🔤 Vocabulary Bank
Build your English vocabulary — one word at a time.
1475 words found — page 25 of 31
sign off
Intermediate
/saɪn ɔːf/
The way you end a message, like 'Cheers' or 'See you later'
"A good sign off for a friend might be 'Let me know!' or 'Talk soon!' instead of 'Respectfully'."
sign-off
Elementary
/ˈsaɪn ɔːf/
The closing words before your name, such as 'Love' or 'Yours truly'
"I ended the postcard with the sign-off 'Wish you were here!'"
signposting language
Intermediate
/ˈsaɪnpəʊstɪŋ ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/
Words and phrases speakers use to guide listeners through their ideas, like 'first,' 'however,' and 'in conclusion.'
"The professor used clear signposting language, saying 'First, second, and finally,' which made the lecture easy to follow."
signpost word
Elementary
/ˈsɪnpoʊst wɜːrd/
A word that tells you important information is coming (like 'because', 'for example').
"The word 'because' is a signpost word that introduces a reason."
signpost words
Elementary
/ˈsaɪnpəʊst wɜːdz/
Words that tell you important information is coming next.
"Listen for signpost words like 'My name is' or 'I worked as.'"
Simple
Beginner
/ˈsɪmpl/
Easy to understand; not complex.
""The instructions are simple and clear.""
simple past tense
Elementary
/ˈsɪmpəl pɑːst tenz/
The verb form we use to talk about completed actions that happened before now
"I worked hard yesterday—that's simple past tense."
Simple past tense
Elementary
/ˈsɪmpl pɑːst tenz/
The verb form we use to talk about actions or events that are completely finished.
"I **visited** my grandmother last Sunday. (The visit is finished)"
Simple Past Tense
Elementary
/ˈsɪmpəl pɑːst ˈtens/
Grammar form used to describe actions or events that started and finished in the past.
"I worked at that company for three years. (Simple Past Tense)"
singular
Intermediate
/ˈsɪŋɡjələr/
Referring to one person or thing; the form of a noun used when talking about one item
"The singular form of the word chairs is chair."
size
Elementary
/saɪz/
The measurement or dimension of clothing (small, medium, large, etc.).
"Do you have this sweater in a medium?"
Size
Beginner
/saɪz/
How big or small something is (big, small, tall, short, etc.)
"I need a bigger size — this one is too small for me."
skeptical
Intermediate
/ˈskɛptɪkəl/
Not fully believing or trusting something; doubtful.
"The interviewer sounded skeptical when I claimed I'd never made a mistake."
skill
Elementary
/skɪl/
The ability to do something well through practice or training
"Cooking is a useful skill to learn."
skill set
Intermediate
/skɪl set/
A group of abilities or talents someone has
"Digital skill sets are becoming more important in modern jobs."
skim
Intermediate
/skɪm/
To read quickly, looking only for the main ideas without reading every word
"I skimmed the business section to find articles relevant to my job interview."
skimming
Intermediate
/ˈskɪmɪŋ/
Reading quickly to find the general idea without reading every word
"Before the exam, I was skimming the chapters to refresh my memory."
slant
Upper Intermediate
/slænt/
A particular way of presenting information that favors one viewpoint
"That journalist has a clear political slant in how she covers election news."
slide
Intermediate
/slaɪd/
A single page or image shown on a screen during a presentation
"Can you move to the next slide showing the sales figures?"
slim
Elementary
/slɪm/
Thin and not fat; having an attractive thin shape
"The dancer has a slim figure because she exercises every day."
slow
Beginner
/sloʊ/
Not fast; taking more time
"Please speak more slowly. I can't understand."
slow down
Elementary
/sloʊ daʊn/
Speak more slowly so someone can understand you better
"Could you slow down a bit? You're speaking too fast for me."
slowly
Beginner
/ˈsloʊli/
Not fast; taking more time
"Please spell it slowly so I can write it down."
slump
Upper Intermediate
/slʌmp/
A sudden, significant fall or decline in value or performance
"The retail sector experienced a slump during the economic downturn."
