If you know these 75 words and phrases, your English is OUTSTANDING.

0:00 Are you ready for a proper English upgrade?

0:04 Perfect if you said yes,

0:06 because this might be one of the most useful lessons I've ever put together.

0:11 If you know these 75 words and phrases, your English is truly outstanding.

0:20 This is a total master class.

0:23 You're going to hear each word or phrase in context.

0:27 You're going to understand exactly how we use it.

0:30 And I'm going to test you along the way with quick

0:34 quizzes to help you retain it all in your brain.

0:37 And to make things even easier for you,

0:40 I have created a free PDF ebook to go with this lesson.

0:45 Beautifully designed, full of examples, explanations, and exercises.

0:50 Everything we cover in today's lesson, all in one place.

0:53 To download it, click on the link

0:55 in the description box or scan the QR code there.

0:59 Join the mailing list and the PDF will arrive directly in your inbox.

1:04 Let's get started with the lesson.

1:09 Let's focus now on the 15 phrases I'm about to teach you.

1:12 If you get most of these right, it means you are well on your way to fluency.

1:18 And don't worry if you don't know all of them.

1:21 This is a fantastic way to start.

1:23 Let's begin with number one in I realize

1:28 I should have studied harder for that exam.

1:31 Take a few seconds to think about how we could fill that gap.

1:40 The answer is hindsight.

1:43 In hindsight, I realize I should have studied harder for that exam.

1:48 We use the phrase in hindsight to talk about looking back

1:52 at a situation and understanding it better now than we did at the time.

1:57 It combines hind meaning behind or back and sight meaning seeing.

2:06 It's like saying I see clearly when I look back.

2:09 Okay, keep note of your scores because I'll ask you to share them at the end.

2:13 Let's move on to number two.

2:15 Can you send me the files before 5:00 p.m.?

2:20 Do have you got it?

2:21 I'll give you 5 seconds.

2:28 The answer is will.

2:30 Will will do.

2:31 Saying will do is a short and informal way

2:35 of saying I'll do it or I'll take care of it.

2:39 It's fun and it's casual and I use it about 15 times a day.

2:43 Yep.

2:43 We'll do.

2:44 We'll do.

2:44 Don't worry, we'll do.

2:46 Now, you might also hear can do.

2:48 Can do.

2:49 If you said can do, I will also give you the point.

2:53 Okay, moving on to number three.

2:55 I need you to fill in both blanks here.

2:58 You can trust her.

3:00 She knows when it comes to organizing events.

3:06 I'll give you 5 seconds.

3:07 If you need a hint, both words start with W.

3:16 Okay, the missing words here are what's what.

3:21 You can trust her.

3:22 She knows what's what when it comes to organizing events.

3:26 So, this is a bit of a strange one,

3:28 but we say someone knows what's what to mean they

3:32 understand the important facts or are very knowledgeable about something.

3:37 It sounds far more natural than saying something like

3:41 she is quite knowledgeable on the subject of etc.

3:45 Now let's move on to number four.

3:47 These next three phrases are quite fun.

3:50 Here we are.

3:51 Are you finished with that report?

3:54 More or take a few seconds.

4:02 The answer is less.

4:04 More or less.

4:05 Now, this is a really common expression.

4:07 We use it instead of saying almost, not quite, or approximately, more or less.

4:13 It's particularly useful when you want to soften

4:16 your reply of not having something ready.

4:19 Rather than saying, no, I haven't finished.

4:22 You could say, "Ah, I'm more or less finished.

4:25 Are you ready for number five?

4:26 I've been picking up a few freelance projects here and nothing super steady.

4:33 Take a few minutes.

4:35 Actually, don't take minutes.

4:36 Take a few seconds.

4:42 It's here and there.

4:44 Here and there.

4:46 We use here and there to describe something

4:48 that happens randomly or irregularly without a fixed plan.

4:54 It suggests an occasional occurrence rather than something consistent.

4:58 And it can also be used more literally to mean in various places or all around.

5:05 For example, the dog's toys were scattered here and there about the room.

5:10 Okay, number six.

5:11 Here's your sentence.

5:12 The journey to the village will take an hour or take a few minutes.

5:19 Have a think.

5:25 The missing word is give.

5:27 give or take a few minutes.

5:29 We use this phrase when we're estimating time, amounts, or measurements.

5:34 It means approximately or plus or minus a small amount.

5:39 It's an expression that helps you sound positively fluent.

5:42 Okay.

5:43 Number seven.

5:44 I need two words this time.

5:46 Hey, Mom.

5:47 Can Jamal and I go to a concert tonight?

5:50 It starts at 11 p.m.

5:53 That's absolutely of the It's a school night.

6:00 Okay, take your time here.

6:06 Okay, here are the answers.

6:08 Out and question.

6:11 That's absolutely out of the question.

6:15 This is a strong emphatic way of saying absolutely not.

6:19 Or just giving a firm no.

6:21 That is out of the question.

6:23 No, you may not.

6:24 It's much more forceful than just saying no.

6:27 It shows that there is no room for debate or negotiation.

6:32 And it's a great expression for when you

6:34 want to shut down any argument straight away.

6:38 Okay, we're over halfway through here.

6:40 Let's take a look at number eight.

6:41 I need to buy a new laptop.

6:44 Speaking of, how's your new MacBook?

6:48 Take a few seconds.

6:54 The answer is which.

6:56 I need to buy a new laptop.

6:59 Speaking of which, how's your new MacBook?

7:02 So, speaking of which is a fabulous transition phrase.

7:06 It helps us to smoothly change topic or add

7:09 to a topic when something reminds us of a related point.

7:13 It's much more natural than suddenly jumping to a new subject.

7:17 Number nine.

