English vocabulary in use upper-intermediate

Effective vocabulary learning

 

1 Learning vocabulary - general advice: What do you need to learn? What does learning a new word mean? Can you learn just by reading or listening to English? How are you going to plan your learning?

 

2 Learning vocabulary - aids to learning bubble diagram, word fork

 

3 Organising a vocabulary notebook tree diagram, word-class

 

4 The names of English language words adjective, syllable, collocation

 

5 Using your dictionary usage, synonym, pronunciation

 

6 Revising vocabulary active and receptive vocabulary, fix in your memory

 

7 Guessing and explaining meaning context, clues, it’s a bit like

 

Word formation

 

8 Suffixes -er, -or, -ness

 

9 Prefixes in-, ex-, mis-

 

10 Roots -sped-, -port-, -vert-

 

11 Abstract nouns excitement, generosity, wisdom

 

12 Compound adjectives air-conditioned, off-peak, sugar-free

 

13 Compound nouns (1) noun + noun baby-sitter, sunglasses, junk mail

 

14 Compound nouns (2) verb + preposition cutback, turnover, outlook

 

15 Words from other languages ballerina, yoghurt, judo

 

16 Abbreviations and acronyms UN, ID, fridge

 

17 New words in English video jockey, surfing the net, shopaholic

 

Words and pronunciation

 

18 Words commonly mispronounced doubt, hiccough, sword

 

19 Onomatopoeic words clink, tinkle, splash

 

20 Homonyms wait, weight; row /таи/ and row /гои/

 

Connecting and linking words

 

21 Time as soon as, while, afterwards

 

22 Condition unless, provided that, no matter

 

23 Cause, reason, purpose and result gave rise to, with the aim of

 

24 Concession and contrast although, admittedly, on the other hand

 

25 Addition in addition, likewise, as well as

 

26 Text-referring words situation, aspect, issue

 

27 Discourse markers in speech well, let me see, hang on

 

28 Discourse markers in writing firstly, in conclusion

 

Countabies and uncountables

 

29 Uncountable nouns travel, luggage, knowledge

 

30 Words that only occur in the plural headquarters, binoculars, scissors

31 Countable and uncountable nouns with different meanings a glass, glass; a hair, hair

 

32 Collective nouns crowd, flock, range

 

33 Making uncountable nouns countable a bit of advice, a flash of lightning, some spots of rain

 

34 Containers and contents a tube of toothpaste, a jar of jam, a box of matches

 

Topics

 

35 Countries, nationalities and languages Brazil, Japanese, Arabic

 

36 The weather drought, stifling, chilly

 

37 Describing people: appearance wavy hair, freckles, plump

 

38 Describing people: character down-to-earth, broad-minded, eccentric

 

39 Relationships colleague, acquaintance, to fancy someone

 

40 At home bungalow, attic, table mat

 

41 Everyday problems power cut, to leak, stained

 

42 Global problems to erupt, injured, earthquake

 

43 Education degree, tutorial, to pass an exam

 

44 Work union representative, redundant, shift work

 

45 Sport billiards, high jump, fencing

 

46 The arts sculpture, novel, performance

 

47 Music track, hit, hacking

 

48 Food aubergine, spicy, bake

 

49 The environment island, glacier, polluted

 

50 Towns art gallery, traffic jam., population

 

51 The natural world nest, hedgehog, harvest

 

52 Clothes cardigan, collar, striped

 

53 Health and medicine sore throat, prescribe, tablets

 

54 Travel ferry, overtake, supersonic

 

55 Holidays timeshare, sightseeing, breath-taking

 

56 Numbers and shapes triangle, sphere, odd and even

 

57 Science and technology mobile phone, microwave, genetic engineering

 

58 Computers and the Internet modem, surf the Web

 

59 The press and the media tabloid, aerial, soap opera

 

60 Politics and public institutions independence, House of Commons, elect

 

61 Crime burglary, blackmail, verdict

 

62 Money - buying, selling and paying earn, current account, overdrawn

 

Feelings and actions

 

63 Belief and opinion maintain, point of view, intellectual

 

64 Pleasant and unpleasant feelings grateful, frustration, worrying

 

65 Like, dislike and desire adore, loathe, devoted

 

66 Speaking whisper, grumble, guiltily

 

67 The six senses glance, fragrant, telepathy

 

68 What your body does yawn, snore, chew

 

Basic concepts

 

69 Number, quantity, degree and intensity considerable, a great deal, dozens of

 

70 Time for the time being, temporary, to last

 

71 Distances and dimensions length, faraway, stretch

72 Obligation, need, possibility and probability compulsory, exempt, shortage

 

73 Sound and light racket; twinkle, sombre

 

74 Possession, giving and lending estate, property, allocate

 

75 Movement and speed flutter, crawl, rate

 

76 Texture, brightness, weight and density prickly, dazzling, hollow

 

77 Success, failure and difficulty manage, compromise, cope

 

Idiomatic expressions

 

78 Idioms and fixed expressions - general under the weather, to have seen better days

 

79 Everyday expressions come to think of it, that’s that, as far as I'm concerned

 

80 Similes as good as gold, like a red rag to a bull

 

81 Binomials rough and ready, peace and quiet, sooner or later

 

82 Idioms describing people quick off the mark, round the bend, a lazy-bones

 

83 Idioms describing feelings or mood in high spirits, in a black mood, scared stiff

 

84 Idioms describing problematic situations to take a hack seat, the tide has turned, to bury the hatchet

 

85 Idioms connected with praise and criticism knock spots off, on the ball, pick holes in

 

86 Idioms connected with using language talk shop, a talking-point; long-winded

 

87 Miscellaneous idioms to pay through the nose, to have something on the brain

 

88 Proverbs Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

 

Phrasal verbs and verb-based expressions

 

89 Expressions with do and make do housework, do up, make a mistake, make up

 

90 Expressions with bring and take bring down, bring to light, take after, take for granted

 

91 Expressions with get get by, get out of bed on the wrong side

 

92 Expressions with set and put set off, set one’s heart on, put up with, put two and two together

 

93 Expressions with come and go come across, come to an end, go off; as far as it goes

 

94 Miscellaneous expressions run out of, see your way to, break someone’s heart

 

Varieties of English

 

95 Formal and informal words (I) offspring, children, kids

 

96 Formal and informal words (2) slang, wally, cool

 

97 US English semester; panty-hose, wash up

 

98 Other Englishes loch, Aussie, pad

 

99 Headline English axe, hit, vow

 

100 The language of signs and notices refrain, admission

 

Answer key 204

 

Index 281

 

Acknowledgements 309