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aware:  knowing about
Are you aware that your car is unlocked?
He wasn’t aware of the person following him.

crucial:  extremely important
It is crucial that you arrive at the meeting on time.
Peace talks are crucial to the future of that region.

dense:  crowded, tightly together
The West End of Vancouver has a dense population.
The forest was so dense that it was difficult to pass through.

fundamental:  basic, most important
The simple present tense is a fundamental part of the English language.
Oil is a fundamental component of plastic.

hazy:  smoggy, polluted, not clear
It was a hazy summer day in August when he arrived in the city.
My memory of that day is hazy.

initial: first, beginning
His initial choice was to believe her because she had never lied before.
Her initial reaction was to laugh although it was a serious situation.

legible:  able to be read
The doctor’s signature was not very legible.
The teacher’s writing is not legible from the back of the room.

partial:  only part of (something bigger)
He didn’t have this month’s rent, so he made a partial payment.
The police found a partial fingerprint on the window.

repetitive:  repeated, happening again and again
He didn’t like his job because it was boring and repetitive.
There was a repetitive noise coming from the neighbor’s house.

rusty:  not very good, needing a lot of practice
She sat down at the piano, but because she was rusty, she didn’t play very well.
I haven’t spoken Spanish in years, so I’m a little rusty.

sensible:  having good judgement,
He was not being sensible when he went outside in the rain without a coat.
The sensible thing to do is to start over and do it right this time.

talented:  able to do something well and easily
They are both talented musicians.
Everyone thinks she’s a talented writer.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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abundant:  a lot, in great quantity
Canada has an abundant supply of fresh water.
At this time of year the river is abundant with salmon.

alike:  similar, with few differences
She thinks that all politicians are alike.
All those cars look alike to me.

bright:  filled with light
The room was big and bright with floor to ceiling windows.
You’ll need your sunglasses because it’s very bright outside.

casual:  informal
On the weekends they like to wear casual clothes.
This is a casual company where everyone uses first names.

definite:  clearly defined, known for sure
It’s definite that Professor Wight is leaving at the end of this term.
I need a definite answer by tomorrow morning.

energetic:  full of energy, lively
For a person in her eighties, she seems very energetic.
I don’t want to go for a walk.  I’m not feeling very energetic.

external:  on the outside
This medicine says it’s for external use only.
This computer has an external hard drive.

feminine: of a female quality, like a woman
Her deep voice is not very feminine.
When she puts on a dress, it makes her feel more feminine.

internal:  on the inside
He was rushed to the hospital with internal bleeding.
In that family there’s a lot of internal fighting.

logical:  the result of good thinking
That seems like a logical solution to our problem.
Her logical mind told her that he was no good for her.

masculine:  of a male quality, like a man
He looks much more masculine with that beard.
There are many masculine qualities other than strength.

vacant:  empty, with nothing inside
That building has been vacant for years.
The community started a vegetable garden in the vacant lot.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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announce:  to say (something important) to everyone
She announced to her family that she was getting married soon.
We’d like to announce the birth of our first baby.

approve:  to say that something is okay with you
Everyone approved of Helen’s cooking.
Her parents disapprove of her new boyfriend.

choke:   to not be able to breathe because of something caught in your throat
He was so hungry he almost choked on the first bite of his steak.
He choked to death when a fishbone got stuck in his throat.

describe:  to give someone a picture of something using only words
Can you describe the person you saw running from the bank?
It’s hard to describe, but I felt like I was floating in the air.

doubt:  to not believe, to be uncertain about
I doubt he’s going to be on time; he’s always late.
He told her she should never doubt his love for her.

fade:  to slowly become lighter in color, to become less bright
I can no longer read outside because the sunlight has faded.
His blue jeans are faded because of repeated washings.

inform:  to give (someone) information
The doctor informed the parents that their son would be okay.
I must inform you that if you’re absent one more time, you’ll fail the course.

invent:  to create something for the first time
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
The computer was invented at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946.

lighten:  to make lighter or brighter
When he walked into the room, her face lightened.
You need to lighten your hair a little.

produce:  to make, to manufacture
That company produces smart phones.
When you mix those chemicals together, they produce a very strong smell.

provide:  to supply, to give
The university provided all their undergraduates with a laptop computer.
The company will provide all the bottled water we need.

regret:  to be sorry about doing something
She regretted all the pain she caused her family.
I regret that I can’t come to your graduation, but I’ll be out of town.

remove:  to take away
She asked him politely to remove his feet from the coffee table.
His task was to remove all the graffitti from the wall.

separate:  to divide, to not be together
She told him to separate his dark clothes from his light clothes before washing.
John and Nancy Wells separated last week.

