amazing: wonderful and surprising She has an amazing ability to remember people’s names. My grandmother was an amazing, independent woman.
cautious: careful to avoid danger You can’t be too cautious when traveling abroad. It’s a good idea to be cautious when you’re driving at night.
elderly: very old (for people) An elderly couple live next door. The government has programs to care for elderly people.
frozen: hard because of low temperature. We should put this frozen food in the freezer. The turkey we bought was still frozen the following day.
guilty: having done something wrong Everyone thought he was guilty of taking the money. If you run, the police will think you’re guilty.
innocent: having done nothing wrong She was found to be innocent of the crime. During war many innocent people are killed.
natural: pure with nothing artificial This bread is made with only natural ingredients. She needs little makeup because she has a natural beauty.
old-fashioned: used in the past, not modern They had a 1920s party, so everyone wore old-fashioned clothes. She wanted an old-fashioned wedding in a church.
pleasant: pleasing, giving pleasure It was a pleasant day for a long walk. What a pleasant surprise to find you here.
serious: having an important or dangerous result We need to have a serious conversation. He’s in the hospital with a serious illness.
sharp: having an edge that can cut easily or a point that is thin I need a sharp knife to cut the turkey meat. She likes to draw with a sharp pencil.
thankful: happy that someone has helped or something has happened She was thankful for all the help he gave her. Everyone was thankful when the storm ended.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
basic: simplest, first, most important The basic colors are red, yellow and blue. This course teaches the basic history of Europe.
clumsy: not able to use your hands or feet well. She’s a clumsy person who drops things all the time. He’s a clumsy dancer with two left feet.
damp: a little bit wet, moist Just wipe that table with a damp cloth, and it’ll be clean enough. It’s very damp in this basement.
friendly: like a friend, welcoming and supportive Let me give you a little friendly advice. Don’t worry about the natives. They’re generally friendly.
giant: unusually large, huge At the concert there were giant speakers on either side of the stage. Apple has become a giant corporation that employs over 115,000 people.
hollow: with nothing inside, not solid He found a bear sleeping in a hollow log in the forest. Although the chocolate bunny looked solid, it was hollow inside.
lonely: feeling all alone, sad because of no friendships He was a lonely boy who had very few friends. She felt lonely without her family close by.
plain: with nothing added, without pattern or decoration Her favorite snack was plain yogurt. He had on jeans and a plain T-shirt.
rude: impolite, not concerned about others’ feelings Everyone was shocked by his rude behavior. I left the store angry because the salesperson was rude to me.
slippery: unable to walk on or hold She fell on the wet and slippery floor. He couldn’t hold on to the slippery fish.
tough: difficult to do or experience Because they were so small for their age, both children had a tough time at school. With his father losing his job, it was a tough year for the family.
wild: uncontrolled, of nature On their hike in the mountains they found bushes of wild blueberries. When their parents were out of town, the kids threw a wild party.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
adorable: cute and lovable What an adorable child you have. John and Julia are an adorable couple.
blind: not able to see Are you blind? I’m standing right here! He is blind to the opportunity I’m offering him.
comfortable: feeling good and relaxed This is a very comfortable office chair. I don’t feel comfortable when your mother is here.
deep: far down from the surface They had to dig a deep well to find water. The ship sank in deep water
flat: horizontal, smooth, without high or low areas I need a flat surface so I can sign my name on this paper. Everywhere he looked, the ground was flat, which was perfect for farming.
gentle: careful, soft, not rough They could feel a warm, gentle wind on their faces. He chose the most gentle horse for his daughter to ride.
important: needing more attention than other things Please listen. I have an important announcement to make. The scientist made an important discovery.
lazy: not wanting to work, idle His teacher says he’s a lazy student and could do much better if he tried. My lazy friends don’t want to help me move this weekend.
odd: strange, unusual That’s odd. I’m sure I left my keys on this table, but they aren’t here. She has an odd habit of sucking on her hair when she’s working.
