剑桥通用五级PET单词表.doc

VOCABULARY LIST

Preliminary English Test (PET)

Updated January 2008
PET Vocabulary List
©UCLES 2008

49

Introduction to the PET Vocabulary List
The PET Vocabulary List gives teachers a guide to the vocabulary needed when preparing
students for the PET examination.

Background to the List
The PET list was originally developed by Cambridge ESOL in consultation with external
consultants to guide item writers who produce materials for the PET examination. It
includes vocabulary from the Council of Europe’s Threshold (1990) specification and other
vocabulary which corpus evidence shows is high-frequency.

The list covers vocabulary appropriate to this level of English and includes receptive
vocabulary (words that the candidate is expected to understand but which is not the focus
of a question), and productive vocabulary (words that the candidate needs to know to
answer a question).

The list does not provide an exhaustive list of all words which appear on the PET question
papers and candidates should not confine their study of vocabulary to the list alone.

How the List is Updated
The vocabulary of English changes over time, with words being added and other words
falling into disuse. In order to maintain its currency, the PET list is updated on an annual
basis by the addition and removal of words, using a corpus-based approach. Suggested
additions to the wordlist are collated and the frequency of these words is obtained by
reference to established corpora (electronic databases). The corpora in question represent
receptive and productive language in general contexts. The main corpora used for the
validation of the PET Vocabulary List are:
• the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC) which includes over 20 million words of written
learner English at six levels;
• the British National Corpus (BNC) which includes 100 million words of written and
spoken native speaker data.
Organisation of the List

• Word sets
Some categories of words a learner at this level might be expected to know are not
included in the alphabetical list but are listed separately. Words formed with common
affixes, some compounds and words from some common word sets, e.g. days of the week
are described below and in Appendix 1. Although some ‘grammar words’ (pronouns,
modals, etc.) are included, the ‘Language Specification’ section of the PET Handbook
(available under ‘Downloads’) should be consulted for a more complete listing.

• Exemplification
Example phrases and sentences showing how words might be used are given only where
words with different meanings need to be constrained e.g. the use of case is limited to
‘suitcase’: candidates are not expected to know other meanings, such as ‘a legal case’.

• Prefixes and Suffixes
A list of possible prefixes and suffixes is provided in Appendix 2, and these may be
combined with the vocabulary items in the list as appropriate. Words with an affix which is
not included in the appendix are listed separately in the alphabetical list.
• Compound Words
Compound words are not included in the list where both individual words are present and
the meaning of the compound is literal and transparent, e.g. coursebook, schoolboy,
shoemaker, underwater. A similar approach has been adopted with two-word and
hyphenated compounds, for example, coffee bar, leisure centre, home-made, open-air.
• Multi-word Verbs
Multi-word verbs are not included in the list if they have a literal meaning and are
composed of verbs and particles already in the list. Examples of ‘literal’ multi-word verbs
are come into, sit down, as in ‘Why not come into the kitchen and sit down?’ If the meaning
of the verb is not transparent, e.g. put through, get along, then the verb is listed and an
example of usage given.
• Topic Lists
In Appendix 3 words have been grouped together under common PET themes, such as
‘House and Home’, ‘Sport’, ‘Food and Drink’.
Unsuitable Topics
Cambridge ESOL examinations must not contain anything that might offend or upset
candidates, potentially affect their performance or distract them during the examination. A
number of ‘sensitive’ topics are considered unsuitable for use in PET, for example, war
and politics, and vocabulary relating to these is not included in the Vocabulary List.
Personal Vocabulary
The content of the PET list is general in nature and is unlikely to cover completely the
productive vocabulary that may be required by all candidates. Candidates should know the
specific lexis they will need to describe themselves and their lives, for example, work,
hobbies, likes and dislikes.
Abbreviations
Abbreviations used in the Vocabulary List are:
abbrev abbreviation or acronym

adj
adv
Am Eng
Br Eng
conj
det
adjective
adverb
American English
British English
conjunction
determiner

exclam exclamation

int
n
interjection
noun

phr v phrasal verb

pl
prep
prep phr
plural
preposition
prepositional phrase

pron
sing
v


pronoun
singular
verb

Summary of Points to be noted

• The list does not include every word that may appear on a PET paper.
• The list covers receptive and productive vocabulary.
• It is updated every year.

