bake: to cook in the oven, to make very hot
All afternoon she baked cookies for the party
Everyone was baking in the hot summer sun.

cheat: to not follow the rules
He can’t go back to the casino because they caught him cheating at cards.
When he was dividing the money, he cheated and kept more for himself.

chop: to cut with an axe or knife
He chopped wood all afternoon for the fireplace.
While he fried the meat, she chopped the onions and peppers for the spaghetti sauce.

create: to make an idea real
They brought in sand and created a beach in their backyard.
She created a beautiful logo for her new company.

flow: to move along like water
The oil from his car flowed all over the garage floor.
The water from washing his car flowed down the driveway into the street.

grab: to take forcefully with the hand
The thief grabbed her purse and ran out the door.
As he started to fall, he grabbed onto the railing.

invite: to ask someone to do an enjoyable thing you’ve planned
She invited him over for dinner.
They invited him to speak at the conference.

rescue: to save from danger
The fire fighter recued the babies from the burning house.
The organization rescues lost dogs.

scare: to make someone afraid
She hid behind the door so she could scare her brother when he entered.
The government wants to scare us into believing that we need more security.

skip: to not do
Do this grammar exercise, but skip part B; it’s too difficult for this level.
I have to make sure all these addresses are correct, and I can’t skip any of them.

store: to keep for future use
They stored their old bikes in the garage.
We rented a storage locker to store all the furniture that wouldn’t fit in the new house.

weigh: to find the weight (of something), to have the weight
If you’re on a diet, don’t weigh yourself everyday.
All the apples weighed two kilos.

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

attack: to begin fighting
I was walking through a park when a dog attacked me.
The army will attack the enemy in the early morning.

blink: to close and open both eyes quickly
The bright lights made him blink several times.
If you have something in your eye, look down and blink rapidly.

coach: to show (someone) how to do something
My teacher coached me on how to do a good interview.
In her spare time she coaches a girls volleyball team.

crash: to break or be destroyed with a loud noise
The car crashed through the wall into the living room.
The plane crashed into the side of a mountain.

earn: to get in return for working or investing
He earns enough money to support a big family.
She doesn’t earn much interest on her savings account.

fail: to not get what you want, not succeed
They failed to fix the problem, so they had to call an expert.
Her daughter failed math again this term.

laugh: to make a sound of pleasure or joy
She laughs at all my jokes.
People were laughing and having a wonderful time at the party.

repeat: to say or do again
The teacher said the new word and all the children repeated it.
Could you please repeat that; I didn’t hear you the first time.

rush: to go fast
The kids rushed to the cafeteria when the lunch bell rang.
I have to rush this morning. I’m a little late.

scratch: to rub hard with your fingernails
My cats like it when I scratch their cheeks.
He scratched his head trying to think of a solution to his problem.

tap: to hit lightly
She tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.
I hear a bird tapping on the window.

worry: to think a bad thing will happen
Don’t worry; we’ll find your keys.
Her parents worried that she was all alone.

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 exercise tests the following verb tenses:  simple present, simple past, past continuous, simple future, present perfect, present perfect continuous, and future continuous.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

appear: to become visible or real
As we turned the corner, a beautiful moon appeared.
It appears that we’re going to have to wait a little longer.

crawl: to move on hands and knees
We crawled closer to the edge of the cliff and looked down.
You have to crawl before you can walk.

divide: to separate into equal parts
We should divide all the work so we finish by the end of the day.
If you divide 60 by 12, you get 5.

escape: to get free (of someone or something)
The two men escaped from jail last weekend.
The family moved here to escape the violence of their former country.

hope: to want very much
I hope he’ll be happy with his new car.
We hope she gets well soon.

peel: to take the outside off
She always cries when she peels an onion.
You can’t eat a banana unless you peel it first.

remind: to help someone remember something
She reminded me of my appointment this afternoon.
Let me remind you that you got into trouble the last time you tried that.

spill: to cause something to fall out of the top of a container
The children spilled milk all over the kitchen table.
I tried not to spill any salt, but I got some on the floor.

squeeze: to put pressure on the outside, hug
I can’t squeeze hard enough to open this bottle. Can you help me?
When she started crying, he squeezed her tight.

train: to teach, instruct
He trained his dog to roll over and play dead.
They trained their children to be polite at all times.

twist: to move in a circular motion
She twisted her body around to look behind her.
He twisted the thief’s arm until he dropped his wallet.

wrap: to enclose something with paper, cloth, etc.
She wrapped the package in brown paper before mailing it.
Aren’t you going to wrap that present before you give it to her?

