(Not * wander/wandering*)

(stative or dynamic depending on the emphasis you want = would like to know)

wood • wooden

-Use a wooden spoon/a spoon made of wood with non-stick pans.

(wood is the noun, wooden the adjective)

-Put some wood on the fire. (Not *woods*) (wood is uncountable when it refers to the material)

wool • woollen

-A woollen dress is expensive, as is anything made of pure wool.

-Take a woollen/some woollens with you.

(abbreviated reference to a woollen garment, woollen garments: i.e. cardigans, sweaters) (wool is the noun, woollen the adjective; wool is sometimes used in compound nouns, as in a wool shop = a shop for wool; note the spellings woollen, BrE; woolen, AmE)

words: in other words

-In other words, the answer's No. (Not *With other words*)

work

-I must do some work. (Not *make ... work*) -Are you in work at the moment?

(i.e. Do you have a job?; the opposite is out of work = unemployed)

-Don't disturb her. She's hard at work/ working hard.

(= actually working)

-I'm not feeling well and I'm off work today.

(= taking time out from work)

-/ expect the children make a lot of work for you. (Not *do ... work*)

(i.e. give you extra tasks)

work • job

-I'd like a job in TV. Are there any jobs in TV? (Not *a work* *any works*)

-I'm looking for work as a journalist. Is there any work in journalism? (Not *job* *a

work* *any works*; Is there any job in journalism? = any kind of job) (a job/jobs is countable; work is uncountable)

What's your job ? -1 work at the reception desk and I take incoming phone calls. What's your work? -I work as a receptionist, (a job/jobs is specific; work is general)

'Hamlet' is a wonderful work. (Not *job*) (a work, countable, is a piece of writing, a painting, etc.)

You've done a wonderful job on this report.

(= a piece of work) works

-/ see you have all Shakespeare's works.

(i.e. his entire creative output)

-If you want to speak to the foreman, you'll find him down at the works.

(= the factory)

-We all pay for public works like road maintenance through taxes.

(= road building, etc.)

workshop • laboratory

They're sending the sample off to a laboratory for analysis. (Not *workshop*)

(= a workplace where scientific tests and analyses are carried out)

We repair TV sets in our own workshop.

(= a workplace, usually attached to a business, where machines are repaired)

worried (about) • worrying

My father's been ill for some time and I'm very worried about him. (Not *worried for*; I'm worrying is a verb form)

Her symptoms are worrying. (Not *worried*)

(= a cause of worry)

-Sibyl's parents got really worried when she phoned to say she'd missed the last train.

(preferable to they worried which is 'long term' rather than 'instantaneous')

worse • worst

This winter is worse than the last one. (Not *worst than* *more bad than*)

It's the worst winter we've had since records began. (Not *the worse*)

(= worst of all)

-How is she today? - She's worse. (Not * worst*)

(= less well than she was yesterday; opposite: better)

(worse is the irregular comparative form of bad, for comparisons between one thing and another; worst is the superlative form for

199

comparing one thing with more than one other in the same group)

worsen • get worse

The road gets worse/worsens a bit further on. (Not *gets worser*)

Martha hasn't been very well, and she's worsening/getting worse.

(Not * she's getting worser*) (= declining in health)

would • had: ('d)

/ wish you 'd tell us what you want. (you would abbreviated to you'd) I wish you 'd told me earlier.

(you had abbreviated to you'd)

would • used to

/ used to collect stamps. (Not * would*) When I worked on a farm, I would always/I always used to get up at 5 a.m.

(would in place of used to needs a time reference and occurs in narrative, especially when we are reminiscing)

wound

The clock went for ten days after I wound it. (wound /waund/ is the irregular past of wind

/waind/: wind - wound - have wound) Careful with that gun. You could wound someone.

(wound /wu:nd/ is the infinitive form of the regular verb: wound - wounded - have wounded)

wound • injure • hurt

The train left the rails, but fortunately no one was injured/hurt. (Not *wounded*) (be injured/hurt = suffer, injure/hurt = inflict any kind of physical or emotional damage; the noun is an injury/injuries; hurt and hurts as nouns refer to 'hurt feelings')

The battle didn't last long, but a lot of men were wounded. (Not *injured*; hurt is possible, but not as precise as wounded) (wound/be wounded = give/receive, e.g. a hole in the skin or flesh, especially with a weapon; the noun is a wound/wounds)

wreck • ruin

-After the fire, the museum was reduced to a ruin. (Not *wreck*)

(i.e. it was destroyed; note the plural ruins for ancient temples, etc.: Let's visit the ruins, not *wrecks*)

(a ruin is a building that has lost its roof, windows, doors, etc.)

-Let's swim out to the wreck. (Not * ruin/ruins*)

(= the remains of a ship)

/splashed my beautiful silk tie with soup and completely ruined it. (Not *wrecked*) (ruin clothes, a carpet, decorations, etc.)

/drove my car into a wall and wrecked it. (Not * ruined*)

(wreck = break up e.g. a vehicle)

-This wrecked/ruined our plans.

(occasionally interchangeable: something is ruined when it can no longer be used; something is wrecked when it is really smashed to pieces)

writing • writings

- / enjoy Conrad's writing/writings.

(writing = the way he writes; writings = the things he has written; note spelling: not *writting*)

-I can't read your writing! (Not * writings*) (= handwriting, uncountable)

wrong (about/for)/mistaken

You 're wrong! All the museums are shut on Mondays. (Not *You have wrong!*)

You were wrong about the increase in rail fares. (Not *wrong for*)

(wrong can be replaced by mistaken in the above examples; compare: You're mistaken, i.e. in general and You've made a mistake, i.e. on this occasion)

-The question is: is this job wrong for you? (Not * mistaken for*)

(= not suitable for)

-You did wrong to spread these rumours. (Not *made wrong*)

(= acted improperly; did something bad: not to be confused with made a mistake)

wrong • wrongly

-All our plans went wrong. (Not *wrongly*) (wrong is an adjective and gives go the sense of become)

-You've spelt it wrong/wrongly.

(we can use wrong, rather than wrongly, in phrases that mean 'make a mistake': spell it wrong(ly), pronounce it wrong(ly), do it wrong(ly); after get, only wrong is possible: get it wrong = make a mistake/an error)

-Some of the objects in this museum have been wrongly dated. (Not *wrong*)

(only -ly in front of a past participle)

-You've connected the printer cable wrongly. (Not * wrong*)

(adverb = in the wrong way)