These lists show you which words are used most often. They give you examples of their correct use in phrases or sentences. Note that some words may be used as noun, verb, adjective etc. For definitions and more uses and different meanings of these words you should refer to a good online dictionary or printed book dictionary of English.
account
act
That film star can act brilliantly.
He was coughing so badly he had to leave the theatre during act three.
The United Nations Security Council condemned the act of war and called for a ceasefire.
action
The police took action to reduce crime.
activity
After the terrorist attack, there was a lot of police activity at the airport.
This learning activity should help you to understand how to calculate the area of a circle.
I cannot see any benefit in allowing this dangerous activity to take place.
age
What age are you? Only people aged 18 and over are allowed in this club.
agreement
The committee members were in agreement about the new policy proposals.
The football club signed an agreement with the city council.
Your agreement is vital. Without it, the plans will not be approved.
air
All animals and plants depend on oxygen usually from the air around them.
Air is about 79% nitrogen and 20% oxygen; the rest is other gases including air pollution.
amount
No amount of pressure will cause me to agree to your proposal.
application
The pharmacist said that daily application of the skin cream was necessary.
approach
His approach to the task is to be patient and persuasive; trying to bully people is not the best approach.
If you approach the airport from the south, you will see a large car park.
The scientific approach is dispassionate and rational.
area
The area of a circle is the radius squared multiplied by pi.
This learning activity should help you to understand how to calculate the area of a circle.
arm
art
She loves the world of art and literature.
The art gallery has a fine collection of paintings and statues from all over the world.
authority
The Health Authority gives money to the hospitals.
award
The soldier won a military award for bravery.
He asked the court to award the plaintiff $50000 for the serious injuries he has suffered.
This is the highest academic award that the university can offer.
back
He injured his back in a sports accident.
The two students sat at the back of the class hoping that the teacher would ignore them.
bank
She went to the bank to deposit some cheques and withdraw some cash.
bed
They stayed in bed and breakfast accommodation because it was comfortable and cheap.
The hotel offered us a room with a double bed or two single beds.
bit
That ancient college has a royal charter and coat of arms – a bit like a logo, really!
board
The board of directors ordered all employees to be more efficient and give better service to customers.
body
Her body is healthy but her brain is damaged.
Human communication is affected by body language and tone of voice as well as the actual words spoken.
book
I read the book from cover to cover.
The film is not a patch on the book (colloquial; not as good as).
boy
The boy and his sister played together in the garden.
The boy stood on the burning deck, complaining of the heat. So he stood on his hands and tried to cool his feet.
They have two children – a boy and a girl.
building
business
The abolition of restrictions encourages business expansion.
What business is it of yours?
There was a conflict of interest between his business investments and his job as minister.
Money laundering is used to transfer money from drugs, smuggling and other crimes into legitimate business accounts.
She has a good reputation as a business leader.
His business affairs are kept separate from his political position.
The business students argued about the difference in meaning between
Her university degree is in Business Administration.
car
He was injured in a car accident.
My car has broken down so I will have to go by bus.
New car drivers must learn to operate the controls with skill.
The car repair job took 3 days.
The road was wide enough for the car to overtake.
You can use my car to drive to town.
If you approach the airport from the south, you will see a large car park.
The car factory has installed a new assembly line.
I need to insure my car against fire, theft and collision damage risks.
care
The old woman was in need of care due to her illness.
The children played happily without a care in the world.
He needs hospital care to recover from the suregery.
case
I’ll wait for you in case you are late.
You travel light; you have only one case and I have several bags.
He always carried his credit card in case of emergency.
centre
The sun is the centre of our universe.
century
The nineteenth century was a very turbulent period in British history.
Robertson scored his first century in yesterday
chance
When you fly there is a chance that the airline will lose your bags at the airport.
Football is a game of skill but there is still an element of chance that produces surprise results.
change
She wished for a change in the weather.
He brought a change of clothes.
I didn’t have any small change so gave him paper money.
My decision is final; you will not persuade me to change my opinion.
chapter
When he returned from the war, he started a new chapter in his life.
The Moseley Chapter of the association meets every Friday evening.
child
He was convicted of child abuse.
My child is sick. Her children are 6 and 8 years old.
church
The Catholic Church is a very large organization with hundreds of millions of believers.
This church was built 500 years ago but is still used for worship today.
city
Mr Khan works in a city office.
Which way (direction) is it to the city centre?
The football club signed an agreement with the city council.
The baby was born at 03:30 in the city hospital.
