| packing (n.) | putting things in a container before taking them somewhere else | I have to start packing for my trip. |
| pain (n.) | hurt, suffering | I hurt my arm a week ago, and I still feel pain in it. Maybe I'll go to the doctor. |
| paint (n.) | coloured matter (powder or paste) mixed with water or oil | We bought special weather-proof paint for the outside walls of the house. |
| painting (n.) | a picture made using paint | There is an exhibition of fine paintings at that art gallery. |
| palace (n.) | a place where a king or queen lives | The King and Queen live in the palace. |
| pale (adj.) | having little or no colour | Jackie looks pale after her illness. She usually has more colour in her face. |
| Pamplona | a town in northern Spain | Pamplona is a town in Spain famous for the running of the bulls. |
| paper (n.) | a newspaper | The news is written in all the papers. |
| parade (n.) | a public march in honour of a special day | Every year all the Irish citizens of New York march in a big parade on Fifth Avenue. |
| parcel (n.) | something wrapped up for delivery | I received a big parcel from Canada in the mail today, and inside it was a birthday gift from my brother. |
| parent (n.) | a father or a mother | My parents are coming for a visit. Mom will stay two weeks, but unfortunately Dad can only stay a week. |
| Parisian (n.) | a person who lives in Paris | Many Parisians love to spend time in outdoor cafes. |
| park (n.) | a public garden in a town or city | There are lots of parks in London filled with trees, flowers and birds. |
| Parmesan | from the town of Parma in Italy | Parmesan cheese is delicious sprinkled over Italian spaghetti. |
| part (n.) | an area less than the whole | The western part of Istanbul is in Europe, and the eastern part is in Asia. |
| participate (v.) | to take part in something | Only women can participate in the race. The men and children will have to sit out and watch. |
| particular (adj.) | certain or special | Is there a particular place you would like to visit, or should I decide where to go next? |
| partly (adv.) | in some way, not completely | Your answer is only partly right. The second half is wrong. |
| party (n.) | a time when people get together for eating, talking, dancing and having a good time | We had a big party for my sister's birthday with lots of food and dancing. |
| pass (v.) | to go by | The Chinese won't let a single day pass without many cups of tea. |
| passenger (n.) | a person riding in a car, train, bus, ship or aeroplane | The name of the passenger that we are looking for is Alan Winters. Has he boarded the plane yet? |
| passport (n.) | a document that allows a person to travel in a foreign country | Don't forget to take your passport with you when you fly to China. You will have to show it at the airport. |
| paste (n.) | a soft mixture | We heat and grind the beans to produce a thick, dark paste. |
| pastry (n.) | a baked food made of dough | We made pastry from flour, water and fat and filled it with apples, sugar and spices. |
| path (n.) | a narrow way for walking, not driving | The path through the canyon was narrow, with tall rocks on either side. |
| patron (n.) | a person who protects another | The Duke and Duchess were patrons of the new hospital, and gave much support and money to it. |
| pattern (n.) | a special design in which the parts appear over and over | The patterns on this cloth are beautiful and unusual. They were designed by local artists. |
| pavement (n.) | the flat, covered ground next to a road | Street artists draw pictures on the city's pavements, but the rain washes them away. |
| pay (v.) | to give money for something past: paid | The owner of the company didn't pay the workers their wages, so they stopped all the machines. |
| peace (n.) | quiet, the absence of fighting | It is difficult for different nations to live in peace. They always seem to disagree about something. |
| peaceful (adj.) | calm, quiet, restful | This is such a peaceful place! There are no cars and no electricity, so there is very little noise. |
| peak (n.) | the pointed top of a mountain | The highest mountain peaks always have snow on them, so people can go skiing all year round. |
| peel (v.) | to remove the skin from something | It's easy to peel tomatoes if you pour boiling water over them before you remove the skins. |
| pencil (n.) | an instrument for drawing or writing (usually wooden containing lead) | Do you have a pencil? I want to write down the travel agent's phone number. |
| peninsula (n.) | an area of land almost completely surrounded by water | Baja California is a beautiful peninsula surrounded by water on three sides. |
| people (n.) | persons | There are too many people in this restaurant. Let's go somewhere less crowded. |
| pepper (n.) | a dried spice with a strong, sharp taste | People who like spicy food use a lot of black, white or red pepper in their cooking. |
| perfect (adj.) | the best, ideal | I found the perfect gift for my friends who like sweets: Belgian chocolate. |
| perform (v.) | to put on a show in front of an audience | We are sorry to announce that the soloist is ill and will be unable to perform in this evening's concert. |
