Pens and Pencils: English Vocabulary List

a pen that can be refilled with ink

"Elegant fountain pen."

"Writing with a fountain pen requires a steady hand because the ink flows continuously without pressure."

a writing instrument with an oil-based ink solution and a small metal or plastic ball at the writing tip

"Ballpoint pen uses oil based ink."

"A ballpoint pen uses a tiny rotating ball to dispense oil based ink for smooth writing."

a pen that uses a small rotating ball made of steel, carbide, or ceramic to dispense ink as it moves across a writing surface

"The rollerball pen uses liquid ink."

"The rollerball pen uses liquid ink and writes smoothly but the ink may bleed through thin paper."

a pen that uses thick gel ink that dries quickly and allows for smooth strokes with varied shades and colors

"Gel pen lays opaque ink."

"Gel pens dispense water based gel ink that writes smoothly and dries quickly without smudging."

a pen with a tip that is made of a fiber called felt

"Felt tip draws."

"The artist used a black felt tip pen to draw bold outlines before coloring the picture."

a type of pen that produces consistent line width throughout its strokes, typically with a single, non-flexible nib, ideal for precise and uniform writing or drawing

"The monoline pen creates a uniform line width."

"The monoline pen creates a uniform line width regardless of pressure and is popular for hand lettering."

a type of pen that uses special ink designed to be removed or erased from paper

"Erasable pen ink disappears with heat."

"Erasable pen ink disappears with heat and the eraser creates friction to make the ink invisible."

a type of pen with a mechanism that allows the pen tip to retract into the body of the pen, typically activated by clicking a button or pressing a mechanism on the pen

"The retractable pen clicks to extend the tip."

"The retractable pen clicks to extend the tip and retracts back into the barrel when not in use."

a type of pen that can be filled with ink again after it runs out

"The refillable pen uses ink cartridges."

"The refillable pen uses ink cartridges and is less wasteful than disposable pens because you replace only the cartridge."

a specialized pen nib that allows for variation in line width depending on the pressure applied while writing

"The flex nib spreads to create thick and thin lines."

"The flex nib spreads to create thick and thin lines depending on pressure and is used for calligraphy."

a ballpoint pen designed to write in extreme conditions, including zero gravity, underwater, and in extreme temperatures, using a pressurized cartridge to force ink onto the writing surface

"The space pen writes upside down."

"The space pen writes upside down and in zero gravity because its ink cartridge is pressurized."

a pen-shaped input device equipped with technology to capture handwritten or drawn input directly onto a digital device

"The digital pen records handwriting on a tablet."

"The digital pen records handwriting on a tablet and converts it to digital text that can be edited."

a writing or drawing tool used with digital devices and touchscreens

"Stylus draws on tablet."

"She used a stylus to precisely draw the intricate details on her digital tablet."

a traditional pen consisting of a metal nib inserted into a handle, which is dipped into ink before use

"The dip pen requires an ink bottle."

"The dip pen has a metal nib and no ink reservoir so you must dip it in ink frequently while writing."

the metal tip or point of a dip pen, often made of materials like steel or gold, which is dipped into ink

"The dip pen nib rusts if not dried properly."

"The dip pen nib rusts if not dried properly and should be cleaned and stored in a dry container."

a specialized drawing tool with adjustable metal blades or prongs that can be set to a desired width

"The ruling pen adjusts to different line widths."

"The ruling pen adjusts to different line widths and is used for drawing straight lines with ink."

a traditional writing tool made from a dried and shaped piece of plant material, such as a reed or bamboo, typically cut to a point and used in conjunction with ink to write or draw

"The reed pen was used in ancient Egypt."

"The reed pen was used in ancient Egypt and is made from a hollow reed cut at an angle."

a type of pen with a narrow, precise tip used for drawing or writing with fine lines

"The fine liner has a 0.4mm tip."

"The fine liner has a zero point four millimeter tip and is perfect for small detailed drawings."

a traditional pen used in Islamic calligraphy, typically made from a thin, tapered reed or bamboo shaft with a split nib

"Qalam is a reed pen used for Arabic calligraphy."

"Qalam is a reed pen used for Arabic calligraphy and the tip is cut at a specific angle for thick and thin strokes."

a pencil with a button on top that can be pushed or turned to get more lead out

"Mechanical pencil is convenient."

"The mechanical pencil never needs sharpening because its lead advances automatically with a click."

a writing tool made of a thin stick of slate or a similar material used for writing on slate surfaces

"The slate pencil writes on a dark gray slate."

"The slate pencil writes on a dark gray slate and produces white lines that can be erased with a damp cloth."

a writing or drawing tool consisting of a cylindrical casing filled with a graphite core, used for creating marks on paper

"A graphite pencil leaves a metallic gray mark."

"A graphite pencil leaves a metallic gray mark and the darkness depends on the hardness of the lead."

a drawing tool filled with compressed charcoal, used for creating expressive sketches with rich, dark tones

"The charcoal pencil creates rich black lines."

"The charcoal pencil creates rich black lines and is used for sketching because it blends easily with fingers."

a drawing medium that uses wax or oil-based pigments to create vibrant and detailed images on paper

"Colored pencil blends like crayons."

"Colored pencils are drawing tools with a pigment core inside a wooden barrel for coloring."

a drawing tool filled with a mixture of carbon and a binder, offering smooth and consistent lines with deep, rich blacks, commonly used for sketching and drawing

"The carbon pencil does not reflect light."

"The carbon pencil does not reflect light and produces a matte black finish favored by comic artists."

a colored pencil with a water-soluble pigment core, allowing artists to create watercolor effects by applying water with a brush after drawing

"The watercolor pencil creates paint like effects when wet."

"The watercolor pencil marks dissolve when wet and you can brush water over them to create a painted effect."

a writing tool filled with waxy pigment, used for writing on surfaces like glass or plastic

"The grease pencil writes on glass and plastic."

"The grease pencil writes on glass and plastic and the waxy mark can be wiped off with a cloth."