Unit 6: Vocabulary - Subjective Questions

Collocations are combinations of two or more words that frequently occur together in a language and sound natural to native speakers. Using the wrong word combination may be grammatically correct but still sound unnatural.

Importance in communication:

• They make speech and writing sound natural and fluent.
• They help avoid awkward or incorrect word pairings.
• They improve listening and reading comprehension.
• They are essential for scoring well in language proficiency tests.

Examples of common collocations:

• Make a decision (not do a decision)
• Take a photograph
• Do homework
• Heavy rain
• Fast food
• Strong coffee
• Pay attention

Mastering collocations helps learners move from merely correct English to natural, idiomatic English.

Workplace vocabulary consists of words and phrases commonly used in professional and office settings.

Common workplace terms:

• Colleague – A person you work with.
• Deadline – The latest time by which a task must be completed.
• Promotion – A move to a higher position or rank at work.
• Resignation – The act of formally quitting a job.
• Appraisal – An evaluation of an employee's performance.
• Agenda – A list of items to be discussed in a meeting.
• Minutes – A written record of what was discussed in a meeting.
• Overtime – Extra hours worked beyond normal working hours.
• Shift – A scheduled period of work.
• Teamwork – Collaborative effort of a group to achieve a goal.

Importance: Knowing workplace vocabulary helps professionals communicate clearly, participate in meetings, write emails, and understand instructions effectively.

Business idioms are fixed expressions used in professional and corporate contexts whose meanings differ from the literal meanings of the individual words.

Five common business idioms:

1. Think outside the box – To think creatively.

   • Example: "We need to think outside the box to beat our competitors."

2. Get the ball rolling – To start something.

   • Example: "Let's get the ball rolling on the new project."

3. On the same page – To be in agreement.

   • Example: "Before we proceed, let's make sure we're all on the same page."

4. Cut corners – To do something cheaply or quickly, often sacrificing quality.

   • Example: "We cannot cut corners when it comes to safety."

5. Back to the drawing board – To start again after a failure.

   • Example: "The plan was rejected, so it's back to the drawing board."

Importance: Business idioms make professional communication more natural and help in understanding native speakers in meetings and negotiations.

Vocabulary used to describe appearance helps us talk about how people look. It can be organized into categories:

1. Height:

• Tall, short, medium height, of average height

2. Build / Body shape:

• Slim, slender, thin, well-built, muscular, plump, chubby, overweight

3. Hair:

• Length: long, short, shoulder-length
• Style: curly, wavy, straight, bald
• Colour: blonde, brunette, grey, red, black

4. Face / Complexion:

• Round face, oval face, square face
• Fair, dark, pale complexion
• Freckles, dimples, wrinkles

5. Other features:

• Beard, moustache, glasses, dimples

Example description: "She is tall and slim, with long, curly, blonde hair and a fair complexion."

Such vocabulary is essential for giving descriptions in both spoken and written communication.

Shopping vocabulary includes words used when buying goods and services.

1. Types of shops/stores:

• Supermarket, grocery store, boutique, department store, mall, pharmacy, bakery

2. Shopping-related terms:

• Discount – A reduction in price.
• Bargain – Something bought at a low price; a good deal.
• Receipt – A document proving a purchase.
• Refund – Money returned for a returned item.
• Checkout – The place where you pay.

3. Payment terms:

• Cash, credit card, debit card, change, invoice

4. Shopping actions:

• Browse, try on, purchase, return, exchange, bargain

Example sentence: "I got a great bargain on these shoes with a 50% discount, and I paid at the checkout by credit card."

This vocabulary is practical for everyday situations involving buying and selling.

Travel vocabulary covers words used while planning and taking trips.

1. At the airport:

• Boarding pass – A document allowing you to board a flight.
• Departure / Arrival – Leaving and reaching a destination.
• Check-in – Registering before a flight.
• Customs – Where luggage is inspected.
• Baggage claim – Where you collect your luggage.