ability (n)
able (adj)

A

afford (v)
afraid (adj)
after (prep)
afternoon (n)
afterwards (adv)

about (adv & prep)
• about 500 students (adv)
• The film is about a small boy.
(prep)
above (prep)
abroad (adv)
absent (adj)
accept (v)
access (n)
• disabled access
• internet access
accident (n)
accommodation (n)
accompany (v)
according to (prep)
account (n)
accurate (adj)
ache (n & v)
achieve (v)
across (prep)
act (n & v)
• in the second act (of the play) (n)
• to act in a play (v)
• to act strangely (v)
action (n)
active (adj)
activity (n)
actor (n)
actress (n)
actual (adj)
ad (advertisement) (n)
add (v)
addition (n)
• in addition
additional (adj)
address (n)
admire (v)
admission (n)
• charges/cost/price
admit (v)
adult (adj & n)
advanced (adj)
advantage (n)
adventure n)
advert (n)
advertise (v)
advertisement (n)
advice (n)
advise (v)
aeroplane (n)
again (adv)
against (prep)
age (n)
aged (adj)
agent (n)
agency (n)
ago (adv)
agree (v)
ahead (adv)
aim (n & v)
air (n)
air-conditioning (n)
airforce (n)
airline (n)
airmail (n)
airport (n)
alarm (n)
alarm clock (n)
album (n)
alike (adv)
alive (adj)
all (adj, adv, det & pron)
all right/alright (adv)
allow (v)
almost (adv)
alone (adv)
along (adv & prep)
aloud (adv)
alphabet (n)
already (adv)
also (adv)
although (conj)
altogether (adv)
always (adv)
a.m. (adv)
amazed (adj)

amazing (adj)
ambassador (n)
ambition (n)
ambulance (n)
among (amongst) (prep)
amount (n)
amusing (adj)
ancient (adj)
and (conj)
angry (adj)
animal (n)
ankle (n)
anniversary (n)
announce (v)
announcement (n)

annoy (v)
annual (adj)
another (adj)
answer (n & v)
answerphone (n)
antique (adj & n)
anxious (adj)
any (adj & pron)
anybody (pron)
anyhow (adv)
anyone (pron)
anything (pron)
anyway (adv)
anywhere (adv)
apart from (prep)
apartment (n)
apologise (v)
apology (n)
appear (v)
appearance (n)
apple (n)
application (n)
apply (v)
appointment (n)
approach (v)
approve (v)
architect (n)
area (n)
argue (v)
arm (n)
armchair (n)
army (n)
around (adv & prep)
arrange (v)
arrest (v)
arrival (n)
arrive (v)
art (n)
article (n)
artist (n)
as (adv & conj)
as well (adv)
as well as (prep)
ashamed (adj)
ask (v)
asleep (adj)
aspirin (n)
assistant (n)
at (prep)
at all (prep phr)
at first (prep phr)
at last (prep phr)
at least (prep phr)
at once (prep phr)
at present (prep phr)
at the same time (prep phr)

athlete (n)
athletics (n)
atmosphere (n)
attach (v)
attack (n & v)
attempt (v)
attend (v)
attention (n)
attitude (n)
attract (v)
attraction (n)
attractive (adj)
audience (n)
aunt (n)
automatically (adv)
available (adj)
average (adj & n)
avoid (v)
awake (adj)
away (adv)
awful (adj)

