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These two words are commonly confused, but they have very different meanings. 

Something that gives you pleasure, excitement, or a good time.
It does NOT mean “something that makes you laugh” – that’s funny!

• adjective: That was a fun day.
• noun: We had fun at the beach.

• The party was fun. 🎉
• Playing games with friends is so much fun! 🎲😄
• Our trip to the zoo was really fun. 🐘🐒
• She’s a fun person to be around. 😊

💡 TIP: Use “fun” when talking about things that are exciting or enjoyable – not necessarily “funny”.

Something that is humorous, silly, or amusing.
It causes laughter or a smile!

• That movie was really funny! 🎬🤣
• My brother told a funny story. 📖😂
• You’re so funny – you always make me laugh! 😆
• That comedian is super funny. 🎤🤣

💡 TIP: “Funny” is not the opposite of serious – it’s the opposite of boring when used in this sense.

🛑 Wrong: The football match was funny.
✅ Right: The football match was fun. ⚽🎉

🛑 Wrong: I had a funny day at the park.
✅ Right: I had a fun day at the park. 🌳🍦

🛑 Wrong: Your joke was fun.
✅ Right: Your joke was funny. 😄

When you see something, it just happens. You don’t plan it. Your eyes receive the image without you trying. It’s automatic.

🔹 You don’t choose to see it — it just happens.

• I can see the moon from my window. 🌕 (It’s there, and my eyes notice it)
• Did you see that bird fly by? 🐦 (It flew past quickly — you didn’t plan to look)
• I saw a rainbow on the way home. 🌈 (It appeared and you noticed it)
• She saw a dog in the park. 🐶 (The dog was there, she noticed it)

When you look at something, you choose to move your eyes to focus on it. It's a short action — maybe just a few seconds.

🔹 You decide to look at something.

• Look at that photo! 🖼️ (You want someone to turn their eyes and focus)
• Please look at the board, class. 🧑‍🏫📋 (Teacher asks for attention)
• He looked at his watch. ⌚ (He focused on it for a moment)
• She looked at me and smiled. 😊 (She turned her eyes to you)

When you watch something, you are looking carefully for a longer time. Usually, the thing is moving, like a TV show, a game, or people.

🔹 You focus + it moves or changes + over time

• We watch TV every evening. 📺🍿 (It moves, and we focus for a long time)
• She watched a football match yesterday. ⚽ (It’s 90 minutes!)
• He watched the cat chasing the bird. 🐱🐦 (The action was moving)
• I watched the sunset. 🌇 (The colours changed slowly)

We use say when we care about what someone says – the words, the message.

📌 Often used with:

• “that” (She said that she was tired.)
• quotes (“Hello,” he said.)
• “to” + person (if needed)

• She said “hello.” 👋
• He said that he was hungry. 🍔
• I said “good morning” to my teacher. ☀️👨‍🏫
• They said it was a great party. 🎉
• Did she say anything? 🤔
• Please say thank you. 🙏
• He said to me, “I’m sorry.” 😢

We use tell when we focus on who is listening.
You must say who you're telling (me, him, her, us, them).

📌 Structure:
tell + someone + something

(You cannot just “tell something” ❌)

• Can you tell me your name? 🙋‍♂️
• She told me a secret. 🤫
• He told us a funny story. 😂
• I told my friend about the problem. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
• Please tell the teacher if you're sick. 👩‍🏫🤒
• Don’t tell anyone – it’s a surprise! 🎁🤐
• They told her they were leaving. 🧳

🧠 TIPS:

🟩 SAY = focus on the words
🟦 TELL = you tell someone (needs a person)

• She said hello to everyone. 👋
• He said he was tired. 😴
• Can you tell me the answer? 🤔
• She told me a secret. 🤫
• They told us about the trip. ✈️🌍
• I said “thank you” to the teacher. 🙏
• Please tell her the good news! 🎉
• Don’t tell anyone! It’s a surprise! 🎁🤐

Many sweets or much sweets?

🟩 MUCH → uncountable nouns (things you can’t count one by one)
🟦 MANY → countable nouns (things you can count: 1, 2, 3...)

• Use MUCH with words like: water 💧, sugar 🍬, money 💷, time ⏰
• Use MANY with words like: apples 🍎, chairs 🪑, people 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦, pens 🖊️

• ❓How much milk do you drink every day? 🥛
• ❓How many friends do you have at school? 👯‍♂️
• ❌ I don’t have much time this morning. 🕐
• ❌ He doesn’t eat many vegetables. 🥦
• ✅ There are many books on the shelf. 📚
• ✅ She has much experience in teaching. 👩‍🏫
• ✅ I didn’t spend much money at the shop. 💰🛒
• ✅ We saw many birds in the park. 🐦🌳

You do something when it’s about a job, duty, or routine — especially when there’s no physical result.

🟢 You do something to finish it or complete a task.

• housework 👕
• schoolwork 📚
• activities 💪
• non-creative tasks 🧹

• I need to do my homework before dinner. 📝🍽️
• She does the cleaning every Saturday. 🧼🧹
• He did the washing last night. 🧺🧦
• They do yoga every morning. 🧘‍♂️🌅
• We do our best in every lesson. 💯✏️
• Please do the shopping today. 🛒🧾
• I don’t want to do that job again! 😩

You make something when there is a result or product at the end — something new appears!

