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English B2 vocabulary list: 1,044 words

1,044 words · Story levels: A0–B2
Including: the · to · in · of · is

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the

/ðiː/

definite article marking a specific noun

/ðiː/

definite article marking a specific noun

Also means: article forming part of a proper name · superlative marker in “the most” · definite article nominalizing an adjective

I am in the kitchen.

Cold House, One Bar · A1

/tuː/

marks an infinitive verb

Also means: marks movement toward a destination · marks the recipient or addressee · marks an adjacent position

i need to know about a cat!

My Flatmate Put the Heating On · A1

/ɪn/

inside or within a place

Also means: during a period of time · present within something · in a manner or respect

I asked in 7B.

Best Mistake Ever · A1

/ɪz/

present copula linking a subject to an adjective

Also means: present copula expressing identity or membership · present locative copula expressing presence or location · progressive auxiliary be

the barn is big.

Cold House, One Bar · A1

/ɪt/

singular inanimate object pronoun

Also means: singular inanimate subject pronoun · dummy subject pronoun in an impersonal statement · singular subject pronoun for an unidentified person

leo. I saw it.

She Already Saw It · A1

/ðɪs/

demonstrative pronoun: this thing or situation

Also means: demonstrative determiner: near singular thing · demonstrative pronoun: this person or name · demonstrative determiner: this particular person or name

I can do this.

Best Mistake Ever · A1

/ɑn/

touching or resting on a surface

Also means: marks a date · located at or along a place · written or printed on a document

he is on the platform.

Sam Explains Everything · A1

/nɑt/

negates a verb phrase

Also means: negates a noun phrase · negates an adjective or property · negates a prepositional phrase

i did not do that.

My Flatmate Put the Heating On · A1

/æt/

direction of visual attention

Also means: specific time · location at a place or landmark · location at a table

Mia looks at the ring.

Found in the Mud · A1

/miː/

speaker as recipient or addressee

Also means: speaker as direct object · speaker as affected party · speaker as subject of an infinitive

…send me the next one.

Her Name Is Lowri · A1

/laɪk/

comparison marker: similar to; resembling

Also means: conversational filler or discourse marker · enjoyed or took pleasure in · approximation marker meaning “approximately”

ada was like that.

We Press Send · A1

/wɪl/

marks a decision or intention

Also means: marks a future prediction · a person's resolve or determination · marks a characteristic or habitual tendency

ok. i will make tea.

We Press Send · A1

/dʒʌst/

merely; no more than

Also means: very recently · marks hesitation or a faltering start · softens an imperative

ok. one more. just one.

Her Name Is Lowri · A1

/naʊ/

at the present time

Also means: at this point in a situation · discourse marker signaling a transition or shift · introduces an imperative command

where are you now?

An Unknown Number · A1

/siː/

visually perceive

Also means: meet or visit someone · understand or realize · witness or observe

I can see messages.

Cold House, One Bar · A1

/wɪtʃ/

relative pronoun referring to the preceding statement

Also means: relative pronoun acting as the clause object · relative pronoun acting as the clause subject · relative pronoun acting as the object of a preposition

But it was something growing, which was more than they had managed before.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/taɪm/

a period of duration

Also means: an occasion or instance · A particular or appropriate moment for something · the clock time or time of day

In this bakery, time does not matter.

The Baker with the Broken Clock · A1

/ɡəʊ/

move or leave

Also means: proceed or happen in a particular way · be lost or no longer available · enter a place

Go to my house.

No Milk in the Fridge · A0

/noʊ/

be aware of information

Also means: be acquainted with a person · express uncertainty · discourse marker seeking acknowledgment

i need to know about a cat!

My Flatmate Put the Heating On · A1

/mʌtʃ/

degree adverb: to a great extent or amount

Also means: standalone quantity pronoun: an amount · quantity determiner specifying an amount of a mass noun · quantity determiner in a question: what amount of

hey, thank you so much! i have your chicken noodles here. we can swap! is that ok?

I Think I Have Your Takeaway Order · A1

/teɪk/

take possession of

Also means: capture a photograph · carry or bring · take something, with the object unspecified

It takes the apple.

The Dragon in the Tower of London · A1

/kʌm/

arrive or attend

Also means: return · advance or flow inward · accompany someone

ok. i am coming.

Sam Explains Everything · A1

/ˈæftɚ/

following a time or event, before a noun phrase

Also means: later; afterward · following the time when something happens, before a clause · pursuing or following someone or something

It is after the rain.

Found in the Mud · A1

/bɪˈfɔr/

subordinator introducing a later-time clause

Also means: preposition meaning earlier than a specified event · previously; at an earlier time · preposition meaning in front of someone in a line or order

before I deleted it.

Wait, No, Not This Chat · A1

/ʌp/

particle meaning lift or take

Also means: toward a higher position · into an upright position · particle meaning search for information

She picks it up.

Not For Me · A1

/bæk/

to a previous place

Also means: in reply · again, resuming a previous action · at the rear

go back to the machine!!

Where Is My Ticket? · A1

/lʊk/

direct one’s gaze

Also means: appear · search for · attention-getting discourse marker

Mia looks at the ring.

Found in the Mud · A1

/ˈvɛri/

intensifies an adjective or adverb

Also means: intensifies a quantifier expressing a small number

Now, he is very curious.

A Note on an Old Ticket · A1

/tɛl/

inform or say to someone

Also means: narrate or recount · instruct someone to do something · distinguish or figure out

i did not tell you.

Sam Explains Everything · A1

/boʊθ/

the two, before a plural noun

Also means: the two people or things, used alone · showing that an action applies to the two subjects · indicating that two properties or descriptions apply

At two o'clock, the judges tasted both cakes.

The Bake-Off That Split the Village in Two · A2

/lʌv/

strongly like or enjoy

Also means: feel deep affection for someone · term of endearment used in address · affectionate letter closing

she will love it!!

Wait, No, Not This Chat · A1

/ʃoʊ/

displayed or revealed something to someone

Also means: a program or performance · explained or demonstrated something to someone · became visible or apparent

The light showed a long, straight path.

The Bride Who Walked the Wrong Road Home · A2

/bɪˈtwiːn/

in the relationship or distinction involving two things

Also means: in the space separating two things · during the interval from one time to another

The ring is between them.

The Wrong Moment · A1

/fiːl/

experience a feeling or emotional state

Also means: seem or give an impression · perceive something through physical sensation · intuitively sense or know something

if you feel ok i mean.

We're in the Same Waiting Room · A2

/ˈʌndər/

below or beneath

Also means: using or identified by a name · within a category or scope · subject to copyright protection

found it. under the stairs.

Cold House, One Bar · A1

/pʊt/

place or position something

Also means: put clothing on oneself · switch something on · set aside a fear

what do I put in the boxes?