suspect:   to think that someone is guilty
I don’t know who took the money, but I suspect Robert.
She suspects her husband of cheating.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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afford: to have enough money or time for (something)
I can’t afford a new car this year.
Can we afford to ignore his advice?

beg: to ask desperately
She begged her father for a loan until she could find a job.
I beg of you, please don’t hurt me!

cause: to make happen
The accident on the highway caused thousands to be late for work.
Did you hear that loud noise last night? I wonder what caused it.

confuse: to make unclear
Calculus has always confused me.
The teacher’s instructions confused some of the students.

damage: to break or partly destroy something
The explosion damaged his eardrums.
The flood damaged all their furniture.

embarrass: to make (someone) feel shame
I want you to behave and not embarrass me at the party.
His mother embarrassed him by showing pictures of him as a baby.

guarantee: to promise a refund if you don’t like something
The store guaranteed their customers’ satisfaction.
The online store guarantees delivery in five business days.

itch: to have an irritation on your body that needs to be scratched
My right ear has been itching ever since we went swimming yesterday.
My toes itch so bad that I can’t stop scratching them.

mend: to fix, to repair (clothing, heart, relationship)
How do you mend a broken heart?
I can mend those holes in your jeans, if you like.

possess: to have as your own
He possesses the ability to make people believe him.
We know that you possess two handguns.  Where’s the other?

prevent: to stop (something) from happening
I can’t prevent my teenage daughter from seeing her boyfriend.
Only you can prevent forest fires.

reflect: to bounce light back after hitting a surface
White roofs reflect sunlight back into space and help cool the earth.
The mirror reflected an image of a tired old man.

require: to need
This job requires someone with patience and organization.
He requires absolute silence when he’s studying.

shock: to surprise in a bad or strong way
She shocked her parents when she said she wasn’t going to university.
He enjoyed shocking his sister with a dead snake.

wonder: to think about curiously
I wonder what’s taking her so long. She should be here by now.
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to fly?

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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affect:  to make a change on something/someone
Too much sugar affects my health in a bad way.
Your lateness affects everyone in the class.

commit:  to do what is necessary to achieve a goal.
You must commit to practicing the violin everyday if you want to get good.
She’s willing to commit to this relationship.

demand:  to strongly ask for
I demand to see the manager.
She demanded to be included in the meeting.

discard:  to throw away
I’m keeping this one but discarding all the rest.
Please discard your old batteries at the recycle center.

explode:  to expand rapidly with force and a loud noise
They heard a bomb explode inside the bank.
At nine o’clock, the sky exploded with fireworks.

gather:  to collect together, to come together
The campers gathered wood for the fire.
The children gathered together to hear the story.

interrupt:  to rudely stop someone else’s activity
I didn’t mean to interrupt your dinner, but this is important.
The fire alarm interrupted their final exam.

last:  to continue in time
How long will this movie last?
If you take care of this car, it should last you another ten years.

moan:  to make sounds of being hurt, to complain
Stop moaning and finish your homework.
He could hear the wounded soldiers moaning in the dark.

prepare:  to get ready
She prepared a wonderful dinner for their anniversary.
The village was not prepared for the earthquake.

reach:  to get to (a place)
He had to reach the top shelf to get a role paper towels.
When they reached the beach, everyone ran towards the ocean.

replace:  to change one thing for another
In my coffee I replace sugar with honey.
Please replace the top on the toothpaste when you’re finished.

sparkle:  to shine by reflecting light
Her diamond sparkled in the sunlight.
Her eyes sparkle when she laughs.

suggest:  to introduce an idea for possible action
Her mother suggested that she start a diary.
I suggest we have a barbecue this weekend.

whisper:  to talk without using your voice
In the library everyone is supposed to whisper.
He whispered something in her ear and then left.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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advise:  to give advice
My doctor advised me to drink more water.
Go talk to Dad.  Maybe he can advise you about what to do.

arrange:  to make a plan and do it
I can arrange to have flowers delivered, if you like.
She arranged to meet him at the coffee shop across from the library.

communicate:  to talk to, text or email (someone)
We communicate every week by email.
My ex-girlfriend and I don’t communicate at all.

delay:  to do at a later time
They decided to delay the wedding for two months.
Traffic was delayed for an hour due to an accident.

explain:  to make (something) understandable
He had to explain why he was late again.
Can you explain to me how I can fix this.

handle:  to manage, be responsible for
Even when life gets hard, I can handle it.
I wanted to see if you could handle that problem.

include:  to make part of the group.
Don’t forget to include your email address on the form.
This is the first time he’s included me on his team.

measure:  to find out exactly how long, wide or high something is
You can’t measure my love for you.
Before we buy the paint, we should measure the living room.

order:  to tell (someone) what to do
The police have ordered everyone out of the building.
The doctor ordered her to stay in bed for a week.