🟡 Use “make” when you are creating, building, or preparing something.

• food/drink 🍕🍰☕
• plans/decisions 📅🗺️
• communication (sounds, mistakes) 📢❌
• relationships 💬❤️

• She makes great coffee. ☕👌
• We made a chocolate cake together. 🎂🍫
• He made a mistake in the exam. ❌📝
• Let’s make a plan for the trip. 🗺️✈️
• I want to make a birthday card for my mum. 💌🎈
• They made a lot of noise last night. 🔊🙉
• You make me smile. 😊❤️

• 💼 DO = no final result (e.g. housework, duties, jobs)
• 🍽️ MAKE = you see something new at the end (food, art, results)

These words are both past participles (verb 3) of the verb “to go”, and they are used with “have/has” in the present perfect tense. But they have different meanings:

Use BEEN when:

• The person went somewhere
• … and has now returned (they are not there anymore)
• It shows a completed experience

🟢 It often means: "I went there and now I’m back."

• She has been to London. (She went there before, but she is here now) 🇬🇧🛬
• I’ve been to that museum. (Experience in the past, now I’m not there) 🖼️
• We’ve been to Spain many times. (Repeated visits, we are back now) 🇪🇸✈️
• Have you ever been to Paris? (Asking about life experience) 🗼
• He has been to the dentist today. (He went and came back) 🦷👨‍⚕️
• They’ve been to the zoo twice this year. 🐘🐒

Use GONE when:

• The person went somewhere
• … and is still there now
• It shows a trip in progress, not finished yet

It often means: "They went and haven’t come back yet."

• She has gone to the supermarket. (She’s still shopping 🛍️)
• He has gone to school. (He’s still at school) 🏫
• They’ve gone on holiday. (They’re away now) 🏖️✈️
• My brother has gone to the gym. (He’s working out right now) 🏋️‍♂️
• Mum has gone to work. (She’s still at her job) 💼
• Where’s Anna? → She has gone to the doctor. 👩‍⚕️

Definition: To prepare food using dry heat, usually in an oven.

🟢 BAKING = uses the oven only.
🟡 The heat surrounds the food (no boiling or frying).

It is often used for bread, cakes, biscuits, pastries, and pizza.

• My mum loves to bake cakes on Sundays. 🎂
• We baked some cookies for Christmas. 🍪🎄
• He bakes fresh bread every morning. 🍞☀️
• Let’s bake a pizza in the oven. 🍕🔥
• She bakes apple pie in a glass dish. 🥧
• I’ve never baked a cake before! 🎂😲
• The cupcakes are baking in the oven now. 🧁

Definition: To prepare food by heating it — this can be in any way, not just in an oven.

🟢 COOKING = general word
🟡 You can cook by:

• 🔥 Boiling (water)
• 🍳 Frying (oil)
• 🥘 Steaming
• 🌡️ Grilling
• 🔥 Baking (yes, baking is a type of cooking)

So:
👉 All baking is cooking.
❌ But not all cooking is baking.

• I cook dinner for my family every day. 🥘👨‍👩‍👦
• She cooks amazing pasta. 🍝
• He is cooking chicken and rice. 🍗🍚
• We cooked vegetables on the stove. 🥦🥕
• My dad cooks the best curry. 🍛
• Can you cook eggs for breakfast? 🍳
• They are cooking soup in a big pot. 🥣

Meaning: There is no effort. Sound just comes to your ears. It happens automatically. ✅ You hear things even if you’re not trying to.

• I can hear music from the neighbours. 🎶
• She heard a dog barking. 🐕
• Did you hear that noise? 💥
• We heard the phone ringing. 📱
• I heard someone say my name. 😮

📌 You can hear things by accident, or without meaning to.

Meaning: You focus on the sound. You make an effort to hear and understand.

✅ You listen when you want to pay attention.

📝 It is usually followed by "to" → listen to something

• Please listen to the teacher. 🧑‍🏫
• I’m listening to music right now. 🎧
• Listen! The baby is crying. 👶😭
• He never listens to me! 😤
• We are listening to a podcast. 🎙️

📌 You listen with interest, concentration, or respect.

• Used for languages 'I speak English'
• Used for serious or official situations

• She can speak Spanish, French, and Japanese. 🌍🗣️
• I want to speak to the manager, please. 👩‍💼
• He spoke at the conference yesterday. 🏛️🎤
• Can I speak with you for a moment? 🧑‍💼🕒
• You need to speak clearly during the interview. 🎙️👔

• Used for conversation between 2 or more people
• Often used in relaxed, normal life situations
• Usually means a back-and-forth chat

📌 Always used with "to" or "with" when there's another person
📌 Often used with "about" something (topic)

• Let’s talk about your weekend. 🏕️🧑‍🤝‍🧑
• They talk on the phone every day. 📱📞
• Can we talk after dinner? 🍽️🗨️
• We need to talk about your homework. 📝😅
• I talked with my sister last night. 👭🌙

These both talk about age, but we use them in different ways depending on the sentence structure👇

Use “year old” when it comes after “a” or “the” and is used like an adjective to describe a noun (person, animal, object).

