Confusing Words

-Teach and learn

To teach= to give instruction

Teach is normally used with an object and the infinitive.

Example

I taught my brother to read.

To learn= to gain knowledge

Learn can be followed directly by the infinitive.

Example

I’m learning to play the piano.

-Damage, injure and hurt

When you damage something, you harm or spoil it.

Example

A fire damaged the school.

If you injure someone, an animal, or a part of the body, you cut the skin; break a bone, cause bruising, etc.

Example

I injured my right arm when I fell off my bike.

If you hurt someone, an animal, or a part of the body, you cause a feeling of pain.

Examples

Did you hurt yourself?

Stop! You are hurting my arm.

Hurt can also mean to feel pain

Example

My arm hurts.

-Health and fit

Healthy and fit both indicate that a person is physically strong and isn’t suffering from any physical illness.

Healthy refers to the condition, which are good for someone’s health, or the outward signs of good health.

Examples

They have healthy children.

This cold weather isn’t very healthy.

Fit suggests that someone is in good physical condition, particularly as a result of taking regular exercise.

Examples

‘How do you stay so fit?’

‘I go to keep-fit classes’

-Hit and beat

A person, animal, or thing can be hit by a hand or by an object. This can be deliberate:

Example

She hit her head when she got out of the car.

Beat means to ‘hit repeatedly’. We cannot beat people or things accidentally.

Example

He was beaten by a group of boys.

-Tell and order

Tell is more neutral than order and is more commonly used.

Example

They’ve been told to finish the job by tomorrow.

Order is much stronger than tell and is used of people who expert to be obeyed.

Example

The policeman ordered the cyclist to stop.

-Look, gaze, and stare

Look (at) means to direct one’s eyes toward a particular object.

Example

Confusing words