Cold House, One Bar · A1

/neɪm/

personal name

Also means: name or title identifying something · called by a personal name · given a name or label

my name is Leo.

An Unknown Number · A1

/ˈɛvər/

at any time

Also means: of all time · marks continuity from then on in “ever since”

best wrong message ever 🎂

Best Mistake Ever · A1

/pleɪ/

perform music

Also means: take part in a sports match · label identifying the audio-playback button · engage in a game

The man plays the piano.

The Empty Seat · A0

/ˈnʌmbɚ/

telephone number

Also means: numeric value or digit sequence · address number · numbered item or label

he gave me your number.

Sam Explains Everything · A1

/lɑt/

a large amount or number

Also means: to a great extent; much · often; frequently · an overwhelming or intense experience

That tells me a lot.

Read at 11:47 PM · A2

/ɡɑt/

obtained

Also means: received · understood · be able to succeed, in the encouragement 'you've got this'

bristol. i got a new job here in london.

We're in the Same Waiting Room · A2

/səˈpɔrt/

support or assistance (group label)

Also means: be backed or confirmed by evidence · help or stand by someone

Except — in her panic, Priya sent the screenshot to the wrong chat. Not just to Mia. To the Greenfield Scholarship Support group. The one Jade is now in.

You're Not Supposed to See This · A2

/æsk/

ask a question or seek information

Also means: request someone to do something · request something from someone · seek permission before acting

I asked in 7B.

Best Mistake Ever · A1

/ˈpʌblɪk/

known to the general public

Also means: open to everyone

Or simply the exhaustion of being a public person who had never really wanted to be public, which she could believe more easily than the others because she had heard it in his music, in the way he sometimes conducted the quietest passages with his eyes closed, as though the audience had already gone home.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/oʊn/

belonging specifically to the possessor

Also means: possessed or had as property in the past · independently or without help · have as one's property

they're from jade's own private chat with her friends.

You're Not Supposed to See This · A2

/ˈlɪtəl/

to a small degree

Also means: a small amount or duration · small and precious · small in size

"A little," she said.

Before They Take Her In · A2

/θɪŋ/

notable fact or aspect

Also means: physical object or creation · event or situation · written content or statement

that's the best thing i've heard all day.

She Quit in the Group Chat · B1

/bɪˈkʌm/

came to be in an unspecified form

Also means: gained fame · became loud · gained proficiency

She became an understudy because she loved music but was afraid of the audience.

The Understudy Who Refused to Go On Stage · A2

/poʊst/

publish online

Also means: postal/mail-related · an online post · letters and parcels sent or delivered by mail

zara posted a photo...

She Already Saw It · A1

/nɪr/

close to; preposition

Also means: close by; adverb · almost; nearly

i am near the big doors.

An Unknown Number · A1

/saʊnd/

seem or give an impression

Also means: an audible noise or tone · audio-related; used for reproducing sound

oh no! that sounds really painful.

We're in the Same Waiting Room · A2

/feɪs/

front of the head; facial appearance

Also means: front side of an object · turn or orient toward · people referred to by their faces

Rosa's face is pale.

Found in the Mud · A1

/saɪd/

a direction or position

Also means: a party or group in a conflict · a lateral part of something · next to each other

Maybe with broccoli on the side 🥦😇

My Mum Packed My Lunch Wrong Again · A1

/hoʊld/

gripped or carried

Also means: extended outward · retained possession of it · supported

Mia holds the ring.

Found in the Mud · A1

/luːz/

was defeated in a contest

Also means: misplaced something · suffered the loss of money · lost emotional control

The ball went wide and his team lost.

The Penalty No One Wanted to Take · A2

/prɪˈzɛnt/

put forward for consideration

Also means: a gift · emotionally available and attentive · current; existing now

Draft documents saved in my name weeks before Dan 'presented' anything.

She Quit in the Group Chat · B1

/ˌaʊtˈsaɪd/

outside something, on its exterior

Also means: outdoors, in the open air · outdoors, to the exterior · outer surface or exterior

Someone is outside the door.

The Key with No Lock · A1

/əˈkrɔs/

on the other side of a space

Also means: from one side to another through a region · lying over and spanning · throughout a period of time

Flat 5 is across the hall.

Not For Me · A1

/ˈɛniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

Also means: any option whatsoever

i won't delete anything.

Her Name Is Lowri · A1

/ðoʊ/

sentence-final contrast marker

Also means: introduces an as-if comparison · concessive conjunction meaning although · mid-sentence contrast marker

not at the heart-shaped lamps café though. just to be clear.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/fɑr/

distant; a long way away

Also means: beyond an acceptable limit · extent marker in “as far as”

that is not far

An Unknown Number · A1

/ˈfɑloʊ/

follow someone online

Also means: come after in time · go after someone · act according to someone's guidance or instructions

He follows us both, I think.

She Replied to His Story by Mistake · A2

/fækt/

something true or real

Also means: an emphasis marker meaning actually

just the facts.

We Press Send · A1

/fɔrm/

document to fill out

Also means: application document · created or made · type or format

Maya saved the bank receipt. The next morning, she went to the housing office. Cole's name was on the complaint form. Her name came off the lease that same day.

Your Name Is Still on the Lease · A1

/əˈpɪr/

become visible or show up

Also means: seem to be · be depicted or listed on a map · be recorded or listed in a document

The double tick appears. Mia has read the message. But she doesn't reply.

Read at 11:47 PM · A2

/tʃɛk/

inspect or verify something

Also means: check out of a hotel · look at a clock or watch · register at a hotel

did you check your jacket?

Where Is My Ticket? · A1

/ˈɔfər/

provide or include as available

Also means: propose money in exchange for something · propose giving someone a job · extend one’s hand for a handshake or assistance

There was a university there, and they had offered him a small scholarship.

The Bell That Rings When No One Pulls the Rope · B1

/noʊt/

written message or reminder

Also means: recorded audio message · written notes or records · musical sound or pitch

On the back, there is a note.

A Note on an Old Ticket · A1

/wʌtˈɛvɚ/

anything that; an unspecified thing

Also means: dismissive expression of indifference · no matter what; regardless of what · any; of any kind

Whatever was on the other end did not thrash or pull dramatically, the way a caught fish will.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/wɪˈðɪn/

before the end of a stated time period

Also means: no farther than a stated distance

The referee, who was elderly and retired within the year, gave a short statement saying he had "acted on the information available to him."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈkæri/

transport while holding

Also means: bear an emotional burden · have influence or authority · hold the head in a position

He carried a long, thin pole made of wood.

The Last Window Tapped by the Knocker-up · A2

/əˈlɔŋ/

beside or following the length of

Also means: with someone when brought · together with as company · in addition to

Every seat in the Kärntnerthor Theatre in Vienna was taken, and people were standing along the walls.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/pæs/

time elapses

Also means: a kick or throw of the ball to a teammate · move past a place or thing · walk past someone

Tom stops typing. He puts his phone down. One minute passes.

