Lesson 1 – Family

Let’s begin our study of collocations by learning some common expressions about the family. Your
parents and siblings (brothers and sisters) are your immediate family – and your extended family
includes all your relatives – uncles, cousins, great-aunts, etc.

You can use a family tree to diagram the relationships among your family members. A person who
is related to you by a long series of connections can be called a distant relative.

If you’re lucky, you have a loving family or a close-knit family – these expressions refer to a family that
has good relationships, where everyone loves each other and helps each other. If you were raised in a
loving family, then you probably had a carefree childhood – that means you had nothing to worry
about when you were young.

On the other hand, a family in which the relationships are bad or unhealthy can be called a
dysfunctional family. If the children experience abuse, poverty, or problems with the law, we can
say they had a troubled childhood.

Perhaps the parents went through a bitter divorce – that means a separation in which there were
bad/angry feelings between the husband and wife. It’s also possible to have a messy divorce, with a
prolonged legal battle involving lots of conflicts about the separation of the former couple’s assets
(money and possessions). The decisions about the separation of assets are made in the divorce
settlement. A family in which there are divorces or separations is sometimes called a broken home.

Sometimes the mother and father fight over custody of the children – that refers to who has the
primary responsibility of caring for the kids. A judge can grant joint custody – that means the ex-
husband and ex-wife share the responsibility – or sole custody to only one parent. For example, a judge
might award sole custody to the mother, and the father has to pay child support – regular payments to
help with expenses for the kids.

If it was a mutual divorce/separation – that means the ex-husband and ex-wife agreed to separate
without fighting – then they will probably stay on good terms with each other (meaning to have a
polite relationship without conflicts).

If a woman gets pregnant without being married or in a relationship, then she will become a single
mother. Some women in this situation choose to have an abortion, and others prefer to give the
baby up for adoption. The time when the baby is planned to arrive is called the due date – you can
also say the baby is due in mid-October, for example.

After the woman has the baby (or gives birth to the baby), the baby is given to the adoptive parents,
who will raise the child or bring up the child as if it was their own. Sometimes, when the adopted
child is older, he or she tries to find their birth mother (biological mother).

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 Lesson 2 – Relationships
When you move to a new city, it can be hard to make friends. You’ll probably have a number of
casual acquaintances – people who you know on a basic level, but with whom you don’t have a
significant relationship. Over time, some of these may become good friends or close friends – these
collocations refer to friends with whom you have an especially strong relationship.

Do you believe in love at first sight? That’s when two people meet each other and immediately fall in
love – perhaps because they have strong chemistry – this expression describes strong compatibility or
connection between two possible romantic partners. Some people believe that their significant other
(their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife) is their soul mate – this is a poetic expression that
means that two people are destined to be together.

It’s possible for one person to have feelings for another person – this expression is an indirect way to
describe romantic feelings – but if the other person doesn’t feel the same way, then the feeling is not
mutual. The other person might say “he’s/she’s just not my type” – meaning that they are interested
in people of a different type of personality/appearance. Ah, there’s nothing sadder than unrequited
love! (Love that is not returned)

Some people marry their childhood sweetheart or high school/college sweetheart – this expression
refers to a boyfriend or girlfriend from your childhood, teenage, or college years. Other couples are
introduced by a mutual friend – one friend that the two people have in common. When the couple is
ready to make a commitment, the man proposes to the woman – he asks her to marry him. If the
marriage is good, then we say the couple is happily married.

Unfortunately, not all love stories have a happy ending. Sometimes a husband or wife has an affair –
they have sex with a different person. We can also say that they are cheating on their husband/wife.
The expression “have an affair” is typically used only for married couples, and the expression “cheating
on” can be used for married couples or for boyfriends/girlfriends.

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 Lesson 3 – Appearance
My best friend Joanna is absolutely gorgeous (extremely beautiful). She has long, sleek, jet-black hair
(sleek = smooth and straight, jet-black = perfectly black), pale blue eyes (pale = light color), and a
radiant complexion (skin that appears healthy and full of energy).

People always compliment her on her hourglass figure (when a woman has large breasts and hips, but a
small waist) and ask her what the secret is to maintaining such a slender waist (a thin waist). She has a
round face with an upturned nose, and she actually bears a striking resemblance (looks extremely
similar) to a famous singer.

