1000 ENGLISH NOUNS 1-20 (Illustrated Examples)

Click here for the 3000 English Words Playlist

Enlarge your English vocabulary with this list of 1000 most common nouns in English. The goal of the playlist is to provide 3000 English words that are important for students to learn. The playlist will expand to include 1000 nouns, 1000 adjectives, and 1000 verbs.

Each word is given a clear definition. Then a picture and sentence example provide a clear connection so the word is easily remembered. The sentence example provides context for the word and where additional meanings exist for any given word, multiple illustrated sentence examples are provided.

By learning these words in English and their meanings, your fluency will skyrocket. The word lists are split into 100 word modules. It is essential to repeat each module. Once a day for 7 days is recommended.

Common English collocations are indicated in the sentence examples by an underline. Pay special attention to the collocations and your naturalness when speaking English will greatly improve.

Here then are the most common English nouns, the English nouns most often used by intermediate to advanced, and native speakers.

Here is a transcript of the video: 1000 COMMON NOUNS in ENGLISH: 1-20

Slide 2
Be sure to watch the Introductory Video which explains how this playlist works to improve your English vocabulary and fluency!

Click the Playlist Link in the Description below . . .

Slide 3

Just to let you know, after we complete this group of 20 words, there’s a review later in the video. Make sure to take a couple of minutes for the review and make a note of the new words you want to add to your vocabulary. So let’s start. First, an easy one . . .

Slide 4
oil
a thick, slippery liquid derived from petroleum, vegetables etc., often used as a lubricant

The picture shows oil pouring on the floor from an oil barrel.

Sentence: According to some estimates, global demand for crude oil in 2020 was over 90 million barrels a day!

Note the common phrase: crude oil

Slide 5
recovery
a return to a normal, healthy condition

We see a woman having a massage treatment.

Sentence: After her accident, she went to a health spa to speed up her recovery.

Slide 6
model 1
a small object, usually to scale, that represents a larger object

The picture shows a model of an airport.

Sentence: This is part of an architect’s model for the expansion of Long Beach airport, California.

Slide 7
model 2
someone or something used as an example to imitate

The picture shows former first lady Michelle Obama giving a speech.

Sentence: Michelle Obama became a powerful role model for girls in America.

Note the collocation: role model

Slide 8
model 3
in the fashion industry, a person employed to display clothing or cosmetics

We see a young woman posing for the camera.

Sentence: This was her first photoshoot as a professional model.

Note the collocation: professional model

Slide 9
model 4
the style or design of an item

We see a prestigious Rolls Royce.

Sentence: This is the Rolls Royce Cullinan, 2018 model, named after the largest diamond ever found.

Slide 10
idea
a thought or suggestion for a possible course of action

The picture shows a light bulb with the filament spelling the word IDEA.

Sentence: In informal English, a “light-bulb moment” is when you have a moment of sudden enlightenment, or have a good idea.

Note the phrase: a good idea

Slide 11
legislation
a group of laws, or the process of preparing and enacting laws

The picture shows the United Kingdom parliament in session in the 19th century.

Sentence: In 1833, the UK parliament enacted new legislation to restrict the employment of children in factories.

Note the collocation: new legislation

Slide 12
chapter 1
a main division of a book, typically with a title

The picture shows a book open to chapter 1.

Sentence: In A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, Chapter 1 begins with the famous words: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Slide 13
chapter 2
a distinct period in history or in a person’s life

We see style icons David and Victoria Beckham.

Sentence: When Victoria Adams married David Beckham in 1999, she started a new chapter in her life.

Slide 14
commission 1
an authorized task

The picture shows famous Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso in 1912.

Sentence: Living in Paris, Picasso was given a commission to produce a mural for the 1937 Paris World’s Fair.

Slide 15
commission 2
a fee or percentage of a sale given to a sales representative

The picture shows a woman in a job interview.

Sentence: She was disappointed to learn there was no fixed salary, and that she would be paid on a commission basis only.

Note the collocation: paid on a commission basis

Slide 16
baby
a very young child, or a young animal

Sentence: This baby looks so cute!

Note: Generally the word baby refers to a child under the age of one.

Slide 17
size
the physical dimensions or measurements of something

We see a woman trying on a pair of shoes.

Sentence: She asked the sales assistant for a smaller size.

Note the phrase: smaller size

Slide 18
snow
atmospheric water vapour frozen into crystals which fall in light white flakes

Sentence: They really enjoyed cycling in the snow.

Slide 19
phone (telephone)
an instrument for transmitting and receiving speech or other sounds simultaneously

Sentence: He was on the phone all afternoon to his girlfriend.

Note the collocation: on the phone

Slide 20
student
a person following a course of study, as in a school, college or university

We see a photograph of famous physicist Albert Einstein at the age of 14.

Sentence: Contrary to popular legend, records show that Einstein was an excellent student, especially gifted in mathematics, algebra, and physics.

Slide 21
meal

1. a regular occasion when food is served and eaten such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner
2. the food that is served or eaten

We see a breakfast bowl full of fruit and cereal.

Sentence: Researchers recommend specific times to eat meals to lose weight.