📌 RULE:
A/the/this + number + year old + noun

🚫 No S in “year”
🚫 Don’t use the verb be (am/is/are/was/were)

• I have a two year old cat. 🐈
• She is a forty year old woman. 👩
• We met a ten year old boy at the park. 🧒
• He is the six year old son of my friend. 👨‍👦
• They adopted a three year old dog. 🐶
• This is a one year old laptop. 💻
• I saw a twenty-three year old man on TV. 📺

📌 "Year old" =  describing the person or thing
Think: What kind of person? What kind of dog? A five year old dog.

👉 “Year old” = before a noun
It works like an adjective (like tall, short, fast):
✅ A tall man → ✅ A five year old boy

Use “years old” when you're making a full sentence using the verb BE (am, is, are, was, were).
You're saying how old someone or something is.

📌 RULE:
Subject + be (am/is/are/was/were) + number + years old

✅ Add the S to “years”
✅ Use BE verb

• She is forty years old. 👩🎂
• My cat is two years old. 🐱
• He was sixty-two years old when he retired. 👴
• I am thirty-five years old. 🧑
• They are ten years old. 👧👦
• That house is one hundred years old! 🏠😮
• The baby is one year old. 👶 (Singular = no “s”)

👉 “Years old” = full sentence with a BE verb
Think: She is... They are... I am...

Think: 🧍‍♂️“You move to me or with me.”

Use COME when:

• The speaker is at the destination
• The person is joining the speaker
• You imagine being at the place you’re talking about

📌 Common uses of COME:

• Come here
• Come with me
• Come to the party
• Come inside

Examples:

• Can you come to my house tomorrow? 🏡 (You come to my place)
• Come here and look at this! 👀
• I hope you can come to the wedding. 💍
• Are you coming to the gym with us? 🏋️
• She always comes early to class. 🕘

🧠 Think: "COME to me / with me / where I am (or will be)".

Think: 🧍‍♂️“You move away from me.”

Use GO when:

• The speaker is not at the destination
• The person is going somewhere else
• Talking about leaving your current place

📌 Common uses of GO:

• Go home
• Go to school
• Go on holiday
• Go shopping

Examples:

• I’m going to go to the cinema later. 🎥
• We go to Spain every summer. 🇪🇸
• He went home after dinner. 🏠
• Let’s go for a walk. 🚶‍♂️🌳
• She goes to university in London. 🎓

🧠 Think: "GO away from me / from here / to another place".

🟢 Use it with a noun (not a number of hours or minutes)

DURING + noun (the name of a time or event)

➡️ When? (At what moment?)

• a season: during winter ❄️
• a day or date: during the holidays 🎄
• an event: during the meeting 🧑‍💼
• a trip or journey: during the flight ✈️
• a film, show, or speech: during the movie 🎬
• a period of life: during my childhood 👶

• I had a headache during the meeting. 🤕
• She cried during the film. 😢🎬
• We had fun during our holiday in Italy. 🇮🇹
• Please don’t talk during the exam. 📝
• The lights went out during dinner. 🍽️

🟢 Use it with a time period (minutes, hours, days, months, years)

FOR + a period of time (2 hours, 3 days, 10 years…)

➡️ How long?

• minutes: for 10 minutes ⏱️
• hours: for 3 hours 🕒
• days/weeks/months: for a week 📅
• years: for 5 years 🗓️
• your whole life: for my whole life ❤️

• I stayed in London for two weeks. 🇬🇧
• They waited for one hour. ⌛
• We talked for a long time. 💬
• She lived in Japan for 5 years. 🏯
• He worked there for 10 months. 👨‍💼

Both mean the same thing — to do something from the beginning — but they are used in slightly different ways.

• START = most common, used in speech and writing
• BEGIN = formal, polite, used in writing, speeches, and time schedules

• machines / engines
• sports / hobbies
• everyday things
• plans or actions

Examples:

• I started the car. 🚙
• Let’s start the project tomorrow. 📁
• They started playing football at 3pm. ⚽
• He starts work at 9am every day. ⏰
• I want to start reading a new book. 📚

• formal speech/writing
• official events
• instructions
• literature or storytelling

Examples:

• The class will begin at 10am sharp. 🕙
• Let the ceremony begin! 🎉
• She began her speech with a joke. 🎤
• “It began to rain as we walked home.” 🌧️
• Please begin when you are ready. ✅

• ✅ START: Let’s start the game now! 🕹️ (casual, fun)
• ✅ BEGIN: The game will begin at 7pm sharp. 🎮 (formal, scheduled)

• Start a car 🚗
• Start work 🧑‍💼
• Start a business 💼
• Start crying 😢
• Start laughing 😂
• Start again 🔁

• Begin a journey 🧳
• Begin a speech 🗣️
• Begin a relationship 💑
• Begin to understand 🤔
• Begin with a quote 📖

• ❓ Questions
• ❌ Negative sentences
• 🤔 Conditional sentences

1. Do you want anything to drink? 🧃
   → (I'm asking if there is something you want)
2. I didn’t hear anything. 🔇
   → (No sound – nothing was heard)
3. If you need anything, let me know. 👋
   → (Whatever you might need)
4. Is there anything in your bag? 🎒
5. I can't see anything in the dark. 🌑

🧠 This means there is completely zero, none, empty.

💡 Use NOTHING in positive sentences with a negative meaning.