Joanna could get any guy she wanted – so I was really surprised when she introduced me to her latest
boyfriend, who I think is hideously ugly. He has curly, shoulder-length hair that looks rather
unkempt (unkempt hair = messy hair, it appears that the person doesn’t take care of their hair).

He has a square face and a ruddy complexion (reddish skin). His deep-set eyes (eyes that are far back in
the person’s face) are almost hidden under his bushy eyebrows (big eyebrows with lots of hair), and he
sports a thick mustache and a huge, shaggy beard (a beard with lots of hair). I guess Joanna doesn’t
mind his facial hair (facial hair = beard and/or mustache).

His body isn’t bad – he has an athletic build (body with a lot of muscles), with broad shoulders (wide
shoulders) and muscular arms. If he would only trim his beard (cut his beard a little shorter) and comb
his hair, I suppose he could be considered somewhat attractive (more or less beautiful/handsome).

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 Lesson 4 – Character & Behavior
When I was a teenager, I was painfully shy (extremely shy). I loved reading books, and I had a vivid
imagination (had a creative and colorful imagination). My best friend had a more outgoing
personality (she liked to be friendly and sociable) and a good sense of humor (ability to make other
people laugh). Unfortunately she was also brutally honest, and sometimes her comments hurt my
feelings (made me sad, upset, or angry).

Although I was fiercely loyal to her, she showed her true colors (revealed her true personality) when she
played a prank (did a trick) that humiliated me in front of the class. I bore a grudge (continued feeling
angry) against her for years afterwards. Now that I look back on it, I can see that she had low self-
esteem (she considered herself inferior) and a bit of a mean streak (a “streak” is a tiny bit of someone’s
personality).

I've come out of my shell (become less shy) since those days; I have a thicker skin (I’m less sensitive to
criticism) and it doesn't bother me when people speak their minds (say exactly what they think,
without considering the effects of the words on others).

My biggest flaw is that I have a tendency to be arrogant – some say I have a superiority complex
(consider myself superior to others). I’ll admit that it is hard for me to swallow my pride (stop being
arrogant) and recognize when I've been mistaken about something. My resolution for the New Year is
to make a more concerted effort to put others first (consider the needs of other people more important
than my own).

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 Lesson 5 – Feelings
I experienced a roller coaster of emotions when my son was born (many different emotions one after
another). During my wife’s pregnancy, I was ridiculously excited about the prospect of becoming a dad.
On the big day, I’d imagined that everything would go smoothly and we’d be blissfully happy – but there
were complications during the delivery and my wife had to have emergency surgery while I waited in the
reception area, worried sick (very worried).

As time went by, I got increasingly anxious because the doctors weren’t telling me anything. After two
hours I was seething with anger (ready to explode with anger), and I and shouted at one of the nurses.
Then the security guards came and escorted me out of the hospital.

My wife was visibly disappointed (it was obvious that she was disappointed) that I wasn’t by her side
when she woke up from surgery. She didn’t say anything – she’s not really one to show her feelings; she
prefers to bottle up her emotions (keep her emotions hidden inside her) – but I knew I had let her down
and I was terribly sorry that I had lost my temper (lost control and shown anger).

The months that followed were tough. My wife became deeply depressed, and I too was an emotional
wreck (a person who is very sad, confused, and upset) as I tried to juggle the demands of work and
family life. But now things are starting to turn around – I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the all help
we’ve gotten from our friends and neighbors.

I’m just immensely grateful that my wife and son are healthy, and sometimes I’m overwhelmed with
emotion as I reflect on how lucky we are (when emotion is so strong that it’s difficult to think or speak).

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 Lesson 6 – Houses and Apartments
I recently spent a month on vacation – but instead of staying in a hotel, I looked for a short-term rental
(a place to live that can be rented for a short period of time). I ended up sharing a two-bedroom
apartment – that’s an apartment with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen – with some friends.
It was actually cheaper than renting a studio apartment (an apartment with only one big room) all by
myself.

