Daily Life

Essential words for everyday activities and routines

Introduction

The foundation of any language starts with the words we use every day. From the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep, these high-frequency vocabulary words form the backbone of daily communication.

This chapter covers the essential words for describing your daily routines, common objects around you, and the activities that fill your day. Mastering these words will help you navigate everyday conversations with confidence.

Themes

All Vocabulary (NGSL) in This Chapter (160)

• get To obtain, receive, or come to have; to become
• like To find agreeable or enjoyable; similar to; such as
• take To reach for and hold; to carry or bring; to require
• because For the reason that; since
• use To employ for a purpose; the act of using something
• want To have a desire for; to wish for something
• way A method, manner, or route; a direction or path
• day A period of 24 hours; the time between sunrise and sunset
• thing An object, matter, or circumstance; used for something unnamed
• need To require something; a necessity or requirement
• life The state of being alive; a person's existence; vitality
• place A particular position or location; to put something somewhere
• great Of considerable size or extent; of ability or quality above average; excellent
• something An unspecified thing; a thing of some importance
• put To place something in a position; to express in words
• live To be alive; to reside in a place; happening in real time
• home The place where one lives; relating to one's dwelling or country
• house A building for people to live in; to provide accommodation
• keep To retain possession of; to continue doing; to maintain a state
• every Each one of a group without exception; used to indicate frequency
• always At all times; on every occasion; forever
• turn To rotate or change direction; to become; one's opportunity to act
• bring To carry or convey towards the speaker; to cause
• open Not closed or blocked; allowing access or passage
• hold To grasp or carry; to contain; to organise an event
• away At a distance from a place or person; continuously or repeatedly
• close Near in space or time; to shut; having a strong relationship
• understand To comprehend the meaning of something
• today On or during the present day; at the present time
• night The time when it is dark; the period between evening and morning
• often Frequently; many times; in many cases
• together With each other; at the same time; into one place or group
• already By this time; before now or before a specified time
• stand To be in an upright position; to tolerate; a piece of furniture for holding s...
• anything Any thing at all; any matter or concern
• cause A reason for something; to make something happen
• visit To go to see a person or place; an act of visiting
• nothing Not anything; no thing
• return To go or come back; to give something back; profit from an investment
• walk To move on foot at a moderate pace; a journey on foot
• sit To rest with your body supported by your bottom; to be in a seated position
• create To bring something into existence; to cause something to happen
• everything All things; all that exists or is relevant
• position A place or location; a job; a viewpoint or stance
• computer An electronic device for storing and processing data
• situation A set of circumstances or conditions; the current state of affairs
• morning The early part of the day, from sunrise until noon
• sometimes Occasionally; on some occasions but not always
• carry To hold and transport; to have with you
• eat To put food into the mouth, chew, and swallow
• site A place where something is located or happens; a website
• death The end of life; the state of being dead
• wear To have clothing, jewellery, etc. on your body; to become damaged through use
• likely Probable; probably going to happen
• standard A level of quality; normal or usual; a principle or value
• usually Under normal conditions; most of the time
• address Location details; to speak to someone; to deal with an issue
• prepare To make ready for use or a particular purpose; to get ready
• feature A distinctive quality or characteristic; a main article or programme
• pause A temporary stop or break; to stop temporarily
• everyone Every person; all people
• forget To fail to remember something; to leave something behind unintentionally
• drink To consume liquids; a beverage; alcohol
• key A small metal instrument used to open locks; something essential or crucial
• bed A piece of furniture for sleeping on; a flat base or layer
• yesterday The day before today; the recent past
• holiday A period of time spent away from work or school for rest and recreation
• ready Prepared and able to do something immediately
• target An object, person, or place selected as the aim of an attack or goal
• treat To behave towards someone in a certain way; to give medical care; a special p...
• sleep A natural resting state of reduced consciousness; to rest in this state
• seat A place to sit, or a position in parliament or on a committee
• positive Good, constructive, or optimistic; certain or confident
• anyway Regardless; used to change topic or conclude a conversation
• dress A one-piece garment for women; to put on clothes
• useful Able to be used for a practical purpose; helpful
• everybody Every person; all people
• daily Happening or done every day; relating to each day
