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90% FAIL this Vocabulary Test, will you?

Download the free PDF worksheet for this lesson here: https://speakenglishwithvanessa.kit.com/6a6d47e5fe

Read the full lesson summary

Vanessa builds a twelve-question vocabulary test from expressions she and her husband used in an earlier conversation about childhood and family life. The test moves from beginner to intermediate to advanced items. She gives learners time to predict each answer, explains the expression, and then replays a conversational example. Her worksheet adds sample sentences, a vocabulary exercise, and speaking practice; the video’s headline is promotional and should not be treated as a formal score or verified pass-rate claim.

The beginner expressions include “middle child,” the child between older and younger siblings; “I guess,” a casual way to express uncertainty or reluctant agreement; “don’t worry,” a reassuring phrase; “safety hazard,” a condition that could cause injury; and “clean up,” putting away or removing things that are out of place. The intermediate expressions include “at that point,” referring to a particular time in a story; “sneak out,” leaving secretly; “can’t fathom,” being unable to imagine or understand something; and “preoccupied with,” being mentally occupied by another concern. The advanced items are “distinctly remember,” recall something clearly; “if I had to guess,” introduce a tentative estimate; “caved,” eventually gave in after resisting; and “drop the ball,” make a mistake or fail to handle a responsibility.

The examples are personal and sometimes playful. In particular, “sneak out” is descriptive rather than advice to break household rules, and “drop the ball” can be useful when taking responsibility without making excuses. “If I had to guess” signals uncertainty; it does not present a guess as a fact. The quiz format helps learners notice collocations and common conversational patterns, but correct answers are only one way to measure vocabulary knowledge.

For practice, choose a few expressions and connect them to a true experience. Explain what happened at a particular point, what you could or could not fathom, or how you responded after dropping the ball. Use the phrases at their natural level of formality, and ask for clarification when a situation is safety-critical rather than making a guess.

S2.1
Speak English With VanessaAmerican English18:40

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Transcript

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Select an expression for its meaning · 0:00

Introducing the twelve-question real-life vocabulary test

Hardly any of my English students can get 12 out of 12 on this English vocabulary test Can you In today's free English lesson you are going to test yourself and see if you have not just beginner not just intermediate but advanced level English vocabulary These are words that real English speakers use in real English conversations every day These are not outdated textbook too formal expressions Instead these are expressions for daily life If you're new here hi I'm Vanessa from over the past 10 years to more than 7 million of you here on YouTube I have been teaching real life English that real English speakers use in everyday conversations Plus each week including today I create for you a free PDF worksheet This is the the teacher part of me that wants to

Try it: Pick three expressions from the lesson and describe a real situation: something you distinctly remember, something you had to guess, and a time you may have dropped the ball. Use only the phrases that accurately fit your experience.

Phrase cheat sheet

All phrases at a glance

Review each expression, hear it, save it, or jump to where it appears in the video.

13 phrases

Showing 13 of 13 phrases

middle child

Teaching “middle child” through a family example · expression

The child in a family who has both an older and a younger sibling.

Tone and use: Neutral family vocabulary. Use it when describing a child’s position among siblings.

May not fit: Families differ in size, and the phrase applies only when there are at least three siblings.

Example“As the middle child, she often helped her younger brother.”

I guess

Explaining “I guess” as a hesitant or uncertain response · expression

A casual phrase showing uncertainty or a hesitant conclusion.

Tone and use: Informal and context-dependent. Use it when you are not fully certain or are agreeing without strong enthusiasm.

May not fit: It can sound reluctant or uncertain, so avoid it when a firm answer is required.

Example“I guess we can leave a little earlier.”

don’t worry

Teaching “don’t worry,” “safety hazard,” and starting “clean up” · expression

A reassuring phrase intended to reduce someone’s concern.

Tone and use: Warm and common. Use it to comfort someone or tell them a problem is being handled.

May not fit: Do not dismiss a serious concern; acknowledge it as well.

Example“Don’t worry; I brought an umbrella for us.”

safety hazard

Teaching “don’t worry,” “safety hazard,” and starting “clean up” · expression

A condition or object that could cause injury or danger.

Tone and use: Neutral and practical. Use it when describing a risk in a place or activity.

May not fit: For an immediate danger, give clear instructions rather than relying on a label alone.

Example“Loose cables across the hallway are a safety hazard.”

clean up

Teaching “don’t worry,” “safety hazard,” and starting “clean up” · expression

Put things away or make an area neat after it has become messy.

Tone and use: Common household phrasal verb. Use it for tidying a room, activity area, or mess.

May not fit: It can also refer to removing a spill or mess, depending on context.

Example“The children clean up their toys before dinner.”

at that point

Explaining “clean up” and transitioning to intermediate expressions · expression

At a particular moment or stage in a past event.

Tone and use: Common narrative phrase. Use it to locate a decision or realization in a sequence of events.

May not fit: Give enough context for the listener to know which moment you mean.

Example“At that point, we decided to head back before the storm.”

sneak out

Teaching “at that point” for a specific moment in the past · expression

Leave a place secretly, often to avoid being noticed.

Tone and use: Informal and often associated with rule-breaking. Use it to describe someone departing without others knowing.

May not fit: This is descriptive language, not encouragement to ignore safety or rules.

Example“He tried to sneak out of the house after everyone was asleep.”

can’t fathom

Explaining “sneak out” through a childhood story · expression

Cannot imagine, understand, or explain something.

Tone and use: Emphatic and somewhat expressive. Use it when something seems very difficult to comprehend.

May not fit: It is stronger and more expressive than simply saying “I don’t know.”

Example“I can’t fathom how she solved the puzzle so quickly.”

preoccupied with

Teaching “can’t fathom” and introducing “preoccupied with” · expression

So focused on a concern or activity that other things receive less attention.

Tone and use: Neutral and useful. Use it when describing what occupied someone’s thoughts.

May not fit: It can explain distraction, but does not automatically excuse its consequences.

Example“I was preoccupied with work and forgot to call my friend.”

distinctly remember

Teaching “distinctly remember” for a clear memory · expression

Remember something clearly and specifically.

Tone and use: Slightly formal collocation. Use it when emphasizing a clear memory of an event or detail.

May not fit: Memory can still be mistaken; clarity of recall does not guarantee accuracy.

Example“I distinctly remember locking the door before we left.”

if I had to guess

Completing “if I had to guess” and introducing “cave” as a verb meaning give in · expression

Introduces an estimate or opinion when the speaker is not certain.

Tone and use: Conversational and tentative. Use it to offer a best estimate rather than a confirmed fact.

May not fit: Keep the uncertainty clear when precision matters.

Example“If I had to guess, the cafe will be busy after the show.”

caved

Explaining why someone eventually caved and hearing the original example · expression

Gave in or stopped resisting after initially saying no or holding out.

Tone and use: Informal past-tense verb. Use it when someone eventually agrees after resisting pressure or temptation.

May not fit: It can imply pressure; do not use it to celebrate coercion.

Example“After several requests, I caved and ordered dessert.”

dropped the ball

Explaining how to apologize for dropping the ball and hearing the phrase in conversation · expression

Made a mistake or failed to take care of a responsibility.

Tone and use: Informal idiom used at work and in personal life. Use it when acknowledging that you missed or mishandled something.

May not fit: It is useful with accountability, but should not replace a clear explanation when one is needed.

Example“I dropped the ball and forgot to send the updated schedule.”

Knowledge check

Practice the phrases you heard

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What it means · “middle child”

Who is the middle child in a family with three siblings?