The apartment was on the top floor of a five-story building (that’s a building with five floors) and it had
a balcony overlooking the ocean (that means you can see the ocean from the balcony). From the roof,
we also had a nice view of the city skyline (this is another expression used when you can see something
from a certain place).

The apartment had recently been remodeled/renovated – meaning it was fixed up and improved – and
was fully furnished, so it already had furniture (beds, tables, etc.) and appliances (refrigerator, stove,
etc.)

We loved the spacious living room (the room was big), but unfortunately the bedrooms were
rather cramped (small and uncomfortable). It was nice to spend a month there, but by the end of
the trip I started to feel homesick – that’s when you feel sad because you miss your life at home.

I’d really like to have a place of my own so that I’m not throwing away money on rent every month, but
there’s a real shortage of affordable housing (houses/apartments that are reasonably priced) in my city.
Even if I stay away from the upscale neighborhoods (areas where rich people live), I’d still have to take
out a mortgage (borrow money from the bank, in order to buy a house) and it’ll take me more than 30
years to pay it off.

But still, I’m gonna start saving up for a down payment (an initial payment on a big purchase). Someday,
when I do move into a new place, I’ll be sure to throw a housewarming party (a party to celebrate
living in a new house/apartment).

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 Lesson 7 – Eating
My mother radically changed her eating habits a few years ago. In the past, she ate a lot of junk food
(food that is not nutritious/healthy) and was overweight. Sometimes she would try to go on a diet (eat
less food and healthier food), but it would never last. But now she understands how unhealthy
processed foods are – they’re full of food additives (chemicals added to food) that contribute to weight
gain and heart problems.

Nowadays, she eats a balanced diet including a lot of nourishing meals (meals that are healthy and
nutritious) that she prepares herself. She doesn’t buy organic food because she thinks the prices are
outrageous, but she stocks up on fresh produce (fresh fruits and vegetables) so that she can grab an
apple or some veggies when she wants a quick snack (something small and fast to eat). She has also
learned to eat in moderation and watch her portion sizes (how much food you take).

I often stop by her house when I’m in the mood for a home-cooked meal. The other day she made a
hearty stew (a thick soup with lots of flavors and ingredients) that was full of beans and vegetables. My
brother, who has a healthy appetite (the capacity to eat a lot), had a second helping (a second portion)
– but I found the stew so filling that I could barely finish my bowl.

My mother recently told me that she’d like to try some international cuisine. I was surprised to hear
that, because a few years ago she had a bad experience after getting food poisoning (when you get sick
because of contaminated food) at a Japanese restaurant. So tomorrow I’m taking her to a Brazilian
steakhouse. I told her to eat light meals (small meals) during the day so that she doesn’t spoil her
appetite for dinner (“spoiling your appetite” means eating food earlier, and then not being hungry for a
meal later).

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 Lesson 8 – Movies / Books
My brother is a huge fan of movies. When he sees a movie trailer (a short video offering a preview of
the movie), he counts down the days until the movie comes out. He always goes to the movie theater
on opening night – that’s the first day a movie, show, concert, or performance is open to the public. He
also loves to analyze the film critics’ reviews (the evaluations of the people whose job is to analyze
movies) and tries to guess which movies will be nominated for an award.

One of his favorite movie stars (famous actors/actresses) will be starring in an upcoming film about
the Vietnam War. It’s based on a true story, and they’re shooting the film on-site in Vietnam – that
means they will be recording/filming the movie in the same location as the story occurs.

This particular actor had been talking about retiring, but when he was offered the leading role (the
opportunity to play the most important part in a movie) in a film that’s sure to be a box-office hit
(a movie that is very successful) he couldn’t turn it down.

I, on the other hand, prefer books. I’m currently engrossed in a book by Stieg Larsson (the book is taking
all my attention) – it’s the final part of a trilogy, and I can’t wait to see how things turn out for the main
character (the most important person in the book). I already have a huge collection of books, and I also
borrow books from the library.

One book I took out last week deals with modern feminism and motherhood. It’s a bit of a
controversial topic, but it’s an interesting and enjoyable read. I’m not sure I’ll have time to finish it
before I have to return the book to the library. Maybe I’ll renew it for another week – that means to
get an extension of the length of time I can keep the book.

