Word choice
English has a verb for almost every way a thing can break, and an adjective for every shade of being annoyed. These pages set out one family at a time: what separates the words, and the sentences that prove it.
B2Snap, crack, shatter, smashWhat is the difference between snap, crack, shatter and smash?B2Glance, glimpse, stare, gaze, peerWhat is the difference between glance, glimpse, stare, gaze and peer?C1Glow, gleam, glisten, shimmer, glintWhat is the difference between glow, gleam, glisten, shimmer and glint?B2Creak, rattle, clatter, thud, rustleWhich English verb describes which sound?B2Drip, trickle, gush, seep, oozeWhat is the difference between drip, trickle, pour, gush, seep and ooze?B2Stroll, stride, trudge, wander, staggerHow do you say "walk" precisely in English?C1Mutter, mumble, murmur, whisper, snapWhat is the difference between mutter, mumble, murmur and whisper?C1Grip, grasp, clutch, seize, snatchWhat is the difference between grip, grasp, clutch, seize and snatch?C1Clever, shrewd, cunning, astute, wiseWhat is the difference between clever, shrewd, cunning, astute and wise?B2Annoyed, irritated, furious, indignant, lividHow do you describe degrees of anger in English?B2Nervous, anxious, apprehensive, wary, petrifiedWhat is the difference between nervous, anxious, apprehensive and wary?C1Thrifty or stingy: the same behaviour, two verdictsWhich English words describe the same behaviour but judge it differently?B2Soar, surge, plummet, dwindle, level offWhich verbs describe rising and falling figures in English?C1Demolish, dismantle, raze, wreck, devastateWhat is the difference between demolish, dismantle, raze, wreck and devastate?C1Argue, claim, concede, refute, implyWhich reporting verb should you use in academic writing?C1Crucial, vital, pivotal, paramount, negligibleHow do you grade importance precisely in English?C1Put up with, pull off, iron out, gloss overWhich phrasal verb fits, and what exactly does it mean?B2Make, do, take, have: which verb goes with which nounDo you make or do a decision, research, damage, an effort?C1Break the ice, cut corners, bite the bulletWhat do the most common English idioms actually mean?
19 families, part of 573 live items. Practise word choice across all of them.