If you know these 75 words and phrases, your English is EXCELLENT. | English with Lucy

Are you ready for a proper English upgrade?

Perfect if you said yes, because this might be one of the most useful lessons I've ever put together.

If you know these 75 words and phrases, Your English is truly outstanding.

This is a total masterclass.

You're going to hear each word or phrase in context, you're going to understand exactly how we use it, and I'm going to test you along the way with quick quizzes to help you retain it all in your brain.

And to make things even easier for you, I have created a free PDF eBook to go with this lesson.

Beautifully designed, full of examples, explanations and exercises.

Everything we cover in today's lesson all in one place.

To download it, click on the link in the description box or scan the QR code there.

Join the mailing list and the PDF will arrive directly in your inbox.

Let's get started with the lesson.

Let's focus now on the 15 phrases I'm about to teach you.

If you get most of these right, it means you are well on your way to fluency.

And don't worry if you don't know all of them, this is a fantastic way to start.

Let's begin with number one, in.

I realise I should have studied harder for that exam.

Take a few seconds to think about how we could fill that gap The answer is hindsight.

In hindsight, I realise I should have studied harder for that exam.

We use the phrase in hindsight to talk about looking back at a situation and understanding it better now than we did at the time.

It combines hind meaning behind or back and sight meaning seeing.

It's like saying i see clearly when i look back.

Okay, keep note of your scores because i'll ask you to share them at the end.

Let's move on to number two.

Can you send me the files before 5pm?

Do, have you got it?

I'll give you five seconds.

The answer is will, will do.

Saying will do is a short and informal way of saying I'll do it or I'll take care of it.

It's fun and it's casual and I use it about 15 times a day.

Yeah, will do, will do.

Don't worry, will do.

Now you might also hear can do, can do.

If you said can do, I will also give you the point.

Okay, moving on to number three, I need you to fill in both blanks here.

You can trust her, she knows when it comes to organising events.

I'll give you five seconds.

If you need a hint, both words start with W.

Okay, the missing words here are, what's what.

You can trust her, she knows what's what when it comes to organising events.

So this is a bit of a strange one, but we say someone knows what's what to mean, they understand the important facts or are very knowledgeable about something.

It sounds far more natural than saying something like she is quite knowledgeable on the subject of etc.

Now, let's move on to number four.

These next three phrases are quite fun.

Here we are.

Are you finished with that report?

More or... Take a few seconds.

The answer is less, more or less.

Now, this is a really common expression.

We use it instead of saying almost, not quite or approximately, more or less.

It's particularly useful when you want to soften your reply of not having something ready.

Rather than saying, no, I haven't finished, you could say, I'm more or less finished.

Are you ready for number five?

I've been picking up a few freelance projects here and... Nothing super steady.

Take a few minutes.

Actually, don't take minutes, take a few seconds.

It's here and there.

Here and there.

We use here and there to describe something that happens randomly or irregularly without a fixed plan.

It suggests an occasional occurrence rather than something consistent.

And it can also be used more literally to mean in various places or all around.

For example, the dog's toys were scattered here and there about the room.

Okay, number six.

Here's your sentence.

The journey to the village will take an hour or take a few minutes.

Have a think.

The missing word is give.

Give or take a few minutes.

We use this phrase when we're estimating time, amounts, or measurements.

It means approximately or plus or minus a small amount.

It's an expression that helps you sound positively fluent.

Okay, number seven.

I need two words this time.

Hey, Mum, can Jamal and I go to a concert tonight?

It starts at 11pm.

That's absolutely of the... It's a school night.

Okay, take your time here.

Okay, here are the answers. out and question.

That's absolutely out of the question.

This is a strong emphatic way of saying absolutely not or just giving a firm no.

That is out of the question.

No, you may not.

It's much more forceful than just saying no.

It shows that there is no room for debate or negotiation.

And it's a great expression for when you want to shut down any argument straight away.

Okay, we're over halfway through here.

Let's take a look at number eight.

I need to buy a new laptop.

Speaking of, how's your new MacBook?

Take a few seconds.

The answer is which.

I need to buy a new laptop.

Speaking of which, how's your new MacBook?

So speaking of which is a fabulous transition phrase.

It helps us to smoothly change topic or add to a topic when something reminds us of a related point.

It's much more natural than suddenly jumping to a new subject.

Number nine.

Let's see how you do with this one.

We have two gaps to fill.

Get me.

I love chocolate, but that cake was way too sweet.

