Confusing and Misused Words - Accept v Except

Accept (verb) - to take

• Does this store accept credit cards for purchases under $30?
• I'm glad Sam was mature enough to accept full responsibility for his mistakes.
• I've just been invited to my cousin's wedding in London, but I haven't decided whether to accept (= to say yes).

Except (preposition, conjunction) - not including

• My favourite restaurant is open every day except Wednesdays. 
• Everyone was at the party except Daniel.
• She couldn't eat anything except porridge when she was sick.
• The government has few options except to cut back on spending.

Homonyms - Bright (As an Adjective)

1. Bright

• I like the fact that my hotel room is bright and airy.
• Due to the bright sunlight, we had to wear sunglasses throughout the day.

2. Colour

• Melissa's bright top made it easy to spot her in the crowd.
• John's face turned bright red when his crush started talking to him at the party.

3. Intelligent

• Eric's always full of bright ideas and suggestions. It's no wonder his family and friends always want his opinion on things.
• These children are obviously very bright. They read a lot and are always asking questions.

Words From The Same Family - Hard v Hardly

Hard (adj) 

1. Sth that is not easy to bend, break or cut.

• I didn't get much sleep last night as the hotel bed was as hard as a rock.
• John took the chicken out from the refrigerator over two hours ago but it's still really hard. 

2. Difficult.

• I can only imagine how hard it must be being a single mother of two children.
• Daniel's daughter always complains about Science being a hard subject.

3. Require effort.

• Getting to the top of the hill was hard work but definitely worth it.
• Try giving the door a good hard push and see if it opens.

Hardly (adverb) - barely, almost not.

• The students sitting at the back of the class could hardly hear what the teacher was saying.
• Hannah hardly ate anything today as she was down with a terrible flu.
• The children hardly ever (= almost never) have time to do anything but study when they are preparing for their exams. 

Similes with As - As Sly As A Fox

Meaning - clever, cunning.

• Danny is as sly as a fox. I definitely wouldn't do business with him.
• James always manages to get his brother to do his chores for him. It's no wonder his parents say that he's as sly as a fox. 

Homophones - Plane v Plain

Plane (noun) - a vehicle designed specifically for air travel.

• We were caught in heavy traffic on the way to the airport yesterday. Thankfully, we arrived just in time to catch our plane.  
• I hope to get some rest once we board the plane.

Plain (adj) - with nothing added.

• My relatives have chosen to have plain white walls in the living room.
• It's no wonder Danny always skips dessert. He's used to plain food.

Homophones - Pray v Prey

Pray (verb) - to speak to a god either privately or in a religious ceremony.

• We're having the party in the garden. So, I'm praying for good weather tomorrow.
• John knelt in front of the alter and prayed silently before leaving the church in a haste (=rush).

Prey (noun) - an animal that is hunted and killed for food.

• The seal is a common prey of sharks.
• The tiger gave chase when its prey tried to escape.

Idiomatic Noun and Adjective Phrases - A Carbon Copy (Of Someone/Something)

Meaning - Someone or something that is a lot like another.

• People often remark (= say) that my brother is a carbon copy of my father.

• The market trend we are seeing is almost a carbon copy of what took place in the US five years ago.