Bet

1) use

I bet (you) can be used in an informal style to mean 'I think it's probable that'. That is usually dropped:

I bet (you) she's not at home.
(More natural than I bet (you) that she's not at home.)

2) tenses

After I bet (you), we often use a present tense to refer to the future:

I bet (you) they don't come this evening, (or I bet (you) they won't come...)

I bet (you) the Conservatives (will) lose.

3) two objects

When bet is used to talk about real bets, it can be followed by two objects: the person with whom the bet is made, and the money or thing that is bet:

I bet you $5 it doesn 't rain this week.

My father bet my mother dinner at the Ritz that she would marry him.

He won, but she never bought him the dinner.

Besides, except and apart from

These expressions are sometimes confused. Besides usually adds: it is like saying with, or plus (+):

Besides the violin, he plays the piano and the flute. (He plays three instruments.)

Except subtracts: it is like saying without, or minus (-).

I like all musical instruments except the violin.

Apart from can be used in both senses:

Apart from the violin, he plays the piano and the flute.

(= Besides the violin...)

I like all musical instruments apart from the violin.

(= .. except the violin.)

After no, nobody, nothing and similar negative words, the three expressions can all have the same meaning.

He has nothing besides / except / apart from his salary.

(= He only has his salary.)

Beside & besides

Beside is a preposition meaning 'at the side of, 'by', 'next to':

Who's the big guy sitting beside Jane?

Besides can be used as a preposition with a similar meaning to as well as, to add new information to what is already known:

Besides literature, we have to study history and philosophy.

Who was at the party besides Jack and the Bensons?

Besides can also be used as a discourse marker meaning 'also', 'as well', 'in any case'. It is often used to add a stronger, more conclusive argument to what has gone before. In this case, besides usually goes at the beginning of a clause:

I don't like those shoes; besides, they're too expensive.

It's too late to go out now. Besides, it's starting to rain.

Below & under

1) 'lower than': below or under

The prepositions below and under can both mean 'lower than':

Look in the cupboard below/under the sink.

2) not directly under: below

We prefer below when one thing is not directly under another:

The climbers stopped 300m below the top of the mountain.

A moment later the sun had disappeared below the horizon.

3) covered: under

We prefer under when something is covered or hidden by what is over it, and when things are touching.

I think the cat's under the bed.

What are you wearing under your sweater?

The whole village is under water.

4) measurements: below

Below is used in measurements of temperature and height, and in other cases where we think of a vertical scale:

The temperature is three degrees below zero.

Parts of Holland are below sea level.

The plane came down below the clouds.

She's well below average in intelligence.

5) 'less than': under

We usually use under, not below, to mean 'less than' or 'younger than':

There were under twenty people at the lecture.

You can't see this film if you're under 18.

6) underneath

Underneath is sometimes used as a preposition instead of under, but only for physical position. Compare:

There's a mouse under(neath) the piano.

He's still under 18. (*not .. .underneath 18.)

7) adverbs

Below can be used as an adverb. Under can be used as an adverb particle with some verbs, but in other cases we prefer underneath for adverbial use:

We looked over the cliff at the waves crashing on the rocks below.

A lot of businesses are going under because of the economic crisis.

I can't take my sweater off-I don't have anything on underneath.

In a book or a paper, see below means 'look at something written later'.

The difference between above and over is similar to the difference between below and under.

Begin & start

1) formality
There is usually little or no difference between begin and start:
I began/started teaching when I was 24.
If Sheila doesn't come soon, let's begin/start without her.
We generally prefer begin when we are using a more formal style. Compare:
We will begin the meeting with a message from the President.
Oh no! It's starting to rain.

2) cases where begin is not possible
Start (but not begin) is used to mean:
a) 'start a journey':
I think we ought to start at six, while the roads are empty.

b)'start working' (for machines):
The car won't start.
c) 'make (machines) start':
How do you start the washing machine?

