Unit 1 - Gold Experience B2

anxious

Meaning: worried or nervous about something that may happen

Example 1: I felt anxious before the job interview.

Example 2: She gets anxious when she has too much work to finish.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; anxious about + noun / anxious to + verb

Spanish: ansioso/a

delighted

Meaning: very pleased and happy

Example 1: I was delighted to hear that you got the job.

Example 2: She was delighted with the results.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; delighted to + verb / delighted with + noun

Spanish: encantado/a; muy contento/a

determined

Meaning: having a strong decision to do something and not give up

Example 1: I'm determined to improve my English this year.

Example 2: She was determined not to make the same mistake again.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; determined to + verb / determined not to + verb

Spanish: decidido/a; determinado/a

insulted

Meaning: offended because someone said or did something disrespectful

Example 1: He felt insulted by the comment.

Example 2: I was insulted when they laughed at my idea.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; feel/be insulted by + noun

Spanish: insultado/a; ofendido/a

moved

Meaning: having strong emotions because of something touching or meaningful

Example 1: I was deeply moved by his speech.

Example 2: She felt moved when she saw everyone helping each other.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; moved by + noun

Spanish: conmovido/a

offended

Meaning: upset or angry because something seems rude or disrespectful

Example 1: She was offended by his joke.

Example 2: I hope you weren't offended by what I said.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; offended by/at + noun

Spanish: ofendido/a

petrified

Meaning: extremely frightened

Example 1: I was petrified when the plane started shaking.

Example 2: She's petrified of spiders.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; petrified of + noun / petrified that + clause

Spanish: aterrorizado/a

relieved

Meaning: happy because something difficult or worrying has ended or did not happen

Example 1: I was relieved to hear that everything was fine.

Example 2: She felt relieved after finishing the exam.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; relieved to + verb / relieved that + clause

Spanish: aliviado/a

strong-willed

Meaning: very determined and not easily influenced by other people

Example 1: He's strong-willed and rarely changes his mind.

Example 2: You need to be strong-willed to stick to a difficult routine.

Pattern / Usage: compound adjective

Spanish: de carácter firme; con mucha fuerza de voluntad

sympathetic

Meaning: showing that you understand and care about someone else's problems

Example 1: My manager was sympathetic when I explained the situation.

Example 2: She was very sympathetic towards the students.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; sympathetic to/towards + person or situation

Spanish: comprensivo/a; que muestra empatía

tense

Meaning: nervous, worried, or unable to relax

Example 1: The atmosphere became tense before the announcement.

Example 2: I always feel tense before an important meeting.

Pattern / Usage: adjective

Spanish: tenso/a

terrified

Meaning: extremely afraid

Example 1: He was terrified of flying.

Example 2: I was terrified when I heard someone outside the house.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; terrified of + noun/-ing / terrified that + clause

Spanish: aterrorizado/a

thrilled

Meaning: extremely pleased and excited

Example 1: I was thrilled to be invited to the final.

Example 2: She's thrilled about moving to New York.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; thrilled to + verb / thrilled about + noun/-ing

Spanish: emocionadísimo/a; encantado/a

understanding

Meaning: kind and willing to accept why someone has a problem or makes a mistake

Example 1: My teacher was very understanding when I arrived late.

Example 2: Try to be understanding if someone is having a difficult day.

Pattern / Usage: adjective

Spanish: comprensivo/a

add to

Meaning: to increase or contribute to something

Example 1: The extra traffic will add to the problem.

Example 2: His experience adds to the value of the team.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; add to + noun

Spanish: sumar a; aumentar

get sth across

Meaning: to make an idea or message understood

Example 1: I couldn't get my point across in the meeting.

Example 2: The advertisement gets the message across very clearly.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; get + object + across

Spanish: lograr comunicar o hacer entender algo

give sth away

Meaning: to give something to someone for free, or to reveal a secret

Example 1: I gave my old clothes away.

Example 2: Don't give the ending away before I watch the film.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; separable: give + object + away

Spanish: regalar algo; revelar algo

give sth up

Meaning: to stop doing or having something

Example 1: He gave up smoking last year.

Example 2: Don't give up just because the first attempt was difficult.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; give up + noun/-ing

Spanish: dejar/abandonar algo

miss out on sth

Meaning: to lose the chance to experience or benefit from something

Example 1: I don't want to miss out on the trip.

Example 2: If you leave early, you'll miss out on the best part.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; miss out on + noun

Spanish: perderse algo

put sb off doing sth

Meaning: to make someone not want to do something

Example 1: The bad weather put me off going for a run.

Example 2: Don't let one bad experience put you off trying again.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; put + person + off + -ing

Spanish: quitarle a alguien las ganas de hacer algo

take off

Meaning: to leave the ground in an aircraft, or to remove clothing

Example 1: Our plane took off on time.