2. At the hotel:

• Reservation / Booking – Reserving a room in advance.
• Reception – The front desk.
• Check-in / Check-out – Arriving and leaving the hotel.
• Vacancy – Available rooms.

3. During the journey:

• Itinerary, destination, round trip, one-way ticket, layover, sightseeing, tour guide

Example: "After check-in at the airport, I collected my boarding pass and went through customs before boarding."

Mastery of this vocabulary makes travelling smoother and communication abroad easier.

Food and health vocabulary helps us talk about diet, nutrition, and well-being.

1. General food terms:

• Ingredients, recipe, cuisine, nutrition, calories, portion

2. Healthy eating vocabulary:

• Balanced diet – A diet with the right proportions of nutrients.
• Nutritious – Rich in nutrients.
• Organic – Grown without chemicals.
• Low-fat, fresh, wholesome, vitamins, fibre

3. Unhealthy eating vocabulary:

• Junk food – Food high in fat/sugar, low in nutrients.
• Processed food – Food altered from its natural state.
• Fatty, sugary, greasy, fast food

4. Health-related terms:

• Fitness, obesity, diet, immunity, well-being, allergy

Example: "Eating a balanced diet with nutritious foods is healthier than consuming junk food and processed snacks."

This vocabulary is useful for discussions about lifestyle, cooking, and wellness.

Sports and fitness vocabulary covers words about physical activities and exercise.

1. Outdoor sports:

• Football, cricket, tennis, cycling, swimming, athletics, hiking

2. Indoor sports/activities:

• Table tennis, badminton, yoga, gym workout, aerobics, boxing

3. Fitness-related terms:

• Workout – A session of physical exercise.
• Warm-up – Light exercise before activity.
• Stamina – The ability to sustain prolonged effort.
• Flexibility, strength, endurance, cardio

4. Equipment and places:

• Treadmill, dumbbells, racket, stadium, court, track, gym

5. Common verbs:

• Train, compete, score, exercise, stretch, jog

Example: "To build stamina, she does a daily workout including cardio and stretching at the gym."

This vocabulary helps in discussing health, hobbies, and competitive activities.

Entertainment vocabulary covers words used to talk about recreation and leisure.

1. Films/Cinema:

• Genre – A category of film (comedy, thriller, drama).
• Plot – The storyline.
• Cast – The actors in a film.
• Director, premiere, box office, sequel, trailer

2. Music:

• Lyrics – The words of a song.
• Melody, rhythm, band, concert, album, gig
• Genres: rock, pop, jazz, classical, hip-hop

3. Theatre:

• Stage, performance, audience, applause, interval

4. Leisure activities:

• Reading, gaming, painting, dancing, watching TV

Example: "The new action film has an exciting plot and a brilliant cast; it was a huge box office success."

This vocabulary is useful for casual conversations and reviews about movies, music, and hobbies.

Job vocabulary includes words used to describe occupations and employment conditions.

1. Jobs by sector:

• Medical: doctor, nurse, surgeon, pharmacist
• Education: teacher, lecturer, professor
• Engineering/IT: engineer, programmer, technician
• Business: accountant, manager, entrepreneur
• Service: chef, waiter, receptionist, cashier

2. Employment terms:

• Full-time – Working the standard hours.
• Part-time – Working fewer hours.
• Freelance – Self-employed, working for different clients.
• Salary / Wages – Payment for work.
• Vacancy – An available job position.
• Recruitment – The hiring process.

3. Job-related actions:

• Apply, interview, hire, promote, resign, retire

Example: "She applied for a full-time vacancy as a manager and was offered a good salary after the interview."

This vocabulary is essential for discussing careers, applications, and workplace situations.

School vocabulary covers words used in educational settings.

