Mara nyingi vijana wanaojifunza Kiingereza huchanganya maneno "annoy" na "irritate". Ingawa yanafanana, kuna tofauti ndogo katika maana zake. "Annoy" humaanisha kusumbua mtu kidogo, mara nyingi kwa jambo dogo au la kurudia. "Irritate", kwa upande mwingine, inaonyesha usumbufu mkubwa zaidi, unaoweza kusababisha hasira au kutotulia. "Irritate" inaweza pia kutumika kuelezea athari ya kimwili, kama vile kitu kinachokera ngozi. Kwa mfano, "The mosquito buzzing in my ear annoyed me." (Mbu anayenibua katika sikio langu alinikasirisha.) Hapa, mbu analeta usumbufu mdogo. Lakini, "The constant noise from the construction site irritated me." (Kelele ya mara kwa mara kutoka eneo la ujenzi ilinikasirisha sana.) Katika mfano huu, kelele inaleta usumbufu mkubwa na inaweza kusababisha hasira. Mifano mingine ni pamoja na: "His constant tapping annoyed me." (Mlio wake wa mara kwa mara wa vidole ulinikasirisha.) "My brother's teasing annoyed me." (Utani wa kaka yangu ulinikasirisha.) "The loud music irritated me." (Muziki mkubwa ulinikasirisha sana.) "The smoke irritated my eyes." (Moshi ulinikasirisha macho yangu.) "The rough fabric irritated my skin." (Kitambaa kigumu kilinikasirisha ngozi yangu.) Happy learning!