Chapter: Unit 8: Write Well 1 - Letter to a Friend
📚 Vocabulary
English for Today Class Four
⭐ Most Important Exam Words
friendlettergreetingclosingdateschoolclassfromliveplaycricketweekendtogethercanfastwellfamilysisterbrotherquestionquestion markcommacapitalpunctuationfull stopexclamation markquotation mark
📃 Word Formation Rules
► Add -s to most nouns to make plurals: friend → friends, sister → sisters, question → questions.
► For words ending in consonant plus y, change y to i and add -es: family → families.
► Add -er to some adjectives to form comparative adjectives: fast → faster, strong → stronger.
► Add -ly to an adjective to form an adverb: quick → quickly, slow → slowly.
► Use the possessive apostrophe and s to show belonging: sister → sister’s, friend → friend’s.
► Some words have irregular plurals: child → children, not childs.
► Use can + base verb: can run, can play, can write.
► Use do or does + subject + base verb in present questions: Do you live here? Does she play cricket?
1. Friends and Personal Information (8 words)
friend[/frend/]nouneasy
Meaning: বন্ধু
Alt: a person whom we know and like
Example: Sumon is my new friend at school.
Syn: companionAnt: enemy
💡 Exam tip: Remember the spelling: friend, not freind.
new[/njuː/]adjeasy
Meaning: নতুন
Alt: recently made or known
Example: Kajol has a new friend.
Syn: recentAnt: old
💡 Exam tip: The opposite of new is old.
school[/skuːl/]nouneasy
Meaning: বিদ্যালয়
Alt: a place where children learn
Example: Sumon is Kajol’s friend at school.
Syn: academy
💡 Exam tip: Use at school to describe a place of study.
class[/klɑːs/]nouneasy
Meaning: শ্রেণি
Alt: a group of students or a level of study
Example: I am in Class 4.
Syn: grade
💡 Exam tip: Class is a noun in the expression Class 4.
name[/neɪm/]nouneasy
Meaning: নাম
Alt: the word by which a person or thing is known
Example: Her name is Mira.
Syn: title
💡 Exam tip: Ask about it with What is your name?
from[/frəm/]adveasy
Meaning: থেকে
Alt: indicating the place of origin
Example: Sumon is from Bogura.
Syn: out ofAnt: to
💡 Exam tip: Use be from for a person’s birthplace or home place.
live[/lɪv/]verbeasy
Meaning: বাস করা
Alt: to have a home in a place
Example: Where do you live?
Syn: resideAnt: leave
💡 Exam tip: Use do or does with live in questions.
favourite[/ˈfeɪvərɪt/]adjmedium
Meaning: প্রিয়
Alt: liked more than others
Example: Cricket is my favourite sport.
Syn: preferredAnt: disliked
💡 Exam tip: Favourite means most liked; the British spelling is used in the textbook.
2. Letter Parts and Writing (8 words)
letter[/ˈletər/]nouneasy
Meaning: চিঠি
Alt: a written message sent to someone
Example: Kajol writes a letter to Ismail.
Syn: message
💡 Exam tip: A friendly letter usually has a date, greeting, body, closing, and name.
dear[/dɪər/]adjeasy
Meaning: প্রিয়
Alt: used warmly when addressing someone
Example: Dear Ismail,
Syn: belovedAnt: unloved
💡 Exam tip: Use Dear before the name in a letter greeting.
greeting[/ˈɡriːtɪŋ/]nounmedium
Meaning: সম্বোধন
Alt: words used at the beginning of a letter or meeting
Example: Dear Ismail is the greeting of the letter.
Syn: salutationAnt: farewell
💡 Exam tip: Put a comma after the greeting in a friendly letter.
closing[/ˈkloʊzɪŋ/]nounmedium
Meaning: সমাপ্তি-সম্বোধন
Alt: the words used at the end of a letter
Example: Your friend is the closing of the letter.
Syn: endingAnt: opening
💡 Exam tip: Put a comma after the closing phrase.
date[/deɪt/]nouneasy
Meaning: তারিখ
Alt: the day, month, and year
Example: The date of the letter is 24th April, 2024.
Syn: day
💡 Exam tip: Use a comma between the month and the year.
write[/raɪt/]verbeasy
Meaning: লেখা
Alt: to form words on paper
Example: Write soon!
Syn: recordAnt: erase
💡 Exam tip: The past form of write is wrote.
answer[/ˈɑːnsər/]verbeasy
Meaning: উত্তর দেওয়া
Alt: to reply to a question
Example: Answer the questions about the letter.
