Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Antonyms and Synonyms

Antonyms


1. take

2. red

3. empty

4. dirty

5. cool

6. tasteless

7. raw

8. sour

9. asleep

10. late



1. on purpose

2. common

3. stay

4. fail

5. many

6. none

7. war

8. stressed

9. reward

10. dry



1. together

2. absent

3. child

4. minimum

5. true

6. hopeless

7. modest

8. educated

9. complicated

10. innocent



Synonyms


1. person

2. animal

3. delicious

4. angry

5. jump

6. triumph

7. run

8. challenging

9. sightless

10. ghost



1. stone

2. river

3. weird

4. rich

5. serpent

6. hazard

7. chance

8. sight

9. power

10. night




1. country

2. educator

3. recall

4. two times

5. journey

6. narrow

7. soil

8. actual

9. past

10. lovely

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Colour



what colour do you think of?

Sensitive

Earthy and serious

Neutral

Passionate

Creative and natural

Serious and professional

Practical and on the move

Open and positive

Helpful and kind

Creative and nerdy

Pure and innocent

Confident and passionate

Independent and a bit rebellious

Fun and sporty







sick     angry      sleep      awake       sensitive      passion     neutral       mental       change    slow     fast

embarrassing     sadness     positive       kindness       innocent       powerful      love      deep      alon


caring      intelligent     neutral     passionate     courageous     independent     creative      analytical

serious       jokey       thoughtful        generous       warm-hearted      shy       extraverted      introverted




What words does this remind you of?


Think of six things that are naturally blue. You can't say "sky"or "sea".

1
2
3
4
5
6



What colours can you see on this dress?
















What colours are you wearing today? Why?

















colour idioms







choose the correct word









out of the blue/red  (unexpectedly)










Q: Which of these events have occurred out of the blue?

Covid
World War II
9/11
The "discovery" of the American Continent by Christopher Columbus
The sinking of the Titanic








pink/green with envy     (jealous)









Is anyone jealous of you for any reason? Why?











purple/orange with rage    (angry)

get caught red/black handed    (guilty)

to have green/white thumbs       (good at gardening)












What makes you go purple with rage?
Do you have green thumbs?
Have you ever tried "shop-lifting"? Why? Why not? Did you get away with it?









  a white/blue lie      (small lie told to be polite or kid)










Tell each other some good reasons to tell white lies.











once in a red/blue moon       (not often at all)








Think about 
something you and your family do once in a blue moon
something that you almost never say or do, but just sometimes you do










to get the green/red light     (to be given permission)









Who gave you the green light to come to NZ?






What colour goes with these noun-adjectives for colour?



ocean
forest
lemon
royal
emerald
sapphire
sky
pitch
dirt
fire-engine
battleship
eggshell
snowy
stark
hot











Speaking:



You have ten characters in a play. They're personality and attitude is expressed in the following statements. What colour will their costume be?

1. Andy: I'm positive, open and lively.
2. Anna: I need my own space. I'm gentle but fragile.
3. Sharon: Don't tell me what to do. I'm my own boss.
4. Gus: I hear what you're saying but I don't want to be involved. I'm not really interested in people.
5. Brian: I'm a person in authority. Behave yourselves.
6. Patricia: I'm royalty. Obey me!
7. Angela: I'm caring and warm. Others are more important for me.
8. Susan: I'm creative yet analytical. I'm nerdy, but original.
9. Arthur: I'm passionate. Love me!
10. David: I'm often in a bit of a hurry, I hate to stand around all day. Please let me through.


Here are ten colours / shades:

1. Dark blue
2. Light blue
3. Orange
4. Red
5. Yellow
6. Grey
7. White
8. Purple
9. Peach
10. Black


Extension: which of these characters will get on well together? Which won't?
















What does the diagram show?


/Users/grahamshawcross/Documents/blog_drafts/shooting baboons/Co
Colour Hierarchy Diagram (after Berlin and Kay 1969)



Answer:
The diagram above works from left to right (following the arrows and plus signs). If a language has a particular colour word then it will also have all the colour words to the left of that word. So if a language has a word for blue, then it will also have words for yellowgreenredblack and white. The diagram also indicates that if a language has a word for say pink, then it may, or may not, have a word for purple, but it will have colour words for brownblue etc.
Why is this?




Watch:
 
The mystery of Blue

Questions:

1. Which famous book about the sea never mentions the colour blue?
2. Which colours would be the first (and last) to be named in ancient languages? Why?

red turquoise black blue white yellow green orange violet


3. Which culture was one of the first to produce a blue dye?
4. How could you test whether or not someone can see a colour?
5.  "Without a word for a colour you may find it difficult to see it”. Do you think this is true?


Discussion:

According to the video, is there some connection between a culture manufacturing colour and "naming" it?
What example was given of this?


