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English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate (Unit 81: Onomatopoeic words)


A What are onomatopoeic words?

Onomatopoeic words are those which seem to sound like their meaning. The most obvious examples are verbs for the noises which animals make.

B Letters, sounds and their associations

Certain combinations of sounds have particular associations in English.

gr- at the beginning suggests something unpleasant or miserable

She was groaning with pain.

[make a deep sound forced out by pain or despair]

Everyone was grumbling about the food.

[complain in a bad-tempered way]

Don't be so grumpy!

[bad-tempered]

The teacher growled angrily.

[make a deep, threatening sound]

cl- at the beginning suggests something sharp and/or metallic

Click on 'log in' to enter.

[make a short sharp sound]

There was a loud clang.

[make a loud ringing noise]

Horses go clip-clop on the road.

sp- at the beginning suggests water or other liquids or powders

She splashed water over her face.

[cause liquid to fly about]

She spat it out.

[send liquid/food from mouth]

I never use hair sprays.

He sprinkled sugar on his cereal.

[scatter small drops]

Water was spurting out.

[come out in a sudden burst]

wh- at the beginning often suggests the movement of air

He whistled and the horse ran.

[high-pitched noise from air]

An insect whizzed over my head.

[sound of rushing through air]

He wheezed climbing stairs.

[breathe noisily with whistling]

-ash at the end suggests something fast and violent

smash [break violently]

dash [move fast]

crash [strike violently]

bash [strike heavily]

mash [make soft by crushing]

gash [a long deep cut]



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