Descriptors

Practise writing an email to a friend.

Practise writing a letter giving advice.

Practise writing an email describing gifts for a visitor.

Practise replying to an email asking for advice.

Practise writing a report about how people spend their time.

Practise writing a blog entry describing a charity event.

Practise writing an article about an unusual holiday.

Practise writing a blog entry about a trip or holiday.

Practise writing an animal fable.

Practise writing an article about science.

Practise writing a job application email.

Practise writing a news story.

Practise writing an article about science.

Practise writing a film review.

Practise writing a personal email describing a bad month.

Practise writing an email about shopping in your neighbourhood.

Practise writing instructions for making a toy.

Practise writing a letter giving advice.

Practise writing a report of a sighting.

Wordlist

getintouch

get in touch (v)

to contact someone, for example, by letter, email or telephone

kids

kids (n)

children (informal)

loads

loads (quantifier)

a lot of something (informal)

keep

keep an eye on someone (idm)

to watch someone carefully to make sure they are OK

cottage

cottage (n)

a house, often small, in the country

overnight

overnight (adv)

happens/occurs during the night

significant

significant (adj)

important

success

success (n)

something that works well

apply

apply (v)

to be relevant or related to something

vital

vital (adj)

very important

freely

freely (adv)

without restriction

filing

filing cabinet (n)

a piece of office furniture for keeping important papers in

couple

couple (n)

two of something

furniture

furniture (n)

things in a room, like chairs, tables and cupboards.

hall

hall (n)

the area just inside the front door of a house or a waiting area in a building or office

decorate

decorate (v)

to make a place, for example a house, look nice by painting it and putting nice objects in it

manager

manager (n)

a job title; a manager is the person responsible for and in control of a company or business

flight

flight (n)

the noun from the verb to fly; also, a journey on an aeroplane

lethargic

lethargic (adj)

tired, without the energy to do anything

tiring

tiring (adj)

something that makes you feel that you have no energy

lonely

lonely (adj)

feeling unhappy because you are alone, without other people

overland

overland (adj)

by, on, or across land

lorry

lorry (n)

a large type of road transport, normally for moving big or heavy things; in American English: truck

reward

reward (n)

a prize someone gives you for doing something

fridge

fridge (n)

the place where you put food in the kitchen to keep it cold

cheered

cheer up (v)

to become happier

vast

vast (adj)

very big

courtesy

courtesy of (prep)

when someone, often in business, organises something for you and lets you do it for free

chew

chew (v)

to crush food in your mouth with your teeth

fable

fable (n)

a short story with a moral ending; usually the main characters are animals

hunter

hunter (n)

a person who catches and kills animals, or an animal that catches other animals

let_someone_go

let someone go (verb phrase)

to release someone, to free someone who is caught

paw

paw (n)

the foot of an animal with claws; for example, a cat's foot is called a paw

swallow

swallow (v)

to pass food from the mouth down the throat to the stomach

begged

beg (v)

ask repeatedly, ask for something as a favour

trap

trap (n)

a device for catching and holding animals

wagon

wagon (n)

a vehicle used for carrying heavy things; it is usually pulled by an animal or a person

stimulate

stimulate (v)

to make something function more or better

last

last (v)

to continue or exist for a period of time; for example, "The class lasts for two hours"

defences

defences (n)

natural mechanisms your body uses to fight infections and protect itself

cold

cold (n)

a very common illness that affects your nose and head and makes you sneeze

flu

flu (n)

a very common illness, like a bad cold, and usually with a headache and fever

cumulative

cumulative (adj)

increasing, each time becoming more and more

review

review (v)

to remember and think about things that have happened

event

event (n)

something that happens; the events of the day are the things that happen during the day

partner

partner (n)

the person you are married to or have a romantic relationship with

lower

lower (v)

to make less or weaker; if a temperature lowers, it becomes less

hang

hang (v)

to be suspended from a high point

edge

edge (n)

the border or limit of an object or place; for example, "Don't put your cup on the edge of the table - it might fall off."

dial

dial (v)

to press the buttons on a telephone in order to make a call

redialbutton

redial button (n)

a button on a telephone which automatically repeats and reconnects you to the last telephone number you dialled

shepherd

shepherd (n)

someone who looks after sheep

convince

convince (v)

to persuade someone that something is true or correct

smile

smile (v, n)

to move the corners of your mouth up, usually when you are happy

tell

tell (v)

in this context, tell means to know something because you can see, hear, smell, feel or taste that it is true

hard

hard (adj)

difficult

lie

lie (v, n)

to not tell the truth; a lie (n) is what you say when you don't tell the truth

researcher

researcher (n)

a scientist who investigates a particular thing or area

suspect

suspect (v, n)

v: to doubt someone's reasons for doing something; n: a person who the police have concrete reasons to think could be a criminal

train

train (v)

to teach someone to do a particular job or activity

liar

liar (n)

a person who doesn't tell the truth, who lies

neighbourhood

neighbourhood (n)

the local area/small part of the town or city that you live in

straw

straw (n)

a thin plastic tube you use to drink from a glass or can

plasticine

plasticine (n)

soft material made in different colours, for children to play with and make shapes with

clay

clay (n)

a type of earth used to make bricks and pots

firmly

firmly (adv)

strongly, or solidly, so that it doesn't move

blowup

blow up (v)

to inflate or fill something with air; for example, you blow up a balloon

reptile

reptile (n)

the class of animals that includes snakes and lizards

reliable

reliable (adj)

something or someone you can trust or depend on

swamp

swamp (n)

an area of wet land with plants growing in it

eyewitness

eyewitness (n)

someone who has seen an event (such as a crime) and can describe it

track

tracks (n)

signs an animal leaves when it goes from place to place

scarf

scarf (n)

a long piece of cloth you wear around your neck, usually to keep warm

tie

tie (n)

a long thin piece of cloth you wear around your neck, tied with a knot at the front

snack

snack (n)

a small quick meal, or something you eat between meals

pie

pie (n)

meat, fruit or vegetables cooked in pastry

conditioner

conditioner (n)

a liquid you put in your hair (after the shampoo) to make it soft

painkiller

pain killer (n)

medicine you take to stop pain

dentalfloss

dental floss (n)

a thread or string to clean between your teeth

locksmith

locksmith (n)

a person who makes and copies keys, and fits locks on doors

courier

courier (n)

a service that delivers letters and small parcels

drycleaner

dry cleaner (n)

a shop that cleans clothes using chemical liquids, not water

donate

donate (v)

to give money to a charity organisation

leukaemia

leukaemia (n)

a disease of the blood

raise

raise (v)

to collect together

due

due (adj)

expected, planned

sponsorship

sponsorship (n)

money from a business or person

underprivileged

underprivileged (adj)

with less money, fewer possessions and fewer opportunities than average

wig

wig (n)

false or artificial hair to cover the head

critically

critically-acclaimed (adj)

with very good reviews from different critics

childhood

childhood (n)

the time when you are a child

give_up

give up (exp)

to leave, to put an end to

convincing

convincing (adj)

easy to believe, satisfying

beg

beg (v)

to ask someone for something you desperately want