Note: We talk about the beginning and end of a book, story, or film (not the “start and finish”). The
first and last parts of a story can also be called the opening and closing scenes (in a movie) or the
opening and closing chapters (in a book).

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 Lesson 9 – Music
My older brother Alex is very musically gifted (he has a natural talent for music). He can play any tune
from memory, without looking at sheet music (musical notation written on paper). He spends all his free
time strumming a guitar (playing a guitar), composing music (creating music), and writing song lyrics
(the words to a song).

Alex and his friends formed a band that has attracted a sizable following (a lot of fans) in our city. They
started out playing gigs (giving small, informal performances) in bars and clubs, and they used the
money they earned to record their debut album (record their first CD).

A remixed track (a song that has been modified electronically) from that CD then became a massive
hit (a very popular song) on the local radio station thanks to its catchy tune (memorable melody) and
upbeat tempo (fast rhythm).

Their second album will be released (it will be made available to the public) at the end of the year;
they’ll record it live at their next show. Alex dreams of going on tour – he’s just waiting for his big
break (big opportunity to become famous) to get his foot in the door of the music industry.

As for me, I love singing along (singing together) to my brother’s music, but a career in music isn’t for
me – I’m completely tone-deaf (unable to correctly identify different musical notes) and I always sing
off-key (sing the incorrect melody)!

Additional collocations:

contemporary music = modern music

classical music
orchestral/instrumental music = music with instruments only (no singing)
rock music
solo album = CD featuring one singer alone, not in a group of singers
compilation album = a CD with a collection of songs from many different singers/bands
cult following = a very dedicated/devoted group of fans

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 Lesson 10 – Sports
The first important collocation involving sports is when to use the verbs play, do, and go. We typically
use play for team sports – you play soccer, play basketball, play tennis, play baseball, and play golf.

The verb do is used for more individual sports – you do yoga, do gymnastics, do martial arts, and
do aerobics. Also, in more general terms, you do exercise. Another common individual exercise is to
lift weights.

The verb go is used with most activities that end in –ing: you go swimming, go biking, go surfing, go
rock climbing, go bowling, and go fishing.

With the team sports, we can use the word game or match: a soccer game, a basketball game, a tennis
match, etc. You can win the game, lose the game, or tie the game – that’s when the final score is 1-1 or
2-2, for example.

A team can play a home game – when they play in their own stadium or field – or an away game – when
they play at the opposing team’s stadium or field. When there are many teams that are playing many
games to see which one is the best, we call this a tournament.

When one team is winning in the middle of the game – for example, 3-1 – we say that team has the
lead. However, the other team can make a comeback – score points from a losing position – and take
the lead, 4-3.

With the sports that use “do” and “go,” we typically use the word competition – a gymnastics
competition, a martial arts competition, a surfing competition, an ice skating competition, etc. The
exception is sports where you go from one place to another – like running, biking, and swimming – in
that case, we often call the event a race.

Athletes can enter a competition and try to win first place. Some athletes try to enhance their
performance with illegal substances such as steroids. But if they fail a drug test, they’ll be disqualified
from participating.

If the athlete is performing well, they may achieve a personal best – and if they perform better than
ANYONE ever has in the past, then they could even break the world record or set a new world record. If
they get injured, however, they might have to withdraw from the competition (voluntarily leave the
competition).

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 Lesson 11 – Health & Sickness
There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to improve your overall health and increase your
life expectancy (how long you are expected to live) – you can quit smoking, reduce stress, eat a
balanced diet, get plenty of sleep, and exercise regularly. It’s also important to get
vaccinations/immunizations to prevent diseases. No matter how healthy you are, it’s still a good idea to
have health insurance – a program/plan to cover expenses in case of an accident or serious illness.

If you’re in a car accident, you might suffer/sustain serious injuries. Of course, if you’re wearing your
seatbelt, you’re more likely to have only minor injuries. If you’ve broken/fractured a bone – for
example, your leg – the doctor will put your leg in a cast. If you have a cut, the doctor will give you
stitches. If you have a burn, the doctor will give you an ointment to prevent infection.

