CAE Vocabulary Flashcards

Which sentence uses 'affect' and 'effect' correctly?

Answer: Lack of sleep can affect concentration levels.

'Affect' is most commonly a verb meaning 'to have an impact on'; 'effect' is most commonly a noun; 'effect a transformation' is a rare formal usage.

The word 'exhaustive' in 'an exhaustive study was conducted' means:

Answer: A thorough and complete study covering all aspects

'Exhaustive' (not 'exhausting') means covering everything completely and thoroughly; it should not be confused with 'exhausting' (causing tiredness).

Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: 'The scientist was _______ about sharing her findings before peer review.'

Answer: reluctant

'Reluctant' is the adjective form needed here; the other options are either nouns or verbs that do not fit grammatically.

What is the meaning of the collocation 'to come to terms with something'?

Answer: To gradually accept a difficult situation

'Come to terms with' is an idiomatic expression meaning to accept and begin to cope with something difficult or painful.

Which suffix can be added to 'beauty' to make an adjective?

Answer: -ful

Adding '-ful' to 'beauty' creates 'beautiful', the standard adjective form; the other suffixes do not apply correctly.

The sentence 'He was adamant that the policy needed changing' means he was:

Answer: Completely firm and unwilling to change his view

'Adamant' means completely determined and refusing to be persuaded otherwise; it conveys strong, inflexible conviction.