Before

A) before (adverb)
1) ' at any time before now/ then'
We can use before to mean 'at any time before now'. In British English, a present perfect tense is normally used:
I think I've seen this film before.
Have you ever been here before?

Before can also mean 'at any time before then - before the past moment that we are talking about'. In this case a past perfect tense is used:
She realized that she had seen him before.

2) counting back from a past time
We also use before after a time expression to 'count back' from a past moment - to say how much earlier something else had happened. A past perfect tense is normally used:
When I went back to the town that I had left eight years before, everything was different, (*not ... that I had left before eight years...)

To count back from the present, we use ago, not before:
I left school four years ago. (*not ... four years before / before four years)
3) before, before that and first
Before is not generally used to mean 'before that' or 'first':
I want to get married one day. But before that / first, I want to travel.

B) before (conjunction)
clause + before + clause before + clause, + clause

1) position of before-clause
The conjunction before joins one clause to another. Before and its clause can come either after or before the other clause, depending on what is to be stressed:
I always feed the cat before I have breakfast.
Before I have breakfast, I always feed the cat.
(The meaning is similar: the speaker feeds the cat and then has breakfast. Note the comma in the second structure.)

He did military service before he went to university.
(He did military service first.)
Before he did military service, he went to university. (He went to university first.)

2) present tense with future meaning
In a clause with before, we use a present tense if the meaning is future:
I'll telephone you before I come, (*not ... before I will come.)

3) perfect tenses
In clauses with before, we often use present perfect and past perfect tenses to emphasise the idea of completion:
You can't go home before I've signed the letters.
(= ... before the moment when I have completed the letters.)
He went out before I had finished my sentence.
(= ... before the moment when I had completed my sentence.)
(Note that in sentences like the last, a past perfect tense can refer to a time later than the action of the main verb. This is unusual.

4) before...ing
In a formal style, we often use the structure before.. .ing.
Please put out all lights before leaving the office.
Before beginning the book, she spent five years on research.

C) before (preposition) and in front of

before: time
in front of: place
Compare:
I must move my car before nine o'clock.
It's parked in front of the post office, (*not ... before the post office.)

Before is normally used to refer to time, but it can refer to place in a few cases:
a) to talk about the order in which people or things come in queues, lists, written documents, etc:
Do you mind? I was before/in front of you!
Her name comes before mine in the alphabet.
We use 'a' before a consonant and 'an' before a vowel.

b) to mean 'in the presence of (somebody important)':
I came up before the magistrates for dangerous driving last week.

c) in the expressions right before one's eyes, before one's very eyes

Been meaning 'come' or 'gone'

Been is often used as a past participle of come and go:
Granny has been to see us twice since Christmas.
I haven't been to the theater for ages.
Have you ever been to Northern Ireland?

Note that been is only used for completed visits. Compare:
The postman's already been. (He has come and gone away again.)
Jane's come, so we can start work. (She has come and is still here.)
I've been to London three times this week.
'Where's Lucy?' 'She's gone to London.'

Because & because of

1) the difference
Because is a conjunction. It is used at the beginning of a clause, before a subject and verb. Because of is a two-word preposition, used before a noun or a pronoun. Compare:
We were late because it rained, (*not ... because of it rained.)
We were late because of the rain.
I'm happy because I met you. I'm happy because of you.

2) position of because-clauses

Because and its clause can go after or before the main clause:
I finished early because I worked fast.
Because I worked fast, I finished early.

Because-clauses can stand alone as answers or after hesitations, but not usually in other cases:
'Why are you crying?' 'Because John and I have had a row.'
I don't think I'll go to the party after all, actually... Because I'm feeling a bit tired.
Note that after reason we usually use that or why, not because

Beat & win

You can win (in) a game, a race, a battle, an argument etc, and you can win a prize, money etc.
You can beat a person that you are playing/arguing/fighting etc against. Compare:
My girlfriend usually wins when we play poker.
My girlfriend beat me at poker the first time we played. (*not My girlfriend won me at poker-...)

