Unit 3 · Interchange Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

to take care of a child or children while their parents are away

"She babysits her niece on Fridays."

"The responsible teenager agreed to babysit her neighbor's young children for a few hours on Friday night."

our sister or brother's daughter, or the daughter of our husband or wife's siblings

"My niece drew a pretty picture just for me at school."

"His little niece loves to sit on his lap while he reads her bedtime stories about dragons and princesses in faraway kingdoms."

an organization that helps those in need by giving them money, food, etc.

"Charity helps people in need."

"He donated a large sum of money to charity choosing to support organizations that provide clean drinking water to communities in developing countries."

to sign a document in addition to another person's signature to guarantee a loan or financial obligation

"His parents co-signed his student loan."

"My father refused to co-sign the loan for my new car because he was worried about the payments."

something that a person says or writes that shows they regret what they did to someone

"He wrote a letter of apology."

"The newspaper printed an apology for the factual errors in yesterday's front page article."

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."

something that we give to someone because we like them, especially on a special occasion, or to say thank you

"The gift was wrapped beautifully."

"I bought this watch as a gift for my brother because he recently got promoted to a managerial position at work."

the act of speaking to someone or trying to reach them on the phone

"Phone call connects two speakers."

"The important phone call interrupted their dinner but brought good news about the job offer."

not able to occur, exist, or be done

"That is impossible."

"The impossible task of climbing the mountain without proper equipment seemed doomed to fail but the experienced climbers knew exactly what they were doing."

to spend much time in a specific place or with someone particular

"I like to hang out with friends."

"Teenagers often hang out at the shopping mall on weekends because there are many entertainment options available."

to have an effect on a particular person or thing

"Media can influence public opinion."

"Parents have a strong influence on their children's values but peers also play an important role."

to intentionally stay away from or refuse contact with someone

"You should avoid processed foods."

"To avoid traffic congestion you should leave for the airport at least two hours before your flight departure time."

a matter that is dealt with in a conversation, text, or study

"Choose a topic."

"The main topic of discussion was climate change."

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."

a comment on a person's looks, behavior, achievements, etc. that expresses one's admiration or praise for them

"She gave him a compliment."

"Her sincere compliment on his presentation made him feel truly appreciated."

to give someone something, like money, expecting them to give it back after a while

"People lend money to their friends."

"Could you please lend me twenty dollars until I get paid at the end of this week?"

to prefer someone or something to an alternative

"I favor the blue design over red."

"The selection committee seems to favor candidates with extensive work experience over those who just graduated from university."

to freely give goods, money, or food to someone or an organization

"People donate money to charity organizations."

"The wealthy businessman decided to donate a large sum of money to the local children's hospital."

to use or take something belonging to someone else, with the idea of returning it

"Students borrow books from the library."

"It is generally not a good idea to borrow money from friends because it can damage your relationship permanently."

to think or believe that something is possible or true, without being sure

"I suppose it's true."

"I suppose the train will be here soon, but I'm not entirely certain of the exact arrival time."

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."

used for showing that what you are saying is more closely related to a specific thing or person than others

"I love fruit especially apples."

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

to mention a particular subject

"Do not bring up that topic."

"She decided not to bring up the sensitive subject during the meeting to avoid further complications."

to be willing to accept or tolerate a difficult situation

"I cannot stand the heat."

"I cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke because it triggers my asthma and makes me cough."

a situation or subject that needs to be dealt with or considered

"This is important matter."

"The urgent matter of the budget deficit requires immediate attention from the government officials before it becomes unmanageable."

to face someone, particularly in a way that is unfriendly or threatening

"Confront the boss."

"She decided to confront her manager directly about the unfair workload."

to deal with a situation or problem successfully

"She can handle the pressure well."

"The customer service representative was trained to handle complaints calmly and find satisfactory solutions for clients."

in a way that continues without any pause

"The baby cries constantly."

"The baby is constantly crying for attention and his exhausted parents do not know what to do anymore."

worried about a possible danger, difficulty, or problem

"I am afraid."

"She was afraid of failing the exam, so she studied harder than ever before."

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 be given something or to accept something that is sent

"I received a gift yesterday."

"She was very happy to receive a birthday card from her best friend who lives far away."

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."