7:18 Let's see how you do with this one.

7:20 We have two gaps to fill.

7:22 Get me.

7:24 I love chocolate, but that cake was way too sweet.

7:28 Take a few seconds.

7:34 We need don't and wrong.

7:39 Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate, but that cake was way too sweet.

7:43 So, don't get me wrong is a lovely phrase we might use when we think

7:48 someone might misunderstand what we're saying or we

7:51 want to soften something that might upset someone.

7:54 We often use it just before we're about

7:56 to say something that might sound negative or controversial.

8:01 Don't misunderstand me.

8:02 Don't get me wrong.

8:03 So, how are you doing so far?

8:05 Are you feeling pretty fluent?

8:07 I hope you're counting your scores.

8:08 I'd love you to share them at the end.

8:10 Let's move on to number 10.

8:12 Now, this is another expression I use absolutely every single day.

8:17 One gap here.

8:18 How's your first day at work going?

8:20 So far.

8:21 So the missing word is good.

8:31 So far so good.

8:33 So this is a cautiously optimistic way of saying

8:36 that things are going well at the moment.

8:39 Though you might be holding your breath a bit.

8:41 You know that there's still a way to go, but everything's going well so far.

8:45 Okay, number 11.

8:47 Let's see if you know what two words we need here.

8:50 I know you're torn about moving abroad.

8:53 For what?

8:55 I think you'd really thrive there.

8:58 You've always adapted to new situations easily.

9:02 Have a few seconds.

9:08 Ready?

9:08 We need its worth.

9:11 For what it's worth.

9:13 For what it's worth.

9:14 I think you'd really thrive there.

9:16 So, for what it's worth is a lovely humble

9:19 way to share your thoughts or opinions on a matter.

9:22 And we often use it when we want to offer our opinion without coming across

9:26 as pushy or when we're not entirely sure

9:30 that what we're saying is relevant or useful.

9:33 It's almost like saying, "My opinion isn't everything,

9:37 but in case it's worth something to you,

9:39 I'm going to give it to you for what it's worth." Okay.

9:42 Number 12.

9:43 fill in the blank with a word starting with M.

9:48 Her reaction to the election results was definitely a bit.

9:55 Have a think.

10:00 We need much here.

10:03 Her reaction was definitely a bit much.

10:07 A bit much is how we politely say that something was over the top.

10:13 unreasonable or went too far.

10:15 It's softer than saying that was ridiculous.

10:19 Instead, we say that was a bit much.

10:22 And here's our next one.

10:23 Number 13.

10:25 You need a threeletter word.

10:27 Okay, here it is.

10:30 I've got a fair of work to do this week.

10:35 Take a few sex.

10:41 The missing word is bit.

10:43 Bit t.

10:44 I've got a fair bit of work to do this week.

10:47 So, a fair bit is a wonderfully British way of saying quite a lot.

10:54 It's not in our British nature to come right

10:56 out and say that we are buried in work.

10:59 So, we prefer the softer, more polite, a fair bit.

11:03 We like to overstate things by understating them, if you catch my drift.

11:07 Okay, penultimate one.

11:09 The second to last, number 14.

11:12 I'm going to need two words in this one.

11:15 Ready?

11:16 Oh no.

11:17 I spilt water on your book.

11:20 Don't worry.

11:21 No.

11:24 Take some time.

11:30 You should have said harm done.

11:33 Don't worry.

11:34 No harm done.

11:36 This is one of my go-to phrases to reassure someone

11:38 that everything is fine and their actions haven't caused serious damage.

11:43 There's nothing to worry about.

11:45 And it's particularly useful when someone is feeling embarrassed about

11:48 a minor mishap and you want to put them at ease quickly.

11:52 Also, did you notice the spelling and pronunciation of spilt?

11:58 In British English, we tend to spell it like this, s p i l t,

12:03 and pronounce it spilt.

12:05 In American English,

12:06 they tend to lean towards spilled and spell it s p i l l e d.

12:13 Sometimes when I show words with the British spelling,

12:17 I get accused of misspelling things in my videos,

12:21 but I assure you it is a correct version.

12:24 Okay, last one.

12:25 Number 15.

12:27 How you didn't tell me about this sooner?

12:36 The missing word is come.

12:38 How come you didn't tell me about this sooner?

12:41 How come is a friendly, casual way of asking why?

12:46 How come?

12:47 Why?

12:47 It's much softer than demanding why didn't you.

12:51 Why can sometimes sound a bit accusatory.

12:56 How come feels more relaxed and natural.

13:00 Okay, so how many phrases out of the 15 did you know or guess correctly.

13:05 If you manage to complete most of them,

13:08 you are well on your way to English fluency.

13:13 Let's get started with our 15 words.

13:16 Make sure you share your score out of 15 in the comment section.

13:20 I'll be looking out for them.

13:22 The first one, frothy.

13:24 Frothy.

13:25 I love how this word sounds.

13:28 The F sound can be a bit tricky to get though.

13:33 Frothy.

13:34 Frothy.

13:35 Now, does the word sound familiar to you?

13:38 Here it is in context.

13:40 The cappuccino was topped with a layer of frothy milk.

13:44 We use the adjective frothy to describe liquids which have loads of air bubbles.

13:50 Perhaps you've ordered yourself a frothy coffee or a frothy hot chocolate.

13:55 Number two, clock.

13:57 Clock.

13:58 Now, I'm not talking about the noun clock.

14:01 Believe it or not, we can use clock as a verb.

14:06 Any ideas what this could mean?

14:08 Take a look at this sentence.

14:09 He clocked their suspicious behavior and immediately reported it to security.

14:15 Clock actually has several meanings as a verb.

14:18 So, I've included some more in the PDF.

14:21 But what about right here?