Mum Replied to the Wrong Screenshot · A1

/pɪk/

lift or take up

Also means: collect or come get someone · move carefully or with difficulty · answer a ringing phone

She picks it up.

Not For Me · A1

/əˈkaʊnt/

online profile or page

Also means: description or report · explain or give a reason for · accounting department

The unknown user left the chat. Their account showed "deleted user" seconds later. Jess and Maya sat in silence for a moment.

Three People in This Chat, Who's the Third? · A2

/ˈfjuːtʃər/

future prospects or fate

Also means: time to come

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈɹizən/

cause or explanation

Also means: motive for an action · justification for doing something

she didn't tell anyone the real reason.

Read at 11:47 PM · A2

/klɪr/

easy to understand or unambiguous

Also means: remove things from a place · having a pure, distinct sound · free from danger or suspicion

The details had blurred over time, but the silence between them had stayed perfectly clear.

The Allotment Left to Two Brothers in the Same Will · B1

/hɑɹt/

emotions or inner feelings

Also means: heart shape or symbol · physical organ that pumps blood · memorized knowledge

She feels something warm and quiet in her heart.

What Thomas Means · A2

/ˌæbsəˈluːtli/

marks a statement as certain

Also means: adds categorical force to a refusal · strongly urges an action · emphasizes a negative assertion

she has a script. she absolutely has a script.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/draɪv/

travel by car

Also means: operate a boat · car journey · transport someone by car

She decided to drive to her mother's house to get some clothes for the hospital.

What the Old Box Held · A2

/ɪˈfɛkt/

personal belongings

Also means: result or impact

She worked as an archivist for the National Music Conservatory in Prague, a job that involved cataloguing instruments, scores, and the kinds of personal effects that musicians leave behind when they die with more ambition than family.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈædrɛs/

mailing or contact location

Also means: directed to someone or somewhere · deal with or tackle an issue

and... your address is in it.

She Already Saw It · A1

/dæd/

the name or title “Dad”

Also means: father, informally · familiar address to one’s father · characteristic of a dad; father-like

Jake put the new cake in the kitchen. Gran arrived at 3. She ate the old cake. Dad never knew.

My Gran Joined the Group Chat · A1

/ˈsɪriəsli/

in earnest; with serious intent

Also means: as important; with due consideration · really? expressing disbelief · sincerely; I really mean it

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/bɔrd/

governing body

Also means: game board · disciplinary panel · notice or display board

i've been sitting here for an hour looking at the board's email contact

One Forwarded Email · A2

/ˈrʌnɪŋ/

for jogging; activity modifier

Also means: the activity of jogging; gerund noun

she found him through a running hashtag.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈfɪnɪʃ/

complete a task or activity

Also means: the endpoint of an event · be over or come to an end · consume all of a food or drink

you find new ways to finish work!!

My Reference Just Said the Wrong Thing · A2

/piːs/

a portion or part of a material

Also means: a written article · an individual item of a particular kind · a final part or element of something

He gives a piece of bread to Elena.

The Baker with the Broken Clock · A1

/ˈfoʊkəs/

concentrated and purposeful

Also means: concentrate or direct attention · mental concentration

okay I need to go pretend to be focused in this 10am meeting 😅 but thank you. seriously.

I Found Your CV in the Printer Tray · B1

/ˈsɪmələr/

alike or nearly the same

I am very much not Priya 😭 I'm Dee. Your contact probably has a similar profile picture or something?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/prɛs/

activate by pressing

Also means: exert pressure against · the news media or newspapers · force or place something into someone’s hand

I pressed the wrong chat 😭

She Already Saw It · A1

/klʌb/

sports team

Also means: nightclub · school group

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈlaɪkli/

probable

Also means: probably

The most mundane—that the angle was difficult and he did his best— is perhaps the most likely, yet it has attracted the least attention because it offers no drama, only an accident.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ɡɛs/

make a guess

Also means: speculate about something

so she's guessing

Read at 11:47 PM · A2

/ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/

of or from England

Also means: in the English language

She had been pulled from the water eleven kilometres from the English coast, shaking uncontrollably, her core temperature dangerously low.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/dɪˈskraɪb/

characterize or call as

Also means: put into words · legally define or delineate

The two men spoke for what witnesses later described as "no more than fifteen seconds."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ɪˈvɛnt/

organized occasion

When a journalist attempted to approach him at the event, a colleague placed a hand on the journalist's arm and quietly suggested that the evening was not the moment.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/rɪˈvjuː/

examined or investigated

Also means: evaluated and compared

Two retired referees who reviewed the footage publicly stated that the decision appeared to be incorrect.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈtruːli/

really; genuinely

Also means: sincerely · a sincere affirmation · actually; in reality

She felt, for the first time, that she truly understood her parents.

What She Chose Not to Say · A2

/mɑɹk/

labeled as delivered

Also means: point in a period of time · punctuation symbol (!) · left a visible sign on

screenshot of the chat screen — message marked delivered, and three dots appearing

We Press Send · A1

/ɡraʊnd/

the earth’s surface

Also means: an area used for training · A sports venue used by a club

Mark looks at the ground.

The Secret Garden · A0

/sɔːrs/

provider of something

She found a train ticket purchased with cash, impossible to trace but not impossible to find, tucked into a programme from a 2012 concert that had been donated to the Conservatory library by an anonymous source.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈfɔrwərd/

send on to another recipient (verb)

Also means: attacking player in soccer (noun) · ahead or onward (adverb of movement) · ahead of the main force (military adjective)

it's a forwarded email.

One Forwarded Email · A2

/rɪˈkwɛst/

a social-media follow request

Also means: a request for action or service · by-request; on-demand modifier · formally asking for something (verb)

because she just sent me a follow request.

Your Mum Just Followed My Private Account · B2

/ˈɛvɪdəns/

proof or supporting facts

Also means: modifies a noun to mean related to evidence

I already emailed HR a formal complaint this morning with evidence.

She Quit in the Group Chat · B1

/saɪz/

physical dimensions or scale

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈwʌndər/

be curious or uncertain

Also means: politely ask whether

But now I'm wondering if she somehow engineered this.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/træk/

rough path or road

Also means: A course or surface used for racing · monitoring a position · awareness of progress

On the walk back to the cottage, Callum passed the track to the Mere and kept walking.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/prəˈfɛʃənəl/

showing skilled, careful work

Also means: related to a profession or work · done as a paid occupation · people who work professionally

Dan sent Priya a handwritten note with three clear, professional sentences about her. He took a photo and sent it.

My Reference Just Said the Wrong Thing · A2

/treɪn/

a railway vehicle

Also means: having been taught or prepared through practice · to practice or exercise

the train is late.

