Sport

1
BAD: Sports help us to keep fit.
GOOD: Sport helps us to keep fit.
◆◆◆
a sport (countable) = a particular type of sport: 'Cricket is a very popular sport in Yorkshire.'
sport (uncountable) = sport in general: 'She writes articles on sport and travel.' 'I'm not very good at sport.'
2
BAD: I need some new sport shoes.
GOOD: I need some new sports shoes.
BAD: She bought a bright red sport car.
GOOD: She bought a bright red sports car.
◆◆◆
Use sports in front of a noun (NOT sport ): 'a sports centre', 'a sports club', 'sports equipment', 'sports injuries'.
3
BAD: He makes all types of sport.
GOOD: He does all types of sport.
◆◆◆
l do sport (NOT make ): 'Do you do any sport at school?'

tasteful/ tasty/ delicious

• 'tasteful'

Something that is tasteful is attractive and elegant. You can use tasteful to talk about things such as furniture, ornaments, and clothes.
The bedroom was simple but tasteful.
He always sent the most tasteful Christmas cards.

• 'tasty'

Food that is tasty has a pleasant flavour.
He cooked some tasty food and took it to his father.
The seeds, when toasted, are tasty and nutritious.

• 'delicious'


Note that you do not usually describe sweet foods as 'tasty'. Instead, you can say that they are delicious .
Martha makes the most delicious chocolate pudding.

access to the Internet/ access the Internet

• I can't get online right now.
• I can't access the Internet right now.
• I don't have access to the Internet right now.
• I don't have Internet access right now.
  

emigrate • migrate • immigrate

emigrate • migrate • immigrate

- A lot of people from the countryside are migrating to the towns. (Not *emigrating*) (migrate refers to the movement of people from one place to another within a country or area: people who do this are migrants)

- Many species of birds migrate to warmer climates before the onset of winter. (Not *emigrate* *immigrate*) (we never use emigrate or immigrate for birds and animals; we can refer to e.g. migrating birds as migrant birds)

- Millions of people emigrated from Europe to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. (Not *migrated* *immigrated*) (emigrate from a place = permanently leave your native country; people who do this are emigrants)

- A lot of people immigrated to Britain from Uganda in the 60s and 70s. (immigrate to a place = go to live in a country which is not your native country; people who do this are immigrants)


• 'emigrate'

If you emigrate , you leave your own country and go to live permanently in another country.
He received permission to emigrate to Canada.
He had emigrated from Germany in the early 1920's.

• 'emigration'

You refer to the process by which people leave their own country in order to live somewhere else as emigration .
...new laws on emigration.
...the encouragement given to peasant emigration.

• 'emigrant'

People who emigrate are called emigrants .
Thousands of emigrants boarded Cunard ships for the New World.

• 'immigrant'

When emigrants arrive in the country where they intend to live, they are referred to as immigrants .
...a Russian immigrant.
A ship carrying 54 illegal immigrants sailed into the harbour yesterday.

• 'immigration'

You refer to the process by which people come to live in a country as immigration .
She asked for his views on immigration.
...immigration procedures.

• 'migrate'

When people migrate , they temporarily move to another place, usually a city or another country, in order to find work.
The only solution people can see is to migrate.
Millions have migrated to the cities.

• 'migration'

This process is called migration .
...mass migration into cities.
Migration for work is accelerating in the Third World.

• 'migrant'

People who migrate are called migrants or migrant workers .
...migrants looking for a place to live.
In South America alone there are three million migrant workers.

• another meaning of 'migrate'

When birds or animals migrate , they move from one place to another at the same time each year.
Texas is the first landfall of most birds migrating north.
Every spring they migrate towards the coast.