B

baby (n)
back (adv, adj & n)
background (n)
backpack (n)
backwards (prep)
bad (adj)
bag (n)
baggage (n)
bake (v)
balance (n)
balance (v)
balcony (n)
bald (adj)
ball (n)
ballet (n)
balloon (n)
banana (n)
band (n)
bandage (n)
bank (n)
bank balance (n)
banknote (n)
bar (n)
barbecue (n & v)
bare (adj)
base on (phr v)
baseball (n)
basement (n)
basic (adj)
basin (n)

basket (n)
basketball (n)
bat (n)
bath (n & v)
bathroom (n)
battle (n)
bay (n)
be (v)
beach (n)
bean (n)
bear (n)
beard (n)
beat (v)
beautiful (adj)
because (conj)
because of (prep)
become (v)
bed (n)
bedroom (n)
bee (n)
beef (n)
before (prep)
begin (v)
behave (v)
behind (prep)
believe (v)
bell (n)
belong (v)
belongings (n)
below (adv & prep)
belt (n)
bend (n & v)
beneath (adv & prep)
benefit (n & v)
beside (prep)
between (prep)
beyond (prep)
bicycle (n)
big (adj)
bike (n)
bill (n)
• electricity bill
bin (n)
biography (n)
biology (n)
bird (n)
birth (n)
birthday (n)
biscuit (n)
bit (n)
bite (n & v)
bitter (adj)
black (adj)
blackboard (n)
blame (n & v)
blank (adj)

• a blank piece of paper
blanket (n)
bleed (v)
blind (adj & n)
block (n)
• block of flats
blond(e) (adj & n)
blood (n)
blouse (n)
blow (n & v)
blue (adj)
board (n & v)
boarding pass (n)
boat (n)
body (n)
boil (v)
bold (adj)
bomb (n & v)
bone (n)
book (n & v)
booking office (n)
bookshelf (n)
bookshop (n)
boot (n)
• leather boots
• the boot of the car
border (n)
bored (adj)
boring (adj)
born (adj)
borrow (v)
boss (n)
both (adj & pron)
bottle (n)
bottom (n)
bowl (n)
box (n & v)
boy (n)
boyfriend (n)
brain (n)
brake (n & v)
branch (n)
brave (adj)
bread (n)
break (n & v)
break down (phr v)
• The car has broken down.
break in (phr v)
• Someone broke in and stole the
computer.
break up (phr v)
• When does school break up?
• The pop group has broken up.
breakfast (n)
breath (n)

breathe (v)
brick (n)
bridge (n)
brief (adj)
bright (adj)
brilliant (adj)
bring (v)
bring up (phr v)
• She was brought up in London.
broad (adj)
brochure (n)
brother (n)
brown (adj)
brush (n & v)
bucket (n)
buffet (adj & n)
bug (n)
build (v)
building (n)
bulb (n)
• light bulb
bull (n)
bullet (n)
bureau (n)
burger (n)
burglar (n)
burglary (n)
burn (n & v)
bury (v)
bus (n)
business (n)
bus station (n)
bus stop (n)
busy (adj)
but (conj)
butcher (n)
butter (n)
button (n)
buy (v)
by (prep)
by accident (prep phr)
by all means (prep phr)
by hand (prep phr)
by mistake (prep phr)
by name (prep phr)

C

cab (n)
cabbage (n)
cabin (n)
cable (n)
café/cafe (n)
cage (n)

cake (n)
calculator (n)
calendar (n)
call (n & v)
call for (phr v)
• I’ll call for you at 7.
call in (phr v)
• She called in to see a friend.
calm (adj)
camel (n)
camera (n)
camp (n & v)
campsite (n)
can (n)
canal (n)
cancel (v)
candidate (n)
candle (n)
canteen (n)
cap (n)
capital (adj)
• capital city
• capital letter
captain (n)
car (n)
carry out (phr v)
car park (n)
card n)
• birthday card
• credit card
• identity (ID) card
• playing card
cardboard (adj & n)
care (n & v)
• take care of someone (n)
• to care (about/for)
someone/something (v)
career (n)
carpet (n)
carrot (n)
carry (v)
carry on (phr v)
• He carried on walking despite the
rain.
cartoon (n)
case (n)
• suitcase
cash (n & v)
cassette (n)
cassette player/recorder (n)
castle (n)
cat (n)
catch (v)
cathedral (n)
cauliflower (n)

