Would you like to sound smarter when you're speaking in English?
Of course you do.
So, that's why today I'm going to tell you
ten different adjectives to help you sound smarter.
That's coming up.
So the adjectives that I'm going to talk to you about
today are a little more academic, and they're
great adjectives because they're very descriptive.
Very precise.
and that is a great way to improve your fluency
because you're better able to express your thoughts, your opinions, your ideas.
And they just so happen to be 10 of my favorite adjectives that I like to use.
Because I want to sound smart.
So I'm going to give you the pronunciation of these adjectives.
I'm going to tell you what they mean, and how they're commonly used.
So let's begin.
The first word is ubiquitous.
And ubiquitous has four syllables.
That first syllable is just like you're saying the letter U.
And the stress is going to be on that second syllable.
Ubiquitous means existing or being everywhere.
It is something that you see everywhere you go.
It could be a shop, a store. And you find it all over the world.
For example, you have companies that you see everywhere like Starbucks, McDonald's.
Wherever you go, whether you like it or not, you see these places.
They are ubiquitous.
It could also be used to talk about...maybe a word,
phrase, or expression that you might commonly hear that is ubiquitous.
You hear it all the time.
You wouldn't really use it to talk about a person that you
see all the time because again there is only one person.
Ubiquitous is talking about something where there is a lot. It is a lot more than just one.
It's everywhere. Its ubiquitous.
The next word is cumbersome.
The word cumbersome has three syllables.
And the stress is on the first syllable.
And something that is cumbersome is something that is
difficult, something that is burdensome, and usually
it's often talking about something that is physical.
That is difficult to move or carry.
Maybe because it has an awkward shape or maybe it's really heavy.
And it is cumbersome to move something from one place to another.
It's not always used to talk about an object.
It can be used to talk about a situation as well.
Something that is difficult, problematic...we could say that it is cumbersome.
It's a cumbersome situation, a cumbersome challenge, a cumbersome life.
The next adjective, and it's one of my favorites because
well, it kind of described me is facetious.
Facetious has three syllables, and the stress is on that second syllable.
It's like you're just saying the letter C.
And that first syllable has that schwa, that /uh/ sound.
Facetious means not to be taken literally or serious.
And I would say it's kind of in between a joke and a lie.
And you're almost kind of teasing somebody when you're being facetious.
You're saying something that is so ridiculous.
It's so outlandish.
That the other person or people...they shouldn't
take you seriously because what you're saying is so ridiculous.
You are being facetious.
Next is arduous.
And arduous has three syllables, and the stresses on the first syllable.
Now you don't hear that D sound that much.
It's not very strong. It almost sounds a little like a J.
And something that is arduous is difficult because
it requires a lot of exertion, a lot of thought, a lot of energy.
And it's often used to describe something that you have to do like a task.
It requires a lot of exertion and it's...
because of that it's just really difficult. It's arduous.
Next is presumptuous.
And presumptuous has four syllables, and the stress is on that second syllable.
And the S almost sounds a little more like a Z.
And if somebody is being presumptuous, then that just
means that they're showing little or no respect for others
by doing something that they shouldn't be doing.
They're being presumptuous thinking that they can do
this or that when they shouldn't do it.
It's presumptuous.
For example, if you go over to a friend's place,
most of us don't just walk inside their home or apartment.
You knock on the door because it's polite. It's respectful.
If you just walk inside like you own the place, then you would be presumptuous.
Next is pensive.
And the pronunciation, very easy, just two syllables and the stress is on that first syllable.
Now if somebody is pensive that just means that they are in deep thought.
They're really thinking about or reflecting on something.
It's almost like a dreamlike state.
You're in such deep thought you've just tuned out the rest of the world.
You would say that this person is pensive or somebody might look pensive.
And usually if somebody is pensive, it's because something requires that deep thought.
It could be something serious.
It could be something bad or unfortunate that makes somebody pensive.
And really have to think about something.
The next adjective, which is another one that I really like, is circuitous.
And circuitous has four syllables.
And there's a few things going on with the pronunciation.
In the first syllable that C is going to have more of an S sound.
The stress is going to be on that second syllable.
And that C - U, it's kind of like you're saying the letter Q.
And circuitous is talking about a very roundabout way to get somewhere.
Where you're just not taking the most direct route.
And I think we've all probably tried to go somewhere
and maybe we got a little lost, and we went way out of our way.
And we ended up taking a circuitous route.
And frequently it's used with this word when talking about the direction that you go.
And it is just this windy, roundabout way
that you try to go and get somewhere.
Circuitous.
Next is conscientious.
And this is a great adjective to describe...maybe yourself or someone else.
And I think the pronunciation is what makes many learners avoid this word.
Because they look at it and think what's going on there.
So conscientious has four syllables, and the stress is on that third syllable.
That /en/ /en/.
That second syllable is what really confuses people.
Because that S - C - I almost sounds like you're saying "She."
And someone who is conscientious
just means that they have a moral responsibility to do
their work carefully, and also you know treat others with respect.
And be fair to others.
Someone who's conscientious is really able to
put themselves in another person's shoes.
And really see how they feel and empathize with them.
They are aware of their surroundings.
And because of that we would say they are conscientious.
Great word!
The next word is meticulous.
And this word has four syllables, and the stress is on that second syllable.
That first syllable also has that schwa, that /uh/ sound.
That reduced vowel sound.
This is another word that I like because I think it does describe me in in many situations.
If someone is meticulous, that means that they try to
pay really close attention to the details.
They're meticulous in their work.
They're focused on the details, and they want to make sure every little thing is in order.
Someone is meticulous.
Now it's usually, I think, it is a good thing when you're
talking about somebody's work.
That you want to pay close attention to the details, so you don't miss anything.
And be very meticulous.
The final adjective that I have for you is convoluted.
Convoluted also has four syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
That second syllable, again has that schwa sound.
That reduced vowel sound. /uh/
If something is convoluted, it means that it is extremely
difficult to follow because things are connected
and intertwined, and mixed around in a way that's difficult to understand.
That means that something is convoluted.
It can be used to describe a story, or an argument, or
maybe even a sentence that is hard to follow, and it doesn't make much sense.
It's convoluted.
So those are ten super-awesome adjectives that will
help you sound smarter when you're having a conversation in English.
It'll also help you be more descriptive when you're
expressing your thoughts, your ideas, your opinions.
So please, use those adjectives.
Now, as a special treat, I have a bonus adjective for you.
And this is your practice.
I'm going to give you an adjective, and I want you to click on the meaning.
What do you think this adjective means?
If you don't know the meaning, then just write "I don't know" in the comments, and then I'll tell you.
You ready for your adjective?
Here it is.
What do you think this means?
Uncanny?
If something is uncanny?
I have an uncanny feeling that I'm being watched.
What do you think it means?
Click on the answer or the video is going to end.
If something is uncanny it means...
What?