B1

Prefixes and suffixes Exercises

About this lesson

Prefixes and suffixes · B1. Distinguish “reliable” (consistently deserving trust) from “unreliable” (not consistently deserving trust). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “careless” means not giving enough attention; “careful” means giving attention to avoid mistakes. Compare their uses in the learning cards.

Complete 24 original tasks. Use the situation to choose the intended meaning, practise the form, then apply it in a fresh context.

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Vocabulary

Learning cards

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reliable
reliable
B1
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reliable

consistently deserving trust
In a sentence

A reliable translation preserves the warning as well as the instructions.

A reliable translation preserves the warning as well as the instructions.

Useful combinations
reliable informationreliable service

Word forms & family

reliability (n.)reliably (adv.)rely (v.)

Similar meanings & paraphrases

dependable

These match this sense. Word families can change meaning; near meanings are not always interchangeable.

Practise “reliable information” as a whole phrase. Here “reliable” has the sense consistently deserving trust.

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A little clarity first

consistently deserving trust / not consistently deserving trust

Distinguish “reliable” (consistently deserving trust) from “unreliable” (not consistently deserving trust). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “careless” means not giving enough attention; “careful” means giving attention to avoid mistakes. Compare their uses in the learning cards.

This reliable clock never loses time.

state of having paid work / state of being without work while seeking it

Distinguish “employment” (state of having paid work) from “unemployment” (state of being without work while seeking it). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “hopeful” means feeling that something good may happen; “hopeless” means feeling that a situation cannot improve. Compare their uses in the learning cards.

The factory provides local employment.

achieving the intended result / not achieving the intended result

Distinguish “successful” (achieving the intended result) from “unsuccessful” (not achieving the intended result). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “useful” means helpful for a practical purpose; “useless” means having no practical value in a situation. Compare their uses in the learning cards.

The successful repair restored power.

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Questions
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The gap names dependability: the clock can be trusted to keep the right time every day.

This ___ clock never loses time.

Your answer
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Your learning route

01
Step 1 · Warm-up

Warm-up

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Step 2 · Build the skill

state of having paid work / state of being without work while seeking it

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Distinguish “employment” (state of having paid work) from “unemployment” (state of being without work while seeking it). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “hopeful” means feeling that something good may happen; “hopeless” means feeling that a situation cannot improve. Compare their uses in the learning cards.

The factory provides local employment.
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Step 3 · Build the skill

achieving the intended result / not achieving the intended result

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Distinguish “successful” (achieving the intended result) from “unsuccessful” (not achieving the intended result). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “useful” means helpful for a practical purpose; “useless” means having no practical value in a situation. Compare their uses in the learning cards.

The successful repair restored power.
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Step 4 · Build the skill

consistently deserving trust / not consistently deserving trust

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Distinguish “reliable” (consistently deserving trust) from “unreliable” (not consistently deserving trust). Read the situation before choosing; these words are not interchangeable. Additional contrast: “careless” means not giving enough attention; “careful” means giving attention to avoid mistakes. Compare their uses in the learning cards.

This reliable clock never loses time.
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Step 5 · New contexts

New contexts

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Step 6 · A fresh challenge

A fresh challenge

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Practice notes in this unit

Make mistakes useful.

Keep the first try. Understand the change. Check it in a fresh situation.

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No practice notes yet. Try a short warm-up.

Questions & answers

Opening an answer records help for that question.

D01 · Warm-up

The gap names dependability: the clock can be trusted to keep the right time every day.

This ___ clock never loses time.

  1. unsuccessful
  2. unreliable
  3. successful
  4. reliable
Answer & explanation
reliable

Look at “trusted to keep the right time”. Here we need “consistently deserving trust”: “reliable”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “This reliable clock never loses time.”.

D02 · Warm-up

The bus repeatedly fails to arrive when promised. We cannot depend on its service.

The ___ bus often fails to arrive.

  1. reliable
  2. unsuccessful
  3. unreliable
  4. successful
Answer & explanation
unreliable

Look at “cannot depend”. Here we need “not consistently deserving trust”: “unreliable”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “The unreliable bus often fails to arrive.”.

D03 · Warm-up

The factory provides paid jobs for people living nearby.

