Ceiling, sealing and roof

Ceiling is the inside top of a room.
This room has a low ceiling.

Sealing is the act of setting a seal.
Please, seal this box.

The roof is the upper covering of a building.
The roof of the house was blown off in the storm.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word. Each question is followed by four suggested answers. Choose the most appropriate one.

1.    Time will —————— all wounds.

a)    Heel
b)    Heal
c)    Hail
d)    Hale

2.     She ——————— from a royal family.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word. Each question is followed by four suggested answers. Choose the most appropriate one.

1.    The job of a ——————- is very risky.

a)    Minor
b)    Miner
c)    Miser
d)    Miller

2.    I need to buy a ——————— of shoes.

The words which are not derived or developed from other words are called primary words. Primary words are the original words in a language.

Compound words
Some words are formed by joining two or more simple words. These words are called compound words. Examples are: sunlight, however, kindness, undertake etc.

Alternate and alternative

Alternate means every other or second of a series. Alternative means the other possibility or option.

You could take the bus as an alternative to train.
There was no alternative, so I agreed to the terms.
I visit my parents on alternate days.

Bazaar and bizarre

Leave and let

To leave is to go. To let is to allow.

I asked him to leave the room. (= I asked him to go from the room.)
Let me go now. (= Allow me to go.)

Note that let is followed  by an infinitive without to.

Amount and number

Use amount with uncountable nouns like rice, water, wheat etc. Use number with countable nouns.

He bought a large amount of rice. (Rice is uncountable.)

He bought a large number of apples. (Apples are countable.)

Anxious and eager

Bring about (cause to happen)

His addiction to drinking brought about his ruin. (= His addition to drinking was the cause of his ruin.)
The new government has brought about many changes in the education system in the country.

Bring in (produce, yield or earn)

Break away (run away, get loose or escape)

The boy tried to break away but his mother snatched his shirt.
The horse has broken away from its stable.
The cyclist broke away from the pack.

Break down (fail, collapse, go out of working order, give into tears)

Incorrect: He is ill since last week.
Correct: He has been ill since last week.
Incorrect: He has been working since two hours.
Correct: He has been working for two hours.
Incorrect: I have not played cricket since a long time.
Correct: I have not played cricket for a long time.