Job or work: 20+ pairs of English words that are constantly confused

Do you like yours? job or work? Want to ask how it went? wedding or marriage? There are many words in the English language that are often confused. Jennifer Forrest on J Forrest English talks about how to correctly use common words with similar meanings or spellings.

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Job и work

Let's deal with the words first job и work. Let's look at them in the form of a small test. Here's the question:

She applied for a new … at the law firm.
Correct answer: a new job.

Did you understand? I applied for a new job, because job - is a specific position or place of work for which a person receives money. A work refers directly to an activity, effort, task, or work. That is, not to a position, but to a process.

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For example, you could say:
Do you like your job? - a question about a specific position.
Do you like your work? — it’s more about the activity itself.

But in fact, native speakers often use these expressions interchangeably. However, it is impossible to say she got a new job.

Why? Because work — is an uncountable noun. So, for example, you can't say a work or one workAs work is not used with the indefinite article.

Therefore, it is correct to say:
I have so much work to do.

But we can say:
I have two jobs.

Additionally, work can be a verb:
I'm working two jobs to make ends meet.
(Here work used in the form working in Present Continuous).

Now one more test:
He's looking for new … But finding a good … takes time.
Correct answer: He's looking for a new job, because work — is an uncountable noun and does not require an article.
But finding a good job, because job — is a countable noun, and we use the article a.

STory и history

Try this:
The book is based on real… not fiction.
Correct answer: history.

This is history in the making.

Story - is a story, a narrative. It can be real or fictional, and it is told to entertain or inform.
History - This is a factual chronicle report of past events.

For example:
The story of the company dates back to 1920.
(Here we heard a story about a company with characters and events.)

The history of this company dates back to 1920.
(Here we are talking about the actual history of the company).

You can say:
He told an amazing story about his trip to Africa.
(Remember that with story the verb is used tell: tell a story).

But with history other verbs are used, for example:
learn about history, read history, discover history, debate history.

Try this:
He told a funny … but it had nothing to do with actual …
Correct answer: He told a funny story, but it had nothing to do with actual history.

Wedding и marriage

Try this:
Were you invited to their…?
Correct answer: wedding, because wedding - this is an event.

Wedding — is a ceremony, an event when two people get married. It has a specific date, time and place.
Marriage - this is marriage itself as a relationship between two people after the wedding.

You can say:
When is your wedding? or When was your wedding?, if we are talking about the past.
But you can't say When is your marriage?, because marriage — this is not an event with a specific date.

Instead they ask:
How long have you been married?

examples:
Their wedding didn't last long (This means that the ceremony itself was short.)
Their marriage didn't last long (Meaning that their marriage quickly fell apart.)

Try this:
Their … was beautiful, but their … has been full of challenges.
Correct answer: Their wedding was beautiful, but their marriage has been full of challenges.

Desert и dessert

The Sahara is the largest… in the world.
Correct answer: dessert.

Desert (with the stress on the first syllable) - this is a desert.
Dessert (with the stress on the second syllable) is a dessert.

Example:
After crossing the desert, we enjoyed a delicious dessert.

Price и cost

Try this:
The … of studying abroad is high when you factor in tuition, housing, food, and transportation.
Correct answer: cost.

Price - this is a specific amount indicated on the price tag.
Cost — this is the total cost, including hidden or additional costs.

examples:
What is the price of the laptop?
What is the total cost of the laptop?

Try this:
The … of the car was low, but the long-term … of insurance and maintenance is high.
Correct answer: The price of the car was low, but the long-term cost of insurance and maintenance is high.

Cluck и Opportunity

Opportunity - this is the probability of something.
Opportunity - This is a favorable opportunity.

examples:
There is a 30% chance of rain tomorrow.
This job offer is a great opportunity for your career.

Try this:
This scholarship is a real …, and you have no … of winning the lottery.
Correct answer: This scholarship is a real opportunity, and you have no chance of winning the lottery.

Lunjust и debt

Loan - this is money borrowed that needs to be repaid.
Debt - This is the total debt, the amount you owe.

Try this:
The … helped him buy the car, but now he has to manage his …
Correct answer: The loan helped him buy the car, but now he has to manage his debt.

Travel, trip и dayy

Travel — this is the general process of travel, and trip - this is a specific journey with a specific purpose. Journey focuses on the process of moving from one place to another.

Try this:
How was your … to Italy?
Correct answer: How was your trip to Italy?, because this is a specific trip.

examples:
I love traveling (We are talking about travel in general.)
How was your business trip? (A specific journey.)
The journey from London to Edinburgh takes about five hours (About the road process itself).

Advice и advise

Advice - this is a noun (advice), and advise — verb (to advise).

Try this:
He gave me great… on learning English.
Correct answer: advice, because it is a noun.

examples:
Can you give me some advice?
I advise you to take an umbrella.

Eeffect и affect

Effect — is a noun (result), and affect is a verb (to influence).

Try this:
The new law will…millions of people.
Correct answer: affect, because it is a verb.

examples:
The effect of climate change is alarming.
Climate change affects our daily lives.

Ccustomer и client

Customer - is someone who buys goods or services one-time.
Client - is a person who receives professional services (for example, legal or financial) on an ongoing basis.

Try this:
The lawyer met with her … to discuss the case.
Correct answer: client, because we are talking about long-term cooperation.

examples:
The restaurant serves many customers every day.
As a financial advisor, I have many clients.

Hor if и home

House — this is a physical building.
Home - this is the place where you live and to which you have an emotional attachment.

Try this:
I bought a new …, but it doesn't feel like … yet.
Correct answer: I bought a new house, but it doesn't feel like home yet.

examples:
This is my house (Physical structure).
Home is where the heart is (Emotional meaning).

Borrow и legend

blur - is to borrow something for a while, legend - is to give something for a while.

Try this:
Can I … your pen?
Correct answer: borrow, because you take an item from someone.

examples:
I borrowed a book from the library.
I lend him my car.

Raise и rise

Raise - this is to lift something (an object is needed).
Rise - is to rise by yourself.

Try this:
The sun … at 6 am
Correct answer: laugh, because the sun rises by itself.

examples:
Please raise your hand
Prices are rising

Say и tell

Say used without an object, but tell requires the object (to whom we are speaking).

Try this:
She… she was tired.
Correct answer: said, because there is no object.

examples:
She said she was busy.
She told me she was busy.

Win и earn

Win - is to get something as a result of competition.
Earn - is to receive money for work.

Try this:
He...a prize in the competition.
Correct answer: won, because it's a prize.

examples:
She won the lottery.
She earns $50,000 a year.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

Mfake и do

Make is related to the creation of something, and do — with the performance of actions.

Try this:
She … a delicious cake.
Correct answer: made, because it is a creation.

examples:
Make a decision.
Do your homework.

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