C.S Lewis (author of the Narnia series)
"in order to see precisely what something is, you first need to have a vague idea of what it is."


Is the same thing true of the other senses - hearing?






Which sense to you trust most?

SIGHT       HEARING      SMELL      TASTE     TOUCH

How do you check that you're not dreaming?








Does Davidoff's test prove that having a word for a colour might help us to see it? 







We use the expressions "eye-opening experience" or "to open someone's eyes" to mean a person or film or book or journey etc that really made you to see a whole new world. 



Has anyone (or anything) really opened your eyes (or your mind) before?






Create the correct FORM of the word and then check below:

In 'The Odyssey,' Greek poet Homer   FAME    describes the 'wine-dark sea.'
In 1858 William Gladstone, who later became the British prime minister, counted the colour    REFER       in the Homer's Odyssey and found blue wasn't mentioned at all. Black is mentioned NEAR    200 times and white about 100. Red,    WHILE    , is mentioned    FEW   than 15 times, and yellow and green fewer than 10.

It wasn't just the Greeks. Blue also doesn't appear in the Koran, ancient Chinese stories, and an ancient Hebrew version of the Bible,    ACCORD   to a German philologist named Lazarus Geiger.


Check

In 'The Odyssey,' Greek poet Homer famously describes the 'wine-dark sea.'
In 1858 William Gladstone, who later became the British prime minister, counted the colour references in the Homer's Odyssey and found blue wasn't mentioned at all. Black is mentioned nearly 200 times and white about 100. Red, meanwhile, is mentioned fewer than 15 times, and yellow and green fewer than 10.

It wasn't just the Greeks. Blue also doesn't appear in the Koran, ancient Chinese stories, and an ancient Hebrew version of the Bible, according to a German philologist named Lazarus Geiger.






Look at this diagram. What do you think it illustrates?





The surprising pattern behind color names around the world




1. How many colour categories do we have in English?

2. How did anthropologists used to believe colour terms were chosen by cultures?

3. What did the research in 1969 suggest about how colour terms develop in a language?

4. What did William Gladstone notice about Homer's use of colour terms?

4. How do languages with only a few colour terms describe colours that don't have terms?

5. How is colour expressed in Hanuno'o?

6. Why might a word for "red" be formulated before a word for "blue"?

7. What have researchers discovered about colours themselves?


Image result for hanunoo color categories


Where would you place these colours in the Hanuno'o spectrum?

Black, dark blue, light blue, purple, orange, white, grey, silver, gold, light green, dark green, pink, red, yellow....






IELTS Listening test practice

 Online practice test

Time conjunctions

Time clauses (easier)


More time clauses


 Time clauses (more challenge)

Monday, December 15, 2025

Personality and adjectives


Describe a friend

 

What is their name?

How old are they?

Where do they live?

How long have you known them?

Where and when did you meet them?

What do they look like? Are they attractive?

What clothes do they like to wear?

Do they have a special style?

What are their interests?

What do they love to get up to?

What is their personality like? 

Are they sociable? Shy?

Are they hard-working? lazy?

Why do you like this person?

Do they like animals?

Do they like going out?

Do they like dancing?

Do they have any strong opinions?

Is there anything about them you don't like?

Have you ever had a disagreement or fight with this friend?

 








Take simple notes on the result of your personality test.

Write down ten things it says about you...

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.


















Line up in teams. One player in each team must face away from the board. The teacher circles a word. If your player is the first to say the word, your team gets to move ahead one place. When all the players have been through the cycle they team gets a point.




Discreet      Robust        Resourceful           Sharp-witted          Unassuming           Versatile  
Painstaking         Assertive            Diligent           Idealistic         Boastful          Leisurely 
Contrary           Courageous           Courteous          Resilient        Adaptable        Cooperative 
Alert          Watchful             Capable           Able             Cautious             Charming         Competent 
Composed            Affectionate          Agreeable          Conscientious            Considerate 
Curious         Eager           Daring         Decisive          Faithful            Loyal           Amiable 
Hyperactive            Insipid            Intense            Jaded            Methodical          Forceful         Frank 
Good-natured           Firm            Dignified           Reflective                  Reserved            Dynamic 
Earnest             Eccentric            Empathetic            Ethical        Meticulous           Mild 
Outgoing         Patient            Peaceable            Tranquil          Persevering         Poised 
Precise           Prudent             Purposeful 




1. A resilient person is able to....

2. A contrary person tends to....

3. An intense person can...

4. Affectionate people like to...

5. A reflective person will often...

6. A meticulous person hates...

7. A dignified person never...

8. A curious person always...

9. An earnest person can be...

10. An eccentric person might...


Adaptable 

Affectionate

Agreeable

Alert

Assertive

Boastful

Capable

Cautious

Charming

Competent

Composed

Conscientious

Considerate 

Contrary

Courageous

Courteous

Cultured

Curious

Daring

Decisive

Dignified

Diligent

Dynamic

Discreet

 