Example 2: He took off his jacket when he came inside.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; intransitive for aircraft / separable with clothing

Spanish: despegar; quitarse algo

try sth out

Meaning: to use or test something to see whether you like it or it works

Example 1: I'd like to try the new app out.

Example 2: Try out this exercise and see how you feel.

Pattern / Usage: phrasal verb; separable: try + object + out

Spanish: probar algo

feel a sense of achievement

Meaning: to feel proud because you have successfully completed something difficult

Example 1: I felt a real sense of achievement after finishing the course.

Example 2: Running my first 10K gave me a strong sense of achievement.

Pattern / Usage: collocation: feel a sense of achievement

Spanish: sentir una sensación de logro

have a sense of adventure

Meaning: to enjoy trying new, exciting, or unusual experiences

Example 1: You need a sense of adventure to travel alone for months.

Example 2: She has a strong sense of adventure and loves exploring new places.

Pattern / Usage: collocation: have a sense of adventure

Spanish: tener espíritu/sentido de aventura

have a sense of direction

Meaning: to be good at knowing where you are and how to get somewhere

Example 1: I have a terrible sense of direction and always get lost.

Example 2: He has a good sense of direction, so let him lead the way.

Pattern / Usage: collocation: have a good/bad sense of direction

Spanish: tener sentido de la orientación

have a sense of fun

Meaning: to enjoy humour, games, and enjoyable activities

Example 1: She has a great sense of fun and makes everyone laugh.

Example 2: A good team needs people who have a sense of fun.

Pattern / Usage: collocation: have a sense of fun

Spanish: tener sentido de la diversión

have a sense of freedom

Meaning: to feel free and independent

Example 1: Living alone gave me a new sense of freedom.

Example 2: Cycling through the countryside gives her a sense of freedom.

Pattern / Usage: collocation: have a sense of freedom

Spanish: tener una sensación de libertad

have a sense of humour

Meaning: to understand and enjoy jokes and funny situations

Example 1: My boss has a great sense of humour.

Example 2: It's easier to get along with someone who has a sense of humour.

Pattern / Usage: collocation: have a good/great sense of humour

Spanish: tener sentido del humor

have a sense of rhythm

Meaning: to naturally understand and follow a musical beat

Example 1: You need a good sense of rhythm to dance well.

Example 2: He has an excellent sense of rhythm and learns songs quickly.

Pattern / Usage: collocation: have a good sense of rhythm

Spanish: tener sentido del ritmo

achievement

Meaning: something you succeed in doing, especially after effort

Example 1: Graduating from university was a major achievement for her.

Example 2: Finishing the project on time was a real achievement.

Pattern / Usage: noun; achieve (verb) → achievement (noun)

Spanish: logro

confidence

Meaning: the feeling that you can trust your abilities or decisions

Example 1: Speaking every day helped me build confidence in English.

Example 2: She answered the questions with confidence.

Pattern / Usage: noun; confident (adj) → confidence (noun); confidence in + noun

Spanish: confianza

deafness

Meaning: the condition of being unable or having difficulty hearing

Example 1: The illness caused partial deafness.

Example 2: There are technologies that can help people with deafness.

Pattern / Usage: noun; deaf (adj) → deafness (noun)

Spanish: sordera

difference

Meaning: the way in which two people or things are not the same

Example 1: There's a big difference between knowing a word and using it naturally.

Example 2: Can you tell the difference between these two accents?

Pattern / Usage: noun; different (adj) → difference (noun); difference between A and B

Spanish: diferencia

excitement

Meaning: a strong feeling of enthusiasm and eagerness

Example 1: There was a lot of excitement before the final.

Example 2: The children shouted with excitement.

Pattern / Usage: noun; excited/exciting → excitement

Spanish: emoción; entusiasmo

fitness

Meaning: the condition of being physically healthy and strong

Example 1: Regular exercise can improve your fitness.

Example 2: He works on his fitness three times a week.

Pattern / Usage: noun; fit (adj) → fitness (noun)

Spanish: estado físico; buena forma física

happiness

Meaning: the feeling or state of being happy

Example 1: Money can contribute to happiness, but it isn't everything.

Example 2: Her face showed pure happiness.

Pattern / Usage: noun; happy (adj) → happiness (noun)

Spanish: felicidad

laziness

Meaning: the quality of not wanting to work or make an effort

Example 1: Laziness isn't the reason; he's simply exhausted.

Example 2: He blamed his poor result on laziness.

Pattern / Usage: noun; lazy (adj) → laziness (noun)

Spanish: pereza

tiredness

Meaning: the state of feeling tired

Example 1: Tiredness can make it harder to concentrate.

Example 2: I couldn't hide my tiredness after the long flight.