If you have a minor ailment like a headache, you can take some aspirin to relieve the pain (reduce the
effects of the pain). If you suffer from a chronic condition (a condition that continues for a long time)
like allergies, asthma, back pain, or depression, there are both over-the counter and prescription
medications that can help alleviate the symptoms (an over-the-counter medication is one that you can
buy without a doctor’s prescription).

When someone has a minor respiratory infection, we say they have a cold. Don’t get too close to that
person, because you could catch a cold, too! You can “catch” other types of contagious diseases as well
– such as sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs).

If someone is diagnosed with a more serious illness such as cancer or AIDS, they’ll need more extensive
treatment. When a disease has progressed so far that it will be impossible to cure, then the patient is
said to be terminally ill – in other words, the person will definitely die of the disease soon.

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 Lesson 12 – Computers
I’m teaching my grandmother how to use a computer. First I showed her how to start up and shut down
the computer. Then, I helped her get online or access the internet so that she can check her e-mail. She
quickly learned how to write and send messages, reply to an e-mail and forward an e-mail (send a
complete e-mail that you received to a new person), but it was a little hard for her to remember how to
attach a file to an outgoing message.

We tried to log into her bank account online, but the bank’s website was down (the website was not
functional, or was not online). There was a notice on the home page (the main page of the website) that
they were doing some scheduled maintenance on the system – so we’ll try again tomorrow.

This afternoon, I’ll teach her how to use a search engine. I think she’ll really enjoy surfing/browsing the
web (exploring the internet) and using social media. If she needs to do something more advanced, like
burn a CD (put files from a computer onto a CD), then I can do that for her.

She’s a little bit afraid of pressing the wrong key and accidentally deleting an important file, but I told her
that we can always recover the file from the recycling bin. I also explained that if the computer freezes or
locks up (stops moving/functioning), she can simply restart/reboot the computer.

It’s also a good idea for her to back up her files (make an extra copy of the information) so that she
doesn’t lose her data if the computer crashes (the computer breaks) and can’t be repaired. I installed a
program that periodically runs scans for viruses and spyware to ensure that her computer hasn’t been
infected.

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 Lesson 13 – Study
Most children begin their studies at 5 or 6 years old in pre-school, followed by kindergarten. After that
comes primary/elementary school, which consists of first grade through fifth grade. Then there’s
middle school – sixth grade through eighth grade – and high school, which is ninth grade through
twelfth grade.

After high school, you apply to colleges/universities to see which ones will accept you. You send
in/submit your application and then wait for the results. If you got good grades in high school,
you might get / be awarded a scholarship to help pay the tuition (the cost of studying).

In college, you’ll take classes/courses on various subjects. You should always take notes as the teacher
is giving the lecture. Some teachers may ask the students to give/make presentations or do research
and write an essay, an assignment, a report, or a paper. After you hand in your work, the teacher will
grade the assignment (give you an evaluation, for example, 90%) and give you feedback (comments on
your work).

To evaluate your progress, you’ll take tests/exams. If you get the minimum number of points
required, you’ve passed the test; if you don’t get the minimum number of points, you’ve failed the
test. It’s also possible to pass/fail a course.

If the course proves to be too difficult, or if you don’t like it, you can withdraw from or drop the course.
“Withdraw from” is the more formal expression, and “drop” is the more informal expression.

Most college students choose a major/concentration. To talk about a concentration of studies, you can
use “major” as a verb or a noun – for example,

“I majored in biology” / “I was a biology major.”

“My daughter is majoring in philosophy.” / “My daughter’s a philosophy major.”

When you graduate from college, you’ll get a diploma. Afterwards, you can say you have a degree
in the area of your concentration. You can have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate
(Ph.D.), for example:

“I have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.”

“I have a master’s degree in linguistics.”
“I have a Ph.D. in theology.”

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 Lesson 14 – Academic English
Before you begin writing a paper, it’s a good idea to make an outline (a list of points in an organized
order) of the main points you plan to present. The next step is to gather evidence to support your
claims, since your work won’t be credible if you propose a theory (or try to challenge or refute a theory
– argue against an existing theory) without some proof.

If your paper is going to touch on several issues (talk about several topics) then you’ll need to be
especially organized. You can draw a distinction between topics that are different, or draw parallels
between examples that are similar. Another way to organize your ideas is to show how they fall
into different categories.

