I caught sight of someone with red hair and knew it was you

As she stood up she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror

Travel by trains has given place to travel by airplanes

In some areas, modern intensive farming is giving way to the re-introduction of traditional
methods.

Keep pace with/keep up with

He started to walk faster and the children had to run to keep up.

Lose sight of
I'm worried that we're losing sight of our original objectives.

Make allowance for: to prepare for the possibility of:

We should make allowance for bad weather and have plenty of umbrellas available.

Make fun of
My kids make fun of me because I always wear the same things.

Make a fuss over/about: to give someone a lot of attention and treat them well:
I was the only person there with a small baby so everyone made a fuss over us.

Make room/space/way for

I was wondering if I could make room for a grand piano somewhere in my house.

Make use of: to use something that is available:

We might as well make use of the hotel's facilities

Lose touch with

I lost touch with Katie after she moved to Canada.
He never lost touch with Mexican culture

Keep/lose track of
I've lost track of the number of times he's asked me to lend him money.
My sister has had so many different jobs, it's hard for me to keep track (of what she's doing).

Put a stop to: to stop an unpleasant, unwanted activity or habit from continuing
If you don't put a stop to his bad behaviour, he's going to be expelled from school.

Take account of: to consider or remember something when judging a situation

A good architect takes into account the building's surroundings.

Take care of
She made good money and knew she would be able to take care of herself on her own.
Take notice of
Voters are beginning to take notice of him as a serious candidate.

Pay attention to
If you really pay attention, you can see how he develops the story and learn some techniques.

Put an end to: to make something stop happening or existing

How can we put an end to the fighting?

Set fire to: to cause something or someone to start burning

The protesters set fire to several vehicles

Take advantage of: to use the good things in a situation

I thought I'd take advantage of the sports facilities while I'm here

Take note of: to give attention to something, especially because it is important

You should take careful note of what she tells you because she knows their strategy well.

Give birth to
She gave birth to twins

Make a contribution to
She didn't make much of a contribution (= she did not say much) at today's meeting, did she?

He had a warm smile.

She grew up in a warm and loving family.
Let's give our guest speaker a warm welcome

You're a very caring person.

He is a kind and caring father, quite different from his own

He grew up in a loving family.

She was remembered as a loving wife and mother.
The speech was a loving tribute to his father.

As a child, he was tender and warm-hearted.

The lovers gave each other a tender look.
The child was quite cuddly as she fell asleep
Ugh, I hate how lovey-dovey they are
I'm grateful for your kindness.
If you can respond quickly, I'd be grateful.
I'm really appreciative of all the help you've given me.
I really appreciate all the help you've given me.
We were very glad of some extra help.

I'm just thankful that she's safe and well.

I'm relieved to hear that she's not as ill as we thought.
She was really touched that he remembered her birthday.

The rain delay was unfortunate, given that the match had been previously
cancelled.
Are you waiting for a taxi? How fortunate! We can ride together, then.

We need to think of some new ideas for our marketing strategy.

We need some fresh thinking on how to attract younger voters

She had some original ideas.

We have up-to-the-minute traffic information for our listeners.

Our broadcasters bring you up-to-date news, 24 hours a day.

She's too headstrong to listen to reason.

He was a quiet but strong-minded leader who fought fiercely for his country.

I didn't get a chance to say goodbye.

She missed the chance to see her favourite band in concert because she had
the flu.
If you are caught cheating on an exam, you will receive failing marks - there will
be no second chances.

Everyone will get the opportunity to comment.

The gallery showing is an excellent opportunity to see her work in person.

I have to sign and return the employment contract before I can begin my new
job.

I see eye to eye with her on just about everything.

We're of the same mind on most political issues.

I see eye to eye with her on just about everything.

I thought his idea was a little odd, but I'll go along with him and see what
happens.
I have no choice but to accept the ruling of the court.

I consent to a search of my vehicle. (agree)

He's always finding fault with my work

The coach was suspended for bad-mouthing a referee.

We had some time to kill, so we went to the museum.

She should be able to volunteer at the animal shelter - she has time on her hands since
graduating from uni.

I'll just hang around until you get here.

I'm eager to meet the rest of the team!

The children were very excited to go to the zoo.

He was very enthusiastic about the idea of moving to Spain

I'm dying to hear your news.

She jumped at the chance of a trip to Paris

Baby is used mainly for very young children who have not yet begun to walk or talk.

She is having a baby in the spring.

