C1
collapse vs fall vs lapse
The difference
| Word | Meaning | Goes with | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| collapseverb/kəˈlæps/ | Meaning to fall down suddenly, or to fail completely and suddenly | Goes with collapse under | Example Several old houses collapsed after days of heavy rain. |
| fallverb/fɔːl/ | Meaning to move down to a lower place by accident, or to become lower | Goes with — | Example Be careful not to fall on the wet stairs. |
| lapsenoun/læps/ | Meaning a small mistake or short failure, for example in attention or judgment; also a period of time that passes | Goes with security lapse | Example A security lapse allowed hackers to steal millions of voter records. |
Which word fits?
1 of 8Pick the word for the gap. Its form may change in the sentence.
A momentary of concentration caused the crash.