Drag the correct words to complete this couple's dinner-out adventure. 🍽️
We decided to book a table at the new Italian place. After dessert, Tom asked the waiter to leave a tip on the table.
The correct answer for the first blank is book.
We say book a table when we want to arrange a reservation at a restaurant. "Make" doesn't collocate with "a table" in this meaning, and "leave" doesn't fit either.
The correct answer for the second blank is leave.
We say leave a tip. You "leave" money on the table for the server as a gratuity. You don't "reserve" or "book" a tip.
Verb
Verb vs noun vs adjective: nouns name things. Adjectives describe. Verbs express what happens or what IS. The test: can it take tense (walked, will walk)? Can it take -ing? Can it follow to as an infinitive (to walk)? Yes to any → verb. English often converts freely between classes (run = noun or verb), so context decides.
A verb = action/state/occurrence word. 5 forms (base, -s, past, past participle, -ing). Carries tense, aspect, mood, voice. The one required element in every sentence.
Diagnostic: does it change for tense (walk → walked)? Can you put to before it (to walk)? Does it take -ing (walking)? → verb.
Collocations
Collocation vs idiom: both are fixed expressions, but collocations are transparent (you can guess the meaning from the words: heavy rain = a lot of rain), while idioms are opaque (kick the bucket ≠ literally kick anything). Collocations are about which words pair naturally; idioms are about hidden meaning.
Collocations are habitual word combinations: make a decision, strong coffee, take a shower. Grammar allows alternatives, but fluency demands the conventional pairing.
Diagnostic: if the meaning is clear but the combination sounds "off" to native ears (do a mistake instead of make a mistake) — it's a collocation issue.
Vocabulary for A2/Elementary/Pre-Intermediate
A2 vs B1 vocabulary: A2 handles routine situations (shopping, directions, small talk). B1 adds opinion and abstract language (I believe, unfortunately, it depends on). The jump is from concrete/social to abstract/argumentative. If you can describe your weekend but can't discuss the news → you're at A2.
A2 vocabulary = ~1,500–2,500 words. Work, leisure, routine social interactions, basic phrasal verbs, common collocations.
Diagnostic: can you handle small talk and routine social situations? Yes → A2. Can you discuss opinions, news, and abstract topics? No → need B1 vocabulary.
A2 | Elementary | Pre-intermediate
A2 vs B1: A2 handles routine transactions and simple past narration. B1 handles connected discourse, explaining reasons, and understanding main points in clear standard speech. If you can tell what happened but not why it matters, you're still A2.
A2 is the elementary level of the CEFR: past simple, present perfect, first conditional, basic modals, and routine communication about familiar topics.
Diagnostic: can you link ideas with because, although, so that and hold a conversation beyond scripted topics? No → A2. Yes → moving into B1.
Easy
Easy vs Medium vs Hard: Easy = one rule, obvious answer, A1–A2. Medium = one rule but realistic distractors, A2–B1. Hard = interacting rules, edge cases, B2+. Start Easy to check you have the basics before moving up.
The Easy tag filters for single-rule, short-sentence, common-vocabulary challenges designed for beginners or for anyone wanting a confidence check on fundamentals.
Diagnostic: if you get Easy questions wrong, stay here — your foundations need work. If they feel trivial, move to Medium.