TRAVEL WORD LIST

Book: as opposed to the noun (reading material), this verb means to arrange
and confirm a place on a flight, a room in a hotel or a ticket for an event in the
future.

Depart: to go away or leave, especially on a journey.

Arrive: to reach a place, especially at the end of a journey.

Reservation: an arrangement in which something like a seat on a plane or a

table in a restaurant is kept for you.

Destination: the place where someone is going, or something is being sent or

taken.

Complimentary: if tickets books or any other items are complimentary, it

means they are given free, especially by a business.

All-Inclusive: Including everyone or everything. In holiday terms, this would

refer to a hotel deal where the price usually includes accommodation, meals and
drinks (any extra activities or facilities would be charged separately).

Travel Agency: a company or shop that makes travel arrangements for

people.

Ticket: a small piece of paper or card given to someone, usually to show that
they have paid for an event, journey or activity.
Brochure: a type of small magazine that contains pictures and information
about a product or a company.

Leaflet: a small piece of paper that gives you information or advertises

something.

Last Minute Deals: these are promotions that are advertised at the latest
possible time for those who are more spontaneous!

Promotion: publicising a product to increase sales or public awareness.

Package Deal: an offer or agreement involving a number of related items or

the acceptance of one being dependent on acceptance of another.

Half-Board: if you request ‘half-board’ at a hotel, breakfast and dinner would

be included in the hotel price (as part of the package).

Full-Board: if you request ‘full-board’ at a hotel, that would include all three
meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the price of your accommodation.

Self-Catering: if you stay in self-catering accommodation, you would be in a

place where you are provided with the facilities to prepare and cook your own
meals.

Accommodation: a room or building in which someone may live or stay.

Different types of accommodation include apartments, hotels, guesthouses and
backpacking hostels.

Vacation: the American term for ‘holiday’.

Camping: the activity of spending a holiday (vacation) living in a tent or

campervan.
Backpacking: to travel or hike carrying one’s belongings in a backpack.

Transfer: the act of moving someone or something from one place to another.

Budget Holiday: (adjective) meaning inexpensive. Planning a trip using a

minimal amount of money. (Budget – noun) Having a limited amount of money
for expenditure:

 ‘We have to keep within the household budget).

Travel Documents: all the necessary documents you would need to take with
you on a holiday i.e. passport or ID card, driving license, flight/bus/ train
tickets, visa confirmation etc.

Outbound: travelling away from a particular place, usually the first half of a

journey.

Inbound: travelling towards a particular place, especially when returning to the

original point of departure.

Two-way, Return Ticket (UK), Round Trip (US): a ticket that allows
someone to travel to a place and back again.

One-way, Single Ticket: a ticket that allows a passenger to travel only to

his/her destination, without returning.

Transport: (verb trans-PORT) to take or carry goods or people from one place

to another. (noun TRANS-port) A system or means of conveying people or
goods from place to place by means of a vehicle, aircraft or ship.

Splash out: a phrasal verb (mainly used in British English) meaning to spend
money freely
Sample Conversation about Booking a Holiday:
Travel Agent = TA, Customer = C

TA: Good afternoon madam, how can I help you today?

C: Good afternoon, I would like to  book a trip  to Italy for 2 people and a  6
year old child  please.

TA: Is there anywhere in particular you would like to go?

C: I can’t decide between Venice or Rome, whichever is cheaper as we’re on
a  budget  this year!

TA: Okay, and when would you like to go?

C: We have two weeks of  holiday  between 18th  June and 2nd  July, and we’d like
to go for at least 10 days during that period.

TA: No problem, I’ll just check to see which  destination  would

be  cheaper….  We have a special  promotion  on at the moment, if
you  book  a  package deal  to Venice, you get  freetransfer  to and from your
hotel to the airport, plus one free meal each day. Would you be interested in
that?
C: Yes, that sounds great!

TA: And would you like  full-board  or  half-board?

C: Well, seeing as we will get one free meal each anyway, I think  self-
catering  would be better. I’ll have a little bit of extra money to  splash out  in
a nice restaurant somewhere!

TA: Okay, that’s fine. We have a  hotel  that offers  self-catering facilities  and
is right in the centre of Rome. They also have special facilities for children such
as meal deals, extra beds, a play area in the lobby and a crèche.
C: Perfect! I won’t need to spend too much money on  transport  and our son
will surely have fun too!
TA: Exactly. Your outbound flight will be on the 19th  June, departing from
London Gatwick Airport at  11:30am, and your return flight will be on the
30th  June at  10:30pm.  That gives you 11 and a half days in Rome, does that
suit you?
C: Yes, that’s excellent, and we’ll still have a couple of days to recover before
going back to work! How much will that be?

TA: Well, the  promotion  is £200 per adult, and your child can go for free
because he is under 8 years old. That includes the  return
flights,  accommodation  for 11 nights,  airport transfer  and
a  complimentary  meal each per day. Shall we go ahead and  book it?
C: Wow, that is a fabulous deal! Yes please.

TA: Okay. How would you like to pay?

C: Credit card  please. Here you go.

TA: Thank you. Could I also see your  passports  please?

C: Sure, here you go.

TA: Thank you. Here are your  tickets  and everything else you’ll need to know
about your  package holiday.  Remember to keep all your  travel
documents  safe throughout the whole trip.
C: Thank you so much for your help!

TA: You’re welcome. Enjoy the rest of your day and please contact us if you
have any queries before you set off on your  holiday!

Packing

Suitcase: a case with a handle and hinged lid, used for carrying clothes and
other personal possessions.
Backpack (US), Rucksack (UK): a bag with shoulder straps that allow it to be
carried on one’s back.

Currency: a system of money in general use in a particular country.

Appropriate Clothing: suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, person or

occasion.

Seasonal: relating to a particular season of the year (Autumn, Winter, Spring

or Summer).