Both verbs are irregular:
beat - beat - beaten
win - won - won

BE

1) be: progressive forms
I am being/you are being etc + adjective/noun

We can use this structure to talk about actions and behavior, but not usually to talk about feelings. Compare:
You're being stupid. (= You're doing stupid things.)
I was being very careful. (= I was doing something carefully.)
Who's being a silly baby, then?
I'm happy just now. (*not I'm being happy just now.)
I was very depressed when you phoned.(*not I was being very depressed...)
Note the difference between He's being sick (GB = He's vomiting) and He's sick (= He's ill)

2) be with auxiliary do
Normally, be is used without the auxiliary do:
I'm not often sick, (*not I don't often be sick.)

But do is used to make negative imperative sentences with be (when we tell somebody not to do something):
Don't be silly! Don't be such a nuisance!

And do be is used to begin emphatic imperatives:
Do be careful! Do be quiet, for God's sake!

In an informal style, people sometimes use do with be in one or two other structures which have a similar meaning to imperative sentences:
Why don't you be a good boy and sit down?
If you don't be quiet you'll go straight to bed.

3) be + infinitive
I am to... you are to... etc

a) plans and arrangements
We use this structure in a formal style to talk about plans and arrangements, especially when they are official:
The President is to visit Nigeria next month.
We are to get a 10 per cent wage rise in June.
I felt nervous because I was soon to leave home for the first time.

A perfect infinitive can be used to show that a planned event did not happen:
I was to have started work last week, but I changed my mind.

b) 'fate'
Another use is to talk about things which are/were 'hidden in the future', fated to happen:
I thought we were saying goodbye for ever. But we were to meet again, many years later, under very strange circumstances.

c) pre-conditions
The structure is common in jf-clauses, when the main clause expresses a pre-condition - something that must happen first if something else is to happen:
If we are to get there by lunchtime we had better hurry.
He knew he would have to work hard if he was to pass his exam.

d) orders
We also use the structure to give orders.Parents often use it when speaking to children:
You are to do your homework before you watch TV.
She can go to the party, but she's not to be back late.

be + passive infinitive
Be + passive infinitive is often used in notices and instructions. am/are/is (not) to be + past participle:
This cover is not to be removed.

Sometimes only the passive infinitive is used:
To be taken three times a day after meals, (on a medicine bottle).

Some other common expressions with be + passive infinitive:
There's nothing to be done.
She was nowhere to be found.
I looked out of the window, but there was nothing to be seen.

tenses
Note that this structure exists only in present and past tenses, not present perfect or future. We cannot say that somebody *has been to go somewhere, or *will be to go somewhere. Participle structures (*being to go) are not possible either.

Be and Have
a) physical conditions, etc
To talk about experiencing hunger, thirst, heat, cold and certain other common physical conditions we normally use be (or feel) + adjective, not have + noun.
Note the following expressions:
be hungry (not have hunger) be thirsty be warm
be hot be cold be sleepy be afraid Note also:
be right be wrong be lucky

b) age, height, weight, size and color
Be is also used to talk about age, height, length, weight, size, shape and color.
I'm nearly thirty, (*not I have nearly thirty.)
She is nearly my age.
He is six feet tall.
I wish I was ten kilos lighter.
The room is ten metres long.
What size are your shoes?
What color are his eyes?
She is the same height as her father.

Be heavy is not usually used in measuring expressions.
It weighs 37 kilos, (*not It's 37 kilos heavy.)

Bath & bathe

Bath
The verb bath is used (in British English) to mean 'wash oneself in a bath (tub)'.
Children have to be made to bath regularly.

The verb is rather formal, and is not used is American English; in an informal style, we usually say have a bath (British) or take a bath (British and American):
I'm feeling hot and sticky; I think I'll take a bath.

Bath can also be used with an object (in British English):
It's your turn to bath the baby. (US ...to bathe the baby.)

bathe (bathe - bathing - bathed)
Bathe (in British English) can mean 'swim for pleasure'. It is rather formal in this sense (and is not used like this in American English); in an informal style, we usually say have a swim, go for a swim, go swimming or just swim:
Let's go for a swim in the river.

