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Systematic identification using chemical tests is a common JEE question type.

Alcohol vs Phenol: FeCl3 test (phenol gives violet colour, alcohol does not); Br2/H2O (phenol gives white precipitate, alcohol does not); NaOH (phenol dissolves, alcohol does not).

Alcohol vs Ether: Na metal (alcohol liberates H2, ether does not); cold conc. H2SO4 (both dissolve — ether forms oxonium salt, but alcohol forms alkyl hydrogen sulphate).

1°/2°/3° Alcohol distinction: Lucas test $\frac{ZnCl2}{HCl}$: 3° immediate, 2° 5-10 min, 1° no reaction at RT. Victor Meyer test: 1° red, 2° blue, 3° colourless. Oxidation: 1° -> aldehyde/acid, 2° -> ketone, 3° resistant.

Methanol vs Ethanol: Iodoform test — ethanol gives yellow CHI3 precipitate; methanol does not.

Phenol vs Carboxylic acid: NaHCO3 test — carboxylic acid gives CO2 effervescence; phenol does not. Both react with NaOH.