Travel in Depth — B2 Essential Words
Ten essential B2 words (Travel) with the complete apparatus: pronunciation, simple definitions, natural American examples, collocations, family, the common mistake and spoken usage — plus a 15-question practice quiz. Mark your status on every word.
itinerary /aɪˈtɪnəreri/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: A detailed plan of a journey, listing places to visit and times.
Example: Our itinerary includes three museums on Tuesday.
Another example: She printed the itinerary for the whole trip.
Collocations: trip itinerary · itinerary for · detailed itinerary
Synonyms: schedule, plan, route plan
Word family: itineraries (n pl)
⚠ Common mistake: Spelling hides the sound: eye-TIN-uh-rair-ee. Tour companies live by them; free spirits rebel against them.
🗣 In spoken American English: The spreadsheet soul of every organized trip.
Register: Formal — travel essential.
accommodation /əˌkɒməˈdeɪʃən/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: A place to stay or live, such as a hotel, apartment, or room (uncountable in British use; also used in the US).
Example: The tour price includes accommodation.
Another example: We found cheap accommodation near campus.
Collocations: hotel accommodation · accommodation in · student accommodation
Synonyms: lodging, housing, place to stay
Word family: accommodate (v) · accommodations (n pl — US, countable use)
⚠ Common mistake: American English often counts it ('accommodations' = rooms); British keeps it uncountable. Job laws also use 'accommodation' for adjustments for disabilities.
🗣 In spoken American English: The line in every tour price that decides the budget.
Register: Formal — travel essential.
excursion /ɪkˈskɜːrʃən/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: A short journey or trip made for pleasure, usually by a group and returning the same day.
Example: The hotel offers an excursion to the islands.
Another example: We took a day excursion to the mountains.
Collocations: day excursion · excursion to · go on an excursion
Synonyms: outing, day trip, tour
Word family: excursions (n pl)
⚠ Common mistake: An excursion leaves and returns the same day; an expedition explores the unknown; a voyage travels by sea. Three journeys, three words.
🗣 In spoken American English: Cruise ships sell them by the busload at every port.
Register: Formal — travel staple.
voyage /ˈvɔɪɪdʒ/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: A long journey by sea or through space.
Example: The voyage across the Atlantic took six days.
Another example: The spaceship began its voyage to Mars.
Collocations: a sea voyage · voyage to · maiden voyage (first)
Synonyms: journey (any kind), crossing, expedition
Word family: voyages (n pl) · voyager (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Voyage promises length and water (or space). A ship's first voyage is its 'maiden voyage'.
🗣 In spoken American English: Titanic made the word majestic and tragic at once.
Register: Formal — travel literature.
expedition /ˌekspɪˈdɪʃən/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: An organized journey with a purpose, such as exploring a place or doing scientific research.
Example: The expedition reached the South Pole.
Another example: Scientists joined an expedition to the rainforest.
Collocations: an expedition to · research expedition · expedition team
Synonyms: exploration, mission, trek
Word family: expeditions (n pl)
⚠ Common mistake: An expedition has a MISSION — science, discovery, rescue. Holidays never qualify, however hard the hiking.
🗣 In spoken American English: Flags planted on poles and peaks carry its name.
Register: Formal — adventure essential.
harbor /ˈhɑːrbər/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: An area of water near the coast where ships are safe from the sea's waves; a port.
Example: Boats rested in the harbor.
Another example: The harbor lights shone at night.
Collocations: in the harbor · harbor town · safe harbor
Synonyms: port, bay (wider), dock area
Word family: harbors (n pl) · harbor (v — shelter; also hide someone)
⚠ Common mistake: American spelling drops the U (harbor, not harbour). As a verb it means shelter — even fugitives in legal phrases.
🗣 In spoken American English: Pearl Harbor made the word part of American memory.
Register: Neutral — coast essential.
scenery /ˈsiːnəri/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: The natural features of a place — mountains, rivers, forests — as a beautiful view.
Example: The train ride offers amazing scenery.
Another example: Colorado's scenery attracts photographers.
Collocations: beautiful scenery · mountain scenery · scenery along
Synonyms: landscape, view, nature
Word family: scenery (uncountable) · scenic (adj)
⚠ Common mistake: Scenery is uncountable — enjoy 'the scenery', never 'a scenery'. A 'scenic route' trades speed for beauty.
🗣 In spoken American English: Roads named 'scenic byways' are America's official beautiful drives.
Register: Neutral — travel essential.
landmark /ˈlændmɑːrk/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: A famous building or place that is easy to recognize and helps you know where you are; also an important event or discovery.
Example: The Statue of Liberty is a famous landmark.
Another example: The clock tower is our meeting landmark.
Collocations: famous landmark · landmark building · a city landmark
Synonyms: monument, icon, sight
Word family: landmarks (n pl) · landmark (adj — important)
⚠ Common mistake: Landmarks guide both tourists and history: a 'landmark decision' matters like a landmark building.
🗣 In spoken American English: Every city's postcard is one of these.
Register: Neutral — travel essential.
border /ˈbɔːrdər/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: The official line dividing two countries, states, or areas; also the edge of cloth, paper, or a garden.
Example: We showed passports at the border.
Another example: The river forms the border between the states.
Collocations: at the border · border crossing · border between
Synonyms: boundary, frontier, edge
Word family: borders (n pl) · border (v) · borderline (adj/n)
⚠ Common mistake: Countries, gardens, and documents all have borders. 'Borderline' stretched the word to mean almost/not-quite anything.
🗣 In spoken American English: Every road trip south or north rehearses its questions: 'Citizenship? Purpose of visit?'
Register: Neutral — travel essential.
coast /kəʊst/ noun B2 Travel
Meaning: The land along the edge of the sea or ocean.
Example: We drove along the Pacific coast.
Another example: Coast towns depend on fishing and tourism.
Collocations: the coast · west coast · coast town
Synonyms: shore, seaside, beach (sandy part)
Antonyms: inland
Word family: coasts (n pl) · coastal (adj) · coastline (n)
⚠ Common mistake: East Coast / West Coast is America's great friendly rivalry. The coast is the LAND by the sea; the shore is its wet edge.
🗣 In spoken American English: 'Coast is clear' means no danger nearby — from watching for enemies at sea.
Register: Neutral — geography essential.
Practice — Travel in Depth
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