rotten: not able to be eaten, over-ripe One of the apples was rotten, so he had to throw it out. I know the banana is brown, but it’s not rotten.
simple: easy to understand It’s a simple question. Were you home last night? Math in elementary school is quite simple.
weak: with little energy, not strong His doctor told him not to do any hard exercise because of his weak heart. When she got sick, she was so weak that she had to stay in bed all day.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
Prepositions are short words, but it can be challenging to learn how to use them. Following is a list of the most common expressions starting with the prepositions at, by, for, in and on:
at best / worst: At best we’ll be finished by midnight, and at worst we’ll be up all night. at birth / death: She had blue eyes at birth, but now they’re brown. at first / last: At first, we thought he was a shy, but he’s not really. at once: Come here at once! (= immediately) at present: At present we’ve had 35,000 visitors to our website. at random: The computer picks a number at random. (= by chance) at the moment: He’s not home at the moment. at the peak (of): These grapes are at the peak of ripeness. (= at perfect)
by car / boat / bus / plane / train: He gets to work by car. (= in a car) by chance: By chance have you seen my keys? by far: She is by far the best player on the team. by hand: This hat was made by hand in Peru.
for example: Italian food, for example pizza, is delicious. for free: The store is giving away key chains for free. for good: He stopped smoking for good. (= forever) for instance: I have trouble remembering things, for instance names. for later: I’m going to save this piece of pie for later tonight. for now: I’ve had enough food for now, but I may be hungry later.
in a book / a magazine / the newspaper: Did you read that information in a magazine? in a car: They traveled to Mexico in a car. in a row: She won three games in a row. (= in sequence) in charge (of): Who’s in charge of the music for the party? (= has responsibility) in common (with): I have nothing in common with him. in danger (of): You’re in danger of becoming addicted to the pills. in detail: Explain to me in detail what happened. in existence: The blue whale is the largest animal in existence. (= living now) in general: In general, the buses in this city are on time. in practice: In practice this system doesn’t work very well. (= doing it) in style: She shops at the best stores and is always in style. (= well dressed) in the front / middle / back: We like to sit in the front of the classroom. in the past / present / future: In the past it took days and days to do research. in the world: There are over seven billion people in the world. in theory: In theory it looks like it would work. (= as an idea)
on a bus / boat / plane / train: They came to Vancouver on a bus. on earth: I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on earth. on fire: Get out quickly; the house is on fire. (= burning) on foot: His car broke down, so he had to come home on foot. on purpose: She stepped on his foot on purpose. (= knowing what she’s doing) on television / TV: He has the most popular talk show on television. on the Internet: There are many dating services on the Internet. on the other hand: He’s very smart, but on the other hand he’s disorganized. on the radio: I heard that song on the radio. on the whole: On the whole, people in this city are friendly.
Study these expressions, and when you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
average: typical, common, ordinary The average person in the world earns about a thousand dollars a month. The average rainfall or snowfall in Canada is about 540 centimeters a year.
bright: with lots of light, shiny This room is very bright with all these windows. It was too bright in the sunlight to read a book.
clever: intelligent and able to learn things quickly Some cats are clever enough to open doors by turning the doorknob. All her teachers say she’s a clever little girl who will have lots of success in life.
crooked: bent, curved, not straight His nose is crooked because of a fight he had last year. They followed a crooked path through the forest.
difficult: hard to do, not easy It was difficult to move the sofa upstairs, but we did it. She had a difficult birth that lasted over 25 hours.
famous: know by many people His father is a famous Canadian hockey player. This restaurant is famous for its cheesecake.
harmful: bad for the body, causing injury or illness If you drink alcohol with that medication, it can be harmful. Junk food is harmful to your health.
messy: with no order, not neat Her handwriting is very messy. You boys, go clean your messy rooms before dinner.
original: the first one That’s an original painting by Van Gogh. Thomas Edison had many original ideas.
regular: usual. normal, habitual They’re regular customers at that restaurant. She’s a regular guest at all his parties.
straight: with no bend, not curved, direct They need a straight road to race their cars on. I want you to come straight home after school.
ugly: unpleasant to look at, having no beauty I don’t like that kind of dog. I find it very ugly. I would never buy that ugly rug.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
In some languages the verbs make and do are the same, but in English they are different. Here’s an explanation of their different uses.
