Building Your Vocabulary

 Building Your Vocabulary

Great choice! Vocabulary is the foundation of language learning.

How to Expand Your Vocabulary

• Read widely: Expose yourself to different writing styles and topics.
• Learn new words daily: Use flashcards, vocabulary lists, or apps.
• Use a thesaurus: Explore synonyms and antonyms.
• Practice using new words: Incorporate them into your speech and writing.
• Learn word roots and prefixes: Understand the building blocks of words.
• Play word games: Crossword puzzles, Scrabble, and word searches can be fun and effective.

Vocabulary Focus Areas

Would you like to focus on a specific type of vocabulary? Here are some options:

• General vocabulary: Everyday words used in various contexts
• Academic vocabulary: Words used in school, college, or professional settings
• Specific subject vocabulary: Words related to a particular field (e.g., science, technology, business)
• Idioms and phrasal verbs: Colorful expressions and multi-word verbs

Vocabulary Exercise: Synonyms

Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. Let's practice finding synonyms for the following words:

1. Happy
2. Big
3. Sad
4. Smart
5. Fast

Let's find some synonyms!

1. Happy: joyful, delighted, cheerful
2. Big: large, huge, enormous
3. Sad: unhappy, depressed, sorrowful
4. Smart: intelligent, clever, brilliant
5. Fast: quick, rapid, speedy

Antonyms: Opposites Attract

Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Let's try finding antonyms for the following words:

1. Happy
2. Big
3. Sad
4. Smart
5. Fast

Happy: sad, unhappy, miserable

Big: small, tiny, little

Sad: happy, joyful, cheerful

Smart: stupid, dumb, foolish

Fast: slow, sluggish, gradual

Word Families: Branches of Meaning

A word family is a group of words that share the same root or base word. These words often have related meanings.

Let's look at an example:

• Root word: happy
• Word family: happy, happiness, happily, unhappy

Can you think of other word families?

We can also explore prefixes and suffixes to build new words.

Let's Build Word Families!

Word families share the same root word and have related meanings.

Let's start with the word "happy".

• happy (adjective)
• happiness (noun)
• happily (adverb)
• unhappy (adjective)

Can you think of a word family for "care"?

Let's build a word family for "care"!

• care (noun, verb)
• careful (adjective)
• carefully (adverb)
• careless (adjective)
• carelessness (noun)

Let's Build Another Word Family!

Word family: strong

• strong (adjective)
• strength (noun)
• strongly (adverb)

Let's Build Another Word Family!

Word family: help

• help (verb, noun)
• helpful (adjective)
• helpless (adjective)
• helper (noun)

Prefixes and Suffixes: Building Blocks of Words

Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.Suffixes are added to the end of a word to change its meaning or part of speech.

Common Prefixes

• un-: not (e.g., unhappy)
• re-: again (e.g., rewrite)
• pre-: before (e.g., prepay)
• in-: not (e.g., incorrect)
• im-: not (before m or p) (e.g., impossible)

Common Suffixes

• -s, -es: plural (e.g., cats, boxes)
• -ed: past tense (e.g., walked)
• -ing: present participle (e.g., walking)
• -ly: adverb (e.g., happily)
• -ful: full of (e.g., careful)

Let's Create Some Words!

Prefixes and Suffixes Practice

Create a new word using the given prefix or suffix:

1. un- + happy =
2. re- + read =
3. pre- + pay =
4. care + -ful =
5. help + -less =

Let's Create Some More Words!

Prefixes and Suffixes Practice 2

Create a new word using the given prefix or suffix:

1. re- + write =
2. in- + correct =
3. happy + -ness =
4. care + -less =
5. quick + -ly =

Compound Words: Two or More Words as One

Compound words are formed by combining two or more words.

Types of Compound Words

• Closed compound words: two words joined together (e.g., bedroom, football)
• Open compound words: two words separated by a space (e.g., ice cream, post office)
• Hyphenated compound words: two words joined by a hyphen (e.g., well-known, mother-in-law)

Compound Word Challenge!