Swimwear, Bikini: clothing worn for swimming (bikinis are specifically for

women).

Fanny Pack (US), Bum Bag (UK): a small bag used to safely store small
valuable items when on holiday. This is usually worn around the waist and can
be concealed under one’s clothing.

Sample Conversation about Packing:

A: Sarah, I’ve managed to  book the flights  and the train tickets for
our  vacation  to Switzerland!
B: Wow, that’s so exciting! So, are we leaving next month on the date we
wanted?

A: No, we’re leaving next week! The  travel agency  gave us a great  package
deal  and we’ve saved a lot of money, but it meant changing the dates to go
earlier. We don’t have to work anyway, so I thought it would be nice!
B: Oh, I see! Okay, that means we’ll have to start packing very soon. What will
the  weather  be like?

A: Well, it’ll be  spring  but we’re going for 3 weeks, so I would say it’s safer to
take clothing for hot and cold weather. We’ll probably go skiing too, so let’s
pack our snow  gear.
B: Sure. I’m going to pack a few  bikinis  too, just in case we find a small
beach!

A: It might be easier to take our  backpacks, as we can fit more into them.
B: I agree, they’re a lot bigger than the  suitcases. Have you got all our travel
documents together?

A: I just need to print off the flight confirmation details and the train  tickets.
B: Great. I’ll get some dollars exchanged to Swiss franc for the first few days.
A: Okay, so you’re in charge of getting the  currency  sorted and I’ll keep all
the  travel documents  together.  Now, let’s start packing!

Travelling to Your Destination

Check-In: the act of reporting one’s presence and registering, typically at an

airport or hotel.

Departure Gate: gate where passengers embark.

Airport Terminal: this is a building at an airport, where passengers transfer

between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board or
disembark from an aircraft.

Departure Lounge: a seating area in an airport where passengers wait to

board an aircraft or vehicle.

Duty-Free: Items available for purchase that are free of duty or tax charges in
a particular country, generally sold at airports.

Ferry: a boat or ship for conveying passengers or goods, especially over a

relatively short distance and as a regular service.
Take Off: (of an aircraft or bird) becoming airborne.

Board: to get on or into (a ship, aircraft or other vehicle).

Passport Check, Security Checkpoint: a barrier or manned entrance typically

at a border of a country where travellers are subject to security checks.

Overweight: baggage weighing in excess of the allowed amount.

Destination: the place to which someone or something is going or being sent.

Window Seat: a seat positioned next to a window on a large vehicle or aircraft.

Aisle Seat: a seat positioned beside the walkway on a large vehicle or aircraft.

Sample Conversation about Checking-in at the Airport:

Airport Attendant = AA, Passenger = P

AA: Next please!
P: Hi. Good Afternoon.

AA: Good Afternoon sir. May I see your  passport  please?

P: Yes, here you go.

AA: Thank you. Please place your  luggage  on the belt.

P: (Places suitcase on the conveyor belt)

AA: I’m afraid this  suitcase  is 7kg  overweight. You are allowed a maximum
of 30kg and this suitcase weighs 37kg. You will need to remove some items or
pay an additional  fee  for the extra weight.
P: Oh no! I see. Okay, I’m happy to pay the fee.
AA: Is this your bag sir?
P: Yes, of course it is.

AA: Did you pack it yourself?

P: Yes.

AA: Were you given anything by someone else to take on the flight?

P: No, definitely not.

AA: Do you have any of the following items in your  luggage? (points to images
of dangerous objects)
P: No, I’m certain.

AA: Okay, that’ll be 56 euros for the  overweight  case please.

P: Okay, here is the right amount in cash. Also, could I please have a  window
seat?

AA: I’ll just see if there is one available…. Okay, you’ll be seated in 25A. Here is
your passport and  boarding pass, please keep all your documents safe. Enjoy
your flight.
P: Thank you very much.

Arriving at Your Destination

Landing: an instance of coming or bringing something to land, either from the

air or from water.

Customs: the place at a seaport, airport or frontier where officials check

incoming goods, travellers or luggage.

Baggage Collection Point, Baggage Reclaim, Baggage Claim Area: an

area where arriving passengers claim checked-in baggage after disembarking
from an airline flight.
Nothing to Declare: exiting the airport at a gate where you state that you do
not have any goods where duty is payable or that need checking whether entry
into the country is permitted.

Credit Card: a small plastic card provided by a bank or company which gives
you access to money that you will need to pay back within an agreed time limit.

Debit Card: a small plastic card provided by your bank which gives you access
to money that you already have in your bank account.

Porter: a member of staff in a hotel who assists guests with carrying their
luggage.

Alarm: something to help you wake up at an appropriate time, this could be a

sound notification on your smartphone or a telephone call from staff if you are
staying in a hotel.

Room Service: requesting food, drinks or other services to be delivered to

your hotel room.

Sample Conversation about Checking-in at the Hotel:

Hotel Receptionist = HR, Guest = G, Porter = P

P: Good morning Sir, welcome to The Royal Pavilion Hotel. May I take your
bags please?
G: Oh, that’s very kind of you! Thank you. I am quite tired after that journey.

P: Please follow me this way to the  check-in  desk.

HR: Good morning Sir, do you have a  reservation?
G: Yes, I  booked  online.
HR: Which name was it booked in?

G: Mr. Graham Watts

HR: Yes, I have it here. Could I see the  credit card  you paid with please?

G: Yes, here you go.

HR: Thank you. Would you like an  alarm  call to wake you up?

G: Yes please. If you could call me around 11am, that’d be great. I would like
to rest for a few hours before my meeting.
HR: No problem. The  complimentary  breakfast is served until 11:30 and you
can call for  room service  at anytime.

G: I will most probably do that! Thanks.

HR: Your room is number 237 on the third floor and here’s the key.
Our  porter  will help you with your bags and show you to your room.

G: That’s wonderful, thank you. Is there a Wi-Fi connection available in my

room?
HR: Yes, you’ll find the password in you room beside the TV. We hope you
enjoy your stay with us.
P: Okay Mr. Watts, if you please come this way, I’ll show you to your room…

Activities

 Kitesurfing  Kayaking 
 Canoeing Rock Climbing 
 Trekking  Sailing  Jetskiing  Skiing  Windsurfing 
 Wakeboarding  Paddleboarding 
 Swimming  Sunbathing 
 Sightseeing 
Places to Visit

 Amusement Park Museum Art Gallery Cinema

 Water Park Aquarium Beach Restaurant
 Nightclub Bar Miniature Golf, Crazy Golf Island
 Animal Sanctuary National Park Zoo

Describing Places

 Invigorating Enervating Fascinating Energetic Fast Vibrant Lively 
 Exciting Packed Crowded Busy Bustling Trendy Touristy Modern 
 Historic Old-Fashioned Outdated Picturesque Cute Gorgeous 
 Pricey Over-Priced Upmarket Cosmopolitan Metropolitan Neopolitan

Asking for Help

Catching someone’s attention:

 Excuse me, could I ask you a quick question please?

 Excuse me, sorry to bother you but could you help me please?
 Hello sir/miss, …
 Sorry sir/miss, …
 Excuse me, do you speak English?

Asking for information:

 You wouldn’t happen to know where … is, would you?

 I’m trying to find the …
 I need to get to the …
 How can I get to the …?
 Do you know where the … is?
 Where is the nearest …?
 I’m a little lost, where is the …?
If you miss a flight, bus, transfer, train:

 It seems I have missed my … could you please book me onto the next
available one?
 I’ve missed my … is there any way of getting a refund?
 I’ve missed my … could you please give me information about the next
one?
 Could you please help me to rearrange my …?

When you’re feeling unwell:

 Excuse me, is there a first aid room here?

 I feel really unwell, is there someone who can help me?
 I’m suffering from … do you have medical staff here?
 Do you have a first aid kit I could use please?
 I’ve injured my … could you please help me?

If there is something wrong with your luggage:

 My suitcase has not arrived yet, where can I get it from?

 My luggage is missing, could you help me please?
 My rucksack has been damaged, what can I do about this?
 I cannot find my suitcase, where can I check please?

Asking someone to translate:

 Excuse me, do you speak English?

 Could you tell me what it says on that sign please?
 Could you translate this message for me please?
 Could you please ask this person to …?

Prepositions and giving directions:

 (Turn) Right
  (Turn) Left
 Straight On
 Behind 
 Opposite the …
 Next to the …
 Near the …
 The … is on your (right, left)
 Before, After the traffic lights 
 Take the first, second, third exit at the roundabout 

The Essential Guide to Sports Vocabulary

 Sports are a part of everyday life, and many people absolutely love them.
 You might prefer to watch sports on TV or listen to live games on the radio.
 Perhaps you play sports as a fun way to stay healthy, or you could even compete as a
serious athlete.
 No matter your relationship to sports, you’ll need to know some key sports-related words
to participate at any level. Not to worry, as all of the main words are right here in one
place, forming your essential guide to sports vocabulary.
 
 Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can
take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Arena
 (N) Another word for arena that you’re probably more familiar with is stadium. It’s a flat
area that hosts (holds) sporting events like the Olympic Games, soccer and rugby games.
It is circular (like a circle) in shape and surrounded by seats for fans to sit.
 The  arena was packed full with excited fans to watch the final of the Champion’s
League.

 Amateur: (N/Adj) An amateur is a person who is not a professional or does not get paid
for what they do.
 He’s an amateur soccer player, but one day he hopes to play for his favorite team in the
UK: Manchester United.
Athlete: (N) A person who practices and competes in any sport.
Joan’s brother is a professional athlete  and plays tennis for a living (for money).

 Athletic: (Adj) A person who is athletic and is good at sports.

I’ve never been very  athletic and I don’t think my gym teacher liked me very much at school
because I couldn’t even catch a ball.

 Athletics is the category for any track and field events, such as running (long and short
distance), throwing the javelin, long jump etc.

My favorite events to watch during the Olympics are the athletics events. I love the running. I
can’t believe how fast some people can run!

 Award

(V,N) Any kind of prize, like a certificate, medal or a trophy. To be awarded something means to
be given a prize.
The best three athletes at the Olympic Games are awarded medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
She won the  award for “Best Female Junior Snowboarder” in the city!

 Beat

(V) To win against or defeat another player or team.

Andy Murray beat  all the other players and won the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

 Captain

(N) The captain is the team leader.

The English captain for the 2014 World Cup is John Terry.

 Cheer on

(Phrasal V) To shout words of encouragement to your favorite team or player.

In the final five minutes of the game, the fans cheered on their teams hoping for a win.

 Coach

 (N) A person who is responsible for teaching and training the athletes to improve their skills.
My basketball coach told me I’m getting better at my free throws.
 Compete  (V) To take part in a competition.

20 teams are  competing  to win the University Cup.

 Court - (N) The rectangle area where games like tennis, basketball and badminton are played.

When I play tennis, I prefer to play on a grass court because doctors have told me it’s better for
my knees.

 Course

 (N) An area of land that is used for long running events like marathons, car racing and golf.
Before he gets married next week, he’s going to go to the golf course to play a few rounds with
the boys.

 Defend/Defense - (V) Defense: (N) To try and stop the other team from scoring points or
goals.

The coach wants us to play our best to defend against a goal.

Manchester City has a strong defense and it’s very difficult to score a goal against them.

Draw - (N) When two teams finish a game with the same number of points/goals.
(also called a tie)
It was a very boring game to watch and it ended up in a  draw. The score was 2-2.

 Fan - (N) A supporter of a player, team or sport.

He’s a huge  fan of the All Blacks and he watches every game they play.

 Field - (N) An area of grass that is used to play sports such as field hockey, rugby or soccer.

The team ran onto the  field at the beginning of the game and the fans cheered loudly.

 Gym - (N) The place where you can go and exercise on machines or the inside area where
sports lessons are done at school.

She’s trying to lose a few kilos and has started exercising at the gym twice a week.
 Half-time - (N) The short break between the first and second half of the game.

The team gathered in the changing rooms at half-time while the coach explained the strategy
for the second half.

League: (N) A group of sports clubs from one area that play against each other for the season to
try and win the championship.
Doncaster Rovers were at the top of their league last year, but this year they have been
performing badly and are now positioned fifth on the table.

 Medal - (N) A small circle piece of metal that can be gold for 1st place, silver for 2nd place and
bronze for 3rd place.

Michael Phelps, the American swimmer broke the record when he won 6 gold medals at the
Olympics.

 Opponent

(N) The person that you compete or play against in a competition.

Andy Murray’s biggest opponent at Wimbledon was Roger Federer, but he managed to beat
him.

 Pass

(V, N) To kick or throw the ball to another player in your team.
He  passed the ball to his teammate who then went on to score the winning goal.

 Physique (N) The strength or shape of a person’s body.

She’s very small and slim. She’s got the perfect physique to be a gymnast.

 Pitch/Pitcher

(V) To throw the ball to the person batting in softball or baseball.

He  pitched the ball so fast that the person batting was unable to hit the ball.
Pitcher: (N)  In baseball, the player who throws the ball from the pitcher’s mound to the batter.
The  pitcher was very talented; he pitched a perfect inning!

 Practice (N, V) To continue training to improve the skill.

Our college basketball team  practices three times a week.

 Professional -  (N, Adj) To be paid money for the sport you do. Your sport is your job.

Many little boys dream of becoming professional sportspeople when they’re younger, but only a
few can achieve their dreams.

 Record (N) The best performance of goals, medals, speed etc. that has ever been measured in a
country or the world.

Ussain Bolt holds the world  record for the fastest man in the world.

 Referee (Ref): (N) The person who makes the decisions during a game. A referee runs up and
down the field/court (soccer) with the players, but an umpire makes the decisions from one
position (e.g. tennis).

The  referee signaled the players to stop and he gave the player a yellow card for kicking
another player.

 Rules (N) The laws of the game.

When you break the rules in any game, the referee punishes the player.

 Score (N) The points that each team has during the game.

The final  score was 1-0; it was a really close game.

 Serve Serve: (V) To throw the ball up and hit it at the start of play (e.g. tennis and volleyball).

Venus Williams is known for her strong serve in tennis and it’s often difficult for less
experienced players to return the ball.

 Shoot/Shot - (V) Shot (N) To hit, throw or kick the ball to try and score a goal or point (e.g.
rugby and basketball).

Michael Jordan is famous for scoring long distance  shots  and taking three points for the team.

 Skill/Skilled - To be able to do something well, to have talent.

He’s a skilled rugby player and if he keeps training, he might make it to the national team.

 
Spectator: (N) The viewer or person who watches a sporting event.

The  spectators at Wimbledon are usually very calm compared to the shouting ones at a rugby
match.

Sportsmanship: (N) To have good or bad sportsmanship is your attitude and your respect for the
other team or player when you win or lose a game.
Not shaking a player’s hand after losing is an example of bad  sportsmanship.

Tackle: (V) To try and take the ball of the other team.
He tried to  tackle Messi, but Messi was too fast and continued to run with the ball.

 Teammate: (N) A member of your team.

After the match Amy and her teammates go down to the bar for a drink.

Teamwork: (N) Working with your teammates to try and win.

Christiano Ronaldo is often criticized for his lack of (not enough) teamwork. He prefers to do
things alone.

Tournament (N): A number of games and competitions between a certain number of teams or
players to win the championship.
The Champion League tournament  in Europe is probably the most famous European soccer
tournament that is held every year.

 Trainer: (N) Another word for a coach.

Train: (V) To practice.

Most winter sports teams  train through the summer months so they can build their skills and
fitness.

Victory
(N) Winning a competition.
The team celebrated their  victory with a parade in their home city.
 MUSIC VOCABULARY

artist (noun): a professional singer, musician or songwriter - Taylor Swift has become one of
music's best-selling artists.

art music (noun): music written and performed by professional musicians mostly for the upper
classes, like classical Indian music and European opera - Wealthy Chinese lords paid
musicians to play relaxing art music, while poor people played lively folk music for fun.

beat (noun): the regular pulse in music that dancers move to and audiences clap to - Dance
music always has a strong beat.

classical music (noun): European orchestral and keyboard music that's written by composers
- Sayoko loves listening to classical music, especially the music of Mozart and Beethoven.

country music (noun): a genre of American music with origins in the rural folk music of Europe
- Many people were surprised when Ray Charles began singing country music.

folk music (noun): traditional music from a particular region or country -Did you hear any
traditional folk music while you were in China?

genre (noun): a kind or style of music, movie, TV show, painting, etc. - In music classes at
school, the only genres we studied were classical music and jazz.

harmony (noun): the combining of musical notes that sound good when played or sung
together - If singers don't sing in harmony, it can sound terrible.

hip hop (also "rap") (noun): a musical genre in which artists rap over beats and sampled
sounds - When my girlfriend wants to listen to hip hop, she always puts on Jay-Z or Kanye
West.

jazz (noun): a genre in which artists improvise within a rhythmic and harmonic framework - If
you want to hear great jazz, listen to the recordings of John Coltrane and Miles Davis.

Latin music (noun): a genre of popular music in Latin America and Spain that has complex
rhythms - I hadn't heard much Latin music until I visited Mexico and South America

live (adjective): played at a concert in front of an audience - You don't hear live music in dance
clubs anymore, only recorded music.

lyrics (noun): the words of a song - If you don't listen to the lyrics, you won't know what a song
is about.

melody (noun): a tune, or the notes of a song - Can you whistle the melody of the song that
begins with "Happy birthday to you"?

pop music (noun): a popular music genre with short, melodic songs that are easy to remember
- My uncle's nearly 60, but he still likes listening to pop music.
 popular music (noun): music that many people like and buy, like rock music and heavy metal,
hip hop and rap, pop songs, etc. - Our music teacher knows lots about classical music, but
nothing about popular music.

recording (noun): a piece of music that's recorded in a studio or at a concert - Recordings used

to be made on tape recorders, but they're usually digital now.

rhythm (noun): a pattern of beats and sounds that musicians play in time to and dancers move
to - The rhythms of African music are much more complex than those of European music.

rock music (noun): rhythmic blues-based music played on guitar, bass, drums, etc. - Let's
listen to some rock music for a change.

traditional music (noun): music that developed over a very long time, like traditional African
drumming and Chinese folk songs - People still play traditional music in Peru's mountain
villages.

CONFUSING WORDS: MUSIC VS. SONG

One common error in English is confusing the words music and song.

Music refers to the category in general… and a song is a specific piece of music.

 I like pop music.
 Michael Jackson’s music is famous throughout the world.
 “Billie Jean” is one song by Michael Jackson.
 Two more famous Michael Jackson songs are “Beat it” and “Thriller.”
Music is uncountable, and song is countable, so you can say:

 “I like three songs on this CD.”

 “I like three musics on this CD.”
Let’s start with instrumental music, which is played by an orchestra – a group of
musicians. The leader of the group who controls the music is called the conductor.
There are three main types of musical instruments:

Percussion instruments such as the drums, cymbals, tambourine, and triangle;

Image sources: Stephan Czuratis, http://muzyczny.pl

Wind instruments such as the trumpet, flute, clarinet, and trombone;

Image sources: PJ, Loppa, FlamM
And string instruments such as the guitar, violin, harp, and cello.

Image sources: PJ, nuchylee, Aij, koratmember (FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Some instruments play the melody – the main sound of the music. Other instruments
play the harmony – the notes that complement the melody. The percussion instruments
keep the beat (the rhythm). When an orchestra plays music in public, this event is called
a concert.
Now let’s talk about singers and bands.

When a singer or band plays music in public, this can be called either a concert or
a show.
 Image: Rick Dikeman
Musicians who are not yet famous play “gigs” – that’s a slang word for a small
performance. Bands also record albums (CDs). Each song on an album is called
a track.Sometimes singers or bands release a single – that’s a CD with just one song.
When you buy a CD, you also get a little booklet with the lyrics – the words to the
songs. A CD with all the music used in a movie is called the movie soundtrack. Finally, if
a song becomes very popular and famous, it is called a hit.

acoustic (adjective): without inbuilt electrical equipment to amplify the sound - I can play
acoustic guitar, but I can't play electric guitar.

album (noun): a collection of songs released as a digital download or a 12-inch LP record - Do

you have Michael Jackson's album Thriller?

alternative hip hop (noun): any style that isn't mainstream commercial hip hop - Have you
heard much alternative hip hop?

alternative rock (noun): non-mainstream rock music inspired by punk and post-punk - My
sister likes pop music, but I like alternative rock.

ambient music (noun): calming, atmospheric background music - Have you heard Brian Eno's
ambient music?

amplify (verb): to make sounds louder, esp. by using electrical equipment - If we don't amplify
the drums, they'll be hard to hear.

artist (noun): a professional singer, musician or songwriter - Taylor Swift has become one of
music's best-selling artists.

art music (noun): music written and performed by professional musicians mostly for the upper
classes, like classical Indian music and European opera - Wealthy Chinese lords paid
musicians to play relaxing art music, while poor people played lively folk music for fun.

audio editing software (noun): software used to produce music, movie soundtracks, etc.
- Before we had audio editing software, we used tape loops.

authentic (adjective): real or genuine - You can still see an authentic Chinese opera in Beijing.

autoharp (noun): a small harp with buttons to press for playing chords - Is the autoharp used
much in bluegrass music?

avant-garde (adjective): new, unusual and experimental - Harry makes avant-garde electronic

music in his spare time.

backbeat (noun): a beat counted as "two" or "four" in 4/4 rhythm - Can you hear the snare drum
playing on the backbeats?
backing singer (also "backing vocalist") (noun): a singer who gives vocal support to a lead
singer - Tessa was one of Joe Cocker's backing singers.

ballad (noun): a slow song usually about love - Janis sings up-tempo rock songs as well as
slow ballads.

banjo (noun): an African American stringed instrument based on the African kora - Do you play
four-string or five-string banjo?

bar (noun): one of many small sections in a piece of music that contains a fixed number of
beats - Each bar in the song has four beats.

bass (guitar) (noun): an electric guitar with thick strings for playing low "bass" notes - We need
someone who can play bass.

beat (noun): the regular pulse in music that dancers move to and audiences clap to - Dance
music always has a strong beat.

beats (noun): the breakbeat rhythms that MCs rap to in hip hop music - Who produced the
beats on this album?

bebop (noun): a complex style of up-tempo jazz from the 1950s - The best bebop player I ever
heard was Charlie Parker.

big band (noun): a large jazz band, esp. one that plays big band jazz - Most popular singers of
the 30s and 40s had their own big bands.

big beat (noun): an EDM genre with breakbeats, heavy bass, vocals and samples - Maxim
loves that big beat sound.

block party (noun): a free party on the streets of a city block - Are you going to the block party
on Saturday?

bluegrass (noun): a style of country music based on old-time Appalachian music - We're going
to a bluegrass concert tonight.

(the) blues (noun): African American guitar-based folk music that led to R&B and rock - I'm
learning some old blues songs.

bpm (noun): beats per minute - The fastest drum and bass tracks are around 160 bpm.

boy band (noun): a group of three or more boys or young men who sing and dance - My little
sister loves that Korean boy band Super Junior.

brass (noun): instruments made of brass, like the trumpet, trombone and tuba - Harry plays
trumpet in a brass band.

break (noun): a moment in which most instruments stop, but one or two continue, esp. drums
- We sampled a snare-drum break from an old jazz record.
breakbeat (noun): a syncopated jazz or funk rhythm of the sort sampled in hip hop music - Hip
hop and dubstep use breakbeats, not disco beats.

breakdancing (noun): a style of street-dancing in hip hop culture - The breakdancing in

this Turf Feinz video is incredible.

breakdown (noun): section of a dance track with less singing and more percussion - Does the
track have a good breakdown?

call and response (noun): two musical phrases, one of which answers the other - The call and
response is before the last chorus.

catchy (adjective): enjoyable when first heard, and difficult to forget - It's so catchy! I can't stop
hearing it in my head.

(the) charts (noun): lists of the best-selling songs of the previous week - Our single got to the
top of the charts!

chord (noun): three or more notes played together - Lots of great songs only have two chords,
you know.

chorus (noun): the part of a song with the same melody and words each time it's heard - I'll
sing the verses, and you sing the choruses.

classic (adjective): very good and highly-regarded for a long time - Neil loves those classic
American cars of the 50s.

classical music (noun): European orchestral and keyboard music that's written by composers
- Sayoko loves classical music, especially Chopin's piano pieces.

collaborate (verb): to work together with someone to produce something - Has Kanye

collaborated with Drake yet?

commercial (adjective): made in order to be popular and make money -Garth's country music
is much too commercial for me.

contemporary R&B (noun): recent R&B that mixes soul, pop and hip hop sounds
- Contemporary R&B is really popular these days.

crossover hit (noun): a country, dance or hip hop song that's on the pop-music charts - We'll
all be rich if we have a crossover hit.

country music (noun): a genre of American music with origins in the rural folk music of Europe
- Harry only listens to country music.

country pop (noun): a style that mixes pop and country music - Country pop is really popular in
America these days.
country rock (noun): a style that mixes rock and country music - He doesn't like country pop
much, but he loves country rock.

dance-pop (noun): up-tempo pop music with a dance rhythm - Her dance-pop singles always
become hits.

deejay (verb): to perform the skills of a club or hip hop DJ - Who's deejaying for Nas these
days?

disco (also "discotheque") (noun): a 70s nightclub in which DJs played dance records - The
gay discos in New York were fabulous.

disco music (also "disco") (noun): 70s dance music with a steady four-on-the-floor beat - My
sister loves dancing to disco music.

DJ (or "disc jockey") (noun): someone who plays records at dance clubs or on radio - Do you
like the tracks this DJ's playing?

DJ mixer (noun): a small mixer made for DJs - All you need is two turntables, a DJ mixer and
some records.

double bass (noun): a large stringed instrument for playing low notes - In jazz, double bass
strings are plucked instead of bowed.

drop (noun): a point in EDM when the rhythm and sounds suddenly change - If it's a really great
drop, everyone goes crazy.

drum and bass (or "DnB") (noun): an EDM genre with breakbeats, heavy bass and a fast
tempo - Let's make a drum and bass track.

drum kit (noun): a set of drums with a bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, hit-hat and cymbals
- How much did your drum kit cost?

drum machine (noun): an electronic instrument that makes sequenced drum sounds - Our
drummer quit, so we're using a drum machine now.

dubstep (noun): an EDM genre with breakbeat rhythms, very heavy bass and a slow tempo
- My parents don't even know what dubstep is!

duo (noun): two people who make music or perform together - Who's on your list of best hip
hop duos?

dynamic (adjective): lively and having a lot of energy - She's one of the most dynamic singers
I've seen perform.

EDM (noun): electronic dance music - That band didn't start out playing EDM, did they?

explicit (adjective): offensive, obscene or "rude" language - Has the album got an explicit
language warning?
fan (noun): someone who likes a particular artist or band very much - Our teacher's a really big
fan of Eminem.

feedback (noun): a high-pitched noise made when a microphone is close to a loudspeaker

- How do you control feedback so it fits the music?

fiddle (noun): another word for "violin", esp. in country and folk music - Who's playing fiddle on
that record?

flow (noun): the ability to rap rhythmically and stylishly - He's been practising, so his flow's
getting better.

folk music (noun): traditional music from a particular region or country - Did you hear any folk
music while you were in Chile?

folk rock (noun): a style that mixes folk and rock music - We heard lots of folk rock bands in
San Francisco in the early 60s.

formula (noun): a method or plan that's believed to succeed - What's your formula for success
in business?

four-on-the-floor (noun): a 4/4 rhythm with bass drum on the beat and hi-hat on the offbeats
- Terry's sick of playing those four-on-the-floor disco beats.

funk (or "funk music") (noun): rhythmic groove-based music that developed from soul in the
60s - Bootsy Collins was the best funk bass player ever.

funky (adjective): having the feel of funk music, esp. rhythmically - That track Superstition by
Stevie Wonder is incredibly funky.

gangsta rap (noun): hardcore-style rap from Los Angeles - My cousin still buys gangsta rap
records!

genre (noun): a kind or style of music, movie, TV show, painting, etc. - In music classes at
school, the only genres we studied were classical music and jazz.