1. There is nothing in the fridge. ❄️🍽️
   → (The fridge is empty)
2. He said nothing all day. 🤐
   → (He was completely silent)
3. I have nothing to wear. 👗🚫
4. She did nothing to help. 🙅‍♀️
5. We found nothing at the crime scene. 🕵️‍♂️

Both are used to emphasise something — to make it sound stronger or more extreme.

But they are used in different grammar structures.

👉 Use SO before adjectives or adverbs (no noun!)

🧠 Structure:
SO + adjective
SO + adverb

• She is so tall. 📏
• This food is so delicious. 🍕
• I’m so tired. 😴
• That car is so expensive. 🚗💰
• We are so happy to see you. 😊

• He runs so fast! 🏃‍♂️💨
• She speaks so clearly. 🗣️
• They danced so beautifully. 💃✨
• You worked so hard today. 💼💪

Incorrect: She is so friend. ❌
Correct: She is so friendly. ✅ (adjective)

🧠 Structure:
SUCH + adjective + noun
or
SUCH + noun

• She is such a good friend. 👯‍♀️
• That was such a great movie! 🎬
• It’s such a beautiful day. ☀️
• He’s such a fast runner. 🏃
• They are such kind people. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

• Don’t be such a baby! 👶
• He’s such a fool sometimes. 🙄
• That’s such nonsense! 🤷

You don’t need help from someone or something

• remember + noun
• remember + to + verb (something you need to do)
• remember + -ing (something you did before)

1. I remember his name — it’s Tom! 👤
2. Do you remember my birthday? 🎂
3. Please remember to lock the door. 🔒
4. I remember meeting her last year. 🗓️
5. He doesn’t remember what happened. 🤔
6. I can’t remember where I put my keys. 🔑

📌 Examples:

• I remember to call my grandma every week. 📞 (future task)
• I remember calling my grandma yesterday. ✅ (past action)

Use it when you didn’t remember something until something/someone helped

• remind + someone + to + verb
• remind + someone + about + noun
• remind + someone + of + noun (memory of the past)

1. Can you remind me to buy milk? 🛒
2. Please remind her about the meeting. 📅
3. This photo reminds me of our holiday. 📷
4. That smell reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking. 👵🍲
5. Set a timer to remind you to take your medicine. ⏰💊
6. His voice reminds me of my old teacher. 🧑‍🏫

Both mean "higher than" — but they are used differently in some situations.

🧠 Think of “in the air” or “not touching”

• position (no contact)
• levels (like temperature, speed, age)
• ranking (grades, salaries, etc.)
• floating things (clouds, birds)

• The picture is above the sofa. 🖼️🛋️ (not touching)
• The clouds are above the mountains. ☁️🏔️
• Her grades are above average. 📈
• The plane is flying above the city. ✈️🌆
• Temperatures above 30°C are dangerous. 🌡️

🧠 Think of something that is:

• directly on top
• covering
• moving across or crossing

• covering (a blanket, a roof)
• movement across (a bridge, jumping)
• position on top of (hovering, looking down)
• numbers/amounts (like “more than”)

• The bridge goes over the river. 🌉💧
• He put a blanket over the child. 🛏️🧸
• There’s a roof over our heads. 🏠
• She jumped over the fence. 🐇
• He earns over £2,000 a month. 💷

Both words are adjectives and come from the verb "confuse", but they are used very differently!

👉 It’s an emotion
👉 It’s used for people

Subject (person) + is/was/feels + confused

• I’m confused. I don’t understand. 😕
• She looked confused after reading the instructions. 📄
• He was confused by the question. ❓
• They are confused about the new rules. 📝
• My son feels confused when he sees hard maths problems. ➗

🧠 Tip: Use “confused” when you feel lost, unsure, or don’t understand something.

CONFUSING = something that makes people feel confused 😵‍💫

👉 It describes a thing (not a person!)
👉 It means: "hard to understand” or "not clear”

Something + is/was + confusing

• This maths problem is confusing. 🤯
• The film was confusing — I didn’t get it! 🎬
• These instructions are confusing. 🔧📄
• The grammar rules are confusing for learners. 🔤
• That map is so confusing! 🗺️

🧠 Tip: Use “confusing” to talk about things (questions, signs, situations, etc.) that are difficult to understand.

✅ 1. DON’T MIND = “It’s OK for me” / “I’m happy with any option”

• You have no strong preference
• You’re OK with different choices
• You want to be polite and easy-going

• I don’t mind + noun/verb-ing/if...
• Do you mind if...? (asking permission)

• I don’t mind where we sit. 🪑
  (Any seat is OK)
• She doesn’t mind helping you. 🤝
• I don’t mind waiting a few minutes. ⏱️
• We can eat Chinese or Indian — I don’t mind. 🍜🍛
• Do you mind if I open the window? ❄️
  → “No, I don’t mind.” (It’s OK)

Used when you want to be helpful or easy-going

• Someone is stressed, apologising, or nervous
• You want to tell them: “It’s not a problem”

• Don’t worry, I’ll help you. 🤗
• You’re late? Don’t worry — it’s fine! ⏰🙂
• Don’t worry about the money now. 💰
• Don’t worry, everything will be OK. 🌈
• He forgot my birthday, but I said: “Don’t worry.” 🎂

Used to comfort or calm someone down

• You have no interest
• You feel annoyed or angry
• But ⚠️ BE CAREFUL — it can sound rude

• I don’t care what people think. 😤
• She doesn’t care about football. ⚽
• He said he doesn’t care if we come or not. 🙄
• I don’t care about the news anymore. 🗞️
• “I lost your book.” — “I don’t care.” ❌ (⚠️ sounds rude!)