He said that Vancouver is the best city bar none. (
London is the capital city of England.
Land is very expensive – especially in city centres and crowded countries.
class
My school class is learning English. .
High class restaurants are usually expensive.
The two students sat at the back of the class hoping that the teacher would ignore them.
club
The student joined a sports club and a musical society.
The football club signed an agreement with the city council.
Manchester United football club has bought a new player – he cost over a million Euro.
committee
The committee members were in agreement about the new policy proposals.
I hope the report is on the agenda of the committee meeting.
community
There is a public party tonight in the community hall.
company
The accountant produced the company accounts for the tax inspector.
Don’t keep company with bad people.
The company went into administration and eventually closed down.
The labour union leaders and the company management reached a pay deal and averted a strike.
The company has advertised a new post – Chief Accounting Officer.
computer
Searching and sorting are very demanding computer applications.
The computer system failed to work properly.
condition
contract
They met to sign the contract of cooperation between the parties.
control
The government has no control over the weather.
cost
The cost of raw materials has increased by 12% since last year.
His drunken driving cost him his life.
Manchester United football club has bought a new player – he cost over a million Euro.
council
The local council looks after street cleaning.
She was elected to the Council of Ministers.
The United Nations Security Council condemned the act of war and called for a ceasefire.
They applied to the local council for planning approval to build a new office block.
country
We visited a country park.
France is a large country in Europe.
It is your duty to be loyal to your country and be a good citizen.
course
The course of history is complex and erratic.
The race course was very crowded with spectators.
court
The court of King Rascali was corrupt.
The judge sits in court and hears criminal cases.
The court is very busy – the judge has to hear several cases this week.
The lawyer submitted a detailed argument to the court claiming that the defendant had an alibi.
He asked the court to award the plaintiff $50000 for the serious injuries he has suffered.
The decison of the district court was overturned by the higher court of appeal.
data
The word data was originally the plural of datum.
Nowadays, the word data is generally used as an uncountable (mass) noun.
The lack of data makes it difficult to decide.
The Data Protection Officer refused to allow disclosure of private information.
date
What date is it today?
day
The day after tomorrow is Thursday.
The unnecessary movement of vehicles every day is a major cause of pollution.
death
decision
My decision is final; you will not persuade me to change my opinion.
department
Which department do you work in?
detail
Attention to detail is vital in forensic science.
development
Educational development is very important for the nation.
Foreign governments give development aid to poorer countries.
The Expressionist movement was an important stage in the development of modern art.
difference
The business students argued about the difference in meaning between
director
She is the director responsible for the new department.
door
Please close the door when you go out.
education
effect
What effect will this have on my salary?
end
At the end of the day.
The far end of the road.
At the end of the meeting, there was a collection to raise money for the project.
event
evidence
example
He tries to be a role model and set a good example to all the young people.
experience
He has three years job experience in this industry.
eye
He has an eye for fine art.
Keep an eye on the children.
My left eye is hurting.
face
The face of modern Britain.
He washed his face and brushed his hair.
fact
Is this fact or fiction?
The fact is, I overslept.
family
This family of plants is nearing extinction.
My family consists of my mother, my father and me.
The family is on benefit; they depend on welfare benefits because there are so few jobs available.
father
My family consists of my mother, my father and me.
My mother and father have two children: a daughter and a son.
He became lord of the manor when his father died.
field
The farmer planted rice in his field and hopes to harvest it in a few months
Many students find physics to be a difficult field of study.
The football field was so muddy the team could not play in their usual style.
figure
Look at the map in figure 8.
firm
The firm will enter a new market next year.
The firm needed to raise more capital to finance new investment in export markets.
His firm had great difficulty in obtaining finance to buy the expensive new machine.
food
The food shortages led to civil unrest.
foot
In Imperial measurements, the foot is a unit of length; a metric metre is about three feet.
force
This experiment demonstrates the force fields around a magnet.
You will need a lot of force to break down that security door.
The police force hopes to recruit women trainees.
The force of Earth
form
The footballer was in good form and scored two goals.
Fill in the form using a ballpoint pen.
friend
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
My friend John lives nearby.
game
Football is a game of skill but there is still an element of chance that produces surprise results.
girl
This girl is going to be a star. Her singing voice is amazing!
government
The government has no control over the weather.
The government increase security controls due to the bomb scare.
The government is in charge of the army, education, health and trade.
He tried to gain an unfair advantage by bribing the government official.
ground
The football ground was very crowded with supporters of both teams.
