Advanced English Vocabulary: Life Events, Risk, and Collocations

Starter Unit: Vocabulary for Growing Up

This section covers essential vocabulary related to major life stages and civic responsibilities.

Key Terms and Actions

• Apply for a passport
• Criminal offense
• General election
• Give blood
• Go to war
• Have a tattoo
• Hold a license
• Join the army
• Local election
• Make a will
• Own a pet
• Soft drink
• Withdraw money

Phrasal Verbs (Starter Unit)

Leave out

To omit or exclude.

Pick on

To tease or bully.

Take on

To accept some work or responsibility.

Toy with

To consider an idea, but not seriously.

Unit 1: Vocabulary of Risk and Fear

Words and phrases related to danger, caution, and decision-making.

Core Vocabulary

Appeal

A quality that something has that makes people like or want it.

Apprehensive

Slightly worried or nervous.

Cautious

Careful to avoid problems or danger.

Dare

To be brave enough to do something.

Go wrong

To have problems; to fail.

Have a go

To try something.

Make sure

To check and be certain about something.

On the spur of the moment

Suddenly, without planning.

Play safe

To be careful and avoid taking risks.

Predictable

Always happening in the way you would expect.

Take a risk

To do things that are slightly dangerous.

Think twice

To think carefully before you do something.

Thrill-seeker

Someone who enjoys doing exciting and dangerous things.

Weigh up the pros and cons

To think about the advantages and disadvantages of something.

Willing

Prepared to do something.

Phrasal Verbs (Unit 1)

Break out

To escape from a place or situation.

Get through

To manage to do or complete something successfully.

Pass down

To be given by a previous generation.

Spring up

To appear quickly or suddenly.

Idioms and Expressions: Safety and Danger

A close shave

A situation when you only just avoid an accident.

Cut it fine

To leave yourself very little time to do something.

Just in case

To be prepared for something that may happen.

Safe and sound

Not hurt in any way, even though you were in a dangerous situation.

The coast was clear

You can go somewhere or do something as there is no danger of being seen, caught, or attacked.

Adverbs of Degree

These adverbs modify adjectives or verbs, indicating intensity:

• Absolutely
• Completely
• Extremely
• Quite
• Really
• Slightly
• Terribly
• Totally
• Utterly
• Very

Adjective and Adverb Collocations

Fast asleep

Sleeping deeply.

Wide awake

Fully awake; unable to sleep.

Brand new

Completely new.

Soaking wet

Extremely wet.

Pitch black

Dark (referring to extreme darkness).

Rock hard

Extremely hard.