Use with close friends or in serious situations
Otherwise, it might sound unfriendly or aggressive

Both mean:

“I feel happy or excited about something that is going to happen.” 😃⏳

But they are used in different situations — and they follow different grammar rules.

🎓 Formal
📧 Often used in emails, letters, or professional conversations
🧠 Usually polite and respectful

look forward to + noun / verb-ing

❌ Incorrect✅ CorrectI look forward to meet you. ❌I look forward to meeting you. ✅

👉 “To” is a preposition here — so we need a noun or verb + -ing

• I look forward to hearing from you. 📧
• We look forward to meeting you next week. 🤝
• She looks forward to going on holiday. 🌴
• He looks forward to starting his new job. 💼
• I’m really looking forward to my birthday. 🎂
• They look forward to seeing their family at Christmas. 🎄

💬 Informal, friendly
😊 Used in everyday speaking or casual writing (texts, conversations, social media)

can’t wait + to + verb (base form)
(You can also use can’t wait for + noun)

• I can’t wait to see the new Spider-Man film! 🎬
• She can’t wait to go on holiday. 🏝️
• We can’t wait for the weekend. 📆
• He can’t wait to try his new phone. 📱
• I can’t wait to eat — I’m starving! 🍔
• Tracy can’t wait for his BJJ competition. 🥋🥇

Think of it as the area or space where many cars are parked.

Examples:

• There’s a big car park behind the supermarket. 🛒
• We couldn’t find a car park near the cinema. 🎥
• The hotel has a free car park for guests. 🏨
• Multi-storey car parks are common in cities. 🏙️

✅ A car park
✅ Some car parks
🚫 Not: a parking

This refers to:

• the activity of parking a car
• the general idea of where/when/how cars can be parked

Examples:

• There’s no parking on this street after 6pm. ⛔
• Parking is difficult in the city centre. 😩
• I got a parking fine yesterday! 💸🚫
• Do we need to pay for parking here? 💰
• Parking on double yellow lines is illegal. ⚠️

✅ Some parking
✅ Free/paid parking
🚫 Not: a car parking

• multi-storey car park (🅿️ building with many levels)
• underground car park (below ground)
• public/private car park
• car park attendant (person who works there)

• parking space / spot 🟦
• parking ticket / fine 🚫
• free parking / paid parking 💰
• no parking zone ⛔
• disabled parking ♿
• parking lot (🇺🇸 American English for "car park")

'I recommend going to the Maldives'

Both verbs mean “to give advice or an idea”, but the grammar (sentence structure) is different.

• suggest + -ing
• suggest + that + clause

(We don’t usually use “suggest + object + to + infinitive” and we NEVER say “suggest me” ❌)

• I suggest going to the park. 🌳
• She suggested waiting a little longer.
• He suggested that we leave early.
• They suggested taking the train instead of driving. 🚆

• recommend + -ing
• recommend + that + clause
• recommend + object + to + infinitive (this structure is correct only with recommend, not with suggest).

• I recommend visiting the museum. 🏛️
• She recommended booking tickets in advance.
• The teacher recommended that we revise for the exam.
• He recommended me to try that restaurant. 🍽️
• I recommended my friend to watch that series.

• You cannot say:
  ❌ She suggested me to go.
• You can say:
  ✅ She recommended me to go.
• Correct with suggest:
  • She suggested (that) I go.
  • She suggested going.

Incorrect:

• “He suggested me to try the café.”

Correct:

• “He suggested trying the café.”
• “He suggested that I try the café.”
• “He recommended me to try the café.”

• My doctor recommended exercising more often. 🏃
• The travel agent suggested staying in a smaller hotel.
• She recommended me to apply for the job.
• I suggest visiting the British Museum – it’s great!
• They suggested that we join them later.

• Suggest = -ing form or “that + clause”
• Recommend = -ing form, “that + clause”, OR “object + to + infinitive”

A: What should we do this weekend?
B: I suggest going to the park.
A: My cousin recommended me to try that new café near the park.
B: Great! Let’s do both.

These are indefinite pronouns.
We use them when we are talking about people or things, but we don’t say exactly who or what.

• Both mean “one person (unspecified)”.
• No difference in meaning.
• SOMEONE = slightly more formal, used more in writing.
• SOMEBODY = slightly more informal, common in speaking.

In most cases, you can choose either word without changing the meaning.

1. In positive sentences:

• Someone / Somebody is at the door. 🚪
• I need someone / somebody to help me.
• Someone left their bag in the classroom. 🎒

2. In offers/requests (informal):

• Can someone pass me that book, please?
• Could somebody open the window?

3. As the subject or object:

• Someone called you earlier. (subject)
• I met somebody at the park. (object)

• Refers to one thing (unspecified).
• Used when the exact thing is not known or not important.

1. In positive sentences:

• There is something on your shoe. 👟
• I want to eat something sweet. 🍫
• She gave me something to read.