After making your outline and gathering the supporting evidence you’ll use to make your case (present
your argument), you can write a first draft (first version of the paper) in which you go into detail on
the topic. Then, you revise the paper (make improvements to it) until finishing with the final draft.

Let’s say you’re carrying out a study on market trends in developing countries. You can analyze the key
factors (important factors) that are influencing the economy, showing how local politics play a
role/part (have an effect) in shaping the country’s financial future. Including some specific items that
are perfect examples and clear illustrations of your ideas will help prove your points.

At the end of your paper, you should briefly summarize the material you presented and draw
conclusions based on your research. The end of the article is also a good place to raise
questions (present questions) for further study.

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 Lesson 15 – Work
If you’ve just graduated from college and you’ve never had a job, you can start your career by doing an
internship (a temporary, low-level job) to gain experience. Depending on the company, the internship
could lead to an opportunity to get an entry-level job (a job that doesn’t require much skill or
experience) at the same company.

Although you might be earning minimum wage (the minimum salary required by law), if you do
excellent work and are a good team player (you cooperate well with your co-workers) you could get a
promotion (get an increase in responsibility) or get a raise (get an increase in salary) – hopefully
both! Just don’t slack off, otherwise you’ll be fired/dismissed (lose your job).

It’s normal for there to be periods of time when you have a heavy workload (a lot of work) and need
to work overtime (work extra hours). But if you have a very demanding job (an intense job with lots of
responsibilities) and you’re stressed out all the time, then it might be time to quit your job (leave your
job voluntarily) and look for another one.

Now that you have experience, you’ll be able to get a job with a more competitive salary (salary that is
higher than average) and generous benefits (extra benefits like health insurance, discounts, a company
car, etc). If you can’t find a well-paid and rewarding job in your field, it might be time for a career
change.

The typical way of applying for a job is to read the job ads in the newspaper or online, then send your
resume to the company with a cover letter. The company will then interview the candidates it feels are
most qualified, based on the job description.

Sometimes job seekers (people looking for a job) need to take a menial job (job requiring a very low
level of skill) in order to earn a living (get enough money to survive) while they’re between jobs. But if
you’re persistent, a great job offer should come your way sooner or later – maybe even for your dream
job (a job that would be perfect for you)!

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 Lesson 16 – Business
If you don’t want to work for someone else, you can go into business for yourself. You can set up a
company (establish a company) in an industry that interests you – of course, it’s always good to do
market research (investigate the market), to determine if there’s a need for your product or service.

It’s normal for small businesses to operate at a loss (the business is losing money) for the first couple of
years before they start to break even – that’s when the money coming in equals the money going out. If
there’s tough competition and your start-up isn’t able to gain market share (secure a significant number
of customers), then your business runs the risk of going bankrupt (or going under) – losing all its money
and having to shut down. But if the amount of money coming into the company from sales is greater
than the amount spent on expenses, then you are making a profit.

As your business grows, you can hire/take on staff/employees. Another possibility is to make a deal
(make an agreement) with other companies to do business together – in this case, representatives
from both companies will sign a contract (put your name on a contract) that establishes each party’s
rights and responsibilities.

Whenever you’re planning to launch a new product, it’s essential to provide excellent customer service
(help for the customers). Otherwise, your customers will take their business elsewhere – they’ll start
buying from a rival company (a company that is your competitor) instead of from yours.

It’s not easy to run a business (manage a business), but with a combination of luck, skill, and hard work,
your business just might take off (become popular/successful). One way to describe a period of time of
major growth and success is to say that “business is booming.”

16 IELTS TUTOR, Pre-IELTS, SAT, DSC & MST, General & Business Eng., Uni. Admission, Medical English, Job Interviews, Speaking Clubs—COLL. 1-20
 Lesson 17 – Money
There are a lot of things you can do with money!

First, you need to earn money or make money – both of these verbs refer to receiving money from
your work. Another way to obtain money is to inherit money – receive money from a family member or
friend after that person dies. If the person was very rich, you could inherit a fortune (a fortune is a lot
of money).