| performance (n.) | a show on a stage or in a film for an audience | Tonight's performance of Mozart's opera will begin at 8:00 p.m. |
| perfume (n.) | a sweet and pleasant-smelling liquid that is put on the body | The smell of this perfume reminds me of walking through fields of flowers. |
| permanent (adj.) | unchanging, not temporary | This is a permanent situation; there won't be any changes. |
| permission (n.) | an agreement to allow a person to do something | You must ask permission from the owners of the house before you make any changes. |
| person (n.) | a human being | A person who does physical exercise every day will be healthier. |
| persuade (v.) | to make another person do something by talking and explaining | Each candidate tried to persuade people to vote for him. |
| Peru | a country in south America | Many tourists who travel to South America visit Peru because of its fascinating culture and scenery. |
| peseta | the money used in Spain | Look, this costs 1,000 pesetas! Why is everything so expensive in Spain? |
| pet (v.) | to show affection by touching past: pet | Look how the dolphins let us pet them. They are really friendly. |
| phone (n.) | telephone | My English cousin and I have had many conversations on the phone, but I have never met him. |
| photograph (n.) | a picture made by a camera | These are photographs that we took during my vacation in London. That's me in front of Buckingham Palace. |
| photograph (v.) | to take a picture with a camera | Some people photograph so much that when they tour around the world, they don't really see anything! |
| photography (n.) | the art or act of taking pictures with a camera | I studied underwater photography and video, and now I make nature films for television. |
| physical (adj.) | having to do with the human body | Public buildings should have special arrangements for people with physical handicaps. |
| piano (n.) | a large musical instrument played by using a long keyboard | Many children learn to play the piano when they are young, but few become famous musicians. |
| pick up (v.) | to take hold of something and lift it | The Chinese use chopsticks for picking up and eating their food. |
| picnic (n.) | a meal outside of the house, usually in a pleasant place | We had a picnic in the forest. Everybody enjoyed eating outside in the fresh air. |
| picture (n.) | a drawing of a person or a scene | The street artist drew a huge picture in coloured chalk on the pavement. |
| piece (n.) | a part of something larger | The ancient pottery jar was found in many pieces, so they had to glue it together. |
| pilot (n.) | a person who operates an aeroplane | This is your pilot, Captain Jones, speaking. Have a pleasant flight. |
| pizza (n.) | a baked pie made of dough and covered with tomato sauce and cheese | Let's order pizza. I want mine with mushrooms and extra cheese. How about you? |
| place (n.) | a particular position or space | This park is a pleasant place. I think I'll sit down here for a while. |
| plan (v.) | to think in advance about how to do something | If you are planning a skiing trip, you're in luck. We have special skiing vacations at half price this month. |
| plane (n.) | aeroplane | If we go by plane instead of by boat, we'll save seven hours. Flying is much faster. |
| plant (n.) | a thing that grows in the ground and is usually green | Many plants cannot grow in the desert because there is very little rainfall. |
| plastic (adj.) | made of a material that is easy to shape | Plastic toys might be cheaper and cleaner, but my children prefer wooden ones. |
| play (v.) | 1. to act in a movie 2. to take part in games | 1. In the movie he plays a killer who murdered two men. 2. Most dolphins are friendly and enjoy playing games with people. |
| plaza (n.) | a public open space in a city or town | On summer evenings the residents of the town come to the main plaza to meet friends and show off their fine clothes. |
| pleasant (adj.) | 1. enjoyable 2. giving pleasure to the senses, thoughts and feelings | 1. The weather is pleasant today. It's not too hot and not too cold. 2. Watching that film was a very pleasant experience. I really enjoyed it. |
| please (interj.) | a word that makes a request more polite | Customer: I'd like some of those red peppers, please. |
| pleasure (n.) | the feeling of enjoyment, of being happy or satisfied | It is a pleasure being in Amsterdam in the summer when it is not too cold.. |
| plenty (pron.) | more than enough | You need plenty of good luck to win the lottery because thousands of people buy tickets. |
| pocket (n.) | a part of the clothes shaped like a bag in which small things can be carried | I found a ten-pound note in my pocket. |
| point (n.) | a place | At its deepest point, the lake is very dark. |
| police (n.) | the people whose job is to stop crime and enforce the law | The police caught the robber with the stolen money. |
| polite (adj.) | respectful and well mannered | It is not polite to ask too many questions. |
| poncho (n.) | a blanket worn over the body with a hole in the middle for the head | In South America both men and women wear colourful woollen ponchos instead of coats. |
| pond (n.) | a small lake | These flowers only grow near ponds and rivers because they need a lot of water. |
