Unit 15 · Interchange Pre Intermediate Vocabulary List

a written or spoken request to someone, asking them to attend a party or event

"We received an invitation to the wedding."

"The invitation looked very beautiful and sounded formal."

in a courteous or respectful manner

"He asked politely."

"The young man politely held the door open for the elderly woman and she thanked him for his kind and thoughtful gesture."

a suggestion or an opinion that is given with regard to making the best decision in a specific situation

"Good advice helps."

"She gave me valuable advice about my career."

to tell a person that one is sorry for having done something wrong

"He will apologize for his mistake."

"He called his friend to apologize for forgetting their lunch appointment and promised to make it up to him."

before the present or specified time

"I have already eaten breakfast."

"I have already finished my homework so now I can watch television or play video games."

to attempt to achieve something, particularly a difficult goal

"Shoot for the highest goal."

"You should shoot for a high score on the test by studying every day for at least two weeks."

refusal or cancellation of an invitation, offer, or plan with intention of accepting it or doing it at another time instead

"He took a rain check on dinner."

"He could not make the movie tonight so he asked for a rain check for next week."

in the time following a specific action, moment, or event

"We went to dinner afterward."

"We went to dinner afterward and then we walked along the beach for a while enjoying the cool evening breeze."

to ask for something politely or formally

"I request a refund please."

"The customer requested a refund after receiving a damaged product that was missing several important components."

suitable for friendly, relaxed, casual, or unofficial occasions and situations

"The party is informal."

"The informal gathering at the park did not require fancy clothes and everyone came in jeans and t shirts with comfortable sneakers for walking."

to fix something that is damaged, broken, or not working properly

"He can repair the broken chair."

"The mechanic said he can repair my car by Friday if I bring it in tomorrow morning."

a person who greets and deals with people arriving at or calling a hotel, office building, doctor's office, etc.

"The receptionist greeted us politely."

"The receptionist asked every visitor to sign the logbook before allowing them to enter the restricted area of the building."

causing a person to feel ashamed or uneasy

"The situation is embarrassing."

"The embarrassing moment happened when he called his teacher mom in front of the whole class."

a device that watches and records what is happening in an area to help keep it safe

"The security camera watches the front door."

"The security camera mounted above the front door records everyone who approaches the house day and night."

elaborate or sophisticated in style, often designed to impress

"She wore a fancy dress."

"She wore a fancy dress to the party and everyone complimented her on how elegant and beautiful she looked that evening."

an exciting or unusual experience, often involving risk or physical activity

"The adventure was exciting."

"Their adventure through the Amazon rainforest turned dangerous when the guide got lost and they ran out of drinking water after two days."

an underground railroad system, typically in a big city

"The subway was crowded."

"He rides the subway every day."

a portable device that combines the functions of a cell phone and a computer, such as browsing the Internet, using apps, making calls, etc.

"A smartphone is an essential tool for modern life."

"The modern smartphone has more computing power than the systems NASA used to guide the Apollo missions to the Moon and back."

a strong feeling of enthusiasm and happiness

"The excitement before the concert was electric."

"The children could barely hide their excitement as they waited to open their presents on Christmas morning."

a tall pole designed to hold one or more electric lamps in order to provide light on a street or road

"The dog peed on the lamppost."

"The dog peed on the lamppost and the owner apologized to the neighbor who saw him."

soft material that is added to provide comfort or protection

"The box has extra padding inside."

"The box has extra padding inside and the fragile items arrived without any damage."

the act or process of destroying or breaking apart a building or other structure

"The demolition crew arrives tomorrow morning."

"The demolition crew used a wrecking ball to bring down the old hotel and make way for a new shopping centre."

a person, entity, or organization that possesses, controls, or has legal rights to something

"The dog waits for its owner to return."

"The owner of the small bookstore knew every regular customer by their first name."

at a time following the current or mentioned moment, without specifying exactly when

"I will call you later tonight."