2. In offers/requests:

• Would you like something to drink? 🥤
• Can I get you something else?

1. Formality:
   • “Someone” is more common in writing.
   • “Somebody” is more common in speaking.

1. Positive use:
   • These pronouns are usually used in positive sentences.
   • In questions, we often use anyone / anything instead.

1. Possessive form:
   • Use someone’s or somebody’s to show possession.
     • That is someone’s phone. 📱
     • I borrowed somebody’s pen.

These are indefinite pronouns – they refer to unspecified people or things.
They are mostly used in questions and negative sentences, but they also appear in some positive sentences (with a slightly different meaning).

• ANYBODY and ANYONE have the same meaning: “any person”.
• ANYONE is a little more formal and more common in writing.
• ANYBODY is more informal/spoken.

You can use either in almost every sentence without changing the meaning.

1. In questions:

• Is there anybody in the room? 🏠
• Does anyone know the answer?
• Can anybody help me?

2. In negatives:

• I don’t know anybody here.
• She doesn’t talk to anyone at work.
• We didn’t see anybody outside.

3. In positive sentences (less common):
When used in positive sentences, it means “it doesn’t matter who” / every person.

• Anyone / anybody can join the club. (= all people are welcome)
• This book is so easy, anybody can read it.
• You can ask anyone for help.

• Refers to unspecified things.

1. In questions:

• Have you got anything to eat? 🍎
• Did you buy anything at the market?
• Is there anything I can do to help?

2. In negatives:

• I don’t have anything in my bag. 🎒
• She didn’t say anything to me.
• There isn’t anything interesting on TV.

3. In positive sentences (less common):
Like “anyone”, in positive sentences it means “no limits / it doesn’t matter what”.

• You can do anything you want.
• If you need anything, just ask.
• He’ll eat anything. (= no limits)

1. Don’t use “double negatives”:
   ❌ I don’t know nobody here.
   ✅ I don’t know anybody here.
2. Position:

• They can be subject or object of a sentence.
  • Anybody can join. (subject)
  • I didn’t invite anyone. (object)

• Somebody / someone = positive (there is a person).
• Anybody / anyone = question / negative / “doesn’t matter who”.

Examples:

• I need somebody to help me. (= specific person)
• I don’t need anybody to help me. (= no person)
• Does anybody know where she is? (question)

A: Is there anyone in the office?
B: No, there isn’t anybody there right now.
A: Did you buy anything from the shop?
B: No, there wasn’t anything I wanted.

These words are negative pronouns. They are used when we want to say not a single person (nobody / no one) or not a single thing (nothing).

• Nobody / No one = not any person 👥❌
• Nothing = not anything 🧱❌
• 
  

These words already carry a negative meaning, so we don’t use another negative word like not or didn’t in the same sentence.

🛑 Incorrect: I didn’t see nobody. ❌ (double negative)
✅ Correct: I saw nobody. ✅

🛑 Incorrect: She hasn’t done nothing. ❌
✅ Correct: She has done nothing. ✅

🔹 Both mean “not any person” and can be used interchangeably.
🔹 No one is slightly more formal than nobody.

• Nobody came to class today.
• Nobody came to the party. 🎉
• No one answered the phone. 📞
• I saw nothing in the mirror. 🪞
• She said nothing during the meeting. 🤐
• Nobody knows the truth. 😶

We use AS to describe someone's job, role, or function — or to say in the same way as something happens.

• She works as a teacher. 👩‍🏫 (That’s her actual job.)
• I used my phone as a torch. 🔦 (The phone functioned as a torch.)
• As your friend, I need to be honest with you. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
• Do it as I showed you. (Do it in the same way I showed you.)

🧠 Tip: "AS" is usually followed by a noun showing a job/role OR a clause (subject + verb).

We use LIKE to compare things — when we mean something is similar to something else, not the same role or function.

• You sing like a professional singer. 🎤 (You’re similar to one, but not actually one.)
• That cloud looks like a dinosaur. ☁️🦕
• She dances like her sister. 💃
• He talks like he’s a boss. (But he isn’t the boss!)

🧠 Tip: "LIKE" is followed by a noun or pronoun, not a full clause (usually!).

RELATIONSHIP (noun) is about emotional/personal connection.

RELATIONS (noun) is for formal connections (countries/companies) or family members (old-fashioned).

Examples:

• They have a good relationship. ❤️
• How is your relationship going? Are you engaged now? ❤️
• International relations are improving. 🌍
• My relations live in Scotland. (old-fashioned = relatives)

All mean “to some degree”, but they are not exactly the same!

These words are used as adverbs to show the degree or intensity of an adjective or another adverb.

1. Moderately: “a little” or “to some extent.”

2. Completely: with some adjectives, it can also mean totally/absolutely (especially with extreme adjectives).

• Neutral tone.
• Common in both speaking and writing.

• The film was quite good. 🎬 (pretty good, but not amazing)
• She’s quite tall, but not very tall.
• It’s quite difficult to learn a new language.

• That’s quite impossible. (= absolutely impossible)
• We’re quite ready to leave now. (= completely ready)

• Informal: “quite” or “rather”
• Often used in spoken English for emphasis.

• Informal and conversational.