Slide 22
sound
vibrations that travel through the air which can be heard when they reach the ear of a human or animal

We see an idyllic seashore with a woman sleeping in the picture inset.

Sentence: The sound of the sea can be very relaxing.

Slide 23
influence
the power to affect the behaviour of someone or something

The photograph shows bronze statues of The Beatles in their home city of Liverpool.

Sentence: The Beatles had a huge influence not only on the music industry, but also on social and cultural changes in the 1960s.

Note the common collocation: huge influence

Slide 24
spot 1
a mark on a surface of a different colour to its surroundings

Sentence: She wore a polka dot dress, that is, a dress with a pattern consisting of many dots or circular spots. 

Slide 25
spot 2
a small area, place or location

The picture shows a garden table and chairs in a small hut in a secluded area.

Sentence: At the bottom of the garden there is a nice, quiet spot where you can go and relax.

Note the collocation: quiet spot

Slide 26
labour

1. a job, task, or productive work that is often tiring, or
2. the group of persons involved in this work

The picture shows women carry heavy loads on their head.

Sentence: 1 That looks like hard labour!

Sentence: 2 It’s sometimes difficult to find labour to do this work.

Note the collocation: hard labour

Slide 27
detail
an individual part, a small feature

In the picture we seen an artist creating a symmetrical pattern on a London street.

Sentence: As a London street artist, he had an eye for detail.

Note the collocation: eye for detail. If you have an eye for detail it means you are good at noticing small but important things that other people may not notice.

Slide 28
date 1
the time in terms of day, month and year

We see the moment of impact when a passenger plane hit New York’s World Trade Centre in 2001.

Sentence: September 11, 2001 (9/11) is a date that will be remembered for many generations.

Slide 29
date 2

1. an appointment or social engagement, often out of romantic interest
2. the person who is coming to the appointment (romantic setting only)

In the picture a man and woman enjoy a romantic moment together.

Sentence: 1 This was the first time she had been on a date for many months.

Sentence: 2 Even though her date was late, she didn’t mind.

Note the collocation: on a date

Slide 30
date 3
the sweet fruit of the date palm

Sentence: Dates are an excellent source of nutrition and fibre, and they are also high in anti-oxidants.

Slide 31
task
a piece of work to be done

The picture shows a man welding with two workmates looking on.

Sentence: Overhead welding can be prove to be quite a difficult task.

Note the collocation: a difficult task

Well done. That ends the first section. Before section 2 the review, just a quick reminder:

Slide 32
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Slides 33-105
So let’s do the review. We will go at quite a fast pace. You can pause the video at any time if you need to think or check something.

Slide 106
Well done!

Just a question . . .

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Slide 107
Build a powerful vocabulary!
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Image Credits

1 – oil – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/8HT5Dn

2 – recovery – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2J1cro

3/1 – model – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/btn2xV

3/2 – model – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/us7pT8

3/3 – model – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/kpkUw

3/4 – model – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2iuz42t

4 – idea – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/cE53tu

5 – legislation – Public Domain
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/97/William_Pitt_addressing_the_House_of_Commons_on_the_outbreak_of_war_with_Austria_(by_Karl_Anton_Hickel).jpg

6/1 – chapter – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/qNG6Nc

6/2 – chapter – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/5VtyCN

7/1 – commission – Public Domain
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pablo_Picasso,_summer_1912.jpg

7/2 – commission – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/217p1iy

8 – baby – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/9Gobs9

9 – size – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2kBuhw6

10 – snow – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/bnWNVZ

11 – phone – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/4npC

12 – student – Public Domain
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albert_Einstein_as_a_child.jpg

13 – meal – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2dqikTS18 – subject – Creative Commons

14 – sound – Creative Commons
sea: https://flic.kr/p/ThZsvy
woman sleeping: https://flic.kr/p/X3iAr

15 – influence – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/NBvruD

16/1 – spot – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2gtSzmk

16/2 – spot – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/2knTAzz

17 – labour – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/6TwSHn

18 – detail – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/MHkJZa

19/1 – date – Creative Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_face_south_tower_after_plane_strike_9-11.jpg

19/2 – date – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/RNnvsY

19/3 – date – Creative Commons
https://flic.kr/p/29LSFUD

20 – task – Public Domain
https://flic.kr/p/2ftrTrR

Regarding the use of illustrations and photographs used in this video:

Creative Commons Attribution Licence
Others are allowed to copy, distribute, display, and perform copyrighted work – and derivative works based upon it if they give credit to the creator or source.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcodePublic Domain

Fair Use
Section 107 of the Copyright Act provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—as examples of activities that may qualify as fair use.
https://copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.html

Public Domain
Public domain works are not restricted by copyright and do not require a license or fee to use. Public domain status allows the user unrestricted access and unlimited creativity. These are typically very old works.

Royalty Free
The image may be used for almost any business, personal, educational or charitable purpose as long as a credit is published to the creator of the image.

Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons only accepts media that are explicitly freely licensed, or that are in the public domain in at least the United States and in the source country of the work.

If you are interested in this adjectives list, be sure to enlarge your vocabulary with the Adjectives list 1-20