Adverbs of frequency

[Mosteque]

Test No. incompl/advan-38 "Are You in Debt?", question 9

There are frequently ......... in the family home between parents and children about whether you should enter into credit agreements.

(a) collisions
(b) clashes
(c) claims
(d) crashes

Test No. incompl/advan-38 "Are You in Debt?", answer 9

There are frequently clashes in the family home between parents and children about whether you should enter into credit agreements.

Correct answer: (b) clashes

Your answer was: correct
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hmm there are frequently clashes??? maybe there are frequent clashes??? im not sure though

[Torsten]

Frequently is an adverb of frequency that describes how often something happens. So, those clashes happen frequently.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[strongpeter]

[Torsten]

Hi Strongpeter,

I'm afraid collision wouldn't work here because that would mean that the familiy members constantly bump into each other. So, a collision always involves physical contact. The word clash on the other hand can be used to describe a conflict.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Kawaii]

Hi Alan:
I hope that you don't mind to explain me the usages between these new words when we put into the contex.

Thanks a lot,

There are frequently ......... in the family home between parents and children about whether you should enter into credit agreements.

(a) collisions
(b) clashes
(c) claims
(d) crashes

[Alan]

Hi Kawaii,

Let me try and explain;

clashes, the word needed here, refers to conflicts between people by reason of personality/attitude of mind

collisions refers to objects or people knocking into each other often by chance as in one of two people not looking where they are going

crashes refers to two objects knocking into each other and causing great damage and sometimes loss of life as in car crash/plane crash

claims refers to requests very often for money as in you make a claim with your insurance company if something of yours is damaged in an accident.

Hope this helps

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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