You can take your money to the bank and make a deposit – put money into your bank account. Later,
you can make a withdrawal – remove money from your bank account. Of course, everyone likes to
spend money – use money to buy things – but it’s important not to waste/squander your money. These
verbs refer to using money in a way that’s not productive.

If money is tight (meaning you have very little money), you should make a budget – a plan for how
much to spend on things every month – and then you need to stick to the budget (continue following
the plan). Otherwise, you might be broke by the end of the month! Someone who is “broke” has no
money available.

A person who is financially savvy (intelligent, perceptive, and well-informed on the subject of money)
will always save money. It’s a good idea to have an emergency fund of at least 3-6 months of living
expenses (the amount money you use to survive in everyday life). You can also invest money in the
stock market – you could make a nice profit, but there’s also the risk of losing money if the economy
goes downhill (starts to get worse).

Let’s say you want to purchase an expensive item like a car. If you haven’t saved up money or set aside
money for the purchase, you can borrow money from the bank – which is also called taking out a loan.
The disadvantage of this is that you’ll need to pay the money back in installments – plus interest (extra
money).

When you travel, you’ll need to change/exchange money to be able to buy things with the local
currency. Make sure to change money only at official locations like banks and travel agencies –
otherwise, you could be tricked into receiving counterfeit bills (false paper money that is not legally
valid).

Finally, you can consider donating money (giving money without receiving anything in return) to a good
cause, such as preserving the environment or researching cures for diseases. Non-profit organizations
are always trying to raise money (get donations) for their various projects.

17 IELTS TUTOR, Pre-IELTS, SAT, DSC & MST, General & Business Eng., Uni. Admission, Medical English, Job Interviews, Speaking Clubs—COLL. 1-20
 Lesson 18 – Travel
Last week I had the worst business trip I’ve ever taken. Normally a travel agency takes care of booking
my flight (buying a plane ticket) and making my hotel but this time I decided make the
reservation, travel arrangements myself. Big mistake!

First of all, the plane was overbooked (there were more passengers than seats available) so I was
bumped to a later flight. When they gave me my new boarding pass (the ticket that allows you to enter
the airplane), they didn’t ask me if I’d prefer a window seat or an aisle seat (a seat next to the corridor)
– and I was stuck in the middle. To top it off, it was a very bumpy flight (a flight with a lot of turbulence).

I then missed my connecting flight and had a ten-hour layover (I had to wait ten hours for my next
flight) in Chicago. Unfortunately, my checked luggage (the bags in the airplane’s cargo compartment)
had already gone through to my final destination, so all I had was my carry-on bag (the bag you take
with you on the plane). I checked into a hotel near the airport just so I could take a nap.

When I finally arrived in Los Angeles, it turns out that I had made a mistake with my hotel
reservation, and instead of booking a room at a five-star hotel, I had booked three nights at a seedy
hotel (a hotel that is not very safe or comfortable) in the red-light district (an area of the city where
there are many sex shops, strip clubs, etc.)! So, I was stuck sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress in
a dingy room (a dirty and dark room) while my colleagues enjoyed the luxury hotel.

The trip home was uneventful, but when I arrived, I discovered that the airline had lost my luggage.
All in all it was a miserable experience.

18 IELTS TUTOR, Pre-IELTS, SAT, DSC & MST, General & Business Eng., Uni. Admission, Medical English, Job Interviews, Speaking Clubs—COLL. 1-20
 Lesson 19 – Weather
Do you want to know if it’ll be sunny or rainy next weekend? Then you should check the weather
forecast – that’s the prediction of the weather in the near future.

If the forecast says the sun will be shining brightly, with clear skies (no clouds in the sky) and high
temperatures, then it’s a good day to go to the beach and bask in the sunshine (or soak up the
sunshine) – these expressions mean to enjoy the sun’s heat and light.

However, if the forecast says it’ll be oppressively hot, scorching hot, or swelteringly hot, then you
might want to stay inside and turn up the air conditioning! Another common phrase is hot and humid
– that means hot with a lot of water in the air (so you will sweat a lot).

The weather forecast might say it will be partly cloudy (the sky partially covered by clouds). Another
way to say this is that there are scattered clouds (just a few clouds). If there are heavy clouds, then
you won’t be able to see the sun at all – and if there are storm clouds, then it will probably rain very
soon. One way to express this is to say “It looks like rain.”