Take a few seconds.

We need don't and wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate, but that cake was way too sweet.

So don't get me wrong is a lovely phrase we might use when we think someone might misunderstand what we're saying or we want to soften something that might upset someone.

We often use it just before we're about to say something that might sound negative or controversial.

Don't misunderstand me.

Don't get me wrong.

So, how are you doing so far?

Are you feeling pretty fluent?

I hope you're counting your scores.

I'd love you to share them at the end.

Let's move on to number 10 now.

This is another expression I use absolutely every single day.

One gap here.

How's your first day at work going?

So far, so... The missing word is good.

So far, so good.

So this is a cautiously optimistic way of saying that things are going well at the moment, though you might be holding your breath a bit.

You know that there's still a way to go, but everything's going well so far.

Okay, number 11.

Let's see if you know what two words we need here.

I know you're torn about moving abroad.

For what?

I think you'd really thrive there.

You've always adapted to new situations easily.

Have a few seconds.

Ready?

We need, it's worth.

For what it's worth.

For what it's worth, I think you'd really thrive there.

So for what it's worth is a lovely, humble way to share your thoughts or opinions on a matter.

And we often use it when we want to offer our opinion without coming across as pushy, or when we're not entirely sure that what we're saying is relevant or useful.

It's almost like saying my opinion isn't everything, but in case it's worth something to you, I'm going to give it to you for what it's worth.

Okay, number 12.

Fill in the blank with a word starting with M.

Her reaction to the election results was definitely a bit, Have a think.

We need much here.

Her reaction was definitely a bit much.

A bit much is how we politely say that something was over the top, unreasonable or went too far.

It's softer than saying, that was ridiculous.

Instead, we say, that was a bit much.

And here's our next one, number 13.

You need a three-letter word, okay?

Here it is.

I've got a fair of work to do this week.

Take a few secs.

The missing word is bit, B-I-T.

I've got a fair bit of work to do this week.

So a fair bit is a wonderfully British way of saying quite a lot.

It's not in our British nature to come right out and say that we are buried in work, so we prefer the softer, more polite, a fair bit.

We like to overstate things by understating them, if you catch my drift.

Okay, penultimate one, the second to last, number 14.

I'm going to need two words in this one.

Ready?

Oh, no.

I spilt water on your book.

Don't worry.

No.

Take some time.

You should have said, harm done.

Don't worry, no harm done.

This is one of my go-to phrases to reassure someone that everything is fine and their actions haven't caused serious damage.

There's nothing to worry about.

And it's particularly useful when someone is feeling embarrassed about a minor mishap and you want to put them at ease quickly.

Also, did you notice the spelling and pronunciation of spilt?

In British English we tend to spell it like this S-P-I-L-T, i-l-t and pronounce it spilt.

In american english they tend to lean towards spilled and spell it s-p-i-l-l-e-d.

Sometimes when i show words with the british spelling, i get accused of misspelling things in my videos, but i assure you it is a correct version.

Okay, last one, number 15.

How you didn't tell me about this sooner.

The missing word is come.

How come you didn't tell me about this sooner?

How come is a friendly, casual way of asking why?

How come?

Why?

It's much softer than demanding, why didn't you?

Why can sometimes sound a bit accusatory.

How come feels more relaxed and natural.

Okay, so how many phrases out of the 15 did you know or guess correctly?

If you manage to complete most of them, you are well on your way to English fluency.

Let's get started with our 15 words.

Make sure you share your score out of 15 in the comment section.

I'll be looking out for them.

The first one, frothy.

Frothy.

I love how this word sounds.

The th sound can be a bit tricky to get though.

Frothy, frothy.

Now, does the word sound familiar to you?

Here it is in context.

The cappuccino was topped with a layer of frothy milk.

We use the adjective frothy to describe liquids which have loads of air bubbles.

Perhaps you've ordered yourself a frothy coffee or a frothy hot chocolate.

Number two, clock.

Clock.

Now, I'm not talking about the noun clock.

Believe it or not, we can use clock as a verb.

Any ideas what this could mean?

Take a look at this sentence.

He clocked their suspicious behaviour and immediately reported it to security.

Clock actually has several meanings as a verb, so I've included some more in the PDF.

But what about right here?

Well, in British English we often use clock to mean notice or realise.

To clock something, to notice something.

Number three, this is cute, tinker.

Tinker.

He spent days tinkering with the old radio in the hope of getting it to work again.

If you tinker with something, you make small changes in an attempt to improve or fix it.

And why not just use the verb improve or fix?

Well, we often use the verb tinker if we're not very hopeful that the object will be improved or fixed.

I often tinker with things.

My dad fixes things.

He fixes the things that I've tinkered with.

Okay, number four, number four.

It's unbelievable how often I do that.

Feign, feign.

Notice the E-I spelling here.

We normally write I-E.

It's normally I before E except after C, but here feign E-I.

Have you heard this word before?

Here it is in a sentence.

She feigned surprise when she heard the news, even though she already knew.

If you feign something, you pretend to have a particular feeling.

She feigned surprise means she pretended to be surprised.

Feign surprise is a very strong collocation that I clearly enjoy acting out.

We can also feign enthusiasm, interest, and illness as well.

Speaking of illness, there's a bit of a clue for the next phrase for number five.

The sniffles, the sniffles.

Maybe you've heard the word sniff.

That's another clue.

Well, the word sniff is onomatopoeic, and this means that it sounds very similar to the word it describes.

Words like bang, swoosh, and crack, they are all onomatopoeic.

Okay, sniff.

Sniff is the sound you make when you breathe in through your nose.

And to have the sniffles is a really cute expression, which means you have a slight cold.

You're sniffing a lot.

Can you pass me the tissues?

I've got the sniffles.

Okay, let's move on to number six.

I love how formal I sound when I say this word.

An example, there is a selection of newspapers and magazines for you to peruse at your leisure.

I sound like I'm in Bridgerton or something.

We often use this word in a humorous way to mean to read something, especially in a careful or thorough way.

Now be careful not to mix this up with the word pursue, just swapping over those letters.

That means to try and achieve or get something.

Number seven, berserk.

Berserk.

You can say berserk or beserk.

I pronounce this word with the voiced z, but you can also pronounce it with the unvoiced s, beserk.

Here's an example.

My mum went berserk when she found out I took her car without asking.

If someone goes berserk, they become uncontrollably angry.

And I mean really angry.

You can make it even stronger and say, my mum went absolutely berserk.

I'm pretty sure that's the angriest you can ever be.

We also do sometimes use it in a slightly more positive way to describe extreme excitement.

For example, the crowd went berserk when Taylor Swift came on stage.

Now, some of you may know that I am a bit of a Swifty, and the next word appears in one of my favourite songs.

Extra points if you can tell me which one it is in the comments.

Number eight, antithetical, antithetical.

An example, the act of violence was antithetical to our national values.

Now, this is a tricky one, and I will admit I looked it up in the dictionary when I heard it for the first time.

If something is antithetical, It's directly the opposite of someone or something.

Even though Taylor Swift uses it in one of her songs, it is pretty formal and you'll likely read it more than you'll hear it.

Okay, time for number nine.

Parched, parched.

An example, I'm parched after that long hike.

So this is an informal expression that means very thirsty.

I'm parched.

We can also use it more generally to describe something that is incredibly dry, like parched land, parched soil or parched lips.

My lips become parched if I sleep in a room with air conditioning.

Number 10, inculcate. inculcate.

An example, my parents tried to inculcate a strong sense of responsibility in me from a young age.

If you inculcate something in or into someone, You gradually put an idea, habit or attitude into their mind.

This usually involves persistent instruction over a long period of time.

Okay, just five to go now.

How are you doing so far?

Are you ready for number 11?

I was talking about this today with my mother.

It is Doomscrolling.

Doomscrolling.

Oh, great word.

This combines the words doom and scrolling.

Do you recognise either of them?

Any guesses as to what it means when we join the two?

Maybe you've heard the phrase doom and gloom, which refers to a feeling of hopelessness.

Scrolling is the act of moving down a screen to read text or to watch short videos, which is my problem.

Here's the compound doom scrolling in a sentence.

He realised his mood was getting worse because of his habit of doom scrolling before bed.

The word doom scrolling refers to the action of addictively consuming negative news on social media, usually on a mobile device.

I need to stop doom scrolling.

There's another phrase i love, which is to get into a scroll hole.

You know when you're on tick tock or instagram and you realize, oh my word, have i just spent 30 minutes just scrolling through my phone?

I'm in a scroll hole.

I don't even know how I got here.

Number 12.

This one's a bit different.

This is an initialism.

An initialism.

An initialism is an abbreviation formed by taking the first letter of the words in the name.

Each letter is pronounced individually.

For example, DVD, digital versatile disc.

Our initialism is ASMR.

Notice how I stress the last letter R.

An example she watches ASMR videos to help her relax and fall asleep.

These kinds of videos have become super popular on YouTube recently, maybe you're a fan.

ASMR is an abbreviation of autonomous sensory meridian response.

It refers to the pleasant sensation you may feel, especially at the top of the head and back of the neck, when you hear certain gentle noises or movements.

These feelings are often referred to as tingles, and the noises or movements that cause them triggers.

I could try it.

Does this make you feel weird?

Not sure if I'd be that good at it.

Number 13, cringe-worthy.

Cringe-worthy, this adjective. perfectly describes my Facebook post from 10 to 15 years ago.

An example his attempt at telling a joke during the meeting was so cringe-worthy that everyone fell silent and avoided eye contact.

When you cringe, you feel horrendously embarrassed and will often make this kind of face or movement.

If something is cringe-worthy, it will make you cringe.

What would you describe as cringe-worthy?

Maybe it's your dad's silly dancing or watching a video of yourself singing karaoke.

Okay, the penultimate one now, nimby.

NIMBY.

This like ASMR is also an abbreviation, but we don't pronounce each letter separately.

And in British English, we don't write it in capital letters.

In the US, you will likely see it written like this, NIMBY.

What is a NIMBY and what does the word stand for?

See if you can guess.

I think you're gonna like this one.

Let's give you an example.

The NIMBYs are opposing the development of a new wind farm in East Lancashire.

NIMBY stands for not in my backyard.

Not in my backyard, NIMBY.

It refers to when people oppose developments close to them but do not object to them being built elsewhere.

A backyard is similar to a garden.

So you're essentially saying no, I don't want that in my garden, but you can build it in someone else's.

And number 15, bounce back ability.

Bounce back ability.

Try saying that really fast.

Bounce back ability.

Here it is in a full sentence.

United's bounce back ability was evident when they won the match after losing their star player to injury early in the game.

This phrase refers to the ability to recover quickly from setbacks, especially in sport.

It comes from the phrasal verb to bounce back, which means to recover.

Okay, how many did you get right?

How many of these words were new to you, and which ones were your favorites?

I do really love nimby.

It's so funny because it's so true.

So many people are like that With these words.

I will say them once so you can think about whether you recognise it.

And then when I say it the second time, I'll show it on screen.

Let's get the ball rolling with a relatively easy word, reckon.

Reckon.

Does it ring any bells?

Here it is in a complete sentence.

I reckon it's gonna rain soon.

Have you got it?

Reckon is an informal verb that means think or believe.

We use it so often in British English.

I reckon that I use it around 100 times a day.

Number two, core.

Core.

Notice how I don't pronounce the R in core.

There's no R sound there.

It's just that long vowel sound, or, core.

An example using core, my dad reading me a story before bed is one of my core childhood memories.

Core is such a beautifully versatile word.

As a noun, it means the central or middle part of something. like an apple core or the earth's core.

When used as an adjective, it usually refers to the central or key part of something.

A core memory is a significant memory from your childhood.

It's often something that has a direct impact on your personality.

We also often talk about core beliefs or core values.

Number three, deliberate.

Deliberate.

The teacher made a deliberate mistake to check if the students were still paying attention.

If you've never heard this word before, can you guess its meaning from the context.

A deliberate action is intentional.

We can also say the teacher made a mistake on purpose.

The opposite of deliberate is unintentional or by accident.

British English, in American English, they also say on accident.

We favour by accident in British English.

Now, deliberate has an uh sound at the end, the schwa, deliberate.

You will also hear it squeezed down to three syllables deliberate deliberate in fast spoken English

Be careful, though.

There is also a verb that is spelt in exactly the same way, but it has a different meaning and pronunciation.

The verb form is to deliberate, deliberate with A at the end.

Words like this are called heteronyms and I've included some more examples in the PDF.

Bonus point if you know what deliberate means.

If you deliberate something, you think about it very carefully.

For example, the judges deliberated for hours before reaching their final decision.

Time for number four, elsewhere.

Elsewhere.

Notice how the main stress is on the second syllable, elsewhere.

Here is the word in context, any idea what it means?

The restaurant is fully booked.

We'll have to go elsewhere.

There's actually a bit of a clue in the word itself.

To go elsewhere means to go somewhere else.

Elsewhere, somewhere else.

I think it's a beautiful word, the way that somewhere else is inverted to become elsewhere.

We usually use it after a verb like we did in the example sentence.

Okay, how are you getting on so far?

Let's do number five, grab. grab.

For example, someone just grabbed my bag and ran off with it.

Grab literally means to take hold of something very quickly, often using force.

But we can also use grab as a casual expression, meaning to get something to eat or drink quickly.

It's a great phrase that we use all the time.

For example, we've got 30 minutes before the next meeting.

Should we go and grab a coffee?

Obviously, I'm not going to snatch the coffee like that.

We're just going to get it quickly.

It implies speed.

Number six, ready?

I love this vowel sound, urge.

Urge.

I love this word, but it can be tricky to pronounce because of the long vowel sound at the beginning ur.

Imagine you've just seen something that's disgusting and say, ur.

It's the same sound you find in world and work, urge.

Have you heard this word?

Okay, let's look at the meaning.

Can you replace urge with a synonym in this sentence?

The government urged the public to remain calm.

It's a pretty formal word.

You might have heard it on the news.

Still not sure?

Maybe you can think of another word that begins with the letters U, R, G and E. We have urgent.

This has the same root or origin as urge.

It's similar in meaning, to recommend, but it's stronger.

The structure is to urge somebody to do something.

It's also often used in the passive.

For example, she was urged to follow safety procedures at all times.

Okay, here comes lucky number seven, gig.

Gig.

I've just bought tickets for the Coldplay gig in September.

Gig is another word for concert.

We normally use it with popular music concerts like pop, rock, or jazz.

We don't normally say a classical music gig.

Here, the word concert would be more appropriate.

Musicians or comedians do or play a gig, but most of us go to a gig.

Sometimes it's used in a slang way to mean a job.

I've got a gig as a children's party entertainer, for example.

It's like a one-off.

It can also be used as a verb, and I've left more information about all of this and all of the other words, plus some more, in the PDF.

The link's in the description.

Okay, we're over halfway through now and we're moving things up a notch to some advanced level words.

Number eight, I love how this word sounds, cling.

Cling.

Here it is in a sentence.

He always clings to his girlfriend's arm when they watch horror films together.

So if you cling to or onto something, you hold it very tightly, usually because you're afraid.

You probably have some cling film in your kitchen.

It's also known as plastic wrap.

We use it to cover food tightly.

So if you describe a person as clingy, clingy, what are you saying?

It's a fairly disapproving adjective, meaning that a person depends on another person too much and lacks independence.

We often use it to describe children or partners who are perhaps a bit too possessive.

For example, Sarah is a clingy child.

She never leaves her mother's side.

Ready for number nine?

We're moving into super advanced territory now, gabble.

Gabble, he got nervous in the interview and started to gabble.

If you gabble, you speak so quickly that people find it difficult to understand you.

We often use it with the prepositions on and away.

What do you tend to gabble on about or gabble away about?

I have to admit, I tend to gabble on a bit about Spain.

I'm here right now and I love it.

Number 10.

This is a word that I learned fairly recently and now that I know what it means, I see and hear it everywhere

It's a regular verb, gaslight.

Gaslight.

For example, The boss made a mistake and then gaslighted me into thinking it was my fault.

To gaslight means to manipulate someone's memory of an event.

And this usually involves trying to make somebody believe things that aren't true in an attempt to control them.

If someone gaslights you, you might start to doubt your memory of an event.

And you're probably thinking, where on earth does this come from?

Well interestingly, this term comes from the 1930s British play called Gaslight, in which a man manages to convince his wife that she has a mental illness.

Really creepy.

Number 11, we have ghost.

Ghost.

Now, I know you're thinking, Lucy, there's no way that ghost is an advanced word.

Well, you're not wrong.

The noun ghost is definitely an intermediate word, but could you use ghost as a verb?

Here's an example.

We chatted online for over a year and then she completely ghosted me.

If you ghost somebody, you suddenly stop all communication with someone without explanation.

You simply and then I'll go down like this.

Disappear.

We often use the term with online relationships, but you could also be ghosted by a friend or someone you're dating in person or in real life.

It's quite sad actually.

Let's move on to number 12, to another word I love saying, finicky.

Finicky.

This word has two meanings, so let's hear it in context.

I'm a bit finicky when it comes to coffee, so I always buy from the same independent coffee shop.

Another example, different meaning, can you help me put this shelf together?

It's a bit finicky.

So in the first sentence, finicky means fussy.

It's a disapproving adjective, which means that you worry too much about certain things.

This worrying can make it difficult for you to be happy or satisfied with something.

In the second sentence.

Assembling the furniture is finicky because it requires a lot of attention to detail, as there may be lots of small parts.

Okay, we are on the home straight now.

Our final three words.

Number 13, situationship.

Situationship.

An example.

I'd love to move things on from being in a situation ship to actually being boyfriend and girlfriend.

Any ideas?

This is a great word to use when you're more than friends with somebody, but you're not officially dating or in a serious relationship.

It's a blend of the word situation and relationship and it's being used more and more frequently.

Number 14 ableism, ableism.

Do you recognize any parts of this word?

Able or ism?

Perhaps you're familiar with the words racism, sexism and feminism.

Here's the word in context.

As a wheelchair user, Sally is forced to face ableism on a daily basis.

Ableism refers to discrimination against disabled people.

And I love this word because it draws attention to unacceptable attitudes and behaviours towards people with mental and physical disabilities.

Okay, now it's time for our final word of the day.

And this is a word that I most definitely relate to, nomophobia.

Nomophobia.

Perhaps you recognise the last part of the word, phobia.

Here's the word in context.

She has a severe case of nomophobia.

She can't go anywhere without her mobile phone.

So a phobia is an extreme fear of something, and nomophobia is a fear of not having your mobile phone.

Something I can kind of relate to, although I'm trying to spend more time away from my mobile phone.

How many of these wonderful words did you already know?

And which one is your favourite?

Let me know in the comments section.

Okay, let's begin the quiz.

There will be three rounds with different question types.

First, multiple choice.

Question one.

I'm fed with this rainy weather.

Is it A, on, B, down, or C, It should be C, up.

I'm fed up with this rainy weather.

If you're fed up, you're bored or annoyed, often because something has lasted for too long.

It's common to hear fed up with.

But fed up of is also common in British English, especially in informal speech.

She got fed up with waiting and went to look for him.

Or I'm fed up of hearing that song on the radio.

Notice how we usually use the ING form of the verb after prepositions.

Question two.

My new car doesn't much fuel, so it's cheap to run.

Is it A, spend, B, consume, or C, contain?

It should be...

B, consume.

It doesn't consume much fuel.

Consume means use, often referring to fuel, energy, or time.

Notice how both fuel and consume have this invisible Y sound before the OO.

Fuel consume.

Another example with consume, the project has consumed all of our time.

It's used up all of our time.

Number three the couple behind me talked the film.

It was so annoying.

Is it a while b completely or c throughout?

It should be C throughout.

Throughout means during the whole of a period of time or in every part of a place.

And notice how I stress the second syllable.

It's not throughout, it's throughout.

If you want to improve your pronunciation and sound more natural when you speak, Focusing on syllable stress is going to get you there fast.

I always try to highlight the syllable stress for you.

Another example.

People throughout the world watch the Olympics.

People all over the world, in every part of the world.

Okay, question four.

She politely pointed that I had forgotten to sign the form.

Is it A, out, B, up, or C, two?

It should be, A, out.

She pointed out that I'd forgotten.

If you point something out, you tell someone about something important, often because you think they don't know or have forgotten.

Another example, I was going to cook lamb until my husband pointed out that Simon is a vegetarian.

And the last question in this round, number five.

Which word best completes the sentence?

The medicine was very... And I felt better quickly.

Is it A, effective?

B, active.

Or C, successful.

It should be A, effective.

We don't tend to say that medicine is active or successful.

A treatment could be successful, but a medicine is usually effective.

If something is effective, It produces a result that you want or it works well.

Okay, we've finished the first round.

What is your score out of five?

Note it down and then we'll start round two.

Are you ready to start round two?

This time, first, I'll say the word and show it on the screen.

See if you know what it means.

Then I will give you an example with the word.

Finally, I'll explain the meaning and you can check if you got it right.

Ready?

Number six. duty duty An example sentence.

It is my duty to help my younger brother with his homework.

What do you think?

A duty is something that you must do because it is your job or because it is right.

You'll hear this pronounced in a few different ways.

In British English, it might be duty with a d sound, or duty with a j sound.

In North American English, it's more likely to be duty or doody.

Next word, number seven, cruel, cruel.

Here's an example.

It was very cruel to leave the cat outside in the cold.

Have a think about the definition.

It hurts others, causes them pain, or makes them sad.

