Koorsiiwwan
Xiinxalawwan
- The Sounds of EnglishXiinxalawwan
- This Week's PhraseXiinxalawwan
Afaan Oromoo Change Language

Essential English ConversationKoorsiiwwan
How do I...Koorsiiwwan
How do I 2Koorsiiwwan
Listen HereKoorsiiwwan
English ExpressionsKoorsiiwwan
English TogetherKoorsiiwwan

The Sounds of EnglishXiinxalawwan
This Week's PhraseXiinxalawwan

Unit 8: Art
Adjectives and adverbs

Select a unit

1Pop-ups
2Hidden talents
3Can't buy me love
4Travellers' tales
5The colleague from hell
6Jurassic mystery: unpacking the past
7Career changes
8Art
9Project management
10The dog ate my homework!
11The diary of a double agent
12Fashion forward
13Flat pack skyscrapers
14Extreme sports
15Food fads
16Me, my selfie and I
17Endangered animals
18A nip and a tuck: cosmetic surgery
19I'm really sorry...
20Telling stories
21Fakes and phrasals
22Looking to the future
23Becoming familiar with things
24From rags to riches
25Against the odds
26Our future on Mars?
27Where is it illegal to get a fish drunk?
28Dodgy dating
29Annoying advice
30I'll have been studying English for thirty weeks

Sessions
Vocabulary reference
Grammar reference

Session 1

In this unit we look at words like dessert and desert, bored and boring. Learners of English often find it difficult to choose the right one. Do you? Practise using easily confused words with us.

Wayiitiwwan marii boqonnaa kana keessaa

1 2 3 4

Wayitii marii qabxii 1

0 / 16

0 / 0
Activity 1
0 / 6
Activity 2
0 / 10
Activity 3

Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3

Activity 3

Dessert in the desert

Listening practice

You've practised these easily confused words in a written context. But somtimes it's useful to test your listening skills too. Can you tell which words are used in these spoken sentences? And are the words right or wrong?

To do

Listen to the recording. In it you will hear eight example sentences. If the sentence uses the right word, drag it into the 'Right' column. If it's wrong, drag it into the 'Wrong' column.

Note

The words desert and dessert are pronounced slightly differently. Desert stresses the first syllable: DEsert. Dessert stresses the second syllable: deSSERT.

Sagalee kana dhaggeefadhuu shaakala kana xumuri

That doesn't sound right...

10 Questions

Listen to the recording. In it there are ten example sentences. Each of them contains at least one easily confused word. Are the words used correctly? If so, drag the example into the 'RIght' column, if not choose the 'Wrong' column

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

You don't eat this...

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

This time we need the one you eat...

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

What do you get after buying something?

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

This example has two different easily confused words... are they both right?

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

What are the things you need to make a dish of food?

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

'Bored' describes your feelings...

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

'Boring' describes something that is not interesting at all

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

If you feel upset about something, you are ______ about it

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

If you feel upset about something, you are ______ about it

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

You need the word that means the things contained within another thing

Question 1 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 1

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgd2hvbGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzICJXZSBzcGVudCB0aHJlZSB3ZWVrcyBvbiBob2xpZGF5IGluIHRoZSBkZXNzZXJ0IiwgYnV0IGl0IHNob3VsZCBoYXZlIGJlZW4gIldlIHNwZW50IHRocmVlIHdlZWtzIG9uIGhvbGlkYXkgaW4gdGhlIGRlc2VydCIu

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHdob2xlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhcyAiV2Ugc3BlbnQgdGhyZWUgd2Vla3Mgb24gaG9saWRheSBpbiB0aGUgZGVzc2VydCIsIGJ1dCBpdCBzaG91bGQgaGF2ZSBiZWVuICJXZSBzcGVudCB0aHJlZSB3ZWVrcyBvbiBob2xpZGF5IGluIHRoZSBkZXNlcnQiLg==

Example 2

VGhhdCdzIHJpZ2h0LiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiSSBsb3ZlIGVhdGluZyBkZXNzZXJ0LiBUaGVyZSdzIG5vdGhpbmcgbGlrZSBhIGJvd2wgb2YgaWNlLWNyZWFtLiIgRGVzc2VydHMgYXJlIGZvciBlYXRpbmcsIG5vdCBkZXNlcnRzLi4u

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIkkgbG92ZSBlYXRpbmcgZGVzc2VydC4gVGhlcmUncyBub3RoaW5nIGxpa2UgYSBib3dsIG9mIGljZS1jcmVhbS4iIERlc3NlcnRzIGFyZSBmb3IgZWF0aW5nLCBub3QgZGVzZXJ0cy4uLg==