1. People in school:

• Student, pupil, teacher, principal, headmaster, classmate

2. Subjects:

• Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Literature, Physical Education

3. Academic activities and terms:

• Curriculum – The subjects taught in a course.
• Assignment / Homework – Tasks given to students.
• Examination / Test – Assessment of knowledge.
• Grade / Marks – A measure of performance.
• Lecture, syllabus, timetable, semester, scholarship

4. Places:

• Classroom, laboratory, library, auditorium, playground

5. Verbs:

• Study, revise, submit, pass, fail, enrol, graduate

Example: "The curriculum includes several subjects, and students must complete each assignment before the examination."

This vocabulary supports communication in academic environments.

Collocations can be classified based on the parts of speech combined.

1. Verb + Noun Collocations:
These combine a verb with a noun to express common actions.

• Make a mistake
• Take a break
• Do business
• Pay a visit
• Give a presentation

2. Adjective + Noun Collocations:
These combine an adjective describing the quality of a noun.

• Heavy traffic
• Strong coffee
• Bright idea
• Deep sleep
• Fast food

Comparison Table:

Key Point: Both types must sound natural; for instance, we say heavy rain (not strong rain) and make a decision (not do a decision). Learning them improves fluency and accuracy.

This vocabulary helps us talk about places around the world.

1. Countries and nationalities:

• India → Indian
• France → French
• Japan → Japanese
• China → Chinese
• Spain → Spanish

2. Capitals and cities:

• New Delhi (India), Paris (France), Tokyo (Japan), London (UK)
• Metropolis – A large, busy city.
• Suburb – A residential area outside a city centre.

3. Geographical/descriptive terms:

• Continent, border, coast, mountain range, valley, climate
• Landmark – A famous building or place.
• Population – The number of people living in a place.

4. Describing places:

• Crowded, historic, modern, scenic, cosmopolitan, rural, urban

Example: "Paris is the capital city of France; it is a cosmopolitan metropolis famous for its landmarks."

This vocabulary is useful for travel, geography discussions, and cultural conversations.

These three terms are related but distinct in meaning.

1. Collocations:

• Words that naturally go together.
• The meaning is literal and predictable.
• Example: "heavy rain," "make a decision"

2. Phrases:

• A small group of words acting as a unit within a sentence.
• May or may not be idiomatic.
• Example: "in the morning," "a piece of cake" (as a phrase)

3. Idioms:

• Fixed expressions whose meaning is figurative and cannot be guessed from the individual words.
• Example: "a piece of cake" (meaning something very easy), "break the ice"

Comparison Table:

Importance: Understanding all three helps learners sound natural, interpret native speech correctly, and avoid literal misunderstandings in communication.

The verbs make, do, and take form many common collocations, and learners frequently confuse them.

1. Collocations with 'MAKE' (usually about creating/producing):

• Make a decision
• Make a mistake
• Make progress
• Make an effort
• Make a phone call

2. Collocations with 'DO' (usually about tasks/activities):

• Do homework
• Do the dishes
• Do business
• Do a favour
• Do your best

3. Collocations with 'TAKE' (usually about actions involving time/movement):

• Take a break
• Take a photo
• Take a risk
• Take notes
• Take responsibility

Common confusions:

• ❌ do a decision → ✅ make a decision
• ❌ make the dishes → ✅ do the dishes
• ❌ do a break → ✅ take a break

How to use correctly:

• Make = produce/create something.
• Do = perform a task or duty.
• Take = carry out an action, often routine.

Memorizing these as fixed units, rather than translating word by word, helps avoid errors and improves fluency.

A strong vocabulary is essential for clear, confident, and professional communication in the workplace.

Benefits of strong workplace vocabulary:

• Clarity: Precise words reduce misunderstandings.
• Professionalism: Appropriate language creates a good impression.
• Efficiency: Clear emails and reports save time.
• Confidence: Enables participation in meetings and negotiations.