In American English, bathe is commonly used to mean 'take a bath':
I always bathe before I go to bed.

Bathe can also be used (in both British and American English) with an object, to talk about putting water on a part of the body that hurts (for instance sore eyes):
Your eyes are very red-you ought to bathe them.

To lie in the sun is to sunbathe (*not sunbath).

Back & again

Back and again can be used with similar meanings, but there are some differences.
1) back with a verb
Back is an adverb particle. With a verb, we use back to suggest a return to an earlier situation, a movement in the opposite direction to an earlier movement, and similar ideas. Again is not normally used in this way with a verb.
Give me my watch back, (*not Give me my watch again.)
I'm taking this meat back to the shop (*not I'm taking this meat to the shop again.)

2) again with a verb
With a verb, again usually suggests repetition. Compare:
That was lovely. Can you play it again?

When I've recorded your voice I'll play it back.
Eric was really bad-mannered. I'm never going to invite him again.

She comes to our parties but she never invites us back.
I don't think he got your letter. You'd better write again.

If I write to you, will you write back?

Note the difference between sell back (to the same person) and sell again.

The bike you sold me is too small. Can I sell it back to you?

If we buy this house and then have to move somewhere else, how easy will it be to sell it again?

3) cases when back is not used

When the verb itself already expresses the idea of 'return to an earlier situation' or 'movement in the opposite direction', back is not used, but again can be used to emphasise the idea of 'return'.

Stefan can never return to his country (again).
(not Stefan can never return back...)

Who opened the window? Could you close it (again), please? (*not ... close it back...)

4) adverb particles, etc

With adverb particles and prepositional phrases, we can use both back and again to suggest 'return to an earlier situation' etc.
I stood up, and then I sat (back) down (again).
He tasted the apple and spat it (back) out (again).
Go (back) to sleep (again).
I'll be (back) in the office (again) on Monday.

5) ring/call back

Note that ring back (GB only) and call back can be used to mean both 'return a phone call' and 'repeat a phone call'.
'She's not here just now.' 'Ask her to ring me back.' (= return my call)

'I haven't got time to talk now.' 'OK, I'll ring back later.' (= ring again)

6) word order
Back, as an adverb particle, can usually go between a verb and its object,
unless this is a pronoun. Again cannot.
Take back your money -I don't want it. (or Take your money back...) Count the money again, please, (*not Count again the money...)

(a)wake and (a)waken

1) forms
The verbs awake and wake are irregular in British English, but can be regular in American English.
(a)wake - (a)woke - (a)woken GB/US English
(a)wake - (a)waked - (a)waked > US English: (a)waken is regular.
(a)waken - (a)wakened - (a)wakened

2) use
Wake is the most common of these four verbs. It can mean 'stop sleeping' or 'make (somebody else) stop sleeping'. It is often followed by up, especially when it means stop sleeping.
I woke up three times in the night.
Could you wake me (up) at half past six?

Waken is a more literary alternative to wake (up):
The princess did not waken for a hundred years.
Then the prince wakened her with a kiss.

Awake and awaken are also rather literary words. They can be used to mean 'wake (up)', but are more often used figuratively, to talk not about waking from sleep, but about the waking of emotions, understanding etc.

I slowly awoke to the danger that threatened me.
At first I paid little attention, but slowly my interest awoke.
The smell of her perfume awakened the gipsy's desire.

3) awake and asleep (adjectives)
Note that in informal British English the adjective awake is more common (in predicative position) than the verb form waking; and asleep is more common than sleeping.
Is the baby awake yet?
You were asleep at ten o'clock.

At first & first

We use at first to talk about the beginning of a situation, when we are making a contrast with what happens / happened later.

At first... is often followed by but.

At first they were very happy, but then things started going wrong.
The work was hard at first, but I got used to it.

