Confusable Adjectives

 

1. Underline the word in each set which does not collocate with the word in the centre.

 

1. big – grin, crowd, power, occasion, sister, filmstar, business
2. strong – faith, tree, friendship, tool, bomb, tea, muscles
3. great – leader, discovery, part, area, danger, deal, university
4. tall – child, temperature, tree, giraffe, skyscraper, bottle, house
5. high – speed, hopes, wall, rent, man, heels, flyer
6. large – amount, collection, occasion, area, tree, family, bottom
7. thin – layer, chance, soup, paper, neck, person, figure
8. slim – girl, hope, waist, cloth, man, chance, evidence
9. last – night, time, gossip, bus, chance, animal, dance
10. latest – fashion, film, discovery, year, trend, chapter, news
11. short – man, money, dress, story, journey, hair, holiday
12. physical – strength, world, exercise, energy, plants, efforts, condition
13. small – distance, town, business, mistake, food, problem, cut
14. weak – bridge, clothes, pulse, heart, argument, character, excuse

 

2. Choose the best word in the following sentences.

 

1. How tall/high is Athens above sea level?
2. He looks slim/skinny and handsome since he lost weight.
3. These trousers are made of strong/powerful material so they won't tear easily.
4. He took the stick and broke it in two with his powerful/strong hands.
5. Buying a cheap computer is a false/artificial economy.
6. After the accident ambulances took the hurt/injured to hospital.
7. He's French and she's German, but they have English as a native/common language.
8. The plane crashed nut the crew were safe/harmless.
9. Unfortunately the old painting I found turned out to be priceless/ worthless.
10. Jean has decided to join an amateur dramatical/dramatic society.
11. I've been working for twelve hours and feel tiresome/worn out.
12. Stop looking in the mirror. You are so self-centered/vain.
13. Tom is a/an thoughtful/straightforward person and easy to understand.
14. Do stop banging the drums, Billy. You are being rather disturbing/worrying.
15. Please accept our sincere/faithful congratulations.
16. Tom completely lost his temper. He was absolutely furious/angry.
17. I don't think this programme is not worth/suitable for young children.
18. I'm not keen on loud music, to be frankly/honest.
19. Jack hates spending money. He is rather mean/greedy.
20. Our teacher is very angry/strict and won't let us talk in class.
21. I didn't talk to anyone at the party because I felt lonely/shy.
22. Thank you for bringing us a present. It was rather memorable/thoughtful of you.
23. Teresa never gets angry with the children. She's very patient/strict.
24. Tom always pays for everyone when we get out. He is so noble/generous.
25. Is Brenda married or single/alone? I don't like to ask her.
26. He unpacked his clothes and arranged them in a accurate/neat pile at the foot of the bed.
27. There don't seem to be any free/vacant rooms in the whole of London.
28. Robert is studying physics and math and hopes to specialize in the latter/last.
29. I've lost so much weight that all my clothes are lose/loose and baggy.
30. What exactly are your principle/principal aims?
31. He sat down on a/an empty/vacant chair next to Mary.
32. Annie, let Luke play with your toys – don't be so egoist/selfish.
33. Write on the one side of the page and leave the other side empty/blank.