A baby who is only a few weeks old is a newborn baby. You can also say that a newborn
baby is a new baby.
Newborn babies are not able to focus their eyes fully for the first few weeks of life.
Bringing home a new baby can be a confusing time for parents.

ou can also refer to a new baby as a bundle of joy.

Congratulations on bringing home your little bundle of joy!

n medical language, neonate can be used to refer to a baby under 28 days old.
The doctor headed up a study on perception in neonates.
n formal or official language, infant refers to a child under one year or sometimes two
years old.
Infants under 2 years of age must travel on an adult's lap.

A toddler is a child who is learning or has recently learned to walk.

Toddlers tend to be inquisitive and into everything.

For more words related to baby, see the article at child.

The most commonly used word is bad.

A very bad man is getting what he deserves.
I did a bad thing, and I regret it.

The opposite of bad is good.

She's a good person who gives to charity.

Evil means extremely morally bad and cruel.Wicked has the same meaning, and is often
used to describe characters in stories.
He was an evil dictator who murdered his own people.
Rapunzel was trapped inside a tower by a wicked witch.

Some words that are a little more emotional and express a more personal feeling
are awful, terrible, dreadful, and abominable.
She was truly awful to him through their entire marriage.
He was a terrible husband.
No one will own up to the dreadful deed.
Nothing can ever excuse such abominable behaviour.

The word sinful is used in religious contexts to describe a person who has committed sin.
Their actions are considered sinful by the Church.

Impure is used to describe people who are considered morally bad, especially in a sexual
way. This use is found in religious contexts or in literature. In general contexts, impure can
sometimes be humorous.
She was labelled immoral and impure for daring to speak publicly about sexuality.

If someone or something is beautiful, they are very attractive or pleasing to look at.
I've never seen a more beautiful view in my life.
She's a beautiful woman.

People who are beautiful can also be called attractive or good-looking. If that person is a
man, you can also say they are handsome, and if that person is a woman, you can also
say they are pretty.
Her husband is really attractive.
I think they're very good-looking.
He's so handsome.
Your daughter is very pretty.

If someone is extremely beautiful, you can say that the person is gorgeous or stunning.
You look gorgeous in that dress!
He is stunning.

Someone who is dashing is attractive in a confident, exciting, or stylish way. Dashing is

an old-fashioned word, but is still occasionally used in writing.
He plays a dashing young man from a wealthy family.

Someone who is striking is attractive in an unusual way.

She is a tall, striking woman with a mane of curly black hair.

Scenery that is very beautiful can be called breathtaking or gorgeous.

The view from the window is breathtaking.
We drove through some gorgeous countryside.

Lovely can be used of people and of things. It is more common in UK English than it is in
US English, especially when it is used of things.
The park is lovely this time of year.
You look lovely tonight.
Objects that are very beautiful and often delicate are called exquisite.
They make exquisite lace.

Burning is a common word for this and used before a noun.

He entered a burning house to rescue a child

You can say that something is on fire or in flames.

The whole block was in flames

blaze, aflame, and alight all mean burning. They are not used before nouns. Ablaze is
usually used of buildings or vehicles, while aflame and alight can be used in most
contexts. These words are mainly used in fiction and news reports.
By nightfall dozens of buildings were ablaze.
Shops and vehicles were set aflame.
Soon the neighbouring houses were alight.

The most common word for this is calm.

The children were all calm and quiet during story time.
He is a gentle, calm fellow.

Two opposites of calm are anxious and nervous.

She was an anxious child who worried about everything.
I get nervous if he doesn't call often.
Are you nervous about the date tonight?

If someone is calm in a difficult situation, you can say they are cool or unruffled.
He was very cool about the problem and didn't shout or lose his temper.
He seemed remarkably unruffled for a man who was about to lose his job.

The idiom not lose your head can also be used when someone stays calm in a
difficult situation.
She doesn't lose her head under pressure.
If someone is very calm and in control of their emotions in difficult situations, you can
say they are composed or are calm and collected. These words are used more in
writing than in speech, and often refer to a person's response to a particular situation.
After being so composed throughout this season, the team suddenly became
shaky.
She was very calm and collected in high-stress meetings.

Level-headed is used to describe people who are able to stay calm and think clearly
in a difficult situation.
She's very level-headed and unlikely to get upset by what has happened.

A person who is even-tempered has a calm personality and doesn't get upset, angry,
or excited very easily or very often. Even-tempered is an approving word.
He's so even-tempered - he'll make an excellent teacher.