Syn: replyAnt: ask
💡 Exam tip: Answer can be both a verb and a noun.
copy[/ˈkɒpi/]verbeasy
Meaning: অনুলিপি করা
Alt: to write something again exactly
Example: Copy the questions in your exercise book.
Syn: reproduceAnt: alter
💡 Exam tip: Copy means write again, not merely read.
3. Activities and Sports (8 words)
play[/pleɪ/]verbeasy
Meaning: খেলা করা
Alt: to take part in a game or sport
Example: We play in the park after school.
Syn: competeAnt: work
💡 Exam tip: Use play with games and sports such as play cricket.
sport[/spɔːrt/]nouneasy
Meaning: খেলা
Alt: a physical activity or game
Example: What is your favourite sport?
Syn: game
💡 Exam tip: Cricket and football are examples of sports.
cricket[/ˈkrɪkɪt/]nouneasy
Meaning: ক্রিকেট
Alt: a bat-and-ball sport
Example: We play cricket together on the weekends.
Syn: ball game
💡 Exam tip: Cricket is a sport and a proper activity name, but it is not normally capitalized in a sentence.
park[/pɑːrk/]nouneasy
Meaning: উদ্যান
Alt: an open public place for leisure
Example: They play in the park.
Syn: garden
💡 Exam tip: Use in the park when describing activity inside a park.
weekend[/ˌwiːkˈend/]nounmedium
Meaning: সাপ্তাহিক ছুটির দিন
Alt: Saturday and Sunday or the weekly days off
Example: We play cricket on the weekends.
Syn: holidayAnt: weekday
💡 Exam tip: On the weekends means during the weekend days.
run[/rʌn/]verbeasy
Meaning: দৌড়ানো
Alt: to move quickly on foot
Example: Sumon can run very fast.
Syn: raceAnt: walk
💡 Exam tip: After can, use the base form run, not runs.
do[/duː/]verbeasy
Meaning: করা
Alt: to perform an action
Example: What do you do with your friend?
Syn: performAnt: avoid
💡 Exam tip: Use do with I, you, we, and they in simple present questions.
together[/təˈɡeðər/]adveasy
Meaning: একসঙ্গে
Alt: with each other
Example: We play cricket together.
Syn: jointlyAnt: apart
💡 Exam tip: Together usually comes after the verb or object.
4. Ability and Description (8 words)
can[/kæn/]verbeasy
Meaning: পারা
Alt: to be able to do something
Example: He can run very fast.
Syn: be able toAnt: cannot
💡 Exam tip: Use the base verb after can: can run, can play.
fast[/fɑːst/]adveasy
Meaning: দ্রুতভাবে
Alt: quickly
Example: Sumon can run very fast.
Syn: quicklyAnt: slowly
💡 Exam tip: Fast can be an adjective or an adverb.
well[/wel/]adveasy
Meaning: ভালোভাবে
Alt: in a good way
Example: Tell me one thing your friend can do well.
Syn: properlyAnt: badly
💡 Exam tip: Well describes how an action is done; good describes a noun.
good[/ɡʊd/]adjeasy
Meaning: ভালো
Alt: of a high quality or standard
Example: Sumon is a good friend.
Syn: fineAnt: bad
💡 Exam tip: The adverb form is well.
happy[/ˈhæpi/]adjeasy
Meaning: সুখী
Alt: feeling pleasure or joy
Example: I am happy to have a friend.
Syn: gladAnt: sad
💡 Exam tip: Happy is an adjective used after be verbs.
kind[/kaɪnd/]adjmedium
Meaning: দয়ালু
Alt: friendly and helpful
Example: My friend is kind to everyone.
Syn: gentleAnt: unkind
💡 Exam tip: Kind can also be a noun meaning a type.
strong[/strɔːŋ/]adjmedium
Meaning: শক্তিশালী
Alt: having physical power
Example: My friend is strong and active.
Syn: powerfulAnt: weak
💡 Exam tip: Strong is an adjective; strength is its noun form.
active[/ˈæktɪv/]adjmedium
Meaning: সক্রিয়
Alt: doing many physical activities
Example: An active child likes to play outside.
Syn: energeticAnt: inactive
💡 Exam tip: Active describes a person who does things energetically.
5. Family and Relationships (8 words)
family[/ˈfæməli/]nouneasy
Meaning: পরিবার
Alt: parents, children, and other related people
Example: I love my family.
Syn: household
💡 Exam tip: Family is a collective noun for related people.
sister[/ˈsɪstər/]nouneasy
Meaning: বোন
Alt: a female sibling
Example: Sumon has one sister.
