Expressions Commonly Confused By ESL Learners

EXPRESSIONS COMMONLY CONFUSED BY ESL LEARNERS

DRIFT

Drift apart: separate slowly.

e.g. He drifted apart from his friends and lived a secluded life.

Drift back: go back to someone or something slowly.

e.g. He drifted back to her former girlfriend, and they were married.

Drift off to sleep: fall asleep gradually.

e.g. He sat on the sofa, and finally drifted off to sleep.

ARGUE

Argue about: dispute or quarrel with someone over.

e.g. They often argue about racial injustice over the dinner table.

Argue against: make a case against someone or something.

e.g. My wife and I often argue against what is best for our child.

EASE

Ease someone of something: to relieve or reduce someone of something.

e.g. The doctor eased me of my back pain.

Ease off: diminish; let up doing something.

e.g The rain has eased off; we'd better leave now.

e.g. Come on, he's just a kid. Ease off!

DIFFER

Differ about: disagree about.

e.g  We differ about who should be the next president.

Differ from: be different from

e.g. How does this one differ from that one?

Differ in: be different in a specific way.

e.g. This one and that one differ in color.

Differ with: disagree with.

e.g. I differ with you on many things.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau