Contents

Family...........................................................................................................................................3
Relationships................................................................................................................................3
Appearance..................................................................................................................................3
Character & Behaviour.................................................................................................................3
Feelings........................................................................................................................................4
Houses and Apartments...............................................................................................................4
Eating...........................................................................................................................................4
Movies / Books.............................................................................................................................4
Music............................................................................................................................................4
Sports...........................................................................................................................................5
Health & Sickness.........................................................................................................................5
Computers....................................................................................................................................5
Study............................................................................................................................................5
Academic English..........................................................................................................................6
Work............................................................................................................................................6
Business.......................................................................................................................................6
Money..........................................................................................................................................6
Travel...........................................................................................................................................7
Weather.......................................................................................................................................7
City...............................................................................................................................................7
Countryside..................................................................................................................................7
Crime............................................................................................................................................8
Law/Justice...................................................................................................................................8
War & Peace.................................................................................................................................8
Global Problems...........................................................................................................................8
Time.............................................................................................................................................9
Sound...........................................................................................................................................9
Size...............................................................................................................................................9
Light.............................................................................................................................................9
Colour.........................................................................................................................................10
Texture.......................................................................................................................................10
Smell...........................................................................................................................................10
Taste...........................................................................................................................................10
Statistics.....................................................................................................................................10
Movement & Speed...................................................................................................................11
Changes......................................................................................................................................11
Speaking.....................................................................................................................................11
Starting / Finishing.....................................................................................................................11
Success & Failure........................................................................................................................12
Cause & Effect............................................................................................................................12
Memories...................................................................................................................................12
Agreeing & Disagreeing..............................................................................................................12
Beliefs & Doubts.........................................................................................................................13
Deciding & Choosing..................................................................................................................13
Claiming & Denying....................................................................................................................13
Liking & Disliking........................................................................................................................13
Praising & Criticizing...................................................................................................................13
Metaphor...................................................................................................................................14
Confusing words.........................................................................................................................14
Everyday Verbs...........................................................................................................................15
Family

Immediate family – Extended family – family tree – family members – distant relative – loving
family – close-knit family – carefree childhood – dysfunctional family – troubled childhood –
bitter divorce – messy divorce – divorce settlement – broken home – custody of the children –
grant joint custody – sole custody – award sole custody – pay child support – mutual
divorce/separation – on good terms with each other – get pregnant – single mother – have an
abortion – give the baby up for adoption – due date – baby is due – has the baby – gives birth –
adoptive parents – raise the child – bring up the child – adopted child – birth mother.

Relationships

Make friends – casual acquaintances – good friends – close friends – love at first sight – fall in
love – strong chemistry – significant other – soul mate – have feelings for – the feeling is not
mutual – he’s/she’s just not my type – unrequited love – childhood sweetheart – high
school/college sweetheart – mutual friend – make a commitment – proposes to the woman –
happily married – has an affair – cheating on their husband/wife.

Appearance

Absolutely gorgeous – long, sleek, jet-black hair – pale blue eyes – a radiant complexion –
hourglass figure – slender waist – round face – upturned nose – bear a striking resemblance to
– hideously ugly – curly – shoulder-length hair – unkempt – square face – ruddy complexion –
deep-set eyes – bushy eyebrows – thick moustache – shaggy beard – facial hair – athletic build
– broad shoulders – muscular arms – trim his beard – comb his hair – somewhat attractive.

Character & Behaviour

Painfully shy – have a vivid imagination – outgoing personality – sense of humour – brutally
honest – hurt my feelings – fiercely loyal – showed her true colours – play a prank – bear a
grudge – low self-esteem – a mean streak – come out of my shell – have a thicker skin – speak
their minds – have a tendency – have a superiority complex – swallow my pride – put others
first.
Feelings

Roller coaster of emotions – ridiculously excited – blissfully happy – worried sick – increasingly
anxious – seething with anger – visibly disappointed – show her feelings – bottle up her
emotions – terribly sorry – lost my temper – deeply depressed – emotional wreck – pleasantly
surprised – immensely grateful – overwhelmed with emotion.

Houses and Apartments

Short-term rental – two-bedroom apartment – studio apartment – five-story building –

overlooking the ocean – have a nice view of – recently been remodelled/renovated – fully
furnished – spacious living room – cramped bedrooms – feel homesick – have a place of my
own – affordable housing – upscale neighbourhoods – take out a mortgage – pay it off – down
payment – move into a new place – throw a housewarming party.

