VOCABULARY LIST
Key English Test (KET)
Key English Test for Schools (KETfS)
Introduction to the KET Vocabulary List
The KET Vocabulary List gives teachers a guide to the vocabulary needed when preparing students for the KET and KET for Schools examinations.
Background to the list
The KET Vocabulary List was originally developed by Cambridge ESOL in consultation with external consultants to guide item writers who produce materials for the KET examination. It drew on vocabulary from the Council of Europe’s Waystage (1990) specification and other vocabulary which corpus evidence shows is high frequency.
The list covers vocabulary appropriate to the A2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) 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 and KET for Schools 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 KET Vocabulary List is updated on an annual basis, with the decision to add or remove words being informed by reference to the Cambridge Learner Corpus and English Vocabulary Profile.
The Cambridge Learner Corpus is a collection of over 44 million words of English, based upon evidence of language use by learners from all over the world and from which the English Vocabulary Profile has developed. The English Vocabulary Profile shows the most common words and phrases t
hat learners of English need to know in British or American English. The meaning of each word or phrase in the wordlists has been assigned a level between A1 and B2 on the CEFR.
A preview version of the English Vocabulary Profile can be accessed by visiting the website:
Organisation of the list
•Word sets
Some categories of words that a learner at this level might be expected to know, e.g. days of the week, are not included in the alphabetical list but are listed in Appendix 1. Although ‘grammar words’ (pronouns, modal verbs, etc.) are included, the Language Specifications section of the KET and KET for Schools Handbooks (available from ) should be consulted for a more complete listing.
•Exemplificationiron sky
Example phrases and sentences showing how words might be used are given only where words with different meanings need to be constrained. For example, bank is followed by ‘I changed my money in
a bank’ – this shows that bank is limited to the idea of a financial institution: candidates are not expected to know other meanings, such as ‘a river bank’.
•Multi-word verbs
All multi-word (or phrasal) verbs that a KET or KET for Schools 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 2, words have been grouped together under common KET and/or KET for Schools themes, such as ‘Food and Drink’, ‘House and Home’ and ‘Sport’.
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 and KET for Schools, for example war and politics, and vocabulary relating to these is not included in the KET Vocabulary List.
Personal vocabulary
we are the world mvThe content of the KET Vocabulary 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 hobbies, likes and dislikes.
Abbreviations
Abbreviations used in the KET Vocabulary List are:
abbrev abbreviation or acronym mv modal verb
adj adjective n noun
adv adverb phr v phrasal verb
av auxiliary verb pl plural
Am Eng American English prep preposition
Br Eng British English prep phr prepositional phrase
conj conjunction pron pronoun
det determiner sing singular
exclam exclamation v verb
Summary of points to be noted
•The list does not include every word that may appear on a KET or KET for Schools paper.
•The list covers receptive and productive vocabulary.
•The list is updated every year.
A
a/an (det)
able (adj)
•be able to
about (adv & prep)
•What about a cold drink?
•I have about £3. (adv)
• a book about animals (prep)
above (adv & prep)
accident (n)
across (adv & prep)
•The bank’s across the road.
•He walked across the bridge.
act (n & v)
activity (n)
actor (n)
actually (adv)
ad (n)
•an ad on TV
add (v)
address (n)
adult (adj & n)
advanced (adj)
adventure (n)
advertisement (n)
advice (n)
aeroplane (n)
afraid (adj)
after (adv & prep)
afternoon (n)
afterwards (adv)
again (adv)
against (prep)
•We watched England play against France. age (n)
•I don’t know his age.
aged (adj)
ago (adv)
agree (v)
•Yes, I agree with you.
•Don’t you agree, Sam?
air (n)
•to travel by air
airport (n)
alarm clock (n)
album (n)
all (adv, det & pron)
all right/alright (adj, adv & exclam)
almost (adv)
alone (adj & adv)
along (prep)
already (adv)
alright (adj, adv & exclam)also (adv)
always (adv)
< (adv)
amazing (adj)
ambulance (n)
among (prep)
伴虎mvan (det)
and (conj)
angry (adj)
animal (n)
another (det & pron)
answer (n & v)
any (det & pron)
anybody (pron)
anymore (adv)
anyone (pron)
anything (pron)
anyway (adv)
anywhere (adv)
apartment (n)
apartment building (n)
歌曲人生如梦apple (n)
appointment (n)
•an appointment with the doctor
area (n)
arm (n)
armchair (n)
around (adv & prep)
•to travel around (adv)
•to sit around the table (prep)
arrive (v)
art (n)
article (n)
•an article about skiing
artist (n)
as (conj & prep)
•as good as
•as soon as possible
•the same as
ask (v)
assistant (n)
as well (adv)
as well (as) (prep)
at (prep)
at / @ (prep)
•My email address is attractive (adj)
aunt (n)
autumn (n)
available (adj)
away (adv)
•He’s gone away.
•It’s two kilometres away.
awful (adj)
B
baby (n)
back (n, adv & adj)
backpack (n)
bad (adj)
badly (adv)
badminton (n)
bag (n)
bake (v)
ball (n)
balloon (n)
banana (n)
bandage (n)
bank (n)
•I changed my money in the bank. barbecue (n)
baseball (n)
basketball (n)
bat (n)
bath (n)
bathing suit (n)
bathroom (n)
bathtub (n)
battery (n)
be (av & v)
beach (n)
bean (n)
bear (n)
beard (n)
beautiful (adj)
because (conj)
become (v)
bed (n)
bedroom (n)
bee (n)
before (adv, conj & prep)
begin (v)
beginner (n)
beginning (n)
behind (adv & prep)
believe (v)
belong (v)
below (adv & prep)
belt (n)
beside (prep)
best (adj & adv)
better (adj & adv)
between (prep)
bicycle (n)
big (adj)
bike (n)
bill (n)
•Can I have my bill, please? biology (n)
bird (n)
birth (n)
birthday (n)
biscuit (n) (Br Eng) (Am Eng: cookie)
bit (n)
•Just a small bit of cake, please. black (adj & n)
blackboard (n)
blanket (n)
block (n)
•Shall we walk round the block?
士兵突击音乐blond(e) (adj)
blood (n)
blouse (n)
blue (adj & n)
board (n)
•The teacher’s writing on the
(black/white)board.
board game (n)
boat (n)
body (n)
boil (v)
boiled (adj)
book (n & v)
bookcase (n)
bookshelf (n)
bookshop (n) (Br Eng) (Am Eng: bookstore) bookstore (n) (Am Eng) (Br Eng: bookshop) boot (n)
• a pair of boots
bored (adj)
boring (adj)
born (v)
•I was born in Manchester.
borrow (v)
•She borrowed a book from the library. boss (n)
both (pron & det)
bother (v)
bottle (n)
bottom (n)
•at the bottom of the stairs
bowl (n)
box (n)
boy (n)
boyfriend (n)
brain (n)
brave (adj)
bread (n)
break (n & v)
• a break for lunch (n)
•Someone’s broken the window. (v) breakfast (n)
bridge (n)
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