🔤 Vocabulary Bank
Build your English vocabulary — one word at a time.
1234 words found — page 4 of 26
call back
Elementary
/kɔːl bæk/
To telephone someone again, especially in return for their earlier call.
"She missed my call, so I'll wait for her to call me back."
can
Elementary
/kæn/
Modal verb used to express ability or permission
"I can speak English very well now."
Can I get
Beginner
/kæn aɪ ɡet/
A casual, polite way to ask for something; very common in cafes and restaurants
"Can I get a sandwich and a juice?"
Can I get the bill
Beginner
/kæn aɪ ɡet ðə bɪl/
A polite phrase to ask for the check/invoice at a restaurant (British: 'the bill', American: 'the check')
"We're ready. Can I get the bill, please?"
Can I have
Beginner
/kæn aɪ hæv/
Another polite way to ask for something you want to order
"Can I have the grilled chicken with vegetables?"
Can I help you?
Beginner
/kæn aɪ ˈhelp juː/
A greeting question shop assistants use to offer assistance to customers
"The assistant smiled and asked, 'Can I help you?'"
can't
Elementary
/kɑːnt/
Negative form of can; means you're not able to or not allowed to do something
"You can't use your phone during the exam."
can't (cannot)
Elementary
/kɑːnt/
The negative form of 'can'; means unable or not allowed
"I can't swim, so I'm taking lessons."
Can you show me on the map?
Beginner
/kæn juː ʃoʊ miː ɒn ðə mæp/
Asking someone to point out a location using a map
"I don't understand. Can you show me on the map?"
capital
Elementary
/ˈkæpɪtl/
The most important city in a country where the government is located
"Paris is the capital of France."
capital letter
Elementary
/ˈkæpɪtl ˈletə/
A large letter used at the beginning of a sentence or for proper nouns (A, B, C, etc.)
"Every sentence must start with a capital letter, like 'The cat is sleeping.'"
caption
Intermediate
/ˈkæpʃən/
Text that explains or describes a photo, usually printed below or above it
"The photo's caption explained that the protesters had gathered outside Parliament for three hours."
cardiovascular
Intermediate
/ˌkɑːrdioʊˈvæskjələr/
Related to the heart and blood vessels; the system that pumps blood
"Regular exercise is good for your cardiovascular health."
carousel
Elementary
/ˌkærəˈsel/
The moving belt where airport baggage comes out for passengers to collect.
"Your suitcase is on carousel 4."
carry-on
Elementary
/ˈkæri ɒn/
A small bag that you keep with you on the airplane
"My carry-on bag contains my laptop and important documents."
carton
Beginner
/ˈkɑːr.tən/
A container made of cardboard, often used for milk or juice
"Can you buy a carton of milk from the supermarket?"
cash
Elementary
/kæʃ/
Physical money in coins and notes, not card payment
"Do you accept cash, or only cards?"
Cash
Elementary
/kæʃ/
Physical money in coins and notes, not card payment
"I prefer paying with cash at small shops because they sometimes give a small discount."
Cash or card?
Beginner
/kæʃ ɔːr kɑːrd/
A question asking how you want to pay
"'That'll be £20.' 'Cash or card?' 'Card, please.'"
casual
Beginner
/ˈkæʒuəl/
Relaxed and informal, not formal or serious.
"Friend emails use casual language like 'Hey!' instead of 'Dear Sir.'"
casual language
Intermediate
/ˈkæʒuəl ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/
Informal, conversational style used in everyday speech and informal writing
"Blog posts use casual language instead of formal English, which makes them easier to understand."
catch
Elementary
/kætʃ/
Hear and understand something, especially in a conversation
"Sorry, I didn't catch your name. What is it again?"
catch a flight
Elementary
/kætʃ ə flaɪt/
To get on an airplane; to travel by plane on a specific flight
"I need to catch a flight to Paris at 8 AM tomorrow."
catch (hear)
Elementary
/kætʃ/
To hear and understand something said quickly or unclearly.