Eating

Eating habits – junk food – go on a diet – processed foods – food additives – balanced diet –
nourishing meals – organic food – fresh produce – quick snack – eat in moderation – portion
sizes – home-cooked meal – hearty stew – healthy appetite – second helping – international
cuisine – food poisoning – light meals – spoil his/her appetite.

Movies / Books

Movie trailer – movie comes out – movie theatre – opening night – film critics’ reviews –
nominated for an award – movie stars – starring in an upcoming film – based on a true story –
shooting the film on-site – leading role – box-office hit – engrossed in a book – main character
– borrow books from the library – controversial topic – interesting and enjoyable read – return
the book to the library – renew it – beginning an end – opening and closing scenes – opening
and closing chapters.

Music

Musically gifted – sheet music – strumming a guitar – composing music – song lyrics – a sizable
following – playing gigs – record their debut album – remixed track – a massive hit – catchy
tune – upbeat tempo – album will be released – going on tour – record it live – big break –
music industry – singing along – completely tone-deaf – sing off-key – contemporary music –
classical music – orchestral/instrumental music – solo album – compilation album – cult
following.
Sports

Play is used for team sports – play soccer – play basketball – play tennis – play baseball and
play golf.

Do is used for individual sports – do yoga – do gymnastics – do martial arts – do aerobics – do

exercise – lift weights-

Go is for activities ending in -ing – go swimming – go biking – go surfing – go rock climbing – go

bowling – go fishing.

Match/game with team sports, competition with do and go sports.

Game – match – win the game – lose the game – tie the game – final score – home game –
away game – tournament – have the lead – make a comeback – take the lead – competition –
enter a competition – first place – enhance their performance – fail a drug test – achieve a
personal best – break the world record – set a new world record – withdraw from the
competition.

Health & Sickness

Lifestyle change – overall health – life expectancy – quit smoking – reduce stress – eat a
balanced diet – get plenty of sleep – exercise regularly – get vaccinations/immunizatons –
health insurance – suffer/sustain serious injuries – minor injuries – broken/fractured a bone –
put your leg in a cast – give stitches – prevent infection – minor aliment – take some aspirin –
relieve the pain – suffer from a chronic condition – over-the counter – prescription
medications – alleviate the symptoms – have a cold – catch a cold – sexually-transmitted
diseases (STDs) – is diagnosed with – terminally ill.

Computers

Start up – shut down – get online – access the internet – check her e-mail – write and send
messages – reply to an e-mail – forward an e-mail – attach a file – log into her bank account –
website is down – home page – scheduled maintenance – search engine – surfing/browsing
the web – social media – burn a CD – pressing the wrong key – deleting an important file –
recover the file – the computer freezes – the computer locks up – restart/reboot the computer
– back up the files – computer crashes – install a program – run scans for viruses and spyware
– infected.

Study

Pre-school – kindergarten – primary/elementary school – first grade – middle school – apply to

colleges/universities – send in/submit your application – get good grades – get/be awarded a
scholarship – take classes/courses – take notes – give the lecture – give/make presentations –
do research – write an essay/assignment/report/paper – hand in your work – grade the
assignment – give feedback – take tests/exams – pass the test – fail the test – pass/fail a
course – withdraw from/drop the course – choose a major/concentration – graduate from
college – get a diploma – have a degree – bachelor’s degree – master’s degree – doctorate
(Ph.D.).

Academic English

Make an outline – main points – gather evidence – support your claims – propose a theory –
challenge or refute a theory – touch on several issues – draw a distinction – draw parallels –
fall into different categories – make your case – first draft – go into detail – revise the paper –
final draft – carrying out a study – key factors – play a role/ part – perfect examples – clear
illustrations – prove your points – briefly summarize – draw conclusions – raise questions.

Work

Do an internship – entry-level job – minimum wage – good team player – get a promotion –
get a raise – be fired/dismissed – heavy workload – work overtime – demanding job – quit your
job – get a job – competitive salary – generous benefits – well-paid and rewarding job – career
change applying for a job – job ads – interview the candidates – job description – job seekers –
menial job – earn a living – between jobs – a great job offer – dream job.

Business

Go into business – set up a company – do market research – operate at a loss – break even –
tough competition – gain market share – going bankrupt – make a profit – hire/take on
staff/employees – make a deal – do business – sign a contract – launch a new product –
customer service – take their business elsewhere – a rival company – run a business – take off
– business is booming.

