8 verbs that 80% of English learners confuse

OK, I’m not sure if it’s exactly 80% of English learners who confuse these verbs – but it’s definitely a lot! Most of them have very similar meanings, but are used in different contexts.

close / shut

You can use both close and shut with doors and windows:

• Please close the door.
• I shut the window because it was getting cold.

With eyes and mouths, close is probably a little more common than shut (especially with mouth):

• He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.
• The dentist asked me to close my mouth.

When talking about a store, bank, post office, etc., use only close:

• The bank closes at 4 PM.
• What time does the post office close?

start / begin

You can use both start and begin for an activity:

• I started playing the piano when I was 8 years old.
• What time does the meeting start?
• He’s beginning to read more advanced books in English.
• We left the park when it began to rain.

When you turn on a car or vehicle, use “start”:

• I had to call a mechanic because my car wouldn’t start.

In general, begin is used for more formal and more abstract ideas:

• Scientists are studying how life began on earth.
• World War II began in 1939.

end / finish

When something ends, it means it stops:

• My English class ends at 7:30.
• I ended my last relationship because I felt we had nothing in common.

When something finishes, it means it is completed:

• She finished the test and gave it to the teacher.
• We need to finish painting the house.

listen / hear

Hear is often used for the action that you do accidentally:

• Did you hear that? It sounded like a gunshot!

Listen is often used for the action that you do intentionally:

• I listened to the new CD.

There are some exceptions:

• I heard (= listened to) an interesting show on the radio last night.

English Lessons at EspressoEnglish.net