Essential Vocabulary for Modern Life
Communication & Feelings
Language & Digital Interaction
- accent
- argument
- bilingual
- cognate
- comment on
- dialogue
- discussion
- expression
- false friend
- fluently
- idiom
- meaning
- mother tongue
- native speaker
- proverb
- second language
- slang
- synonym
- translation
- charger
- cut off
- emoji
- follow
- function
- get through
- instant messaging
- lose signal
- offline
- on speakerphone
- plug in
- predictive texting
- ringtone
- run out of battery
- spam
- stream
- swipe
- tag somebody
Emotions & Personal States
- affection
- annoyed
- bored
- confused
- delight
- empathy
- embarrassed
- enthusiastic
- frustrated
- hopeful
- isolated
- jealous
- relieved
- sad
- express
- diverse
- influence
- introduce
- realize
- suffer
Health & Fitness
Sports & Physical Activity
- active
- aerobics
- badminton
- balanced
- championship
- cheer
- competitive
- drop out
- event
- get through
- medal
- moderate
- motivate
- participant
- physiotherapist
- sedentary
- semi-final
- sign up
- spectator
- sporty
- substitute
- take part in
- teammate
- trophy
Well-being & Self-Care
- well-being
- come up with
- end up
- go ahead
- keep track of
- take over
- work out
- be mindful
- cut out
- enrol
- gain perspective
- get your heart rate up
- get in shape
- hydrated
- immunity
- keep fit
- positive focus
- rested
- set a goal
- stretch
- take a nap
- take care of
- take up
- train
Commerce, Environment & Expressions
Shopping & Retail
- bargain
- boutique
- brand
- browse
- cashier
- changing room
- charity shop
- exchange
- high street
- influencer
- online store
- order
- pay in cash/credit card
- purchase
- refund
- review
- sales
- second-hand
- sweatshop
- try on
- try out
Common Expressions & Idioms
- be in safe hands
- give something the time of day
- judge a book by its cover
- keep an eye out for something
- rule of thumb
- tip of the iceberg
Environment & Sustainability
- biodegradable
- break down
- carbon footprint
- clean-up
- compost
- contaminate
- dispose of
- dump
- environmental
- incinerate
- landfill sites
- packaging
- recyclable
- reusable
- sustainable
- toxic
- wasteful
- zero-waste
Authenticity & Deception
- falsify
- genuine
- made up
- scam
- spot
Society, Law & Character
Social Issues & Community
- animal rights
- authorities
- child poverty
- citizen
- disability-rights activist
- employment
- gender discrimination
- healthcare system
- mental health
- minority group
- neighbourhood
- racial discrimination
- segregation
- tolerance
- wealth
- welfare state
Personal Qualities & Values
- appearance
- arrival
- bravery
- community
- commitment
- education
- entertainment
- fairness
- friendship
- kindness
- maturity
- ownership
- supervision
- survival
- scenery
- treatment
Crime & Justice System
- accuse sb of
- arrest sb
- burglary
- charge sb
- community service
- criminal
- defendant
- dismiss a case
- judge
- jury
- life sentence
- mugging
- on trial
- pay a fine
- prosecutor
- reach a verdict
- send to prison
- shoplifting
- suspect
- theft
- therapy program
- vandalism
- victim
- witness
- young offender
Phrasal Verbs
- bring back
- calm down
- come across
- deal with
- run away
- set off
- set up
- stick together
Appearance & Common Phrases
Fashion & Style
- accessory
- casual
- chunk
- elegant
- fitted
- high heels
- loose-fitting
- low-waisted
- patterned
- piercing
- plain
- sportswear
- striped
- stylish
- tattoo
- trend
- vintage
Common Collocations
- do business
- do damage
- do research
- do someone a favour
- give priority
- give someone a chance
- give the impression
- have a feeling
- have a look
- have a terrible temper
- have an opportunity
- make an exception
- make fun of someone
- make no difference
- make sense
- reach a compromise
- reach a decision
- reach the point
- reach your destination
- take advantage
- take something seriously
- take your time
Describing People & Appearance
- average-sized
- badly dressed
- brightly coloured
- clean-shaven
- dark-haired
- fast-thinking
- friendly looking
- full-length
- knee length
- loose-fitting
- middle-aged
- smartly dressed
- time-saving
- well-dressed
- widely recognized
Verbs for Classification & Change
- classify
- lighten
- simplify
- specialize
- symbolize
Career & Personal Attributes
Work & Employment
- apply for a place
- appoint
- become an apprentice
- commission someone to do something
- full-time job
- graduate from
- homeless shelter
- internship
- low paid
- mentor an intern
- part-time job
- permanent position
- placement
- supervise someone
- take on
- temporary job
- turn down
- tutor someone
- unpaid
- volunteer
- well-paid
- win a scholarship
- thesis
Professions & Job Titles
- brain surgeon
- camera operator
- company director
- dog groomer
- drone pilot
- flight attendant
- software designer
- statistical analyst
- tattoo remover
- train driver
- video editor
- yoga instructor
Personality Traits & Adjectives
- analytical
- anxious
- brainy
- cautious
- cool-headed
- critical
- decisive
- determined
- diligent
- empathetic
- enthusiastic
- focused
- imaginative
- motivated
- optimistic
- organized
- perceptive
- patient
- rational
- sociable
- reliable