 (Photo Credit: Chris Lawton, UK) In this lesson, you will learn how to use six English verbs to talk about change. VARY If something varies, it changes depending on the situation.
SHIFT To change attention or a situation
ADAPT To change your behaviour in order to deal more successfully with a new situation.
To change something to make it suitable for a different purpose.
SWITCH When you change from doing or using one thing to doing or using another.
To replace one thing with another, or exchange things.
ALTER To change, or to make someone or something change
BECOME To change and to start to be something different
Exercise Complete the gaps with the correct form of the verbs below. One of the verbs can be used twice. vary - shift - adapt - switch - alter - become (2x)
Answers: 1. adapt; 2. is becoming / has become; 3. alter; 4. shift; 5. vary; 6. switched; 7. have become; Other lessons: Confusing words: Come vs. Go Confusing words: Bring vs. Take Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular Confusing words in English: Crowded vs. Congested Lessons with English collocations: English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure English Lesson: Collocations for Feelings English Lesson: Collocations for Describing a Conversation Please LIKE and SHARE with friends!
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 We usually use the adjective 'cheap' to say that something costs less money than we expected.
Cheap can suggest that something is poor quality. To avoid the negative connotation of this word, we can use other adjectives when we talk about products and services that cost little money. In this lesson, you will learn how to use 6 different adjectives that can replace the word 'cheap'. Let's look at the example sentences below. LOW (meaning: not costing a lot of money) We use 'low' to talk about prices, rents, and fees.
REASONABLE (meaning: not too expensive) When a price is 'reasonable', it seems fair – neither cheap nor expensive.
INEXPENSIVE (rather formal) (meaning: cheap; doesn't cost a lot of money) When we say that something is 'inexpensive', we actually mean it's good value for its price.
AFFORDABLE (meaning: not expensive) When something is 'affordable', it is cheap enough for most people to be able to buy.
COMPETITIVE (meaning: not expensive to make, buy, or use) Competitive prices and rates are as low as those charged by other shops and companies.
ECONOMICAL (meaning: cheap because you do not need to use a lot of money) We use 'economical' when something doesn't cost much money.
Other lessons: 10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 10 Ways to Say that Something is Good 6 Ways to Say that Something is Expensive Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 1) Common Phrases in Spoken English (Part 2) Please LIKE and SHARE with friends!  We usually use the adjective 'expensive' to say that something costs a lot of money. We can also use other adjectives with the same meaning.
In this lesson, you will learn how to use 6 different adjectives that can replace the word 'expensive', which can make you sound like a better English speaker. Let's look at the example sentences below. HIGH (meaning: too expensive and not worth the price) We use 'high' to talk about a rent, fee, price, tax, etc.
Note: We can also use high to talk wage, salary, pay, income. PRICEY (informal) (meaning: expensive) We use 'pricey' when something costs more than we want to pay for it.
OVERPRICED (meaning: too expensive and not worth the price) Something that is overpriced is more expensive than it should be.
COSTLY (meaning: costing a lot of money) When you say that something is costly, you mean that the price is more than you want to pay.
EXORBITANT (meaning: much too expensive; much more than is reasonable) We use 'exorbitant' to talk about an amount of money that is much higher than it should be.
ASTRONOMICAL (meaning: extremely high) We use 'astronomical' to talk about prices, costs, rates, and fees that are extremely high.
Other lessons: English Lesson: 5 Types of Lifestyle 10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad 10 Ways to Say that Something is Good English collocations: English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure English Lesson: Collocations for Rural Life English Lesson: Collocations for Urban Life English Lesson: Collocations for Saving Money Please LIKE and SHARE with friends!  We usually use the adjective 'bad' to say that something is badly made, of bad quality or harmful.
It's also very common to describe films, books, food, products, events, experiences, weather, and so on, as being bad. In this lesson, you will learn how to use 10 different adjectives and a verb phrase that can replace the word 'bad'. Let's look at the example sentences below. Look up the pronunciation of new words and practise. AWFUL (spoken; informal) (meaning: very bad or unpleasant)
Note: Awful is not used with 'very'. You can use absolutely or really instead. TERRIBLE (meaning: very bad)
Note: Terrible is not used with 'very'. You can use absolutely instead. APPALLING (meaning: very bad, unpleasant and shocking)
Note: You can also use appalling when you talk about situation, crime, injury, etc. NEGATIVE (meaning: harmful, unpleasant) (used about effects or people's reaction to something)
DETRIMENTAL (formal) (meaning: harmful)
SERIOUS (meaning: very bad or dangerous)
Note: Serious is used to talk about illnesses, problems, accidents, crimes, etc. You can use this word in more formal English. POOR (meaning: not as good as it could be; a quality that is low or lower than expected)
Note: Poor is more formal than bad. UNPLEASANT (meaning: not pleasant or enjoyable)
BE A NIGHTMARE [verb phrase] (spoken; informal) (meaning: it is used to talk about an extremely bad experience or situation)
DESPERATE (meaning: a desperate situation is very bad; If you are desperate, it means you want or need something very much.)
