VOCABULARY LIST

Key English Test (KET)

Updated January 2008

KET Vocabulary List
© UCLES 2008
Introduction to the KET Vocabulary List

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

Background to the List

The KET list was originally developed by Cambridge ESOL in consultation with external consultants
to guide item writers who produce materials for the KET examination. It includes vocabulary from the
Council of Europe’s Waystage (1990) specification and other vocabulary which has been shown by
corpus evidence to be 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 in order to answer a question).

The list does not provide an exhaustive list of all words which appear on the KET 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 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 KET Vocabulary List are:
• the Cambridge Learner Corpus (CLC) which includes over 20 million words of written learner
English;
• 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 KET 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 bank is followed by ‘I changed my
money in a bank’ i.e. is limited to the idea of a financial institution: candidates are not expected to
know other meanings, such as ‘a river bank’.

• 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, school children, shopping
centre.

• Multi-word Verbs
All multi-word (or phrasal) verbs that a KET candidate might be expected to know are included in the
list. These verbs include ‘literal’ verbs (i.e. where the meaning is transparent) e.g. sit down, go out
and ‘non-literal’ verbs e.g. look after, get up.

• Topic Lists
In Appendix 3 words have been grouped together under common KET themes, such as ‘The Home’,
‘Jobs and Work’, ‘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 KET, for example, war and politics, and vocabulary
relating to these is not included in the Vocabulary List.

Personal Vocabulary
The content of the KET list is general in nature and is unlikely to cover completely the productive
vocabulary that may be required by 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 adjective
adv adverb
Am Eng American English
art article
Br Eng British English
conj conjunction
det determiner
exclam exclamation
int interjection
n noun
phr v phrasal verb
pl plural
prep preposition
prep phr prepositional phrase
pron pronoun
sing singular
v verb