14:23 Well, in British English, we often use clock to mean notice or realize.

14:29 To clock something, to notice something.

14:32 Number three, this is cute.

14:34 Tinker.

14:36 Tinker.

14:37 He spent days tinkering with the old radio

14:40 in the hope of getting it to work again.

14:43 If you tinker with something,

14:45 you make small changes in an attempt to improve or fix it.

14:49 And why not just use the verb improve or fix?

14:53 Well, we often use the verb tinker if we're not

14:57 very hopeful that the object will be improved or fixed.

15:01 I often tinker with things.

15:03 My dad fixes things.

15:05 He fixes the things that I've tinkered with.

15:08 Okay.

15:08 Number four.

15:10 Number four.

15:11 [laughter] It's unbelievable how often I do that.

15:14 Fain.

15:16 Fain.

15:18 Notice the ei spelling here.

15:20 We normally write I E.

15:22 It's normally I before E except after C.

15:25 But here, feain.

15:27 Ei.

15:28 Have you heard this word before?

15:30 Here it is in a sentence.

15:32 She feigned surprise when she heard the news even though she already knew.

15:38 If you feain something, you pretend to have a particular feeling.

15:43 She feigned surprise means she pretended to be surprised.

15:49 Feain surprise is a very strong collocation that I clearly enjoy acting out.

15:55 We can also feain enthusiasm, interest, and illness as well.

16:01 Speaking of illness,

16:02 there's a bit of a clue for the next phrase for number five.

16:05 The sniffles.

16:07 The sniffles.

16:08 Maybe you've heard the word sniff.

16:10 That's another clue.

16:12 Well, the word sniff is on a matopic and this means that it

16:16 sounds very similar to the word it describes words like bang, swoosh, and crack.

16:24 They are all on a matopic.

16:26 Okay.

16:27 Sniff.

16:29 [snorts] Sniff is the sound you make when you breathe in through your nose.

16:34 And to have the sniffles is a really

16:36 cute expression which means you have a slight cold.

16:39 You're sniffing a lot.

16:42 [snorts] Can you pass me the tissues?

16:44 I've got the sniffles.

16:45 Okay, let's move on to number six.

16:48 Peruse.

16:50 Peruse.

16:51 I love how formal I sound when I say this word.

16:55 An example.

16:57 There is a selection of newspapers and magazines

17:00 for you to peruse at your leisure.

17:03 I sound like I'm in Bridgetton or something.

17:06 We often use this word in a humorous way to mean to read something,

17:11 especially in a careful or thorough way.

17:14 Now, be careful not to mix this up with the word pursue.

17:18 Just swapping over those letters.

17:20 That means to try and achieve or get something.

17:24 Number seven, berserk.

17:27 Berserk.

17:29 You can say berserk or berserk.

17:32 I pronounce this word with the voiced Z,

17:35 but you can also pronounce it with the unvoiced s berserk.

17:39 Here's an example.

17:40 My mom went berserk when she found out I took her car without asking.

17:45 If someone goes berserk, they become uncontrollably angry.

17:50 And I mean really angry.

17:52 You can make it even stronger and say,

17:55 "My mom went absolutely berserk." I'm pretty

17:58 sure that's the angriest you can ever be.

18:00 We also do sometimes use it in a slightly

18:02 more positive way to describe extreme excitement.

18:07 For example, the crowd went berserk when Taylor Swift came on stage.

18:12 Now, some of you may know that I am a bit of a Swifty.

18:16 And the next word appears in one of my favorite songs.

18:19 Extra points if you can tell me which one it is in the comments.

18:23 Number eight, antithetical.

18:26 Antithetical.

18:28 An example, the act of violence was antithetical to our national values.

18:33 Now, this is a tricky one and I will admit I looked

18:37 it up in the dictionary when I heard it for the first time.

18:39 If something is antithetical,

18:41 it's directly the opposite of someone or something.

18:45 Even though Taylor Swift uses it in one of her songs,

18:48 it is pretty formal and you'll likely read it more than you'll hear it.

18:53 Okay, time for number nine.

18:56 Parched.

18:57 Parched.

18:59 An example.

19:00 I'm parched after that long hike.

19:03 So, this is an informal expression that means very thirsty.

19:08 I'm parched.

19:10 We can also use it more generally to describe something that is incredibly dry,

19:14 like parched land, parched soil, or parched lips.

19:20 My lips become parched if I sleep in a room with air conditioning.

19:24 Number 10.

19:25 Inculcate.

19:27 Inculcate.

19:28 An example.

19:30 My parents tried to inculcate a strong sense

19:33 of responsibility in me from a young age.

19:35 If you inculcate something in or into someone,

19:39 you gradually put an idea, habit, or attitude into their mind.

19:44 This usually involves persistent instruction over a long period of time.

19:49 Okay, just five to go now.

19:51 How are you doing so far?

19:53 Are you ready for number 11?

19:54 I was talking about this today with my mother.

19:57 It is doomscrolling.

20:01 Doomcrolling.

20:02 Ah, great word.

20:04 This combines the words doom and scrolling.

20:08 Do you recognize either of them?

20:10 Any guesses as to what it means when we join the two?

20:13 Maybe you've heard the phrase doom and gloom,

20:16 which refers to a feeling of hopelessness.

20:20 Scrolling is the act of moving down a screen

20:23 to read text or to watch short videos, which is my problem.

20:28 Here's the compound doom scrolling in a sentence.

20:32 He realized his mood was getting worse because

20:35 of his habit of doom scrolling before bed.

20:37 The word doomcrolling refers to the action

20:40 of addictively consuming negative news on social media,

20:45 usually on a mobile device.

20:47 I need to stop doom scrolling.

20:49 There's another phrase I love, which is to get into a scroll hole.

20:53 You know, when you're on Tik Tok or Instagram and you realize,

20:56 "Oh my word, have I just spent 30 minutes just scrolling through my phone?

21:02 I'm in a scroll hole.

21:04 I don't even know how I got here." Number 12.

21:06 This one's a bit different.

21:07 This is an initialism.

21:10 An initialism.

21:11 An initialism is an abbreviation formed by taking

21:14 the first letter of the words in the name.

21:17 Each letter is pronounced individually.

21:20 For example, DVD, digital versatile disc.

21:23 Our initialism is ASMR.

21:25 Notice how I stress the last letter R.

21:28 An example, she watches ASMR videos to help her relax and fall asleep.

21:34 These kind of videos have become super popular on YouTube recently.

21:38 Maybe you're a fan.

21:39 ASMR is an abbreviation of autonomous sensory meridian response.

21:46 It refers to the pleasant sensation you may feel,

21:49 especially at the top of the head and back

21:51 of the neck when you hear certain gentle noises or movements.

21:57 These feelings are often referred to as tingles

22:01 and the noises or movements that cause them triggers.

22:05 I could try it.

22:07 Does this make you feel weird?

22:10 Maybe I should try ASMR one day.

22:13 Not sure if I'd be that good at it.

22:14 Number 13, cringeworthy.

22:18 Cringeworthy.

22:19 This adjective perfectly describes my Facebook post from 10 to 15 years ago.

22:27 An example, his attempt at telling a joke during the meeting

22:31 was so cringe-worthy that everyone fell silent and avoided eye contact.

22:36 When you cringe, you feel horrendously embarrassed and will

22:41 often make this kind of face or movement.

22:45 If something is cringeworthy, it will make you cringe.

22:50 What would you describe as cringeworthy?

22:52 Maybe it's your dad's silly dancing

22:54 or watching a video of yourself singing karaoke.

22:57 Okay, the penultimate one now.

23:00 Nimi.

23:01 Nimi.

23:02 This, like ASMR, is also an abbreviation,

23:06 but we don't pronounce each letter separately.

23:09 And in British English, we don't write it in capital letters.

23:13 In the US, you will likely see it written like this.

23:17 Nimi.

23:18 What is a nimi and what does the word stand for?

23:21 See if you can guess.

23:22 I think you're going to like this one.

23:23 Let's give you an example.

23:25 The Nimbies are opposing the development of a new wind farm in East Lancasher.

23:31 Nimi stands for not in my backyard.

23:36 Not in my backyard.

23:38 Nimi.

23:39 It refers to when people oppose developments close to them,

23:44 but do not object to them being built elsewhere.

23:47 A backyard is similar to a garden.

23:50 So, you're essentially saying, "No, I don't want that in my garden,

23:53 but you can build it in someone else's." And number 15, bounceback ability.

24:00 Bounceback ability.

24:01 Try saying that really fast.

24:02 Bounce back ability.

24:04 Here it is in a full sentence.

24:07 United's bounceback ability was evident when they won the match

24:11 after losing their star player to injury early in the game.

24:15 This phrase refers to the ability to recover quickly from setbacks,

24:20 especially in sport.

24:21 It comes from the phrasal verb to bounce back, which means to recover.

24:26 Okay.

24:27 How many did you get right?

24:29 How many of these words were new to you?

24:32 And which ones were your favorites?

24:34 I do really love Nimi.

24:36 It's so funny because it's so true.

24:38 So many people are like that.

24:43 With these words, I will say them once so you can think about

24:47 whether you recognize it and then when I say it the second time,

24:51 I'll show it on screen.

24:52 Let's get the ball rolling with a relatively easy word.

24:57 Reckon.

25:00 Reckon.

25:01 Does it ring any bells?

25:03 Here it is in a complete sentence.

25:05 I reckon it's going to rain soon.

25:08 Have you got it?

25:09 Reckon is an informal verb that means think or believe.

25:14 We use it so often in British English.

25:17 I reckon that I use it around a hundred times a day.

25:21 Number two, core.

25:25 Core.

25:27 Notice how I don't pronounce the R in core.

25:30 There's no sound there.

25:32 It's just that long vowel sound.

25:34 O core.

25:36 An example using core.

25:38 My dad reading me a story before bed is one of my core childhood memories.

25:43 Core is such a beautifully versatile word.

25:46 As a noun, it means the central or middle part of something,

25:50 like an apple core or the earth's core.

25:53 When used as an adjective,

25:55 it usually refers to the central or key part of something.

25:59 A core memory is a significant memory from your childhood.

26:03 It's often something that has a direct impact on your personality.

26:08 We also often talk about core beliefs or core values.

26:11 Number three, deliberate.

26:16 Deliberate.

26:17 The teacher made a deliberate mistake to check

26:20 if the students were still paying attention.

26:23 If you've never heard this word before,

26:25 can you guess its meaning from the context?

26:29 A deliberate action is intentional.

26:32 We can also say the teacher made a mistake on purpose.

26:36 The opposite of deliberate is unintentional or by accident.

26:42 British English.

26:43 In American English, they also say on accident.

26:47 We favor by accident in British English.

26:50 Now, deliberate has an h sound at the end.

26:54 Thewah deliberate.

26:56 You will also hear it squeeze down to three syllables.

27:01 Deliberate.

27:02 Deliberate in fast spoken English.

27:05 Be careful though.

27:06 There is also a verb that is spelled in exactly the same way,

27:11 but it has a different meaning and pronunciation.

27:14 The verb form is to deliberate.

27:16 Deliberate with a at the end.

27:19 Words like this are called hetronyms.

27:21 And I've included some more examples in the PDF.

27:25 Bonus point if you know what deliberate means.

