"False friends" in English

What are "false friends" ?

"False friends" are pairs of words that are written or pronounced identically or similarly but differ in meaning. They cause problems especially when you see or hear a word in a foreign language and you assume that it has the same meaning as a similar word in your native language.

Some examples library

a place where you borrow books, not a place where you buy books

to realise to be fully conscious of something, not to do something

actually

in fact, doesnt mean at the moment Special, not private

particular

English is an easy idiom to learn.

It was a good notice - Sheila had twins. They went to the bar for a vase of wine The film was a great exit - it won 8 Oscars

We use: Much - many In negative and interrogative sentences. Much: in front of uncountable nouns. Many: in front of plural nouns when we refer to a group of people and things.
Count Nouns Singular or Plural car cars apple apples machine machines fact facts chair chairs dollar dollars minute minutes (Only use an article (These plural with count nouns use these: a or the) "many") Noncount Nouns (Don't use in plural form) traffic fruit machinery information furniture money time (These use "much")

Use fewer if youre referring to people or things in the plural (e.g. houses, newspapers, dogs,students, children). For example: People these days are buying fewer newspapers.

Fewer students are opting to study science-related subjects.

Fewer than thirty children each year develop the disease. Use less when youre referring to something that cant be counted or doesnt have a plural (e.g.money, air, time, music, rain). For example:

Its a better job but they pay you less money.

People want to spend less time in traffic jams. Ironically, when Im on tour, I listen to less music. Less is also used with numbers when they are on their own and with expressions of measurement or time, e.g.: His weight fell from 18 stone to less than 12. Their marriage lasted less than two years. Heath Square is less than four miles away from Dublin city centre

 Sometimes the use of the gerund or infinitive changes the meaning of the sentence. For example: With the verb remember - "I remembered to do my homework". or "I remembered doing my homework." In the first sentence (I remembered to do my homework), the person speaking remembered they had some homework first and then carried out the action and did it. In the second sentence (I remembered doing my homework.), the person speaking carried out the action (their homework) first and then remembered doing it. Other verbs only take one or the other, unfortunately there is no rule as to which form the verb takes. The same is true when the verb follows an adjective. Verbs that are normally followed by the gerund form: acknowledge | admit | adore | anticipate | appreciate | avoid | celebrate | confess | contemplate delay | deny | describe | detest | discuss | dislike | dread | endure | enjoy fancy | finish | imagine | involve | keep | justify | mention | mind | miss | omit | postpone | practise quit | recall | recommend | regret | report | resent | resume | risk | suggest | tolerate | understand For example: I adore reading your books. They anticipated winning the election. I detest going to discos. We postponed making any decision in the meeting. I quit smoking. Do you recall seeing someone like that?

Verbs Infinitive Overview | Action Verbs | Auxiliary Verbs | Finite / Non-Finite | Irregular Verbs Main Verbs | Modal Verbs | Mood | Phrasal Verbs | Regular Verbs | Stative Verbs Verbs which are normally followed by the infinitive form:afford | agree | appear | arrange | ask | attempt | care | choose | claim | come | consent dare | decide | demand | deserve | determine | elect | endeavour | expect | fail | get | guarentee hate | help | hesitate | hope | hurry | incline | intend | learn | long | manage | mean | need offer | plan | prepare | pretend | promise | refuse | resolve | say | seem | tend | threaten | want | wish For example: I can't afford to go to the pub. He agreed to practise more. You should learn to express yourself. They managed to fix the problem.

Verbs - Gerund or Infinitive Verbs - Overview | Action Verbs | Auxiliary Verbs | Finite / Non-Finite | Irregular Verbs Main Verbs | Modal Verbs | Mood | Phrasal Verbs | Regular Verbs | Stative Verbs Verbs which can be followed by the gerund or infinitive form:Some verbs can be followed by the gerund or infintive. With no change in meaning begin | continue | hate | like | love | neglect | prefer | start | try For example:He began to learn English when he was eight. He began learning English when he was eight. I hate to leave. I hate leaving. !Note - We often use the gerund when we speak about things in general, and the infinitive for particular situations. With a change in meaning forget | remember | stop For example:I forgot to feed the cat. (The cat is hungry - he has not been fed) I forgot feeding the cat. (The cat is ok - I fed him and then forgot about it)

English grammar online, British Council George Yule,(1998) Explaining English Grammar