Note that these verbs have different forms: infinitive past tense past participle present participle raise raised raised raising rise rose risen rising arise arose arisen arising H.. We [r]
Trang 1CONFUSING VERBS
Some pairs of verbs in English are subtly different from each other and so can be a
source of confusion for learners This is because the pairs, e.g make and do, lay and lie,
have similar meanings but are used to describe different kinds of actions or situations
These are ‘false synonyms’ In other cases, there are verb pairs which cause problems
because we use them to describe similar situations even though they have opposite
meanings, e.g borrow and lend These are ‘opposite pairs’ In this section we look at
the verb pairs which are most often confused
A FALSE SYNONYMS.
Several verbs appear to have similar meanings but are used differently
MAKE and DO
Make often means ‘create’ or ‘produce’:
- Aunt Alice is going to make the bridesmaids’ dresses.
- Gouda cheese is made in Holland.
Make often expresses the idea of building and constructing:
- The multinationals are making a lot of products in the developing world these days.
We also use make to describe a process of change The meaning is similar to ‘become’
or ’cause to be’:
- The spare bedroom has made a wonderful office for Deirdre (= has become)
- Those new drugs seem to make him very lethargic (= cause him to be)
Make + object + infinitive (without to) means 'force' or ‘command’:
- The police officer made me empty my pockets.
Make has a number of idiomatic meanings such as ‘earn’ and ‘keep an appointment’:
- He makes $1000 a week on the oil rigs.
- I can't make it on Friday; I’m in a meeting all day.
We often use do to describe an activity or to mean ‘carry out/complete a task':
- What are we going to do for your birthday? (= take part in an activity)
- You can go out after you've done your homework (= you've completed)
We can use do + determiner + -ing form to describe regular tasks at home or at work:
- There isn’t much in the fridge as I haven’t done the shopping yet
- We do the stocktaking every Wednesday morning
Expressions with make and do
There are several multi-word verbs with make or do.
- Don’t believe a word he said, he made it all up (= invented)
- The government did away with the death penalty in the sixties (= abolished)
* There are a number of fixed expressions with either make or do;
WRONG It’s time to do a decisiom => It's time to make a decision
WRONG Who made yout^hair? => Who did your hair?
Here are some of the most common expressions with make and do (Note that in the 2D
table below, sb = somebody and sth = something.)
MAKE
DO
the cleaning/cooking / good (= help other people) research ironing / washing (up) sb some good (= make sb the shopping
some damage your hair/face/nails your teeth (= brush/clean) the dishes harm well/badly (= be your duty an exam/a test successful/unsuccessful) the homework/housework yourself an injury an/some exercise a job
HAVE / TAKE + NOUN
We can describe some actions with either have or take; in other cases we only use one
of these verbs:
an appointment lunch/dinner / account of part (in) a bath/shower
Trang 2(= an existing a meal action a photo(graph) a break
arrangement) a quarrel advantage (of) place an exam/test
a baby a row care (of) precedence a holiday/
a care a/the right (to) a chance (over) a vacation
a chance (to do a say a decision responsibility a look
a drink a think exception (to) sides (with sb) a sip
an effect (on sth) (no / the) time the form of a step/steps a stroll
a wash medicine/drugs the trouble (to) a swim
a fall a word (with) a message years / months /
an /no /any idea
B been/gone
The two past participle forms, gone and been, are used with similar but slightly
different meanings In British English we use been, not gone, when we express the idea
of visiting or going somewhere and then leaving or returning:
- Jane's just got back WRONG: She’s gone to thedoctor’s
✓ She’s been to the doctor's (= She went and then came back.)
We use gone, not been, when someone has gone somewhere but not yet come back:
- Jane isn 't here right now WRONG: She’s been to the deetor’s
✓ She's gone to the doctor's (= She went there and hasn’t returned.)
For both of these situations, gone is commonly used in US English.
E lay/lie
To lay expresses an action; it means to put something or someone down in a flat
position To lie describes a state of being in a horizontal position Compare:
- You will find the process easier if you lay all the parts on a worksurface (action)
- I think I'll lust lie on the sofa until my headache goes (state/position)
There is also the verb lie meaning ‘to say something that isn’t true’:
- That child lies all the time (= says things which are not true)
Notice that these three verbs have different forms:
infinitive past tense past participle present participle
lie (= tell lies) lied lied lying
- They 've laid new carpet throughout the house.
- We've been laying artificial grass on the new football pitch.
- We found the old photographs lying in a drawer.
- Yesterday I was so tired that I lay on the bed all morning, (past simple of lie)
F speak/talk
Speak and talk have very similar meanings and are often equally appropriate:
- I’m going to talk/speak to my teacher about it after the lesson.
- We usually use speak, not talk, for formal speeches when a person in authority is
addressing an audience:
WRONG: Prime Minister talked to Parliament this morning
✓ Before the election the President spoke to the nation on television.
We use speak, not talk, to refer to languages:
WRONG: Anatoly talks English with an accent
✓ Anatoly speaks English with an accent.
We use talk for long conversations:
WRONG: We were up half the night speaking!
✓We were up half the night talking!
There are a number of expressions with speak or talk:
- Could you speak up I can't hear you (= talk louder)
- I'd like to talk about our new sales strategy (= explain/discuss)
- You're talking nonsense (I strongly disagree with what you are saying.)
G raise / rise / arise
Raise refers to the action of someone or something lifting, increasing or moving something else in an upward direction To rise only refers to the movement itself:
- The government has been urged to raise corporation tax rates to match those in other European Union states Rates are predicted to rise by ten per cent.