Example 3

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiVGhhdCdzIMKjMyBzaXIsIHdvdWxkIHlvdSBsaWtlIGEgcmVjZWlwdD8iIEEgJ3JlY2VpcHQnIGlzIHdoYXQgeW91IGdldCBhZnRlciBidXlpbmcgc29tZXRoaW5nLCBub3QgYSByZWNpcGUu

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIlRoYXQncyDCozMgc2lyLCB3b3VsZCB5b3UgbGlrZSBhIHJlY2VpcHQ/IiBBICdyZWNlaXB0JyBpcyB3aGF0IHlvdSBnZXQgYWZ0ZXIgYnV5aW5nIHNvbWV0aGluZywgbm90IGEgcmVjaXBlLg==

Example 4

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzICJUaGlzIHJlY2lwZSBvbmx5IGhhcyBhIGZldyBpbmdyZWRpZW50cy4iIEJvdGggJ3JlY2lwZScgYW5kICdpbmdyZWRpZW50cycgd2VyZSB1c2VkIGNvcnJlY3RseSBoZXJlLg==

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhcyAiVGhpcyByZWNpcGUgb25seSBoYXMgYSBmZXcgaW5ncmVkaWVudHMuIiBCb3RoICdyZWNpcGUnIGFuZCAnaW5ncmVkaWVudHMnIHdlcmUgdXNlZCBjb3JyZWN0bHkgaGVyZS4=

Example 5

VGhhdCdzIHJpZ2h0LiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiSSBkb24ndCBoYXZlIGFsbCB0aGUgY29udGVudHMgSSBuZWVkIHRvIG1ha2UgdGhhdCBjYWtlLiIgSXQgc2hvdWxkIGhhdmUgYmVlbjogIkkgZG9uJ3QgaGF2ZSBhbGwgdGhlIGluZ3JlZGllbnRzIEkgbmVlZCB0byBtYWtlIHRoYXQgY2FrZS4i

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIkkgZG9uJ3QgaGF2ZSBhbGwgdGhlIGNvbnRlbnRzIEkgbmVlZCB0byBtYWtlIHRoYXQgY2FrZS4iIEl0IHNob3VsZCBoYXZlIGJlZW46ICJJIGRvbid0IGhhdmUgYWxsIHRoZSBpbmdyZWRpZW50cyBJIG5lZWQgdG8gbWFrZSB0aGF0IGNha2UuIg==

Example 6

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiTXkgam9iIGlzIHJlYWxseSBib3JlZC4gSXQncyB0aGUgc2FtZSBldmVyeSBkYXkuIiBJdCBzaG91bGQgaGF2ZSBiZWVuOiBNeSBqb2IgaXMgcmVhbGx5IGJvcmluZy4gSXQncyB0aGUgc2FtZSBldmVyeSBkYXku

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodCwgVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIk15IGpvYiBpcyByZWFsbHkgYm9yZWQuIEl0J3MgdGhlIHNhbWUgZXZlcnkgZGF5LiIgSXQgc2hvdWxkIGhhdmUgYmVlbjogTXkgam9iIGlzIHJlYWxseSBib3JpbmcuIEl0J3MgdGhlIHNhbWUgZXZlcnkgZGF5Lg==

Example 7

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiSSBmZWx0IHJlYWxseSBib3JpbmcgeWVzdGVyZGF5LiBJIGhhZCBub3RoaW5nIHRvIGRvIGFsbCBkYXkuIiBJdCBzaG91bGQgaGF2ZSBiZWVuOiBJdCBmZWx0IHJlYWxseSBib3JpbmcgeWVzdGVyZGF5LiBJIGhhZCBub3RoaW5nIHRvIGRvIGFsbCBkYXkiIG9yICJJIGZlbHQgcmVhbGx5IGJvcmVkIHllc3RlcmRheS4gSSBoYWQgbm90aGluZyB0byBkbyBhbGwgZGF5LiI=

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIkkgZmVsdCByZWFsbHkgYm9yaW5nIHllc3RlcmRheS4gSSBoYWQgbm90aGluZyB0byBkbyBhbGwgZGF5LiIgSXQgc2hvdWxkIGhhdmUgYmVlbjogSXQgZmVsdCByZWFsbHkgYm9yaW5nIHllc3RlcmRheS4gSSBoYWQgbm90aGluZyB0byBkbyBhbGwgZGF5IiBvciAiSSBmZWx0IHJlYWxseSBib3JlZCB5ZXN0ZXJkYXkuIEkgaGFkIG5vdGhpbmcgdG8gZG8gYWxsIGRheS4i