27:28 If you deliberate something, you think about it very carefully.

27:33 For example, the judges deliberated

27:36 for hours before reaching their final decision.

27:38 Time for number four, elsewhere.

27:43 Elsewhere.

27:44 Notice how the main stress is on the second syllable.

27:47 Elsewhere.

27:48 Here is the word in context.

27:50 Any idea what it means?

27:53 The restaurant is fully booked.

27:55 We'll have to go elsewhere.

27:57 There's actually a bit of a clue in the word itself.

28:00 To go elsewhere means to go somewhere else.

28:05 Elsewhere.

28:06 Somewhere else.

28:08 I think it's a beautiful word the way

28:10 that somewhere else is inverted to become elsewhere.

28:14 We usually use it after a verb like we did in the example sentence.

28:18 Okay.

28:18 How are you getting on so far?

28:20 Let's do number five.

28:22 Grab.

28:25 Grab.

28:26 For example, someone just grabbed my bag and ran off with it.

28:30 Grab literally means to take hold of something very quickly, often using force.

28:37 But we can also use grab as a casual

28:39 expression meaning to get something to eat or drink quickly.

28:44 It's a great phrase that we use all the time.

28:46 For example, we've got 30 minutes before the next meeting.

28:50 Should we go and grab a coffee?

28:52 Obviously, I'm not going to snatch the coffee like that.

28:55 We're just going to get it quickly.

28:57 It implies speed.

28:59 Number six.

29:00 Ready?

29:00 I love this vowel sound.

29:02 Urge.

29:05 Urge.

29:06 I love this word, but it can be tricky

29:09 to pronounce because of the long vowel sound at the beginning.

29:12 Uh, imagine you've just seen something that's disgusting and say h.

29:17 It's the same sound you find in world and work.

29:22 Urge.

29:22 Have you heard this word before?

29:27 Okay, let's look at the meaning.

29:28 Can you replace urge with a synonym in this sentence?

29:34 The government urged the public to remain calm.

29:38 It's a pretty formal word.

29:39 You might have heard it on the news.

29:41 Still not sure?

29:43 Maybe you can think of another word that begins with the letters U, R, G, and E.

29:48 We have urgent.

29:49 This has the same root or origin as urge.

29:52 It's similar in meaning to recommend, but it's stronger.

29:58 The structure is to urge somebody to do something.

30:03 It's also often used in the passive.

30:06 For example, she was urged to follow safety procedures at all times.

30:12 Okay, here comes lucky number seven.

30:15 Gig.

30:17 Gig.

30:18 I've just bought tickets for the Coldplay gig in September.

30:23 Gig is another word for concert.

30:25 We normally use it with popular music concerts like pop, rock, or jazz.

30:31 We don't normally say a classical music gig.

30:35 Here, the word concert would be more appropriate.

30:38 Musicians or comedians do or play a gig, but most of us go to a gig.

30:44 Sometimes it's used in a slang way to mean a job.

30:47 I've got a gig as a children's party entertainer, for example.

30:51 It's like a oneoff.

30:53 It can also be used as a verb.

30:55 And I've left more information about all of this and all of the other words,

30:58 plus some more, in the PDF.

31:00 The links in the description.

31:02 Okay, we're over halfway through now,

31:03 and we're moving things up a notch to some advanced level words.

31:08 Number eight, I love how this word sounds.

31:12 Cling.

31:15 Cling.

31:15 Here it is in a sentence.

31:17 He always clings to his girlfriend's arm when they watch horror films together.

31:22 So, if you cling to or onto something,

31:25 you hold it very tightly, usually because you're afraid.

31:29 You probably have some cling film in your kitchen.

31:33 It's also known as plastic wrap.

31:34 We use it to cover food tightly.

31:36 So, if you describe a person as clingy, clingy, what are you saying?

31:42 It's a fairly disapproving adjective,

31:45 meaning that a person depends on another person too much and lacks independence.

31:50 We often use it to describe children

31:52 or partners who are perhaps a bit too possessive.

31:56 For example, Sarah is a clingy child.

31:59 She never leaves her mother's side.

32:01 Ready for number nine?

32:02 We're moving into super advanced territory now.

32:06 Gabble.

32:08 Gabble.

32:09 He got nervous in the interview and started to gabble.

32:13 If you gabble, you speak so quickly

32:15 that people find it difficult to understand you.

32:18 We often use it with the prepositions on and away.

32:22 What do you tend to gabble on about or gabble away about?

32:25 I have to admit, I tend to gabble on a bit about Spain.

32:27 I'm here right now and I love it.

32:29 Number 10.

32:30 This is a word that I learned fairly recently and now that I know what it means,

32:35 I see and hear it everywhere.

32:38 It's a regular verb.

32:40 Gaslight.

32:43 Gaslight.

32:45 For example, the boss made a mistake and then

32:48 gaslighted me into thinking it was my fault.

32:51 To gaslight means to manipulate someone's memory of an event.

32:56 And this usually involves trying to make somebody believe

32:59 things that aren't true in an attempt to control them.

33:02 If someone gaslights you, you might start to doubt your memory of an event.

33:07 And you're probably thinking, where on earth does this come from?

33:10 Well, interestingly,

33:11 this term comes from the 1930s British play called Gas Light,

33:16 in which a manages to convince his wife that she has a mental illness.

33:21 Really creepy.

33:22 Number 11, we have Ghost.

33:28 Ghost.

33:29 Now, I know you're thinking, "Lucy,

33:31 there's no way that ghost is an advanced word." Well, you're not wrong.

33:36 The noun ghost is definitely an intermediate word.

33:39 But could you use ghost as a verb?

33:43 Here's an example.

33:44 We chatted online for over a year and then she completely ghosted me.