REMEMBER: Because raise refers to an action done to something or someone else it
always has a direct object:
WRONG: Fares will raise next year ✓ They will raise the fares next year
Rise cannot have an object:
WRONG: They will rise the fares next year ✓ Fares will rise next year
In formal English we sometimes use arise to refer to problems or difficulties occurring:
- Tissue rejection is a problem which can arise in this procedure.
REMEMBER: Arise does not have an object:
WRONG: Let’s hope nobody arises that issue ✓ Let’s hope that issue doesn't arise Note that these verbs have different forms:
infinitive past tense past participle present participle
H rob / steal.
We use rob to refer to the person or place that suffered the robbery; we use steal to refer to what was taken:
WRONG: Thieves stole my uncle ✓Thieves robbed my uncle
WRONG: A gang stole the head offiee ✓A gang robbed the head office
WRONG: They robbed his gold watch: ✓They stole his gold watch
We can use the preposition from to link steal to a person or place:
- Colonel Blood stole the crown jewels from the Tower of London in 1665.
We can use the preposition of to link rob with the thing which was taken:
Trang 3No man has the right to rob another of his freedom.
OPPOSITE PAIRS
Some verbs act as ’mirror images’ of each other They describe the same event from
different sides
A Borrow / Lend.
If you want to use something that belongs to someone else you can borrow it from
them The owner of something can lend it to you for a certain period:
- 'Dad, could we borrow your electric drill?’ ~ ’Sorry I’ve already lent it to Michael.’
B Bring / Take / Fetch.
Bring means to take someone or something with you to the place you are now, to your
home, or to the place/event you have been talking about:
- I’ve brought the pliers you said you needed.
- When are you going to bring your new boyfriend to meet us? (to our house)
- Jane and I got lost on the top of the mountain and we had to stay there till morning
Fortunately Jane had brought some food and water
Take means to move someone or something away from the place you are now, away
from your home or away from the place/event you have been talking about:
- I can’t find the cheque book - Dennis must have taken it when he left this morning.
- When are you taking me to meet your parents? (away from here to their home)
REMEMBER: The choice of verb depends on the situation of the speaker:
- Are you bringing your scuba gear? (on our holiday)
- Are you taking your scuba gear? (on your holiday)
- I brought the car to work today (I am at work now.)
- I took the car to work today (I am not at work now.)
Fetch means to collect someone or something from another place and bring it to the
place you are now, to your home or to the place you are talking about We don’t use
bring with this meaning of ‘collecting’:
WRONG: Could you bring the children from school on Monday
✓ Could you fetch the children from school on Monday? (= go to the school and bring
them home)
PRACTCE
I Rewrite the sentences using suitable forms of make or do.
0 What activities are you planning for next week?
=> What are you doing next week?
1 Heavy rains have led to parts of the road becoming impossible
2 We're going to have the roof repaired next spring
3 It’s all part of the research I’m carrying out for my dissertation
4 I’m rather busy this evening, so I won’t be able to meet you at the cinema
5 The old pond has become a wonderful paddling pool for the kids
6 How can you talk to me like that after all I’ve achieved for you!
7 Are you going to take any more aerobics classes?
8 In many countries women still earn less money than men for the same work
9 They forced the hostages to walk for three days without food or water
10 They’ve been producing Rolls Royce cars in the same factory for forty years
II Complete the sentences with a suitable form of have or take.
1 You sometimes have to wait a year or two for the plants to really root in the soil
2 Unless a cheque is received by return of post we will have no option but steps to recover the disputed sums through the courts
3 I can’t help you with that, I’m afraid; I absolutely no idea when it comes to electrics
4 You want to become a doctor at your age? It years to get through a medical degree
5 Do you mind if I a quick wash before we sit down to eat?
6 She’s very worried about the takeover Perhaps you should a chat with her about it,
7 And what makes you think you the right to lecture me on morality?
8 I’m not feeling too good today; I the most almighty row with my girlfriend last night,
9 In the latest developments in the civil war it appears that the rebel army power in the southern provinces
10 I can’t think why you’re so reluctant to go Come on a risk for once!
11 We regret to announce that Alvin Claymore is unable part in tonight’s performance owing to ill health
12 The residents insist on their say; they’re going to demand a public meeting with the housing committee
13 With any luck the new policing initiative a positive effect on the appalling crime rate around here
14 I know I'm old-fashioned but I do exception to all the bad language on TV these days
15 You really can’t put this off any longer; you must a decision on the Knowlson case today
III Choose the best word in italics for each sentence.
Trang 41 We'd better order a taxi to bring/take us to the airport next week.
2 My uncle borrowed/lent me the money to buy my first car.
3 Shall I bring/take my holiday photos when 1 come over on Saturday?
4 Is there any chance of you bringing/fetching the kids from their swimming lesson
tonight?
5 The car isn’t here, I’m borrowing/lending it to my sister for the week.
6 My boyfriend went to Japan on a business trip and brought/took me a fantastic MP3
player
7 Can I borrow/lend your dictionary? I left mine at home.
8 When my girlfriend left me she brought/took my entire CD collection.
9 Would you like me to fetch/bring your car from the garage this afternoon?
10 Is there any chance I could borrow/lend your calculator over the weekend?
IV In the following texts some lines (1-17) have a mistake with the verb and some
lines are correct Find and underline any incorrect verbs and write the correct verb
form, then tick (✓) the correct lines The exercise begins with two examples (0) and
(00).
ANSWER KEY