You will hear this pronounced cruel with two syllables or cruel with just one syllable.

Both are correct.

You can use whichever is more comfortable for you.

Normally, my students find it easier to use one syllable. cruel.

Word number eight, keen, keen.

An example, she's keen to travel to new places.

Keen means very interested in or enthusiastic about something.

If you're keen, you often want to do something or want something to happen.

You'll hear keen to do something, like in our example, or keen on something.

For example, he's keen on sailing.

He likes it very much.

A little pronunciation note here.

Notice the consonant to vowel linking key non.

Instead of saying keen on, i link them together and say key non, key non.

He's keen on sailing.

Our next word, number nine, is to fool, to fool an example sentence.

Don't let his friendly manner fool you.

He's not as nice as he seems.

To fool means to make someone believe something that's not true.

A similar word is to trick.

She fooled me.

She tricked me.

And the last one in this round, to expand. to expand.

An example, the company decided to expand its online shop to reach more customers.

Here's the definition.

To expand means to become larger in size, number or amount, or to make something.

Do this to make something become larger.

It's often pronounced expand with an i, expand.

But you will also hear expand with an e sound as well.

Both are fine.

Another example.

Metal expands in the heat.

Okay, how are you doing so far?

How's your score out of 10?

Now, let's start the final round of our quiz.

You're going to complete the gaps.

Number 11.

We always spend our summers at the... playing on the beach.

The word we're looking for starts with S and it has seven letters.

The word is seaside seaside, so this is a really common word in british english, but i rarely hear my students use it.

Did you know it?

The seaside is the area near the sea where people often go for a holiday or to relax.

It is the seaside, not a seaside.

We're going to the seaside next week.

Number 12, wolves have thick... but keeps them warm in cold weather.

I'm not going to give you a clue here on the letters.

It should be Fur.

Did you know that one?

Fur is the soft hair that covers some animals' bodies, specifically mammals.

Dogs and cats have fur, apart from those sphinx cats.

You can also say that animals have a coat, but that would have required an article fur or a coat.

Okay, number 13.

I was at the range of cakes on offer in the tiny bakery.

We're looking for a word starting with a with six letters.

It should be amazed.

I was amazed.

This means very surprised.

We often say we're amazed at or by something or someone and notice how i pronounce it amazed, amazed.

I have a schwa in the first syllable amazed, not amazed, amazed.

Number fourteen.

The heavy rain caused a that washed away several houses.

It is a Flood.

A flood is a large amount of water that covers an area that is usually dry.

Floods often happen when rivers become too full of water.

And finally, question 15.

Most people were in of adding a playground to the park.

We need a word with a similar meaning to approval.

It begins with F and it has six letters.

It should be favour.

Most people were in favour of adding a playground.

If you are in favour of something or someone, you agree with and support it or them.

So, what was your score out of 15?

If you scored higher than 12, I think you ought to have a look at some B2 level materials as well.

Let's start with this quiz.

The first round is called Level Up. you will see a sentence with a word in bold.

I want you to replace it with a more advanced B2 level one.

Are you ready?

Keep score as we go.

Number one, the book is full of stories from the author's travels.

Replace stories with a B2 level word starting with A. It should be anecdotes.

Now, stories is totally fine. but anecdotes is more precise.

An anecdote is a short, often funny story about a real event or person.

And note the pronunciation, an-nick-dote, not a-neck-dote.

An example, he told a funny anecdote about getting lost in Paris.

Number two, I'm sure we made the right decision.

Replace sure with a B2 level word starting with C.

If you said certain, It's a good guess and it does fit, but certain is not a B2 level word.

We are looking for the word convinced.

It means completely sure or certain about something.

The stress is on the second syllable. convinced.

Three.

She cut some wood for the fire.

Replace cut with another verb starting with C.

It should be chopped.

To chop means to cut something into pieces with a sharp tool such as a knife or an axe.

Again, cut is fine.

But chop collocates strongly with wood and with logs, as well as with many vegetables.

We often say that we chop carrots, onions, or potatoes.

Next one.

I have clear memories of the first time I visited Rome.

Replace clear with a word starting with V.

It should be vivid.

We often use vivid to talk about memories or descriptions that produce clear and detailed pictures in our minds.

Another example, the book gave a vivid portrayal of life in rural France.

Number five, the company plans to build a new road.

What's a higher level synonym for build?

It starts with C.

It should be construct.

This means to build something or put parts together to create something.