MAKE
Make means to mentally or physically create something, but it’s also used in many other expressions such as:
He made her angry when he forgot their anniversary. (or any other emotion)
I need to make an appointment with the dentist soon.
I’m going to Chicago next week, and I haven’t made arrangements yet.
The children have to make their beds before breakfast
We should make a cake for his birthday. (or any other food that takes preparation)
I’ve had the same job for ten years, and I think it’s time to make a change.
Could you make change for a dollar, please?
I made coffee. Would you like a cup? (or any other drink that takes preparation)
He upset her when he made a comment about her weight.
If you don’t like your meal, you should make a complaintto the manager.
Could you please make a copy of this for my files?
I made a date with her for Friday night.
I made a deal with my wife. When I cook, she cleans up.
Would you hurry up and make a decision!
Even if you apologize, it won’t make a difference.
It’s your turn to make dinner. (orbreakfast, lunch)
I think you should make an effort to be polite.
You made an error on page three of the document.
For you I’ll make an exception.
She made an excuse and left the party early.
We made a fire at the campsite.
I think we can make a fortune in this business.
I made a friend on my last trip to Italy.
It’s not nice to make fun of someone’s hair style.
Everyone laughed when he made a joke about the food.
He made me laugh when he tripped over his own feet. (or other action)
Before we go grocery shopping, I think we should make a list.
He said they make love about three times a week.
If you make a mess in the kitchen, clean it up.
I made a mistake when I told you the time of the meeting.
They made money by reselling the house they bought last year.
Don’t make noise; I’m trying to study. (ormake a sound)
If you want to buy that car, you should make an offer.
It’s time to make a payment on our credit card bill.
I think you should make peace with your father before it’s too late.
Before we visit San Francisco, we should make a planso we don’t miss anything.
I’m sorry; I can’t come to your party because I’ve made plans for the weekend.
He made a point of telling me that the deadline was this Friday.
If we can’t make a profit, we’ll have to close the store.
She’s not a good driver yet, but she’s making progress.
I made a promise to my mother to come home for the holidays.
That’s a very popular restaurant, and you have to make a reservation. Make a right turn at the next intersection. (ormake a left turn, … a u-turn)
He always gets a little nervous before he makes a speech.
Can I make a suggestion? Don’t invite so many people. Make sure that you lock the door when you leave. (ormake certain …)
She said she was really busy, but she could make time this afternoon to see us.
I don’t want to make trouble, so I think I’ll leave now. Make up your mind. What do you want to do today?
DO
Do means to accomplish a job (to start it and finish it,) but it’s also used in many other expressions such as:
Don’t worry about it. You did your best
I think you and I can do business together.
On Saturday morning I do my chores before I go out to have fun.
He always does his duty and picks up the kids after school.
You can do damage to the coffee table if you put your feet on it.
I like to do the crossword puzzle in the newspaper everyday.
She always does her hair before she goes out on Saturday night.
We bought a dishwasher because nobody wanted to do the dishes.
I have to do my exercises before dinnertime. Do me a favor and turn the TV down.
On Sunday they both go outside anddo the gardening.
Exercising will do you some good.
It won’t do you any harm to stay up past your bedtime this once.
I want you to go upstairs right now and do your homework.
It’s her job to do the housework.
She does the ironing in the evening while watching TV.
I wish he would just do his job and stop complaining.
Every Thursday she does the laundry.
Shedoes her make-up first thing in the morning.
He does paperwork all day long in his job.
They’re doing research to find a cure for dementia.
It’s her job to do the shopping for the week. (or …do the banking)
Do you know how to do the tango? (or any other dance)
She asked him to do the vacuuming, and he agreed.
I think you’ll do wellin this job. (or … do poorly)
I need to do some work around the house this weekend.
