Practice
English vocabulary practice: useful words beginning with A
Sign in to saveA short word list can become useful when you know the job each word does. These A words help you talk about choices, money, rules, feelings, and careful attention.
Use common B1 words beginning with A to describe advice, ability, permission, feelings, and attention.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
aware of /əˈweə(r) əv/
The short answer
Choose the A word by its job in the sentence: advice is a noun, afford and avoid are verbs, and aware is usually followed by of.
I asked my manager for advice before I applied for the course.
Why it works: Advice is the help or opinion that someone gives you. It is a noun.
8 more examples
-
My neighbor gave me useful advice about renting an apartment.
Advice is a noun for guidance or an opinion that may help someone decide.
Not this:My neighbor gave me
useful informationabout renting an apartment. What changes: Information gives facts. Advice suggests what a person should do. -
We cannot afford a larger office this year.
Afford means have enough money to pay for the office.
Not this:We cannot
choose a larger officethis year. What changes: Choose is about preference or decision. Afford is about money. -
The library allows members to borrow ten books at a time.
Allow gives members permission to borrow books.
Not this:The library
asks members to borrowten books at a time. What changes: Ask makes a request. Allow gives permission. -
She felt anxious about speaking at the meeting.
Anxious describes a worried or nervous feeling before an event.
Not this:She felt
excited about speakingat the meeting. What changes: Excited can be positive anticipation. Anxious focuses on worry or nervousness. -
Please arrange a time to discuss the report.
Arrange means make a plan or organize the details.
Not this:Please
change a timeto discuss the report. What changes: Change means make something different. Arrange means set up the plan. -
He avoids driving during the busiest part of the day.
Avoid means choose not to do something or stay away from it.
Not this:He
delays drivingduring the busiest part of the day. What changes: Delay means do something later. Avoid means not do it in that situation. -
Are you aware of the change to the train schedule?
Aware means knowing that a fact or situation exists.
Not this:Are you
interested in the changeto the train schedule? What changes: Interested means wanting to know more. Aware means already knowing about it. -
The average journey to work takes thirty minutes.
Average describes a typical result after many results are considered.
Not this:
The usual journeyto work takes thirty minutes. What changes: Usual means common. Average often refers to a measured or calculated typical result.
Read the full guide
Start with the meaning you need. Then check the grammar around the word. For example, we say afford something, allow someone to do something, and be aware of something.
Choose the word by its job
Words in one alphabet list do not belong to one grammar group. Advice names help. Afford, allow, arrange, and avoid describe actions. Anxious and aware describe states or feelings. Average can describe a typical result.
The coach gave the team advice before the match.
Advice is the thing the coach gives, so it works as a noun.
Use advice for guidance
Ask for advice when you want another person's opinion about a decision. Advice is uncountable in standard English. Say some advice, a little advice, or a piece of advice.
Could you give me some advice about my job interview?
Which phrase is natural: three advices or three pieces of advice?
Use three pieces of advice because advice does not usually take a plural s.
Use afford and allow with clear patterns
Use afford for money or time that is available for something. Use allow when a rule or person gives permission. The pattern allow someone to do something is common.
I cannot afford to replace my phone this month.
The museum allows children to enter for free on Sundays.
Afford is about having enough resources. Allow is about permission.
Describe worry and knowledge
Use anxious when someone feels worried or nervous. Say anxious about a situation, or anxious to do something when the person strongly wants to do it. Use aware of when someone knows about a fact or problem.
They were anxious about the delayed flight.
The staff were aware of the safety issue.
Anxious describes a feeling. Aware describes knowledge.
Plan, stay away, and describe typical results
Arrange means organize a plan, meeting, or event. Avoid means stay away from an action, place, or problem. Use average for a typical result, especially when numbers or repeated results are involved.
We arranged to meet outside the station at noon.
She avoids eating late because it affects her sleep.
The average temperature in July is higher than in April.
Check the sentence around the A word
Before you choose a word, look at what comes next. A noun may follow afford. A person and to plus a verb often follow allow. Of often follows aware. These small patterns help you choose the right word more reliably.
You know about a change in office hours. Which phrase fits: aware of or avoid of?
Use aware of: We are aware of the change in office hours.
Before you go
Remember this
Use advice for guidance, afford for money, allow for permission, anxious for worry, arrange for planning, avoid for staying away, aware of for knowledge, and average for a typical measured result.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English vocabulary practice: useful words beginning with A"
What are some useful B1 English words beginning with A?
Useful B1 A words include advice, afford, allow, anxious, arrange, avoid, aware, and average. Learn each word with the grammar pattern that commonly follows it.
My neighbor gave me useful advice about renting an apartment.
Is advice countable in English?
Advice is usually uncountable in standard English. Say some advice or a piece of advice. Use pieces of advice when you want to count separate suggestions.
My neighbor gave me useful information about renting an apartment.
What does afford mean?
Afford means have enough money for something. You can also use it for time or another resource when the sentence makes that meaning clear.
We cannot afford a larger office this year.
How do I use allow in a sentence?
Use allow when a person or rule gives permission. A common pattern is allow someone to do something, as in The rules allow visitors to take photographs.
We cannot choose a larger office this year.
What is the difference between anxious and aware?
Anxious describes a worried or nervous feeling. Aware describes knowing about something. You can be aware of a problem without feeling anxious about it.
The library allows members to borrow ten books at a time.