When people disagree, the words change with how formal the situation is. A quick angry disagreement is an argument; fixing a problem calmly and formally is resolving an issue; talking it through informally is sorting out your differences.
Disagreeing and sorting it out
have an argument /ˈɑrɡjəmənt/ — Amina had an argument with Lars about the deadline.
resolve an issue /rɪˈzɑlv/ — Yasmin helped the team resolve an issue with the booking.
sort out differences /sɔːrt aʊt/ — Sofia and Diego sorted out their differences after class.
Try it: After a tense meeting, the two groups talked calmly and managed to ___. (resolve the issue / ignore the issue / avoid the issue) Answer: resolve the issue — Resolve an issue means find a solution to a problem or disagreement, usually in a calm or formal way. Ignoring or avoiding it does the opposite. It leaves the problem unsolved.
Falling out and moving on
Friends sometimes fall out: they stop being friendly after a disagreement. The way back is to put your differences aside: you agree to stop fighting about them so you can move on, even if you still disagree underneath.
fall out /fɔːl aʊt/ — Liam and Diego fell out over the rent, but only for a week.
put your differences aside /ˈdɪfərənsɪz əˈsaɪd/ — After the tournament, the two teams put their differences aside.
Try it: After weeks of arguing about the schedule, the two managers decided to ___ and finish the project. (put their differences aside / fall out / have an argument) Answer: put their differences aside — Putting differences aside means agreeing to stop fighting about them so work can continue, which fits deciding to finish the project together. Falling out and having an argument are the disagreement itself, not the way past it.
Describing character
Reliable and considerate describe good qualities in a person: someone you can trust, and someone who thinks about others.
reliable /rɪˈlaɪəbl/ — Hiroshi is reliable, so the group asked him to keep the timetable.
considerate /kənˈsɪdərət/ — Mei was considerate and lowered her voice in the library.
Not ""She is a considerable person." (means she is large in amount, wrong)" — say ""She is a considerate person." (means she thinks about others, right)". Considerate is about character; considerable is about size or amount.
Try it: Mei always keeps her promises and arrives on time, so her classmates say she is ___. (reliable / considerable / confident) Answer: reliable — Reliable describes someone you can trust to do what they promise. "Considerable" means large in amount, a different word, and "confident" is about self-belief, not about keeping promises.
Friends and trust
You can describe a good friendship with these phrases. You have a lot in common with someone when you share many interests. You count on or rely on someone when you trust them to help. Both verbs keep their on: you count on a friend.
have a lot in common /ɪn ˈkɑmən/ — Wei and Matilda have a lot in common, from music to hiking.
count on /kaʊnt ɑn/ — You can count on Yasmin to remember every birthday.
rely on /rɪˈlaɪ ɑn/ — Ethan relies on his sister for honest feedback.
Try it: Mei and Diego both love old movies, chess, and cooking, so they ___. (have a lot in common / have an argument / count on each other) Answer: have a lot in common — Having a lot in common means sharing many interests, which is what loving the same three things shows. Counting on each other is about trust and help, and having an argument is a disagreement. Neither describes shared interests.
Phrasal verbs for relationships
These phrasal verbs fill everyday, informal speech, and each carries its preposition when you name the person: it is get on with my boss, never get on my boss. To get on with someone is to have a friendly, easy relationship with them. To break up with someone is to end a romantic relationship with them. To catch up with someone is to meet after time apart and share your news. When you do not name the person, catch up can stand alone: "Let's catch up soon."
get on with /ɡet ɑn wɪð/ — Amina gets on well with her new classmates.
break up with /breɪk ʌp wɪð/ — Maya broke up with her partner last spring.
catch up with /kætʃ ʌp wɪð/ — Yasmin caught up with Camila at the cafe after work.
Not ""I don't get on my boss." (missing the preposition)" — say ""I don't get on with my boss." (get on WITH someone)". The phrasal verb carries its preposition, get on with, not just "get on".
Try it: Sofia had not seen Yasmin for months, so they met at the cafe to ___. (catch up with each other / meet after work / discuss their plans) Answer: catch up with each other — Catch up with someone means meet after time apart to share news. That is exactly Sofia and Yasmin's situation. The other options describe meeting, but not the sharing-news meaning that "catch up" carries.