| popular (adj.) | liked by many people | Skiing is very popular in Northern Europe. Most people do it. |
| port (n.) | a place where ships can stay | We travelled to Petra by car after arriving by boat at the port of Aqaba |
| porter (n.) | a person who carries one's baggage | The guides will show you the way to your rooms and the porters will carry all your bags. |
| positive (adj.) | having good features | She has a positive attitude to the job. She is always pleasant and helpful. |
| possible (adj.) | that can happen | Is it possible that in only six hours we will be in New York? I can't believe it. |
| postcard (n.) | a card with a picture on one side that can be sent as a letter | We received a postcard from the Smiths. They are having a great time in Greece. |
| pot (n.) | a deep dish made of metal or clay and used for cooking food | Fill a large pot with water and add some salt. When the water boils, add the pasta. |
| potassium (n.) | a silvery white metal that burns in air | Dead Sea water has many valuable minerals for agriculture and industry like potassium, sodium and calcium. |
| pour (v.) | to make something liquid flow down | When the sauce is ready, pour it over cooked spaghetti and mix it in. |
| powerful (adj.) | strong, forceful | The kings of Egypt were very powerful and wealthy. Four thousand years ago they built great cities. |
| practise (v.) | to do something over and over so as to learn to do it better | Practise a lot and your tennis game will improve in a short time. |
| pray (v.) | to ask (God) for something that is much wanted | They built beautiful stone temples and prayed to their gods in them. |
| pregnant (adj.) | having a baby developing in the body | An elephant is pregnant for 22 months and gives birth to one baby at a time. |
| preparation (n.) | the act of getting something ready | There was much to do in preparation for the harvest festival. Everyone worked very hard. |
| prepare (v.) | to make ready | Chinese cooks prepare traditional dishes for the New Year using special spices, vegetables and meat. |
| present (n.) | now | Some people wish they were born in the distant past, but I prefer the world of the present. |
| preservative (n.) | a substance that keeps food fresh | We don't add any preservatives or chemicals. Our food is all natural. |
| president (n.) | the head of a government | The president of the company promised the workers that they would do well if they worked hard in the coming year. |
| press (v.) | to push steadily against something | Press the black button to start the machine and the red one to stop it. |
| price (n.) | money asked for something sold or bought | The best prices for shoes are always in the end of season sales. |
| prince (n.) | the son of a king or queen | The wise prince became king after his father died. |
| princess (n.) | the daughter of a king or queen | Three wealthy princes wanted to marry the princess, but she was in love with a poor farmer. |
| print (v.) | to produce words and pictures on paper | The book was printed in Germany. |
| prison (n.) | a place where criminals are kept | He spent 20 years alone in a prison cell because of the crime he had committed. |
| prize (n.) | a reward for winning | You have won first prize in the story-writing competition! |
| probably (adv.) | very likely | It will probably rain today because I forgot my umbrella. |
| problem (n.) | something that is hard to understand or to deal with | Sometimes talking to a friend can help us solve our problems. |
| process (n.) | a connected series of actions | The artistic process is hard to understand. How do people write such great music and books? |
| produce (v.) | to make or manufacture | We heat and grind the beans to produce a thick, dark paste. |
| product (n.) | a thing produced in a factory or workroom | We sell products like rubber and oil. |
| production (n.) | a play or some other entertainment | Here is information about the new theatre productions in the festival. |
| professional (adj.) | doing something as a job | We have professional teachers who know everything about diving. |
| programme (n.) | a plan to be followed especially in studying | Join the Pacific Divers' programme and learn how to be a professional diver. |
| project (n.) | a large plan or a job which takes a long time to finish | The new economic project should provide jobs for hundreds of people. |
| promise (v.) | to say that something will certainly be done | We promise you a safe ride in our air-conditioned seaplane. |
| properly (adv.) | in the right way | I still can't hear properly after my ear operation. |
| protect (v.) | to guard against attack or danger | High towers were built to protect the king's castle with guards in each one. |
| pub (n.) | a place to sit and drink alcohol | London is famous for its many pubs where you can have a friendly drink and a light meal. |
| punish (v.) | to make a person suffer or pay a price for doing something wrong | The children were punished because they were naughty. They weren't allowed to watch TV for a week. |
| purple (adj.) | a dark colour between red and blue | The red wine is made from purple grapes, and the white wine from green ones. |
| put (v.) | to place past: put | Put the pot on the stove. |