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

athlete:  a person who plays sports
She’s been an athlete all her life but a runner for the past two years only,
His father was a Gold Medal Olympic athlete.

birth:  the act of being born.
The birth of the King’s son was celebrated throughout the country.
She gave birth to triplets.

criminal:  a person who has done a crime
He would never let his daughter marry a criminal.
Johnny has been a criminal for most of his life.

dust:  dirt that falls from the air onto things
Her home was messy, and there was dust on all the furniture.
When the sunlight came through the winfdow, you could see dust in the air.

garage:  the room where you keep your car
The Wilsons have a two-car garage, so they keep their boat on one side.
This weekend we are cleaning out the garage.

habit:  an action that you do all the time
She’s in the habit of getting up early on Sunday mornings.
Smoking is a bad habit.

introduction:  a presentation of one person to another
Bill Gates is a man who needs no introduction.
After the introductions, everyone sat down for dinner.

permission:  the agreement of someone else to do something
He gave his daughter permission to take the family car.
Do I have your permission to speak to your son?

promise:  an assurance that something will be done
He gave her his promise that he would return in one year.
A promise is a promise, so of course I’ll do it.

sheet:  any large and flat material and, including the sheets on your bed
Thursdays were the days when she washed all the sheets.
To prepare the room for painting, sheets of packing paper were put all over the floor

truth:  exactly what happened
Tell me the truth – did you take that money?
Her friend told her the truth about her boyfriend.

valley:  flat land with mountains all around
My grandparents have a farm in a beautiful valley.
There are twenty-five ranches in this valley.

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.

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

adult:   a grown up person
You can’t vote until you are legally an adult.
A teenage driver must have an adult in the car when he drives.

bucket:  a container with a handle used to hold a liquid.
If you’re going to wash the car, you’ll need a bucket full of warm soapy water.
It took buckets full of water to put out the kitchen fire.

citizen:  a legal member of a country.
My cousin is a citizen of both Canadian and Britain.
If you want to become a citizen of Canada, it will take you three years.

cupboard:  a hanging closet with shelves inside to store things.
He built a row of cupboards in the garage for all his tools.
The wine glasses are in the cupboard above the sink in the kitchen.

favor:  something you do to help someone
Could you please do me a big favor?
After Tom helped his sister move, she returned the favor and introduced him to her roommate.

handkerchief:  a small cloth carried in a pocket to blow your nose with.
He gave her his handkerchief after she started to cry.
In the pocket of his white suit jacket, there was a red handkerchief.

landlord:  a person who owns and rents out homes to other people
His landlord told him that his rent would go up five percent in January.
When the dishwasher started making noise, she called the landlord and told him.

musician:  a person who makes music.
The musicians who play outside for money are called buskers.
Glenn Gould was an extraordinary Canadian musician on the piano.

president:  the person who is responsible for an organization, a company or a country
Juliana was elected president of the yacht club.
The President of the United States has more power than the Prime Minister of Canada.

relative:  a person who is related by blood
All my relatives live back home in my native country.
Albert Einstein was a relative of hers, so that’s why she’s so smart.

sponge:  a squeezable pad that soaks up water used for cleaning.
Get the sponge and clean up that spilled water on the floor.
He washed the car with a sponge and some soapy warm water.

temperature:  the measurement of heat
What is the average temperature of Mexico?
Johnny had a fever, so his mother took his temperature to see how high it was.

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

audience:  the people who are listening or watching
After her performance, the audience cheered loudly.
During the school play, Susan saw her mother sitting in the audience.

beard:  the hair a man has on his cheeks and chin
The little girl pulled on Santa’s beard to see if it was real.
He shaved off his beard because his girlfriend didn’t like it.

building:  a structure with walls, a roof and usually windows used for activities such as living, entertainment and manufacturing
He works in the medical research building at the hospital.
There are many more buildings in the city than ten years ago.

edge:  the part where a surface drops off
The movie was so exciting everyone was sitting on the edge of their seats.
The car drove off the edge of a cliff and crashed into the ocean.

gasoline:  the liquid that is necessary for a motor to run
They canceled their trip across the country because of the price of gasoline.
Henry ran out of gasoline and had to walk to the nearest service station.

hanger:  a metal or plastic device used to hang shirts, coats and other clothing in a closet
All the coats are on hangers in the hall closet.
After she irons her blouses, she puts them on hangers.

island:  a piece of land totally surrounded by ocean or other water.
They own an island in Maine, where they have a summer camp.
Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean Sea.

marriage:  the official union of two people.
Paul asked his long-time girlfriend if he could have her hand in marriage.
Their marriage ended in divorce in 2007.

noise:  unpleasant or meaningless sound
Mom says to stop that noise.  She’s trying to study.
He knew there was a party next door because of all the noise.

piece:  part of something
For dessert I’ll take a piece of that blueberry pie.
She knocked the vase off the table and had to clean up all the broken pieces.

secret:  information that is known and shared by only a few people
Her surprise birthday party is a secret, so don’t tell anybody
Can you keep a secret?

video:  moving picture
The police have been given videos of the fight that people took with their smart phones.
You can upload your wedding video to YouTube so your relatives can see it.

