B1B2
Late vs Lately: After the Expected Time or Recently?
Learn why late describes timing while lately refers to the recent period leading up to now.
Read guide
Common Mistakes
Common English mistakes, explained clearly.
Understand frequent mistakes, why they happen and the natural English to use instead.
CEFR
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Choose the CEFR level that best matches your current English. Some articles are useful across more than one level.
Showing 37–48 of 79 learning articles.
B1B2
Hard vs Hardly: With Effort or Almost Not?
Understand why adding -ly completely changes the meaning of hard rather than simply turning it into a normal manner adverb.
Read guideA2B1
Quiet vs Quite: Little Noise or Degree?
Prevent a common spelling and pronunciation error by separating the adjective quiet from the degree adverb quite.
Read guideA1A2
Price vs Prize: Cost or Reward?
Keep price and prize separate by linking one to cost and the other to achievement or competition.
Read guideA2B1
Rob vs Steal: The Victim, the Place, or the Thing Taken?
Use rob for the victim or place and steal for the object that is taken.
Read guideA1A2
Learn vs Teach: Receive Knowledge or Help Someone Gain It?
Stop reversing learn and teach by following who receives the knowledge and who provides the instruction.
Read guideB2C1
Compliment vs Complement: Praise or Complete?
Use pronunciation, meaning and collocation to separate praise from something that completes or matches another thing.
Read guideB1B2
Beside vs Besides: Next To or In Addition?
Distinguish physical position from addition and learn how besides works as both a preposition and linking adverb.
Read guideB1B2
Especially vs Specially: Particularly or for a Special Purpose?
Choose especially for emphasis and specially for a particular purpose or deliberate preparation.
Read guideA2B1
Alone vs Lonely: Physical Situation or Emotional Feeling?
Separate a neutral physical state from an emotional experience of isolation.
Read guideB2C1
Historic vs Historical: Important in History or Simply Related to the Past?
Use historic for significance and historical for broader connection with history or past evidence.
Read guideB2C1
Economic vs Economical: The Economy or Saving Resources?
Choose the right adjective for economic systems, financial conditions and efficient use of money or resources.
Read guide