beside (next to – at the side of) / besides (in addition – also)
The chip shop is beside the library.
I left my phone beside the microwave.
Besides not being happy, you are also rude to everybody.
At the meeting, we agreed that besides the issue regarding finance, we must consider health and safety.
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clothes /kləʊðz/ (garments people wear) / cloth(s) /klɒθs/ (pieces of material or cleaning material for wiping)
I like to wear warm clothes in the winter.
It is fashionable to wear tight clothes.
I spilt my drink, do you have a cloth?
We need to buy some cleaning cloths.
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dessert /dɪˈzɜːt/ (sweet food often eaten after a main dish) / desert /ˈdezət/ (dry area often covered with sand or rocks)
I must stop eating dessert, I am getting fat.
Which dessert do you prefer, ice cream or cheesecake?
The Sahara Desert is 3000 miles long.
You must be mad running a marathon in a desert!
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felt (past tense of ‘to feel’) / fell (past tense of ‘to fall’)
When I went into the big empty house I felt scared.
I did not have class because I felt sick.
Oh no, she fell of the horse.
The picture fell off the wall yesterday.
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lay (to put something carefully in horizontal position) / lie (to be in a horizontal position)
The builders will lay the sheet of wood outside on the ground for now.
Please can you stay out of the room while I lay the floor.
I need to lie down.
The dog likes to lie down next to the fire.
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shade /ʃeɪd/ (partial darkness where the sun does not reach) / shadow /ˈʃædəʊ/ (dark patch caused by something blocking the sunlight for example, a person )
It is very hot on the beach. It would be better to sit in the shade!
There is no shade, the heat is unbearable.
That building has a very scary shadow in the sun!
Your shadow looks bigger than you are!
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sensible /ˈsensəbl/ (adjective – acting on good judgement) / sensitive /ˈsensɪtɪv/ (adjective – easily upset – understanding)
It would be sensible to have breakfast before going to work!
It was not sensible for the company to hire more people.
He is too sensitive to be a soldier. (easily upset)
He is a god gut to talk to as he is sensitive and understands. (understanding)
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Do you have any favourites?
Can you think of any others?
Which other ones do you have trouble with?
What tips do you have for remembering the difference?