33:49 If you ghost somebody,

33:50 you suddenly stop all communication with someone without explanation.

33:55 You simply, and then I'll go down like this, disappear.

34:02 We often use the term with online relationships,

34:05 but you could also be ghosted by a friend

34:08 or someone you're dating in person or in real life.

34:11 It's quite sad, actually.

34:13 Let's move on to number 12 to another word I love saying, finicky.

34:20 Finicky.

34:21 This word has two meanings, so let's hear it in context.

34:25 I'm a bit finicky when it comes to coffee,

34:27 so I always buy from the same independent coffee shop.

34:31 Another example, different meaning.

34:33 Can you help me put this shelf together?

34:36 It's a bit finicky.

34:37 So, in the first sentence, finicky means fussy.

34:42 It's a disapproving adjective,

34:44 which means that you worry too much about certain things.

34:48 This worrying can make it difficult for you

34:50 to be happy or satisfied with something.

34:53 In the second sentence,

34:55 assembling the furniture is finicky because it requires a lot

34:58 of attention to detail as there may be lots of small parts.

35:02 Okay, we are on the home straight now.

35:05 Our final three words.

35:07 Number 13.

35:09 Situationship.

35:11 Situationship.

35:12 An example.

35:13 I'd love to move things on from being

35:15 in a situationship to actually being boyfriend and girlfriend.

35:19 Any ideas?

35:20 This is a great word to use when you're more than friends with somebody,

35:23 but you're not officially dating or in a serious relationship.

35:27 It's a blend of the word situation and relationship,

35:30 and it's being used more and more frequently.

35:33 Number 14, abbleism.

35:37 Abbleism.

35:38 Do you recognize any parts of this word, able or ism?

35:43 Perhaps you're familiar with the words racism, sexism, and feminism.

35:49 Here's the word in context.

35:51 As a wheelchair user, Sally is forced to face abbleism on a daily basis.

35:56 Abbleism refers to discrimination against disabled people.

36:01 And I love this word because it draws attention to unacceptable

36:04 attitudes and behaviors towards people with mental and physical disabilities.

36:09 Okay, now it's time for our final word of the day.

36:12 And this is a word that I most definitely relate to.

36:17 Nomophobia.

36:18 Nomophobia.

36:20 Perhaps you recognize the last part of the word, phobia.

36:24 Here's the word in context.

36:26 She has a severe case of nomophobia.

36:29 She can't go anywhere without her mobile phone.

36:32 So, a phobia is an extreme fear of something.

36:36 And nomophobia is a fear of not having your mobile phone.

36:40 something I can kind of relate to, although I'm

36:43 trying to spend more time away from my mobile phone.

36:46 How many of these wonderful words did you

36:49 already know and which one is your favorite?

36:52 Let me know in the comments section.

36:56 Okay, let's begin the quiz.

36:59 There will be three rounds with different question types.

37:03 First, multiple choice.

37:05 Question one.

37:08 I'm fed with this rainy weather.

37:12 Is it A on B down or C up.

37:24 It should be C C up.

37:28 I'm fed up with this rainy weather.

37:31 If you're fed up, you're bored or annoyed.

37:35 often because something has lasted for too long.

37:38 It's common to hear fed up with.

37:41 But fed up of is also common in British English, especially in informal speech.

37:48 She got fed up with waiting and went to look for him.

37:52 Or, I'm fed up of hearing that song on the radio.

37:56 Notice how we usually use the ing form of the verb after prepositions.

38:01 Question two.

38:02 My new car doesn't much fuel so it's cheap to run.

38:08 Is it A spend, B consume, or C contain?

38:21 It should be B consume.

38:24 It doesn't consume much fuel.

38:27 Consume means use.

38:30 often referring to fuel, energy, or time.

38:33 Notice how both fuel and consume have this invisible y sound before the ooh.

38:43 Fuel.

38:45 Consume.

38:46 Another example with consume.

38:48 The project has consumed all of our time.

38:52 It's used up all of our time.

38:55 Number three.

38:56 The couple behind me talked the film.

39:01 It was so annoying.

39:03 Is it A while, B completely, or C throughout?

39:17 It should be C throughout.

39:21 Throughout means during the whole of a period

39:24 of time or in every part of a place.

39:28 And notice how I stress the second syllable.

39:31 It's not throughout, it's throughout.

39:36 If you want to improve your pronunciation and sound more natural when you speak,

39:41 focusing on syllable stress is going to get you there fast.

39:46 I always try to highlight the syllable stress for you.

39:49 Another example, people throughout the world watch the Olympics.

39:55 People all over the world, in every part of the world.

39:58 Okay, question four.

40:00 She politely pointed that I had forgotten to sign the form.

40:06 Is it A out, B up, or C two?

40:17 It should be a out.

40:20 She pointed out the tide forgotten.

40:23 If you point something out, you tell someone about something important,

40:29 often because you think they don't know or have forgotten.

40:32 Another example, I was going to cook lamb until

40:36 my husband pointed out that Simon is a vegetarian.

40:41 And the last question in this round number five,

40:45 which word best completes the sentence?

40:47 The medicine was very and I felt better quickly.

40:53 Is it A effective, B active or C successful?

41:06 It should be a effective.

41:10 We don't tend to say that medicine is active or successful.

41:15 A treatment could be successful, but a medicine is usually effective.

41:21 If something is effective, it produces a result that you want or it works well.

41:26 Okay, we've finished the first round.

41:29 What is your score out of five?

41:31 Note it down and then we'll start round two.

41:34 Are you ready to start round two?

41:36 This time first I'll say the word and show it on the screen.

41:42 See if you know what it means.

41:45 Then I will give you an example with the word.