Summary of Points to be noted

• The list does not include every word that may appear on a KET paper.
• The list covers receptive and productive vocabulary.
• It is updated every year.
 angry (adj)
A animal (n)
another (det & pron)
a, an (art) answer (n & v)
able (adj) any (det and pron)
• be able to anybody (pron)
about (prep) anyone (pron)
• What about a cold drink? anything (pron)
• I have about £3. anyway (adv)
• a book about animals anywhere (adv)
above (prep) apartment (n)
act (v) apple (n)
accident (n) appointment (n)
across (prep) • an appointment with the doctor
• The bank’s across the road. area (n)
• He walked across the bridge. arm (n)
activity (n) (a)round (adv & prep)
actor (n) • to travel around (adv)
actually (adv) • to sit around the table (prep)
add (v) arrive (v)
address (n) art (n)
adult (adj & n) artist (n)
advanced (adj as (prep)
• as good as
adventure (n) • as soon as possible
advertisement (n) • the same as
aeroplane (n) ask (v)
afraid (adj) assistant (n)
after (prep) as well (adv)
afternoon (n) as well as (prep)
afterwards (adv) at (prep)
again (adv) at all (adv)
against (prep) • It doesn’t matter at all.
• We watched England play against France. aunt (n)
age (n) autumn (n)
• I don’t know his age. away (adv)
ago (adv) • He’s gone away.
agree (v) • It’s two miles away.
• Yes, I agree with you.
• Don’t you agree, Sam?
air (n) B
• to travel by air
airport (n) baby (n)
all (det & pron) back (n, adv & adj)
all right/alright (adv) bad (adj)
almost (adv) bag (n)
alone (adj & adv) ball (n)
already (adv) banana (n)
also (adv) band (n)
always (adv) bank (n)
a.m. (adv) • I changed my money in the bank.
ambulance (n) barbecue (n)
among (prep) baseball (n)
and (conj) basketball (n)
bath (n) box (n)
bathroom (n) boy (n)
be (v) brake (n & v)
beach (n) bread (n)
bear (n) break (n & v)
beautiful (adj) • a break for lunch (n)
because (conj) • Someone’s broken the window.(v)
become (v) breakfast (n)
bed (n) bridge (n)
bedroom (n) bring (v)
before (adv & prep) brother (n)
begin (v) brown (adj)
beginner (n) build (v)
behind (adv & prep) building (n)
believe (v) burger (n)
belong (v) burn (v)
below (prep) • He has burnt his hand.
belt (n) bus (n)
between (prep) business (n)
bicycle (n) businessman (n)
big (adj) businesswoman (n)
bike (n) bus station (n)
bill (n) bus stop (n)
• Can I have my bill, please? busy (adj)
bird (n) but (conj)
birthday (n) butter (n)
biscuit (n) buy (v)
bit (n) by (prep)
• Just a small bit of cake, please.
black (adj)
blanket (n) C
blond(e) (adj)
blouse (n) cafe/café (n)
blue (adj) cake (n)
board (n) call (v)
• The teacher’s writing on the • I’ll call (phone) again later this afternoon.
(black/white)board. • He’s called John.
boat (n) camel
body (n) camera (n)
boil (v) camp (n & v)
book (n & v) campsite (n)
bookshelf (n) can (n & v)
bookshop (n) canal (n)
boot (n) car (n)
• football boots card (n)
boring (adj) • birthday card
born (adj) • credit card
• I was born in Manchester. career (n)
boss (n) careful (adj)
both (pron & det) • Be careful!
bottle (n) carpet (n)
bottom (n) carrot (n)
• at the bottom of the stairs carry (v)
bowl (n) cartoon
cash (n & v) close to (prep)
• I’d like to cash this cheque. clothes (n pl)
cassette (n) cloud (n)
cassette player (n) cloudy (adj)
cassette recorder (n) clown
castle (n) club (n)
cat (n) • to join a club
catch (v) coach (n)
cathedral (n) • a coach trip
CD (n) coat (n)
cent (n) coffee (n)
centre (n) cold (adj & n)
centimetre (n) colleague (n)
century (n) collect
certain (adj) collecting/to collect (v)
• I’m certain (+ that clause) college (n)
certainly (not) (adv) colour (n)
chair (n) comb (n)
change (v & n) come (v)
channel (n) comfortable (adj)
chat (n) company (n)
chatroom (n) • What’s the name of your company?
cheap (adj) competition (n)
check (v) computer (n)
cheers! (exclam) concert (n)
cheese (n) congratulations! (exclam)
chemist (n) conversation (n)
cheque (n) cook (n & v)
chicken (n) cooker (n)
child (n) corner (n)
chips (n pl) • the corner of the street
• egg and chips correct (adj)
chocolate (n) cost (n & v)
choose (v) could (v)
church (n) country (n)
cinema (n) countryside (n)
circus course (n)
city (n) • a university course
class (n) • a main course
• a language class • of course (not)
• a first-class ticket cousin (n)
class member (n) cow (n)
classical cream (n)
classmate (n) credit card (n)
classroom (n) cross (v)
clean (adj & v) • Don’t cross the road here!
clear (adj) crossing (n)