Polite

firm

Brave

brave; courageous

eager to learn or know

hard-working

diligent and careful

calm

able to do something

full of excessive pride

 capable

 pleasant and attractive

 careful

Cooperative

Educated, polished, and refined

often opposed to other's ideas

 thoughtful of others

active, energetic

gentle and loving

Capable of changing

careful about what one says or does

Acting with confidence and force

Watchful

worthy of respect


          


_____able

Capable of changing

Aff____ate

gentle and loving

Agre_____

Cooperative

Al___

watchful

A_____tive

Acting with confidence and force

B_____ful

full of excessive pride

___able

able to do something

Cautious

C___ful

Ch____ing

pleasant and attractive

Co____tent

capable

C_____sed

calm

Conscientious

diligent and careful

Co_____erate

thoughtful of others

Co_____ary

often opposed to other's ideas

Co____ous

brave

C______eous

polite

Cu_____red

Educated, polished, and refined 

_____+ious

eager to learn or know

_____ng

brave; courageous

_____ive

firm

_____fied

worthy of respect

D____gent

hard-working

____mic

active, energetic

D____eet

careful about what one says or does

____st

Serious and sincere

Ec_____ric

unconventional and slightly strange

E_____hetic

feeling another's pain as one's own

_____cal

morally right

____hful

loyal

_____ful

Strong and assertive

___nk

honest

Good-na____d

amiable

H_____ctive

overactive

Id____stic

Emphasizing principles

In___erent

unclear

In____d

uninteresting

Int_____

has strong feelings

____ed

Worn out, tired of life 

Le____ely

unhurried

___ely

Full of life and energy

____odical

systematic

Met___lous

Extremely careful

Mi___

gentle

Outg___

friendly and socially confident

P_____taking

extremely careful; taking pains

___ient

willing to wait without complaining

______able

Tranquil

____severing

determined

Po__ed

calm and balanced - not easily upset

Precise

____ct

Prudent

wise, careful, cautious

_____seful

having determination, a sense of direction

______tive

taking time to think carefully about things; thoughtful

Re____d

shy

___ilient

quick to recover

Rob_____

strong

_______ceful

able to meet any situation

Sharp-w_____

quick thinking

Un______ing

modest

V_______e

able to do many things well

 

Adaptable

Capable of changing

 

Affectionate

gentle and loving

 

Agreeable

Cooperative

 

Alert

watchful

 

Assertive

Acting with confidence and force

 

Boastful

full of excessive pride

 

Capable

able to do something

 

Cautious

careful

 

Charming

pleasant and attractive

 

Competent

capable

 

Composed

calm

 

Conscientious

diligent and careful

 

Considerate

thoughtful of others

 

Contrary

often opposed to other's ideas

 

 

Courageous

brave

 

Courteous

polite

 

Cultured

Educated, polished, and refined

 

Curious

eager to learn or know

 

Daring

brave; courageous

 

Decisive

firm

 

Dignified

worthy of respect

 

 

Diligent

hard-working

 

Dynamic

active, energetic

 

Discreet

careful about what one says or does

 

Earnest

Serious and sincere

 

Eccentric

unconventional and slightly strange

 

Empathetic

feeling another's pain as one's own

 

Ethical

morally right

 

 

Faithful

loyal

 

Forceful

Strong and assertive

 

Frank

honest

 

Good-natured

amiable

 

Hyperactive

overactive

 

Idealistic

Emphasizing principles

 

Incoherent

unclear

 

 

Insipid

uninteresting

 

Intense

has strong feelings

 

Jaded

Worn out, tired of life

 

Leisurely

unhurried

 

Lively

Full of life and energy

 

Methodical

systematic

 

Meticulous

Extremely careful

 

 

Mild

gentle

 

Outgoing

friendly and socially confident

 

Painstaking

extremely careful; taking pains

 

Patient

willing to wait without complaining

 

Peaceable

Tranquil

 

Persevering

determined

 

Poised

calm and balanced - not easily upset

 

 

Precise

exact

 

Prudent

wise, careful, cautious

 

Purposeful

having determination, a sense of direction

 

Reflective

taking time to think carefully about things; thoughtful

 

Reserved

shy

 

Resilient

quick to recover

 

Robust

strong

 

 

Resourceful

able to meet any situation

 

Sharp-witted

quick thinking

 

Unassuming

modest

 

Versatile

able to do many things well


Capable of changing

gentle and loving

Cooperative

watchful

Acting with confidence and force

full of excessive pride

able to do something

 

Cautious

pleasant and attractive

capable

calm

diligent and careful

thoughtful of others

often opposed to other's ideas

brave

 

polite

Educated, polished, and refined 

eager to learn or know

brave; courageous

firm

worthy of respect

hard-working

active, energetic

careful about what one says or does

A_____tive

B_____ful

___able

_____able

Aff____ate

Agre_____

Al___

 

C_____sed

Co_____ary

Co______ous

Cons_______ious

C____ful

Ch____ing

Co____tent

Co_____erate

 

_____ious

_____ng

C______eous

Cu_____red

D____gent

_______mic

D____eet

_____ive

_____fied



A


_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Capable of change.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Gentle and loving.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Cooperative.
_ _ _ _ _: Watchful.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Confident and forceful.


B
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Excessively proud.



C

_ _ _ _ _ _: Able to do something.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Careful.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Pleasant and attractive.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Capable and skilled.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Calm and collected.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Diligent and careful.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Thoughtful of others.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Opposed to others' ideas.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Brave.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Polite.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Educated and refined.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Eager to learn.


D
_ _ _ _ _ _: Bold and brave.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Firm in decisions.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Worthy of respect.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Hard-working.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Energetic and active.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Careful in speech and action.

E

_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Serious and sincere.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Unconventional and quirky.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Sharing the feelings of others.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Morally right.


F
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Loyal.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Strong and assertive.
_ _ _ _: Honest and direct.


G
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Friendly and pleasant.


H
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Overly energetic.


I
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Upholding high principles.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Unclear or disjointed.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Uninteresting or bland.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Strongly felt or expressed.


J
_ _ _ _ _ _: Worn out or tired.


L
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Unhurried and relaxed.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Full of energy.


M
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Systematic and organized.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Extremely careful and precise.
_ _ _ _: Gentle in nature.


O
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Socially confident and friendly.


P
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Extremely careful; thorough.
_ _ _ _ _: Willing to wait without complaint.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Tranquil and calm.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Determined and persistent.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Balanced and calm under pressure.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Exact and accurate.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Wise and cautious.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Determined with a sense of direction.


R
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Thoughtful and contemplative.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Shy or restrained.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _: Quick to recover.
_ _ _ _ _ _: Strong and healthy.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Able to handle any situation.


S
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Quick-thinking.


U
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Modest and humble.


V
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: Able to perform many tasks well.



Conversation practice


  1. Elegant: What does elegance mean to you, and do you believe it’s something that can be learned, or is it inherent?
  2. Cynical: Do you think cynicism is ever justified, or does it generally stem from a negative perspective on life? How does it affect relationships?
  3. Responsible: In your opinion, what makes a person truly responsible? Is it about actions, decisions, or both?
  4. Clinical: How do you think a clinical approach to situations (like in medicine or business) can both help and hinder emotional or human aspects?
  5. Presentable: Do you think being presentable is more about personal appearance or about how we present ourselves in terms of behavior and attitude? Why?
  6. Courageous: What do you think distinguishes courageous actions from reckless ones? Can courage be learned?
  7. Fastidious: Do you think being fastidious about details is always a positive trait, or can it sometimes be a flaw? How does it affect your work or relationships?
  8. Dignified: How do you maintain dignity in difficult situations, and do you think it’s always important to do so?
  9. Contrary: How do you handle people who are constantly contrary, and what do you think motivates someone to take such an approach in discussions or decision-making?
  10. Cautious: Do you think being cautious is often a sign of wisdom, or does it sometimes prevent growth and progress? What’s the balance between caution and taking risks?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Boastful: Do you think there’s ever a time when boasting can be seen as a positive thing, or is it always perceived negatively? Why?
  2. Considerate: What does it mean to be truly considerate of others, and how can being considerate strengthen relationships?
  3. Cultured: How important do you think it is to be cultured in today’s society, and how do you define "culture" in a globalized world?
  4. Rewarding: What’s the most rewarding experience you’ve had in your personal or professional life, and why did it feel so fulfilling?
  5. Demanding: In your opinion, is being demanding a necessary trait for success, or does it often backfire in relationships and teams?
  6. Flexible: How do you think being flexible helps in navigating life’s challenges, and are there times when flexibility can be a disadvantage?
  7. Illogical: Have you ever encountered a situation where an illogical decision or behavior turned out to have unexpected benefits? How did it change your perspective?
  8. Outgoing: How does being outgoing affect a person’s social life, and do you think it’s something people can change about themselves if they’re naturally more introverted?
  9. Conscientious: Do you believe being conscientious makes someone a better leader or employee? What are the pros and cons of having this trait in the workplace?
  10. Sarcastic: How do you interpret sarcasm in conversations? Can it ever be helpful, or does it generally create misunderstandings?