She usually does yoga in the late afternoons. (ortai chi, karate, kung fu, etc.)
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
alive: full of life, with life He was lucky to be alive after a terrible car accident. When I’m dancing, I feel alive .
cheap: costing or charging very little money I lost my watch, but it was a cheap one, so I don’t care. They like to shop in cheap stores.
dangerous: able to cause harm She’s a dangerous driver when it’s dark outside. It’s dangerous to leave your toys on the stairs.
fresh: newly made, not old Is the milk in the fridge still fresh? We like to eat fresh fruit everyday.
huge: very big, large He has trouble buying shoes for his huge feet. I have a huge favor to ask of you.
loose: not touching hard, not tight These pants are too loose, so I need a belt. Hi necktie was loose and his sleeves were rolled up.
modern: of the present time This kitchen is not very modern, so we’ll have to update it. I don’t l modern art very much.
private: not to be shared with anyone else Do you mind? This is a private conversation. let’s keep this private, just between you and me.
ripe: ready to eat (fruit), mature Those green bananas will be ripe in a couple days. The peaches on our tree are turning ripe.
shy: lacking confidence in oneself She won’t talk to boys because she’s too shy. It’s hard to believe, but the movie star was shy when he was a boy.
tight: fitting too closely, pushing on the skin I’m not going to buy these shoes; they’re too tight. His belt was too tight, so he had to loosen it.
worried: afraid that something bad has happened or will happen He was worried that his boss would fire him. Her parents are always worried when she goes out at night.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
Prepositions are short words that give the relationship between things, such as A is near B or A is under B. These words need to be learned to use them correctly. Here is a list of the most common prepositions with examples.
above: in a higher place (usually not moving) The family lives above the store. There were fireworks in the sky above us.
across: on the other side of, from one side to the other My best friend lives across the street He wrote his name across the top of the page.
after: later in time She stayed after class to talk to the teacher. After the party a few people decided to go get some fast food.
along: down the side of There was yellow paint along the curb in front of the restaurant. The ship sailed south along the coast.
among: between (three or more things) There were weeds among the flowers. They talked among themselves until the teacher came back.
around: at an equal distance from the center, at about (time) The children gathered around the teacher to listen to the story. Her parents said they would be home around 11:00.
at: in a location, during a time I think she is still at school. He left work at three o’clock.
before: earlier in time than He arrived at school before his sister. The children finished all their homework before bedtime.
behind: on the back side of The TV remote fell behind the sofa. The boy never washes behind his ears.
below: under (without touching) Write your address below your name. The sun sank below the horizon.
beside: next to, on the side of She sat down beside her best friend. Beside the plum tree there is a peach tree.
besides: in addition to Besides being a good scholar, he was also a good athlete. Besides a wife he has a mother to support.
between: in the middle of (two things) They live in a small town between Seattle and Vancouver. I’ll be home between 6:00 and 6:30.
by: near, close to, before (time) The restaurant is by the river, so it has a beautiful view. You must be home by 6:00 because that’s when dinner is served.
close to: near He works close to his apartment, so he doesn’t need a car. We should leave because it’s getting close to midnight.
down: to a lower position They had to hike down the mountain in the dark. He rode down the escalator to the parking lot.
during: at the same time as They had a long conversation during dinner. She fell asleep during the movie.
far from: at a big distance I live in a quiet place far from the noise of the big city. We came from a country far from here.
for: with the object or purpose of This cupboard is for all your plates. Is that present for me or for my brother?
from: beginning at, originating at This perfume comes from France. This train runs from Chicago to New York.
in: inside, at (time) The children went in the house when it started to rain. He was born in 1996.
in front of: on the near side of He waited in front of the store until it opened. I’ll meet you in front of the library.
inside: on the inner side of It was cold inside the house, so they turned on the heat. Inside the envelope there was a twenty-dollar bill.
into: to the inside of He put his wallet back into his pocket. They had to go into the bank to open an account.
like: similar to He is just like his father. There’s nothing like a cold drink on a hot day like this.
