CONFLICT
Adjectives/verbs Equivalentes Examples
Describing • Big, great, major
• Serious -Bitter: conflicto
amargo.
• Violent: armed conflicts -> use of
armed forces.
• Bitter: in a bitter conflict, people argue
very angrily or fight very fiercely.
• Growing, increasing,
constant, continuing, unresolved
• Global, ethnic, family, social, religious, -Inner: problemas -Inner: Do
ideological. interpersonales. wait
patiently,
• Open conflict: very visible and has -Overt: conflicto giving
deep roots, sometimes over several abierto. people time
generations. Both the causes and the to think and
-Covert: conflicto
effects need to be addressed. pray,
encubierto.
• Overt conflict occurs when people knowing the
openly disagree and choose to confront inner
(address) an issue with the other conflicts
person/done in an open way and not they may be
secretly. facing.
• Inner: Your inner feelings are feelings
which you have but do not show to
other people.
• Covert conflict occurs when people
have differences yet do not discuss
them openly/secret or hidden, making it
difficult to notice (norm. associate to
passive aggression).
•Class conflict (struggle/warfare):
tension or antagonism which exists in
, society due to competing
socio-economic interests and desires
between people of different classes.
Causing • Cause, lead to, create, provoke
•Bring about: to make sth happen/to
cause it to take place.
•Spark: cause sth to start/develop, esp.
suddenly.
•Trigger off: make sth happen suddenly.
• Bring sb/sth into: cause sb/sth to be in
a particular situation.
• Come into (conflict): To conflict/to be
at odds. To be different in a way that
prevents agreement; to enter a situation
in which there is struggle for power,
property, etc. (Collocation: often used
with “with”).
• (Conflict) arises from, stem from,
occur: to result, issue or proceed from.
To start/develop as the result of sth.
Terminati • Avoid, prevent.
ng
•Avert: avoid; to prevent sth bad or
dangerous from happening
• Handle, end.
•Settle: Put an end to an
argument/disagreement. Collocations:
normally used with the following nouns:
argument, conflict, differences, dispute,
quarrel.
, •Solve: Find the solution/implement it.
•Resolve: end a/the conflict
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS (p.12)
-Be at each other’s throats: arguing angrily
-Pick a fight/quarrel: talk/behave in such a way as to provoke a fight.
-Stir things up: cause an unpleasant emotion/problem to begin to grow; cause trouble.
-Come to blows/Cross swords with sb: Start fighting after a disagreement/Have an argument
or dispute.
-Be looking/itching for a fight: eager to fight or argue. (Also: Be spoiling for a fight - same
meaning)
-To have a scrap: To scrap (intr. v.) -> to fight with sb. (Scrap (noun) = fight or disagreement.
Synonyms: squabble, scuffle).
-Patch up your differences: to deal with a problem/disagreement in order to improve or repair
a relationship. (Patch up = mend, repair; restore a relationship; treat sb’s wound…)
-Bury the hatchet: end a quarrel/conflict and become friendly.
-Clear the air: eliminate confusion, dispel controversy/differences/emotional tension; bad
feelings disappear.
COLLOCATIONS (p.13)
Word Definition Example
PROBLEM: a situation that Knotty: complicated and
difficult to solve.
causes difficulties.
Thorny: causing difficulty or
disagreement
Pressing: needing to be
dealt with immediately
Insurmountable: that cannot
be dealt with successfully.
Intractable: very difficult to
deal with.
ISSUE: a subject or Burning: a very important
problem and urgent problem
, that is often discussed or Central: most important
argued about, especially a
social or political matter Critical: extremely important
that affects the interests because a future situation
of will be affected by it.
a lot of people.
Vital: necessary or essential
in order for something to
succeed or exist.
Explosive: likely to cause
violence or strong feelings
of anger or hatred.
CONFRONTATION: a Direct: happening or done
without involving other
situation in which there is people, actions, etc. in
a lot of angry between.
disagreement between
two people or groups / a Full-scale: that is as
fight complete and thorough as
possible.
or battle –
military/violent/armed
confrontation: Face-to-face: involving
people who are close
confrontation together and looking at each
with/between other.
▪ She had stayed in her
room to avoid another Open: allowing things or
confrontation. people to go through.
▪ an ideological
Bloody: with a lot of killing
confrontation between
and injuries.
conservatives and
liberals.
