Everyday English (Vocabulary Building)

Topic: Animals & Insects

We will learn and practise vocabulary related to various types of wild and domesticated animals.

Lesson Notes June 16, 2026 (Vocabulary Building)

Words & Phrases

• The Dutch team is ranked 9th, so their fans were disappointed when Japan tied the game.

• They’ve been waiting 15 years for a grandchild. Their son’s family has been doing fertility treatments. (We cannot say “waiting to meet”, this sounds like the baby was born and they haven’t seen it yet)

• I went loquat picking the other day. The fresh loquats were so juicy. (When we go to a farm or in nature to harvest fruit for fun we use “pick” not “pick up”)

  • We were told to be careful since loquat juice permanently stains.

• My hula lessons are on a break this week, so I had no practice.

  • Our group is appearing for the first time in 8 years at this one event.

Animals & Insects

English often uses a historically known description to describe something new

• Jellyfish

  • the body is like fruit gelatine (jelly)

  • “fish” was used for almost any animal that lived in water.

• Sea Urchin

  • “Urchin” is Middle English for what we now call “hedgehog”

  • “Hedgehogs curl into balls and have spikes, so it made sense to name the ones in the ocean “sea urchins”

Next Lesson

June 23, 2026

• Lesson 15 - Animals - page 7 (LinguaHouse) Warm up from question 4