Pity

pity

noun
1
BAD: When I saw these pity children, my eyes filled with tears.
GOOD: When I saw these pitiful children, my eyes filled with tears.
◆◆◆
pity (noun) = a feeling that you have when you feel sad and sorry for someone because of their situation: 'They don't want our pity. They need our help.'
pitiful (adjective) = causing people to feel sad and sorry: 'The horses were in a pitiful condition, thin and covered with sores.'
2
BAD: She expected me to feel pity on her and help her.
GOOD: She expected me to take pity on her and help her.
GOOD: She expected me to feel pity for her and help her.
◆◆◆
take pity on : 'Eventually a kind motorist took pity on us and offered us a lift.'
feel pity for : 'Being a widow, she expects you to feel pity for her.'

pity • sorrow • pain

- One always feels (a) particular sorrow at the death of a child. (Not *pity* *pain*) (= a feeling of great sadness)
- Pity is not enough. What the refugees need is food and medicine. (Not *Sorrow*) (= sympathy for someone's misfortune)
- Pain and suffering are part of the human condition. (Not *Pity*) (= physical or mental distress)

pity • take pity on

- I took pity on the poor beggar and gave him some money. (Not * took pity for/with*) (take pity on = feel sorry and try to help; have pity on = be merciful is only used in old stories)
- You say you pity the homeless, but what are you doing about them? (pity refers to feeling and is not necessarily followed by action)


it’s a pity/shame /ɪts ə ˈpɪti, ˈʃeɪm/ spoken
say this to show that you feel disappointed or sad about something that has happened:
▪ It’s a pity about the weather - it was so nice yesterday.
it’s a pity/shame (that)
▪ It’s a shame you can’t come with us.
what a pity/shame!
say this to show that you feel sad or sympathetic about something
▪ ‘Janet didn’t get that job.’ ‘Oh, what a pity!’
a real/terrible shame
▪ They’ve cut down all those beautiful trees. It’s a terrible shame.

more’s the pity /ˌmɔːʳz ðə ˈpɪti/ British spoken
say this when you wish that the fact that you have just mentioned was not true:
▪ Now I’m too old to fall in love, more’s the pity.
▪ I’m afraid this car doesn’t belong to me, more’s the pity.

Own

own

pronoun
1
BAD: I had the whole beach for my own.
GOOD: I had the whole beach to myself.
◆◆◆
Own (= belonging to you, or only to be used by you) is used either in front of a noun, or in the phrase of your own: 'I wish I had my own car.' 'I wish I had a car of my own.'
have sb/sth (all) to yourself = be the only person or people in a place, using something, talking to someone, etc: 'After the children had gone, we had the house all to ourselves.'
2
BAD: He's decided to resign and work for his own.
GOOD: He's decided to resign and work for himself.
BAD: They want everything for their own.
GOOD: They want everything for themselves.
◆◆◆
do/want sth for yourself (NOT for your own ): 'He's kept all the money for himself.'
3
BAD: I didn't have a room for my own but had to share one.
GOOD: I didn't have a room of my own but had to share one.
◆◆◆
of your own (NOT for ): 'Timothy has now decided that he wants a bicycle of his own.'
4
BAD: I now have enough money to buy an own car.
GOOD: I now have enough money to buy my own car.
◆◆◆
Own always follows my/her/their/Jill's etc (NOT an ) 'their own children', 'her own flat', 'Tina's own radio'.

belong to • own

- I own this vehicle. (Not *belong*) (= it's mine)
- This vehicle belongs to me. (Not *owns me* *owns to me* *It belongs me this vehicle.*) (= it's mine)

proper • own

- I'd love to have my own room/a room of my own. (Not *my proper room* *mine own room* *an own room*) (= solely for my use; own after my, your, etc., emphasizes the idea of possession)
- Don't use my comb. Use your own. (Not *your own one* *your proper one*)
- I translated the poem into Italian on my own/by myself. (Not *by my own*) (= alone, unaided)
- What matters is who you are, not what you own. (Not *are owning*) (stative use only)
- It took me ages to learn the proper way to use chopsticks. (= correct)

This is the only phone in the village. (Not *the single*) (= the only one)
- There is a single phone in the village. (Not *an only* *an own*) (= only one)
- I'd like a single room please. (Not *an only room* *an own room*) (= a room for one person)
- I have my own room/a room of my own. (Not *an own room*) (i.e. solely for my use)

• Our children are grown up and have children of their own.

• For reasons of his own (= particular reasons that perhaps only he knew about), he refused to join the club.

• Do you own your house or do you rent it?

• I don't own anything of any value.

• Does anyone own this coat? It was left in a classroom.

