(1) Can you confirm what happened?
(2) It has been confirmed that the meeting will take place next week.
(3) The walk in the mountains confirmed his fear of heights.

(1) cowboy boots
(2) children playing a game of cowboys and Indians
(3) Boys used to play at cowboys and Indians.

(1) It's a matter of personal preference .
(2) Many people expressed a strong preference for the original plan.
(3) I can't say that I have any particular preference.

(1) According to the theory of relativity, nothing can travel faster than light.
(2) the theory and practice of language teaching
(3) I have this theory that most people prefer being at work to being at home.

(1) a slight increase/change/delay/difference
(2) I woke up with a slight headache.
(3) The damage was slight.

(1) hurricane Betty is now approaching the coast of Florida.
(2) hurricane-force winds
(3) The music was a hurricane of sound which srirs one's very soul.

(1) a dress with short/long sleeves
(2) Dan rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands.
(3) a short-sleeved shirt

(1) The cat belongs to the people who live upstairs.
(2) I carried her bags upstairs.
(3) She went upstairs to get dressed.

(1) What sort of person would do a thing like that?
(2) He's a fascinating person.
(3) What is she like as a person?

(1) Keep a record of all the payments...
(2) There's no record of any marriage or children...
(3) ...software packages which record the details of your photographs.

(1) He was pouring ice and lemonade into tall glasses.
(2) And there would be plenty of cakes and lemonade to go around.
(3) They drank coffer or bottled lemonade, in the pleasant, earned ease of Sunday afternoon.

(1) Boat for sale, price £2 000
(2) house/retail/oil/share prices
(3) to charge a high/reasonable/low price for sth

(1) Another mistake like that and you're history.
(2) a patient's medical history
(3) There is a history of heart disease in my family.

(1) She skipped happily along beside me.
(2) The girls were skipping in the playground.
(3) She likes to skip rope as a warm-up.

(1) to apply for a visa
(2) an entry/tourist/transit/exit visa
(3) His visitor's visa expired.

(1) That's my dad over there.
(2) Do you live with your mum or your dad?
(3) Is it OK if I borrow the car, dad?

(1) Britain still boasts the cheapest postal service...
(2) We have started a campaign for better nursery and school services...
(3) ...the BBC World service.

(1) What percentage of the population is/are overweight?
(2) A high percentage of the female staff are part-time workers.
(3) Interest rates are expected to rise by one percentage point (= one per cent) .

(1) He is a frequent visitor to this country.
(2) Her calls became less frequent.
(3) There is a frequent bus service into the centre of town.

(1) statistics show that people now drink less beer than they used to, and smoke fewer cigarettes.
(2) We have statistics for the last year.
(3) Business graduates must also be numerate, because most degrees will have courses in quantitative methods and statistics.

(1) His arms swung as he walked.
(2) A set of keys swung from her belt.
(3) As he pushed her, she swung higher and higher (= while sitting on a swing) .

(1) farm/factory/office workers
(2) rescue/aid/research workers
(3) temporary/part-time/casual workers

(1) She went to visit relatives in Wales.
(2) The Prime Minister is visiting Japan at the moment.
(3) You should visit your dentist at least twice a year.

(1) Too many uncomfortable thoughts were crowding in on her.
(2) Photographers were crowding around outside.
(3) Memories crowded his mind.

(1) She held the bird gently in cupped hands.
(2) He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.
(3) He's nice enough but not really my cup of tea.

(1) Collor nurtured the idea that he was a superman, who single-handedly could resolve Brazil's crisis.
(2) superman is able to leap tall buildings.
(3) IE superman is a completely free, you can use and disseminate it.

(1) the sun's rays
(2) the rising/setting sun
(3) The sun was shining and birds were singing.

(1) The hotel offers a wide range of facilities.
(2) There is a full range of activities for children.
(3) Most of the students are in the 17-20 age range.

(1) the British and German navies
(2) He's joined the navy/the navy .
(3) an officer in the navy/the navy

(1) a leg of lamb
(2) lamb chops
(3) You poor lamb!

(1) an indoor/outdoor swimming pool
(2) a heated swimming pool
(3) an open-air swimming pool

(1) a muddy field/track
(2) muddy boots/knees
(3) muddy water

(1) She opened her mouth to say something.
(2) His mouth twisted into a wry smile.
(3) Their mouths fell open (= they were surprised) .

(1) strong/high winds
(2) gale-force winds
(3) a light wind

(1) The experiment went horribly wrong.
(2) It was horribly painful.
(3) What a horrible thing to say!

(1) forms of transport/government/energy
(2) My luck was running true to form...
(3) She had formed the habit of giving herself freely to men...

(1) the probable cause/explanation/outcome
(2) highly/quite/most probable
(3) It is probable that the disease has a genetic element.

(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) This land is ripe for development.
(2) The conditions were ripe for social change.
(3) Reforms were promised when the time was ripe .

(1) I'm trying to clear my mind of all this...
(2) There was no doubt in his mind that the man was serious...
(3) You have a good mind...