📄️ Introduction
This Section contains information about the vocabulary associated with a number of common topics, together with notes on slang, idioms and related matters. For more about vocabulary problems, see Word formation and spelling and Word problems from A to Z.
📄️ Nationalities, countries and regions
Introduction
📄️ Numbers
Fractions and decimals: two fifths; nought point four
📄️ Talking about age
Use of be
📄️ Dates
Writing
📄️ Telling the time
Saying what time it is
📄️ Names and titles: Daniel; Mr Lewis
Names and titles are used both when talking about people and when talking to them. There are some differences.
📄️ Names: Florence, Homer, etc
Cities
📄️ Gender (references to males and females)
English does not have many problems of grammatical gender. Usually, people are he or she and things are it. Note the following points.
📄️ ‘social’ language
Every language has fixed expressions which are used on particular social occasions – for example when people meet, leave each other, go on a journey, sit down to meals and so on. Here are some of the most important English expressions of this kind.
📄️ Meals
There are regional and social differences in the names for meals.
📄️ Telephoning
Answering a phone
📄️ Idioms, collocations and formulaic expressions
What are idioms? break even; a can of worms
📄️ Formal and informal vocabulary
Some words and expressions are used mainly in formal situations; in neutral or informal situations other words or expressions are used. And some words and expressions are only used in informal situations. Some examples:
📄️ Slang
What is slang?
📄️ Discriminatory and offensive language, taboo words and swear words
The words and expressions described in this entry are generally offensive: their use can upset or insult people. They are included here because they are elements of English, and it is not the job of a usage guide to conceal aspects of the language. However, students should realise that if they use language of this kind, they are liable to offend and upset the people they are talking to. They are also likely to give their listeners or readers the impression that they are insensitive, prejudiced, intolerant, uneducated or worse.