G-Funk (noun): funk-based subgenre of gangsta rap - What's your favourite G-Funk track?

glam rock (noun): a rock style in which male artists wore make-up and glamorous clothes
- David Bowie had many styles besides glam rock.

gospel music (noun): rhythmic church music of African American Christians - They sang great
gospel music in those old churches.

graffiti art (noun): street art that's drawn, painted or sprayed in public places - What do you
think of Banksy's graffiti art?

groove (noun): a highly-rhythmic pattern repeated for a long time, esp. in funk music - Hip hop
artists still sample James Brown's funk grooves.
grunge (noun): punk-based alternative rock that developed in the USA in the 90s - Wasn't
Nirvana the first grunge band?

hardcore rap (noun): a tough style of New York hip hop music - Hardcore rap's like those old
gangster movies.

harmony (noun): the combining of musical notes that sound good when played or sung
together - If we don't sing in harmony, it'll sound terrible.

heavy metal (noun): hard rock with heavy bass, complex drumming and singers who scream
- My dad used to be in a heavy metal band.

hi-hat (noun): a pair of foot-operated cymbals that's part of a drum kit - Drummers play bass
drum with one foot and hi-hat with the other.

hillbilly (noun): an impolite word meaning a poor mountain farmer in the U.S.A. - In Nashville,
old-time music was called hillbilly music.

hip hop (also "hip hop") (noun): a musical genre in which artists rap over beats and sampled
sounds - I love Kanye West's hip hop albums.

hit (noun): a best-selling song on the pop-music charts - It's a great song. It'll be a hit for sure.

honky tonk (noun): a country music style known for its powerful, emotional songs - Who's your
favourite honky tonk singer?

hook (noun): part of a song that's easily remembered, often a chorus -The Knack's My
Sharona has one of greatest hooks ever!

horn section (noun): a group of musicians playing brass instruments and saxophones - How
many songs does the horn section play on?

house (or "house music") (noun): 80s dance music similar to disco but with more electronic
sounds - Those old house tracks still sound great.

house band (noun): a group of session musicians who work for a music company - House
bands don't become famous, but singers do.

house producer (noun): one of a record company's full-time music producers - How

many house producers does Sony Music have?

hymn (noun): a religious song that's sung in church - My grandma loves singing those old
hymns.

improvise (verb): to invent music spontaneously while playing - If you want to be a jazz
musician, you have to learn how to improvise.

instrumental (adjective): played on instruments, without vocals - There's a long instrumental

section in the middle of the song.
jazz (noun): a genre in which artists improvise within a rhythmic and harmonic framework
- We've got all John Coltrane's jazz records.

jazz rap (noun): rap music made with jazz samples or instruments - Molly doesn't like jazz rap
much.

Latin music (noun): a genre of popular music in Latin America and Spain that has complex
rhythms - Latin music makes me want to dance.

lead guitar (noun): a guitar on which melodic lines and solos are played - Who's playing lead
guitar in your new band?

live (adjective): played at a concert in front of an audience - You don't hear live music in dance
clubs anymore, only recorded music.

lyrics (noun): the words of a song - If you don't listen to the lyrics, you won't know what a song
is about.

mainstream (adjective): normal and preferred by most people - Most people like mainstream
hip hop more than alternative hip hop.

mandolin (noun): a stringed instrument like a guitar with a curved back - You can hear
mandolin on those early old-time recordings.

MC (or "Master of Ceremonies") (noun): a DJ's onstage announcer, esp. one who raps - Does
your MC ever forget his raps?

melody (noun): a tune, or the notes of a song - Can you whistle the song's melody?

mixtape (noun): a collection of free tracks, usually downloadable or on cassette tape - Let's

download some more mixtapes.

modal jazz (noun): jazz that uses Arabic or Indian modes instead of European scales - McCoy
Tyner played modal jazz with John Coltrane.

neo soul (noun): a style that mixes contemporary R&B and 60s or 70s soul - Angelina played
some great neo soul tracks at our party.

offbeat (noun): a beat between the main beats, often counted as "and" by musicians - Disco
has hi-hats playing on all the offbeats.

old-time music (also "hillbilly music") (noun): country music originating in the Appalachian
mountains of the USA - Do people still play old-time music much?

outlaw country (noun): a style of country music popular in the 1960s -Johnny Cash was one of
those outlaw country singers.

pedal steel guitar (noun): an electric steel guitar on a stand with foot pedals for changing the
sound - He's teaching us pedal steel guitar.
pop music (noun): a popular music genre with catchy songs that are easy to remember - I love
listening to pop music.

pop song (noun): any song that follows the pop music formula - Paul's favourite pop song
is God Only Knows by The Beach Boys.

pop soul (noun): a style of soul music with a pop-music sound - Mum's listening to pop soul
again.

popular music (noun): music that many people like and buy, like rock music and heavy metal,
hip hop and rap, pop songs, etc. - Our music teacher knows lots about classical music, but
nothing about popular music.

post-punk (adjective): of a style of experimental rock that developed after punk - Have you
heard of a post-punk band called Joy Division?

pounding (adjective): having a very strong, loud and steady beat - Those pounding disco
tracks are still great to dance to.

power chord (noun): a basic chord that can add power to music - The Kinks used lots of power
chords in their song You Really Got Me.

producer (noun): someone who oversees the recording of music - Who was the producer on
Nirvana's first album?

progressive EDM (noun): EDM made for listening to as well as dancing to - I listen to
progressive EDM when I'm on the bus.

protest song (noun): a song with lyrics that protest against war, injustice, etc. - Why don't
people write protest songs anymore?

psychedelic (adjective): related to powerful drugs like LSD - Lots of bands used psychedelic
designs on their album covers in the 60s.

punk (rock) (noun): 70s and 80s rock music with short, fast, noisy songs - The first punk band I
saw was The Sex Pistols.

rap (1) (noun): a set of lyrics rapped to a hip hop beat - He's never done a rap about getting a
job, has he?

rap (2) (verb): to speak rhythmically in rhymes over a hip hop beat - You want me to rap? I've
never rapped in my life!

rapper (noun): an artist who performs raps over a hip hop beat - My daughter wants to be a
rapper when she grows up.

rave (noun): a large dance party held outdoors or in an empty building - Did you go to any of
those raves in the 90s?
record (noun): a thin disc of black plastic on which recorded music is imprinted and sold - I
bought lots of punk records in the 70s.

recording (noun): a piece of music that's recorded in a studio or at a concert - It's one of the
best recordings they've made.

recording session (noun): time spent recording in a music studio - We've got a recording
session on Monday morning.

reggae music (noun): a genre of music that developed in Jamaica in the 1960s - If you want to
hear reggae music, try Bob Marley and the Wailers.

remix (verb): to change a track's sound-level mix and add effects - When he remixed our song,
he made the bass drum much louder.

reverb (noun): an electronic sound effect similar to an echo - They used lots of reverb on those
early Beach Boys songs.

revival (noun): the return to popularity of an old style or form - There was a rockabilly revival
during the punk music years.

rhyme (noun): a word that ends with the same sound as another word - If you don't use
rhymes, you can't call it rapping.

rhythm (noun): a pattern of beats and sounds that musicians play in time to and dancers move
to - The rhythms of African music are really complex.

riff (noun): a repeated series of chords or notes, esp. on electric guitar - Justin wants to learn
some heavy metal riffs.

rockabilly (noun): a style that mixes Western swing and R&B - Sam recorded lots of rockabilly
songs at Sun Studio in Memphis.

rock music (noun): rhythmic blues-based music played on guitar, bass, drums, etc. - Let's
listen to some rock music for a change.

sample (verb): to copy a sound or section of music from a record or audio file - We sampled a
snare-drum break from an old soul record.

sample-heavy (adjective): having many sampled sounds - If you like sample-heavy hip hop,
you'll love this album.

scale (noun): a series of notes in a fixed order from lowest to highest - The major and minor
scales each have seven notes.

scratching (noun): moving a record quickly on a turntable to create a rhythmic scratching

sound - There's a lot of scratching in his beats.
secular (adjective): not religious, or with no connection to religion - Sam Cooke recorded
secular versions of old gospel songs.

session musician (noun): a musician who can be hired to play on a recording - Session

musicians don't get much work these days.

set (noun): a group of songs performed one after the other - How many songs were in the
band's first set?

singer-songwriter (noun): a musician who writes and performs his or her own songs - Most
singer-songwriters also play guitar or keyboards.

single (noun): a song released as a digital download, or as one of two songs on a 7-inch record
- Have you heard their latest single?

standard (noun): a song that is often recorded and performed - Lots of Roy Orbison's songs
have become pop standards.

stand-up bass (or "string bass") (noun): another word for "double bass", esp. in country
music - Rockabilly bands had stand-up bass instead of bass guitar.

soul (or "soul music") (noun): a genre that combines elements of gospel music, R&B and pop
- My favourite soul singer is Al Green.

soundtrack album (noun): an album containing music made for a film - Has the soundtrack
album been released yet?

strings (noun): an orchestral string section with violins, violas, cellos and double bass - Only
the biggest jazz orchestras had strings.

swing (noun): up-tempo jazz for dancing played by big bands or jazz orchestras - Benny
Goodman wrote lots of swing tunes.

synthesizer (noun): an instrument that makes and combines electronic sounds - Matt played
organ and synthesizer in Use No Hooks.

tambourine (noun): an instrument with metal discs that rattles when hit or shaken - Mick
Jagger often plays tambourine when he sings.

techno (noun): an EDM genre from Detroit that led to many subgenres - Which style of techno
do you like the most?

texture (noun): the musical pattern created when sounds are combined - The textures on this
track are amazing.

the South (noun): the southeastern part of the USA - Some of the best soul and hip hop artists
are from the South.
tour (verb): to perform concerts in a series of cities or countries - The Rolling Stones are touring
Europe later this year.

track (noun): a recording of a song or piece of music - Their new album has some really great
tracks.

traditional music (noun): music that developed over a very long time, like traditional African
drumming and Chinese folk songs - People still play traditional music in Peru's mountain
villages.

trance (noun): a subgenre of techno with electronic beats and dreamy textures - Dad's dancing
to his old trance records again!

tune (noun): a song or melody - I know the tune, but I can't remember what it's called.

turntable (noun): a rotating plate that records sit on while being played - Dad said he'd get me
a turntable for my birthday!

twelve-inch single (noun): a special single that's longer than usual - Twelve-inch singles of
Sylvester's disco songs are awesome.

underground rap (noun): rap music by artists outside the music industry - I never hear
underground rap on the radio.

up-tempo (or "uptempo") (adjective): having a fast beat - If you want to write a happy song, it
should be up-tempo.

verse (noun): the part of a song with the same melody but different words each time it's heard
- The song has a chorus and three verses.

wah-wah pedal (noun): a pedal pushed with the foot to electronically change a guitar sound
- Listen to Shaft by Isaac Hayes if you want to hear a wah-wah pedal.

Western (country) music (noun): a style of country music that developed in the western states
of the USA - My dad likes Western music more than old-time country music.

Western swing (noun): a style that mixes Western music and big-band swing jazz - Those
Western swing records are great to dance to.

woodwind (noun): instruments played by blowing across a hole (e.g. flute) or through a reed
(e.g. saxophone) - Are you sure the saxophone is a woodwind instrument?

yearn (verb): to want something very much - His yearning for a better world is expressed in his
songs.

yodel (verb): to sing in a way that quickly changes from a very high voice to a normal voice
- When I tried to yodel, everyone laughed.