Money

Earn/make money – inherit money – inherit a fortune – make a deposit – make a withdrawal –
spend money – waste/squander the money – money is tight – make a budget – stick to the
budget – be broke – financially savvy – save money - emergency fund - living expenses –
invest money in the stock market – losing money – set aside money – borrow money from the
bank – taking out a loan – pay the money back in instalments – change/exchange money –
local currency – counterfeit bills – donating money – raise money.
Travel

Business trip – travel agency – booking my flight – making my hotel reservation – travel
arrangements – the plane was overbooked – I was bumped to a later flight – boarding pass –
window seat – aisle seat – bumpy flight – connecting flight – ten-hour layover – checked
luggage – carry-on bag – check into a hotel – five-star hotel – seedy hotel – red-light district –
dingy room – luxury hotel – lost my luggage.

Weather

Weather forecast – the sun will be shining brightly – clear skies – high temperatures – bask in
the sunshine – soak up the sunshine – oppressively/scorching/sweltering hot – hot and humid
– partly cloudy – scattered clouds – storm clouds – it looks like rain – light rain – heavy rain –
torrential rain – continuous rain – constant rain – intermittent rain – scattered showers – the
rain let up – light/slight winds – high/strong winds – fierce winds – gale-force winds – the wind
is picking up – the wind is dying down – a biting wind – an icy wind – blast of wind – gust of
wind – snow flurries – driving/swirling snow – fresh/powdery/newly-fallen snow –
clear/plough the snow – shovelling the snow – snow melts – unseasonably warm –
unseasonably cool – record high – record low – gloomy/dismal weather – muggy/sultry
weather – mild/calm weather – harsh/severe/wild weather.

City

Towering skyscrapers – noise pollution – coastal city – high-rise building – industrial zone –
cosy little house – outskirts of the city – hectic pace – bustling streets – strewn with litter –
traffic jams – narrow cobblestone streets – eighteenth-century buildings – quaint shops –
gourmet restaurants – local cuisine – open-air market – main square – street vendors – trendy
cafés – street crime – inner-city areas – cultural diversity – pulsating nightlife.

Countryside

Change of scenery – surrounding countryside – wildlife preserve – winding footpath – varied

landscapes – dense forests – vast meadows – gentle, rolling hills – rocky landscape – towering
cliffs – magnificent waterfalls – hiking trail – steepest face of the tallest mountain – foot of the
mountain – clear, bubbling mountain stream – spectacular panoramic view – jagged, snow-
covered peaks – distant mountain range – lush green countryside- slow-moving, shallow river –
sun-drenched, sandy beaches – picturesque fishing village – unobstructed view – boat trip –
secluded beaches – it is well worth the trip.
Crime

Break the law – commit a crime – savage rape – brutal murder – barbaric, horrible or vicious
crimes – attempted murder – attempted kidnapping – attempted break-in – alleged assault –
alleged harassment – alleged rape – report the crime – investigate the crime – crime scene –
gather forensic evidence – witness come forward – first-hand account – motives for the crime
– arrest suspects – prove their innocence by providing a solid alibi – unsolved crime – crime
rate – crime wave – first-time offender – criminal record – serial killer – organized crime –
notorious criminal – cold-blooded killer/murderer – crazed/psychopathic killer – domestic
violence – drug trafficking – identity theft – sexual harassment – petty crime – armed robbery.

Law/Justice

Passing laws – Upholding and enforcing the law – charge with a crime – appear in court – stand
trial – reach a verdict – irrefutable, overwhelming or concrete evidence – jury will be
unanimous – circumstantial or inconclusive evidence – hung jury – light sentence – pay a fine –
do community service – go to prison – harsh sentence – life in prison – life imprisonment –
death penalty – appeal the verdict – prolonged legal battle – uphold or overturn the original
verdict – convicted criminal – serving time – released from prison – good behaviour – threat to
society – on parole.

War & Peace

War has broken out – violence has erupted – declared war – pre-emptive strike – stockpiling
weapons – unprovoked attack – tensions may rise – on the brink of war – deploying troops –
be stationed/posted – launch an offensive – storm/invade enemy territory – opened fire –
horrors of war – caught in the crossfire – suffer civilian casualties – collateral damage –
refugees displaced – resettle – flee – decisive battle – negotiate a truce / ceasefire – restore
peace – fragile/uneasy peace – bring stability – lasting peace – peacekeeping forces – avert
war.

Global Problems

Preserving/protecting the environment – fossil fuels – greenhouse gases – deplete the ozone
layer – global warming – climate change – done irreparable damage – rising sea levels –
natural disasters – animal species have gone extinct – endangered species – clean energy –
renewable resources – harmful to the environment – die of hunger/starvation – extreme
poverty – developing countries – food shortages – lack of access to clean water – homeless
people – homeless shelters – on the margins of society – living below the poverty line –
welfare programs – alleviate poverty – preventable diseases – safe and effective vaccines –
child labour – disadvantaged backgrounds – human trafficking – sexual exploitation.
Time

In a rush – take your time – spend your time – waste time – ungodly hours – taken me ages –
time-management – well in advance – amount of time – gruelling schedule – time-consuming
tasks – pressing commitments – establish a timeline – leave things to the last minute – running
out of time – stick to the schedule – get ahead – falling behind – strict deadline – rush hour –
eight solid hours – from dawn till dusk – spare/ free time – cut back on your hours – free up
some time.

Sound

Lovely sound – soft sound – horrible screeching sounds – background noise – annoying buzzing
noise – loud sound/noise – deafening sound/noise – faint – soft sound/noise – muffled sound –
constant/incessant noise – roar of traffic – hum of machinery – music blaring – birds chirping –
dogs barking – waves crashing – wind whistling – rumble of thunder – absolutely /
completely /perfectly silent – silence descended/fell – breaks/shatters the silence –
awkward/uncomfortable silence – stony/sullen silence – shocked/stunned silence –
ominously/eerily quiet.

Size

Big, small, large, little , tall , short, high and low – large-scale – big accomplishment – big
decision – big disappointment – big failure – big improvement – big mistake – big surprise – big
brother – big sister – tall building – tall trees – tall man/woman – high/low prices - high/low
levels - high/low quality - high/low rate - high/low degree.

Little appears with adjectives like nice, cute, pretty, poor and tiny, like cute little house.

Small refers to physical size, whereas little can refer to quantity: I made a little money from a
temporary job.

Light

The sun is shining – blinding sunlight – weak sunlight – sun sets – grow dark – full moon –
crescent moon – new moon – pitch dark/black – stars twinkling – fluorescent light bulb –
bright light – faint glow – flickering candle – dim light – cast a shadow – sit in the shade –
bright/strong lighting – soft/subdued lightning – street lights – power goes out – power outage
– plunged into darkness – complete/total darkness – light candles – sun rises / comes up.

Colour
Light or dark – light brown – dark brown – bright – bright red – pale – pale green – bold/vivid
colours – pastel colours – shades of a colour – ruby red – cherry red – fiery orange – burnt
orange – lemon yellow – golden yellow – emerald green – olive green – sky blue – royal blue –
navy blue /midnight blue – tinge of pink – brownish tinge – reddish brown – yellowish brown –
the colours match - the colours clash – skin tone – that colour suits you – that colour looks
good on you – paint a house – paint your nails – dye your hair blonde – dye a shirt blue.

Texture

Dry hair – oily or greasy hair – dry skin – oily skin – smooth / rough surface – calm/choppy or
rough water – hard/soft object – tender/tough meat – sharp/dull blade or point –
harden/soften snow, potatoes, voice or other.

For food:

Creamy – crunchy/crispy – chewy – greasy.

Smell

Aroma – scent – fragrance – wonderful aroma – fresh scent – sweet fragrance – lovely smell –
horrible smell – it smells delicious – it smells nasty – stench – stink – odour – foul odour –
revolting stench – body odour – light/faint smells or strong smells – overpowering smell –
familiar smell – distinctive smell – unmistakable smell – mouth-watering scent – acrid smell –
spicy aroma – earthy/fishy/fruity/metallic smell – rancid/putrid smell – damp/dank smell –
pervasive smell – pungent smell.

Taste

Taste is a verb and flavour is a noun.

Tastes good – taste bad – tastes divine/heavenly or gross/disgusting – tastes funny – tastes like
… - nutty/fruity/cheesy/minty/salty flavour – fruit taste /fruity flavour – bitter/sour/sweet
taste – savour the taste – strong or rich flavour – mild flavour – subtle flavour – mild flavour –
subtle flavour – bland taste or flavour – acquired taste.

Statistics

We use number with countable nouns and amount with uncountable nouns.