• It’s not clear to me. • Use the crossing to cross the street.
clever (adj) crossroads (n)
click (v) crowd (n)
climb (v) crowded (adj)
clock (n) cry (v)
close (v) • The baby’s crying.
closed (adj) cup (n)
cupboard (n) door (n)
curtains (n) double (adj)
customer (n) • a double room
cut (v) down (adv & prep)
cycle (v) downstairs (adv)
dragon
D draw (v)
drawing (n)
dream (n & v)
dad(dy) (n) dress (n & v)
daily (adj & adv) drink (n & v)
dance (n & v) drive (v)
dancing driving licence (n)
danger (n) drum (n)
dangerous (adj) dry (adj & v)
dark (adj) during (prep)
date (n) DVD (n)
• What’s the date today? DVD player (n)
daughter (n)
day (n)
dead (adj) E
dear (adj)
• Dear Anne, each (det & pron)
decide (v) ear (n)
degree (n) early (adj & adv)
• The temperature’s 30 degrees today. earn (v)
delay (n & v) east (n, adj & adv)
• There will be a delay of two hours. (n) easy (adj)
• The flight is delayed. (v) eat (v)
dentist (n) egg (n)
department (n) electric (adj)
describe (v) electricity (n)
desk (n) elephant (n)
diary (n) else (pron)
dictionary (n) • Anything else?
die (v) email (n & v)
difference (n) empty (adj & v)
different (adj) end (v & n)
difficult (adj) engine (n)
digital engineer (n)
dining room (n) enjoy (v)
dinner (n) enough (det & pron)
dinosaur entrance (n)
diploma (n) envelope (n)
dirty (adj) Euro (n)
disco (n) even (adv)
discount (n) evening (n)
dish (n) ever (adv)
• Chicken and chips is my favourite dish. every (det)
do (v) everybody (pron)
doctor (n) everyone (pron)
dog (n) everything (pron)
dollar (n) everywhere (adv)
dolphin (n) examination/exam (n)
example (n) finish (v)
• Look at the example first. fire (n)
• for example first (det, adv & adj)
excellent (adj) • First… then… (det)
except (prep) • John came first. (adv)
exercise (n) • first name (adj)
exercise (v) fish (n & v)
excited
fit (adj)
exciting (adj
flat (n)
excuse (v) flight (n)
• Excuse me! floor (n)
exhibition (n) • The bedrooms are on the first floor.
• art exhibition • Don’t leave your clothes on the floor.
exit (n) flower (n)
expensive (adj) fly (n & v)
explain (v) fog (n)
extra (det) foggy (adj)
follow (v)
F food (n)
foot (n)
• my right foot
face (n) football (n)
factory (n) for (prep)
fan (n) foreign (adj)
fail (v) forest (n)
fair (adj) forget (v)
• She has fair hair. fork (n)
fall (v) • knife and fork
family (n) form (n)
famous (adj) • Fill in this form.
far (adv) free (adj)
• How far is the next garage? fresh (adj)
farm (n) • fresh fruit
fashion fridge (n)
fast (adj & adv) fried (adj)
fast food friend (n)
fat (adj) friendly (adj)
father (n) from (prep)
favourite (adj) front (n)
feel (v) • in the front of the train
• to feel well • Stand in front of me.
few (det) fruit (n)
field (n) fry (v)
fill (v) full (of) (adj)
fill in (phr v) fun (n)
• to fill in a form funny (adj)
film (n) furniture (n)
find (v)
fine (adj)
• That’s fine! G
• I’m fine, thank you.
• The weather is fine. game (n)
garage (n) hair (n)
garden (n) hairdresser (n)
gas (n) hairdryer (n)
• a gas cooker half (n & pron)
gate (n) hall (n)
get (v) hallo/hello! (exclam)
get fit (v) hand (n)
get off (phr v) happen (v)
• to get off the bus happy (adj)
get on (phr v) hard (adj & adv)
• to get on the bus • hard wood (adj)
get up (phr v) • the homework was hard (adj)
• to get up in the morning • to work hard (adv)
girl (n) hat (n)
give (v) hate (v)
glad (adj) have (v)
glass (n & adj) have got (v)
glasses (n pl) have to (v)
go (v) he (pron)
go out (v) head (n)
• Are you going out this evening? • My head hurts.
golf (n) healthy (adj)
gold (n & adj) hear (v)
good (adj) heart (n)
goodbye (exclam) heating (n)
gram(me) (n) • Can you turn the heating on?
grandchild (n) heavy (adj)
grand(d)ad (n) • a heavy blanket
granddaughter (n) • How heavy is it?
grandfather (n) helicopter (n)
grandma (n) help (v)
grandmother (n) her (det & pron)
grandpa (n) herself (pron)
grandparent (n) here (adv)
grandson (n) hers (pron)
grape (n) high (adj)
grass (n) hill (n)
great (adj) him (pron)
green (adj) himself (pron)
grey (adj) hip hop
grill (v) his (det & pron)
grilled (adj) hit (v)
group (n) hobby (n)
grow (v) hockey (n)
grow up (phr v) holiday(s) (n)
guest (n) home (n & adv)
guest-house (n) homework (n)
guide (n) hope (v)
guidebook (n) horse (n)
guitar (n) hospital (n)
hot (adj)
H hotel (n)
hour (n)
house (n)
how (adv) journalist (n)
hungry (adj) journey (n)
hurry (v) juice (n)
hurt (v) jump (v)
husband (n) just (adv)
• I’ve just seen Tom.
I • Just a moment.