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

ankle:  the connection of your foot to your leg
The man twisted his ankle when he got off the bus.
When she was pregnant, both her ankles swelled up.

blanket:  a heavy cloth that you sleep under in your bed
I think we’ll need an extra blanket tonight.  It’s cold.
When she kissed her son good night, she pulled the blanket up to his chin.

center:  middle
I think we should put the sofa in the center of the living room.
There is a black hole at the center of the galaxy.

customer:  a person who may buy what you’re selling
You should treat every customer with respect.
Her restaurant has lots of steady customers.

emergency:  a situation where something must be done now
Call this number if there’s an emergency, and I’ll come right away.
The doctor had to go to the hospital for an emergency.

immigrant:  a person who comes into the country to live
As an immigrant herself, she knows the challenges of living in a new country.
Canada accepts over 200,000 immigrants yearly.

lipstick:  a substance women put on their lips to add color
She went to the ladie’s room to refresh her lipstick.
Her perfect lipstick is just a shade darker than her natural lips.

perfume:  a nice-smelling liquid women put on their skin
She usually only puts on perfume before she goes out on a date.
The smell of her perfume was so strong he had to open the window.

recipe:  a plan for making delicious food
I’ve been looking for a good chilli recipe for ages.
Let’s go on-line and search for a recipe for antipasto.

scissors:  a tool you use to cut paper or other thin material
The last time he used scissors, he cut his finger.
These scissors need to be sharpened.  They tear the paper.

stomach:   the organ that receives the food that you eat
The bully hit him in the stomach, and he ran away crying.
After eating many slices of birthday cake, his stomach is upset.

village:  a small group of houses
I think there’s a doctor in the neighboring village who can help.
They came from a village on the island of Borneo.

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

author:  a person who writes books, articles, blogs, etc.
She is the author of several children’s novels.
I’ve seen this writing before.  I think I know who the author is.

couple:  two people with a close relationship, often married
Jeremy and Judy make a nice couple.
Do you remember that couple we met in Mexico last year?

distance:  the length between two places
In the distance he saw a small dot in the sky and knew it was his father’s plane.
The average distance between the earth and the moon is  384,403 kilometers.

forest:  an area with a lot of trees and other plants
The whole island was covered in forest.
There are many wild animals living in the forests of British Columbia.

grocer:  the owner of a grocery store where you buy food
There’s a green grocer down the street where you can get some salad makings.
The grocer recommended these Nicola apples.  He said they’re crispy and sweet.

hero:  a person who saves someone’s life or does other great things
Everyone says he’s a hero for saving that boy from the river.
He tried to be a hero and save her, but they both died.

mirror:  a flat glass in which you can see yourself
As she passed by, she saw herself in the hallway mirror.
The mirror was foggy after his shower, so he wiped it down.

pocket:  a place to carry things in your pants, shirt or coat
I know I have change for a dollar.  Let me check my pockets.
His camping knife dropped out through a hole in his pocket.

pronunciation:  the way you say words
Her pronunciation is quite good, and she’s easily understood.
There are two correct pronunciations of the word “either.”

salary:  the money you get for working in a job
She’s getting a base salary of $12 an hour plus a percentage of her sales.
Can I ask what the salary will be for this position?

shoulder:  the connection of your arm to your body
He was glad he could give her a shoulder to cry on.
She sprained her shoulder trying to lift her bike onto its rack.

traffic:  all the cars on the road
There’s not much traffic at this time of day, so let’s get going.
At rush hour the traffic downtown is bumper to bumper.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

blouse:  a girl’s or woman’s shirt.
She has a beautiful red blouse to go with that skirt.
She ripped her blouse running through the woods. 

drawer:  a sliding box inside a larger piece of furniture where you keep things.
He searched all his drawers but couldn’t find his favorite socks.
She keeps her knives in the top drawer to the left of the fridge.

fever:  a high temperature in a body.
She’s throwing up and has a high fever.  I think she has the flu.
We need to bring down his fever fast or he’ll die.

guest:  someone you invite to your home or to go somewhere
We’re having a few guests over for dinner on Friday night.
Would you like to be my guest at my boss’s retirement dinner?