The factory provides local ___.

  1. unemployment
  2. training
  3. retirement
  4. employment
Answer & explanation
employment

Look at “paid jobs”. Here we need “state of having paid work”: “employment”. A paid job is work. Training develops skills; retirement ends a career; unemployment means having no job. Completed sentence: “The factory provides local employment.”.

P01 · Build the skill

The factory closed, many local workers lost their jobs, and they could not find new work.

The closure increased local ___.

  1. retirement
  2. unemployment
  3. training
  4. employment
Answer & explanation
unemployment

Look at “lost their jobs”. Here we need “state of being without work while seeking it”: “unemployment”. A paid job is work. Training develops skills; retirement ends a career; unemployment means having no job. Completed sentence: “The closure increased local unemployment.”.

P02 · Build the skill

The purpose of the repair was to restore the power. It achieved that purpose.

The ___ repair restored power.

  1. unsuccessful
  2. unreliable
  3. successful
  4. reliable
Answer & explanation
successful

Look at “achieved that purpose”. Here we need “achieving the intended result”: “successful”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “The successful repair restored power.”.

P03 · Build the skill

The rescuers searched in order to find survivors, but did not achieve that aim.

The ___ search found no survivors.

  1. reliable
  2. unreliable
  3. successful
  4. unsuccessful
Answer & explanation
unsuccessful

Look at “did not achieve that aim”. Here we need “not achieving the intended result”: “unsuccessful”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “The unsuccessful search found no survivors.”.

P04 · Build the skill

Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.

She always keeps promises, so she is ___.

  1. employment
  2. unreliable
  3. unemployment
  4. reliable
Answer & explanation
reliable

Look at “always keeps promises”. Here we need “consistently deserving trust”: “reliable”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “She always keeps promises, so she is reliable.”.

R01 · New contexts

Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.

The source repeatedly invents facts; it is ___.

  1. unsuccessful
  2. unreliable
  3. successful
  4. reliable
Answer & explanation
unreliable

Look at “invents facts”. Here we need “not consistently deserving trust”: “unreliable”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “The source repeatedly invents facts; it is unreliable.”.

R02 · New contexts

He has finally obtained a regular paid job, not enrolled in a course or stopped work through retirement.

After months of job hunting, he finally found paid ___.

  1. employment
  2. training
  3. unemployment
  4. retirement
Answer & explanation
employment

Look at “regular paid job”. Here we need “state of having paid work”: “employment”. A paid job is work. Training develops skills; retirement ends a career; unemployment means having no job. Completed sentence: “After months of job hunting, he finally found paid employment.”.

R03 · New contexts

Complete the sentence with the expression that matches the stated situation.

Job losses pushed the rate of ___ higher.

  1. retirement
  2. employment
  3. training
  4. unemployment
Answer & explanation
unemployment

Look at “Job losses”. Here we need “state of being without work while seeking it”: “unemployment”. A paid job is work. Training develops skills; retirement ends a career; unemployment means having no job. Completed sentence: “Job losses pushed the rate of unemployment higher.”.

X01 · A fresh challenge

The gap names whether the project achieved its intended result: every target was met.

The project met every target; it was ___.

  1. successful
  2. reliable
  3. unsuccessful
  4. unreliable
Answer & explanation
successful

Look at “every target was met”. Here we need “achieving the intended result”: “successful”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “The project met every target; it was successful.”.

X02 · A fresh challenge

The gap names whether the attempt achieved its aim. Its aim was to solve the problem, but it did not do so.

The attempt failed to solve the problem; it was ___.

  1. reliable
  2. unreliable
  3. successful
  4. unsuccessful
Answer & explanation
unsuccessful

Look at “aim was to solve”. Here we need “not achieving the intended result”: “unsuccessful”. Check the meaning dimension: dependability, having work or achieving the aim. A successful result is different from a generally dependable service. Completed sentence: “The attempt failed to solve the problem; it was unsuccessful.”.

R04 · New contexts

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

Leaving the keys in the door was ___; he had not checked before walking away.

  1. careful
  2. careless
  3. hopeful
  4. hopeless
Answer & explanation
careless

Look at “had not checked”. Here we need “not giving enough attention”: “careless”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “Leaving the keys in the door was careless; he had not checked before walking away.”.

