Mental and Physical Development

Early development stage in childhood
Infant / Toddler / Middle childhood

acquired – learned (a skill)

imitating – copying people

unassisted / without support – without help

spontaneously – in a natural, unforced way

mastered – developed a skill to a high level

stage / period – phase

keep an open mind – try not to judge before you know the facts.

bear in mind – remember

have something in mind – have an idea.

have something on your mind – be worried about something.

my mind went blank – I couldn’t remember a thing.

it slipped my mind – I forgot.

put your mind at ease – stop you from worrying.

broaden in mind – increase your knowledge

Verb	Noun	Adjective
develop	development	developed
grow	growth	fully-
mature / reach maturity	maturity	mature

 

Prefix	in front of	ex.
im	b, m, p	immature, impossible
ir	r	irregular
il	l	illegal
in	other words	insensitive

form the opposite or to show that something is lacking

Common MISTAKE

• Grow can be used with plant or with things.
  • The business is growing rapidly.
• Grow up can only be used with people and cities. Grow up is intransitive, which means it cannot be used with an object.
  • The city grew up from a small group of house near the river.
  • The government grew up the city.
• Remember – to have a memory in your mind.
  • I remember my first day at school.
• Remind – someone or something helps you to remember something. Remind is not usually used with subject.
  • It reminds me of when I lived in Thailand.
  • You remind me of my sister.
  • I remind of when …
  • I remind me of …

Source: Cullen, Pauline. Vocabulary for IELTS, Cambridge : University Press, 2008.

Growing Up

hood is used to form a noun and show something belongs to a particular group or has reached a particular stage (adulthood = the stage of being an adult).

co- often means with or together. (correlation or cooperate)

inter- often means between. (interact or intercity)

nurture – help someone/something develop and grow.

accommodating – agreeing to demand.

sibling – brother and sister.

relate – respond to somebody.

adolescence – the stage between childhood and adulthood.

rewarding – giving a lot of pleasure.

interaction – communication.

bond – usually used to describe a very close relationship between people.

Remark – relationship

Verb	build a relationship develop a relationship establish a relationship form a relationship have a relationship
Adjective	a close relationship a long-standing relationship a working relationship a successful relationship
Preposition	a relationship with someone a relationship between two things or people (NOT relationship to someone)

Common MISTAKES

1. I am writing in relation to/with your job advertisement. NOT in relation of …
2. My relationship with my parents is very strong. NOT My relation with my parents …

Source: Cullen, Pauline. Vocabulary for IELTS, Cambridge : University Press, 2008.