Vocabulary Personal Qualities

Driving Through Personal Qualities and Word Building on EngDrive

1. Start the Engine: Understanding Personal Qualities

Personal qualities are characteristics that describe how a person behaves and interacts with others. Let’s break down some common qualities using word-building techniques:

• Talented:
  Root word: Talent
  Example: She’s an incredibly talented musician, able to play multiple instruments with ease.
• Passionate:
  Root word: Passion
  Example: He’s passionate about teaching, always finding creative ways to engage his students.
• Easy-going:
  Compound word: Easy + Going
  Example: Despite the stressful situation, she remained easy-going, keeping everyone calm.
• Sociable:
  Root word: Social
  Example: Mark is very sociable; he loves meeting new people and making friends.
• Determined:
  Root word: Determine
  Example: She’s determined to succeed in her career, no matter what obstacles come her way.
• Strict:
  Root word: Strict
  Example: Our coach is strict but fair, ensuring we always give our best effort.
• Hard-working:
  Compound word: Hard + Working
  Example: Being hard-working, she often stays late to finish her tasks ahead of time.
• Shy:
  Root word: Shy
  Example: Although shy at first, he becomes more talkative once he feels comfortable.
• Impatient:
  Prefix: Im- (meaning “not”) + Root word: Patient
  Example: She gets impatient when people don’t follow instructions quickly.

2. Shifting Gears: Word Building

Word building involves creating new words by adding prefixes, suffixes, or combining words. Here’s how you can expand your vocabulary:

• Prefix Example:
  • Impatient (Im- + Patient): He’s sometimes impatient when waiting in long lines.
• Suffix Example:
  • Talented (Talent + -ed): The talented artist painted a masterpiece in just a few hours.
• Compound Word Example:
  • Easy-going (Easy + Going): His easy-going nature makes him a great team player.

3. Navigating with Phrasal Verbs: Learning and Socializing

Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with prepositions or adverbs to create a new meaning. They’re like taking different turns while driving, each leading to a new destination. Here are some useful ones:

• Learning Phrasal Verbs:
  • Pick up: She quickly picked up the new language during her travels.
  • Figure out: It took a while, but I finally figured out how to solve the math problem.
  • Brush up on: I need to brush up on my Spanish before the trip.
• Socializing Phrasal Verbs:
  • Get along with: They get along with everyone at the party, making new friends easily.
  • Catch up with: I can’t wait to catch up with you over coffee!
  • Hang out: Do you want to hang out at the park this weekend?

4. On the Road: Examples in Context

Let’s put it all together with examples that use personal qualities, word building, and phrasal verbs:

• Anna is a* talented** and hard-working student who is passionate about science. She often picks up new concepts quickly and is determined to excel in her studies.*
• John, who is naturally shy, learned to get along with others by joining a club. Now, he’s more sociable and enjoys hanging out with his new friends.
• Even though Mr. Thompson is strict, he is also fair. His students appreciate his efforts to figure out the best way to help them learn.

EngDrive Tip: Think of learning these words and phrases as collecting tools for your language toolbox. The more tools you have, the easier it is to express yourself clearly and confidently in any situation.