(1) What I am saying applies only to some of you.
(2) The word ‘unexciting ’ could never be applied to her novels.
(3) You would pass your exams if you applied yourself.

(1) There's a lady waiting to see you.
(2) He was with an attractive young lady.
(3) the ladies' golf championship

(1) an airmail/padded/prepaid envelope
(2) writing paper and envelopes
(3) There's a valuable place for fashion and design that pushes the envelope a bit...

(1) His first essay in politics was a complete disaster.
(2) an essay on the causes of the First World War
(3) We asked Jason to write an essay about his hometown and about his place in it.

(1) You'll find life here pretty tame after New York.
(2) I have a tame doctor who'll always give me a sick note when I want a day off.
(3) Lions can never be completely tamed.

(1) It has now become evident to us that a mistake has been made.
(2) The growing interest in history is clearly evident in the number of people visiting museums and country houses.
(3) The orchestra played with evident enjoyment.

(1) a birdcage
(2) The dogs are caged (up) at night.
(3) He paced the room like a caged animal .

(1) a noble leader
(2) noble ideals
(3) He died for a noble cause.

(1) Our house is worth about £100 000.
(2) How much is this painting worth?
(3) to be worth a bomb/packet/fortune (= a lot of money)

(1) He believed his immortal soul was in peril.
(2) The howling wind sounded like the wailing of lost souls (= the spirits of dead people who are not in heaven) .
(3) There was a feeling of restlessness deep in her soul.

(1) a steep hill/slope/bank
(2) a steep climb/descent/drop
(3) a steep flight of stairs

(1) I find it very hard to sympathize with him.
(2) He has never really sympathized with the aims of Animal Rights activists.
(3) I must tell you how much I sympathize with you for your loss, Professor...

(1) Computer technology is advancing so rapidly that no book can ever be fully up to date.
(2) Maintain up to date records for all students'school fee collection and fee refund.
(3) Liase with Finance and Engineering to ensure Joy Baotou commercial database is up to date.

(1) This was one aspect of her character he hadn't seen before.
(2) Events began to take on a more sinister aspect.
(3) The book aims to cover all aspects of city life.

(1) New businesses thrive in this area.
(2) These animals rarely thrive in captivity.
(3) a thriving industry

(1) Try to persuade him to come.
(2) Please try and persuade her.
(3) She's always easily persuaded.

(1) delicately balanced flavours
(2) a delicate problem
(3) The delicate surgical operation took five hours.

(1) He had discarded his jacket because of the heat.
(2) 10% of the data was discarded as unreliable.
(3) (figurative)She could now discard all thought of promotion.

(1) a chain/range of mountains
(2) to climb a mountain
(3) We spent a week walking in the mountains .

(1) The interview was broadcast on radio and television.
(2) The play was written specially for radio.
(3) I listen to the radio on the way to work.

(1) They resent foreign interference in the internal affairs of their country.
(2) The parliament described the decree as interference in the republic's internal affairs...
(3) Airlines will be able to set cheap fares without interference from the government.

(1) I wish I were taller.
(2) (British English also)I wish I was taller.
(3) I wish I hadn't eaten so much.

(1) a race between the two best runners of the club
(2) Who won the race ?
(3) He's already in training for the big race against Bailey.

(1) He exhibits regularly in local art galleries.
(2) The patient exhibited signs of fatigue and memory loss.
(3) The first exhibit was a knife which the prosecution claimed was the murder weapon.

(1) Jenny is seventeen years old.
(2) There are seventeen items on my shopping list.
(3) Texas , who died when my father was seventeen.

(1) ...the world chess championships.
(2) When the glue layer thickness to a certain value, bond stretch will begin to decline.
(3) I can't beat him at Chinese chess.

(1) She pulled gently on the reins.
(2) It was time to hand over the reins of power (= to give control to sb else) .
(3) The vice-president was forced to take up the reins of office.

(1) the civil/criminal courts
(2) Her lawyer made a statement outside the court.
(3) She will appear in court tomorrow.

(1) international trade/law/sport
(2) an international airport/school/company
(3) international relations

(1) I have just met the man I want to spend the rest of my life with...
(2) He's the kindest and sincerest person I've ever met...
(3) We could meet for a drink after work...

(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) It took her a mere 20 minutes to win.
(2) A mere 2% of their budget has been spent on publicity.
(3) He seemed so young, a mere boy.

(1) the sound of footsteps on the stairs
(2) footsteps in the snow
(3) I heard footsteps outside.

(1) The book ensured his success.
(2) Please ensure (that) all lights are switched off.
(3) Britain's negotiators had ensured that the treaty which resulted was a significant change in direction...

(1) He punched me with his fist.
(2) She clenched her fists to stop herself trembling.
(3) He got into a fist fight in the bar.

(1) intellectual curiosity
(2) an intellectual novel
(3) She's very intellectual.

(1) a teaching fellow
(2) fellow members/citizens/workers
(3) my fellow passengers on the train

(1) She was born in the fifties.
(2) He retired in his fifties.
(3) I probably look as if I'm in my fifties rather than my seventies.

(1) I sleep on the third floor...
(2) It was the third time one of his cars had gone up in flames...
(3) A third of the cost went into technology and services...

(1) a computer/medical expert
(2) an expert in child psychology
(3) an expert on modern literature