Lesson 3B · New English File Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

in the recent period of time

"I have been busy lately."

"I have been busy lately with work and family obligations so I have not had much time for myself."

at any point in time

"Have you ever been to London?"

"Have you ever been to London or visited any other major cities in the United Kingdom?"

used to refer to the conclusion or outcome of a situation or event

"In the end everything worked out fine."

"In the end everything worked out fine and we all had a wonderful time at the party."

used to introduce a statement that provides additional information or emphasizes the truth or reality of a situation

"In fact I have never been there."

"In fact I have never been there before so I do not know what to expect."

after or at the end of a series of events or an extended period

"He eventually found his lost keys."

"He eventually found his lost keys under the sofa after searching the entire house for over an hour."

used to convey that something seems to be true based on the available evidence or information

"Apparently he did not receive my message."

"Apparently he did not receive my message because his phone was turned off all day yesterday."

in a way that is easily understandable or noticeable

"He obviously did not know the answer."

"He obviously did not know the answer because he kept looking at the ceiling and avoiding eye contact."

in small amounts over a long period of time

"The sun gradually rose over the mountains."

"The sun gradually rose over the mountains and the sky turned from dark blue to soft pink and orange."

at the same time as what is being stated

"I am busy at the moment."

"At the moment I am reading a very interesting book about the history of ancient Egypt."

in a manner that is close

"It is nearly finished."

"The marathon runner was nearly exhausted as she approached the finish line."

used to emphasize a fact or the truth of a situation

"Did you actually see?"

"I thought it was a rumor, but he actually confirmed the surprising news himself."

to an extent or degree that is greater than usual

"I love fruit especially apples."

"I love fruit especially apples and oranges because they are sweet and refreshing and good for health."

in a manner that emphasizes a particular aspect

"Specially made for you."

"This cake was specially baked for your birthday celebration with extra frosting."

used to emphasize a contrast

"He can even sing."

"The difficult task was completed ahead of schedule, and even then, they managed to exceed expectations."

needing a lot of skill or effort to do

"This puzzle is hard."

"The advanced calculus problem proved to be incredibly hard for most of the students in the class."

to a very small degree or extent

"I can hardly wait."

"After the long hike, he could hardly move his tired legs and felt completely exhausted."

up to now or the time stated

"She is still waiting for the bus."

"She is still waiting for the bus at the stop because it has not arrived despite being twenty minutes late."

up until the current or given time

"I have not finished my homework yet."

"I have not finished my homework yet so please give me a few more minutes before we leave."

in a way that is perfect or most suitable

"Ideally, we would meet."

"Ideally, the new office location should be easily accessible by public transportation."

in a simple or fundamental manner, without concern for less important details

"It is basically simple."

"Basically, the project aims to streamline the workflow by eliminating unnecessary steps."

used to show that one completely agrees with something

"You can certainly stay here tonight."

"You can certainly stay here for the night if you have nowhere else to go."