41:48 Finally, I'll explain the meaning and you can check if you got it right.

41:54 Ready?

41:55 Number six.

41:57 Duty.

41:59 Duty.

42:01 An example sentence.

42:03 It is my duty to help my younger brother with his homework.

42:07 What do you think?

42:13 A duty is something that you must do because

42:16 it is your job or because it is right.

42:19 You'll hear this pronounced in a few different ways.

42:22 In British English, it might be duty with a d sound or juty with a j sound.

42:32 In North American English, it's more likely to be duty or duty.

42:38 Next word, number seven, cruel.

42:43 Cruel.

42:44 Here's an example.

42:46 It was very cruel to leave the cat outside in the cold.

42:50 Have a think about the definition.

42:57 If something is cruel, it hurts others, causes them pain, or makes them sad.

43:04 You will hear this pronounced cruel with two

43:08 syllables or cruel with just one syllable.

43:12 Both are correct.

43:13 You can use whichever is more comfortable for you.

43:16 Normally, my students find it easier to use one syllable.

43:20 Cruel.

43:20 Word number eight, keen.

43:24 Keen, an example, she's keen to travel to new places.

43:35 Keen means very interested in or enthusiastic about something.

43:40 If you're keen, you often want to do something or want something to happen.

43:45 You'll hear keen to do something like in our example or keen on something.

43:52 For example, he's keen on sailing.

43:56 He likes it very much.

43:58 A little pronunciation note here.

44:01 Notice the consonant to vow linking.

44:05 Keon.

44:07 Instead of saying keen on, I link them together and say keon.

44:13 Kenon.

44:14 He's keen on sailing.

44:17 Our next word number nine is to fool.

44:21 To fool.

44:22 An example sentence.

44:24 Don't let his friendly manner fool you.

44:28 He's not as nice as he seems.

44:35 To fool means to make someone believe something that's not true.

44:40 A similar word is to trick.

44:43 She fooled me.

44:44 She tricked me.

44:46 And the last one in this round, to expand.

44:50 To expand.

44:51 An example.

44:52 The company decided to expand its online shop to reach more customers.

45:03 Here's the definition.

45:04 To expand means to become larger in size, number, or amount,

45:11 or to make something do this, to make something become larger.

45:16 It's often pronounced expand with an I expand,

45:21 but you will also hear expand with an e sound as well.

45:26 Both are fine.

45:27 Another example, metal expands in the heat.

45:32 Okay, how are you doing so far?

45:33 How's your score out of 10?

45:35 Now, let's start the final round of our quiz.

45:38 You're going to complete the gaps.

45:40 Number 11.

45:41 We always spend our summers at the playing on the beach.

45:47 The word we're looking for starts with S and it has seven letters.

45:58 The word is seaside.

46:02 Seaside.

46:03 So, this is a really common word in British English,

46:06 but I rarely hear my students use it.

46:09 Did you know it?

46:10 The seaside is the area near the sea where

46:14 people often go for a holiday or to relax.

46:17 It is the seaside, not a seaside.

46:21 We're going to the seaside next week.

46:24 Number 12.

46:25 Wolves have thick that keeps them warm in cold weather.

46:30 I'm not going to give you a clue here on the letters.

46:38 It should be fur.

46:41 Did you know that one?

46:43 Fur is the soft hair that covers some animals bodies, specifically mammals.

46:49 Dogs and cats have fur, apart from those sphinx cats.

46:53 You can also say that animals have a coat,

46:57 but that would have required an article.

47:00 Fur or a coat.

47:02 Okay.

47:02 Number 13.

47:04 I was at the range of cakes on offer in the tiny bakery.

47:09 We're looking for a word starting with a with six letters.

47:19 It should be amazed.

47:22 I was amazed.

47:24 This means very surprised.

47:26 We often say we're amazed at or by something or someone.

47:30 And notice how I pronounce it.

47:33 Amazed.

47:35 Amazed.

47:36 I have a schwa uh in the first syllable.

47:39 Amazed.

47:40 Not amazed.

47:42 Amazed.

47:43 Number 14.

47:44 The heavy rain caused a that washed away several houses.

47:56 It is a flood.

48:00 A flood is a large amount of water that covers an area that is usually dry.

48:06 Floods often happen when rivers become too full of water.

48:10 And finally, question 15.

48:13 Most people were in of adding a playground to the park.

48:19 We need a word with a similar meaning to approval.

48:25 It begins with F and it has six letters.

48:34 It should be favor.

48:37 Most people were in favor of adding a playground.

48:42 If you are in favor of something or someone

48:45 you agree with and support it or them.

48:48 So, what was your score out of 15?

48:52 If you scored higher than 12,

48:54 I think you ought to have a look at some B2 level materials as well.

49:02 Let's start with this quiz.

49:04 The first round is called level up.

49:07 You will see a sentence with a word in bold.

49:10 I want you to replace it with a more advanced B2 level one.

49:15 Are you ready?

49:16 Keep score as we go.

49:18 Number one, the book is full of stories from the author's travels.

49:24 Replace stories with a B2 level word starting with a it should be anecdotes.

49:38 Now, stories is totally fine, but anecdotes is more precise.

49:43 An anecdote is a short, often funny story about a real event or person.

49:49 And note the pronunciation.

49:51 Anecdote, not anecdote.

49:55 An example, he told a funny anecdote about getting lost in Paris.

49:59 Number two, I'm sure we made the right decision.

50:03 Replace sure with a B2 level word starting with C.

50:13 If you said certain, it's a good guess and it does fit.

50:19 But certain is not a B2 level word.

50:22 We are looking for the word convinced.

50:26 It means completely sure or certain about something.

50:31 The stress is on the second syllable.

50:34 Convinced.

50:36 Three.