"I didn't catch your name. Can you say it again?"
catch (something)
Intermediate
/kætʃ/
To hear and understand something, especially when it happens quickly or unclearly
"Did you catch what the reporter said about the weather tomorrow?"
catch up
Beginner
/kætʃ ʌp/
To meet and talk with someone you haven't seen for a long time and share news.
"I haven't seen Sarah in months. We should catch up soon!"
caveat
Advanced
/ˈkæviæt/
A warning or qualification that limits the scope of a statement
"The author included an important **caveat** noting that results applied only to urban populations."
cents
Beginner
/sɛnts/
Coins worth less than one dollar; 100 cents = 1 dollar.
"The drink costs two dollars and fifty cents."
certainty
Intermediate
/ˈsɜrtnti/
The state of being sure or certain about something.
"She speaks with certainty about the plan, so she must know it well."
chance of rain
Elementary
/tʃæns əv reɪn/
The percentage possibility that it will rain (e.g., 60% chance = probably rain)
"There's a 70% chance of rain tomorrow, so bring an umbrella."
change
Elementary
/tʃeɪndʒ/
Money you get back when you pay with more than the cost
"I paid with £20, so the change is £5.50."
Change
Elementary
/tʃeɪndʒ/
Money you get back when you pay with more than the price
"I gave the cashier £20 for a £14 purchase, and she gave me £6 change."
character development
Intermediate
/ˈkærɪktər dɪˈveləpmənt/
How a character changes, grows, or becomes more complex throughout a story.
"The main character's development from shy to confident was the best part of the book."
charity
Elementary
/ˈtʃærɪti/
An organization that helps people in need; a good cause
"She donated money to a charity that helps homeless children."
charming
Intermediate
/ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ/
Attractive and appealing in a simple, natural way; delightful.
"The charming café has small wooden tables and local artwork on the walls."
checkbox
Elementary
/ˈtʃekbɒks/
A small square box you mark with a tick when a task is finished.
"I put a checkbox next to each task on my list."
checked baggage
Elementary
/ˈtʃekt ˈbæɡɪdʒ/
Large bags that you give to the airline to put under the airplane
"My checked baggage allowance is two suitcases per ticket."
check in
Elementary
/tʃek ɪn/
To register and give your luggage at airport or hotel
"You should check in at least 2 hours before your flight."
check-in
Elementary
/ˈtʃek ɪn/
The desk at the airport where you register for your flight and drop off baggage.
"Check-in opens two hours before departure."
checkout
Elementary
/ˈtʃekaʊt/
The place in a store where you pay for your items
"The checkout line is very long today."
chef
Elementary
/ʃef/
A professional cook who works in a restaurant or kitchen
"The head chef prepared an amazing meal for our wedding."
chiasmus
Advanced
/kaɪˈæzməs/
A reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases to create emphasis and memorability
"Kennedy's chiasmus 'Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country' remains iconic decades later."
chop
Elementary
/tʃɑːp/
To cut something into small pieces with a knife
"Chop the onions into small pieces before you add them."
Chop
Elementary
/tʃɑːp/
Cut food into small pieces with a knife
"Chop the onions into small pieces before cooking."
choppy
Intermediate
/ˈtʃɒpi/
Writing that sounds disconnected and rough because sentences don't flow smoothly together.
"His writing felt choppy because he didn't use transition words between ideas."
chronic
Intermediate
/ˈkrɒnɪk/
A disease or condition that lasts a long time or keeps returning
"My grandfather has chronic arthritis that affects his daily activities."
chronologically
Intermediate
/krəˈnɒlədʒɪkli/
Arranged in the order that events happened, from first to last
"The article organized events chronologically, starting with the morning accident."
chronological order
Elementary
/ˌkrɒnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl ˈɔːrdər/
Arranged in the order that events happened in time (earliest to latest)
"When writing a biography, use chronological order to help readers follow the story."