• Don't tell me what to do— you don't own me!

come into your/its ˈownidiom

to have the opportunity to show how good or useful you are or sth is

• When the traffic's this bad, a bicycle really comes into its own.

get your ˈown back (on sb)idiom

(informal) to do sth to sb in return for harm they have done to you; to get revenge

• I'll get my own back on him one day, I swear!

hold your ˈown (against sb/sth) (in sth)idiom

to remain in a strong position when sb is attacking you, competing with you, etc

• Business isn't good but we're managing to hold our own.

• She can hold her own against anybody in an argument.

• The patient is holding her own although she is still very sick.

 

Miser...Miserable

miser • miserly • mean/stingy

- It makes no sense to be mean/stingy with your money when you're alive and then leave a fortune to your heirs. (Not *miser*) (= ungenerous; miserly is literary)
- The old miser preferred to leave all his money to a dogs' home than to his children. (a miser is a mean or stingy person who hates giving anything and likes to hoard money and possessions)

miserable/wretched • poor

- Mother Teresa devoted her life to the poor. (= those without money; poor and miserable occurs as a fixed phrase in e.g. She lived to a poor and miserable old age.)
- I've had a cold for three weeks and I'm feeling miserable/wretched. (Not *poor*) (= very unhappy)

Decoration • Decor

decoration • decor

- Black and white decor is not very friendly. (Not *decoration*) (= the style of an interior)
- Can we help with the decoration of the Christmas tree? (Not *decor*) (= adding things to make it beautiful)

Action

action

noun
1
BAD: The actions that we do everyday are made easier by computers.
GOOD: The things that we do everyday are made easier by computers.
BAD: If someone has done a wrong action, he should be punished.
GOOD: If someone has done something wrong, he should be punished.
◆◆◆
Do and action cannot be used together. Use do + things/something/ anything etc: 'She's always doing things for charity.' 'Don't do anything that might upset them.'
2
BAD: It is difficult to forgive those responsible for actions of terrorism.
GOOD: It is difficult to forgive those responsible for acts of terrorism.
BAD: Blackmail is the action of trying to obtain money from someone by threatening to expose them.
GOOD: Blackmail is the act of trying to obtain money from someone by threatening to expose them.
◆◆◆
an/the act of (doing) sth (NOT action ): 'Such acts of violence will not be tolerated.' 'For some people, the very act of talking to a doctor can help them to feel better.'
3
BAD: Few people are aware that an urgent action is needed.
GOOD: Few people are aware that urgent action is needed.
BAD: The government should take an action to reduce the birth rate.
GOOD: The government should take action to reduce the birth rate.
◆◆◆
When you are talking about the idea or process of doing something, action is uncountable: 'There is too much talk and not enough action.'
In the phrase take action, action is always uncountable: 'This illegal trade will continue unless action is taken to stop it.'

act * action • deed

- The situation requires immediate action. (Not *act* *deed*) (= doing something, often as a response)
- I shall always remember her many acts of kindness to me. (Not *actions* *deeds*) (act of+ noun phrase, not *action*; act =specific thing done; action = a move to do something; act/action are interchangeable after adjectives: It was a kind act/action.)
- Visiting Mrs Hollis in hospital was a good deed that had to be done. (Not * act/action*) (deed is only used in a context where an action is being judged: a good/evil deed)

action • campaign

- The government is launching a campaign against smoking. (Not *an action*) (= a planned series of actions)
- The government's action to control interest rates has been very prompt. (= a move to do something)

Self-conscious

self-conscious

Someone who is self-conscious is easily embarrassed and worries about what other people think of them.
I stood there, feeling self-conscious.
Patrick is self-conscious about his thinness.


Patrick is self-conscious about his fatness/fattiness.

1. Patrick is self-conscious about his weight. (polite)
2. Patrick is self-conscious about the amount of fat he is carrying. (polite)
3. Patrick is self-conscious because he is fat. (somewhat blunt/direct.)

If someone is sure of their own abilities, qualities, or ideas, You do not say that they are 'self-conscious'. You say that they are confident , self-confident , or self-assured .
...a witty, young and confident lawyer.
She was remarkably self-confident for her age.
His comments were firm and self-assured.