An Unknown Number · A1

/sɔɹt/

organize into categories or order

Also means: resolve or settle · type or kind · handle or fix

Ada's farm. Wales. A cold Tuesday in November. Ada died three weeks ago. Her two grandchildren, Maya and Finn, are here to sort through her things. The farm is very remote. There is one bar of signal.

Cold House, One Bar · A1

/ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/

a particular human language

Also means: visual artistic style · vocabulary for expression · language ability

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/rɪˈleɪtɪd/

connected or associated

she said she follows accounts related to urban wellness and running because she runs marathons.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈsteɪtmənt/

a spoken or written account

Also means: an assertion or proposition

The referee, who was elderly and retired within the year, gave a short statement saying he had "acted on the information available to him."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/huːz/

possessive relative determiner

Also means: interrogative possessive determiner

The grandson of Colin Hartley— the forward whose goal was disallowed— gave an interview to a sports podcast in 2019.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈvɝʒən/

alternate form of a person

Also means: edition or form of a document · form of an event or outcome

she knows a version of you.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/pɑːrts/

sections or aspects

and then she asked why it bothered me so much that the boundaries between different parts of my life were overlapping.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈɑpʃən/

choice or course of action

But there was no sauna here, and four minutes was not enough time for anything except the most brutal option, which was simply to stand there and sweat with the force of pure will.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/rɪˈmuːv/

have something taken away

Also means: take something away from its place · delete a name from a document · remove someone from a social-media follower list

She pointed to the correct summit without hesitation, as if the error were a splinter she had been waiting to have removed for a lifetime.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/flæt/

apartment

Also means: level; not curved · coffee style with little foam · dull; lacking brightness or variation

He lives in Flat 7.

Every Tuesday Morning · A1

/streɪt/

correctly understood

Also means: upright; not slouched · clearly and rationally · directly, without turning

so let me get this straight.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈsʌmˌwɛr/

in or to an unspecified place

Also means: approximately, at an unspecified point

they lived on a farm somewhere.

Her Name Is Lowri · A1

/stɪk/

last or remain established or remembered

Also means: adhered or remained attached

maybe she told us the same things and it stuck lol

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/piːs/

accept and come to terms with something

Also means: inner calm or tranquility · quiet and freedom from disturbance · avoid or prevent conflict

She said she made peace with it a long time back.

The Inheritance Email Went to Everyone · B2

/səˈdʒɛst/

indicate or imply something

Also means: evoke a feeling or idea · propose a course of action

When a journalist attempted to approach him at the event, a colleague placed a hand on the journalist's arm and quietly suggested that the evening was not the moment.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈstrʌktʃər/

arrangement of parts

Also means: physical constructions

He had a gift for structure: for understanding how weight distributed itself, how something enormous could be made to feel, from a distance, like it was barely touching the ground.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/əˈraɪv/

reached a place (past tense)

Also means: a message was received · an event or scheduled time came · appeared or was added

A big red bus arrives.

The Midnight Bus to Notting Hill · A0

/seɪl/

act of selling something

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/fiːt/

feet (body parts)

Seventeen feet of welded steel, draped in three thousand hand-sewn feathers— gold, burnt orange, and a deep, almost painful shade of violet— it sat in the yard behind Delroy Ambrose's garage in Brixton like a ship built too far from the sea.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈɝliɚ/

at a previous time; before then

Also means: previous or former

from earlier in the week

Read at 11:47 PM · A2

/ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/

person or thing concerned in a legal matter

The response came three hours later, not from Sokolová but from a law firm in Zurich, informing her that the baton was the subject of an ongoing estate matter and requesting that the Conservatory hold it securely pending further instructions.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/əˈproʊtʃ/

move toward someone

Also means: method or way of treating something

When a journalist attempted to approach him at the event, a colleague placed a hand on the journalist's arm and quietly suggested that the evening was not the moment.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈɛfərt/

work or trouble spent to achieve something

If the universe went through this much effort to introduce us, the least we can do is get coffee.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/kəˈnɛkt/

be linked or associated

Also means: establish a network connection

also... have you considered that maybe YOU follow too many people connected to your ex and that might be the actual issue here 😬

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/dɪˈskʌs/

talked about

His daughter, speaking to a football historian in 1988, said only that her father had been "a private man" and that he had never discussed that afternoon.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/æp/

software application

Zara's Thursday session arrived. She walked into Dr. Chen's office with a list of bullet points in her notes app. Two hours later, she texted Dee.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/flaɪt/

A division or level in a sporting competition

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˌrɛprɪˈzɛnt/

symbolized

Also means: depicted

It represented thirty years of sadness, carried in a pocket.

What She Chose Not to Say · A2

/broʊk/

past tense of end a relationship

Also means: past tense of pass through or emerge from an obstacle

he said they broke up in 2020.

She Liked His Photo from 2019 · A2

/ˈluːzɪŋ/

unsuccessful

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/lɑk/

device that secures a door

Also means: becomes secured · secures something with a lock · past-tense verb: secured a place

yes. no lock.

Cold House, One Bar · A1

/ˈsɛkənˌdɛri/

relating to secondary education

Also means: derived or indirect · backup beneficiary

She was a secondary school geography teacher from Bristol who had spent the last three years getting up at five in the morning to swim in an outdoor pool before her students arrived.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/skeɪl/

weighing device

She had weighed herself at five-thirty in the darkness of her hotel bathroom, standing very still on the small digital scale she carried everywhere, the one she trusted more than she trusted most people.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/lɛŋθ/

the distance from one end of something to the other

Also means: a racing distance equal to a horse’s length

It was said to be the length of a man lying flat, with eyes the colour of tarnished silver.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/kəˈmɪt/

pledged to a course of action

Also means: performed a wrongful act

impossible. my brain has already committed every detail to memory

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈproʊfaɪl/

online user profile or page

Also means: relating to an online user profile · biographical feature article

because she is looking at your profile again?

She Liked His Photo from 2019 · A2

/ˌʌndərˈstændɪŋ/

grasping or comprehending

He had a gift for structure: for understanding how weight distributed itself, how something enormous could be made to feel, from a distance, like it was barely touching the ground.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈrɛfərəns/

refer to or mention

Also means: person giving a recommendation · mention or allusion · source used for information

When a name appeared on an Ordnance Survey map, it became the name that administrators used, that inheritance courts referenced, and that schools eventually taught.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ɪmˈpɑsəbəl/

not possible

Also means: standalone exclamation of disbelief · unreal or beyond belief

She found a train ticket purchased with cash, impossible to trace but not impossible to find, tucked into a programme from a 2012 concert that had been donated to the Conservatory library by an anonymous source.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/brɪdʒ/

physical structure over a gap

Also means: figurative connection · close or span a gap

I am at the bridge.