"I will call you later tonight after I finish my homework and have something to eat for dinner."

to reject an offer, request, or invitation

"He will decline the offer."

"Despite the attractive salary, she had to decline the job offer due to prior commitments."

to move or travel behind someone or something

"I follow you."

"Please follow the instructions carefully to ensure the successful assembly of the furniture."

to make something clear and easy to understand by giving more information about it

"Please explain the rules clearly."

"The teacher used simple diagrams to explain the complex scientific concept to the confused students."

to say yes to what is asked of you or offered to you

"Please accept my sincere apology."

"It took her a long time to accept that she had made a mistake and needed to apologize sincerely."

having so many things to do in a way that leaves not much free time

"I am very busy."

"She had a busy schedule filled with meetings, deadlines, and client calls, leaving her with very little personal time."

to present or propose something to someone

"The company offered him a job."

"The company offered him a generous salary package including health insurance and a company car."

not occupied or in use, and therefore available for someone to use

"The seat is free."

"Fortunately, the last available seat on the train was free when we arrived at the station."

a public event in which objects such as paintings, photographs, etc. are shown

"The exhibit is open."

"The art exhibit featured a stunning collection of Impressionist paintings from renowned international artists."

suitable for fancy, important, serious, or official occasions and situations

"The dress code is formal."

"The formal dress code required men to wear suits and ties and women to wear elegant evening gowns or cocktail dresses to the wedding."

to use words and give someone information

"Tell me the truth please."

"Please tell me the truth about what happened last night because I deserve to know the facts."

used as the past tense of ‘can’

"I could go home."

"She thought she could finish the project by tomorrow if she worked diligently."

used to make an offer or request in a polite manner

"Would you like some tea?"

"Would you be so kind as to pass me that book from the shelf, please?"

to use words in a question form or tone to get answers from someone

"I ask for help."

"He decided to ask his professor for an extension on his research paper."

to not go to or be present at an event or activity

"I will miss the party."

"He was so ill that he had to miss the important conference he had been looking forward to."

as a replacement or equal in value, amount, etc.

"Stay home instead of going out."

"Stay home instead of going out because the weather is bad and there is a storm coming."

to organize items in a specific order to make them more convenient, accessible, or understandable

"Arrange the flowers in a vase."

"The florist will arrange the fresh flowers into a beautiful bouquet for the wedding ceremony next Saturday."

without anyone else

"She prefers to eat alone."

"She prefers to eat alone because she likes to read her book while having lunch without any distractions."

the act or process of carefully choosing someone or something as being the best or most suitable

"This is a good selection."

"The careful selection of rare books made the library's collection exceptionally valuable."

an unexpected and unpleasant event that happens by chance, usually causing damage or injury

"The accident happened suddenly."

"He witnessed a serious car accident at the intersection and immediately called emergency services to help the injured drivers before the ambulance arrived."

a difficult or problematic situation that can cause stress, anxiety or harm

"I have trouble now."

"He found himself in considerable trouble after mismanaging the company's finances."

to catch an animal or a person and keep them as a prisoner

"They capture the bird."

"The security forces managed to capture the fugitive after a lengthy pursuit."

a container of water that people can swim in

"Let's swim in the pool."

"The Olympic-sized pool is a popular destination for swimmers and athletes alike."

the area just inside the entrance of a public building such as a hotel, etc.

"We waited in the lobby."

"The hotel lobby was decorated with marble floors and crystal chandeliers that impressed every guest."

in a position or location situated beneath or lower than something else

"The temperature dropped below zero."

"The temperature dropped below zero last night so the puddles have frozen and become slippery and dangerous."

an organization that does business and earns money from it

"She works for a big company."

"The company announced its new product line during a press conference that was held in London."

to make or have an image of something in our mind

"Imagine a world without pollution."

"Close your eyes and imagine yourself on a peaceful beach with soft sand and gentle waves."

an action, thought, or feeling in response to something that has happened

"What was your reaction?"

"Her immediate reaction to the surprising news was one of disbelief and cautious optimism."