holiday:  a day you don’t have to work.
I’m taking a holiday starting Thursday and going to my cabin.
B.C. has a new holiday called “Family Day” in the middle of February.

jacket:  outside clothing you wear on your top.
I think you should put on a jacket in case it rains later.
He took his jacket off for the long hot walk home.

medicine:  drugs a sick person takes into his body to make himself better.
The medicine the doctor gave her made her sleepy.
My grandmother takes medicine three times a day.

pillow:  the bag of soft material you put under your head when you sleep
She sleeps with two pillows under her head.
As soon as my head hits my pillow, I’m asleep. 

rainbow:  an arc or colored light in the sky during or after a rain.
Did you see the beautiful rainbow yesterday after the storm?
There was a double rainbow over the city. 

snack:  food that you eat between your three main meals.
I like to have a snack when I get home after school. 
His favorite snack is potato chips.

towel:  a large cloth you use to dry water off your body.
He keeps a towel at the gym so he can take a shower.
Beach towels are larger than bath towels.

weather:  the activity that comes from the sky, such as rain, snow and winds.
The weather is nice this time of year in Alaska.
We have had bad weather this whole winter.

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

assistant:  a person whose job is to help another person.
Please call my assistant to make an appointment to see me.
My assistant does a very good job keeping me organized.

basement:  the underground part of a house.
Her exercise equipment is in the basement.
The last big rain storm flooded the basement of our house.

cage:  a box with bars to hold animals.
The children stood in front of the lions cage for a long time.
She keeps two lovebirds in a cage in the dining room

gift:  something one person gives to another.
We’re thinking about giving her a gift when she graduates.
Give me twenty dollars and the wine will be a gift from the two of us.

instructor:  teacher.
The man over there is my automotive shop instructor; I should say hi.
The instructor told us there would be a mid-term test next week.

juice:  liquid from fruit or vegetables.
Pineapple juice is too sweet for my taste.
With the apples all over the ground, they made apple juice.

locker:  a metal box with a door that locks.
I have to stop by my locker and get the books for my next class.
I paid for a locker at the gym so I could keep my workout clothes there.

neighbor:   a person who lives next to you.  [Also: neighbour]
I woke up when I heard my neighbor get home last night.
My neighbor and I built a fence between our houses.

product:  something that is made for sale.
That company makes electronic products.
The company’s most famous product is the iPhone.

reservation:  a hold on a table (restaurant), room (hotel), seat (airplane).
Did you make a reservation at that French restaurant for tomorrow night?
I have a reservation for tomorrow morning on flight 576 to Hawaii.

secretary:  an office worker who helps a boss.
When his secretary was sick, he had a hard time running the office alone.
She works as a secretary to the vice-president of the company.

teenager:  a young person between the ages of 13 and 19.
He started to play football when he was a teenager in high school.
Although she’s now a big movie star, she was very shy as a teenager.

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

alarm:    a device that wakes you up in the morning.  A sound that warns you of danger.
The alarm on my clock didn’t go off this morning, so I got up late.
We were in the middle of a test when the fire alarm went off.

bandage:    a material covering for a wound.
The nurse is coming to change the bandage on your stomach.
You need to put a bandage on that cut to keep it clean.

chapter:   one part of a piece of writing.
I really enjoyed the book, especially the last chapter.
The teacher wants us to read a chapter of our book every day.

corner:    the place where two walls or streets meet.  The pointy edge of something square or rectangular.
I think we should put a lamp in that dark corner of the room.
The child hit his head on the corner of the table.

desert:   an area that has very little rain.
The world’s largest desert is the Sahara in northern Africa.
You can get water in the desert from cactus plants.

expert:   someone who knows a lot about something.
When my computer isn’t working properly, I call an expert for help.
My friend is an expert in 19th century European paintings.

garbage:   unneeded things that you throw away.
Every Wednesday the garbage is collected in our neighborhood.
The puppy destroyed her shoes and now they’re garbage.

illness:   a period of sickness.
The doctors aren’t sure what is causing her illness.
Because of the treatment for his illness, he has lost all his hair.

laundry:   clothing that needs washing.
Get  all your dirty clothes together; I’m doing laundry.
Separate the white clothes from the colored before you do laundry.

package:   a box of something that’s delivered.
I need to go to the post office to send this package.
A package was delivered to her home a day before her birthday.

shelf:   a flat board where you put books, etc.
 all his photo albums were on a shelf in the office.
The detergent is on the shelf next to the washing machine.

wallet: a small leather folder that holds your money.
I have to go back to the restaurant.  I think I left my wallet there.
I keep my bus pass in my wallet so I always have it with me.

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