The correct answers are make an appointment, run errands, and do the shopping.
We typically "make" appointments (not "create" them), "run errands" (not "walk errands"), and "do the shopping" (not "make the shopping"). These are standard collocations in everyday English.
Verb
- walk → walk / walks / walked / walked / walking (5 forms, regular)
- go → go / goes / went / gone / going (5 forms, irregular)
- be → am/is/are/was/were/be/being/been (8 forms)
- can → can / could (modal: only 2 forms, no -s, no -ing)
A verb is the one word class every English sentence requires. Carries tense (when), aspect (duration), mood (attitude), and voice (active/passive). Regular verbs add -ed; ~200 irregular verbs have unpredictable past forms.
Key insight: fix your verbs and most grammar problems disappear. Wrong tense, wrong agreement, wrong form — verb errors account for the majority of grammatical mistakes.
Phrasal verb
- give up = quit — ≠ give + up literally
- come across = find by chance — ≠ come + across literally
- put up with = tolerate — 3-word phrasal verb
- look into = investigate — ≠ physically look inside something
Phrasal verbs = verb + particle/preposition forming a unit with non-literal meaning. There are thousands, and they dominate casual native English. They must be learned as whole units.
Key fact: the particle completely changes the verb's meaning. Look up (search), look after (care for), look into (investigate), look down on (disrespect) — all different.
Collocations
- ✅ make a decision — ❌ do a decision
- ✅ strong coffee — ❌ powerful coffee
- ✅ heavy rain — ❌ strong rain
- ✅ highly unlikely — ❌ very unlikely (grammatical, but less natural)
Collocations are word pairs that English habitually puts together. Both options may be grammatically valid, but one sounds native and the other doesn't.
Pattern: there's no logic to predict them — you make decisions but do homework, you have strong coffee but heavy rain. They must be learned as chunks, not deduced from rules.
Vocabulary for B1/Intermediate
- Opinion & argument: I believe, in my opinion, it depends on, although, however
- Abstract concepts: opportunity, responsibility, environment, relationship
- Emotions refined: disappointed, frustrated, relieved, grateful (not just happy/sad)
- Wider phrasal verbs: come up with, look forward to, get along with
B1 vocabulary = ~2,500–4,000 words. Opinion language, abstract nouns, news vocabulary, refined emotions, more phrasal verbs. The level where small talk becomes real conversation.
Focus: discourse markers (however, although, therefore), opinion verbs (believe, consider, assume), and the abstract nouns that let you discuss ideas, not just things.
B1 | Intermediate
- ✅ If I had more time, I would travel more. — second conditional
- ✅ The bridge was built in 1920. — passive voice
- ✅ She said she was tired. — reported speech with backshift
- ✅ Although it rained, we enjoyed the trip. — complex sentence with concession
These are B1 patterns — the CEFR intermediate level. At B1 you link ideas, use passive voice, handle reported speech, and manage second conditional — enough for travel, work basics, and everyday independence.
Marker: if you can explain why something happened and follow a news story, you're B1.
Easy
- She is a teacher. — one verb form, one rule
- I have two cats. — basic possession, short sentence
- He doesn't like coffee. — simple negation with do-support
- Only one answer is clearly correct; distractors are obviously wrong.
Easy marks beginner-level challenges: A1–early A2, one rule at a time, everyday vocabulary, no trick questions.
Use "Easy" when you want to build confidence on a specific rule without interference from other grammar or tricky contexts.