Summary of Thematic English Vocabulary and Pronunciation

## Introduction Learning common English vocabulary helps you understand and use words correctly in everyday contexts. This lesson focuses on useful words and phrases related to general topics (excluding Food, Personal feelings, Personal finance, Transport, Prayer). You will find clear definitions, examples, comparisons, and practice ideas to help you retain new words. ## How to study vocabulary effectively - Learn words in small groups (5–10 at a time). - Study meanings, word forms, collocations, and example sentences. - Use active recall: cover definitions and try to produce them from memory. - Review regularly with spaced repetition. > Tip: Focus on how words appear in sentences and on common pairs (e.g., "pay the fee", "good cause"). ## Vocabulary list with definitions and examples ### Nouns and noun phrases | Word | Definition | Example sentence | | --- | --- | --- | | ache (n) | > A continuous or prolonged dull pain in a part of the body. | I have an ache in my right arm from playing tennis. | | best-seller (n) | > A book or product that sells in very large numbers. | Her autobiography became a best-seller. | | charity (n) | > An organization that helps people or raises money for a good cause. | My sister works for a children's charity. | | consumer society (n) | > A society in which people tend to buy and use many goods and services. | We live in a consumer society where people want new things all the time. | | fee (n) | > A charge for a service. | My lawyer has an hourly fee of £150. | | ghost writer (n) | > A person who writes for someone else who is named as the author. | She used a ghost writer to write her autobiography. | | instalment (n) | > One of a number of payments made over time to pay for something. | I paid back the first instalment on my loan. | | membership (n) | > The state of belonging to a group or organization. | He kept his gym membership even when he moved. | | satisfaction (n) | > A feeling of pleasure because something has been achieved. | I was so proud of my son when he passed his exams. | | sincerity (n) | > The quality of being honest and genuine. | She spoke with sincerity when she thanked everyone. | ### Adjectives and adverbs | Word | Definition | Example sentence | | --- | --- | --- | | ashamed (adj) | > Feeling embarrassed or guilty about something. | He felt so ashamed that he couldn't read aloud. | | bandaged (adj) | > Covered with a bandage because of an injury. | He came to work with a bandaged head. | | cynical (adj) | > Believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human goodness. | I'm always very cynical about our government. | | instinctively (adv) | > Acting without thinking; by instinct. | He instinctively knew what people wanted. | ### Phrases and verbs | Phrase/Verb | Definition | Example sentence | | --- | --- | --- | | burst into tears | > Suddenly begin crying. | When I finished the race I burst into tears. | | door-to-door | > Going from house to house, typically to sell or promote something. | I went door-to-door trying to sell insurance. | | drive someone mad | > To make someone very annoyed or angry. | My parents drive me mad with their arguing! | | employ (v) | > To give someone a job. | We employ a gardener who comes once a week. | | foot the bill | > To pay for something, especially when it is large or unexpected. | My children use the phone but I foot the bill. | > Definition box: For each new word, write the part of speech, a short definition, and one example sentence in your notes. ## Comparing related concepts | Concept | When to use | Example | | --- | --- | --- | | fee vs instalment | Use "fee" for a one-time charge or service cost; use "instalment" for part payments over time. | Pay the registration fee; pay the first instalment of the loan. | | charity vs good cause | "Charity" is the organization; "good cause" is the purpose or reason for fundraising. | Donate to the charity; the money goes to a good cause. | | ghost writer vs