Everyday English word of the day
Words for home, food, shopping, money and daily routines: what you say in the kitchen, at the shop and with your flatmates. 8 words so far; a new home word comes about once a week.
To repair and improve an old building so that it looks new again.
They renovated the old farmhouse last year.
We are renovating the kitchen this summer.
The words in the quiz
Home words quiz
10 questions on the 8 newest words
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Question 1 of 10Meaning
What does renovate mean?
When you renovate a house, you do big work on it, like new floors, a new kitchen or new wiring, so the old place becomes modern and in good condition.
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Question 2 of 10Situation
A pair of boots that usually costs €120 is on sale for €35. At that price, they are a real…
Boots you can buy for much less than their normal price are a bargain. A discount is the amount taken off the price, not the thing you buy.
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Question 3 of 10Gap
I ___ for twenty minutes on the sofa and woke up feeling much better.
You can only wake up after you sleep, so the verb must mean a short sleep. To snooze is to sleep lightly for a short time, like a nap.
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Question 4 of 10Word partner
Which verb goes with routine? “I find it hard to ___ to a routine.”
To stick to a routine means to keep doing the same things in the same order. The other verbs do not go with to a routine.
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Question 5 of 10Correct use
Which sentence uses potluck correctly?
At a potluck each guest brings a dish, and you bring something to an event, not in it. A potluck is not food you order, and the host does not cook everything.
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Question 6 of 10Meaning
What does afford mean?
If you can afford something, you have the money or the time you need for it, so paying for it or doing it is not a problem.
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Question 7 of 10Situation
A fridge, a dishwasher, a microwave and a toaster are all household…
Fridges, dishwashers, microwaves and toasters are electric machines for the home, and those are called appliances. Utilities are services like gas and water, not machines.
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Question 8 of 10Gap
Fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon bring out the ___ of the fish.
Herbs and lemon make the fish taste better, and to bring out the flavour of food means to make its taste stronger and clearer.
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Question 9 of 10Correct use
Which sentence uses renovate correctly?
You renovate a building by repairing and improving it. A colour is changed or painted, a new app is created, and the noun is renovation, not renovate.
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Question 10 of 10Meaning
What does bargain mean?
A bargain is a good deal: you get something worth more than you paid, for example a coat at half its usual price.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer, Enter goes on.
0 of 10
right on the first try
All everyday English words so far
8 words, newest first. Each page has usage notes, common mistakes, its word family and five questions.
- renovateC1To repair and improve an old building so that it looks new again.
- bargainB2Something you buy for less than its normal price.
- snoozeC1To sleep lightly for a short time, or to press the snooze button on an alarm to get a few more minutes of sleep.
- routineB2The things you do regularly in the same order every day or week.
- potluckC1A meal where each guest brings a dish to share.
- affordB1To have enough money or time to buy or do something.
- applianceC1A machine for use in the home, such as a washing machine, fridge or kettle.
- flavourB1How a food or drink tastes, for example sweet, salty or smoky.
Everyday English vocabulary, one word a day
These are the words of ordinary life that textbooks skip: chore, leftovers, receipt, bargain, landlord, takeaway, errand. They are the ones native speakers use all day, so learning them makes your English sound natural.
Each word comes with two real sentences, the usual mistake and five questions to test yourself, and notes when British and American English use different words.
Questions about everyday English words
What is the latest everyday English word of the day?
The latest word is renovate: To repair and improve an old building so that it looks new again. A new word joins this topic about once a week, and this page lists all of them.
How many everyday English words are there?
There are 8 words so far, and a new one is added about once a week, when it is this topic’s turn for the word of the day. Each word has its own page with usage notes, common mistakes, its word family and five questions to test yourself.
How does the home words quiz work?
It asks ten questions about the latest home words: meanings, situations, gaps in sentences, similar words and correct use. A wrong answer can be tried again, and your score counts first tries.
What level are these words?
Most are B1 to C1 on the CEFR scale: past the basics, but not yet used with confidence by most learners. Each word shows its level.