English Vocabulary

The Basics

The Alphabet | Animals | Appearances | Colours | Days and Dates
Talking about family| Greetings
Nationalities and countries | Numbers | Seasons | Shapes | Time
The weather| The UK | Business English Basics

Other Themes

Buildings | Clothes | Eating | Education
Entertainment | Food
The Human Body | Jobs and Work |Life and Death |Money

English through pictures

You can see the latest word of the month in the magazine.

brainstorm | carpet | chairman
earringFirework | | Gunpowder
Lipstick | Loanshark | Manhandle
Scarecrow | Skyscraper
Timesheet | Toothpaste
Wallpaper | workout

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To help you build up your vocabulary I have organised these pages using a thematic approach, this should enable learners to understand the relationship between various words. If you are a beginner I advise you to learn the basic words at the beginning and only move on if or when they have fully understood these words, intermediate and advanced learners should also study the build-up words and dialogues at the end of each section.

Whenever possible each group of new words is introduced using pictures. To see the words associated with the picture place your mouse cursor over the picture. Try it now!

Example:-

The words associated with the picture are shown, for a short time, with their plural form in brackets - (s) on the end of the word means add an 's' to form the plural. Say the word out loud and try to remember it after the dialogue box has disappeared.

Once you are confident with your understanding of the vocabulary check out the games and tests for that section.

To help your pronunciation you can hear how each word is pronounced by clicking the picture with your mouse (this feature requires Real Audio Basic - download it for free here). Try it now!

Example:-

Often nouns describe a group of nouns. We call these collective nouns.

Example:-

cutlery=implements used for eating, such as knives, forks and spoons

When we introduce nouns that fall into this category there will be a button called "Collective Noun" at the end of such a group, click on the button and a window pops up showing the collective noun for that group of nouns. Say the word out loud and click on OK to close the dialog box. Try it now!

Example:-

You can listen to the pronunciation of each word in .rm format. Just click on the picture and you will hear the singular pronunciation. A list of all the words is also included in the useful vocabulary sections on our pronunciation pages, this gives you the singular and where applicable plural sound, just go to the pronunciation section or click on the symbol at the bottom of each Useful Vocabulary section.

The main irregular verb for each section is covered in more depth. For example under the 'Eating' theme the main verb is 'eat'. This verb is then shown in all its tenses using a timeline and associated verbs are shown under the verbs about eating section.

When applicable I have included a section on British culture. This section is suitable only for advanced learners and may discuss anything from etiquette to the history of the subject in question.

Themes

Buildings

Useful Vocabulary - Buildings

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To build

British Culture - Buying a House

Famous Songs

Pronunciation

Clothes

Useful Vocabulary - Clothes

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To wear

British Culture - Clothes

Famous Songs

Pronunciation

Eating

Useful Vocabulary - Eating at Home

Useful Vocabulary - Eating Out

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To eat

British Culture - Formal Eating

Famous Songs

Pronunciation - Eating at Home

Pronunciation - Eating Out

Education

Useful Vocabulary - Education

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To teach

British Culture - The Education System

Famous Songs

Pronunciation

Entertainment

Useful Vocabulary - Entertainment

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To win

British Culture - Shakespeare

Famous Songs

Food

Useful Vocabulary - Food

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To grow

British Culture - Food

Famous Songs

Pronunciation

The Human Body

Useful Vocabulary - The Human Body

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To break

British Culture - Health

Famous Songs

Pronunciation

Jobs and Work

Useful Vocabulary - Jobs and Work

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To build

British Culture - Work

Famous Songs

Pronunciation

Life and Death

Useful Vocabulary - Life and Death

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To die

British Culture - Marriage and Wedding Ceremonies

Famous Songs

Pronunciation

Money

Useful Vocabulary - Money

Idioms and Sayings

Verbs

Irregular Verb - To spend

British Culture - Money

Famous Songs

Pronunciation