Large number of people – massive amount of damage – significant number of countries –

considerable amount of money – tiny number of computers – miniscule amount of alcohol –
increase – decrease – rise – fall – go up – go down – sharp or dramatic – dramatic drop – sharp
rise – gradual increase – slow decline – remains steady – remains constant – widespread
dissatisfaction – widespread acclaim – widespread damage – widespread support.
In conversational English we often use keep + ing to describe something that happens
frequently:

My colleagues keep interrupting me.

Movement & Speed

Fast is used to describe a vehicle, person or action. Quick is used to describe an event or
action. Rapid is used to describe a change.

Fast car – quick glance – rapid increase/decline – speedy recovery – speedy resolution – swift
action – swift response – swift reaction – prompt reply – prompt delivery – hasty exit – hasty
conclusion – hasty decision – speed limit – drive at breakneck speed – speed trap – speeding
ticket – burst of speed – moving at a snail’s pace – slow to a crawl – come to a standstill – gain
speed or speed up – losing speed or slowing down – leisure breakfast – leisure stroll.

Changes

Make adjustments/alterations/modifications/tweaks (informal) – revolutionize – transform –

change the subject – change your mind – convert to a religion – turn – turn into – become
angry/apparent/clear/popular/ an actor – go bald – go blind – go deaf – go crazy/insane.

The word get can be used as a less formal alternative to become with emotions and
comparative adjectives (but not with professions or states of being).

I’m getting excited / It’s getting more expensive.

Speaking

Making small talk - strike up a conversation – make comments – delicate subjects – lengthy
discussion – have an argument – lull in the conversation – tell a story – go on and on – brief
chat – making a speech – cracking jokes – apologize profusely – get straight to the point –
dropping hints – tell lies – stretches the truth – tell the truth – give your word – tone of voice –
sarcastic remarks – disparaging comments – make a complaint – constructive criticism – ask a
favour.

Starting / Finishing

Let’s get started – go off to a good start – encouraging start – promising start – shaky start –
unsteady start – disappointing start – disastrous start – fresh start – new beginning –
humble/modest beginning – put the finishing touch on it – come to an end – draw to a close –
the beginning of the end – abrupt/sudden end – no end in sight.

Finish implies completing something, whereas end is used for more passive situation/state:
I finished my homework / The semester ends in December.

Success & Failure

Impressive accomplishments – phenomenal success – highly effective – dramatic improvement

– unprecedented success – crowning achievement – modest success – room for improvement
– make good progress – make a breakthrough – bring out the best – win the respect – fail
miserably – dashing his hopes – lost his nerves – completely failed – mediocre performance –
remarkable achievements – spectacular failure – a recipe for disaster – way off the mark –
went under – doomed to failure – if all else fails – as a last resort.

Cause & Effect

Cause damage – cause a problem – cause confusion – cause an uproar – cause injury – cause
death – cause for concern – cause for alarm – cause for concern – cause for alarm – cause for
celebration – main/primary cause – hidden/underlying cause / root cause – has an effect – has
a strong effect – significant impact – profound impact – short-term – long-term – visible effects
– subtle effects – powerful effect – minimal/negligible effect – main effect – side effect –
have/produce results – preliminary results – final results – concrete/tangible results –
inevitable result – direct or indirect results – desired result – likely/probable outcome – logical
outcome – unexpected outcome.

Memories

Vaguely remember – distinctly remember – memories come flooding back – constantly remind
– completely forgotten – refresh my memory – bring back fond memories – unforgettable
experience – traumatic memory – memory still haunts me – serves as a sobering reminder –
terrible memory – particularly memorable – my mind went blank – I racked my brain – came to
mind – gently reminds me – make a bad impression.

Agreeing & Disagreeing

I totally agree – I strongly agree – agree wholeheartedly – I agree up to a point – I agree in

principle – share an opinion – share a view – difference of opinion – be ‘worlds apart’ – reach a
compromise – heated argument – I’m afraid I disagree – I see your point – minor/slight
disagreement – major/serious disagreement – disagrees respectfully – settle a disagreement –
disagrees vehemently – long-running dispute – bitter dispute – agree to disagree – resolve the
conflict.

