Words November 2026 Week 1

She takes dancing lessons. (If you study dancing, you are learning about the history of dancing. If you are learning how to dance, you take lessons.)

He has no interest in physical activities. (He is more interested in learning foreign languages and communicating with foreigners.)

She takes yoga classes on Wednesdays. (Again, we “take” lessons or classes.)

The city subsidizes rechargers for electric vehicles (EVs). (The government helps pay for it.)

There was a gecko in my house. (Geckos are good luck and eat mosquitos and other insects.)

He is ambidextrous. (He can use both hands equally well.)

The idiom "as plain as the nose on your face" means that something is very obvious, clear, and easy to see or understand. (Simple is best.)

I got up on the wrong side of the bed. (Ancient Romans believed that placing your foot on the floor from the left side of the bed was bad luck and the right side was good luck.)

While walking down the aisle in a supermarket, a person in wheelchair was coming toward me. (She moved to the side to let them by.)

In Japanese, "my boom" is a wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English) term that means a personal obsession, or temporary fad that you are really into right now. (My recent boom was eating ramen.)

You don’t need to sift rice flour. (It is gluten-free.)

Bergamot tea, also called Earl Grey, is a flavored tea made by combining a tea base with aromatic oil extracted from the rind of the Citrus bergamia orange. (This is someone’s recent “my boom.”)

Kauche (pronounced like cow-shee), is a popular Japanese gamified shopping app. (Several similar apps are popular now.)

A barista is a professional who prepares and serves espresso, coffee, and other beverages. (In Italy, a barista serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (including wine, beer, and espresso) along with small snacks, a.k.a. bar tender.)

 Kopi Luwak, or civet tea, is made from beans collected from the civet's droppings. (A civet is a cat-like animal.)

Animal rights activists protect both pets and wild animals. (PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] is an international animal rights organization, but I disagree with its radical members.)

I had a lower back pain. (When lifting heavy items, use your legs for lifting, not your back.)

I pulled a muscle in my lower back. (She strained her back.)

I got a lymphatic massage. (Lymphatic therapy boosts your immune system, promotes deep relaxation, and helps improve overall skin texture.)

My whole body ached. (I know the feeling – it’s called “old age”.  Getting older is good – it means we are not dead. Feeling older is not so great.)

You should use the crosswalk when crossing the street. (Crosswalks are also called “zebra crossings.”)

He has a vegetable stand using the honor system. (The customers pay for the vegetables honestly with a cashier present.)

Pregnant women have cravings. (A craving is an intense uncontrollable desire for a specific item, most commonly for food.)

I planted 150 onions in my garden. (They should be ready to harvest in March or April.)

He has two kilns; the small one is electric and the large one runs on gas. (He makes many types of pottery.)

Ome City and Ome, Italy are not sister cities, but they officially signed a friendship/exchange agreement to promote cooperation in culture, tourism, and education. (Ome City (Tokyo) and Ome (Lombardy, Italy) exchanged localized portrait photography. The exhibition in Tokyo showcases the faces, daily lives, and cultural atmosphere of the people living in Italy's Ome. Concurrently, portraits of Tokyo's Ome citizens are being displayed over in Italy. I heard that the Ome City office exhibit is in a very dark area and it’s difficult to view the photos.)

Maybe I pulled a muscle. (She has a lower back pain.)

It was too painful to walk. (This was from a previous health problem.)

I used a vacuum cleaner and dust mop to clean the floors. (Regular floor mops use water and detergent but a dust mop is dry.)