cause (n & v)
cave (n)
CD (n)
CD-Rom (n)
ceiling (n)
celebrate (v)
celebration (n)
celery (n)
cellar (n)
cent (n)
centimetre (cm) (n)
central (adj)
central heating (n)
centre (n)
century (n)
cereal (n)
certain (adj)
certificate (n)
chain (n)
chair (n & v)
chalk (n)
challenge (n & v)
champion (n)
chance (n)
change (n & v)
changing room (n)
channel (n)
chapter (n)
character (n)
charge (n & v)
chat (n)
cheap (adj)
cheat (v)
check (n & v)
check in (phr v)
• They checked in to a hotel.
check out (phr v)
• He checked out of the hotel at
the end of his stay.
checkout (n)
cheerful (adj)
cheerio! (exclam)
cheers! (exclam)
cheese (n)
chef (n)
chemist (n)
chemistry (n)
cheque (n)
chess (n)
chest (n)
chicken (n)
chief (adj)
child (n)
childhood (n)
chimney (n)
chin (n)

chips (n)
chocolate (n)
choice (n)
choose (v)
church (n)
cinema (n)
circle (n)
circus (n)
city (n)
clap (v)
class (n)
• language class
• first class, second class
classical (adj)
• classical music
classroom (n)
clean (adj & v)
clear (adj & v)
clever (adj)
click (v)
cliff (n)
climate (n)
climb (v)
clinic (n)
cloakroom (n)
clock (n)
close (adj, adv & v)
cloth (n)
clothes (n pl)
cloud (n)
club (n)
• to join a club
coach (n)
coal (n)
coast (n)
coat (n)
cocoa (n)
coconut (n)
coffee (n)
coin (n)
cola (n)
cold (adj & n)
collar (n)
colleague (n)
collect (v)
collection (n)
college (n)
colour (n & v)
comb (n & v)
come (v)
come down (phr v)
• The house had come down in
price.
come on (phr v)
• Come on or we'll miss the bus.

comedy (n)
comedian (n)
comfort (n)
comfortable (adj)
comic (adj & n)
command (v)
commercial (adj)
committee (n)
common (adj)
• a common surname
• have something in common
communicate (v)
communication (n)
compact (adj)
company (n)
compare (v)
comparison (n)
competition (n)
complain (v)
complaint (n)
complete (v)
complicated (adj)
composition (n)
computer (n)
concentrate (v)
concert (n)
conclusion (n)
condition (n)
• in good condition
conference (n)
confident (adj)
confirm (v)
congratulations! (exclam)
connect (v)
connection (n)
consider (v)
consist (v)
consul (n)
consulate (n)
contact (n & v)
contain (v)
contents (n)
continent (n)
continue (v)
contract (n)
control (n & v)
convenient (adj)
conversation (n)
cook (n & v)
cooker (n)
cookie (n) (Am Eng)
cool (adj & v)
copy (n & v)
corn (n)
corner (n)
correct (adj & v)

correction (n)
corridor (n)
cost (n & v)
costume (n)
cottage (n)
cotton (n)
cough (n & v)
count (v)
country (n)
countryside (n)
couple (n)
courage (n)
course (n)
• English course
• main course
• of course (exclam)
court (n)
• law court
• tennis court
cousin (n)
cover (n & v)
cow (n)
crash (n & v)
crazy (adj)
cream (adj & n)
create (v)
creative (adj)
creature (n)
credit (n)
• credit card
crew (n)
crime (n)
criminal (n)
cross (n & v)
crossing (n)
• pedestrian crossing
cross out (phr v)
• Cross it out and write it again.
crossroads (n)
crowd (n)
crowded (adj)
crown (n)
cruel (adj)
cru