50:37 She cut some wood for the fire.

50:40 Replace cut with another verb starting with C.

50:49 It should be chopped.

50:52 To chop means to cut something into pieces

50:56 with a sharp tool such as a knife or an axe.

51:00 Again, cut is fine, but chop collocates strongly with wood

51:07 and with logs as well as with many vegetables.

51:11 We often say that we chop carrots, onions, or potatoes.

51:16 Next one.

51:17 I have clear memories of the first time I visited Rome.

51:22 Replace clear with a word starting with V.

51:31 It should be vivid.

51:33 We often use vivid to talk about memories or descriptions

51:37 that produce clear and detailed pictures in our minds.

51:42 Another example, the book gave a vivid portrayal of life in rural France.

51:48 Number five, the company plans to build a new road.

51:53 What's a higher level synonym for build?

51:57 It starts with C.

52:04 It should be construct.

52:06 This means to build something or put parts together to create something.

52:11 Construct is more formal than build

52:13 and you'll often see it in passive structures.

52:17 The building was constructed in the 19th century.

52:21 And notice how I pronounce it with a schwah

52:24 on the first syllable and the stress on the second.

52:28 Construct, not construct when we're using it as a verb.

52:34 All right, that's the end of the first round.

52:36 Did you know those five B2 level words?

52:40 Remember to keep score as we go along.

52:42 Let's move on to our next round.

52:44 You will see a word and two possible definitions.

52:48 You need to choose the correct one.

52:50 So let's go with number six.

52:52 Alarmed.

52:53 Does it mean worried or annoyed?

53:02 It should be worried.

53:04 If you are alarmed, you're worried or frightened because

53:08 something unexpected or dangerous has happened or might happen.

53:13 Make sure to put the stress on the second syllable.

53:16 It's alarmed, not alarmed.

53:19 They were alarmed when smoke started coming under the door.

53:23 Number seven, restore.

53:25 Does it mean to refill something that's empty

53:29 or to repair something so it's in its original condition?

53:38 It's the second definition.

53:40 We often restore paintings, furniture, and old buildings.

53:45 The stress is on the second syllable.

53:48 Restore.

53:50 Not restore.

53:51 Restore.

53:52 The old paintings have been lovingly restored.

53:56 Next.

53:57 Appeal.

53:57 Is this the skin of a fruit or vegetable

54:02 or a quality that makes someone or something attractive?

54:11 It's the second.

54:12 And we have another word that's stressed on the second syllable.

54:16 Appeal.

54:18 not appeal.

54:19 Part of the appeal of this cafe is that it's never crowded.

54:24 Number nine, prospect.

54:28 Is this the possibility that something good might happen

54:32 in the future or a detailed plan of action?

54:41 It's the first one.

54:43 The prospect of moving to a new country.

54:47 excites and terrifies me.

54:49 And number 10, rested.

54:53 Does this mean no longer working because of old age or feeling

54:58 healthy and full of energy after a period of not working?

55:07 It's the second.

55:09 After a few days away, I came back feeling rested and ready to work.

55:14 So, how was that round?

55:16 What is your score so far out of 10?

55:18 Now we're on to our final round, which is the most challenging.

55:22 Complete the gaps.

55:24 You ready?

55:25 Number 11.

55:27 Which word best completes the sentence?

55:30 When the last video rental shop closed in my city,

55:34 it was the end of a or an what era.

55:45 The end of an era.

55:47 An era is a period of time

55:49 that is known for particular events or characteristics.

55:53 The end of an era is a common phrase.

55:56 We use it to say that a certain

55:58 period and its characteristics have come to an end.

56:02 Number 12.

56:03 My first at skiing ended in disaster.

56:08 We're looking for a noun beginning with a.

56:11 I'll give you that.

56:13 attempt.

56:18 An attempt is an act of trying to do something, especially something difficult.

56:23 The verb form is also attempt, meaning to try to do something difficult.

56:29 Both are stressed on the second syllable with awah in the first attempt.

56:36 The consonant cluster at the end can be tricky to pronounce.

56:42 Attempt.

56:43 You will hear that some people don't pronounce the P sound.

56:47 Attempt.

56:49 Attempt.

56:51 Let's have an example now.

56:52 I attempted to avoid work by organizing my sock drawer.

56:56 Okay, let's have two phrasal verbs now.

56:59 Number 13.

57:00 Kyle was definitely off when he started doing push-ups in the living room.

57:11 The best fit here is showing.

57:14 Showing off.

57:15 And notice how I give more energy to off.

57:20 Showing off.

57:21 Kyle was definitely showing off.

57:24 To show off means to behave in a way

57:26 that is meant to attract attention or make others admire you.

57:30 Showing off is often annoying.

57:32 Notice how the stress shifts to the first word for the noun form.

57:38 A person who shows off is a showoff.

57:42 And number 14, I trust Kate.

57:45 She's never let me before.

57:53 It should be down.

57:55 She's never let me down.

57:57 To let somebody down means to disappoint

58:00 someone by failing to do what they expected.

58:03 And finally, the last one.

58:05 Number 15.

58:07 It's a real film that leaves people feeling happy.

58:13 We're looking for a compound adjective starting with F.

58:23 It's feelgood.

58:25 It's a real feelgood film.

58:28 I bet you understand those words individually,

58:31 but did you know that we can combine them to create an adjective?

58:34 Feel good means something that makes you feel happy and positive,

58:39 or very simply, something that makes you feel good.

58:43 You'll see the adjective both with and without a hyphen.

58:46 So, that's a feel-good word to end on.

58:49 Do you have a B2 level in English?

58:52 Let me know your score in the comments.

58:56 At around 70% and above, you're getting really close.

59:09 [music] [music] I look down.