calm The word “calm” is used to describe peacefulness or a lack of anger, especially in the face of a threat or danger. (Try not to pronounce the “l” in “calm.”) In these sentences, “calm” is an adjective: The lake looks calm today. There are no waves. Everyone remained calm during the emergency. There was […]
cancel To cancel something is to stop it from happening. simple past past participle cancel cancelled cancelled Our flight was cancelled due to bad weather. Classes were cancelled because of a shooting at the school. (The first two sentence are in the passive voice, past tense.) I’m cancelling my internet service because the provider of the service is terrible.
camp The word “camp” is used when a person sets up a temporary living arrangement outside. People usually camp in the woods, in forests, in deserts, or in other wilderness areas where the conveniences of modern life are not available; however, some people camp in the backyard of their homes. Kids like to camp outside.
bankrupt When a person is unable to repay his or her debts, a common method for dealing with this problem is to go bankrupt or declare bankruptcy. Companies and corporations can also go bankrupt. This is a legal matter that involves lawyers, a judge, and the creditors to whom money will eventually be paid. It’s bad to go
bang When you hear a loud sound, you can use the word “bang” to describe it. The firecracker went off with a bang. Ten seconds after lighting the fuse there was a bang. Did you hear that bang? Where did that bang come from? There was a loud bang from a gun. A gun goes
band A band is a group of people who gather together for a common purpose, usually for the purpose of playing music. People in the United States can belong to many different kinds of bands. Musicians who like jazz can join a jazz band. High school students can choose to participate in a variety of brass bands
ban The word “ban” means to prohibit or forbid someone from doing something. It’s frequently used as a verb: simple past past participle ban banned banned Many restaurants and hotels now ban smoking. (You can’t smoke in those places.) The government bans the use of certain chemicals because they are too dangerous. Bill was banned from the bar because he
bald The word “bald” is an adjective used to describe a person– usually a man–who doesn’t have very much hair on his head. He’s bald. He started to go bald in his late twenties. He wishes he weren’t bald. He wants to find a product that will reduce his baldness. (The word “baldness” is a noun.)
bake Use the word “bake” when you cook something inside an oven. Vanessa likes to bake. She likes to bake cakes, muffins, and cookies. Something’s baking in the oven. It smells good, whatever it is. A 20-pound turkey will need to bake in the oven for about four to five hours. (bake = roast) Pay attention
badge A badge is a type of emblem or patch or form of identification that is worn outside of a person’s clothing to indicate rank or achievement. Police officers wear badges so that citizens know they are properly authorized to serve the public. Soldiers in the military wear badges that show their rank. (rank = level of