You can also use placid in the same way. Placid can also be used to describe a
characteristic of a calm person.
She was a placid child who rarely cried.
He had a placid smile on his face.

Chance is one of the most common words for this. It refers specifically to an occasion
to do something.
I didn't get a chance to say goodbye.
She missed the chance to see her favourite band in concert because she had
the flu.
If you are caught cheating on an exam, you will receive failing marks - there
will be no second chances.

The word opportunity has a broader use and is also slightly more formal
than chance. Opportunity can be used for an occasion to do something, or for a
situation that allows something to be done.
Everyone will get the opportunity to comment.
I go fishing whenever I get the opportunity.
The gallery showing is an excellent opportunity to see her work in person.
formal Please contact me at the earliest opportunity.
A break is an opportunity for improving a situation, especially one that happens
unexpectedly.
Her big break came when she was offered a role in a Spielberg movie.
He won the lottery? That was a lucky break

The noun springboard can be used to refer to something that provides you with an
opportunity to do something bigger or better that you want to do. Springboard is not
as common as chance or opportunity.
He hoped writing an opinion piece for The Times would be the springboard he
needed to get into journalism.

One of the most common words for this, and one with the broadest meaning,
is agreement. An agreement can be made in writing or in speech.
Do we have an agreement?
You cannot complete the sale without a written agreement.

An understanding is an agreement between people that is informal and unwritten.

We had an understanding that the businesses would merge, but never got that
in writing.

If you make an agreement with someone else and do not write it down because you
trust them, you can call it a gentleman's agreement.
He and his builder have a gentleman's agreement that if there are spare
materials left after working on the flat, the builder can take them home.

The noun deal is used mostly in business contexts to refer to an agreement, and
especially an agreement to buy or sell something.
Do we have a deal?
One of her business deals fell through.

Contract refers to a formal or legal agreement between two people or groups. It can
also refer to the legal document that records that agreement.
The basketball player was signed to a multimillion-dollar contract with a new
team this week.
I have to sign and return the employment contract before I can begin my new
job.

The formal word compact is also used to talk about agreements between countries,
people, or organizations.
The companies made a compact not to compete in the same markets.

A covenant is a formal or legal agreement or promise between two or more

people. Covenant is sometimes used in religious contexts.
The club are restricted by a covenant which prevents them using the pitch
except on match days.
I have made a covenant with the people for all generations.

Your attitude is your way of thinking about something or behaving in relation to

it. Attitude is often used with words like good, bad, positive, or negative to refer to
the overall way a person or group thinks about and often behaves towards something.
His attitude towards authority has often got him into trouble.
I don't care for your attitude, young lady!
He's always got such a positive attitude.
The party's negative attitude towards immigration was seen as a liability.

Your outlook is your way of thinking about something.

I wish I could share your positive outlook on life.

Your frame of mind is the way you think or feel about something at a particular time.
I need to be in the right frame of mind to talk about this.

Your approach to something is your way of considering or doing it.

It's time to try a different approach to the problem.

Viewpoint, point of view, and vantage point refer to a way of considering

something. These words can also refer to the opinion itself. Vantage point is formal.
His viewpoint is his own and does not affect how I think about the issue.
I appreciate that we have different viewpoints on the matter.
 From a strictly financial point of view it looks like a positive change.
I have a very different point of view when it comes to immigration reform.
From this vantage point I would say that there is little we can do.

Other words that can refer to a particular way of thinking about something
are angle, slant, perspective, stance, standpoint, and position.
Let's look at this issue from another angle.
The article had a very particular political slant.
She brings a fresh perspective to the problem.
His stance on tax relief was highly unpopular.
From a business standpoint, this is a terrific idea.
What is your position on public education?

To say that you have a particular opinion or attitude about something, you can use the
expression to my way of thinking. You can also say that your opinion is the way
you look at things.
To my way of thinking, it was a bad idea from the start.
I definitely look at things differently now that I have children.
That's one way to look at things.