Face to Face · A1

/ˈbækˌɡraʊnd/

rear part of a scene

Also means: surrounding setting or ambient scene

In the background, barely visible near the touchline, a man in a black jacket stands completely still.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈpɒsəbli/

to the greatest possible extent

Also means: perhaps; maybe

She had made it as accurate as she possibly could, not because she thought accuracy was the same as art, but because she believed that this particular neighbourhood deserved a witness.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/dɪˈpɛnd/

rely on

Also means: vary according to

But he did not laugh, because he was thinking about Eckhardt, and about all the names that had been written on that map, and about how many families in how many small villages depended on routes that the Crown had never bothered to understand.

The Smuggler's Map Stitched into the Fisherman's Coat · B1

/mɛs/

bother or trouble someone

Also means: make a mistake · emotionally upset or harm someone · in a bad or chaotic state

Ok so here is what is messing with me — Dr.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈprɛzəns/

a visible physical figure or entity

Also means: being physically there

The White Cliffs of Dover can be visible from surprisingly far out, and their pale, solid presence on the horizon has a strange psychological effect — they make the remaining distance feel both shorter and longer than it really is.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈsɒlɪd/

substantial and definite

The White Cliffs of Dover can be visible from surprisingly far out, and their pale, solid presence on the horizon has a strange psychological effect — they make the remaining distance feel both shorter and longer than it really is.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈsɛtəl/

become calm, still, or steady

Also means: be paid or closed · gradually become fixed in a particular form or state · come to rest on a surface, like dust or sediment

The needle moved, vibrated, and finally settled.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈjuːsfəl/

helpful or practical

right. so instead of spiraling alone, here is a useful reframe: does it actually change anything?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈæksɪdənt/

unintentionally; by chance

Also means: unexpected mishap · car crash · administrative mistake

I think she just clicked the wrong photo by accident.

She Liked His Photo from 2019 · A2

/ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/

drink, in the present participle form

On the boat, wrapped in a foil blanket and drinking tea she could barely taste, Donna sat with her back against the cabin wall and watched the White Cliffs grow slowly smaller as the Marguerite turned south.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/stiːl/

a strong metal alloy

Seventeen feet of welded steel, draped in three thousand hand-sewn feathers— gold, burnt orange, and a deep, almost painful shade of violet— it sat in the yard behind Delroy Ambrose's garage in Brixton like a ship built too far from the sea.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ɪr/

listener’s hearing or sound judgment

Also means: physical hearing organ

The farmer looked at the summit, then at the stranger with his leather notebook and brass instruments, and said something that sounded, to Dawson's untrained ear, like Beinn a' Chaorainn.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/skwɑd/

team of players

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈsɛləbreɪt/

party or rejoice

Also means: rejoice in or make a big deal of

In the foreground, eleven men in white shirts are celebrating, arms raised, mouths open in silent screams of joy.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/kənˈsɝn/

care or regard

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/rɪˈtaɪər/

left work permanently

Also means: stopped participating in a swim · the word “retired” being mentioned

Two retired referees who reviewed the footage publicly stated that the decision appeared to be incorrect.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈwɔrnɪŋ/

cautionary alert or notice

Also means: premonitory sign or feeling

On the portal, she clicks the red button that says "Withdraw Application". A small warning box appears: "Are you sure? This cannot be undone." She clicks yes. Then she takes a second screenshot — this one of the screen that says "Application withdrawn successfully." She sends it to Jade with no words at all.

One Forwarded Email · A2

/splɪt/

share the cost of a bill

Also means: share something between people · divide something into parts

why did you ask to split the bill tonight?

Split the Bill or Split Up? · A2

/ˈɝbən/

relating to cities

she said she follows accounts related to urban wellness and running because she runs marathons.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈkɔɹpɚət/

relating to a corporation or business

Also means: run by a large company

I have a corporate job in a different city and I call once a month.

The Group Chat After the Funeral · B2

/ˈpæsɪŋ/

briefly or incidentally

His obituary in the local paper was four sentences long and mentioned the 1952 match only in passing, describing it as "a moment of controversy that Mr Peel chose never to address."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈɡɪlti/

having done wrong

Also means: appearing to have done wrong

And most men, when guilty of something they regret, eventually find some oblique way of letting it be known: a half-apology, a too-careful denial, or a look that lingers a moment too long.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ʌnˈeɪbəl/

not able

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈɪnstrəmənt/

musical instrument(s)

Also means: A tool or device used for scientific work or measurement

The final movement — the famous Ode to Joy — filled the theatre with voices and instruments together.

The Composer Who Refused to Hear His Own Symphony · B1

/ˈjuːnɪvɝs/

the cosmos; all space and existence

But she had done everything she could think of, and now all that was left was to step back onto the old honest scales and find out if the universe was feeling kind.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈpɝːmənənt/

lasting and not temporary

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ˈækjərət/

correct and precise

She had made it as accurate as she possibly could, not because she thought accuracy was the same as art, but because she believed that this particular neighbourhood deserved a witness.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/əˈfɔːrd/

be unable to allow or risk doing something

She had eaten crackers and cheese for every meal because she couldn't afford to stop and she couldn't afford to care about anything else.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/ˈproʊɡræm/

concert program

She found a train ticket purchased with cash, impossible to trace but not impossible to find, tucked into a programme from a 2012 concert that had been donated to the Conservatory library by an anonymous source.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/əˈtrækt/

drawn attention

The most mundane—that the angle was difficult and he did his best— is perhaps the most likely, yet it has attracted the least attention because it offers no drama, only an accident.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəntli/

by a considerable amount

this is either going to make you feel better or make everything significantly worse

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈvɛsəl/

ships

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈʃɪpɪŋ/

commercial transport of goods

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈreɪsɪŋ/

flat-track horse racing

She stood in the weighing room at Epsom Downs on Derby Day— the loudest, most crowded, most historically brutal day in British flat racing— and the official, a man named Dennis who had been doing this job for longer than Sal had been alive, looked at the needle and then looked at her.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ʃeɪk/

tremble (infinitive)

Also means: move from side to side as a gesture · vibrate · emotionally disturbed (past participle)

Her hands were shaking, but she opened the door.

The Understudy Who Refused to Go On Stage · A2

/dɪɡ/

excavate by moving earth

Also means: resist stubbornly

She digs in the mud.

Found in the Mud · A1

/ˈɒnə/

feeling privileged and pleased

that is the most therapist-patient thing anyone has ever said to me and I'm honoured

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈproʊtɛst/

an expression of objection or disapproval

Also means: to object or complain

They stood together for another moment in front of the grey wall, a silent protest of two, and then he nodded once, wished her a good morning, and walked away.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/lɒɡ/

accessed an account

Also means: recorded or listed

maya, i'm looking at my settings. someone logged in to my account on saturday from a different city. someone used my account! i need to change my password now. delete this chat, okay? delete it now.