Example 8

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiTWF1cmljZSBkb2Vzbid0IGxpa2UgaGlzIGhhaXIgY29sb3VyLiBIZSdzIHF1aXRlIHNlbnNpYmxlIGFib3V0IGl0LiIgQnV0IGl0IHNob3VsZCBoYXZlIGJlZW46ICJIZSdzIHF1aXRlIHNlbnNpdGl2ZSBhYm91dCBpdC4i

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIk1hdXJpY2UgZG9lc24ndCBsaWtlIGhpcyBoYWlyIGNvbG91ci4gSGUncyBxdWl0ZSBzZW5zaWJsZSBhYm91dCBpdC4iIEJ1dCBpdCBzaG91bGQgaGF2ZSBiZWVuOiAiSGUncyBxdWl0ZSBzZW5zaXRpdmUgYWJvdXQgaXQuIg==

Example 9

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiV2h5IGFyZSB5b3Ugc28gc2Vuc2l0aXZlPyBZb3Ugc2hvdWxkIGxlYXJuIHRvIGlnbm9yZSB3aGF0IHBlb3BsZSBzYXkuIiA=

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIldoeSBhcmUgeW91IHNvIHNlbnNpdGl2ZT8gWW91IHNob3VsZCBsZWFybiB0byBpZ25vcmUgd2hhdCBwZW9wbGUgc2F5LiI=

Example 10

V2VsbCBkb25lLiBUaGUgc2VudGVuY2Ugd2FzOiAiQWxsIHRoZSBpbmdyZWRpZW50cyBpbiBoZXIgcHVyc2UgZmVsbCBvdXQgd2hlbiBzaGUgb3BlbmVkIGl0IGluIHRoZSBzaG9wLiIgQnV0IGl0IHNob3VsZCBoYXZlIGJlZW46ICJBbGwgdGhlIGNvbnRlbnRzIG9mIGhlciBwdXJzZSBmZWxsIG91dCB3aGVuIHNoZSBvcGVuZWQgaXQgaW4gdGhlIHNob3AuIg==

VGhhdCdzIG5vdCByaWdodC4gVGhlIHNlbnRlbmNlIHdhczogIkFsbCB0aGUgaW5ncmVkaWVudHMgaW4gaGVyIHB1cnNlIGZlbGwgb3V0IHdoZW4gc2hlIG9wZW5lZCBpdCBpbiB0aGUgc2hvcC4iIEJ1dCBpdCBzaG91bGQgaGF2ZSBiZWVuOiAiQWxsIHRoZSBjb250ZW50cyBvZiBoZXIgcHVyc2UgZmVsbCBvdXQgd2hlbiBzaGUgb3BlbmVkIGl0IGluIHRoZSBzaG9wLiI=

Questions complete. Click "Check my answers" to continue

Right

Wrong

You got all the answers correct

Some of the answers you gave were incorrect

Baga gammadde! Qormaata xumurteetta
Excellent!Great job!Carraa badaa!Qabxii argatte:

x / y

Cuunfaa duub-deebi

Excellent!Great job!Carraa badaa!Qabxii argatte: x / y

Example 1

Sirrii miti

Example 2

Sirrii miti

Example 3

Sirrii miti

Example 4

Sirrii miti

Example 5

Sirrii miti

Example 6

Sirrii miti

Example 7

Sirrii miti

Example 8

Sirrii miti

Example 9

Sirrii miti

Example 10

Sirrii miti

That doesn't sound right...

10 Questions

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

You don't eat this...

Question 1 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 1

aRight

bWrong

You don't eat this...

Well done. The whole sentence was "We spent three weeks on holiday in the dessert", but it should have been "We spent three weeks on holiday in the desert".

That's not right. The whole sentence was "We spent three weeks on holiday in the dessert", but it should have been "We spent three weeks on holiday in the desert".

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

This time we need the one you eat...

Question 2 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 2

aRight

bWrong

This time we need the one you eat...

That's right. The sentence was: "I love eating dessert. There's nothing like a bowl of ice-cream." Desserts are for eating, not deserts...

That's not right. The sentence was: "I love eating dessert. There's nothing like a bowl of ice-cream." Desserts are for eating, not deserts...

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

What do you get after buying something?

Question 3 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 3

aRight

bWrong

What do you get after buying something?

Well done. The sentence was: "That's £3 sir, would you like a receipt?" A 'receipt' is what you get after buying something, not a recipe.

That's not right. The sentence was: "That's £3 sir, would you like a receipt?" A 'receipt' is what you get after buying something, not a recipe.

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

This example has two different easily confused words... are they both right?

Question 4 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 4

aRight

bWrong

This example has two different easily confused words... are they both right?

Well done. The sentence was "This recipe only has a few ingredients." Both 'recipe' and 'ingredients' were used correctly here.

That's not right. The sentence was "This recipe only has a few ingredients." Both 'recipe' and 'ingredients' were used correctly here.