I (pron) K
ice (n)
ice cream (n) keep (v)
ice skating • May I keep this?
idea (n) • Keep right!
if (conj) key (n)
ill (adj) keyboard
immediately (adv) • Instrument and computer
important (adj) kilo(gram[me]) (n)
impossible (adj) kilometre (n)
improve (v) kind (adj & n)
in (adv & prep) • That’s very kind of you.
include (v) • What kind of book do you want?
indoor (adj) king (n)
indoors (adv) kitchen (n)
information (n) kite
in front of (prep) knife (n)
insect (n) know (v)
inside (adv & prep)
instead (adv)
instead of (prep) L
instructions (n pl)
instrument (n)
lake (n)
insurance (n)
lamp (n)
• car insurance language (n)
interested (adj) laptop (computer) (n)
interesting (adj) large (adj)
international (adj) last (adj & adv)
internet (n) late (adj & adv)
into (prep)
• The train is going to be late.
invite (v)
later (adv)
island (n)
• I’ll see you later.
it (pron)
laugh (v)
its (det)
learn (v)
itself (pron)
leather (n & adj)
leave (v)
J • The train leaves at 10 o’clock.
• I left my bag in the cinema.
jacket (n) • There isn’t any milk left.
jam (n) left (n, adj & adv)
• fruit jam • Go to the left.
jeans (n pl) • left hand
job (n) leg (n)
join (v) lemon (n)
lemonade (n)
less (det, pron & adv)
lesson (n) M
let (v)
letter (n) machine (n)
level (n) magazine (n)
• language level make (v)
library (n) make up
licence (n) man (n)
• driving licence manager (n)
lie down (phr v) many (det)
life (n) map (n)
lift (n) market (n)
• Take the lift to the third floor. married (adj)
light (n & adj) match (n)
like (v, prep & adv) • football match
• I’d like a drink. (v) matter (v)
• It’s like an orange but bigger. (prep) • It doesn’t matter.
• What’s the weather like? (adv) maybe
line (n) me (pron)
• draw a line meal (n)
• the next line mean (v)
lion (n) meat (n)
listen (v) mechanic (n)
litre (n) medicine (n)
little (adj & det) meet (v)
live (v) meeting (n)
living room (n) member (n)
long (adj) • a member of a club
look (v) menu (n)
• You look happy. message (n)
• Don’t look now! metre (n)
look after (phr v) middle (n)
look at (phr v) • in the middle
look for (phr v) midnight (n)
look out (phr v) mile (n)
• Look out – it’s going to fall! milk (n)
lorry (n) million (n)
lose (v) mind (v)
• We lost the game. • Do you mind if I close the window?
• I’ve lost my passport. • I don’t mind if…
lot (det) • Mind your head!
• a lot of homework. mine (pron)
lots (det) mineral water (n)
loud (adj) minute (n)
love (n & v) mirror (n)
lovely (adj) Miss (n)
low (adj) miss (v)
luck (n) mistake (n)
lucky (adj) mobile (phone) (n)
luggage (n) modern (adj)
lunch (n) moment (n)
• Just a moment.
money (n)
monkey (n)
month (n) north (n, adj & adv)
monthly (adj & adv) nose (n)
moon (n) not (adv)
more (det, pron & adv) note (n & v)
morning (n) nothing (pron)
most (det, pron & adv) now (adv)
mother (n) nowhere (adv)
motorbike (n) number (n)
motorway (n) nurse (n)
mountain (n)
mouse (n)
mouth (n) O
move (v)
Mr (n) occupation (n)
Mrs (n) o'clock (adv)
Ms (n) of (prep)
much (det, pron & adv) of course (not)
mum(my) (n) off (adv)
museum (n) office (n)
music (n) often (adv)
must (v) oil (n)
my (det) • car oil
myself (pron) • cooking oil
OK/O.K./okay (exclam)
N old (adj)
omelette (n)
on (prep & adv)
name (n) once (adv)
national (adj) • only once
nationality (n) one (pron, det & num)
nature onion (n)
near (adv & prep) online
nearly (adv) only (adv & adj)
neck (n) • I only wanted to help.
need (v) • the only one
neighbour (n) open (adj & v)
never (adv) opera (n)
new (adj) opposite (prep)
news (n) or (conj)
newsagent (n) orange (adj & n)
newspaper (n) order (n)
next (adj & adv) other (det)
next to (prep) our (det)
nice (adj) ours (pron)
night (n) ourselves (pron)
no (det & exclam) out (adv)
nobody (pron) outdoor (adj)
no one (pron) outdoors (adv)
noisy (adj) outside (prep & adv)
noon (n) over (prep & adv)
no one (pron) • over 60 people (prep)