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

agree: have the same opinion
I’m afraid I don’t agree with you.
She finally got him to agree to a small wedding.

belong: be owned
That cell phone belongs to my friend.
Who does this sweater belong to?

cheer: to yell in appreciation
The whole school cheered at the good news.
Everyone cheered when the football team ran on the field.

clap: to hit one’s hands together in appreciation
At the end of his speech, the audience clapped politely.
The children clapped their hands in time to the music.

discover: to find out something new
She discovered that he was seeing another woman.
They hope to discover a cure for this disease.

face: to look at directly
He had to face his fear and talk to his boss.
You need to face the truth that she doesn’t love you anymore.

happen: to occur, take place
What happened to your hand?
Sometimes bad things happen to good people.

pause: to stop for a short time
She paused at the curb before crossing the street.
Pause that video for a moment. I’ve got something to tell you.

search: to look for, try to find
They searched the woods for the missing child.
She searched Google for information about her new boyfriend.

steal: to wrongfully take
Many office workers steal little things from their company, like paperclips.
Someone is always stealing my candy from my desk drawer.

surprise: to experience (something) unexpected
He surprised her with a beautiful engagement ring.
It might surprise you to learn that your uncle is very rich.

taste: to get the flavor of something by putting it in your mouth
That soup smells really good. Can I taste it?
He knew he was hurt when he tasted blood in his mouth.

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

apologize:  to say you’re sorry
He apologized for not remembering her birthday.
I want you to apologize to your mother for making this mess.

brag:  to say out loud something you’re proud of.
He bragged that he had never lost a fight.
I don’t want to brag, but I did win the tournament last year.

contact:  to communicate with
You need to contact your doctor immediately if your symptoms continue.
You can usually contact him by cellphone.

crush:  to make flat or into small pieces.
He crushed his cigarette with the sole of his shoe.
The recipe says to crush the garlic before adding.

discuss: to talk about (something)
We’ll discuss this after dinner and not before.
What did they discuss at the meeting last Friday?

force:  to make (someone) do (something)
He forced the man to tell him the truth.
I don’t want to force you to do anything.  It should be your choice.

influence:  to change (someone else’s) mind
My good friend influenced my decision.
He won’t let his religion influence the way he votes.

object:  to say something is wrong
If nobody objects, we’ll end the meeting now.
I object to your calling me a liar.

rely:  to depend, to believe someone will help you
She relies on her parents paying her tuition.
Can I rely on you to keep a secret?

reproduce:  to make another one of the same thing, to have babies
The artist reproduced the famous painting to hang in his own home.
Rabbits reproduce very quickly.

rinse:  to run water over the surface to make clean
I had to rinse my hair a second time to get all the shampoo out.
Please rinse the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher.

satisfy:  to make (someone) feel like something was worthwhile.
A good cup of coffee in the morning really satisfies me.
He looked up the answer to satisfy his curiosity.

squeak:  to make a series of short high sounds
The door to the bedroom squeaks, so I have to oil it.
I bought a new pair of shoes and they squeak with every step.

suppose:  to think something is true
I suppose you’re going to be late again tonight.
Do you suppose it’s going to rain tomorrow?

wobble:  to move from one position to another repeatedly
The little boy pulled an old wagon, which wobbled behind him.
That olld table has always wobbled.

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

allow:  to let, to give permission
The police wouldn’t allow the homeowners to enter their home.
Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Baron Roth.

blush:  to turn red (skin)
His direct question made her blush.
You could see her embarrassment when she blushed.

claim: to say that something is true
They claim not to know the victim.
He claimed he didn’t leave the party till 1:00 am.

depend:  to trust (someone) to do something
You can depend on me to bring the supplies.
Children depend on their parents to feed them.

expect:  to think something is going to happen
We expected you to arrive tomorrow morning..
I don’t expect you to believe me, but that’s the truth.

imagine:  to create in your mind
I can imagine how she feels.
Can you imagine winning the lottery?

judge:  to determine right and wrong, good and bad.
Don’t judge me until you’ve been in my shoes.
Her job was to judge singers for a singing contest.

mention:  to say briefly
Did I mention that he was single?
He never mentioned being in the army when he was young.

occur:  to happen
The robbery occurred some time between 2:00 and 4:00 in the morning.
The next full moon will occur in two weeks.

present:  to give, to introduce
May I present my wife, Sharleen.
His coach presented him with the Most Valuable Player award.

realize:   to know for the first time
When I got to work, I realized that I had forgotten my iPhone.
She realized she was in a bad relationship, so she broke up with him.

request:  to ask for
The couple requested a room with a view of the mountains.
He called the radio station and requested his favorite song to be played.

state:  to say (something) officially
Please state your full name for the court.
He stated his innocence many times.

support:  to help (someone) when they need it
His parents supported him through university.
I support the arts by donating money every year

treat:  to act toward someone in a certain way
Everyone treated her well on her first day of school.
They treated him with respect.

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

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

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

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.