LEARNING & GROWTH • ESL
5 Useful English Words for Better Speaking and Writing
Expand your vocabulary with practical English words, IPA pronunciation guides, and real-life example sentences.
- 5 min read
- Vocabulary
- English Learning
Learning a few new words every day is one of the easiest ways to improve your English naturally and consistently.
Anticipate
Verb
🇬🇧 UK /ænˈtɪsɪpeɪt/
🇺🇸 US /ænˈtɪsəpeɪt/
Meaning
To expect something to happen and prepare for it.
Example sentence
She anticipated many challenges before moving abroad.
We anticipate that the result will take several months.
You should anticipate possible problems and prepare for them.
Compromise
Verb
🇬🇧 UK /ˈkɒmprəmaɪz/
🇺🇸 US /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪz/
Meaning
An agreement in which each person accepts something they do not completely want; or to reach such an agreement.
Example sentence
Both sides reached a compromise.
Sometimes you have to compromise in a relationship.
She compromised by accepting a later meeting time.
Hesitate
Verb
🇬🇧 UK /ˈhezɪteɪt/
🇺🇸 US /ˈhezɪteɪt/
Meaning
To pause because you are uncertain or nervous about doing something.
Example sentence
Don’t hesitate to ask me if you need help.
She hesitated before answering the question.
He never hesitates to speak his mind.
Overwhelmed
Adjective
🇬🇧 UK /ˌəʊvəˈwelmd/
🇺🇸 US /ˌoʊvərˈwelmd/
Meaning
Feeling that something is too difficult or too much to deal with.
Example sentence
I felt overwhelmed by all the work I had to finish.
She became overwhelmed when she started learning German.
He was overwhelmed by the amount of information
Resilient
Adjective
🇬🇧 UK /rɪˈzɪliənt/
🇺🇸 US /rɪˈzɪliənt/
Meaning
Able to recover quickly from difficulties.
Example sentence
She is very resilient and never gives up easily.
Children can be surprisingly resilient after difficult experiences.
The small business proved to be resilient during the crisis.
Vocabulary in Context
Read the paragraph below and notice how the vocabulary words are used naturally in context.
Despite feeling overwhelmed by the challenges ahead, Maria remained resilient and continued working toward her goal. At first, she would hesitate whenever she had to make an important decision because she was afraid of making a mistake. However, she learned to anticipate possible problems and prepare for them instead of worrying about things she could not control. She also realized that success sometimes requires compromise, especially when working with other people. By staying patient and flexible, Maria gradually became more confident and learned that difficult situations can help her grow.
Vocabulary Tip
Read bigger or harder books. Look up every word you don’t know and keep doing that until you’re looking up less.
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Rootless Juandering • ESL