Workplace collocations:

• Meet a deadline
• Attend a meeting
• Reach an agreement
• Make a presentation
• Handle a complaint

Business idioms and their use:

• Think outside the box – "We need innovative ideas, so let's think outside the box."
• Get the ball rolling – "Let's get the ball rolling on this new campaign."
• On the same page – "Make sure the whole team is on the same page."
• Touch base – "Let's touch base next week to review progress."

Example scenario: In a meeting, saying "Let's touch base to ensure we're on the same page before we meet the deadline" sounds far more professional than plain, literal language.

Conclusion: Mastering vocabulary, collocations, and idioms enables individuals to communicate effectively and advance in their careers.

Restaurant vocabulary helps in ordering food and interacting with staff politely.

1. Menu sections:

• Starters / Appetizers – Small dishes served first.
• Main course – The principal dish.
• Desserts – Sweet dishes served at the end.
• Beverages – Drinks.

2. People and places:

• Waiter/waitress, chef, menu, bill, tip, reservation

3. Describing food:

• Spicy, bland, delicious, tasty, fresh, overcooked, vegetarian

4. Polite expressions by customers:

• "Could I see the menu, please?"
• "I'd like to order the..."
• "Could we have the bill, please?"

5. Expressions used by staff:

• "Are you ready to order?"
• "Would you like anything to drink?"
• "Enjoy your meal."

Example dialogue:
Waiter: "Are you ready to order?"
Customer: "Yes, I'd like the main course with a side salad, please."

This vocabulary makes dining out smoother and more polite.

In business negotiations, collocations and idioms make communication persuasive, professional, and relationship-building.

1. Role of collocations:
They add precision and professionalism.

• Reach an agreement
• Close a deal
• Meet halfway
• Drive a hard bargain
• Make a counteroffer

2. Role of idioms:
They create a friendly, relatable tone and help build rapport.

• Win-win situation – Both parties benefit.
• Ballpark figure – A rough estimate.
• Call the shots – To make the decisions.
• Cut a deal – To make an agreement.
• The bottom line – The most important point/final result.

3. Building rapport:

• Idioms create a sense of shared understanding and ease tension.
• Using appropriate phrases shows cultural fluency and confidence.

Example: "Let's aim for a win-win situation. Give me a ballpark figure, and we can try to meet halfway to close the deal."

Conclusion: Mastery of these expressions helps negotiators communicate effectively, appear professional, and reach favourable agreements.

Descriptive paragraph:

"My friend Maya is a tall, slim young woman in her twenties. She has long, wavy, black hair and a fair complexion with bright, almond-shaped eyes. She has a friendly smile with charming dimples, and she usually wears stylish glasses that suit her oval face."

Explanation of descriptive words used:

• Tall – Describes above-average height.
• Slim – Describes a thin, lean body build.
• Long, wavy, black hair – Describes hair length, style, and colour.
• Fair complexion – Describes light skin tone.
• Almond-shaped eyes – Describes the shape of the eyes.
• Friendly smile – Describes a pleasant facial expression.
• Dimples – Small natural indentations on the cheeks.
• Oval face – Describes the shape of the face.

Note: When describing appearance, we usually follow the order: size/length → shape → colour (e.g., long, wavy, black hair). This vocabulary enables vivid and accurate descriptions of people.

Context determines which words are appropriate in a given situation. Choosing vocabulary that matches the setting, audience, and purpose is key to effective communication.

Why context matters:

• It affects the tone (formal vs informal).
• It ensures appropriateness for the audience.
• It prevents misunderstanding and awkwardness.

1. Workplace examples:

• Formal: "I would like to request a leave of absence."
• Informal: "Can I take a day off?"

2. Shopping examples:

• Formal: "Could you kindly tell me the price of this item?"
• Informal: "How much is this?"

3. Travel examples:

• Formal: "I would like to make a reservation for a double room."
• Informal: "Can I book a room for two?"

Comparison:

Conclusion: Good communicators adjust their vocabulary to suit the context, choosing formal language for professional or unfamiliar settings and informal language for casual, friendly situations.