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

What are the things you need to make a dish of food?

Question 5 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 5

aRight

bWrong

What are the things you need to make a dish of food?

That's right. The sentence was: "I don't have all the contents I need to make that cake." It should have been: "I don't have all the ingredients I need to make that cake."

That's not right. The sentence was: "I don't have all the contents I need to make that cake." It should have been: "I don't have all the ingredients I need to make that cake."

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

'Bored' describes your feelings...

Question 6 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 6

aRight

bWrong

'Bored' describes your feelings...

Well done. The sentence was: "My job is really bored. It's the same every day." It should have been: My job is really boring. It's the same every day.

That's not right, The sentence was: "My job is really bored. It's the same every day." It should have been: My job is really boring. It's the same every day.

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

'Boring' describes something that is not interesting at all

Question 7 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 7

aRight

bWrong

'Boring' describes something that is not interesting at all

Well done. The sentence was: "I felt really boring yesterday. I had nothing to do all day." It should have been: It felt really boring yesterday. I had nothing to do all day" or "I felt really bored yesterday. I had nothing to do all day."

That's not right. The sentence was: "I felt really boring yesterday. I had nothing to do all day." It should have been: It felt really boring yesterday. I had nothing to do all day" or "I felt really bored yesterday. I had nothing to do all day."

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

If you feel upset about something, you are ______ about it

Question 8 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 8

aRight

bWrong

If you feel upset about something, you are ______ about it

Well done. The sentence was: "Maurice doesn't like his hair colour. He's quite sensible about it." But it should have been: "He's quite sensitive about it."

That's not right. The sentence was: "Maurice doesn't like his hair colour. He's quite sensible about it." But it should have been: "He's quite sensitive about it."

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

If you feel upset about something, you are ______ about it

Question 9 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 9

aRight

bWrong

If you feel upset about something, you are ______ about it

Well done. The sentence was: "Why are you so sensitive? You should learn to ignore what people say."

That's not right. The sentence was: "Why are you so sensitive? You should learn to ignore what people say."

Gargaarsa

Cufi

Activity

karaarra buusu

You need the word that means the things contained within another thing

Question 10 of 10

Gargaarsa

Example 10

aRight

bWrong

You need the word that means the things contained within another thing

Well done. The sentence was: "All the ingredients in her purse fell out when she opened it in the shop." But it should have been: "All the contents of her purse fell out when she opened it in the shop."

That's not right. The sentence was: "All the ingredients in her purse fell out when she opened it in the shop." But it should have been: "All the contents of her purse fell out when she opened it in the shop."

Baga gammadde! Qormaata xumurteetta
Excellent!Great job!Carraa badaa!Qabxii argatte:

x / y

Cuunfaa duub-deebi

Excellent!Great job!Carraa badaa!Qabxii argatte: x / y

Example 1

Sirrii miti

Example 2

Sirrii miti

Example 3

Sirrii miti

Example 4

Sirrii miti

Example 5

Sirrii miti

Example 6

Sirrii miti

Example 7

Sirrii miti

Example 8

Sirrii miti

Example 9

Sirrii miti

Example 10

Sirrii miti

End of Session 1

That's the end of this session. We hope you're now more confident when using these easily confused words. And don't worry, if these are too easy for you, there are lots more easily confused words in English for you to master!

Session Vocabulary

sensible
acting with good judgement
sensitive
easily upset
boring
not interesting at all
bored
feeling uninterested or with nothing to do
desert
an area of land with sand and rock where very little grows and there is little rain
dessert
a sweet dish at the end of a meal
recipe
instructions for making or preparing food
receipt
a small document, either paper or electronic, that shows you have paid money for something
contents
all the things that are inside something else
ingredients
individual parts that are combined to make something else, often food

Wabii jechoota guutuu agarsiisi

Wiirtuu gadi-buufatan

Qabiyyee koorsiiwwan dhihoo kanaa

Waa'ee

About BBC Learning English
Courses
Course site maps
Learning FAQ
Contact BBC Learning English

Hawaasummaa

TikTok
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
Social media house rules

Gubbaatti deebi'i RSS

For a better experience please enable Javascript in your browser

Learning English

Inspiring language learning since 1943

Unit 8: ArtAdjectives and adverbs

Session 1

Wayiitiwwan marii boqonnaa kana keessaa

Wayitii marii qabxii 1

Activity 3

Dessert in the desert

Listening practice

To do

Note

That doesn't sound right...

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

That doesn't sound right...

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

Gargaarsa

Activity

karaarra buusu

End of Session 1

Session Vocabulary

Wiirtuu gadi-buufatan

Waa'ee

Hawaasummaa

Unit 8: Art
Adjectives and adverbs