Vocabulary in Practice 1 - Unit 1: The body

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Vocabulary in Practice 1 – Beginner

Learn the words in the notes below, then work through exercises A–F. Every answer is checked instantly. Original practice written for All English 4U.

1 Tier 1 – The Concept & Nuance: Anatomical Groups & Real-World Use

Body parts in English are best mastered by grouping them from head to toe. Notice how English distinguishes specific joints and functional digits that learners often mix up.

😀 Head & Face

head · hair (uncountable) · face
eye 👁 · ear 👂 · nose 👃
mouth 👄 · tooth / teeth 🦷 · neck

💪 Arms & Hands

shoulder · arm (shoulder to wrist)
elbow (joint) · hand 🖐
finger (four per hand) · thumb 👍

🦵 Legs & Feet

leg (hip to ankle) · knee (joint)
ankle · foot / feet 🦶
toe (five on each foot)

🧍 Torso & Core

chest (upper front) · back
stomach / tummy (informal)
waist · whole body

💡 Nuance Note: In English, hair on your head is singular and uncountable: “She has long brown hair” (NOT “hairs”). Individual strands are called “a strand of hair” or “two hairs”.

2 Tier 2 – Essential Collocations & Confusing Pairs

⚖️ Confusing Pairs Explained

Finger vs Toe	You have 8 fingers + 2 thumbs on your hands. You have 10 toes on your feet. Never say “hand-toes” or “foot-fingers”.
Hand vs Arm	The hand holds things and writes. The arm is the entire limb connecting your hand to your shoulder.
Foot vs Leg	You stand on your feet. The leg includes the thigh, knee, calf, and shin.

🔗 High-Frequency Action Collocations

– shake hands (greeting)

– nod your head (agreement)

– cross your legs / arms

– brush your teeth

– wash your hands

– have a sore throat / stomachache

3 Tier 3 – Top 3 Common Learner Pitfalls

✗ ~~I hurt my both foots and tooths.~~

✓ I hurt both my feet and teeth.

– Rule: Foot → feet and tooth → teeth are irregular plural nouns. Never add -s.

✗ ~~He has short brown hairs.~~

✓ He has short brown hair.

– Rule: Hair is uncountable when describing style or appearance. Use singular verbs (“Her hair is shiny”).

✗ ~~She pointed at the painting with her toe.~~ (when using hands)

✓ She pointed at the painting with her finger.

– Rule: Always use finger / index finger for hand pointing; toes are strictly on feet.

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Tier 4 – Interactive Practice: Test your body vocabulary across Exercises A–D below with instant automated scoring. Check every answer with one click!