contact@oaksschool.com

+55 (27) 99224-0959

Image

Collocation Dictionary

Discover how words naturally combine in English
Discover how words naturally combine in English

Common English Collocations

the tired and confused feeling that you can get after flying a very long distance, especially because of the difference in time between the place you left and the place you arrived at.

Example:

  • I’m suffering from jet lag but I’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep.

jet-lagged (adjective)

What's the difference between house and home?

A house is a building. Specifically, it's usually a single-family building. Apartment buildings aren't usually called houses. A house is still a house, whether there are people living there or it's empty.

Home is the place where a person lives, or where they feel that they belong. It has more emotional associations than the word house. Home can also mean the place where you grew up.

Example:

  • I'm going home for the weekend.

How we use house and home

There's one important difference in how you use the words house and home.

Examples:

  • I'm going home now.
  • I'm going to my house now.

Home acts similarly to words like here, there, in, out, somewhere, etc. House does not.

You can see the same thing in this example:

  • It's so nice to be home (here, in, there, etc.).

Home carries more respect than house, so you can use it when you want to be polite to someone. For example, you can write a formal 'thank you' note to someone who let you stay at their home.

Example:

  • Thank you so much for inviting me to your lovely home.

When you're talking to other people about your own place, you usually use house instead of home.

Example:

  • Would you like to come over to my house this afternoon?

We use seem, look like, sound like, feel like, appear, taste like, smell like, and like to describe impressions, appearances, similarities, and sensations. Some of these expressions are connected with the five senses, while others describe how something appears or seems to us.

Expressions of Appearance, Impression, and the Senses

  • [to] SEEM - To give an impression of being a particular way, although you may not know for certain. Common patterns: seem + adjective; seem + to + verb; seem like + noun. Examples:

    • She seems tired.
    • He seems to understand the problem.
    • It seems like a good idea.

  • [to] LOOK LIKE - To have an appearance similar to someone or something, or to appear to be something. Common patterns: look like + noun/pronoun; look like + clause. Examples:

    • She looks like her mother.
    • That cloud looks like a rabbit.
    • It looks like rain.

  • [to] SOUND LIKE - To give a particular impression when heard, or to have a sound similar to something. Common patterns: sound like + noun/pronoun; sound like + clause. Examples:

    • That sounds like a great idea.
    • You sound like your father.
    • It sounds like someone is crying.

  • [to] FEEL LIKE - To give a particular physical sensation or impression. Common patterns: feel like + noun; feel like + clause. Examples:

    • This fabric feels like silk.
    • The water feels like ice.
    • It feels like summer already.
    • Another common meaning: feel like + noun/-ing means that you want something or want to do something.
    • I feel like pizza.
    • I don't feel like studying today.

  • [to] APPEAR - To seem or give the impression of being something. Common patterns: appear + adjective; appear + to + verb; appear to be + adjective/noun. Examples:

    • She appears tired.
    • He appears to be very intelligent.
    • The situation appears to be improving.
    • Note: appear is similar to seem, but it is generally more formal.

  • [to] TASTE LIKE - To have a flavor similar to something. Common pattern: taste like + noun. Examples:

    • This tastes like chicken.
    • The sauce tastes like garlic.
    • This cake tastes like chocolate.

  • [to] SMELL LIKE - To have a smell similar to something. Common pattern: smell like + noun. Examples:

    • The kitchen smells like fresh bread.
    • This perfume smells like roses.
    • Your clothes smell like smoke.

  • LIKE - Similar to someone or something. Common patterns: like + noun/pronoun. Examples:

    • She looks like her sister.
    • He swims like a fish.
    • He talks like a politician.

Quick Reference

  • LOOK LIKE → what something looks similar to
  • SOUND LIKE → what something sounds similar to
  • FEEL LIKE → what something feels similar to
  • TASTE LIKE → what something tastes similar to
  • SMELL LIKE → what something smells similar to
  • SEEM / APPEAR → what something seems or appears to be
  • LIKE → similar to

Compare Like and As

Like means similar to, while as can be used to describe someone's role, function, or profession.

  • She looks like her sister. → Her appearance is similar to her sister's.
  • She works as a teacher. → Teaching is her profession.