Pattern / Usage: noun; tired (adj) → tiredness (noun)

Spanish: cansancio

accessible

Meaning: easy to reach, enter, use, or understand

Example 1: The building is accessible by public transport.

Example 2: The teacher made the topic accessible to beginners.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; accessible to + person / accessible by + transport

Spanish: accesible

achievable

Meaning: possible to accomplish successfully

Example 1: Set small, achievable goals at the beginning.

Example 2: The target is ambitious but achievable.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; achieve → achievable

Spanish: alcanzable; realizable

childish

Meaning: behaving in a silly or immature way

Example 1: Stop being childish and talk about the problem calmly.

Example 2: His reaction was a little childish.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; child → childish

Spanish: infantil

comfortable

Meaning: feeling relaxed and physically or emotionally at ease

Example 1: These shoes are really comfortable.

Example 2: I feel comfortable speaking English with close friends.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; comfortable with + noun / comfortable doing + -ing

Spanish: cómodo/a

competitive

Meaning: wanting to win or be more successful than others

Example 1: He's extremely competitive when he plays football.

Example 2: The job market is becoming more competitive.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; compete → competitive

Spanish: competitivo/a

dreadful

Meaning: very bad or unpleasant

Example 1: The weather was dreadful all weekend.

Example 2: I had a dreadful headache yesterday.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; informal strong negative adjective

Spanish: horrible; espantoso/a

energetic

Meaning: full of energy and enthusiasm

Example 1: She's very energetic in the mornings.

Example 2: We need an energetic person to lead the activity.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; energy → energetic

Spanish: enérgico/a

excitable

Meaning: easily made excited or enthusiastic

Example 1: The puppy is very excitable around new people.

Example 2: He becomes excitable before big matches.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; excite → excitable

Spanish: que se entusiasma/excita fácilmente

fashionable

Meaning: popular and considered stylish at a particular time

Example 1: That neighbourhood has become very fashionable.

Example 2: Wide-leg trousers are fashionable again.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; fashion → fashionable

Spanish: de moda

foolish

Meaning: not showing good judgement or sense

Example 1: It was foolish to spend all my savings at once.

Example 2: Don't make a foolish decision because you're angry.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; fool → foolish

Spanish: tonto/a; imprudente

hopeful

Meaning: feeling or showing hope about the future

Example 1: I'm hopeful that the situation will improve.

Example 2: She sounded hopeful about getting the job.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; hopeful that + clause / hopeful about + noun

Spanish: esperanzado/a

hopeless

Meaning: having no chance of success, or very bad at something

Example 1: The situation looked hopeless at first.

Example 2: I'm hopeless at remembering people's birthdays.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; hopeless at + noun/-ing

Spanish: sin esperanza; pésimo/a

painless

Meaning: not causing physical pain or difficulty

Example 1: The procedure was quick and painless.

Example 2: The transfer process should be relatively painless.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; pain → painless

Spanish: indoloro/a; sin dolor

painful

Meaning: causing physical or emotional pain

Example 1: My knee was painful after the match.

Example 2: It was a painful decision to leave the company.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; pain → painful

Spanish: doloroso/a

repetitive

Meaning: involving the same action or idea again and again

Example 1: The job became boring and repetitive.

Example 2: Doing repetitive exercises can still be useful for pronunciation.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; repeat → repetitive

Spanish: repetitivo/a

scientific

Meaning: related to science or based on scientific methods

Example 1: There is little scientific evidence for that claim.

Example 2: The team carried out a scientific study.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; science → scientific

Spanish: científico/a

visible

Meaning: able to be seen

Example 1: The mountains were clearly visible from the hotel.

Example 2: There was no visible damage to the car.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; visible to/from + noun

Spanish: visible

not really worth it

Meaning: not good, useful, or enjoyable enough to justify the cost, time, or effort

Example 1: The restaurant was expensive and not really worth it.

Example 2: It's a two-hour drive for a ten-minute visit, so it's not really worth it.

Pattern / Usage: fixed phrase; be worth it

Spanish: realmente no vale la pena

perfect

Meaning: exactly right or suitable for a particular purpose

Example 1: This café is perfect for studying.

Example 2: The weather was perfect for a bike ride.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; perfect for + noun/-ing

Spanish: perfecto/a

thoroughly

Meaning: completely and carefully

Example 1: I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

Example 2: Make sure you thoroughly check the document before sending it.

Pattern / Usage: adverb; often before a verb/adjective

Spanish: completamente; a fondo

won't regret

Meaning: will be happy with a decision and not wish you had chosen differently

Example 1: Try the local food—you won't regret it.

Example 2: Book the trip now; you won't regret it.

Pattern / Usage: recommendation phrase: You won't regret + noun/-ing

Spanish: no te vas a arrepentir

worth trying

Meaning: good or interesting enough to make an attempt worthwhile

Example 1: The new restaurant is definitely worth trying.