Feel pity for/take (have) pity on

Feel regret for

Feel sympathy for

Make complaint about

Feel shame at

Have a look at

Get victory over

Play an influence over

Have faith in

Take interest in
Peony takes her interest in modern fashion

Make a decision on/Make up one’s mind

I have made up my mind to be a doctor

To look at
Have a look at

To think about/of
To give thought to

To be determined to
To have a determination to

To know about
To have knowledge of

To tend to
To have a tendency to

To intend to
To have intention of + V-ing

To desire
Have a desire

To wish
To have/express a wish

To visit
To pay a visit to sb/to pay sb a visit

To discuss
To have a discussion about sth
To decide to
To make a decision to

To talk to
To have a talk with

To explain sth
To give an explanation for sth

To call sb
To give a call

To be interested in
To have interest in

To drink
To have a drink

To photograph
To have a photograph of

To cry
To give a cry

To laugh at
To give a laugh at

To welcome sb
To give sb a welcome

To kiss sb
To give sb a kiss

To ring sb
To give sb a ring
To warn
To give warming

To try to
To make an effort to/to make an attempt to

To meet
To have a meeting with sb

To succeed
To make a success

To be used
To be in use

To rest
To have a rest

To sleep
To have a sleep

To bathe
To have/take a bath

To examine
To have an examination

To agree/disagreement
To be in agreement/disagreement

To contact sb
To have contact with sb

To exchange
To have an exchange of
To argue with sb
To have an argument with sb

To complain about
To have a complaint about

To land
To make a landing

To receive sth
To be in receipt of sth

To need
To have a need of

To love sb
To fall in love with sb

To brush sth
To give sth a brush

To arrange with sb
To have an arrangement with sb

WRITING ACADEMIC ENGLISH

CONTENTS

Part 1: Writing a paragraph

Chapter 1: Paragraph structure
The three parts of a paragraph
Topic sentence (topic + controlling idea): It briefly indicates what the paragraph is going to
discuss
- A topic sentence is complete sentence, that is contains at least one subject and one verb. The
following are not complete sentences because they do not have verbs
- A topic sentence contains both a topic and a controlling idea. It names the topic and then limits
the topic to a specific area to be discussed in the space of a single paragraph
- A topic sentence is the most general statement in the paragraph because it gives only the main
idea. It does not give any specific details.
- The topic sentence is usually (but not always) the first sentence in a paragraph
- A topic sentence is a complete sentence and is neither too general or too specific

e.g. Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics

1.A topic sentence must be a complete sentence, with a subject and a verb

2.A topic sentence should be neither too general nor too specific. If it is too general, the reader
cannot tell exactly what the paragraph is going to discuss. If it is too specific, the writer will not
have anything to write about in the rest of the paragraph

3.A topic sentence should not have unrelated controlling ideas

Supporting sentence
Explain or prove the topic sentence. One of the biggest problems in student writing is that
student writers often fail to support their ideas adequately. They need to use specific details to be
thorough and convincing

There are several kinds of specific supporting details: examples, statistics, and quotations

Concluding sentence

A concluding sentence serves two purposes:

1. It signals the end of the paragraph
2. It leaves the reader with the most important ideas to remember. It can do this in 2 ways:
by summarizing the main points of the paragraph or by repeating the topic sentence in
different words

End of paragraph signals followed by a End of paragraph signals not followed by a

comma comma
Finally, in brief, in conclusion, indeed, in The evidence suggests that
short, lastly, therefore, thus, to sum up There can be no doubt that
These examples show that
We can see that
Review:
These are the important points covered in this chapter:
1.A good topic sentence
Is a complete sentence with a subject, a verb, and a controlling idea
Is neither too general nor too specific. It clearly states the main idea of the paragraph but
does not include specific details
Is usually the first sentence in the paragraph

2.Good supporting sentences

Explain or prove the topic sentence
Are specific and factual
Can be examples, statistics, or quotations

3.A good concluding sentence

Signals the end of the paragraph
Summarize the important points briefly or restates the topic sentence in different words

Practice
Topic suggestions
Why some children have imaginary friends
The difficulty of translating from one language to another
The dependence of human on machines
Pets
Jewelry

Chapter 2: Unity and coherence

Unity means that a paragraph discusses one and only one main idea from beginning to ends

There are the important points covered in this chapter

1. Every good paragraph has both unity and coherence
2. You achieve unity by
Discussing only one idea in a paragraph
Chapter 3: Supporting details: facts, quotations, and statistics

Part 2: Writing an essay

Chapter 4: From paragraph to essay
Chapter 5: Chronological order: process essays
Chapter 6: Cause/Effect essays
Chapter 7: Comparison/Contrast essays
Chapter 8: Paraphrase and summary
Chapter 9: Argumentative essays

Part 3: Sentence structure

Chapter 10: Types of sentences
Chapter 11: Using parallel structures and fixing sentence problems
Chapter 12: Noun clauses
Chapter 13: Adverb clauses
Chapter 14: Adjective clauses
Chapter 15: Participial Phrases