I felt a movement in the ground and feared that it was an earthquake.
group
A group of students were chatting.
On the basis of 5 litres per person, he calculated the group would need 50 litres of water per day.
hand
He lost his right hand in an industrial accident.
head
They were at the head of the race.
She is the head of marketing.
health
The Health Authority gives money to the hospitals.
The government is in charge of the army, education, health and trade.
history
The course of history is complex and erratic.
home
He lives at home with his parents.
England was the home of the industrial revolution.
hospital
He needs hospital care to recover from the suregery.
The accident victim was treated by a hospital doctor and nurses.
hour
An hour has 60 minutes.
house
My house is on this street.
Part of the house fell down.
The house was in a poor state (condition).
One of the rooms in his house is used as a study.
The British House of Lords is unelected and some say undemocratic – but it works quite well most of the time.
hundred
One hundred metres is often written as 100m.
idea
He has no idea about cooking.
I have an idea for a new book.
industry
information
He gave false information to the police.
interest
He paid 12% interest on his loan.
Did he show any interest in her painting?
There was a conflict of interest between his business investments and his job as minister.
He earned 8% interest on the money in his savings account.
issue
Government issue clothing for soldiers is usually very strong and hardwearing.
job
Have you posted your job application?
He has three years job experience in this industry.
There was a conflict of interest between his business investments and his job as minister.
It’s quite a job to climb that steep hill.
My job is well-paid and I I hope for another salary increase soon.
The car repair job took 3 days.
kind
What kind of fruit is this?
She is very kind and generous to everyone.
king
The court of King Rascali was corrupt.
He played the part of King Lear in the play.
land
I bought some land so that I can build a new house.
language
Human communication is affected by body language and tone of voice as well as the actual words spoken.
law
The new law was passed in parliament and enforced by the courts.
The law of nature says that all living things must eventually die.
leader
letter
The applicant received his letter of acceptance from the university.
I wrote the letter and then put it in the post today so you should receive it by tomorrow.
level
The builder used a spirit-level to check whether the wall was level and true.
life
My aim in life is to work hard and to play hard.
light
line
The line of shoppers grew longer and longer.
lord
He became lord of the manor when his father died.
lot
There is a lot of crime in this area.
A lot of people were at the market.
After the terrorist attack, there was a lot of police activity at the airport.
She works in administration and has to do a lot of paperwork.
You will need a lot of force to break down that security door.
man
This man works hard in the factory all day.
The police arrested the man and accused him of murder.
The old man was born a very long time ago.
If a dog bites a man, that is not news but if a man bites a dog, the newspapers will be interested.
management
The labour union leaders and the company management reached a pay deal and averted a strike.
manager
She is manager of the advice centre.
market
The firm will enter a new market next year.
material
She bought some material to make a new dress.
Building material is very expensive but usually lasts a long time.
matter
meeting
The meeting discussed every item on the agenda.
The chairman called the meeting to order so that they could begin formal discussions.
member
Are you a member of this club?
She is a respected member of the community.
method
million
Manchester United football club has bought a new player – he cost over a million Euro.
mind
She has a brilliant mind – extremely intelligent and well-educated.
Do you mind if I sit here? No, I don
minister
The minister was accountable to parliament.
He was a minister in the Blair government.
She trained as minister of religion.
Mr Trasker is the Minister of Defence in the Social Democratic government.
minute
The forensic scientist found minute particles on his clothing. They were so tiny you could not see them with the naked eye.
model
The model aircraft is operated by radio control.
He tries to be a role model and set a good example to all the young people.
moment
Wait a moment! This is not the right moment to go away. At moments like this, we need to be careful.
money
The Health Authority gives money to the hospitals.
Do you have any money to hand?
I have no money so I cannot buy a new car.
Money laundering is used to transfer money from drugs, smuggling and other crimes into legitimate business accounts.
He earned 8% interest on the money in his savings account.
OXFAM and other charities launched an appeal to raise money for poor people.
At the end of the meeting, there was a collection to raise money for the project.
month
February is the only calendar month with 28 days.
morning
In the morning I go to school, in the afternoon I play sport and in the evening I read books.
mother
The mother fed her children.
The mother ship was escorted into harbour.
Her choice of clothes surprised her mother. Her mother wanted her to choose different clothes.
My mother and father have two children: a daughter and a son.
movement
I felt a movement in the ground and feared that it was an earthquake.
The unnecessary movement of vehicles every day is a major cause of pollution.
The Expressionist movement was an important stage in the development of modern art.
