Vocabulary Building
1. POST/ MAIL
Nouns
In British English the official system used for sending and delivering letters,
parcels/packages, etc. is usually called the post. In North American English it is
usually called the mail:
EX:
I’ll put an application form in the post/mail for you today.
Send your fee by post/mail to this address.
Mail is sometimes used in British English in such expressions as
the Royal Mail.
Post occurs in North American English in such expressions as
the US Postal Service.
In British English post is also used to mean the letters, parcels/packages, etc.
that are delivered to you. Mail is the usual word in North American
English and is sometimes also used in British English:
EX:
Was there any post/mail this morning?
I sat down to open my post/mail.
Verbs
Compare:
I’ll post the letter when I go out.
(British English) and
I’ll mail the letter when I go out.
(North American English)
Compounds
Note these words: postman (British English), mailman/mail carrier (both North
American English); postbox (British English), mailbox (North American
English) Some compounds are used in both British English and North American
English: post office, postcard, mail order.
2. TOP/ CORK/ CAP/ PLUG
These are all words for a cover for a container.
lid a cover over a container that can be removed or opened by turning or lifting it:
a jar with a tight-fitting lid
top a thing that you put over the end of something such as a pen or bottle in order
to close it
cork a small, round object made of cork or plastic that is used for closing bottles,
especially wine bottles
cap (often in compounds) a top for a pen or a cover for protecting something such
as the lens of a camera
plug a round piece of material that you put into a hole in order to block it; a flat,
round rubber or plastic thing that you put into the hole of a sink in order to stop the
water from flowing out:
a bath plug
Patterns
a tight-fitting lid/top/cap
a screw top/cap
a pen lid/top
to put on/screw on/take off/unscrew the lid/top/cap
to pull out the cork/plug