pretend:  to act in a certain way even though it’s not truthful.
The children pretended to be asleep.
Although her heart was broken, she pretended to be alright.

reduce:  to make less
We must all do our part to reduce the pollution in this city.
All the prices in the store were reduced by 40%.

ruin:  to make unusable or unworkable
He ruined the wedding cake when he knocked it over.
I ruined the surprise party by accidentally telling her yesterday.

scrape:  to remove the top layer by force
He scraped his knee playing baseball.
There’s no need to scrape the pan.  Just soak it for an hour.

stretch:  to make longer
After waking up from his nap, he stretched his body.
He stretched his arm as high as he could  and grabbed the lowest branch.

trick:  to do or say something to fool (someone)
She tricked me into believing that she wasn’t going to the party.
He tricked her into giving him her phone number.

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.

The file you specified does not exist.

admit: to say that you did something wrong
There’s no way I’m going to admit to taking that money.
She admits lying to the police.

argue: to disagree with someone in a strong voice
Many couples argue over how to spend their money.
I don’t remember what we argued about, but it was serious.

complain: to say that you don’t like something
They complained several times about the loud music nest door.
He can complain all he wants, but it will do no good.

drown: to die by not breathing under water
Her husband drowned in a boating accident last summer.
If you don’t want to drown, you’d better wear that lifejacket.

frighten: to scare, to make afraid
Both cats were frightened by the loud thunder and ran under the bed.
You frightened me when you came in without knocking.

instruct: to teach, to show how to do something
The coach instructed him on how to play defence.
She was instructed in all the arts, especially music,

manage: to be able to
They managed to escape through the bathroom window.
I can’t manage three things at the same time.

notice: to see briefly
He noticed that she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring.
Did you notice the words on his T-shirt?

perform: to entertain people
He likes to perform magic tricks at children’s birthday parties.
She’s never performed before such a large audience before.

prove: to show something is true with evidence
You can’t prove that I was the last one to see him alive.
In the end they proved that he was responsible for the crash.

receive: to get
We received this package this morning, but we haven’t opened it.
Yesterday he received a phone call at about six o’clock.

release: to let go, to set free
He was released from prison last month.
She took a dove out of the cage and released it into the air.

soak: to be under water for a long time
The dishes are soaking in hot water. I’ll wash them later.
She likes to soak in the bathtub for hours.

surround: to be all around
The boys surrounded the campfire and started to cook their hotdogs.
They’ll catch him. The building is surrounded by police.

worry: to think bad things are going to happen
She is always worrying about her children.
Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be alright.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

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baggage:  the suitcases and bags you bring on a trip
The airline lost her baggage, but she got it back two days later.
That truck loads and unloads the baggage from airplanes.

business:  the selling of goods and services to make a profit
They started a seafood business in the Florida Keys.
His business takes him to many different countries.

college:  a school of higher learning after high school
Vancouver Community College is well known for its ESL program.
She wants to travel first and go to college next year.

dirt:  the loose top layer of the earth
He wrote his name in the dirt with a stick.
The car sped away leaving a cloud of dirt behind it.

fault:  a wrong action that someone did
The accident was all my fault.
It was no one’s fault that we lost the game.

history:  a record of past events related to people
History is full of bad rulers, both men and women.
I don’t know much of the history of Greece.

label:  the information on the outside of a product
Check the label on that shirt to make sure it’s 100% cotton.
The label on this juice says it’s made from 100% Florida oranges.

market:  a place where people go to buy and sell goods
There’s an excellent meat market on Commercial Street.
Every Friday and Saturday there’s a farmer’s market in this parking lot.

plastic:  a material made from oil that can be shaped
Except for the rubber wheels and the metal frame, the toy truck was all plastic.
The forks, knives and spoons for the picnic were white plastic.

row:  lots of things in a straight line
She liked to sit in the front row of all her classes at school.
There were rows and rows of logs on the public beach.

sleeve:  the part of a shirt or coat that covers the arms
You could see he was a sergeant from the chevron on his sleeve.
She pulled up her sleeves before washing the dishes.

throat:  the connection between the mouth and the stomach
He drank lemon ginger tea for his sore throat.
The man’s throat had been cut and his body left in the alley.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

This vocabulary is not just for people who love birds.  It’s for all ESL learners because these are birds that are generally known by people who speak English.

This is a bluejay

The blue jay is found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains in southern Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico and east to the Atlantic Ocean.

 

 

This is a crane

The crane is found almost everywhere except South America.  They eat almost anything from rats to insects to berries.

 

 

 

 

This is a crow

Crows are found everywhere except South America.  They are very intelligent animals.  They can even use tools.

