answer sb/sth (WITHOUT to ): ‘Have you answered their letter yet?’ Note that answer also has less common meanings where to is necessary: ‘Anyone who upsets you will have me to answer to.’ ‘The dog answers to the name of Zak.’ 3
I rang the number you gave me but nobody answered me.
I rang the number you gave me but nobody answered. I called her name but nobody answered me.
I called her name but nobody answered. Do not use an object with answer unless this adds new meaning to the sentence (meaning which is not obvious from the rest of the sentence). Compare: ‘He asked her for an explanation but she didn’t answer.’ ‘I’d like to speak to him but he refuses to answer the phone.’ In the first sentence the object ‘him’ is understood and there is no need to mention it. antique 1
There is a beautiful antique church in the centre of the town.
There is a beautiful old church in the centre of the town. Antique is used for objects (NOT buildings): ‘The upper-middle class have become collectors of antique furniture.’ 2
He has made a lot of money from selling antique things.
He has made a lot of money from selling antiques. an antique (NOT an antique thing): ‘Some of these antiques must be worth a fortune.’ anxious 1
I always feel anxious when I have to make a speech.
I always feel nervous when I have to make a speech. anxious = worried because you fear that something bad may happen or may have happened: ‘Their daughter hadn’t come home from school and they were anxious about her safety.’ ‘I knew it was just a minor operation, but I couldn’t help feeling anxious.’ nervous = worried because you are in or about to enter a stressful situation: ‘I was so nervous about the exam that I couldn’t sleep.’ ‘It was our first television appearance and we were all feeling nervous.’