In other cases, we usually prefer first:
That's mine -I saw it first! (not ... I saw it at first.)
We lived there when we were first married. (=... in the early days of our marriage)
I first met her at a party in Oxford. (=... for the first time...)
First, I want to talk about the history of the problem; then I'll outline the situation today; and then we'll discuss possible solutions.

Note that at last is not the opposite of at first

At all

at all with a negative
We often use at all to emphasise a negative idea.
I didn't understand anything at all. (I didn't understand even a little)
She was hardly frightened at all.

questions, etc
At all can also be used in questions, and with 'non-assertive' words like if, hardly, ever and any.
Do you play poker at all? (=... even a little?)
He'll come before supper if he comes at all.
I hardly know her at all.
You can come whenever you like - any time at all.

'Not at all'
The expression Not at all is used (especially in British English) as a rather formal answer to Thank you.

At / in / to

1) the difference

At and in are generally used for position; to is used for movement or direction. Compare:

- He works at the market.

He gets to the market by bike.

- My father lives in Canada.

I go to Canada to see him whenever I can.

2) expressions of purpose

If we mention the purpose of a movement before we mention the destination, we usually use at/in before the place. Compare:

- Let's go to Marcel's for coffee.

- I went to Canada to see my father. I went to see my father in Canada.

(not I went to see my father to Canada.)

3) targets

After some verbs, at is used to indicate the 'target' of a perception or non­verbal communication. Common examples are look, smile, wave, frown, point.

Why are you looking at her like that? - Because she smiled at me.

At is also used after some verbs referring to attacks or aggressive behaviour. Common examples are shoot, laugh, throw and shout.

It's a strange feeling to have somebody shoot at you.

If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

Stop throwing stones at the cat, darling.

You don't need to shout at me.

Throw to and shout to are used when there is no idea of attack:

Please do not throw food to the animals.

Could you shout to Phil and tell him it's breakfast time?

Arrive is generally followed by at or in; never by to.

We should arrive at Pat's in time for lunch, (not ... arrive to Pat's...)

When did you arrive in New Zealand? (not ... to New Zealand?)

at, on and in (place)

at

At is used to talk about position at a point.

It's very hot at the centre of the earth.

Turn right at the next corner. Sometimes we use at with a larger place, if we just think of this as a point: a stage on a journey or a meeting place, for example. Compare:

The plane stops for an hour at Frankfurt, (a point on a journey) She lives in Frankfurt, (somebody's home)

Let's meet at the club, (a meeting point)

It was warm and comfortable in the club, (a place to spend time) We very often use at before the name of a building, when we are thinking not of the building itself but of the activity that happens there.

There's a good film at the cinema in Market Street.

Eat at the Steak House - best food in town.

Sorry I didn 't phone last night - I was at the theatre.

At is particularly common with proper names used for buildings or organisations. Compare:

I first met your father at/in Harrods.

I first met your father in a shop.

She works at Legal and General Insurance. She works in a big insurance company.

At is used to say where people study.

He's at the London School of Economics. And at is used before the name of a city to refer to that city's university. Compare:

He's a student at Oxford.

He lives in Cambridge. At is also used before the names of group activities.

at a party at a meeting at a concert

at a lecture at the match

on

On is used to talk about position on a line (for example a road or a river).

His house is on the way from Aberdeen to Dundee.

Stratford is on the river Avon. But in is used to talk about the position of things which actually form part of the line.

There's a misprint in line 6 on page 22.

Who's the good-looking boy in the sixth row? On is used for position on a surface.

Hurry up - supper's on the table!

That picture would look better on the other wall.

There's a big spider on the ceiling.

On can mean 'attached to'.

Why do you wear that ring on your first finger?

There aren't many apples on the tree this year.

On is also used for position by a lake or sea.

Bowness is on Lake Windermere. Southend-on-Sea

in

In is used for position inside large areas, and in three-dimensional space (when something is surrounded on all sides).

She grew up in Swaziland.