R05 · New contexts

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

She was ___ when copying the address, checking every letter to avoid a mistake.

  1. hopeful
  2. useful
  3. hopeless
  4. careful
Answer & explanation
careful

Look at “checking every letter”. Here we need “giving attention to avoid mistakes”: “careful”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “She was careful when copying the address, checking every letter to avoid a mistake.”.

R06 · New contexts

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

The team remained ___ that they could win; they still believed a good result was possible.

  1. hopeful
  2. hopeless
  3. useless
  4. useful
Answer & explanation
hopeful

Look at “still believed a good result was possible”. Here we need “feeling that something good may happen”: “hopeful”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “The team remained hopeful that they could win; they still believed a good result was possible.”.

R07 · New contexts

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

She felt ___ about the situation, convinced that nothing could possibly improve it.

  1. hopeless
  2. useful
  3. useless
  4. careless
Answer & explanation
hopeless

Look at “nothing could possibly improve”. Here we need “feeling that a situation cannot improve”: “hopeless”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “She felt hopeless about the situation, convinced that nothing could possibly improve it.”.

R08 · New contexts

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

The guide gave us ___ information that helped us find the correct platform.

  1. useless
  2. careless
  3. useful
  4. careful
Answer & explanation
useful

Look at “helped us find”. Here we need “helpful for a practical purpose”: “useful”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “The guide gave us useful information that helped us find the correct platform.”.

R09 · New contexts

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

Without any batteries, the torch was ___ and gave us no light at all.

  1. hopeful
  2. careful
  3. useless
  4. careless
Answer & explanation
useless

Look at “gave us no light”. Here we need “having no practical value in a situation”: “useless”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “Without any batteries, the torch was useless and gave us no light at all.”.

X03 · A fresh challenge

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

The report contained ___ errors because the writer rushed and did not proofread it.

  1. hopeless
  2. hopeful
  3. useful
  4. careless
Answer & explanation
careless

Look at “did not proofread”. Here we need “not giving enough attention”: “careless”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “The report contained careless errors because the writer rushed and did not proofread it.”.

X04 · A fresh challenge

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

Be ___ when carrying the glass; hold it securely so it does not fall.

  1. careful
  2. hopeless
  3. useless
  4. useful
Answer & explanation
careful

Look at “hold it securely”. Here we need “giving attention to avoid mistakes”: “careful”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “Be careful when carrying the glass; hold it securely so it does not fall.”.

X05 · A fresh challenge

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

After the treatment began to work, the family felt ___ about his recovery.

  1. useful
  2. useless
  3. hopeful
  4. careless
Answer & explanation
hopeful

Look at “treatment began to work”. Here we need “feeling that something good may happen”: “hopeful”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “After the treatment began to work, the family felt hopeful about his recovery.”.

X06 · A fresh challenge

He saw no chance of success. The gap names absence of hope, not whether an object has a practical use.

He saw no chance of success and described his situation as ___.

  1. useless
  2. hopeless
  3. careful
  4. careless
Answer & explanation
hopeless

Look at “absence of hope”. Here we need “feeling that a situation cannot improve”: “hopeless”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “He saw no chance of success and described his situation as hopeless.”.

X07 · A fresh challenge

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

A torch is ___ in a power cut because it lets you see in the dark.

  1. careless
  2. careful
  3. useful
  4. hopeful
Answer & explanation
useful

Look at “lets you see”. Here we need “helpful for a practical purpose”: “useful”. Use attention, hope or practical value as the dimension. Then check whether the sentence gives a positive or negative state on that dimension. Completed sentence: “A torch is useful in a power cut because it lets you see in the dark.”.

X08 · A fresh challenge

Choose the expression that matches the situation.

These old instructions are ___ for the new model because none of the steps apply.

  1. hopeful
  2. useless
  3. careful
  4. reliable
Answer & explanation
useless

Look at “none of the steps apply”. Here we need “having no practical value in a situation”: “useless”. Careful concerns attention, hopeful concerns expecting a good result, reliable concerns dependability, and useless concerns lack of practical value for this purpose. Completed sentence: “These old instructions are useless for the new model because none of the steps apply.”.