UNREST: a political Violent
situation in which people
protest or behave
violently:
Adjectives/verbs Equivalentes Examples
Describing • Big, great, major
• Serious -Bitter: conflicto
amargo.
• Violent: armed conflicts -> use of
armed forces.
• Bitter: in a bitter conflict, people argue
very angrily or fight very fiercely.
• Growing, increasing,
constant, continuing, unresolved
• Global, ethnic, family, social, religious, -Inner: problemas -Inner: Do
ideological. interpersonales. wait
patiently,
• Open conflict: very visible and has -Overt: conflicto giving
deep roots, sometimes over several abierto. people time
generations. Both the causes and the to think and
-Covert: conflicto
effects need to be addressed. pray,
encubierto.
• Overt conflict occurs when people knowing the
openly disagree and choose to confront inner
(address) an issue with the other conflicts
person/done in an open way and not they may be
secretly. facing.
• Inner: Your inner feelings are feelings
which you have but do not show to
other people.
• Covert conflict occurs when people
have differences yet do not discuss
them openly/secret or hidden, making it
difficult to notice (norm. associate to
passive aggression).
•Class conflict (struggle/warfare):
tension or antagonism which exists in
, society due to competing
socio-economic interests and desires
between people of different classes.
Causing • Cause, lead to, create, provoke
•Bring about: to make sth happen/to
cause it to take place.
•Spark: cause sth to start/develop, esp.
suddenly.
•Trigger off: make sth happen suddenly.
• Bring sb/sth into: cause sb/sth to be in
a particular situation.
• Come into (conflict): To conflict/to be
at odds. To be different in a way that
prevents agreement; to enter a situation
in which there is struggle for power,
property, etc. (Collocation: often used
with “with”).
• (Conflict) arises from, stem from,
occur: to result, issue or proceed from.
To start/develop as the result of sth.
Terminati • Avoid, prevent.
ng
•Avert: avoid; to prevent sth bad or
dangerous from happening
• Handle, end.
•Settle: Put an end to an
argument/disagreement. Collocations:
normally used with the following nouns:
argument, conflict, differences, dispute,
quarrel.
, •Solve: Find the solution/implement it.
•Resolve: end a/the conflict
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS (p.12)
-Be at each other’s throats: arguing angrily
-Pick a fight/quarrel: talk/behave in such a way as to provoke a fight.
-Stir things up: cause an unpleasant emotion/problem to begin to grow; cause trouble.
-Come to blows/Cross swords with sb: Start fighting after a disagreement/Have an argument
or dispute.
-Be looking/itching for a fight: eager to fight or argue. (Also: Be spoiling for a fight - same
meaning)
-To have a scrap: To scrap (intr. v.) -> to fight with sb. (Scrap (noun) = fight or disagreement.
Synonyms: squabble, scuffle).
-Patch up your differences: to deal with a problem/disagreement in order to improve or repair
a relationship. (Patch up = mend, repair; restore a relationship; treat sb’s wound…)
-Bury the hatchet: end a quarrel/conflict and become friendly.
-Clear the air: eliminate confusion, dispel controversy/differences/emotional tension; bad
feelings disappear.
COLLOCATIONS (p.13)
Word Definition Example
PROBLEM: a situation that Knotty: complicated and
difficult to solve.
causes difficulties.
Thorny: causing difficulty or
disagreement
Pressing: needing to be
dealt with immediately
Insurmountable: that cannot
be dealt with successfully.
Intractable: very difficult to
deal with.
ISSUE: a subject or Burning: a very important
problem and urgent problem
, that is often discussed or Central: most important
argued about, especially a
social or political matter Critical: extremely important
that affects the interests because a future situation
of will be affected by it.
a lot of people.
Vital: necessary or essential
in order for something to
succeed or exist.
Explosive: likely to cause
violence or strong feelings
of anger or hatred.
CONFRONTATION: a Direct: happening or done
without involving other
situation in which there is people, actions, etc. in
a lot of angry between.
disagreement between
two people or groups / a Full-scale: that is as
fight complete and thorough as
possible.
or battle –
military/violent/armed
confrontation: Face-to-face: involving
people who are close
confrontation together and looking at each
with/between other.
▪ She had stayed in her
room to avoid another Open: allowing things or
confrontation. people to go through.
▪ an ideological
Bloody: with a lot of killing
confrontation between
and injuries.
conservatives and
liberals.
UNREST: a political Violent
situation in which people
protest or behave
violently:
