Materials & Objects
B1 words for materials, objects, and substances
Overview
18 B1-level words for materials, objects, and substances.
Words
cotton /ˈkɒt.n̩/
noun — B1
Meaning: Gossypium, a genus of plant used as a source of cotton fiber.
Example:
- The cotton is very important.
- She talked about the cotton.
Collocations: the cotton, a cotton of, cotton is important
frame /fɹeɪm/
noun, verb — B1
Meaning: The structural elements of a building or other constructed object.
Example:
- Now that the frame is complete, we can start on the walls.
- She talked about the frame.
Collocations: the frame, a frame of, frame is important
iron /ˈaɪən/
noun, verb — B1
Meaning: A common, inexpensive metal, silvery grey when untarnished, that rusts, is attracted by magnets, and is used in making steel.
Example:
- The iron is very important.
- She talked about the iron.
Collocations: the iron, a iron of, iron is important
layer /leɪə/
noun — B1
Meaning: A single thickness of some material covering a surface.
Example:
- After the first coat of paint dried, he applied another layer.
- She talked about the layer.
Collocations: the layer, a layer of, layer is important
lead /lɛd/
noun — B1
Meaning: A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity. It is easily fusible, forms alloys with other metals, and is an ingredient of solder and type metal. Atomic number 82, symbol Pb (from Latin plumbum).
Example:
- The lead is very important.
- continuous firing leads the grooves of a rifle.
Collocations: the lead, a lead of, lead is important
Word family: lead (đt.) → leader (dt.) → leading (tt.) → leadership (dt.)
leather /ˈlɛðə/
noun — B1
Meaning: A tough material produced from the skin of animals, by tanning or similar process, used e.g. for clothing.
Example:
- The leather is very important.
- She talked about the leather.
Collocations: the leather, a leather of, leather is important
mine /maɪn/
noun — B1
Meaning: My; belonging to me; that which belongs to me.
Example:
- The mine is very important.
- She talked about the mine.
Collocations: the mine, a mine of, mine is important
Word family: determine (đt.) → determined (tt.) → determination (dt.)
pin /pɪn/
noun, verb — B1
Meaning: A needle without an eye (usually) made of drawn-out steel wire with one end sharpened and the other flattened or rounded into a head, used for fastening.
Example:
- The pin is very important.
- She talked about the pin.
Collocations: the pin, a pin of, pin is important
powder /ˈpaʊ.də(ɹ)/
noun — B1
Meaning: The fine particles which are the result of reducing dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust.
Example:
- The powder is very important.
- She talked about the powder.
Collocations: the powder, a powder of, powder is important
sand /sænd/
noun — B1
Meaning: Rock that is ground more finely than gravel, but is not as fine as silt (more formally, see grain sizes chart), forming beaches and deserts and also used in construction.
Example:
- The sand is very important.
- She talked about the sand.
Collocations: the sand, a sand of, sand is important
shell /ʃɛl/
noun — B1
Meaning: A hard external covering of an animal.
Example:
- The shell is very important.
- She talked about the shell.
Collocations: the shell, a shell of, shell is important
solid /ˈsɒlɪd/
adjective, noun — B1
Meaning: A substance in the fundamental state of matter that retains its size and shape without need of a container (as opposed to a liquid or gas).
Example:
- The result was very solid.
- Almost all metals are solid at room temperature.
Collocations: very solid, quite solid, extremely solid
stick /stɪk/
noun, verb — B1
Meaning: An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
Example:
- The stick is very important.
- She talked about the stick.
Collocations: the stick, a stick of, stick is important
string /stɹɪŋ/
noun — B1
Meaning: A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) animals with hoofs, especially horses.
Example:
- There were stalls for fourteen horses in the squire’s stables.
- She talked about the string.
Collocations: the string, a string of, string is important
substance /ˈsʌbstəns/
noun — B1
Meaning: Physical matter; material.
Example:
- The substance is very important.
- She talked about the substance.
Collocations: the substance, a substance of, substance is important
tape /teɪ̯p/
noun — B1
Meaning: Flexible material in a roll with a sticky surface on one or both sides; adhesive tape.
Example:
- Hand me some tape. I need to fix a tear in this paper.
- Be sure to tape your parcel securely before posting it.
Collocations: the tape, a tape of, tape is important
tube /tjuːb/
noun — B1
Meaning: Anything that is hollow and cylindrical in shape.
Example:
- The tube is very important.
- She tubes lipstick in the cosmetics factory.
Collocations: the tube, a tube of, tube is important
wool /wʊl/
noun — B1
Meaning: The hair of the sheep, llama and some other ruminants.
Example:
- The wool is very important.
- She talked about the wool.
Collocations: the wool, a wool of, wool is important
Quick Review
| Word | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cotton | n. | Gossypium, a genus of plant used as a source of cotton fiber |
| frame | n./v. | The structural elements of a building or other constructed object |
| iron | n./v. | A common, inexpensive metal, silvery grey when untarnished, that rusts, is attracted by magnets, and is used in making steel |
| layer | n. | A single thickness of some material covering a surface |
| lead | n. | A heavy, pliable, inelastic metal element, having a bright, bluish color, but easily tarnished; both malleable and ductile, though with little tenacity |
| leather | n. | A tough material produced from the skin of animals, by tanning or similar process, used e |
| mine | n. | My; belonging to me; that which belongs to me |
| pin | n./v. | A needle without an eye (usually) made of drawn-out steel wire with one end sharpened and the other flattened or rounded into a head, used for fastening |
| powder | n. | The fine particles which are the result of reducing dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust |
| sand | n. | Rock that is ground more finely than gravel, but is not as fine as silt (more formally, see grain sizes chart), forming beaches and deserts and also used in construction |
| shell | n. | A hard external covering of an animal |
| solid | adj./n. | A substance in the fundamental state of matter that retains its size and shape without need of a container (as opposed to a liquid or gas) |
| stick | n./v. | An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton |
| string | n. | A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) animals with hoofs, especially horses |
| substance | n. | Physical matter; material |
| tape | n. | Flexible material in a roll with a sticky surface on one or both sides; adhesive tape |
| tube | n. | Anything that is hollow and cylindrical in shape |
| wool | n. | The hair of the sheep, llama and some other ruminants |