Question 1

What is the difference between admit and confess?

Accepted Answer

"Admit" and "confess" both mean accepting that something is true, often something negative or embarrassing. Both take gerunds: "He admitted stealing" and "He confessed to stealing." The difference is that "confess" is stronger and more formal — it suggests guilt or wrongdoing, often in legal or religious contexts. "Admit" is more general and can be used for smaller matters: "She admitted being nervous" sounds natural, while "She confessed to being nervous" sounds too dramatic for such a small thing. In everyday English and exams, "admit" is more common and useful to learn first.

Question 2

Why is "afford" always used with "can" or "can't"?

Accepted Answer

"Afford" almost always appears with "can" or "can't" (or "could/couldn't") because it expresses having enough money, time, or resources for something. We say "I can't afford to buy a car" (I don't have enough money) or "We can't afford to wait any longer" (we don't have enough time). Saying "I afford to buy" without "can" sounds unnatural and incomplete. The infinitive always follows: "afford to do," never "afford doing." Cambridge exams test this pattern because many learners mistakenly use "afford" alone or with a gerund. Remember the complete pattern: can/can't + afford + to + verb.

Question 3

How do I use risk correctly?

Accepted Answer

"Risk" + gerund describes doing something that might lead to a negative result: "He risked losing his job" means his actions might have caused him to lose his job. The gerund usually describes the bad thing that might happen, not what you actively do. "Risk" is also used as a noun: "take a risk," "at risk of." A common exam error is using an infinitive: "risk to lose" is wrong — always use the gerund "risk losing." Similar verbs that describe possible negative outcomes include "avoid" (avoid losing) and "can't help" (can't help making mistakes), which also take gerunds.

Gerunds and Infinitives: Common Verbs (Part 3)

Quick Rule

All 20 questions

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Gerunds and Infinitives Error Correction

Common Gerund and Infinitive Verbs

Preposition + Gerund

-ed vs -ing Adjectives

Conditionals

Present Perfect