Three People in This Chat, Who's the Third? · A2

/skɔːz/

written music

She worked as an archivist for the National Music Conservatory in Prague, a job that involved cataloguing instruments, scores, and the kinds of personal effects that musicians leave behind when they die with more ambition than family.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈɑːrkɪtɛktʃər/

structured system of ideas or choices

Also means: composition or arrangement of an artwork · design and style of buildings

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/kʌts/

reductions

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˌnaɪntiːn ˌeɪti ˈwʌn/

the year 1981

He had found the Carnival in 1981, the year that the Brixton riots left a particular kind of bruise on the city— a bruise that the Carnival, that August, had pressed its thumb against and said: we are still here, and we are still beautiful.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/kəmˈpiːt/

vie or try to win

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/kəˈlæps/

suddenly fell unconscious or helpless

Also means: failed or fell apart

According to every obituary, he had collapsed in his apartment in Prague on the fourteenth of March and had been found by a neighbour two days later.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌɪntrəˈduːs/

bring people together

If the universe went through this much effort to introduce us, the least we can do is get coffee.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈfɑloʊər/

social-media follower

ok but this is a small world coincidence, not a conspiracy. why are you looking through his followers?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/droʊv/

travelled by car

Also means: operate or control a vehicle

Diana picked up Priya just after 1 PM. They drove to their mother's house in near silence. When their mother opened the door, her eyes were red but she was calm. She let them in without a word.

The Inheritance Email Went to Everyone · B2

/ˈɡlɔːri/

great honor or praise

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈlɛðɚ/

made of leather

The farmer looked at the summit, then at the stranger with his leather notebook and brass instruments, and said something that sounded, to Dawson's untrained ear, like Beinn a' Chaorainn.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/səbˈstænʃəl/

considerable in amount or degree

However, they noted that since the name Beinn a' Chaorach had appeared on official maps for over seventy years, any correction would require substantial supporting evidence.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/kəˈnɛkʃənz/

social relationships or contacts

Chen always says, 'trust that the right connections find you,' and I always thought that was just something therapists say to sound deep?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈɑnˌɡoʊɪŋ/

continuing

The response came three hours later, not from Sokolová but from a law firm in Zurich, informing her that the baton was the subject of an ongoing estate matter and requesting that the Conservatory hold it securely pending further instructions.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈpænɪk/

become very frightened

Also means: intense fear or alarm · showing sudden alarm or urgency

ok don't panic.

Wait, No, Not This Chat · A1

/kəˈlɛktɪv/

shared by a group

Also means: a group of people

She had promised herself she wouldn't look, but the crew's energy had shifted — a quiet, collective leaning toward the rail — and she couldn't help it.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈdɑːrknəs/

She had weighed herself at five-thirty in the darkness of her hotel bathroom, standing very still on the small digital scale she carried everywhere, the one she trusted more than she trusted most people.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈraɪət/

violent public disorder

He had found the Carnival in 1981, the year that the Brixton riots left a particular kind of bruise on the city— a bruise that the Carnival, that August, had pressed its thumb against and said: we are still here, and we are still beautiful.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈfɜːrnɪtʃər/

household movable items

But he had grown up hearing the story at the dinner table, passed down through his family like an old piece of furniture that nobody quite knew what to do with.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˌsaɪkəˈlɑːdʒɪkəl/

of the mind

The White Cliffs of Dover can be visible from surprisingly far out, and their pale, solid presence on the horizon has a strange psychological effect — they make the remaining distance feel both shorter and longer than it really is.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/kənˈspɪrəsi/

secret plot

ok but this is a small world coincidence, not a conspiracy. why are you looking through his followers?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈkɑntrəˌvɝsi/

public disagreement

His obituary in the local paper was four sentences long and mentioned the 1952 match only in passing, describing it as "a moment of controversy that Mr Peel chose never to address."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˌdɛstəˈneɪʃən/

place someone is going to

The handwriting on the cash ticket receipt — a clerk had noted the passenger's destination — matched a note Vávra had written to her once, correcting her interpretation of a tempo marking.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈbʊlɪt/

list marker

Zara's Thursday session arrived. She walked into Dr. Chen's office with a list of bullet points in her notes app. Two hours later, she texted Dee.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈækjərəsi/

correctness or precision

She had made it as accurate as she possibly could, not because she thought accuracy was the same as art, but because she believed that this particular neighbourhood deserved a witness.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/ˌriːˈbɪld/

build again or restore

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈkæʒuəl/

nonchalant

On the fourth morning of Finn's visit, Callum woke to find his brother's bed empty, his boots gone, and his fishing rod— which he had brought along with the casual arrogance of someone who expected the world to accommodate his hobbies— missing from the front hall.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/ʌɡ/

expression of annoyance or frustration

honestly? i don't even know. like part of me is annoyed because that account was supposed to be my space, you know? and now it feels kind of... invaded. but then he said something at the end and i... ugh. i didn't reply. i just left him on read. maybe that was wrong of me. i don't know priya. i genuinely don't know.

Your Mum Just Followed My Private Account · B2

/weɪ/

measure the weight of

Also means: have a particular weight

She had weighed herself at five-thirty in the darkness of her hotel bathroom, standing very still on the small digital scale she carried everywhere, the one she trusted more than she trusted most people.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/nɪˈɡoʊʃiˌeɪt/

reached an agreement through discussion

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈmærəθɑːn/

long-distance races

she said she follows accounts related to urban wellness and running because she runs marathons.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ʌnˈkʌmftəbəl/

causing unease or discomfort

Also means: unpleasant or difficult to face

or does it just feel uncomfortable because it blurs a boundary you thought was clear?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈsɪblɪŋ/

brothers or sisters

Tuesday, 4:47 PM. The funeral ended two hours ago. The three Vega siblings have not been in the same room since their father remarried six years ago. Nobody cried at the ceremony. Nobody spoke to each other either. On the drive home, Rachel added Daniel and Marco back into a WhatsApp group she had deleted in 2019. She called it 'Family.'

