Lesson 1B · New English File Intermediate Vocabulary List

expressing love and care

"My dog is affectionate."

"The affectionate cat rubbed against my legs and purred loudly when I petted her soft fur."

(of a person) feeling worried because of thinking something unpleasant might happen

"I feel anxious."

"The anxious student paced back and forth outside the exam room because she was afraid that she had not studied enough."

constantly telling others what they should do

"She is bossy."

"The bossy older sister always told her younger brother what to do and never let him make his own decisions."

having an attractive and pleasing quality

"He is charming."

"The charming young man won everyone over with his warm smile and his genuine interest in their lives."

telling the truth and having no intention of cheating or stealing

"She is honest."

"The honest salesman told the customer that the cheaper model would actually meet her needs better than the expensive one."

displaying or having creativity or originality

"She is imaginative."

"The imaginative child created entire worlds with her toys and she could entertain herself for hours without needing any screens."

(of a person) resistant to authority or control, often challenging established norms or rules

"The teenager is rebellious."

"The rebellious teenager dyed her hair bright purple and got a nose piercing without asking her parents for permission first."

(of a person) having trust in one's abilities and qualities

"You look self-confident."

"The self confident young woman walked into the interview room and answered every question with ease."

always putting one's interests first and not caring about the needs or rights of others

"He is selfish."

"The selfish child refused to share his toys with the other kids at the playground and threw a tantrum."

unwilling to change one's attitude or opinion despite good reasons to do so

"He is stubborn."

"The donkey is stubborn and refuses to move even when you pull its rope hard."

all the qualities that shape a person's character and make them different from others

"She has a warm and outgoing personality."

"A psychometric test aims to objectively measure various facets of an individual's unique personality."

trying or wishing to gain great success, power, or wealth

"He is ambitious."

"The ambitious young lawyer worked eighty hours a week because she wanted to become a partner at the firm before she turned thirty."

referring to a situation in which teams, players, etc. are trying to defeat their rivals

"He is very competitive."

"The two rival teams engaged in a highly competitive match, each determined to secure victory."

able to do things as one wants without needing help from others

"He is quite independent."

"The independent teenager managed her own finances and made her own decisions about her future."

(of a person) not confident about oneself or one's skills and abilities

"He feels insecure."

"The insecure teenager constantly compared herself to models on social media and felt that she was not pretty enough."

to develop mentally, physically, and emotionally

"Apples mature in the autumn season."

"His painting style continued to mature over the years as he gained more experience and confidence in his work."

experiencing frequent changes in mood, often without apparent reason or explanation

"She is moody."

"The moody teenager slammed his bedroom door and refused to come out for dinner with the family."

able to remain calm, especially in challenging or difficult situations, without becoming annoyed or anxious

"The teacher is patient."

"The patient teacher explained the math problem three times until every student in the class understood the solution."

able to be trusted to perform consistently well and meet expectations

"My car is reliable."

"The reliable old truck never broke down even after two hundred thousand miles and the farmer trusted it completely."

(of a person) displaying good judgment

"That was sensible."

"Making a sensible decision to save money now will benefit you greatly in the future."

capable of understanding other people's emotions and caring for them

"He is a sensitive person."

"He is a sensitive person and cries easily when he watches sad movies or hears bad news."

possessing a friendly personality and willing to spend time with people

"He is very sociable."

"The sociable puppy loved meeting new people at the park and wagged its tail at everyone who passed by."

(of a person) displaying a childish behavior due to being treated very well or having been given everything they desired in the past

"The spoiled child cried."

"The spoiled child threw a tantrum when he didn't get the toy he wanted immediately."