Let's create some compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. blue + berry
2. sun + flower
3. rain + bow
4. fire + fly
5. book + store

Compound Word Challenge 2

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. post + card
2. back + pack
3. cup + cake
4. rain + coat
5. blue + print

Compound Word Challenge 3

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. sun + glasses
2. pass + port
3. grand + father
4. blue + bird
5. check + mate

Compound Word Challenge 4

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. grand + mother
2. blue + sky
3. door + bell
4. sun + shine
5. week + end

Compound Word Challenge 5

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. head + ache
2. tooth + brush
3. rain + storm
4. sun + set
5. book + mark

Compound Word Challenge 6

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. side + walk
2. fish + tank
3. book + case
4. sun + glasses
5. hair + dryer

Compound Word Challenge 7

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. post + office
2. fire + place
3. sea + shore
4. foot + ball
5. air + plane

Compound Word Challenge 8

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. back + ground
2. blue + print
3. book + shelf
4. sun + rise
5. rain + fall

Compound Word Challenge 9

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. blue + bird
2. sun + screen
3. rain + coat
4. book + worm
5. fire + engine

Compound Word Challenge 10

Let's create some more compound words:

Combine two words to form a new word:

1. cup + board
2. sun + flower
3. rain + drop
4. book + shelf
5. air + port

 

Resources or Material to learn English

 Resources or Material to learn English

1. Books
2. Magazines
3. Newspapers
4. Online videos
5. Learning apps
6. Podcasts
7. Videocalls with native speakers
8. Flashcards
9. Sticky notes
10. PDF worksheets
11. Music
12. Movies (with or without subtitles)
13. English forums
14. Language Learning Games
15. Radio stations
16. Interactive activities

There are countless resources available to help you learn English. Here are some popular options:

Online Resources

• Language Learning Apps: Duolingo, Babbel, Memrise, Rosetta Stone
• Online Courses: Coursera, edX, Udemy
• Language Exchange Platforms: Tandem, HelloTalk
• YouTube Channels: BBC Learning English, English with Lucy, The English Teacher
• Grammar and Vocabulary Websites: Grammarly, Vocabulary.com

Offline Resources

• Textbooks: Traditional textbooks offer structured learning.
• Dictionaries and Thesauruses: Essential for vocabulary building.
• Grammar Guides: Reference books for grammar rules.
• Language Exchange Partners: Practice speaking with native speakers.

Other Resources

• English Movies and TV Shows: Learn through entertainment.
• English Music: Listen to songs and learn new vocabulary.
• English Books and Newspapers: Improve reading comprehension.
• English Language Immersion: Surround yourself with English.

Remember: The key to learning a language is consistent practice. Try to incorporate English into your daily life as much as possible.

Causative Verbs

 Causative

https://englishforyourself.com/causative/

Causative verbs are used to indicate that someone or something causes an action to happen, but they don't perform the action themselves.

Common causative verbs:

• have
• get
• make
• let
• help

Examples:

• I had my hair cut. (Someone else cut my hair.)
• She got her car repaired. (Someone else repaired her car.)
• The teacher made the students do their homework.
• I let him borrow my book.
• Can you help me carry this box?

Causative Verb Practice

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. I want to look smart. I think I'll ________ my hair cut.
2. My car is dirty. I need to ________ it washed.
3. The teacher ________ the students write an essay.
4. Don't ________ me wait too long.
5. Can you ________ me a favor?

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. My teeth are stained. I need to ________ them cleaned.
2. The manager ________ the employees work overtime.
3. I ________ my car serviced yesterday.
4. She ________ her assistant book the flight.
5. Can you ________ the waiter bring us the bill?

Causative Verb Practice 3

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. My clothes are dirty. I need to ________ them washed.
2. The doctor ________ the patient take some medicine.
3. I ________ my car repaired last week.
4. She ________ her assistant book a hotel room.
5. Can you ________ the waiter bring us another round of drinks?

Causative Verb Practice 4

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. My house is dirty. I need to ________ it cleaned.
2. The teacher ________ the students write a report.
3. I ________ my car repaired last month.
4. She ________ her assistant book a hotel room.
5. Can you ________ the waiter bring us the bill?

Causative Verb Practice 5

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. My garden is overgrown. I need to ________ it cleaned up.
2. The boss ________ the employees work late tonight.
3. I ________ my car serviced regularly.
4. She ________ her assistant book a flight to Paris.
5. Can you ________ the waiter bring us the dessert menu?

Causative Verb Practice 6

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. My hair is too long. I need to ________ it cut.
2. The company ________ a new website designed.
3. I ________ my car washed every week.
4. She ________ her assistant book a table at a restaurant.
5. Can you ________ the waiter bring us the check?

Causative Verb Practice 7

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. My car is making a strange noise. I need to ________ it checked.
2. The company ________ a new product developed.
3. I ________ my hair dyed a new color.
4. She ________ her assistant book a flight to Australia.
5. Can you ________ the waiter bring us the coffee?

Causative Verb Practice 8

Complete the following sentences using causative verbs:

1. My computer is slow. I need to ________ it repaired.
2. The company ________ a new marketing strategy developed.
3. I ________ my hair cut short last week.
4. She ________ her assistant book a table for dinner.
5. Can you ________ the waiter bring us the dessert menu?

