ABILITY
An ability is something that you can do. For example, if you can
swim, you have the ability to swim.
If someone can�t drive, they don�t have the ability to drive.
If a person can�t see, they never had the ability to see,
or they have lost the ability to see.
ABSOLUTELY
Absolutely is a strong word. Other words for absolutely are
completely or totally. For example, if you have the
same idea as someone else, you can say �I absolutely agree with
you� or �I agree with you absolutely�. Or if it�s very, very
cold, you could say �It�s absolutely freezing!�.
ACQUIRE
If you acquire something, you get it. �Get� is the everyday
word we use when we�re speaking. Acquire is more formal, and
we use it more in writing. For example, if you work hard and earn
money, you can buy or acquire things, or if you speak and
listen to a native speaker for a long time, you can acquire a
native accent, in other words you will start to sound like a native
speaker.
ABROAD
Another word for abroad is overseas, in other words
in another country. It usually means a place far away. For
example, if you are from Japan and you are now living, working or
studying in New Zealand, we say that you are living or working or
studying abroad. Abroad usually comes at the end of a
sentence or near the end.
ACCUSE
If you accuse someone of something
or if you accuse someone of doing something,
you say that you think they did something bad or something wrong. For
example, the police can accuse someone of murder,
or you can accuse someone of taking your book
without asking you first. Before you accuse someone, you
should have a good reason for accusing them.
ABSENCE
If there is an absence of something,
it is not there or it is not where it should be. If you are absent from
class, the teacher will note
your absence. In other words, the teacher will know you are missing.
ACTIVITY
An activity is an action that someone does. A game of football, for
example, is an activity. A party or a meeting are activities,
too. To do an activity, your body has to move.
ACADEMIC
We use the word academic when we are talking about school or
university. Academic activities are about teaching and
learning. Academic activities are serious.
ACHIEVE
If you achieve something, you try hard and are able to do
it. For example, you can achieve high marks in an exam.
ACCIDENT
An accident is something bad that happens or something bad
that happens to you. Nobody wants an accident to happen.
Sometimes an accident is serious and sometimes it isn�t. Most accidents
happen in the home, but accidents also happen outside. For
example, you could say �I had a small accident at home this
morning�, or �There was a bad car accident on the road and
someone died�.