Construct is more formal than build, and you'll often see it in passive structures.

The building was constructed in the 19th century.

And notice how I pronounce it, with a schwa on the first syllable and the stress on the second construct, not construct when we're using it as a verb.

All right, that's the end of the first round.

Did you know those five B2 level words?

Remember to keep score as we go along.

Let's move on to our next round.

You will see a word and two possible definitions.

You need to choose the correct one.

So let's go with number six. alarmed Does it mean worried or annoyed?

It should be worried.

If you are alarmed, you're worried or frightened because something unexpected or dangerous has happened or might happen.

Make sure to put the stress on the second syllable.

It's alarmed, not alarmed.

They were alarmed when smoke started coming under the door.

Number seven, restore.

Does it mean to refill something that's empty or to repair something so it's in its original condition?

It's the second definition.

We often restore paintings, furniture, and old buildings.

The stress is on the second syllable, restore, not restore, restore.

The old paintings have been lovingly restored.

Next appeal is this the skin of a fruit or vegetable or a quality that makes someone or something attractive?

It's the second.

And we have another word that's stressed on the second syllable appeal, not appeal.

Part of the appeal of this cafe is that it's never crowded.

Number nine prospect is this the possibility that something good might happen in the future or a detailed plan of action?

It's the first one.

The prospect of moving to a new country excites and terrifies me.

And number 10, rested.

Does this mean no longer working because of old age or feeling healthy and full of energy after a period of not working?

It's the second.

After a few days away, I came back feeling rested and ready to work.

So how was that round?

What is your score so far out of 10?

Now we're onto our final round, which is the most challenging.

Complete the gaps.

You ready?

Number 11.

Which word best completes the sentence?

When the last video rental shop closed in my city, it was the end of a... or an... What?

Era.

The end of an era.

An era is a period of time that is known for particular events or characteristics.

The end of an era is a common phrase.

We use it to say that a certain period and its characteristics have come to an end.

Number 12.

My first at skiing ended in disaster.

We're looking for a noun beginning with A. I'll give you that.

Attempt.

An attempt is an act of trying to do something, especially something difficult.

The verb form is also attempt, meaning to try to do something difficult.

Both are stressed on the second syllable with a schwa in the first.

Attempt.

The umpt. consonant cluster at the end can be tricky to pronounce.

Attempt.

You will hear that some people don't pronounce the p sound.

Attempt.

Let's have an example now.

I attempted to avoid work by organising my sock drawer.

Okay, let's have two phrasal verbs now.

Number 13, Kyle was definitely off when he started doing push-ups in the living room.

The best fit here is showing, showing off.

And notice how I give more energy to off, showing off.

Kyle was definitely showing off.

To show off means to behave in a way that is meant to attract attention or make others admire you.

Showing off is often annoying.

Notice how the stress shifts to the first word for the noun form.

A person who shows off is a show off.

And number 14, I trust Kate.

She's never let me before.

It should be down.

She's never let me down.

To let somebody down means to disappoint someone by failing to do what they expected.

And finally, the last one, number 15, it's a real film that leaves people feeling happy.

We're looking for a compound adjective starting with F.

It's feel good.

It's a real feel good film.

I bet you understand those words individually, but did you know that we can combine them to create an adjective?

Feel good means something that makes you feel happy and positive or, very simply, something that makes you feel good.

You'll see the adjective both with and without a hyphen.

So that's a feel-good word to end on.

Do you have a B2 level in English?

Let me know your score in the comments.

At around 70% and above, you're getting really close.

[Mastering Advanced English: 75 Essential Words, Phrases, and Expressions]-[If you know these 75 words and phrases, your English is EXCELLENT.]

📋 Summary

Master Your English: A Comprehensive Vocabulary Guide

1. Essential Conversational Phrases

2. Advanced Vocabulary for Precision

3. Contextual Usage and Nuance

4. B2 Level Refinements

🎯Key Sentences

📝Key Phrases

📖 Transcript

[Mastering Advanced English: 75 Essential Words, Phrases, and Expressions]-[If you know these 75 words and phrases, your English is EXCELLENT.]

📋 Summary

Master Your English: A Comprehensive Vocabulary Guide

1. Essential Conversational Phrases

2. Advanced Vocabulary for Precision

3. Contextual Usage and Nuance

4. B2 Level Refinements

Deep Learning with ListenLeap

🎯Key Sentences

📝Key Phrases

📖 Transcript

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