Home Chores — A2 Essential Words

sweep /swiːp/ verb A2 Home

Meaning: To clean a floor by pushing dirt away with a brush (broom); also to move quickly over an area.

Example: Sweep the kitchen floor.

Another example: A storm swept the coast.

Collocations: sweep the floor · sweep up · sweep through

Synonyms: brush, clean, clear

Antonyms: dirty

Word family: swept (past) · sweeper (n) · sweeping (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Chimney sweeps are its storybook workers. Victories can 'sweep' elections — cleaning whole boards.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its sound is autumn's porch music with leaves.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

mop /mɒp/ noun / verb A2 Home

Meaning: A tool with a head of thick strings or sponge on a long handle, used for washing floors; to wash floors with it.

Example: Mop the bathroom floor.

Another example: The mop is in the closet.

Collocations: mop the floor · a mop and bucket · mop up

Synonyms: wash (floors), scrub

Word family: mops (n pl) · mopping (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Its hairstyle twin ('a mop of hair') describes glorious messes on heads — the tool's shape gave the insult and compliment.

🗣 In spoken American English: Closing-shift workers know its closing-time meditation.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

dust /dʌst/ noun / verb A2 Home

Meaning: Dry fine powder made of tiny pieces of dirt that settles on surfaces; to clean it away with a cloth.

Example: Dust covered the old books.

Another example: She dusts the shelves on Saturdays.

Collocations: dust the shelves · a layer of dust · dust off

Synonyms: powder, dirt film

Word family: dust (uncountable) · dusty (adj) · duster (n)

⚠ Common mistake: 'Bite the dust' means fail or fall — the cowboy phrase for both. Stars, gold, and ashes share the word in poetry.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its appearance measures exactly how long since someone cleaned.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

iron /ˈaɪərn/ noun / verb A2 Home

Meaning: A heavy metal used for tools and machines; the heated device that smooths clothes; also to smooth clothes with it. A mineral the body needs.

Example: Iron the shirt before the interview.

Another example: The gate is made of iron.

Collocations: iron the shirt · an iron · iron gate

Synonyms: steel (its refined cousin), metal, press

Word family: irons (n pl) · iron (v) · ironing (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Say EYE-ern (the middle hides). Wrinkles fear it; blood needs it; golfers swing its clubs.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its board is laundry day's second-most-ironed thing: time.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

tidy /ˈtaɪdi/ adjective / verb A2 Home

Meaning: Neat and in order; to make a place neat by putting things in their places.

Example: Her room is always tidy.

Another example: Tidy up before dinner.

Collocations: tidy up · a tidy room · tidy desk

Synonyms: neat, organized, clean

Antonyms: messy, untidy

Word family: tidier (comparative) · tidiness (n) · tidy (v)

⚠ Common mistake: British-leaning in flavor but fully understood in the US; Americans often say 'clean up' for the verb and 'neat' for the adjective — tidy is the elegant import.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its moment of glory is the five minutes before guests ring.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

vacuum /ˈvækjuːm/ noun / verb A2 Home

Meaning: A machine that cleans floors and carpets by sucking up dirt; to clean with it. In science, a space with no air.

Example: Vacuum the living room carpet.

Another example: The vacuum is loud.

Collocations: vacuum the carpet · the vacuum cleaner · vacuum up

Synonyms: hoover (UK brand word), suction cleaner

Word family: vacuums (n pl) · vacuuming (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Robot vacuums turned it into pets with jobs. Physics' vacuum (empty space) is the same word — the machine creates a small one.

🗣 In spoken American English: Dogs have strong opinions about it, universally negative.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

fold /fəʊld/ verb A2 Home

Meaning: To bend something thin (cloth, paper) over on itself; laundry is folded after washing. Businesses 'fold' when they close down.

Example: Fold the towels neatly.

Another example: She folded the letter into the envelope.

Collocations: fold the clothes · fold in half · folded towels

Synonyms: bend, crease, tuck

Antonyms: unfold, spread

Word family: folds (n pl) · folder (n — for papers) · folding (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Origami is its art form; failed startups are its obituary ('the company folded'). Poker players fold their hands — giving up in style.

🗣 In spoken American English: Fitted sheets are its final boss level.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

hang /hæŋ/ verb A2 Home

Meaning: To fix something at the top so it stays held up (pictures, clothes on a line); to spend time relaxing with friends ('hang out').

Example: Hang the picture on the wall.

Another example: We hang the laundry outside.

Collocations: hang up · hang the clothes · hang out (with friends)

Synonyms: suspend, put up, drape

Antonyms: take down

Word family: hung (past — things) · hanged (past — people, historical) · hanging (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Pictures are HUNG; in history books criminals were HANGED — English keeps the grim grammar apart. 'Hang out' is purely social gold.

🗣 In spoken American English: Christmas stockings are its ceremonial form.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

wipe /waɪp/ verb A2 Home

Meaning: To clean or dry a surface by rubbing it with a cloth or your hand.

Example: Wipe the table after lunch.

Another example: She wiped her hands on the towel.

Collocations: wipe the table · wipe off · wipe clean

Synonyms: rub, clean, dry

Antonyms: dirty

Word family: wipes (n pl/v) · wipe (n) · wiping (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Baby wipes conquered every surface in the house from the nursery outward. Phones get wiped before photos — priorities.

🗣 In spoken American English: Tears are its most human object.

Register: Neutral — chores essential.

polish /ˈpɒlɪʃ/ verb / noun A2 Home

Meaning: To rub something to make it shine; the substance used for this. Also to improve something until it is excellent.

Example: Polish the silver spoons.

Another example: She polished her speech all week.

Collocations: polish the shoes · polish your skills · furniture polish

Synonyms: shine, buff, refine

Antonyms: dull

Word family: polishes (n pl) · polished (adj) · polishing (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Speeches and shoes share it: both shine with rubbing. Note: Polish (the nationality/language) is a DIFFERENT pronunciation (POH-lish) — capital letter, different stress of meaning.

🗣 In spoken American English: Its smell is Saturday mornings in grandmothers' houses.

Register: Neutral — chores staple.