Ways to say hello in English

 Ways to say hello in English

• Good afternoon.
• Good evening.
• Good morning.
• Good to see you!
• Greetings!
• Hello there!
• Hey!
• Hi there.
• Hi!
• Howdy!
• Long time, no see.
• Look who it is!
• Nice to meet / see you.
• Pleasure to meet you.
• What’s new?

Formal Greetings:

• Good morning/afternoon/evening
• Pleased to meet you
• How do you do?

Informal Greetings:

• Hi
• Hello
• Hey
• What's up?
• How are you?
• How's it going?

More Casual Greetings:

• Yo
• Sup
• 'Ey
• G'day (Australian English)

Let's Practice Greetings!

Scenario 1: Meeting a new colleague at work.

• Formal: Pleased to meet you, Mr./Ms. [Last name].
• Informal: Hi, I'm [Your name]. Nice to meet you!

Scenario 2: Greeting a friend you haven't seen in a while.

• Informal: Hey, long time no see! How are you?
• Casual: What's up, dude? How've you been?

Scenario 3: Answering the phone.

• Formal: Good morning/afternoon. This is [Your name] speaking.
• Informal: Hello, [Your name] speaking.

Let's Practice Greetings in Different Situations

Scenario 1: Greeting Someone at a Party

• Informal and friendly: Hey there! How's it going?
• More formal: Good evening. It's a pleasure to meet you.

Scenario 2: Greeting a Business Contact

• Formal: Good morning/afternoon. It's a pleasure to meet you.
• Less formal but professional: Hi there. Nice to meet you.

Scenario 3: Greeting a Friend's Parent

• Respectful: Good evening, Mrs./Mr. [Last name]. It's a pleasure to meet you.
• Friendly and casual (if appropriate): Hi, [Parent's name]. Nice to meet you.

Greetings Online and Over the Phone

Online Greetings

• Informal: Hey, what's up? How are you?
• More formal: Good morning/afternoon. It's nice to connect with you.
• Casual: Yo! How's it going?

Phone Greetings

• Formal: Good morning/afternoon. This is [Your name] speaking. How can I help you?
• Informal: Hi, [Your name] speaking. What's up?
• Casual (for close friends): Hey, it's [Your name]. What's going on?

Let's Practice Responding to Greetings and Saying Goodbye!

Responding to Greetings

• To a "Hi, how are you?": I'm good, thanks! How about you?
• To a "What's up?": Not much, just hanging out. You?
• To a "Pleased to meet you": Pleased to meet you too!

Saying Goodbye

• Informal: See ya!
• More formal: Nice talking to you. Goodbye.
• Casual: Later!

Idioms by Topics

1.   Relationships (love, friendship, family)
2.  idioms about feelings and emotions
3. idioms about technology
4. Work (career, business, teamwork)
5.  idioms about school and education
6. Body (feelings, health)
7. Sports (competition, teamwork)
8.  Money (spending, saving, earning)
9. Weather (conditions, moods)
10. Time (waiting, deadlines, passing time)
11. Food (eating, taste, appetite)
12. Animals (behavior, characteristics)

Relationships (love, friendship, family)

Idioms are a great way to add color and depth to your descriptions of relationships. Here are some common ones:

Love and Romance

• Head over heels: Deeply in love.
• Love is blind: People in love often overlook faults in their partner.
• A match made in heaven: A perfect couple.
• Butterflies in your stomach: Feeling nervous or excited, often about love.
• Love at first sight: Falling in love immediately upon meeting someone.

Friendship

• Thick as thieves: Very close friends.
• A shoulder to cry on: A supportive friend.
• A friend in need is a friend indeed: A true friend helps in difficult times.
• Birds of a feather flock together: People with similar interests or personalities tend to be friends.
• Hit it off: To like each other immediately.

Family

• The apple doesn't fall far from the tree: Children are similar to their parents.
• A chip on your shoulder: Feeling resentful or defensive, often due to family issues.
• Blood is thicker than water: Family relationships are stronger than other relationships.
• A family affair: An event involving the whole family.
• The black sheep of the family: A family member who is different or disliked.

Absolutely! Let's use some idioms about relationships in sentences:

1. John and Sarah are head over heels for each other. They've been inseparable since they met.
2. My sister and her husband are the perfect couple. They're definitely a match made in heaven.
3. When I told my best friend about my breakup, she was such a shoulder to cry on.
4. My brother is the black sheep of the family. He's always getting into trouble.
5. They hit it off immediately and have been best friends ever since.

Arguments and Disagreements

• Bury the hatchet: To reconcile after an argument.
• Pick a fight: To deliberately start an argument.
• Cross swords: To argue or disagree strongly.
• Let bygones be bygones: To forgive and forget past disagreements.
• See eye to eye: To agree with someone.