Word Usage & Vocabulary Flashcards
7 cards from real CEC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Word Usage & Vocabulary flashcards as text
Which sentence correctly uses 'further' or 'farther'?
Answer: The revision required further changes to the introduction section.
'Further' is used for figurative or abstract distance and means 'additional,' making B correct; 'farther' is reserved for measurable physical distance.
Which sentence correctly uses 'imply' versus 'infer'?
Answer: The author implied in her introduction that the results were inconclusive.
'Imply' means to suggest or hint (speakers and writers imply); 'infer' means to draw a conclusion from evidence (readers and listeners infer); B correctly has the author implying something.
Which sentence correctly uses 'assure,' 'ensure,' or 'insure'?
Answer: The editor assured the author that revisions would be minimal.
'Assure' means to give confidence to a specific person, 'ensure' means to make certain something happens, and 'insure' refers to financial protection; B correctly uses 'assured' with a person as its object.
Which sentence correctly uses 'principal' versus 'principle'?
Answer: The editor adhered to the principle of clarity above all stylistic concerns.
'Principle' is a noun meaning a fundamental rule or belief; 'principal' refers to a primary person, thing, or amount; B correctly uses 'principle' as a rule or standard.
Which sentence correctly uses 'complement' versus 'compliment'?
Answer: The illustration complements the text by providing essential visual context.
'Complement' means to complete or enhance, while 'compliment' means to praise; C correctly uses 'complements' to mean the illustration enhances the text.
Which sentence contains a dangling modifier that a copyeditor should correct?
Answer: Walking to the conference, the weather suddenly turned stormy and cold.
In C, the participial phrase 'Walking to the conference' dangles because 'the weather' cannot walk—the phrase must logically refer to the subject of the main clause.
Which sentence correctly uses 'disinterested' versus 'uninterested'?
Answer: We need a disinterested party to mediate the contract dispute fairly.
'Disinterested' means impartial or without personal stake in the outcome; 'uninterested' means lacking interest or bored; B correctly uses 'disinterested' to mean impartial.