noun / verb · neutral
balance
/ˈbæləns/BAL·ance
a situation in which different things exist in the correct amounts or in the correct relation; (verb) to keep things in the correct relationship
Examples
“I try to keep a good balance between study and leisure.”
“The government must balance economic growth with environmental protection.”
“She balanced the books at the end of the month.”
Band 8 sentence
“To produce a persuasive essay, you must balance complex arguments with clear examples and avoid overgeneralisation.”
Collocations
- strike a balance
- balance between
- maintain a balance
Word family
Common mistakes
I try to keep my life equal between work and study.→I try to keep my life balanced between work and study.
She is in balance with her job.→She has a good work–life balance.
Say it for a higher band
5equal→6even→7+balance
Synonyms
equilibrium
stability
Easily confused
equilibrium
“After adding the reagent, the reaction reached equilibrium quickly.”
equal
“The two teams are equal in skill.”
Related words
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In -ance / -ence
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