 

 

 

 

This is a duck

Ducks are found on or near water.  They have webbed feet to paddle with.  They eat a variety of food such as plants, fish and insects.

 

 

 

 

This is an eagle

Eagles are found all over the world.  They are hunting birds that eat small animals including fish.

 

 

 

 

This is a goose

Geese are found on or near water.  They like to group together and mate for life.  They migrate south every winter.

 

 

 

 

This is a hawk

Hawks like open areas where they can hunt for a variety of small animals.   They are found all over North and Central America and the West Indies.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a hummingbird

Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds in the world.  They can stay in one place in the air by flapping their wings very, very fast.  They are the only birds able to fly backwards.

 

 

 

This is a kiwi

These birds live in New Zealand and can’t fly.  They are about the size of a chicken, but lay much larger eggs.  In fact the kiwi’s eggs are the largest in relation to their body size of any bird in the world.

 

 

This is an ostrich

The ostrich is a large bird found in Africa.  It can’t fly but is the fastest running bird in the world.  It can run up to about 70 km. per hour.

 

 

 

 

 

This is an owl

Owls are nighttime hunting birds that eat small animals, insects and other birds.  They are found all over the world.  They can turn their heads 270 degrees because their necks have more bones than other birds.

 

 

This is a parakeet

The parakeet is the most popular pet bird kept in cages in people’s homes.  They eat seeds.  Some of these birds can be trained to speak words.

 

 

 

This is a parrot

These birds live in tropical and subtropical areas of the earth.  They are very colorful and intelligent birds.  They eat seeds, nuts, and fruits.  Many parrots can learn to say words.

 

 

 

 

This is a peacock

The peacock is native to India but has been introduced to many areas of the world.  They eat berries and seeds but also hunt snakes, lizards and  small rodents.  Only the males have a fan of feathers like in this picture.

 

 

 

This is a pelican

The pelican is found all over the world near water.  They have a sack under their bill that can hold fish that they eat.  The largest of these birds have a wing span of 3 meters.

 

 

This is a penguin

Penguins are found from Antarctica to the equator, but not in the northern hemisphere. They can’t fly but they can swim because their wings are flippers.

 

 

 

 

This is a pigeon

Pigeons, also called doves, are found all over the world, especially in cities.  They eat seeds fruits and plants.  These birds have strong wing muscles and are strong flyers.

 

 

 

This is a robin

The robin is found in woodlands, farmland and cities all over North America.  They eat soft insects, fruits and berries.  Most of these birds fly south for the winter.

 

 

 

 

This is a seagull

Seagulls are found near open water all over the world.  They have webbed feet to paddle on water.  They are good at stealing food from other animals. They can drink salt water.

 

 

 

This is a sparrow

Sparrows are small birds that are found in cities all over the world.  They eat seeds and small insects.  They often build their nests on buildings.

 

 

 

 

This is a swan

Swans are found in temperate areas near water all over the world, except Africa, northern South America and Central America.  They are big birds and have webbed feet.  They eat plants that grow under the water.

 

 

This is a woodpecker

The woodpecker is found in forest and woodland areas all over the world, except Australia, New Zealand and Madagascar.  They make holes in trees to eat the insects that live there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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area:  general place, all the space inside of a border
I lost my umbrella in the area by the bicycles.
The area of British Columbia is just under 945,ooo square kilometers. 

button:  the round object pushed through a hole to keep your clothing closed
His best shirt was missing a button, so he couldn’t wear it.
There were thirty buttons down the back of the dress.

definition:  the meaning of a word or group of words
This is a new word for me.  I have to look up its definition.
The definition of the word ‘cease’ is to stop an activity.

fog:   a cloud on the ground
The fog caused traffic accidents all over the city.
All the mountains were hidden by the thick fog.

helmet:  protection worn on the head
It’s the law in Vancouver to wear a bicycle helmet when riding on the road.
He had an extra helmet so she could ride on the back of his motorcycle.

idea:  a creative thought
I have an idea.  We should throw her a surprise party.
He had the crazy idea that she would marry him.

liquid:  any material that acts like water
Water, oil and alcohol are all liquids.
My doctor wants me to drink lots of liquids everyday.

metal:  a hard material used to make things
Old cars can be sold for their metal.
Everything but the road surface of the bridge is made of metal.

opposite:  the thing that is most unlike something else
The opposite of right is wrong.
He told her he wasn’t going to go and then did the opposite.

prisoner:  a person who is put in prison or jail
His great grandfather was a prisoner of war in Germany In 1944.
All the prisoners are locked in their cells overnight.

suggestion:  an idea one person gives to another
Her suggestion was to combine the classes for the day.
May I make a suggestion?

zero:   nothing
His bank account went down to zero.
The team lost by a score of six to zero.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot