13 Tricky English Vocabulary_Speak English With Vanessa

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Speak English With Vanessa
Free PDF Worksheet
Tricky English Vocabulary Made Easy
Dear English Learner,
Get ready to speak confidently with these tricky English words. I recommend reading
this worksheet out loud and using the blank space on the last page to answer my
challenge question using the vocabulary. Thanks so much for learning English with me.
You rock!
Your teacher,
Vanessa
Tricky English Vocabulary Made Easy
High VS Tall
I can’t believe how tall your son is now! Last time I saw him, he was only 4 years old.
The airplane is so high (up)!
The person/building is tall.
TIP: Something touching the ground is “tall.”
Something not touching the ground is “high.”
Bonus TIP: If a person is “high” then that means they are taking drugs.
Mad VS Crazy
Boy, have I had a crazy day!
When I am angry, I am mad.
When I have a lot of things going on, sometimes life gets crazy.
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TIP: In old fashioned English, the word “mad” meant “crazy.” For example: “What a
mad day!” But we never use “mad” like this nowadays.
Blank VS Empty
His essay about “courage” had only one sentence on the page, “This is courage,” and
the rest of the paper was blank.
A plain sheet of paper with no marks is blank.
A glass pitcher with nothing in it is empty.
TIP: Something flat is “blank.”
Something like a container is “empty.”
Young VS New
I am so excited about my new car!
The child is young.
The car is new.
TIP: “Young” is for people.
“New” is for things.
BONUS TIP: “A country” is an exception that can use both “young” and “new”: The US
is a relatively young/new country compared with England.
Smart VS Wise
My cat learned a new trick. He’s so smart!
The cat is smart.
The old man is wise.
TIP: “Smart” can be learned or innate knowledge.
“Wise” is a deeper knowledge from experience and age. Usually someone who is wise
can give good advice.
Rich VS Expensive
The movie star drove an expensive car.
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The movie star has a lot of money and is rich.
The car costs a lot of money and is expensive.
TIP: “Rich” is for people. “Expensive” is for things.
Valuable VS Invaluable
The thief broke into the safe and stole something valuable/invaluable.
The royal jewels are valuable. / Learning English is a valuable skill.
The royal jewels are invaluable. / Learning English is an invaluable skill.
TIP: “Valuable” means “costs a lot of money or important.”
“Invaluable” means “there is so much value, it is so important that you can’t even
imagine it.”
Remind VS Remember
Do you remember the teacher’s name?
I will remind you of the teacher’s name.
You will remember the teacher’s name.
TIP: The biggest difference is the subject. Someone else reminds you about the event.
But you remember the event.
BONUS TIP: Do not say, “Can you remember me about the event?” Instead, you can
say, “Can you remind me about the event?”
Little VS Small
My little sister loves to ride horses.
My younger sister is my little sister. (“little sister/brother” = “younger sister/brother” and
“big sister/brother” = “older sister/brother”)
My sister’s clothes are too small.
TIP: “Little” and “small” can be used interchangeably for anything non-human. That’s a
really little / small butterfly.
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Antique VS Old
My computer is from 2005. It’s so old.
The computer is old.
The record player is an antique.
TIP: The word “antique” is usually for items 100 years old. Exception: The word
“antique” can be used as a joke. For example: My computer is from 2005. It’s practically
an antique!
Taste VS Eat
You’re already finished eating? Did you even taste the salmon?
You taste the soup to see if it’s cool.
You eat the soup because you’re hungry.
TIP: “Taste” is for a small bite. For example: I can’t wait to taste all of the food at the
banquet.
Looks VS Appears
Your new haircut looks like it’s comfortable for the hot weather!
The haircut looks good.
The haircut appears like it’s comfortable. (but really, I’m not sure)
TIP: “Appear” is usually for false situations. For example: Everyone on Instagram
appears to be living an amazing life.
Clean VS Wash
I try to clean my house at the end of the day.
The carpets are difficult to clean.
I might need to wash the carpets.
TIP: “Wash” always involves water.
“Clean” is more general and doesn’t always include water.
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Emotion VS Feeling
I have a weird feeling about this.
I felt a lack of emotion when I was fired from my job. I just didn’t care.
But later I had some strong feelings about being fired.
TIP: One common phrase uses both words: I have mixed emotions/feelings about
moving to a new city.
Vanessa’s Challenge Question
Use the space below to write a few sentences answering this question.
What is something that you have mixed emotions/feelings about?
Want to continue becoming a confident English speaker?
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