Double-click on any word and see its definition from Cambridge Dictionaries Online.

Practise with a grammar game

actually and now

actually
adverb [not gradable]
in fact, really.

			I didn't actually see her - I just heard her voice.
			I only intended to be there for a few days, but I actually ended up staying for a whole month.

now (AT PRESENT)
adverb [not gradable]
at the present time, not in the past or future; immediately

			She used to be a teacher, but now she works in publishing.
			Where do you live now?
			I may eat something later, but I'm not hungry now.
			Many people now own a video recorder.
			I don't want to wait until tomorrow, I want it now!

canal and channel

canal
noun [C]
a long channel of water which is artificially made either for boats to travel along or for taking water from one area to another

			Canals were the main method of transporting goods until the mid-19th century.
			In Britain nowadays, canals are used mainly for pleasure, by people travelling in long, narrow boats called barges or narrow boats.
			The Panama Canal provides a crucial shipping link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

channel (PASSAGE)
noun [C]
a passage for water or other liquids to flow along, or a part of a river or other area of water which is deep and wide enough to provide a route for ships to travel along

			We tried digging a channel to lower the water level but that didn't work.
			There are drainage/irrigation channels all over this flat agricultural land.
			The juice is extracted and runs down this channel here into a large container.
			Wooden posts mark the deep-water/navigable channel into the harbour.
			The boats all have to pass through this narrow channel.

control and check

control
verb [T]
to order, limit, instruct, or rule (something or someone's actions or behaviour)

			If you can't control your dog put it on a lead!
			You're going to have to learn to control that temper of yours!
			Bring your leg slowly up to meet your head, controlling it all the time.
			The temperature in here is controlled by a thermostat.
			The laws controlling drugs are very strict in this country.
			I find this car difficult to control at high speeds.
			The government have been trying to control spending.

check (EXAMINE)
verb
to make certain that (something or someone) is correct, safe or suitable by examining it or them quickly

			You should always check your oil, water and tyres before taking your car on a long trip. [T]
			I've checked her references and she seems very suitable for the job. [T]
			Customs stopped us and checked (=searched) our bags for alcohol and cigarettes. [T]
			After I had finished the exam, I checked (through/over) my answers for mistakes. [T]
			The doctor will call next week to check on your progress. [I]

economic and economical

economic
adjective
relating to the system of trade and industry by which the wealth of a country is made and used

			The country has been in a very poor economic state ever since the decline of its two major industries.
			The government's economic policies have led us into the worst recession for years.

economical
adjective
relating to the intentional saving of money or, less commonly, the saving of time, energy, words, etc.

			There's an increasing demand for cars which are more economical on fuel.
			What's the most economical way of heating this building?
			She's very economical - saving money seems to come naturally to her.

hard and hardly

hard (DIFFICULT)
adjective
difficult to understand or do

			There were some really hard questions in the exam.
			It's hard to say which of them is lying.
			It's hard being a single mother.
			Her handwriting is very hard to read.
			He's a hard man to please.

hard (SOLID)
adjective
firm and solid; not easy to bend, cut or break

			There was a heavy frost last night and the ground is still hard.
			Heating the clay makes it hard.
			The ground's impossible to dig - it's as hard as iron/stone/a rock.

hardly (ONLY JUST)
adverb [not gradable]
only just; almost not

			Can you speak louder - I can hardly hear you.
			The play had hardly started when there was a power cut.
			My youngest daughter is so excited - she can hardly wait until tomorrow.
			You could hardly stand up because the wind was so strong.
			He hardly ate anything/He ate hardly anything - he must be ill.
			Hardly had a moment passed before the door creaked open.
			We hardly ever (=almost never) go to concerts.

invaluable and worthless

invaluable
adjective [not gradable]
extremely useful

			The new job should provide Jennings with invaluable experience.
			Such data will prove invaluable to researchers studying fish populations.
			We received invaluable help from many students in our research.

worthless
adjective
having no value in money.

			A £30 million fund has been created to reimburse those people whose tickets became worthless following the collapse of the airline.
			Investors must be careful not to be left with worthless shares from the large number of companies that are going bankrupt.

worthless
adjective
unimportant or useless.

			She was criticised so much by her employers that she began to feel worthless.
			More than 90% of the refugees are refused entry at the borders, their passports and visas forged or worthless.

To see many examples of the use of these words, see the Web Concordancer. Type any of the words into the 'search string' field, select any corpus in the 'select corpus' field, and then click on the 'search for concordances' button.