I don't think he's in his office.

He lived in the desert for three years.

Let's go for a walk in the woods.

I last saw her in the car park.

public transport

We use on (and off) to talk about travel using buses, planes and trains, as well as (motor) cycles and horses.

He's arriving on the 3.15 train, (not .. At/with the 3.15 train.)

We're booked on flight 604.

There's no room on the bus; let's get off again.

It took five days to cross the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth.

But we use in and out (of) to talk about private cars, planes and boats.

Jump in and I'll drive you to the station.

He fell into the river when he was getting out of his canoe.

addresses

We generally use at to talk about addresses.

Are you still at the same address?

She lives at 73 Albert Street. We use in (US on) if we just give the name of the street.

She lives in Albert Street. We use on for the number of the floor.

She lives in an apartment on the third floor.

At can be used with a possessive to mean 'at somebody's house or shop':

'Where's Jane?' 'She's round at Pat's.'

You're always at the hairdresser's.

special expressions

Note these expressions:

in/at church at home/work

at school/college

in school/college (American English)

in a picture in the sky in the rain in a tent in a hat

The map is on page 32. (but I opened the book at page 32.)

in bed/(the) hospital/prison

on a farm working on the railway

at, on and in (time)

at + clock time

in + part of day

on + particular day

at + weekend, public holiday

in + longer period

1) clock times: at

I usually get up at six o'clock.

I'll meet you at 4.15.

Phone me at lunch time.

At is usually left out before what time in an informal style (see paragraph 7). What time does your train leave?

2) parts of the day: in

I work best in the morning.

three o'clock in the afternoon

We usually go out in the evening. Note the difference between in the night (= during one particular night) and at night (= during any night). Compare:

I had to get up in the night.

I often work at night.

In an informal style, plurals without a preposition can be used to refer to repeated activity.

Would you rather work nights or days?

We use on if we say which morning/ afternoon/ etc we are talking about, or if we describe the morning/afternoon/etc.

See you on Monday morning.

We met on a cold afternoon in early spring.

3) days: on

I'll call you on Tuesday.

My birthday's on March 21st.

They're having a party on Christmas Day. In an informal style we sometimes leave out on. This is especially common in American English.

I'm seeing her Sunday morning. Note the use of plurals (Sundays, Mondays etc) when we talk about repeated actions.

We usually go and see Granny on Sundays.

4) public holidays and weekends: at

We use at to talk about the whole of the holidays at Christmas, New Year, Easter and Thanksgiving (US).

We're having the roof repaired at Easter.

But we use on to talk about one day of the holiday.

Come and see us on Christmas Day.

What are you doing on Easter Monday?

British people say at the weekend; Americans use on:

What did you do at the weekend?

5) longer periods: in

It happened in the week after Christmas.

I was horn in March.

Our house was built in the 15th century.

Kent is beautiful in spring.

He died in 1616.

6) other uses of in

In can also be used to say how soon something will happen, and to say how long something takes to happen.

Ask me again in three or four days.

I can run 200 metres in about 30 seconds. The expression in... 's time is used to say how soon something will happen, not how long something takes. Compare:

I'll see you again in a month's time. It'll be ready in three weeks' time.

He wrote the book in a month, (not .. An a month's time.)

In American English, in can be used, like for, to talk about periods up to the present (British English only for).

I haven't seen her in years.

7) expressions with no preposition

At/on/in are not normally used in expressions of time before next, last, this, that (sometimes), one, any (in an informal style), each, every, some, all.

See you next week. Come any time.

Are you free this morning?

I'm at home every evening.

I didn't feel very well that week. We stayed all day.

Let's meet one day.

These prepositions are not normally used, either, before yesterday, the day before yesterday, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

What are you doing the day after tomorrow?

And prepositions are usually dropped in questions beginning What/Which + expression of time, and in answers which only contain an expression of time.

What day is the meeting?

Which week did you say you're on holiday?

'What time are you leaving?' 'Eight o'clock.'