The Group Chat After the Funeral · B2

/əˈnɑnɪməs/

of unknown identity

She found a train ticket purchased with cash, impossible to trace but not impossible to find, tucked into a programme from a 2012 concert that had been donated to the Conservatory library by an anonymous source.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ʃeɪd/

a particular color or tone

Seventeen feet of welded steel, draped in three thousand hand-sewn feathers— gold, burnt orange, and a deep, almost painful shade of violet— it sat in the yard behind Delroy Ambrose's garage in Brixton like a ship built too far from the sea.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈkæbɪn/

an enclosed room or compartment on a boat

On the boat, wrapped in a foil blanket and drinking tea she could barely taste, Donna sat with her back against the cabin wall and watched the White Cliffs grow slowly smaller as the Marguerite turned south.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/əˈdʒeɪsənt/

similar or related to

He turned once at the door and looked at his brother with an expression Callum found difficult to interpret— not gratitude, not exactly, but something adjacent to it.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/hɪnt/

suggesting indirectly

I was nervous ok. I've been in therapy long enough to know I need to actually say the thing instead of hinting at it

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈhɑbi/

pastime activities

On the fourth morning of Finn's visit, Callum woke to find his brother's bed empty, his boots gone, and his fishing rod— which he had brought along with the casual arrogance of someone who expected the world to accommodate his hobbies— missing from the front hall.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/sərˈpraɪzɪŋli/

unexpectedly

The White Cliffs of Dover can be visible from surprisingly far out, and their pale, solid presence on the horizon has a strange psychological effect — they make the remaining distance feel both shorter and longer than it really is.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/hɪˈstɔːrɪkli/

in a historically unprecedented way

She stood in the weighing room at Epsom Downs on Derby Day— the loudest, most crowded, most historically brutal day in British flat racing— and the official, a man named Dennis who had been doing this job for longer than Sal had been alive, looked at the needle and then looked at her.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈstrɛŋθən/

make stronger

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/əˈkɑmədeɪt/

adapt to suit

On the fourth morning of Finn's visit, Callum woke to find his brother's bed empty, his boots gone, and his fishing rod— which he had brought along with the casual arrogance of someone who expected the world to accommodate his hobbies— missing from the front hall.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/ˈpraɪvətli/

in private, away from public view

Also means: secretly or in one's private thoughts

Vávra had been the most celebrated conductor in the country during the 1990s: famously exacting, privately generous, and reportedly dead since 2013.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌprɛzərˈveɪʃən/

keeping an image, memory, or record from being lost

But a photograph taken by a stranger at midnight of a mural that no longer existed felt, unexpectedly, like a kind of preservation she hadn't known to hope for.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/dɪˈnaɪəl/

a statement that something is untrue

And most men, when guilty of something they regret, eventually find some oblique way of letting it be known: a half-apology, a too-careful denial, or a look that lingers a moment too long.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ɪnˈveɪd/

intruded on

honestly? i don't even know. like part of me is annoyed because that account was supposed to be my space, you know? and now it feels kind of... invaded. but then he said something at the end and i... ugh. i didn't reply. i just left him on read. maybe that was wrong of me. i don't know priya. i genuinely don't know.

Your Mum Just Followed My Private Account · B2

/mɪˈsteɪkən/

wrong; in error

The most generous—that he genuinely believed he had seen an offside and was simply mistaken—is psychologically plausible, though it explains the silence without quite excusing it.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈkraʊdɪd/

packed with people or things

She stood in the weighing room at Epsom Downs on Derby Day— the loudest, most crowded, most historically brutal day in British flat racing— and the official, a man named Dennis who had been doing this job for longer than Sal had been alive, looked at the needle and then looked at her.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/leɪnz/

designated routes for ships

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/koʊˈɪnsɪdəns/

chance occurrence

ok but this is a small world coincidence, not a conspiracy. why are you looking through his followers?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈmɑːrkɪŋ/

music tempo indication

The handwriting on the cash ticket receipt — a clerk had noted the passenger's destination — matched a note Vávra had written to her once, correcting her interpretation of a tempo marking.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/əˈnɔɪd/

feeling irritated

honestly? i don't even know. like part of me is annoyed because that account was supposed to be my space, you know? and now it feels kind of... invaded. but then he said something at the end and i... ugh. i didn't reply. i just left him on read. maybe that was wrong of me. i don't know priya. i genuinely don't know.

Your Mum Just Followed My Private Account · B2

/ˌoʊvərˈlæp/

partially covering the same area

and then she asked why it bothered me so much that the boundaries between different parts of my life were overlapping.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/dɪˈpɪkt/

portrayed or represented

The mural had depicted the neighbourhood as it once was: the fish market on the corner, the ceramic tiles on the front of the old cinema, the women sitting outside the laundry on summer afternoons.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/ˈɡrætɪtuːd/

thankfulness

He turned once at the door and looked at his brother with an expression Callum found difficult to interpret— not gratitude, not exactly, but something adjacent to it.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/loʊn/

solitary; alone

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/æmˈbɪʃən/

strong desire to achieve something

She worked as an archivist for the National Music Conservatory in Prague, a job that involved cataloguing instruments, scores, and the kinds of personal effects that musicians leave behind when they die with more ambition than family.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˈspaɪrəl/

becoming increasingly distressed

right. so instead of spiraling alone, here is a useful reframe: does it actually change anything?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈliːnɪŋ/

A physical tilting of the body in a direction

She had promised herself she wouldn't look, but the crew's energy had shifted — a quiet, collective leaning toward the rail — and she couldn't help it.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈweɪɪŋ/

measuring weight

She stood in the weighing room at Epsom Downs on Derby Day— the loudest, most crowded, most historically brutal day in British flat racing— and the official, a man named Dennis who had been doing this job for longer than Sal had been alive,

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/blɜːr/

make less clear

Also means: become less clear

or does it just feel uncomfortable because it blurs a boundary you thought was clear?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ɪnˈtɜːprɪt/

understand the meaning of

He turned once at the door and looked at his brother with an expression Callum found difficult to interpret— not gratitude, not exactly, but something adjacent to it.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/ˈtɛərɪŋ/

ripping or splitting

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/krɔːl/

move on hands and knees

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/səˈræmɪk/

made of fired clay

The mural had depicted the neighbourhood as it once was: the fish market on the corner, the ceramic tiles on the front of the old cinema, the women sitting outside the laundry on summer afternoons.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/ˌeɪtiˈeɪθ/

ordinal number: 88th

In the 88th minute, with the score level at 1–1, a Midlands United forward named Colin Hartley received a long pass and ran clear of the defence.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/əkˌsɛləˈreɪʃən/

increase in speed or rate

She knew the way he carried his head slightly low coming out of a bend, the way he needed a half-second more than other horses before he committed to an acceleration.

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˈspɒnsəʃɪp/

financial backing

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˌʌnɪkˈspɛktɪdli/

in a surprising way

But a photograph taken by a stranger at midnight of a mural that no longer existed felt, unexpectedly, like a kind of preservation she hadn't known to hope for.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/ˌvɛrɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

checking that something is true or correct

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/dɪsˈkʌmfərt/

physical discomfort

Also means: unease or embarrassment

This was not the sustainable discomfort of a long swim, but something more urgent, the kind of pain that has an opinion about what you should do next.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈtʃɑrdʒər/

device that charges a phone

Zara puts her phone on the charger. Jay's message is still sitting there, unread in her mind even if not in the app. She falls asleep with the question still open.