near (to): close to She lives near her parent’s house. My bank is near to my workplace.
next to: on the side of, beside His apartment building is next to a coffee shop. Next to the TV there’s a small table.
of: belonging to, containing, being a part of They ate the whole box of candy in ten minutes. The mother of my best friend is coming to town.
off: removed from Please clear your dishes off the table when you’re finished. Take a card off the top of the pile and look at it.
on: sitting or lying on the surface of, at the time of There is a dictionary on the shelf. They go to the gym on Tuesdays and Fridays.
on top of: touching the top part of The cats like to lie on top of the fridge because it’s warm there. There was snow on top of the mountain.
onto: moving to a place on The dog jumped onto the sofa. The giant wave crashed onto the beach.
out of: to a position outside All the children ran out of the classroom when the bell sounded. Everyone was out of the theater when the fire truck arrived.
outside (of): on the exterior part of Little children often color outside of the lines. Outside his house there is a huge oak tree.
over: in a higher place (moving) The plane flew over the city. The boys jumped over the fence.
through: in one side and out the other, from beginning to end We drove through Denver in the middle of the night. The baby slept through the night.
to: in the direction of They don’t have to go to school on Saturday. I will give this present to my friend.
toward(s): in the direction of (no difference between toward and towards) Everyone moved towards the exits. She ran toward the house.
under: on the bottom of I found your keys under the newspaper. The boys keep their toys under the bed.
up: to a higher position He climbed up the ladder to the roof. The cat is up the tree.
upon: up and on The cat was sitting upon the lowest branch of the tree. The town was built upon a cliff overlooking the sea.
with: together, having, using He had a bad fight with his father and left the house. I need a bag with a handle.
without: not having He arrived at school without his homework. She sent the children to bed without dinner.
There is one rule for the prepositions in, on and at, which are used with both times and places. Generally, for the largest times and places, use in, for those that are smaller use on, and for the smallest use at.
Examples of places:
John lives in North America. (continent)
John lives in Canada. (country)
John lives in British Columbia. (province or state)
John lives in Vancouver. (city)
John lives in Kitsilano. (area of the city)
John lives on Vine Street.
John lives on the corner of 7th Avenue and Vine Street
John lives on the 4th floor.
John lives at 7th and Vine. (cross streets)
John lives at 2395 Vine Street, apartment 402. (address)
Examples of times:
John was born in the 20th century.
John was born in the 1990s. (decade)
John was born in 1996. (year)
John was born in the spring. (season)
John was born in May. (month)
John was born in the fourth week of May. (week)
John was born in the evening of May 26. (part of day)*
John was born on May 26. (date)
John was born on Tuesday. (day of the week)
John was born at 6:30. (hour)
* We say: in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night
She was angry at her brother for breaking her doll. I’m still angry with you for taking my bike without telling me first.
blank: with nothing on it He tried to write her a letter, but after an hour the page was still blank. The room seemed cold because all the walls were blank.
delicious: tasting really good Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Johnston. It was delicious. She made a delicious apple pie for dessert.
empty: with nothing inside There were several empty bottles on the floor after the party. At 2:00 in the morning all the streets were empty.
favorite: most liked Uncle Henry is my favorite uncle. I know his favorite sport is soccer.
honest: truthful I want you to be honest with me and tell me the truth. He wasn’t being honest when he said he was home last night.
kind: good and helpful Her husband is a kind and loving man. You’re always kind to animals.
nervous: afraid of doing something He’s nervous about meeting his girlfriend’s parents. The idea of speaking in front of a large crowd makes me nervous.
polite: showing good manners towards other people The polite thing to do is to hold the door open for the lady. You need to learn to be more polite and say please and thank you.
silent: making no noise This dishwasher is more silent than my last one. The teacher wanted all the students to be silent while she was talking.
sour: tasting similar to a lemon or vinegar This milk is sour, so we should throw it out. If you don’t like the sour taste, add more sugar.
wide: big across This street is very wide. The doorway isn’t wide enough to get the sofa in the room.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
