coloured/colourful/colouring/colour
All these adjectives are in some way connected with colours.
coloured = having a particular colour or colours
The room was decorated with brightly coloured balloons.
colourful = having a lot of different bright colours
The young girl was wearing trendy colourful clothes.
colouring = with pictures that you can add colour to
I bought my little brother a colouring book.
colour = not black and white
My father prefers black-and-white photos to colour ones.
colour/paint/colouring/dye
These nouns are used to name substances that give colour to something.
colour = a substance that is used to give colour to something
This hair colour lasts six to eight washes.
paint = a liquid that is put on a surface to give it a particular colour
I need to buy a can of white paint to decorate the living room.
colouring = a substance that is used to give a particular colour to food
We're going to use a blue colouring for the party food.
dye = a substance that is used to change the colour of things such as hair or cloth
Is this fabric dye synthetic or natural?
take/bring/fetch
These verbs all express the movement of something/somebody from one place to another.
take = to carry something from one place to another; to lead somebody from one place to another
Could you take this letter to the post office for me, please?
I'm taking the kids to the cinema tonight.
bring = to come to the place where the speaker or hearer is with something or somebody
Can you bring me my CDs tomorrow?
Jane brought her new boyfriend to my birthday party.
fetch = to go where something or somebody is and bring it/them back
Could you fetch me my football?
I'm going to the airport to fetch Lucy.
invent/discover
We use both verbs to talk about new things or places.
invent = to design or produce something that has not existed before.
The electric light bulb was invented by T. A. Edison.
discover = to be the first person to become aware that a particular place or thing exists
Columbus discovered America in 1492.
The related nouns are invention and discovery.
The mobile phone is a great invention.
The discovery of fire helped people to survive.
happy/lucky
Both adjectives have a positive meaning. Happy is more personal, coming from the inside, while lucky is more impersonal, coming from the outside.
happy = feeling pleasure; pleased
You don't look happy today. What's the problem?
lucky = having good luck; fortunate (when something good has happened to you by chance)
I was lucky to be chosen for the job. There were many other suitable applicants.
The related nouns are happiness and luck.
Money doesn't bring you happiness - other people do.
I wish you luck in your new career.
forget/leave
Both verbs mean "to go away from a place without taking something we intended to take". Students sometimes incorrectly say, "I forgot my textbook at home." You can't, however, use forget if you mention the place where you have left something. Compare:
I've forgotten my textbook.
I've left my textbook at home.
Alternatively, you can say, "I've forgotten to bring my textbook from home."
fit/suit/match
These verbs are easily confused when talking about clothes.
fit = to be the right size and shape (clothes/shoes are neither too big nor too small)
This jumper doesn't fit me - the sleeves aren't long enough.
suit = to make you look attractive (clothes/shoes look good on you - their style, colours, etc.)
The hip-hop style suits you best - you look ten years younger.
match = to combine well (clothes/shoes look attractive together - their colours, patterns, materials, etc.)
I'd like to buy a tie to match this shirt.
The phrasal verbs go with and go together have the same meaning.
This jacket doesn't go with this skirt.
This jacket and this skirt don't go together.
alone/lonely
Alone is a more neutral adjective while lonely implies a negative feeling.
alone = without any other people
Uncle Jack lives alone. He has a lot of friends, though, so he doesn't feel lonely.
On one's own and by oneself are less formal phrases used especially in spoken English.
I made this bookshelf on my own. (= without anyone's help)
I'm going on a trip by myself tomorrow. (= with nobody else)
lonely = unhappy because you have nobody to be with
Even though there were plenty of people around me, I felt terribly lonely when I first came to London.
I hope you'll never ever feel lonely. See you.