• clothes Items worn to cover the body, such as shirts, trousers, and dresses
• university A high-level educational institution where students study for degrees
• replace To take the place of; to put something new in the place of something old
• budget A plan for spending money; to allocate funds
• beat To strike repeatedly; to defeat; a rhythmic pulse
• deliver To bring goods to a place; to give a speech; to help with childbirth
• weather The state of the atmosphere; to survive difficult conditions
• user A person who uses something, especially a product or service
• heat High temperature; to make something warm; a preliminary round in a race
• mistake An error or something done wrongly; to wrongly identify
• refuse To say no to something; to decline to do, accept, or give something
• combine To join or merge two or more things together to form a single entity
• bag A flexible container for carrying things
• repeat To say or do something again
• gather To bring together; to collect; to understand from context
• pop A short sharp sound; popular music; to go somewhere quickly
• attract To draw towards oneself through appeal; to cause interest
• settle To resolve; to establish a home; to become calm; to pay
• wash To clean with water and often soap
• opposite Completely different or contrary; facing directly
• theater A building for plays; the art of performing plays; an operating room
• museum A building displaying objects of historical, scientific, or artistic interest
• visitor Someone who comes to see a person or place
• tonight The present or coming night; this evening
• delivery The act of bringing goods; the manner of speaking or performing
• bedroom A room for sleeping in
• shoe A covering for the foot, typically with a hard sole
• wake To stop sleeping or cause someone to stop sleeping; a gathering after a funeral
• threaten To express intention to harm; to indicate something bad is likely
• combination Two or more things joined or mixed together; a sequence for a lock
• abuse To use wrongly or harmfully; to treat cruelly; cruel treatment
• breath Air taken into or expelled from the lungs; a slight movement of air
• opposition Resistance or disagreement; the main party against the government
• rush To move or act with urgent speed; a period of intense activity
• closely In a way that is near, or with careful attention
• unlike Different from, or not typical of
• everywhere In or to all places
• household A house and its occupants, or relating to the home
• accuse To claim that someone has done something wrong or illegal
• alive Living; not dead; full of energy and activity
• reputation The beliefs or opinions held about someone or something
• meat The flesh of animals used as food
• defeat To win against someone in a competition or battle; a loss
• breathe To take air into the lungs and let it out again
• excuse A reason given to justify a fault; to forgive or allow someone to leave
• confuse To make someone unable to think clearly; to mistake one thing for another
• output The amount of something produced; information produced by a computer
• mouse A small rodent; a device used to control a computer cursor
• creation The act of making something new; something that has been made
• acquisition The act of obtaining or gaining possession of something
• dispute A disagreement or argument; to argue about something
• undertake To commit to do something; to take on a task
• unlikely Not likely to happen or be true
• sensitive Quick to detect or respond; easily hurt emotionally; requiring careful handling
• input Information or resources put into a system; contribution of ideas; to enter data
• routine A regular sequence of actions or way of doing things
• everyday Ordinary, routine, or happening daily
• transition A change from one state or condition to another
• creative Having the ability or power to create; involving imagination and originality
• nowadays At the present time, as opposed to the past
• vegetable An edible plant or part of a plant, such as carrots or broccoli
• shareholder A person who owns shares in a company
• bath A large container for washing the body; the act of washing in this container
• deposit Money paid as a guarantee or put into a bank account
• shower A device for washing; a brief period of rain
• beneath Under or directly below something; lower in status or unworthy of someone
• greatly To a large degree; very much
• brush A tool with bristles for cleaning, painting, or grooming
• stake A share or interest in something; money risked on a bet; a pointed wooden post
• creature A living being, especially an animal; an imaginary or strange being
• clause A section of a legal document; a group of words containing a subject and verb
• clothing Items worn to cover the body; garments collectively
• diversity The state of having variety or differences
• composition The way something is made up or arranged; a piece of music or writing
• hesitate To pause before saying or doing something due to uncertainty
• altogether Completely; in total; considering everything
• situate To place or locate in a particular position
• leather Material made from animal skin; tough and durable
• swear To make a solemn promise; to use offensive language
• compute To calculate or work out a number or amount
• density The degree of compactness of a substance; how crowded something is
• holder A person or thing that holds something; someone who possesses something