none (pron) • to travel all over the world (adv)
own (adj)
normal (adj
• They cook their own meals.
 pity (n)
• What a pity!
P pizza (n)
place (n)
pack (v) plan (n & v)
• pack a suitcase plane (n)
page (n) • The plane was late.
pain (n) plant (n)
paint (v & n) plastic (n & adj)
pair (n) plate (n)
• a pair of shoes platform (n)
paper (n & adj) • Your train leaves from Platform 8.
pardon (exclam) play (v & n)
• Pardon? • to play football (v)
parent (n) • to play the guitar (v)
park (n & v) • a play at the theatre (n)
parrot playground
part (n) pleasant (adj)
• the best part of the day please (v)
party (n) p.m. (adv)
pass (v) pocket (n)
• You pass the station on the left. point (v)
• to pass a driving test police (n)
passenger (n) police car (n)
passport (n) police officer (n)
past (prep) police station (n)
pasta (n) pool (n)
path (n) • swimming pool
pay (v) poor (adj)
pay for (phr v) pop (n & adj)
pen (n) • pop music
pence (n pl) popular (adj)
pencil (n) possible (adj)
pen-friend (n) post (v & n)
penny (n) • to post a letter
people (n pl) • What’s in the post today?
pepper (n) postcard (n)
per (prep) post office (n)
perhaps (adv) poster (n)
person (n) potato (n)
pet (n) pound (£) (n)
petrol (n) practice (n)
petrol station (n) • football practice
pharmacy (n) practise (v)
phone (v & n) • You must practise if you want to play well.
photo(graph) (n) prefer (v)
photography (n) present (n)
piano (n) • a birthday present
picnic (n) pretty (adj)
picture (n) price (n)
piece (n) prize (n)
pillow (n) problem (n)
pilot (n) programme (n)
pink (adj) • TV programme
project (n) • my return from holiday (n)
• a school project • He returned home late. (v)
pull (v) • She returned her library books. (v)
pupil (n) rice (n)
purple (n) rich (adj)
purse (n) ride (n)
push (v) ride (v)
put (v) right (n, adj & adv)
put on (phr v) • He swam to the right. (n)
• your right hand (adj)
Q • That’s the right answer. (adj)
• Turn right here. (adv)
river (n)
quarter (n) road (n)
• a quarter of an hour roast (v & adj)
queen (n) rock (n)
question (n) • rock concert
quick (adj) roof (n)
quiet (adj) room (n)
quite (adv) • a double room
• Are you quite sure? round (adj)
• quite old roundabout (n)
quiz ruin(s) (n)
• Let’s visit the castle ruins today.
run (v)
R
S
race (n & v)
• a running race sad (adj)
• She raced her brother to the bus stop. safe (adj)
radio (n) salad (n)
railway (n) sale (n)
rain (n & v) • for sale
raincoat (n) salt (n)
rap same (adj & pron)
rather (adv) • at the same time (adj)
• rather old • Your watch is the same as mine. (pron)
read (v) sandwich (n)
ready (adj) save (v)
• When will it be ready? • to save money
real (adj) • to save time
really (adv) say (v)
receptionist (n) school (n)
red (adj) screen (n)
reggae scooter
remember (v) sea (n)
rent (v) seat (n)
repair (v) second (n & det)
rest (n & v) secretary (n)
• to have a rest see (v)
• ‘Try to rest’, the doctor said. sell (v)
restaurant (n) send (v)
return (n & v) sentence (n)
several (det) sofa (n)
shall (v) soft (adj)
shampoo (v & n) some (det & pron)
she (pron) somebody (pron)
sheet (n) someone (pron)
• a bed sheet something (pron)
shelf (n) sometimes (adv)
ship (n) somewhere (adv)
shirt (n) son (n)
shoe (n) song (n)
shop (n & v) soon (adv)
shop assistant (n) sorry (adj)
short (adj) • I’m sorry I’m late.
• a short time • Sorry, I don’t understand that.
shorts (n pl) sound (v)
should (v) • That sounds nice.
shout (v) soup (n)
show (v & n) south (n, adj & adv)
• Show me your photos. space (n)
• a film show speak (v)
shower (n) special (adj)
shut (v) spell (v)
sick (adj) spend (v)
side (n) spoon (n)
• this side of the room sport (n)
silver (n & adj) sports centre (n)
since (prep) spring (n)
sincerely (adv) • I hate winter but I love spring.
• Yours sincerely square (n & adj)
sing (v) stadium (n)
single (adj) staff (n)
sister (n) stage (n)
sit (v) stairs (n pl)
sit down (phr v) stamp (n)
sitting room (n) • Put a stamp on the envelope.
size (n) stand (v)
skate (v) • She was standing at the bus stop.
skateboard (n) star (n)
ski (v) star (v)
skirt (n) start (v)
sky (n) station (n)
sleep (v) stay (v)
slice (n) steak (n)
slow (adj) steal (v)
small (adj) • Someone’s stolen my bag!
smoke (v) still (adv)
snack (n) stomach (n)
snow (n & v) stop (n & v)
so (conj & adv) store (n)
• So, I think it’s right. (conj) storm (n)
• He ate too much, so he felt ill. (conj) story (n)
• He wanted to go but he didn’t say so. (adv) straight (adj)
soap (n) straight on (adv)
sock (n) strange (adj)
 • That’s a strange story! temperature (n)
street (n) • The temperature was below zero.
strong (adj) tennis (n)
student (n) tent (n)
studies (n pl) term
study (v) terrible (adj)
subject (n) test (n)
• What’s your favourite subject at school? text (v)
• the subject of a talk text book
success text message
such (det) than (prep & conj)
suddenly (adv) thank (v)
sugar (n) the (det)
suit (n) theatre (n)
• He was wearing a grey suit. their (det)
suitcase (n) theirs (pron)
summer (n) them (pron)
sun (n) themselves (pron)
sunny (adj) then (adv)
supermarket (n) there (adv)
supper (n) these (det & pron)
suppose (v) they (pron)
• I suppose so. thin (adj)
• I suppose you’re right. thing (n)
sure (adj) think (v)
• I’m (not) sure. thirsty (adj)
surfing this (det & pron)
surname (n) those (det & pron)
surprise (n) through (prep)
surprised (adj) throw (v)
sweater (n) thunderstorm (n)
sweet (n & adj) ticket (n)
swim (v) tidy (adj & v)
tidy up (v)
tiger
T tights (n pl)
till (prep)
table (n) time (n)
table-tennis (n) tired (adj)
take (v) to (prep)
today (n & adv)
• I’ll take it to your room.
together (adv)
• It takes three hours.
toilet (n)
take off (phr v)
tomato (n)
• She took off her shoes. tomorrow (n & adv)
talk (n & v) tonight (n & adv)
tall (adj) too (adv)
taxi (n) tooth (n)
tea (n) toothbrush (n)
teach (v) top (n)
team (n)
• the top of the page
teenager (n)
total (adj & n)
telephone (n & v)
tour (n & v)
television (n)
tour guide (n)
tell (v)
tourist (n)
tourist information centre (n) violin
towel (n) visit (v)
town (n) visitor (n)
toy (n) volleyball (n)
traffic (n)
traffic lights (n pl)
train (n) W
trainers (n pl)
tram (n) wait (v)
travel (v) waiter (n)
travel agent (n) waitress (n)
tree (n) wake up (phr v)
trip (n) walk (v)
trouble (n) wall (n)
trousers (n pl) wallet (n)
try (v) want (v)
try on (phr v) warm (adj)
T-shirt (n) wash (v)
turn (v) wash up (phr v)
turn off (phr v) watch (n & v)
• Turn the gas off. water (n)
turn on (phr v) way (n)
• Turn the heating on. • Do it this way.
twice (adv) • one-way street
type (n) • Is this the quickest way home?
tyre (n) we (pron)
wear (v)
U weather (n)
website (n)
wedding
umbrella (n) week (n)
uncle (n) weekday (n)
under (prep) weekend (n)
underground (n & adj) weekly (adj & adv)
understand (v) welcome (v)
uniform (n) • Welcome to London!
university (n) well (adv & adj)
until (prep) west (n, adj & adv)
up (prep & adv) wet (adj)
upstairs (adv) whale (n)
us (pron) what (det & pron)
use (v) wheel (n)
useful (adj) when (adv)
usual (adj) where (adv)
which (det)
V while (conj)
white (adj)
who (pron)
variety (n) whole (adj & n)
vegetable (n) • the whole world (adj)
very (adv) • the whole of July (n)
video (n) whose (pron)
video recorder (n) why (adv)
village (n) wife (n)
wild
will ('ll) (v)
win (v) Y
wind (n)
window (n) year (n)
windsurfing yellow (adj)
windy (adj) yes (exclam)
winter (n) yesterday (n & adv)
wishes (n pl) yet (adv)
• Best wishes • Has he arrived yet?
with (prep) you (pron)
without (prep) young (adj)
woman (n) your (det)
wonderful (adj) yours (pron)
wood (n) yourself (pron)
wool (n)
word (n)
work (n & v) Z
world (n)
worry (v) zero (n)
would (v) zoo (n)
write (v)
write down (phr v)
wrong (adj)

Appendix 1

Word sets

In addition to the words in the alphabetical list, KET candidates are expected to know:

Cardinal numbers
one, two, three, etc. to one thousand

Ordinal numbers
first, second, third, fourth, etc. to thirty-first

Days of the week

Monday, Tuesday, etc.

Months of the year

January, February, etc.

Countries, languages and nationalities

English-speaking countries and others, for example, Brazil/Brazilian, Canada/Canadian,
China/Chinese, France/French, Ireland/Irish, India/Indian, Italy/Italian, Spain/Spanish, etc.

Continents
Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Antarctica, Europe

School subjects
geography, history, mathematics, science, etc.

Appendix 2

Affixes
The words in the alphabetical list may be extended by the use of these affixes:
-er with verbs and nouns to make nouns, eg driver, farmer, footballer, shopper, teacher, etc.
-ing with verbs to make nouns (activities), eg fishing, parking, reading, sailing, shopping, etc.
-ly with adjectives to form adverbs, eg carefully, quickly, slowly, usually, etc.
un- with adjectives and adverbs to make negative forms, eg uncertain, unhappy, unhappily,
uninteresting, etc.

Appendix 3

Topic Lists

Natural World and Weather

air grass sea water

beach grow sky weather
cloud hill snow (n & v) west
cloudy hot south wet
cold ice space wind
country island spring windy
countryside lake star winter
east moon storm wood
field mountain summer wool
fire north sun world
flower outdoor sunny
fog plant thunderstorm
foggy rain (n & v) tree
forest river warm

Colours

light/dark brown orange red

black green pink white
blue grey purple yellow

Buildings and Places We Live and Work

airport corner market square

apartment crossing museum stadium
bank crossroads newsagent station
bookshop department store office street
building disco park supermarket
bus station entrance petrol station swimming pool
café exhibition police station theatre
campsite exit post office tourist information centre
canal factory railway station town
castle farm restaurant travel agent
cathedral flat river underground
centre guesthouse road university
church hospital roundabout village
cinema hotel ruin zoo
club house school
city library shop
college lift sports centre

Travel and Transport

(aero)plane far passport suitcase

airport flight petrol taxi
ambulance fly petrol station ticket
boat garage pilot tour (n & v)
brake helicopter plane tour guide
bridge journey platform tourist
bus leave police car tourist information centre
bus station left problem traffic
bus stop lights railway traffic lights
canal lorry repair (v) tram
car luggage return (n & v) travel
coach machine ride travel agent
country map right trip (n)
crossing mechanic road tyre
crossroads mile roundabout underground (n)
delay (n & v) mirror sailing visit
delayed (adj) miss seat visitor
drive motorway ship way (n)
driver move station wheel
driving licence oil stop window
engine park (v) straight on
engineer passenger street

Food and Drink

apple chocolate hungry piece of cake

banana coffee ice pizza
barbecue cook (n & v) ice cream plate
chips cooker jam potato
biscuit cream juice rice
bit of cake cup kitchen roast (v & adj)
boil cut knife salad
bottle dinner lemon salt
bowl dish lemonade sandwich
box drink lunch slice
bread eat main course snack
break (n) egg meal soup
breakfast food meat steak
burger fork menu sugar
burn fish milk sweet (n & adj)
butter fridge mineral water tea
cafe fried oil thirsty
cake fruit omelette tomato
carrot fry onion vegetable
can (n) glass orange waiter
cheers! grape pasta waitress
cheese grill (v) pepper wash up
chicken grilled picnic