Beliefs & Doubts

Strongly/firmly believe – deeply-held belief – unshakable belief – subconscious belief – colour

your judgement – believe in superstitions – blind faith – strengthen/reinforce your belief –
undermine/weaken your belief – making assumptions – lead to erroneous conclusions – beliefs
held – common misconceptions – dispel misconceptions – contrary to popular belief –
beyond/without a shadow of doubt – doubts arise – voices their doubts – sneaking suspicion –
casts doubts – gnawing/lingering/nagging/niggling doubt – rethink/reexamine your beliefs –
further consideration – arrive at a different conclusion.

Deciding & Choosing

Make a decision – pros and cons – consider all the options – trust your intuition – make a
choice – tough decision – ask for advice – discussing the issue in-depth – take their advice –
ignore their advice – snap decision – spur-of-the-moment decision – defend your decision –
arbitrary decision – remain undecided – costly mistake – weighing the possible outcomes –
having second thoughts – keep your options open – having no choice – sound judgment – wise
decisions.

Claiming & Denying

Facing accusations – openly accused – denies the allegations – clearly states – substantiate his
claims – leaked a document – heavily implies – spreading the rumour – refused his offer –
widely acknowledged – fuelled speculation – ulterior motive – issued a statement – claims are
unfounded – unjustly – maliciously accusing.

Liking & Disliking

Lifelong fan – all-time favourite – sheer enjoyment – great admirer – fleeting pleasure – hold
him in the highest regard – develop a particular liking for – real pleasure – obvious enjoyment
– grew quite attached – great love – clear preference – take an instant dislike – deep dislike –
have nothing but contempt – blind/irrational hatred – developed a strong aversion – hate him
with a passion.

Praising & Criticizing

Barrage of criticism – strongly disapproved – give their blessing – countered their criticism –
grudging approval – frown of disapproval – thinks the world of me – enthusiastic support –
heartily approved – dismiss something as … - standing ovation – rave reviews – an outstanding
performance – congratulated me warmly – scathing criticism – speaking highly of – win the
approval.

Metaphor

Face or eyes light up – eyes shining with delight – lighten the mood – face/eyes/expression
darkens – dark days or dark times – ideas are flowing – conversation is flowing – people
poured/streamed – people trickled – waves of disappointment – waves of sadness – heated
discussion – heated debate – fiery temper – tempers flared – kindle interest/enthusiasm/hope
– spark outrage/controversy – gets off to a rocky start – thorny issue – romance/friendship is
blossoming – efforts are bearing fruit – plants seeds of hope / seed of jealously.

Confusing words

Close and shut are the same for doors, windows, mouths and eyes. Shut can be used with a
word that implies the action was noisy:

She slammed the door shut.

Close is used for shops, banks as well for airports and roads that are not open or available at a
particular time:

What time does the bank close?

We use expressions with close to refer to the end of an event or process:

Let’s bring this meeting to a close.

The word win means to be nº 1 in a competition, or to receive an award. You can win a game,
race, competition or lottery. In conflicts you can win an argument, win a battle or win the war.

The word earn means to get something in exchange for your work or effort.

Sarah is a famous lawyer; she earns a lot of money.

The word gain means to receive/obtain or to increase (it may or may not be the result of work
or effort):

I’ve gained weight ever since I stopped exercising.

Save is used for conserving something: save energy / save time / save space / save someone’s
life / save money.

The word keep means to maintain something in your possession. There are many expressions
using keep in the sense of maintaining or continuing:

Keep trying – keep an eye on / keep track of – keep in mind – keep in touch – keep something
clean / safe, keep someone happy / quiet -keep a promise – keep a secret.

Spend is used both in money and time, it can also be used with period and time, like
weekends.

Pay is used when we pay requests, bill, or demand for the money. It is also possible to use pay
with quantities of money but with different prepositions:

I spent 100 on the tickets.

I paid 100 for the tickets.

Everyday Verbs
Have a baby – have children – have a good time – have a blast – have fun – have
breakfast/lunch/dinner/ a snack – have an opportunity – have an advantage.

Take a shower/bath – take a class/text/exam – take a bus/train/taxi – take a break / take a rest
– take advantage of – take care of – take action.

Pay attention – pay tribute – pay someone a compliment – pay someone a visit – pay (your)
respects.

Break a habit – break a promise – break the ice – break the rules/law – break the news to
someone.

Catch a cold/the flu – catch fire – catch sight of – catch a glimpse of – catch someone’s eye –
catch the bus/train/subway.

Come into force/effect – come to an end – come to terms with – come under attack/scrutiny –
come close.

Get married/divorced – get drunk/pregnant – get angry/scared/excited/tired.