Mr
Mrs
name
My name is Peter.
What’s the name of your hotel?
Can you name the 27 countries of the European Union?
I wrote his name and address in my notebook.
nature
The law of nature says that all living things must eventually die.
need
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
I need a new part for my car.
The old woman was in need of care due to her illness.
On the basis of 5 litres per person, he calculated the group would need 50 litres of water per day.
We need to budget for further expansion and increased advetising expenditure.
Students need careful advice about making wise career choices.
You will need a lot of force to break down that security door.
Wait a moment! This is not the right moment to go away. At moments like this, we need to be careful.
I need to insure my car against fire, theft and collision damage risks.
night
I have to work the night shift on alternate weeks.
north
The division of Korea into north and south many years ago still has serious consequences today.
number
This number is greater than ten.
office
I work in an office building.
The office of President is extremely powerful.
I asked at the theatre box office but they said that no seats were available.
They applied to the local council for planning approval to build a new office block.
officer
The Data Protection Officer refused to allow disclosure of private information.
operation
She is revcovering from an operation in hospital.
The operation of this laboratory equipment is quite difficult.
opportunity
order
The chairman called the meeting to order so that they could begin formal discussions.
other
Money laundering is used to transfer money from drugs, smuggling and other crimes into legitimate business accounts.
The other side of the moon.
Air is about 79% nitrogen and 20% oxygen; the rest is other gases including air pollution.
OXFAM and other charities launched an appeal to raise money for poor people.
paper
I didn’t have any small change so gave him paper money.
You should draw the picture on very thick paper or card.
parent
part
I need a new part for my car.
He played the part of King Lear in the play.
I take part in sports.
Google Earth lets you zoom in on photographs of any part of the world.
party
It was no accident that they left the party at the same time.
We had a birthday party on Friday.
The Labour Party candidate was successful in the election.
There is a public party tonight in the community hall.
patient
His approach to the task is to be patient and persuasive; trying to bully people is not the best approach.
people
Some English people find strong Scottish accents difficult to understand.
With the arrival of foreign soldiers, the people were anxious.
Other people were present.
Some people eat pork and some don’t.
A lot of people were at the market.
What age are you? Only people aged 18 and over are allowed in this club.
His approach to the task is to be patient and persuasive; trying to bully people is not the best approach.
Most people have two arms and two legs. He has a tatoo on his right arm.
This baby submarine can carry two people to depths of 500 metres.
The MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) said it would bring about improvements in the lives of ordinary people in Zimbabwe.
per cent (%)
Inflation increased to 5 per cent (%) last year.
period
He was absent for a period of three weeks.
The period from June to August is a very busy time.
Her period was overdue.
The nineteenth century was a very turbulent period in British history.
person
He is a person of integrity.
She was acting like a very upset person but I
picture
You should draw the picture on very thick paper or card.
place
This is the place to be.
plan
We asked the architect to draw a plan of the proposed new house.
When do you plan to get married?
point
What is the point of doing that?
What is your point of view?
police
The police took action to reduce crime.
The protesters could not cross the police line.
The police arrested the man and accused him of murder.
After the terrorist attack, there was a lot of police activity at the airport.
The police became suspicious of his association with known terrorists and they brought him in for questioning.
The police force hopes to recruit women trainees.
After the fight, the police charged the suspect with assault.
policy
It is our policy to look after all our customers.
The committee members were in agreement about the new policy proposals.
position
pound
power
Electric power is used for lighting, cooking and heating.
Political power corrupts many leaders.
practice
president
The office of President is extremely powerful.
The soldiers stood to attention and saluted when the president drove past.
price
The price of freedom is obedience to the law.
The price of bread has increased greatly.
We will not refund the ticket price under any circumstances.
problem
I have a problem with my car.
process
product
production
Component shortages delayed production of the new cars.
programme
project
The New Deal was a major project aimed at creating jobs and reducing poverty in America.
property
quality
question
It’s a question of common sense.
I asked a question and he gave me an answer.
range
rate
What rate do you charge?
reason
He asked for the reason I was late.
Logic and reason can solve many problems but not all.
record
relationship
report
I was shocked by the report on global warming.
Jane’s school report was excellent.
I hope the report is on the agenda of the committee meeting.
research
He spent five years at the university doing research for a doctor of philosophy degree.
result
The result of his negligence was severe injury.
What was the result of the test?
right
He lost his right hand in an industrial accident.
She is right to complain about the poor working conditions.
We have the right to vote.
Most people have two arms and two legs. He has a tatoo on his right arm.