Your Mum Just Followed My Private Account · B2

/bruːz/

a lasting mark of harm

Also means: dark, mottled, and grey

He had found the Carnival in 1981, the year that the Brixton riots left a particular kind of bruise on the city— a bruise that the Carnival, that August, had pressed its thumb against and said: we are still here, and we are still beautiful.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈkrʌmbəl/

breaking apart

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈwɛlnəs/

relating to physical and mental well-being

Also means: physical and mental well-being

she's a semi-public wellness account.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈluːkrətɪv/

profitable

The winning club had already negotiated a lucrative sponsorship deal, one that would allow them to rebuild their crumbling ground, strengthen their squad, and compete seriously for the next ten years.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈærəɡəns/

self-important superiority

On the fourth morning of Finn's visit, Callum woke to find his brother's bed empty, his boots gone, and his fishing rod— which he had brought along with the casual arrogance of someone who expected the world to accommodate his hobbies— missing from the front hall.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/rɪˈlɛntləs/

constant and unchanging

This is not because of the distance alone, but because of everything that comes with it: the tidal currents that shift every six hours, the water that sits at a relentless fourteen degrees Celsius, and the shipping lanes where cargo vessels the size of apartment blocks move without concern for lone human bodies.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈskroʊlɪŋ/

scrolling through online content

Zara finally reached Priya, vented for forty-five minutes, and then spent the rest of the evening doom-scrolling. The next morning, she opened Instagram — and froze.

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/pəˈlaɪtli/

in a courteous way

Also means: patiently and without intruding

She had expected anger at the city, sympathy perhaps, maybe even an offer to sign a petition, which she would have politely declined.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/ˈlɪŋɡər/

stays too long

And most men, when guilty of something they regret, eventually find some oblique way of letting it be known: a half-apology, a too-careful denial, or a look that lingers a moment too long.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/mənˈdeɪn/

ordinary and unremarkable

The most mundane—that the angle was difficult and he did his best— is perhaps the most likely, yet it has attracted the least attention because it offers no drama, only an accident.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/traɪˈʌmfənt/

victorious and proud

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈpɛbəl/

covered with small stones

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˌʌndərˈsteɪtmənt/

deliberate minimization

Her trainer’s words, spoken with the careful understatement of a man who had been disappointed too many times, were that the horse was 'not without a chance today.'

The Jockey Who Weighed an Ounce Too Much at Epsom · B2

/ˌsɛvənˈtiːnθ/

ordinal number 17

And yet his baton had been in Brno on the seventeenth of March — three days after his supposed death — logged as personal property recovered from a hotel room where the guest had left without checking out.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌsaɪkəˈlɑːdʒɪkli/

in psychological terms

The most generous—that he genuinely believed he had seen an offside and was simply mistaken—is psychologically plausible, though it explains the silence without quite excusing it.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/dreɪp/

covered or hanging loosely

Seventeen feet of welded steel, draped in three thousand hand-sewn feathers— gold, burnt orange, and a deep, almost painful shade of violet— it sat in the yard behind Delroy Ambrose's garage in Brixton like a ship built too far from the sea.

The Notting Hill Carnival Float That Never Left the Yard · B2

/ˈvaɪbreɪt/

give a vibration alert

Also means: shake or oscillate

Suddenly, the phone vibrates. A bright red box appears on the glass screen.

The Red Screen · A1

/sɪˈkjʊəli/

in a safe, protected way

The response came three hours later, not from Sokolová but from a law firm in Zurich, informing her that the baton was the subject of an ongoing estate matter and requesting that the Conservatory hold it securely pending further instructions.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌriːˈmæri/

married again

Tuesday, 4:47 PM. The funeral ended two hours ago. The three Vega siblings have not been in the same room since their father remarried six years ago. Nobody cried at the ceremony. Nobody spoke to each other either. On the drive home, Rachel added Daniel and Marco back into a WhatsApp group she had deleted in 2019. She called it 'Family.'

The Group Chat After the Funeral · B2

/əˈbliːk/

indirect

And most men, when guilty of something they regret, eventually find some oblique way of letting it be known: a half-apology, a too-careful denial, or a look that lingers a moment too long.

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˈskæfəldɪŋ/

temporary structure used in construction

Four days, twelve hours a day, paint on her fingers and in her hair, scaffolding that swayed if she leaned too far to the right.

The Mural Painted Over Before Anyone Saw It · B2

/ʌnˈtreɪnd/

not trained

The farmer looked at the summit, then at the stranger with his leather notebook and brass instruments, and said something that sounded, to Dawson's untrained ear, like Beinn a' Chaorainn.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

/ʌnˈkʌmfətəbli/

to an uncomfortable degree

The water was close—uncomfortably close, in a way that felt less like proximity to a lake and more like proximity to something that was aware of you.

The Pike That Guards the Bottom of Black Mere · B2

/ˈstʌbərdnəs/

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ʌnˈrɛd/

not mentally processed

Zara puts her phone on the charger. Jay's message is still sitting there, unread in her mind even if not in the app. She falls asleep with the question still open.

Your Mum Just Followed My Private Account · B2

/əˈnɔɪɪŋli/

in an annoying way

see that is EXACTLY the kind of thing he does and it's annoyingly charming and I KNOW, I KNOW

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˈwɛtˌsuːt/

a suit worn for swimming or diving

She thought about what it would mean to swim four more kilometres on a tearing shoulder, to crawl onto a pebbled English beach alone and triumphant but unable to lift her arm — and whether that was glory or just stubbornness dressed up in a wetsuit.

The Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White Cliffs · B2

/ˈkætəlɔɡɪŋ/

making a catalogue of items

She worked as an archivist for the National Music Conservatory in Prague, a job that involved cataloguing instruments, scores, and the kinds of personal effects that musicians leave behind when they die with more ambition than family.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ʌnˈdɪɡnɪfaɪd/

lacking dignity

The losing club faced a different future: wage cuts, the sale of their best players, and what the local press called "a slow and undignified retreat from the top flight."

The Linesman Who Never Explained His Flag · B2

/ˌriːˈfreɪm/

a new way to view something

right. so instead of spiraling alone, here is a useful reframe: does it actually change anything?

My Therapist Follows My Ex · B2

/ˌmɪsˈleɪbəl/

labelled incorrectly

The envelope had been forwarded from a police evidence office in Brno — two hundred kilometres east — where it had apparently sat, unclaimed and mislabelled, for eleven years.

The Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong City · B2

/ˌmɪsˈhɪrɪŋ/

an instance of hearing something incorrectly

Yet, the architecture of small decisions— the refusal to hire speakers of the language, the lack of a verification process— allowed a single mishearing to become a permanent record.

The Ordnance Survey Map That Named the Wrong Hill · B2

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Stories that use these words

The Linesman Who Never Explained His FlagB2 · 181 wordsThe Swimmer Who Turned Back at the White CliffsB2 · 180 wordsThe Conductor Whose Baton Was Found in the Wrong CityB2 · 144 words

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