(1) It was possibly their worst performance ever.
(2) She found it difficult to get on with her, possibly because of the difference in their ages.
(3) ‘Will you be around next week? ’ ‘possibly. ’

(1) a pair of tennis shorts
(2) He was wearing a T-shirt and shorts.
(3) We are in shortage of this sort of comfortable shorts.

(1) I've been sneezing all morning.
(2) In those days, $20 was not a sum to be sneezed at.
(3) coughs and sneezes

(1) Mary is an excellent policewoman.
(2) The policewoman took good care of the throwaway baby as a temporary mother.
(3) She's a strange policewoman.

(1) Full details are given in appendix 3.
(2) He had to have his appendix out (= removed) .
(3) ...a burst appendix.

(1) a growth in home ownership
(2) ownership of the land is currently being disputed.
(3) to be in joint/private/public ownership

(1) ...exams taken at the age of sixteen...
(2) He worked sixteen hours a day...
(3) She began dating boys when she was sixteen.

(1) to go sightseeing
(2) Did you have a chance to do any sightseeing ?
(3) a sightseeing tour of the city

(1) His expression changed from surprise to one of amusement.
(2) The expression in her eyes told me something was wrong.
(3) facial expressions

(1) Now you just alternate layers of that mixture and eggplant.
(2) He likes to eat eggplant.
(3) Is that why they call you Jimmy '' eggplant up his butt " Desnappio?

(1) Who's the girl standing behind Jan?
(2) Stay close behind me.
(3) a small street behind the station

(1) The city of Chengdu lies some seven hundred miles to the South-East.
(2) ...the regional electricity company serving the South-east of England...
(3) The heaviest snowfalls today are expected in the south east.

(1) legal fees
(2) Does the bank charge a fee for setting up the account?
(3) fee-paying schools (= that you have to pay to go to)

(1) Tall trees surround the lake.
(2) The lake is surrounded with/by trees.
(3) the membranes surrounding the brain

(1) The children quickly got bored with staying indoors.
(2) There was a bored expression on her face.
(3) I am getting very bored with this entire business.

(1) He was a guest speaker at the conference.
(2) She was a brilliant public speaker .
(3) I looked around to see who the speaker was.

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

(1) a fall in the value of exports
(2) the country's major exports
(3) an export licence

(1) Anyone willing to assist can contact this number.
(2) We are looking for people who would be willing to assist in the group's work.
(3) activities that will assist the decision-making process

(1) A bomb planted in a garbage can exploded early today.
(2) A terrible smell emanated from the garbage can on the road.
(3) I think that should be relegated to the garbage can of history.

(1) He sighed deeply at the thought.
(2) She sighed with relief that it was all over.
(3) ‘Oh well, better luck next time, ’ she sighed.

(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) oceania is mainly made up of Australia and New Zealand.
(2) ' oceania,'tis for thee'gave way to lighter music.
(3) And oceania has always been at war with Eastasia, has it not?'

(1) The grenades had busted every crate and punched rents into the walls.
(2) There's hardly any stuffing left in the sofa.
(3) You will dirty the sofa if you put your muddy shoes on it.

(1) a fast car/horse
(2) the world's fastest runner
(3) the fastest rate of increase for years

(1) a pint of beer/milk
(2) We'd better get a couple of extra pints (= of milk) tomorrow.
(3) Add half a pint of cream.

(1) Swimming is good exercise.
(2) I don't get much exercise sitting in the office all day.
(3) The mind needs exercise as well as the body.

(1) sow the seeds in rows.
(2) The fields around had been sown with wheat.
(3) Water well after sowing.

(1) We went on an outing to London.
(2) a family outing
(3) One evening, she made a rare outing to the local discotheque.

(1) There are few sellers in the market, so price remains high.
(2) I shall have to read up on this subject if I am to give a talk about it.
(3) I am overwhelmed with work.

(1) He is sitting beside her on the sofa...
(2) on top of the cupboards are vast straw baskets which Pat uses for dried flower arrangements...
(3) I admired the peeling paint on the ceiling...

(1) a barbershop quartet
(2) ...a barbershop quartet.
(3) A man and a litter boy entered a barbershop together.

(1) Puccini's operas
(2) to go to the opera
(3) an opera singer

(1) I will tidy your bookshelf.
(2) The book will become a standard useful reference on every manager's bookshelf.
(3) Can you make room on that bookshelf for some more books?

(1) floor/office/shelf, etc. space
(2) We must make good use of the available space.
(3) That desk takes up too much space .

(1) soft margarine
(2) soft feather pillows
(3) The grass was soft and springy.

(1) No smoking (= for example, on a notice)
(2) Would you like smoking or non-smoking? (= for example in a restaurant)
(3) He's trying to give up smoking .

(1) It's extraordinary that he managed to sleep through the party.
(2) What an extraordinary thing to say!
(3) an extraordinary achievement

(1) policies that will benefit society as a whole
(2) Racism exists at all levels of society.
(3) They carried out research into the roles of men and women in today's society.

(1) the heavy steel rollers under the conveyor belt
(2) Flatten the surface of the grass with a roller.
(3) a paint roller