The right to bear arms is enshrined in the US constitution. Firearms are dangerous.
Wait a moment! This is not the right moment to go away. At moments like this, we need to be careful.
road
Hard work is the road to success.
The road was wide enough for the car to overtake.
role
He tries to be a role model and set a good example to all the young people.
room
It looks so crowded; is there any room (space) to sit down?
This room is used for storing boxes.
The hotel offered us a room with a double bed or two single beds.
rule
scheme
school
The alterations to the school rules were among many proposed changes.
My school class is learning English. .
Jane’s school report was excellent.
The school of fish swam away.
He liked the school teacher because she was knowledgeable and entertaining.
The school year has three terms or trimesters.
I like my new school – it’s a friendly but hard-working environment.
She wrote an interesting article for the school magazine.
Secretary
section
security
The government increase security controls due to the bomb scare.
The United Nations Security Council condemned the act of war and called for a ceasefire.
President Obama will address the United Nations Security Council.
You will need a lot of force to break down that security door.
sense
service
What time does the bus service start?
The religious service began at 10:00.
The service is very fast in this restaurant.
The board of directors ordered all employees to be more efficient and give better service to customers.
share
side
The other side of the moon.
This side of summer.
This side of the road.
A side of beef.
sir
situation
society
son
sort
south
The division of Korea into north and south many years ago still has serious consequences today.
staff
stage
The Expressionist movement was an important stage in the development of modern art.
state
The house was in a poor state (condition).
story
street
The local council looks after street cleaning.
structure
student
The student joined a sports club and a musical society.
study
Conscientious study (process of learning) is the key to examination success.
The professor published his study of AIDS.
Psychologists study human behaviour and make associations between stimuli and responses.
subject
support
system
The computer system failed to work properly.
table
tax
The accountant produced the company accounts for the tax inspector.
teacher
He liked the school teacher because she was knowledgeable and entertaining.
The two students sat at the back of the class hoping that the teacher would ignore them.
The teacher told the students to pay attention to the explanations.
The mathematics teacher wrote the equation on the board.
The science teacher explained the danger of acid being spilled in the laboratory.
team
You hope your team will win but you can
The football field was so muddy the team could not play in their usual style.
term
The criminal was sentenced to a term of 10 years in jail.
What does the scientific term ‘relativity’ mean?
test
theory
thing
What is this thing lying on the floor?
time
What time does the bus service start?
What time is it?
The old man was born a very long time ago.
town
Our town is too small to be a city.
The hotel is in the town centre.
trade
training
type
union
The labour union leaders and the company management reached a pay deal and averted a strike.
unit
In Imperial measurements, the foot is a unit of length; a metric metre is about three feet.
university
This is the highest academic award that the university can offer.
He spent five years at the university doing research for a doctor of philosophy degree.
Her university degree is in Business Administration.
use
What use are tea leaves if you have no hot water?
You can use my car to drive to town.
The FBI use secret agents to smash drugs cartels.
value
What is the value of this gold chain?
view
The view from Cape Town
voice
Human communication is affected by body language and tone of voice as well as the actual words spoken.
This girl is going to be a star. Her singing voice is amazing!
wall
The builder used a spirit-level to check whether the wall was level and true.
war
The war on poverty is urgent.
There is a war of words between the politicians.
The United Nations Security Council condemned the act of war and called for a ceasefire.
water
There is a shortage of water in the desert.
She drinks two litres of water every day.
The laboratory analysis showed that the water was dangerously polluted.
On the basis of 5 litres per person, he calculated the group would need 50 litres of water per day.
way
I enjoy this way (method) of learning.
Which way (direction) is it to the city centre?
week
wife
window
woman
She was the first woman to be become president.
The old woman was in need of care due to her illness.
word
The word ‘book’ can be used as a noun, as an adjective and as a verb.
They got word of his death.
I found the word in the dictionary.
The word data was originally the plural of datum.
Nowadays, the word data is generally used as an uncountable (mass) noun.
work
I work in an office building.
Hard work is the road to success.
The computer system failed to work properly.
I enjoy my work as a teacher.
Now that the boss is back, we had better work faster.
I have to work the night shift on alternate weeks.
My aim in life is to work hard and to play hard.
What percentage of students work hard for their examinations?
Which department do you work in?
worker
world
She loves the world of art and literature.
He flew around the world in 3 days.
year
The school year has three terms or trimesters.
Last year I went to Spain.
A year has 12 months.
We pay our taxes year after year.