36. Long/lengthy

These two often mean the same, except when referring to something you have to read or listen to, when lengthy can imply that you were bored: He produced a lengthy report after his trip to Korea. Many pages, but not terribly entertaining.

37. Much/many

In the same way as less and fewer, much applies to bulk, mass, an unspecified quantity. Many are objects you can count: much money, much demand, much traffic, much food. many guilders, many orders, many cars, many dishes The same definition applies to much worry/many worries and much trouble/many troubles. Much worry is the total extent of your problems. Many worries are the individual headaches that bother you.

38. Murder/assassinate

The difference is simple: you and I are murdered. Statesmen and other important people are assassinated.

39. Offer/quotation

An offer is more general. It can be verbal or in writing. It is often applied to bulk goods with a variable price: We are interested in an offer for 250 tonnes of prime bleached sulphite pulp. The American unit of weight is still called ton. A quotation is more formal. It is always in writing and is the best term for a detailed proposal: Please let us have your quotation for Model KLB 2000 with power feed, rotary table, and grinding attachment. An offer is often based on a price calculation, a quotation on a fixed price list. Outside the office you also have a verbal offer when you tell someone how much you are prepared to pay. For a used car, for example. An offer at an auction is called a bid.

40. Official/officious

No problem with the adjective official, which means the same as in other languages: properly authorized. Officious describes a person who is over-keen to give service, who rushes around and upsets people. The best noun would be busybody. An officious waiter can ruin your carefully planned business lunch, if your guest becomes irritated and is in no mood to discuss the proposed contract.

41. Older/elder

Older is the general-purpose comparative form of old: old - older -oldest. Elder and eldest refer to family members and are always attributive adjectives: my elder brother, my eldest sister. You cannot say my brother is elder than I.

42. On time/in time

On time means punctual: The train is on time. In time means not late, before the last minute. In good time gives you a little extra: We should get a window seat if we get there in (good) time.

43. Passed/past

Identical pronunciation can cause mistakes; passed is a verb form, the simple past or past participle of to pass: She passed the test. They passed over the bridge. Past is here a preposition, applied to time or space: It is now half past ten. The ball whistled past the goal post.

44. Practical/practicable

Practical has to do with reality, with practice, with a good idea: it seems the only practical solution. You are a practical person if you can knock a nail into the wall without hitting your thumb. Practicable means possible, something that can be put into practice: This idea is unfortunately not practicable. This means it can't be done. A practical suggestion may not be practicable. Negative versions: unpractical and impracticable. (Impractical can be found in American English.) Practically is colloquial for almost: The book is practically finished.