Syn: female siblingAnt: brother
💡 Exam tip: The plural form is sisters.
brother[/ˈbrʌðər/]nouneasy
Meaning: ভাই
Alt: a male sibling
Example: Does your friend have a brother?
Syn: male siblingAnt: sister
💡 Exam tip: The plural form is brothers.
sibling[/ˈsɪblɪŋ/]nounmedium
Meaning: সহোদর
Alt: a brother or sister
Example: Mira is Sumon’s sibling.
Syn: brother or sister
💡 Exam tip: Sibling includes both brothers and sisters.
mother[/ˈmʌðər/]nouneasy
Meaning: মা
Alt: a female parent
Example: My mother helps me write letters.
Syn: mumAnt: father
💡 Exam tip: Mother is a female parent; father is a male parent.
father[/ˈfɑːðər/]nouneasy
Meaning: বাবা
Alt: a male parent
Example: My father reads my letter.
Syn: dadAnt: mother
💡 Exam tip: Father and mother are common family vocabulary words.
child[/tʃaɪld/]nouneasy
Meaning: শিশু
Alt: a young person
Example: Every child needs a good friend.
Syn: youngsterAnt: adult
💡 Exam tip: The plural of child is children, not childs.
sister’s[/ˈsɪstərz/]nounmedium
Meaning: বোনের
Alt: belonging to a sister
Example: What is your friend’s sister’s name?
Syn: of a sister
💡 Exam tip: The apostrophe shows possession: sister’s name.
6. Questions and Punctuation (8 words)
question[/ˈkwestʃən/]nouneasy
Meaning: প্রশ্ন
Alt: words used to ask for information
Example: Answer the questions about the letter.
Syn: queryAnt: answer
💡 Exam tip: A question usually ends with a question mark.
question mark[/ˈkwestʃən mɑːrk/]nouneasy
Meaning: প্রশ্নবোধক চিহ্ন
Alt: the mark (?) used at the end of a question
Example: Put a question mark after Where do you live?
Syn: interrogation mark
💡 Exam tip: Use ? after direct questions.
comma[/ˈkɒmə/]nouneasy
Meaning: কমা
Alt: the punctuation mark (,)
Example: Use a comma after Dear Ismail.
Syn: pause mark
💡 Exam tip: In letters, commas occur after the date month, greeting, and closing.
capital[/ˈkæpɪtl/]adjeasy
Meaning: বড় হাতের
Alt: written in uppercase form
Example: Start the sentence with a capital letter.
Syn: uppercaseAnt: small
💡 Exam tip: Begin a sentence and a proper name with a capital letter.
punctuation[/ˌpʌŋktʃuˈeɪʃən/]nounmedium
Meaning: যতিচিহ্নের ব্যবহার
Alt: marks used to organize written language
Example: Correct punctuation makes a letter clear.
Syn: marking
💡 Exam tip: Full stops, commas, question marks, and exclamation marks are punctuation marks.
full stop[/ˈfʊl stɒp/]nouneasy
Meaning: দাঁড়ি বা পূর্ণচ্ছেদ
Alt: the mark (.) used at the end of a statement
Example: Put a full stop after He is from Bogura.
Syn: period
💡 Exam tip: A full stop tells or completes a statement.
exclamation mark[/ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən mɑːrk/]nounmedium
Meaning: বিস্ময়বোধক চিহ্ন
Alt: the mark (!) showing strong feeling or surprise
Example: He can run very fast!
Syn: exclamation point
💡 Exam tip: Use ! for strong feelings, commands, or surprise.
quotation mark[/kwəʊˈteɪʃən mɑːrk/]nounhard
Meaning: উদ্ধৃতি চিহ্ন
Alt: marks used around someone’s exact words
Example: The quotation marks show the speaker’s words.
Syn: inverted commas
💡 Exam tip: Begin the quoted sentence with a capital letter.
💡 Exam Tips
• A friendly letter should include the date, greeting, body, closing, and writer’s name.
• Write a comma between the month and year: April, 2024.
• Put a comma after the greeting: Dear Ismail,
• Put a comma after the closing: Your friend,
• Use a capital letter at the beginning of every sentence and for names of people and places.
• Use a question mark after a question: Where are you from?
• Use a full stop after a statement: He is from Bogura.
• Use an exclamation mark for strong feelings or surprise: He can run very fast!
• Remember the difference between who and where: who asks about a person, and where asks about a place.
• In answers, write complete sentences: Kajol’s new friend is Sumon.
• Use play with sports: play cricket; use go with some activities: go to school.
• After can, use the base form of the verb: can run, not can runs.
• For possession, use an apostrophe: Sumon’s sister, your friend’s name.