Actions & Body Moves — A1 Essential Words

smile /smaɪl/ verb / noun A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To make a happy expression with your mouth; the expression itself.

Example: She smiled at the baby.

Another example: He has a warm smile.

Collocations: smile at · a big smile · smile and wave

Synonyms: grin (bigger), beam (bright)

Antonyms: frown

Word family: smiles (n pl) · smiling (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Smile AT people. A grin shows teeth; a smile can stay closed and kind.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Say cheese!' exists to manufacture this verb for photos.

Register: Neutral — feelings basics.

laugh /lɑːf/ verb / noun A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To make the sound of being happy or finding something funny.

Example: The children laughed at the clown.

Another example: Her laugh is loud and happy.

Collocations: laugh at · burst out laughing · a good laugh

Synonyms: giggle (small, silly), chuckle (quiet)

Antonyms: cry

Word family: laughs (n pl) · laughter (n — the sound, uncountable)

⚠ Common mistake: Laugh AT a joke, but laughing AT a person is cruel — the preposition carries kindness or cruelty.

🗣 In spoken American English: Sitcoms add a laugh track; real rooms make their own.

Register: Neutral — feelings essential.

cry /kraɪ/ verb A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To produce tears because you are sad, hurt, or very emotional; also to shout out.

Example: The baby cried all night.

Another example: She cried at the sad ending.

Collocations: cry about · cry with laughter · start to cry

Synonyms: weep (literary), sob (hard crying)

Antonyms: laugh

Word family: cries (v) · crying (n/adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Cry with laughter is the happy twin — tears without sadness. 'Don't cry' comforts; 'cry out' means shout.

🗣 In spoken American English: Onions make everyone do it without any feelings at all.

Register: Neutral — feelings essential.

dream /driːm/ noun / verb A1 Daily Life

Meaning: Pictures and stories your mind makes while you sleep; also a hope for the future.

Example: I had a strange dream last night.

Another example: She dreams of becoming a pilot.

Collocations: a bad dream · dream of · dream job

Synonyms: hope (future sense), vision, nightmare (bad dream)

Word family: dreams (n pl) · dreamer (n) · dreamy (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Dream OF a person/thing seen in sleep; dream ABOUT works too. Future hopes take 'dream of' + -ing: dream of flying.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'I Have a Dream' made it America's most famous hope-word.

Register: Neutral — sleep and hopes.

climb /klaɪm/ verb A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To go up something tall using your hands and feet, like a tree, stairs, or a mountain.

Example: The cat climbed the tree.

Another example: We climbed to the top of the hill.

Collocations: climb a tree · climb the stairs · climb up

Synonyms: go up, scale (mountains)

Antonyms: descend, fall

Word family: climbing (n) · climber (n)

⚠ Common mistake: The B is silent: KLYME. You climb stairs, trees, and prices ('prices climb' = rise).

🗣 In spoken American English: Playgrounds are built to be climbed; mountains dare adults to do it.

Register: Neutral — movement essential.

push /pʊʃ/ verb A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To press something so it moves away from you; to press a button.

Example: Push the door to open it.

Another example: He pushed the cart through the store.

Collocations: push the door · push a button · push hard

Synonyms: press, shove (rough)

Antonyms: pull

Word family: pushes (v) · push (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Push and pull are door-sign twins: read before you act. 'Push yourself' means try harder.

🗣 In spoken American English: Every toddler learns it from shopping carts first.

Register: Neutral — movement essential.

pull /pʊl/ verb A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To hold something and move it toward you.

Example: Pull the door toward you.

Another example: The horse pulled the cart.

Collocations: pull the door · pull out · pull together

Synonyms: drag (heavy), tug (small pull)

Antonyms: push

Word family: pulls (v) · pull (n)

⚠ Common mistake: 'Pull over' is the driving phrase: move your car to the road's edge and stop — police say it, drivers obey it.

🗣 In spoken American English: Tug-of-war is this verb as a sport.

Register: Neutral — movement essential.

walk /wɔːk/ verb / noun A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To move on foot at a normal speed; a journey on foot.

Example: We walk to school every day.

Another example: Let's take a walk in the park.

Collocations: walk to · take a walk · walk the dog

Synonyms: stroll (slow, relaxed), hike (long, nature)

Antonyms: run, drive

Word family: walks (n pl) · walking (n) · walker (n)

⚠ Common mistake: The L is silent: WAWK. Dogs get 'walked' — the word runs households every morning.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Walk it off' is the coach's cure for small injuries.

Register: Neutral — movement core.

jump /dʒʌmp/ verb / noun A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To push yourself up into the air with your legs; to move suddenly in surprise.

Example: The kids jumped for joy.

Another example: Don't jump on the bed!

Collocations: jump up · jump over · jump for joy

Synonyms: leap (bigger), hop (one foot/small)

Antonyms: fall, land

Word family: jumps (n pl) · jumping (n) · jumpy (adj — nervous)

⚠ Common mistake: Jump in surprise ('the noise made me jump') and jump in joy use the same legs. Prices 'jump' too — sudden rises.

🗣 In spoken American English: Jump rope is recess royalty across America.

Register: Neutral — movement essential.

sing /sɪŋ/ verb A1 Daily Life

Meaning: To make music with your voice, producing words in a tune.

Example: She sings in the church choir.

Another example: Sing me a song.

Collocations: sing a song · sing along · sing to

Synonyms: chant, hum (no words)

Word family: sang (past) · sung (participle) · singer (n) · singing (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Irregular: sing–sang–sung. 'Sing along' means join the singing; everyone does it in cars.

🗣 In spoken American English: Showers and cars are America's private concert halls.

Register: Neutral — music essential.