4000 Essential English Words

The best of the best

agree

: To agree is to have the same opinion or belief as another person. → Example: The students agree they have too much homework."

"alcohol ˈælkəhɔːl alcohol

: Alcohol is a type of drink that can make people drunk. → Example: A person should not drive a car after he or she has been drinking alcohol."

"arrive əˈraɪv arrive

: To arrive is to get somewhere. → Example: They arrived at school at 7 a.m."

"August ɔ́ːgəst August

: August is the eighth month of the year. → Example: Is your birthday in August?"

"boat bəʊt boat

: A boat is a vehicle that moves across water. → Example: There is a small boat on the lake."

"breakfast ˈbrekfəst breakfast

: Breakfast is the morning meal. → Example: I ate eggs for breakfast."

"camera ˈkæmrə camera

: A camera is a piece of equipment that takes pictures. → Example: I brought my camera on my vacation."

Capital

: A capital is a city where a country’s government is based. → Example: The capital of the United States is Washington

"catch kætʃ catch

: To catch is to grab or get something. → Example: Did you catch the ball during the baseball game?"

"duck dÊŒk duck

: A duck is a small water bird. → Example: People feed ducks at the lake."

"enjoy ɪnˈdʒɔɪ enjoy

: To enjoy is to like something. → Example: The woman enjoys riding her bicycle."

"invite ɪnˈvaɪt invite

: To invite is to ask someone to come to a place or event. → Example: I will invite my friends to my birthday party."

"love lÊŒv love

: To love is to like something or someone a lot. → Example: I love my family very much."

"month mʌnθ month

: A month is one of 12 periods of time in one year. → Example: January is the first month of the year."

"travel ˈtrævl travel

: To travel is to go to a faraway place on vacation or business. → Example: They will travel to Argentina this summer."

"typical ˈtɪpɪkl typical

: If something is typical

"visit ˈvɪzɪt visit

: To visit is to go and spend time in another place or see another person. → Example: She wants to visit her grandmother."

"weather ˈweðər weather

: Weather is the temperature and the state of the outdoors. → Example: Today’s weather is rainy and cloudy."

"week wiːk week

: A week is a period of time that is seven days long. → Example: What are you doing next week?"

"wine waɪn wine

: Wine is an alcoholic drink made from grapes. → Example: The store carried both red and white wine."

"adventure ədˈventʃər adventure

: An adventure is a fun or exciting thing that you do. → Example: Riding in the rough water was an adventure."

"approach əˈprəʊtʃ approach

: To approach something means to move close to it. → Example: The boy approached his school."

"carefully ˈkerfəli carefully

: Carefully means with great attention

"chemical ˈkemɪkl chemical

: A chemical is something that scientists use in chemistry. → Example: The scientist mixed the chemicals."

"create kriˈeɪt create

: To create means to make something new. → Example: She created an igloo from blocks of snow."

"evil ˈiːvɪl evil

: Evil describes something or someone bad or cruel

"experiment ɪkˈsperɪmənt experiment

: An experiment is a test that you do to see what will happen. → Example: The student did an experiment in science class."

"kill kɪl kill

: To kill someone or something is to make them die. → Example: I killed the fly."

"laboratory ˈlæbrətɔːri laboratory

: A laboratory is a room where a scientist works. → Example: My mother works in a laboratory."

"laugh læf laugh

: Laugh is the sound made when someone is happy or a funny thing occurs. → Example: The sound of her laugh filled the room."

"loud laÊŠd loud

: If a sound is loud

"nervous ˈnɜːrvəs nervous

: When a person is nervous

"noise nɔɪz noise

: A noise is an unpleasant sound. → Example: The crying baby made a loud noise."

"project ˈprɑːdʒekt project

: A project is a type of work that you do for school or a job. → Example: His afternoon work project was to paint the room green."

"scare sker scare

: To scare someone is to make them feel afraid. → Example: My uncle was scared by what he saw in the room."

"secret ˈsiːkrət secret

: A secret is something that you do not tell other people. → Example: The two boys were sharing a secret."

"shout ʃaʊt shout

: To shout is to say something loudly. → Example: My boss shouted at me because I was late for work."

"smell smel smell

: To smell something means to use your nose to sense it. → Example: The two friends smelled the flower."

"terrible ˈterəbl terrible

: If something is terrible

"worse wɜːrs worse

: If something is worse

"alien ˈeɪliən alien

: An alien is a creature from a different world. → Example: The alien came in peace."

"among əˈmʌŋ among

: If you are among certain things

"chart tʃɑːrt chart

: A chart is a list of information. → Example: We used a chart to see how we had improved."

"cloud klaÊŠd cloud

: A cloud is a group of water drops in the sky. → Example: The sky was filled with white clouds."

"describe dɪˈskraɪb describe

: To describe is to say or write what someone or something is like. → Example: They described their tree as colorful

"ever ˈevər ever

: Ever means at any time. → Example: Going skiing last winter was the most fun I’ve ever had."

"fail feɪl fail

: To fail means you do not succeed in what you try to do. → Example: Since he failed to get the job

"grade ɡreɪd grade

: A grade is a score or mark given to someone’s work. → Example: I managed to get good grades on my report card."