• The test was pretty easy. (= quite easy)
• It’s pretty cold today. ❄️
• That was pretty amazing!
• She’s pretty good at basketball. 🏀

(In writing or formal speech, use “quite” instead of “pretty”.)

• Neutral / moderate – not very strong.
• Similar to “reasonably” or “moderately”.

• Neutral, often a bit less positive than “quite” or “pretty”.
• Common in written English, less emotional.

• It’s fairly cold today. (= a bit cold) ❄️
• The film was fairly interesting, but not excellent.
• He speaks English fairly well.
• That house is fairly big – but not huge.
• 
  

• More formal and often stronger than expected.
• Can express surprise or contrast with expectations.

• More common in formal English and British English.

• That was rather surprising! 😮
• It’s rather cold for June. (= unexpectedly cold)
• The lecture was rather boring. (= more boring than I thought)
• She was rather upset about the news.
• He’s rather good at playing the piano. 🎹
• 
  

• Pretty = informal, friendly
• Quite = neutral, can be “somewhat” or “completely”
• Fairly = neutral, slightly weaker/less emotional
• Rather = formal, sometimes “stronger” or “unexpectedly”
• 
  

fairly < quite / pretty < rather
(But “quite” can be very strong with extreme adjectives!)

• Different from is most standard (UK/US).
• Different to is common in British English.
• Different than is mostly American English.

Examples:

• This dress is different from that one. 👗
• This dress is different to that one. 
• This dress is different than that one. 

(All three are correct, but “different from” is safest.)

• British weather is different from Spanish weather.
• This plan is different from what I expected.

Both phrases are used to talk about exceptions.
They can sometimes be interchangeable, but there is an important difference in meaning and tone.

1. Including (in addition to)
   • Means as well as / besides / in addition to.

2. Excluding (like except for)

• Means not including / with the exception of.

So the meaning depends on context.

• Apart from my brother, I also invited my cousins. (extra)
• Apart from maths, she also studies physics and chemistry.
• Apart from being smart, he is also very kind. 🧠❤️

• Apart from John, everyone passed. (= John didn’t pass)
• I like all animals apart from snakes. 🐍
• The trip was great apart from the bad weather. ☔

APART FROM can mean both:

• “as well as” (extra) or
• “except for” (excluding)

The context decides.

• Means only excluding.
• It is more limited and strict than “apart from”.
• Does NOT mean “in addition to”.

Examples:

• Except for John, everyone passed. (John didn’t pass)
• I like all fruit except for bananas. 🍌
• The room was empty except for a chair.
• We work every day except for Sundays.

(You cannot use “except for” with the meaning “as well as”)

Apart from John, everyone passed.

• Could mean:
  1. Everyone passed and John also passed (extra fact).
  2. Or: Everyone passed but not John (exception).

Except for John, everyone passed.

• ONLY means: Everyone passed but not John.

• Apart from English, I speak French and Spanish. 🇫🇷🇪🇸
• The museum is open every day except for Mondays.
• The film was excellent apart from the ending. 🎬
• We saw nobody on the mountain apart from two hikers. 🏔️
• The party was perfect except for the music. 🎶

• Apart from is more flexible (addition or exception).
• Except for is only used for exceptions.
• In formal writing, “except for” is slightly more precise.

A: Did everyone enjoy the trip?
B: Yes, apart from a few delays, it was perfect.
A: So nothing went wrong?
B: Well, except for the delays, everything was great!

These three expressions look similar but are used differently in English.

Use:

• To show sequence/order (before “second”, “third”).
• Very common in spoken English and writing.
• Less formal than “firstly”.

Position: usually at the beginning of a sentence when listing points or events.

Examples:

• First, we went shopping, and then we had lunch. 🛒
• First, mix the flour and sugar. (instructions)
• I will explain first how the machine works, then I’ll show you.

Use:

• Same meaning as “first”, but for formal situations.
• Often used in essays, presentations, and speeches.
• Pairs naturally with “secondly, thirdly”.

Examples:

• Firstly, let me say thank you for inviting me here today. 🙏
• Firstly, we need to define the problem; secondly, we need to find solutions.
• Firstly, the economy has improved; secondly, employment rates have risen.

(In less formal writing or speaking, “first” is fine instead of “firstly”.)

Use:

• Refers to the beginning of a situation – but usually with a contrast later (something changes).
• Different from “first” because it describes how things were at the start, not a list.

Examples:

• At first, I didn’t like the job, but now I really enjoy it. 💼
• At first, he seemed unfriendly, but later he smiled.
• At first, I found English grammar difficult; now it’s much easier.

Key idea: “At first” ≈ “in the beginning”, especially when contrasting the past with now.

• First = order or instructions.
• Firstly = formal order, often in writing/speeches.
• At first = how something was in the beginning (but it changed later).

To FIT = the size is right (for clothes).

To SUIT = looks good on someone (the style/colour).

Examples:

• These jeans don’t fit me – they’re too small. 👖 (the size is not right)
• That dress really suits you. 👗(the style looks nice on you)
• The jacket fits perfectly, but it doesn’t suit my body.
• Her shoes didn’t fit me – they were too small.  👠(the size was not right)

• I’ll lend you my umbrella. ☂️
  (= I give it to you temporarily.)
• My dad lent me his car for the weekend. 🚗
• Don’t forget I lent you that book last week. 📖
• The bank lent us money to buy a house. 🏦

• Can I borrow your phone charger? 🔌 (Can I take your charger temporarily)
• I borrowed some sugar from my neighbour. 🍬
• She borrowed my laptop to finish her project. 💻
• Students can borrow books from the library. 📚

• WHO = subject (does the action).
• WHOM = object (receives the action).
  (In modern English, “whom” is formal and not common in speech.)

