(1) It really goes against the grain to have to work on a Sunday.
(2) wood of coarse/fine grain
(3) to cut a piece of wood along/across the grain

(1) Do you need any help?
(2) It's here if you need it.
(3) Don't go─I might need you.

(1) a shallow dish
(2) They were playing in the shallow end (= of the swimming pool) .
(3) These fish are found in shallow waters around the coast.

(1) The hospital has a commitment to provide the best possible medical care.
(2) We are here to provide a service for the public.
(3) We are here to provide the public with a service.

(1) The crowd had to stand behind barriers.
(2) Show your ticket at the barrier.
(3) the removal of trade barriers

(1) Do you like cabbage?
(2) two cabbages
(3) white/red cabbage

(1) Experts put the real figure at closer to 75%.
(2) the latest trade/sales/unemployment, etc. figures
(3) By 2004, this figure had risen to 14 million.

(1) Season with salt and pepper
(2) freshly ground pepper
(3) peppered steak

(1) Dickens' ‘A tale of Two Cities ’
(2) a fairy/moral/romantic, etc. tale
(3) I love listening to his tales of life at sea.

(1) All this equipment has received international acclaim from the specialist hi-fi press.
(2) hi! How are you doing?
(3) hi, guys. How are you doing?

(1) knives and forks
(2) a sharp knife
(3) a bread knife (= one for cutting bread)

(1) The country experienced a foreign currency shortage for several months.
(2) We lost a lot of money, but we just put it down to experience.
(3) experience has taught me that life can be very unfair.

(1) the supreme Commander of the armed forces
(2) the supreme champion
(3) It is an event in which she reigns supreme .

(1) Voters are being wooed with promises of lower taxes.
(2) They wooed customers by offering low interest rates...
(3) They are trying to woo back electoral support.

(1) I've come to the conclusion that he's not the right person for the job.
(2) It took the jury some time to reach the conclusion that she was guilty.
(3) New evidence might lead to the conclusion that we are wrong.

(1) It was becoming more and more difficult to live on his salary.
(2) It soon became apparent that no one was going to come.
(3) She was becoming confused.

(1) We address and analyze issues such as the side effect and ambiguity in Han folding.
(2) analyze business transactions and relate them to changes in the balance sheet.
(3) An elastoplastic shear strength reduction FEM is used to analyze the stability of excavation slope.

(1) Shall we walk or go by bus ?
(2) A regular bus service connects the train station with the town centre.
(3) a bus company/driver

(1) All evening her husband contradicted everything she said.
(2) You've just contradicted yourself (= said the opposite of what you said before) .
(3) The two stories contradict each other.

(1) why were you late?
(2) Tell me why you did it.
(3) ‘I would like you to go. ’ ‘ why me? ’

(1) Some people become very self-conscious in adolescence.
(2) Psychologists are dealing with the problem of maladjusted adolescence and " juvenile delinquency ".
(3) Now, when I reflect on my adolescence, I can see how absurd it was.

(1) the legal profession/system
(2) to take/seek legal advice
(3) a legal adviser

(1) I've made a few small corrections to your report.
(2) The paper had to publish a correction to the story.
(3) There are some programming errors that need correction.

(1) put the cases down there, please.
(2) Leaphorn put the photograph on the desk...
(3) She hesitated, then put her hand on Grace's arm...

(1) a mountain goat
(2) goat's milk/cheese
(3) A goat is different from a sheep.

(1) capital and labour
(2) Use block capitals (= separate capital letters) .
(3) Please write in capitals/in capital letters .

(1) Are you nearly ready?
(2) I'm just getting the kids ready for school.
(3) Right, we're ready to go.

(1) cheese on toast
(2) a piece of toast
(3) two slices/rounds of toast

(1) He was hardworking and energetic.
(2) Flexible, hardworking, loyal and responsible.
(3) I also have a strong ability to adapt, hardworking spirit, also a high team spirit.

(1) Her words impressed themselves on my memory.
(2) He impressed on us the need for immediate action.
(3) It impressed me that she remembered my name.

(1) The report flagged up the dangers of under-age drinking.
(2) flagging support/enthusiasm
(3) Her confidence had never flagged.

(1) Buckingham palace
(2) the royal/presidential palace
(3) The palace last night refused to comment on the reports.

(1) the components of a machine
(2) the car component industry
(3) Key components of the government's plan are…

(1) Most of the wine was unfit for human consumption.
(2) Mr Abel's doctor has said he is unfit to travel.
(3) He had a third examination and was declared unfit for duty.

(1) Drivers are advised to seek alternative routes.
(2) They sought in vain for somewhere to shelter.
(3) to seek funding for a project

(1) My workmates, and, even more, the management, didn't want me to leave.
(2) B : I went out for drinks with my workmate Susan.
(3) My English workmate likes drinking coffee.

(1) Mars was the Roman god of war.
(2) the rain god
(3) Greek gods

(1) Rooms cost £50 per person, per night.
(2) 60 miles per hour
(3) The work was carried out as per instructions.

(1) pour the sauce over the pasta.
(2) Although I poured it carefully, I still managed to spill some.
(3) Tears poured down his cheeks.