How the task looks
You get four words (A–D) and five definitions (1–5). Each word matches one definition, and one definition is extra.
Match the words and their definitions.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| A) Generous | 1) a person who travels to a place for pleasure |
| B) Tourist | 2) to make something better |
| C) Improve | 3) happy to give money, time or help to others |
| D) Rarely | 4) not often |
| 5) a person who works in a hotel |
Answer: A–3, B–1, C–2, D–4. Definition 5 is extra.
The extra definition is usually close in topic to one of the words (here “a person who works in a hotel” is close to tourist), so you must read definitions carefully, not only look for the topic.
How a definition is built
Most definitions have two parts:
- The general group — what kind of thing it is: a person who…, a place where…, a feeling of…, to + verb…, able to…
- The special feature — what makes this word different from others in the group: …who travels for pleasure, …who repairs pipes.
The correct match must fit both parts. A word from the same topic but with a different special feature is a trap.
plumber — a person (group) who repairs water pipes (feature). Electrician is also a person who repairs things, but not pipes.
The form of the definition shows the part of speech
| The definition starts with… | Usually means… | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a / an / the + noun (a person, a place, a thing, a feeling) | a noun | a feeling of great happiness → joy |
| the act / process / state of… | a noun | the act of leaving → departure |
| to + verb | a verb | to say no to something → refuse |
| (of a person) having / showing / full of… | an adjective | showing no fear → brave |
| able to… / likely to… / that can… | an adjective | able to be seen → visible |
| in a … way / manner | an adverb | in a careful way → carefully |
| not often / very / almost / at once | an adverb | at once → immediately |
So first sort both lists by part of speech. A verb can match only a definition that starts with to; a noun cannot match “in a careful way”. This alone often leaves only one or two choices.
Close words: what is the difference?
Many matches depend on a small difference in meaning. Typical groups:
| Words | Difference |
|---|---|
| borrow / lend | borrow = take for a time; lend = give for a time |
| rob / steal | rob a person or a bank; steal a thing |
| job / career / profession | job = paid work; career = jobs over a life; profession = work needing special training |
| salary / wage / fee | salary = monthly; wage = daily / weekly; fee = payment for a service |
| journey / trip / voyage | journey = travelling from one place to another; trip = short visit and return; voyage = long journey by sea |
| customer / client / guest | customer buys in a shop; client gets professional service; guest is invited or stays at a hotel |
| habit / custom / tradition | habit of one person; custom of a society; tradition passed down for a long time |
| alone / lonely | alone = without other people; lonely = unhappy because alone |
| famous / notorious | famous = well known; notorious = well known for something bad |
| economic / economical | economic = of the economy; economical = not wasting money |
| injure / damage | injure a person or animal; damage a thing |
| look / see / watch | see = notice with your eyes; look = turn your eyes on purpose; watch = look for some time at something that moves |
Words with several meanings
Words such as light, fair, charge, bank, plant, match, spring, present have several meanings. In this task the word has no context, so compare it with all definitions and look for the one that fits any of its meanings:
fair — a) treating people equally; b) light in colour (of hair); c) a large public event with entertainment.
If the list has only “treating everyone equally and honestly”, that is the match, even if you first thought of hair.
Word parts help you guess
| Part | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| un-, in-, im-, dis- | not | unfair, invisible, impossible, dishonest |
| re- | again | rebuild, rewrite, return |
| mis- | wrongly | misunderstand, misspell |
| pre- / post- | before / after | prehistoric, postwar |
| over- / under- | too much / too little | overcook, underpaid |
| co- | together | cooperate, co-worker |
| -er, -or, -ist, -ian | a person who | driver, inventor, artist, musician |
| -less | without | careless, homeless |
| -ful | full of | helpful, peaceful |
| -able, -ible | can be done | readable, washable, visible |
| -ness, -ity, -ment, -tion | a state, an action (noun) | kindness, ability, movement, creation |
| -ize, -ify, -en | make (verb) | modernize, simplify, widen |
Word parts help you narrow the choice, but always check the real meaning. Priceless means “extremely valuable”, not “cheap”.
Step-by-step method
- Read all four words and all five definitions before matching anything.
- Mark the part of speech of each word and each definition.
- Underline the key feature in each definition — the words that make it special (for pleasure, by sea, without fear, temporarily).
- Make the certain matches first and cross them out.
- Compare the remaining candidates with each other: which feature fits which word exactly?
- Put the definition in place of the word in a simple sentence: She is very ___ — She is very happy to give money and help ✓.
- Check the extra definition: it must really fit none of the four words. If it fits better than your choice for some word, change your answer.
The most common traps
| Trap | Example |
|---|---|
| same topic, different feature | tourist vs “a person who works in a hotel” |
| opposite direction | lend vs “to take something and give it back later” (that is borrow) |
| wrong part of speech | success (noun) vs “having achieved what you wanted” (that is successful) |
| too general | vehicle vs “a car” (a car is only one kind of vehicle) |
| positive vs negative | famous vs “well known for something bad” (notorious) |
| person vs action | competitor vs “the act of competing” (competition) |
Worked example
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| A) Cautious | 1) a long journey by sea |
| B) Voyage | 2) careful to avoid danger or mistakes |
| C) Postpone | 3) to change an event to a later time |
| D) Wealth | 4) a large amount of money or property |
| 5) a short visit to a place and back |
Step 1 — parts of speech. A cautious = adjective; B voyage = noun; C postpone = verb; D wealth = noun. Definitions: 1 noun, 2 adjective, 3 verb (to…), 4 noun, 5 noun.
A–2. The only adjective definition. Key feature: avoid danger.
C–3. The only verb definition. Post- = after → later.
B–1 or 5? Both are trips. Key feature: by sea, long → voyage = 1.
D–4. Wealth = a large amount of money.
Extra: 5 — “a short visit and back” is a trip; it was the trap for voyage.
Final checklist
- Have I read all words and all definitions first?
- Does each pair have the same part of speech?
- Does the word fit both the general group and the special feature of the definition?
- Have I checked direction (give / take), size (long / short), attitude (good / bad)?
- Does the extra definition really fit none of the words?