Examples:

• Who called you? (subject) ☎️
• Whom did you invite to the party? (object – formal)
• With whom did you visit Buckingham Palace? 👑
• To whom should I speak? (formal letter)

More natural today: “Who should I speak to?”

• The person whom I saw yesterday was very friendly. 😊
• The friends whom we invited didn’t come.
• The author whom the critics admire won the award. 🏆
• The person whom I admire most is my grandmother.

Formal with preposition:

• The student about whom I was telling you just passed their exam.
• The woman to whom you sent the email is on holiday.
• The partner with whom he built the company is his sister.

Informal:

• The student who I was telling you about just passed their exam.
• The woman who you sent the email to is on holiday.
• The partner who he built the company with is his sister.

Formal English (especially writing):

The preposition goes before “whom”

• The man about whom we were talking…
• The colleague with whom I work is very talented.
• The person to whom you sent the letter is away.
• The project about which / about whom we spoke will start soon.

For informal English (speaking) we use 'who' and the preposition can go at the end of the clause

• The man who we were talking about…
• The colleague who I work with.
• The person who you sent the letter to.
• The project that we spoke about.

Both are correct, but preposition + whom is considered more formal and is common in academic or business writing.

To HEAR = you notice a sound passively.
To LISTEN TO = you actively pay attention.

Examples:

• I heard music while walking down the street. 🎶 (noticed sound)
• I wasn’t listening to you. (paying attention)
• Did you hear the announcement? (noticed sound)
• Please listen to the instructions carefully.  (pay attention)

(Difference: Hearing happens naturally. Listening is a choice.)

• EFFICIENT (adjective) = works well without wasting time/energy/resources.
• EFFECTIVE (adjective)  = produces a good result.

Examples:

• The new software is very efficient – it saves me a lot of time. ⏱️
• Her presentation was very effective – everyone understood.
• He is an efficient worker (fast and organised).
• This medicine is effective for headaches. 💊

In spite of and Despite have the same meaning as: “although” 

Form:

• IN SPITE OF + noun / V-ing
• DESPITE + noun / V-ing

(Grammar: no “of” after despite!)

Examples:

• We went out in spite of the rain. ☔
• We went out despite the rain.
• In spite of feeling tired, I went to the gym.
• Despite feeling tired, I went to the gym.
• In spite of being busy, she helped me.
• Despite being busy, she helped me.

(You can also say: “In spite of the fact that…" and 

"Despite the fact that..." in formal situations ” but NOT “despite of the fact that”.)

Form: in spite of the fact that / despite the fact that + clause (subject + verb + object)

Examples:

• We went out in spite of the fact that it was raining. ☔
• Despite the fact that we felt tired, we went to the gym.
• In spite of the fact that she was busy, she helped me.
• Despite the fact that she was occupied, she gave me directions.

• THEY = subject (does the action)
• THEM = object (receives the action)

Examples (plural):

• They are going to the party. 🎉
• I saw them yesterday. 👋
• They like Italian food. 🍝
• We invited them for dinner. 🍽️

We use they/them for one person when:

• The gender is unknown, not important, or not specified.
• The person chooses they/them pronouns (non-binary).

This is called singular “they” and is common and correct in modern English.

Examples (singular):

• Someone is calling, but I don’t know who they are. ☎️ (unknown gender)
• If a student has a question, they should raise their hand. ✋ (unknown gender)
• I met a doctor yesterday – they were very helpful. 🩺 (gender not important)
• If anyone comes, give them a seat. 🪑
• If that person knocks at the door, ask them what they want. 🚪
• A new student has joined the class. Can you show them around? 🏫
• A colleague left their phone on the desk – please give it to them. 📱
• Someone parked in the wrong space. Can you go and tell them? 🚗
• If the teacher calls, tell them I’ll call back later.
• Every time I talk to a stranger, they ask me about my accent. 💬
• A customer came in, but they didn’t leave their name. 🛍️

• Avoids saying “he or she” repeatedly.
• Sounds natural and inclusive. 🌍
• Works for unknown, general, or non-binary references. 🏳️‍🌈

Tip:
In formal writing, “he or she” is still acceptable:

• “If a customer calls, give him or her this form.” 📝

But in everyday and modern English, it’s more natural to use “them”:

• “If a customer calls, give them this form.” ✅

• IT IS = identifies or describes something.
• THERE IS = says something exists.

Examples:

• It is a beautiful day. ☀️ (describing)
• There is a book on the table. 📚 (existence)
• It is important to study every day.
• There is a problem with my car.

To IMPLY = suggest something without saying it directly (speaker).

To INFER = guess/understand something from clues (listener).

Examples:

• He implied that I was late because I’m lazy. (he suggested it)
• From his words, I inferred that he was unhappy ☹️. (I understood)
• Are you implying that it’s my fault? (suggesting)
• From her silence, we inferred she agreed. (understood)