We can have light rain (little rain) or heavy rain (lots of rain, intense rain) – and if the rain gets REALLY
intense, we can describe it as torrential rain. If the rain continues without stopping, then we call it
continuous rain or constant rain – but if it’s the type of rain that starts and stops various times
throughout the day, it’s called intermittent rain or scattered showers. When it stops raining, you can
say the rain let up.

Rain is usually accompanied by wind, which can be light/slight winds or high/strong winds. If the
wind is especially strong and violent, you can say fierce winds or gale-force winds – this last
expression is usually used for winds at the level of a hurricane. When the wind is increasing in
intensity, we say “The wind is picking up,” and when it is decreasing in intensity, we say “The wind is
dying down.”

Sometimes we describe the wind with an adjective that emphasizes the cold – such as a biting wind or
an icy wind. Finally, a sudden instance of wind can be called a blast of wind or a gust of wind.

Snow, like rain, can be light or heavy. Light snow can also be called snow flurries. When the snow is
being blown around in the wind, we can describe it as driving snow or swirling snow. It can be
wonderful to walk through fresh, powdery, newly-fallen snow – but not so nice to drive on it. So we
clear the snow or plough the snow with vehicles to remove it from the roads. You can also do this
manually – that’s called shoveling the snow. At the end of winter, when temperatures rise, the snow
melts – it turns into water and disappears.

Sometimes the weather is unusual for a particular time of year. For example, in the winter, you might
have a day that is unseasonably warm, and in the summer, you might have a day that is unseasonably
cool. When the temperature reaches an extreme, we call that a record high or a record low.

19 IELTS TUTOR, Pre-IELTS, SAT, DSC & MST, General & Business Eng., Uni. Admission, Medical English, Job Interviews, Speaking Clubs—COLL. 1-20
 Here are some alternative ways of saying the weather was good. You can say the weather was
beautiful, lovely, ideal, superb, or perfect. To say the weather was bad, you can say the weather was
lousy, miserable, nasty, dreadful, or terrible.

Other ways to describe the weather:

gloomy/dismal weather = weather that is dark, rather rainy, and depressing muggy/sultry
weather = weather that is very hot and humid or wet
mild / calm weather = weather that is nice and not extreme harsh/severe/wild weather =
weather that is extreme and violent

20 IELTS TUTOR, Pre-IELTS, SAT, DSC & MST, General & Business Eng., Uni. Admission, Medical English, Job Interviews, Speaking Clubs—COLL. 1-20
 Lesson 20 – City
When my parents retired last year, they traded the towering skyscrapers (very tall buildings) and
noise pollution (excessive noise) of Los Angeles for the peace and quiet of a small coastal city (a city
near the ocean) in southern France. They said they were tired of living in a high-rise building right next
to an industrial zone. Now they live in a cozy little house on the outskirts of the city (on the outer
edge of the city, not in the center).

Life in their new town is quite different from the hectic pace (the fast and chaotic rhythm) of L.A.,
where the bustling streets (busy streets filled with people) are strewn with litter (filled with garbage)
and you can count on spending hours in traffic jams (stopped traffic).

Instead, the narrow cobblestone streets of the city center are lined with eighteenth-century buildings
that are now home to quaint shops (charming and old-fashioned shops) and gourmet restaurants
specializing in the local cuisine (the typical food of the region).

The best day to visit is Saturday, when there’s an open-air market (an outdoor market) in the main
square. You can buy souvenirs from the street vendors (people selling things on the street) and have
lunch at one of the trendy cafés (modern, stylish, and popular cafés) in the area. There’s virtually no
street crime here, in contrast to the inner-city areas (older, central, crowded part of a city, usually
filled with poor people and possibly violence) of L.A.

Is there anything that my parents miss about Los Angeles? Well, they do miss the cultural diversity.
But they’re past the age where being in a place with a pulsating nightlife (having many exciting bars
and clubs) is important to them.

21 IELTS TUTOR, Pre-IELTS, SAT, DSC & MST, General & Business Eng., Uni. Admission, Medical English, Job Interviews, Speaking Clubs—COLL. 1-20