(1) Young children will usually compete for their mother's attention.
(2) Small traders cannot compete in the face of cheap foreign imports.
(3) He's hoping to compete in the London marathon.

(1) a weird dream
(2) She's a really weird girl.
(3) He's got some weird ideas.

(1) too many rules and regulations
(2) fire/safety/building, etc. regulations
(3) to comply with the regulations

(1) We usually have Science in the science lab.
(2) I'll meet you outside the science lab.
(3) We have Science in the science lab.

(1) He offered $4 000 for the car.
(2) Josie had offered her services as a guide.
(3) He offered some useful advice.

(1) Olympic athletes
(2) She is a natural athlete.
(3) Daley Thompson was a great athlete.

(1) She burst into tears and ran from the kitchen.
(2) She burst into tears, stung by the harshness of his words.
(3) Do you fear that you'll burst into tears or explode with anger in front of her?

(1) How you can be so insensitive absolutely beats me.
(2) beat it before it's too late.
(3) Can you beat it; there was Graham Greene in Freetown and there was I on the other side of Africa.

(1) to work for a business/political/voluntary organization
(2) the World Health organization
(3) He's the president of a large international organization.

(1) She turned the handle and opened the door.
(2) They were arrested for handling stolen goods .
(3) She's a difficult horse to handle.

(1) I think we should concentrate on one or two of the really big tournaments.
(2) We should not just concentrate on one thing to the neglect of everything else.
(3) I wish you'd concentrate on what I'm saying.

(1) You're absolutely right.
(2) He made it absolutely clear.
(3) She did absolutely no work.

(1) a political opponent
(2) a dangerous/worthy/formidable opponent
(3) The team's opponents are unbeaten so far this season.

(1) to organize a meeting/party/trip
(2) I'll invite people if you can organize food and drinks.
(3) Modern computers can organize large amounts of data very quickly.

(1) The project is in its final stages.
(2) I'd like to return to the final point you made.
(3) the final product

(1) He defeated the champion in three sets.
(2) a defeated army
(3) The instruction manual completely defeated me.

(1) a football/cricket/rugby pitch
(2) The rugby tour was a disaster both on and off the pitch.
(3) a frenetic pitch of activity

(1) a major road
(2) major international companies
(3) to play a major role in sth

(1) There is now intense competition between schools to attract students.
(2) We are in competition with four other companies for the contract.
(3) We won the contract in the face of stiff competition .

(1) The people are demanding a chance to participate more in government.
(2) I couldn't assent to, much less participate in such proceeding.
(3) You may well participate with us in our gains.

(1) We manage to get most of our produce in Britain.
(2) How do you manage to keep the place so tidy?
(3) The pilot did manage to get airborne.

(1) I definitely remember sending the letter.
(2) ‘Was it what you expected? ’ ‘Yes, definitely. ’
(3) ‘Do you plan to have children? ’ ‘definitely not! ’

(1) This proposal has attracted a lot of interest .
(2) His comments were bound to attract criticism .
(3) She tried to attract the attention of the waiter.

(1) You'll have the opportunity to ask any questions at the end.
(2) There was no opportunity for further discussion.
(3) At least give him the opportunity of explaining what happened.

(1) What do you like to do in your spare time?
(2) The plan was criticized for its lack of rationale.
(3) His lack of English handicaps him.

(1) She was actively looking for a job.
(2) That child has a very active imagination.
(3) What is the active ingredient in aspirin?

(1) We meet regularly to discuss the progress of the project.
(2) I go there quite regularly.
(3) The plants were spaced regularly, about 50 cm apart.

(1) She became famous through her association with the group of poets.
(2) The seaside had all sorts of pleasant associations with childhood holidays for me.
(3) The cat soon made the association between human beings and food.

(1) I am confident you would succeed in the theater.
(2) They inculcated the will to succeed in their children.
(3) He is bound to succeed in his enterprise.

(1) The water supply is unsafe.
(2) Supplies of food are almost exhausted.
(3) We cannot guarantee adequate supplies of raw materials.

(1) departing from her usual routine, she took the bus to work.
(2) Flights for Rome depart from Terminal 3.
(3) She waited until the last of the guests had departed.

(1) an attractive woman
(2) I like John but I don't find him attractive physically.
(3) a big house with an attractive garden

(1) They hinted (that) there might be more job losses.
(2) What are you hinting at?
(3) Sarah hoped he'd take the hint and leave her alone.

(1) (figurative)Salary is a function of age and experience.
(2) Despite the power cuts, the hospital continued to function normally.
(3) We now have a functioning shower.

(1) a shop selling clothes at competitive prices (= as low as any other shop)
(2) We need to work harder to remain competitive with other companies.
(3) to gain a competitive advantage over rival companies

(1) He made a monkey of me on the tennis court.
(2) They marked out the tennis court with white paint.
(3) I eventually grew tired of his antics on the tennis court.

(1) ‘Do you think all this money will change your life? ’ ‘certainly not. ’
(2) Without treatment, she will almost certainly die.
(3) certainly, the early years are crucial to a child's development.

(1) Why do you leave all the hard work up to your mother?
(2) He was rigged up to a machine so that the nurses could check his heartbeat.
(3) He will go up to the Arctic Region.

(1) Negotiators are due to meet later today to work out a compromise...
(2) It took me some time to work out what was causing this...
(3) It is proving hard to work out the value of bankrupt firms' assets...