Example 2: If the first method doesn't work, this one is worth trying.

Pattern / Usage: pattern: worth + -ing; NOT worth to try

Spanish: vale la pena probarlo

wouldn't recommend

Meaning: a polite way to say that you think something is not a good choice

Example 1: I wouldn't recommend driving there at rush hour.

Example 2: I wouldn't recommend that hotel if you want somewhere quiet.

Pattern / Usage: pattern: wouldn't recommend + noun/-ing / wouldn't recommend that + clause

Spanish: no lo recomendaría

affect

Meaning: to cause a change in someone or something

Example 1: The weather can affect your mood.

Example 2: Rising costs affected the company's results.

Pattern / Usage: verb; affect + object

Spanish: afectar

apparently

Meaning: according to what you have heard or understood, although you are not completely certain

Example 1: Apparently, the meeting has been cancelled.

Example 2: He's apparently moving to Spain next month.

Pattern / Usage: sentence adverb; often at the beginning of a sentence

Spanish: aparentemente; por lo visto

approve

Meaning: to officially accept something, or to think something is good or acceptable

Example 1: The board approved the new budget.

Example 2: My parents don't approve of smoking.

Pattern / Usage: verb; approve + object / approve of + noun/-ing

Spanish: aprobar; estar de acuerdo

conclude

Meaning: to decide something after considering the evidence, or to bring something to an end

Example 1: The report concluded that the project was viable.

Example 2: She concluded the presentation with three recommendations.

Pattern / Usage: verb; conclude that + clause / conclude with + noun

Spanish: concluir

cosy

Meaning: warm, comfortable, and pleasant, especially a small place

Example 1: We found a cosy little café near the station.

Example 2: The room feels cosy in winter.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; British spelling 'cosy'

Spanish: acogedor/a

dismiss

Meaning: to decide that an idea is not worth considering, or to remove someone from a job

Example 1: Don't dismiss the idea before you hear the details.

Example 2: The company dismissed him for serious misconduct.

Pattern / Usage: verb; dismiss + object / dismiss sth as + noun/adjective

Spanish: descartar; despedir

dull

Meaning: boring, not interesting, or not bright

Example 1: The lecture was a bit dull.

Example 2: The sky was grey and dull all day.

Pattern / Usage: adjective

Spanish: aburrido/a; apagado/a

gift

Meaning: something given to someone, or a natural ability

Example 1: They gave us a small gift after the event.

Example 2: She has a real gift for explaining difficult ideas.

Pattern / Usage: noun; a gift for + noun/-ing

Spanish: regalo; don/talento

nerve-racking

Meaning: making you feel very nervous or worried

Example 1: Waiting for the results was nerve-racking.

Example 2: Giving my first presentation in English was nerve-racking.

Pattern / Usage: compound adjective

Spanish: estresante; que pone muy nervioso

overwhelming

Meaning: very strong, intense, or difficult to deal with

Example 1: The amount of information felt overwhelming at first.

Example 2: She received overwhelming support from her colleagues.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; overwhelming + noun

Spanish: abrumador/a

pigeonhole

Meaning: to put someone or something into a fixed category that may be too simple

Example 1: Don't pigeonhole him as just a technical person.

Example 2: People often get pigeonholed because of their first job.

Pattern / Usage: verb; pigeonhole + person/thing as + category

Spanish: encasillar; encasillamiento

pretty (adv)

Meaning: fairly or quite, especially in informal English

Example 1: The exam was pretty difficult.

Example 2: I'm pretty sure he's coming tonight.

Pattern / Usage: adverb; informal; pretty + adjective/adverb

Spanish: bastante

reluctantly

Meaning: in a way that shows you are unwilling or hesitant

Example 1: He reluctantly agreed to help.

Example 2: She reluctantly admitted that I was right.

Pattern / Usage: adverb; reluctant → reluctantly

Spanish: de mala gana; con reticencia

seminar

Meaning: a class or meeting in which a small group discusses a subject

Example 1: I'm attending a finance seminar next week.

Example 2: The professor led a seminar on corporate strategy.

Pattern / Usage: noun; seminar on/about + topic

Spanish: seminario

willing

Meaning: ready and happy to do something

Example 1: I'm willing to help if you need me.

Example 2: Are you willing to work late tonight?

Pattern / Usage: adjective; willing to + verb

Spanish: dispuesto/a

worthwhile

Meaning: useful, important, or enjoyable enough to justify the time or effort

Example 1: The course was difficult, but it was worthwhile.

Example 2: It's a long trip, but the experience is definitely worthwhile.

Pattern / Usage: adjective; worthwhile activity/experience; compare 'worth + -ing'

Spanish: que va