Small or large?
Beginner
/smɔːl ɔːr lɑːrdʒ/
A question asking which size you want
"'I'd like a coffee, please.' 'Small or large?'"
small talk
Beginner
/smɔːl tɔːk/
Light, friendly conversation about common topics like weather, not serious subjects.
"Before meetings, colleagues often do small talk about the weekend."
sociolinguistic
Advanced
/ˌsoʊsioʊlɪŋˈɡwɪstɪk/
Relating to how language use varies based on social factors and contexts
"Sociolinguistic research shows that accent often indicates someone's educational background and regional origin."
soften
Intermediate
/ˈsɔːfən/
Make something less harsh or direct; make it sound more polite
"She softened her criticism by saying 'I appreciate your effort, but...'"
Soft-pedal
Intermediate
/ˈsɒft ˈped.əl/
To present something in a modest way, downplaying it slightly
"She soft-pedaled her success by saying 'I was lucky' instead of 'I was excellent.'"
sometimes
Beginner
/ˈsʌmtaɪmz/
Occasionally; once in a while; not regularly
"We sometimes go to the beach on weekends."
sore throat
Elementary
/sɔːr θroʊt/
Pain in your throat, usually from a cold or infection
"I have a sore throat and it hurts when I swallow."
soup
Beginner
/suːp/
A hot liquid food made with vegetables, meat, or both
"Would you like tomato soup or chicken soup?"
source
Intermediate
/sɔːrs/
A person or organization that provides information for a news story
"The article didn't name its sources, which made me suspicious about the accuracy."
souvenir
Elementary
/ˌsuː.vəˈnɪr/
A small object you buy to remember a place you visited
"I bought a souvenir from the beach shop to remember my vacation."
spacious
Elementary
/ˈspeɪʃəs/
Large and comfortable, with plenty of space.
"The room was spacious and had a beautiful view."
speak
Beginner
/spiːk/
To say words using your voice
"She speaks English very well."
speaker
Beginner
/ˈspiːkər/
The person who is talking; the person saying something
"When I say 'I am happy,' I am the speaker."
speak more slowly
Beginner
/spiːk mɔːr ˈsloʊli/
To talk at a reduced speed so others can understand better
"Sorry, can you speak more slowly? I'm learning English."
speak to
Elementary
/spiːk tuː/
To talk with or have a conversation with someone by phone or in person
"Could I speak to the manager, please? It's about my order."
specific
Beginner
/spɪˈsɪf.ɪk/
Clearly defined; exact; not general
"We use 'the' when we talk about a specific dog, not dogs in general."
specific information
Elementary
/spəˈsɪfɪk ɪnfəˈmeɪʃən/
Exact details about something (like names, numbers, dates).
"The question asks for specific information: his name and age."
spell
Beginner
/spel/
To say or write the letters of a word in order.
"Can you spell your name for me, please? S-A-R-A-H."
spell out
Beginner
/spel aʊt/
Write words letter by letter, or write numbers as words instead of digits
"In formal emails, always spell out numbers below ten."
spike
Intermediate
/spaɪk/
A sudden, sharp increase in something; to increase suddenly
"There was a spike in social media engagement when the celebrity posted about our brand."
spoiler
Intermediate
/ˈspoɪlər/
Information that reveals important details and ruins the surprise for someone who hasn't read or watched it yet.
"I won't tell you the ending — no spoilers!"
sport
Elementary
/spɔːrt/
A competitive physical activity with rules, like football or tennis.
"My favorite sport is basketball because I love team games."
stabilize
Intermediate
/ˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/
To become stable or steady; to stop changing or fluctuating
"After months of volatility, the market finally stabilized in the third quarter."
stakeholder
Upper Intermediate
/ˈsteɪkhəʊldər/
A person or group with an interest in the success of a project or business
"We need stakeholder approval before moving forward with the initiative."