Other lessons: 10 Ways to Say that Something is Good English Lesson: Describing a Friend English Lesson: Talking about Childhood Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English English conversation lessons: English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet Please LIKE and SHARE with friends! (You don't have to, but if you do, that would be very nice of you.)  We usually use the adjective 'good' to say that something is well made or of high quality, that we enjoy or like it very much. We can also use adjectives to say that something is extremely good in a very exciting way.
In this lesson, you will learn how to use 10 different adjectives that can replace the word 'good', which can make you sound like a better English speaker. Let's look at the example sentences below. NICE (meaning: pleasant, attractive, or enjoyable)
POSITIVE (meaning: good or useful)
BENEFICIAL (meaning: having a good effect)
FINE (meaning: very good or of a very high standard)
FIRST-CLASS (meaning: of very good quality, and much better than other things of the same type)
Note: You can use the adjective first-class to talk about a product or service that is much better than most others. EXCELLENT (meaning: extremely good or of very high quality)
PERFECT (meaning: so good that it could not be made any better)
AMAZING/INCREDIBLE (meaning: extremely good, in a surprising and exciting way)
BRILLIANT (spoken; informal) (extremely good)
Other lessons: English Lesson: Describing a Friend Confusing words: Come vs. Go Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 10 Ways to Say that Something is Bad English conversation lessons: English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet Please LIKE and SHARE with friends! (You don't have to, but if you do, that would be very nice of you.) Pre-intermediate / Intermediate level The main meaning of say is to speak or tell somebody something, using words.
say = to speak The main meaning of tell is to give information to somebody by speaking or writing. tell = to give information Here’s the basic difference: We say something. BUT We tell somebody something. Which word to use? Say Say never has a person as the object. You say something or say something to somebody. Examples:
We can also use this structure: say [something] to somebody.
Remember that we use a phrase with 'to'. Say is often used when you are giving somebody’s exact words: Examples:
You can use say about and say something about: Examples:
Say can also be used with a clause when the person you are talking to is not mentioned: Examples:
Tell Tell usually has a person as the object and often has two objects: If we use an object pronoun (me, him, her, someone, etc.) or someone’s name, we use tell, not say: Examples:
It is often used with ‘that’ clauses: Examples:
Tell is usually used when somebody is giving facts or information, often with what, where, etc: Examples:
Tell is also used when you are giving somebody instructions: Examples:
When only tell is possible We use tell when we are giving facts or information. If we use an object pronoun (me, him, her, someone, etc.) or someone’s name, we use tell, not say. Structures with tell:
There are also some set phrases with tell:
Examples:
When only say is possible We use say when our words do not contain facts or information, for example when we greet people:
We can use say that if we want to give information:
Structures with say:
Now try this quick exercise to see how well you can use say and tell. Instructions: fill in each gap using say or tell in its correct form. Be careful!
Answers: 1. Tell; 2. say; 3. said; 4. tell; 5. tells; 6. tells; 7. say; 8. tell; 9. tell; 10. told; 11. say; 12. say; 13. told; 14. says; 15. say; Pre-intermediate / Intermediate level The verbs speak and talk both generally mean ‘say words’, but there are some small differences in how they are used. Speak is more formal than talk.
Compare:
(Formal) It is possible that:
(Informal) It is possible that:
We usually use speak for more formal presentations and lectures, and talk for more informal ones:
Speak usually only focuses on the person who is producing the words (one person is speaking):
Talk focuses on a speaker and at least one listener, and can mean ‘have a conversation’ (there is a conversation between two or more people):
Compare:
The focus is on his use of his voice to produce words. 'Speak' focuses only on the person who is producing the words.
The focus is on the use of words as part of a conversation with someone else. We use speak on the telephone: A: Is Rita there? B: Who’s speaking? A: My name’s Anna. I work with her.
When we refer to languages, we use speak:
Speak and talk with prepositions: We usually use 'to' after 'speak' and 'talk'. In more formal situations, people sometimes use with:
'Speak to' and 'talk to' are used more often than 'speak with' and 'talk with'.
'Speak to' is a little more formal than 'talk to', and is often used in polite requests.
We can say:
speak (to somebody) (about something/somebody)
talk to somebody (about something)
Remember to use the preposition 'to' after 'speak' and 'talk'. (speak to, talk to) Tip: In British English speak to and talk to are more common than speak with and talk with. Remember: We don’t use talk when referring to foreign languages:
We don’t use speak to focus on conversation:
When to use speak In some idioms and fixed phrases:
Other examples with speak:
When to use talk In the following examples, only talk is correct:
Other examples with talk:
Speak is not usually used before sense, nonsense and other words with similar meanings. Remember: Sometimes 'talk' and 'speak' are BOTH wrong. We say:
Now try this exercise to see how well you can use 'speak' and 'talk'.
Answers: 1. speaks; 2. speaks; 3. speak; 4. talked; 5. speak; 6. speak; 7. talking; 8. speaking; 9. talk; 10. speak; 11. talks; 12. talks; 13. talks; 14. speak; 15. speak; |
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