Practice
English vocabulary practice: useful words beginning with E
Sign in to saveWords that begin with the same letter can be useful for review, but a letter is not enough to tell you how to use them. Put each word in a situation. Then notice the noun, verb, or idea that helps it make sense.
Use six useful English words beginning with E by choosing their meaning, grammar, and common patterns in everyday sentences.
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
an efficient estimate /ən ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt ˈes.tɪ.mət/
The short answer
Learn each E word with one clear situation and one useful pattern. Check whether the word describes something, names an amount, asks you to look carefully, or excludes one item from a group.
The receptionist gave an efficient answer and booked the appointment quickly.
Why it works: Efficient describes an action or system that works well without wasting time or effort.
6 more examples
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The new filing system made the office more efficient.
Efficient means the system now works well with less wasted time or effort.
Not this:The old filing system made simple tasks
take too long. What changes: This describes an inefficient system because ordinary tasks use more time than they should. -
Her teacher encouraged her to apply for the course.
Encourage means give support that helps another person feel ready to act.
Not this:Her teacher
warned herthat the course would require regular study. What changes: Warn means tell someone about a possible problem. Encourage gives support rather than a warning. -
A valid passport is essential for this journey.
Essential means necessary. Without the passport, the journey cannot continue as planned.
Not this:A travel pillow
is usefulfor this journey. What changes: Useful can make a journey more comfortable. Essential names something that is necessary. -
The plumber gave us an estimate for repairing the sink.
An estimate gives an approximate cost before the work is done.
Not this:The plumber sent us
the final billafter repairing the sink. What changes: A final bill states the amount to pay after the work. An estimate is an earlier approximation. -
Please examine the form before you sign it.
Examine means look at something carefully to check its details or condition.
Not this:Please
glance atthe form before the meeting. What changes: Glance means look quickly. Examine asks for more careful attention. -
Everyone except Omar arrived before nine.
Except removes Omar from the group of people who arrived before nine.
Not this:Everyone,
including Omar, arrived before nine. What changes: Including adds Omar to the group. Except leaves him out.
Read the full guide
Start with the message in the sentence. A staff member can encourage a visitor, a list can show what is essential, and an estimate can give an approximate cost. The words become easier to recall when the situation gives them a purpose.
Learn the word with its job
First, ask what job the word does. Efficient and essential describe a noun. Encourage is an action. Estimate can name an approximate amount. Examine is a careful action, while except shows who or what is left out.
The team found an efficient way to answer customer emails.
Which word in the example describes the way the team works?
Efficient describes the way. It tells you that the team can answer emails well without wasting time.
Use efficient for a method that works well
Use efficient when a person, method, or system gets a good result without unnecessary time or effort. It often describes work processes, travel plans, and routines.
Taking the train was the most efficient way to reach the airport.
Fast only describes speed. Efficient describes how well the whole method works, including the time and effort it uses.
Use encourage with a person and an action
Encourage often follows this pattern: encourage someone to do something. The person gives support, and the second person has an action they may feel more ready to try.
The coach encouraged the players to keep practicing.
Who receives the support in this sentence, and what do they do?
The players receive the support. They are encouraged to keep practicing.
Separate essential from useful
Both essential and useful are positive words, but they are not equal. Essential means you need it. Useful means it helps, though you may be able to manage without it.
Water is essential on a long walk, but a camera is optional.
A map can be useful. A valid ticket can be essential if you need it to travel.
Check estimates and examine details
An estimate is not a final number. It is a careful approximation based on the information available. When a decision depends on details, examine the document, object, or results before you accept it.
We examined the schedule before we estimated the cost of the trip.
Estimate asks for an approximate number. Examine asks for careful attention to details.
Use except to leave one item out
Except tells the listener that one person or thing does not belong to the group in the rest of the sentence. Put it close to the item that is excluded.
I can eat every fruit except kiwi.
Does the speaker eat kiwi in this sentence?
No. Except kiwi means kiwi is the one fruit left out of the group.
Before you go
Remember this
Review the six E words in their sentence patterns. Use efficient for something that works well, encourage for support, essential for a need, estimate for an approximate amount, examine for careful looking, and except for one item left out of a group.
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 E"
What does efficient mean in English?
Efficient describes a person, method, or system that works well without wasting time or effort. In the lesson, the new filing system becomes more efficient because simple tasks no longer take too long.
The new filing system made the office more efficient.
How do I use encourage in a sentence?
A useful pattern is encourage someone to do something. Her teacher encouraged her to apply for a course, so the teacher gave support for an action rather than simply describing the course.
The old filing system made simple tasks take too long.
What is the difference between essential and useful?
Essential means completely necessary, while useful means helpful. A passport can be essential for a journey because the trip cannot continue as planned without it. A travel pillow may be useful but is not required.
Her teacher encouraged her to apply for the course.
Is an estimate a final price?
No. An estimate is an approximate calculation made before the exact result is known. The plumber's estimate gives a likely repair cost, while the final bill states the amount after the work is complete.
Her teacher warned her that the course would require regular study.
How do I use except correctly?
Use except before the person or thing left out of a group. In 'Everyone except Omar arrived before nine,' Omar is the only person who did not arrive before nine. Including has the opposite effect because it adds an item to the group.
A valid passport is essential for this journey.