Summary of Advanced English Vocabulary and Idioms
Advanced English Vocabulary and Idioms
Introduction
This material introduces English vocabulary alongside its Spanish equivalents related to personality, movements (literal and metaphorical), verbs of thought, and general terms helpful for high school students. It's organized by categories for easier learning, with clear definitions, practical examples, and comparisons that will help you remember and use the words in context.
How to Use This Material
- Read each section and underline new words.
- Practice with your own examples: describe friends/family using these words.
- Review the key points at the end before an exam.
1. Personality Traits and Adjectives
Definition: Qualities that describe a person's typical character or manner of behaviour.
- Self-centred — Egocentric: primarily concerned with oneself.
- Self-obsessed — Obsessed with oneself: excessively focused on oneself.
- Trustworthy — Reliable: honest and dependable.
- Underconfident — Insecure: lacking confidence.
- Absent-minded — Distracted: forgetful or not paying attention.
- Forward-looking — Future-oriented: thinking about the future or progressive.
- High-spirited — Cheerful and energetic: enthusiastic.
- Highly strung — Very nervous: easily stressed.
- Kind-hearted — Benevolent: caring and generous.
- Laid-back — Relaxed: calm and easy-going.
- Like-minded — Of similar mind: shares opinions or interests.
- Narrow-minded — Closed-minded: intolerant of new ideas.
- Streetwise — Savvy: having practical real-world sense.
- Strong-willed — Determined: difficult to persuade.
- Thin-skinned — Sensitive: easily offended.
- Tight-fisted — Stingy: unwilling to spend money.
Practical Examples
- "Maria is laid-back; she never worries about exams." (Maria is relaxed.)
- "Carlos is high-spirited and encourages the whole team." (Carlos is energetic.)
💡 Did you know?Did you know that some words seem like opposites but can coexist in one person? For example, someone can be strong-willed and kind-hearted simultaneously.
2. Nouns and Expressions to Describe People
Definition: Terms or expressions that summarize types of people or attitudes.
- A cold fish — a person who is unemotional and shows little feeling.
- A dark horse — a mysterious person, or someone who achieves unexpected success.
- A go-getter — an ambitious and hardworking person.
- A mover and shaker — an influential person who makes things happen and drives change.
- A smart alec — an annoying know-it-all.
- A smart cookie — an intelligent and resourceful person.
- A soft touch — someone who is easily persuaded or taken advantage of.
- A live wire — a very energetic and lively person.
- A wet blanket — someone who spoils other people's fun.
Comparative Table: Types of Social Impact
| Type | Key Trait | Brief Example |
|---|---|---|
| Influential | Mover and shaker | Organizes changes at school |
| Ambitious | Go-getter | Seeks opportunities and achieves success |
| Cold/Emotionally Distant | A cold fish | Doesn't easily show feelings |
| Energetic | A live wire | Enlivens activities and events |
3. Genes, Nature, and Nurture (Genetics & Personality)
Definition: Concepts linking biology to personality development.
- Destiny — Destino: events believed to be predetermined.
- Disposition — Disposición: natural character or temperament.
- Hereditary — Hereditario: passed down from parents through genes.
- Imply — Implicar: to suggest something indirectly.
- Moulded — Moldeado: formed or influenced.
- Nurture — Crianza: the care and upbringing someone receives.
- Offspring — Descendencia: children.
- Oversimplification — Hipersimplificación: the act of simplifying a complex topic excessively.
- Proponents — Defensores: those who support an idea.
- Trait — Rasgo: a characteristic of personality.
- *Vulnerability
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Personality Vocabulary
Klíčové pojmy: Differentiate personality adjectives and their nuances, Use nouns like "a go-getter" to summarize personality types, Understand the interaction between "hereditary" and "nurture", Employ verbs of thought to structure essays and reflections, Recognize literal and figurative verbs of movement, Compare opposing traits in tables to aid memory, Apply literary vocabulary to describe crowds and scenes, Utilize general terms (setback, breakthrough) in project contexts, Practice common fixed phrases like "have no clue" and "keep an eye on", Relate adjectives like "laid-back" or "high-spirited" with real-life examples
## Introduction
This material introduces English vocabulary alongside its Spanish equivalents related to **personality**, movements (literal and metaphorical), verbs of thought, and general terms helpful for high school students. It's organized by categories for easier learning, with clear definitions, practical examples, and comparisons that will help you remember and use the words in context.
### How to Use This Material
1. Read each section and underline new words.
2. Practice with your own examples: describe friends/family using these words.
3. Review the key points at the end before an exam.
## 1. Personality Traits and Adjectives
> **Definition:** Qualities that describe a person's typical character or manner of behaviour.
- **Self-centred** — *Egocentric*: primarily concerned with oneself.
- **Self-obsessed** — *Obsessed with oneself*: excessively focused on oneself.
- **Trustworthy** — *Reliable*: honest and dependable.
- **Underconfident** — *Insecure*: lacking confidence.
- **Absent-minded** — *Distracted*: forgetful or not paying attention.
- **Forward-looking** — *Future-oriented*: thinking about the future or progressive.
- **High-spirited** — *Cheerful and energetic*: enthusiastic.
- **Highly strung** — *Very nervous*: easily stressed.
- **Kind-hearted** — *Benevolent*: caring and generous.
- **Laid-back** — *Relaxed*: calm and easy-going.
- **Like-minded** — *Of similar mind*: shares opinions or interests.
- **Narrow-minded** — *Closed-minded*: intolerant of new ideas.
- **Streetwise** — *Savvy*: having practical real-world sense.
- **Strong-willed** — *Determined*: difficult to persuade.
- **Thin-skinned** — *Sensitive*: easily offended.
- **Tight-fisted** — *Stingy*: unwilling to spend money.
### Practical Examples
- "Maria is **laid-back**; she never worries about exams." (Maria is relaxed.)
- "Carlos is **high-spirited** and encourages the whole team." (Carlos is energetic.)
Did you know that some words seem like opposites but can coexist in one person? For example, someone can be *strong-willed* and *kind-hearted* simultaneously.
## 2. Nouns and Expressions to Describe People
> **Definition:** Terms or expressions that summarize types of people or attitudes.
- **A cold fish** — a person who is unemotional and shows little feeling.
- **A dark horse** — a mysterious person, or someone who achieves unexpected success.
- **A go-getter** — an ambitious and hardworking person.
- **A mover and shaker** — an influential person who makes things happen and drives change.
- **A smart alec** — an annoying know-it-all.
- **A smart cookie** — an intelligent and resourceful person.
- **A soft touch** — someone who is easily persuaded or taken advantage of.
- **A live wire** — a very energetic and lively person.
- **A wet blanket** — someone who spoils other people's fun.
Comparative Table: Types of Social Impact
| Type | Key Trait | Brief Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Influential | Mover and shaker | Organizes changes at school |
| Ambitious | Go-getter | Seeks opportunities and achieves success |
| Cold/Emotionally Distant | A cold fish | Doesn't easily show feelings |
| Energetic | A live wire | Enlivens activities and events |
## 3. Genes, Nature, and Nurture (Genetics & Personality)
> **Definition:** Concepts linking biology to personality development.
- **Destiny** — *Destino*: events believed to be predetermined.
- **Disposition** — *Disposición*: natural character or temperament.
- **Hereditary** — *Hereditario*: passed down from parents through genes.
- **Imply** — *Implicar*: to suggest something indirectly.
- **Moulded** — *Moldeado*: formed or influenced.
- **Nurture** — *Crianza*: the care and upbringing someone receives.
- **Offspring** — *Descendencia*: children.
- **Oversimplification** — *Hipersimplificación*: the act of simplifying a complex topic excessively.
- **Proponents** — *Defensores*: those who support an idea.
- **Trait** — *Rasgo*: a characteristic of personality.
- **Vulnerability*