Vocabulary Building
1. RATE
Charge ▪ fee ▪ rent ▪ fine ▪ fare ▪ toll ▪ rental
These are all words for an amount of money that is charged or paid for something.
rate a fixed amount of money that is asked or paid for something:
a low hourly rate of pay interest rates
charge an amount of money that is asked for goods or services:
an admission charge
fee (rather formal) an amount of money that you have to pay for professional
advice or services, to go to a school or college, or to join an organization:
legal fees
an annual membership fee
rent an amount of money that you regularly have to pay for use of a building or
room.
In American English, rent can be used to mean rental: The weekly rent on the car
was over $300.
fine a sum of money that must be paid as punishment for breaking a law or rule:
a parking fine
fare the money that you pay to travel by bus, plane, taxi, etc.
toll an amount of money that you have to pay to use a particular road or bridge.
* Patterns
(a) rate/charge/fee/rent/fine/fare/toll/rental for something
(a) rate/charge/fee/rent/toll/rental on something
at a rate/charge/fee/rent/fare/rental of…
for a charge/fee
to pay (a) rate/charge/fee/rent/fine/fare/toll/rental
2. OBJECT
A device is something that has been designed to do a particular job:
There is a new device for cars that warns drivers of traffic jams ahead.
A gadget is a small object that does something useful, but is not really necessary:
His kitchen is full of gadgets he never uses.
An instrument is used especially for careful or scientific work:
‘What do you call the instrument that measures temperature?’ ‘A thermometer.’
A tool is something that you use for making and repairing things:
‘Have you got one of those tools for turning screws?’ ‘Do you mean a
screwdriver?’
A machine has moving parts and is used for a particular job. It usually stands on
its own:
‘What’s a blender?’ ‘It’s an electric machine for mixing soft food or liquid.’
An appliance is a large machine that you use in the house, such as a washing
machine.
Equipment means all the things you need for a particular activity:
climbing equipment.
Apparatus means all the tools, machines or equipment that you need for
something:
firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.