Time

afternoon evening morning weekend

a.m./p.m. holidays night weekly
appointment hour noon winter
autumn January - December o’clock year
birthday meeting second yesterday
century midnight spring
clock minute summer
daily moment time
date Monday - Sunday today
day month tomorrow
diary monthly tonight

Communication, Culture and Entertainment

advertisement cinema drum guidebook

art click (v) DVD guitar
band competition exhibition information
book concert email (n & v) internet
call (v) conversation film journalist
camera dance (n & v) fun laugh
card disco game listen to
cassette draw go out look at
CD drawing group magazine
mobile (phone) photo(graph) prize talk (n)
mouse photographer programme telephone
museum photography project television
music piano radio theatre
news picture read ticket
newspaper play (n) rock (concert) watch (v)
opera pop (music) show (n) website
paint (v) practice sing writer
painter practise singer
party present (n) song

Jobs and Work

actor diploma king secretary

artist doctor letter shop assistant
boss driver manager shopper
break earn mechanic singer
business email (n & v) meeting staff
businessman engineer message student
businesswoman factory nurse teacher
chemist farm occupation tennis player
cleaner farmer office tour guide
colleague footballer painter travel agent
company guest pharmacy uniform
computer guide photographer waiter
customer hairdresser pilot waitress
dentist instructions police officer work
desk job queen worker
diary journalist receptionist

Body and Health

accident burn dead foot

ambulance check (v) dentist hair
appointment chemist die hand
arm clean (adj & v) doctor head
baby comb (n) ear hear (v)
back cut face heart
body danger fall (v) hospital
break (v) dangerous feel (v) hurt (v)
ill neck problem stomach
insurance nose rest (n & v) tired
leg nurse sick tooth
lie down pain sleep toothbrush
medicine pharmacy soap well (adj)

Appliances and Services

camera cooker hairdryer tape recorder

cassette DVD heating (tele)phone
player/recorder electric lamp television
CD electricity lights TV
clock fridge mobile (phone) video
computer gas radio video recorder

Measurements

centimetre hour mile temperature

day kilo(gram) minute week
degree kilometre moment year
gram(me) litre quarter
half metre second

Documents and Texts

bill form menu postcard

book insurance message project
card letter newspaper ticket
diploma licence note
email magazine passport

Shopping and Money

assistant cheque expensive shop

bill close (v) for sale shop assistant
bookshop closed (adj) open (v & adj) shopper
buy (v) cost (n & v) pay (for) shopping
cash (n & v) customer pence spend
cent department store penny supermarket
change (n & v) dollar pound try on
cheap Euro price
Studies

beginner exam(ination) library studies

board Geography Mathematics study (v)
book History practice subject
bookshelf homework practise teach
class(room) information project teacher
clever instructions pupil test (n)
college know read university
course language remember
desk learn school
dictionary lesson Science
diploma level student

Family and Friends

boy friend group Ms

brother friendly guest mum(my)
child girl husband neighbour
colleague grandchild love (n & v) parent
cousin granddaughter married pen-friend
dad(dy) grandfather Miss sister
daughter grandmother mother surname
family grandparent Mr teenager
father grandson Mrs wife

Sport and Leisure

ball camera football magazine

baseball camp footballer member
basketball campsite game park (n)
beach catch (v) golf party
bicycle climb hobby picnic
bike club hockey play (v)
boat competition holidays player
book fishing luck pool
practice sailing swimming tired
practise sea table-tennis trainers
prize ski team volleyball
race (n & v) skiing tennis walk (v)
rest (n & v) sport(s) tennis player watch (v)
ride sports centre tent win (v)
riding stadium throw (v) winner
run (v) swim ticket

The Home

address cup gate plate

bath cupboard hall roof
bathroom desk home room
bed dining room house safe (adj)
bedroom door key shelf
blanket downstairs kitchen shower
bookshelf flat lamp sitting room
bowl floor lights sofa
box furniture live (v) stay (v)
chair garage living room toilet
clock garden pillow towel

Clothes and Accessories

bag hat shorts T-shirt

belt jacket skirt umbrella
blouse jeans suit uniform
boot pocket sweater wallet
clothes purse tights wear (v)
coat raincoat trainers
dress (n & v) shirt trousers
glasses shoe try on (v)