"instead ɪnˈsted instead

: Instead means in place of. → Example: He ate the carrot instead of the ice cream."

"library ˈlaɪbri library

: A library is a place where you go to read books. → Example: The library at school is full of books."

"photograph ˈfəʊtəɡræf photograph

: I like taking photographs. → Example: I took this photograph with my cell phone."

"planet ˈplænɪt planet

: A planet is a large round thing in space. → Example: Saturn is the planet with the ring around it."

"report rɪˈpɔːrt report

: A report is something someone writes for school or work. → Example: Karen had trouble writing her report."

"several ˈsevrəl several

: Several is more than two but not many. → Example: He had to read several books for class."

"shape ʃeɪp shape

: An object’s shape is the arrangement of its sides and surfaces. → Example: Even with your eyes closed you can feel the shape of it."

"solve sɑːlv solve

: To solve something is to find an answer to it. → Example: All the students could easily solve the math problem."

"suddenly ˈsʌdənli suddenly

: If something happens suddenly

"suppose səˈpəʊz suppose

: To suppose is to guess. → Example: I suppose I should go home now."

"understand ˌʌndərˈstænd understand

: To understand something you need to know what it means. → Example: Henry could not understand the message."

"view vjuː view

: To view is to look at something. → Example: Michael likes to view himself in the mirror."

"appropriate əˈprəʊpriət appropriate

: When a thing is appropriate

"avoid əˈvɔɪd avoid

: To avoid something is to stay away from it. → Example: Avoid the broken bottle on the floor."

"behave bɪˈheɪv behave

: To behave is to act in a particular way

"calm kɑːm calm

: When someone is calm

"concern kənˈsɜːrn concern

: Concern is a feeling of worry. → Example: I was filled with concern after reading the newspaper."

"content kəntént content

: To be content is to be happy and not want more. → Example: The baby looked very content sitting on the floor."

"expect ɪkˈspekt expect

: If you expect something to happen

"frequently ˈfriːkwəntli frequently

: When something happens frequently

"habit ˈhæbɪt habit

: A habit is a thing that you do often. → Example: Smoking is a bad habit that can kill you."

"instruct ɪnˈstrʌkt instruct

: To instruct is to teach. → Example: My teacher instructs us in several subjects."

"issue ˈɪʃuː issue

: An issue is an important topic. → Example: The men spoke about issues that were important to the people."

"none nÊŒn none

: None means not any of something. → Example: He spent all his money. There is none left."

"patient ˈpeɪʃnt patient

: If people are patient

"positive ˈpɑːzətɪv positive

: If something is positive

"punish ˈpʌnɪʃ punish

: To punish means to make someone suffer for breaking the rules or laws. → Example: To punish me

"represent ˌreprɪˈzent represent

: To represent is to speak or act for a person or group. → Example: My lawyer will represent me in court."

"shake ʃeɪk shake

: To shake is to move back and forth or up and down quickly. → Example: When people shake hands

"spread spred spread

: To spread is to move out to cover a larger area. → Example: I like to spread butter on my toast."

"stroll strəʊl stroll

: To stroll means to walk slowly and calmly. → Example: My dog and I strolled through the park today."

"village ˈvɪlɪdʒ village

: A village is a very small town. → Example: There are only a few houses in my village."

"active ˈæktɪv active

: When someone is active

"adult əˈdʌlt adult

: An adult is a person who is more than 18 years old. → Example: My mom and dad are adults."

"age eɪdʒ age

: Age is how many years someone has lived. → Example: She died at the age of 80."

"bad bæd bad

: When something is bad

"balance ˈbæləns balance

: Balance is when two or more things are equal. → Example: A good balance between work and fun helps keep you healthy."

Bike

: A bike is a vehicle with two wheels powered by a human. → Example: He rides his bike to school every day."

"choose tʃuːz choose

: To choose is to pick something or make a decision. → Example: I have to choose between taking art classes and sports lessons."

"doctor ˈdɑːktər doctor

: A doctor is a person who studies medicine and helps sick people. → Example: You should go to the doctor when you are sick."

"during ˈdʊrɪŋ during

: During an event means while the event was happening. → Example: Did you sleep during the movie?"

"football ˈfʊtbɔːl football

: Football is a sport with eleven members and an oval-shaped ball. → Example: Football is a popular sport in the United States."

"fun fÊŒn fun

: When something is fun

"game ɡeɪm game

: A game is an activity where people compete against each other. → Example: Let’s play a board game tonight."

"heart hɑːrt heart

: A heart is an organ that keeps the body alive. → Example: My heart beats fast when I am nervous."

"golf ɡɑːlf golf

: Golf is a sport with clubs and a small white ball. → Example: People play golf in nice weather."

"increase ɪnˈkriːs increase

: To increase is to make something larger. → Example: I will increase my score if I study for the test."

"life laɪf life

: Life is the time when a person is alive. → Example: My grandfather had a long life."

"kilometer kilάmətər kilometer

: A kilometer is a unit of measurement that is 1

"often ˈɒftən often

: Often is when something happens many times. → Example: He often goes to bed early during the week."

"plenty ˈplenti plenty

: If you have plenty of something

"weight weɪt weight

: Weight is how heavy something or someone is. → Example: I gained weight because I ate a lot of pizza."