Y05W38VC Theme Words — Courage & resilience

This module focuses on vocabulary connected to the theme of courage and resilience. The words in this set are used when discussing bravery, persistence, the ability to recover from difficulty, and the qualities that help people face challenges. Many of these terms appear in biography, persuasive, and personal writing. Building fluency with this vocabulary helps students express ideas about character and overcoming adversity.

Word in Context (Theme: Courage & resilience)

These three words connect to the theme of Courage & resilience. Read each one carefully and think about how it helps you explain the topic more clearly.

persist

/pəˈsɪst/

per‑sist

verb | [persist – persisted – persisted]

To persist means to keep trying despite difficulty or opposition.

Word family: persistence (n.), persistent (adj.)

Example: He persisted with the training programme even during the weeks when progress felt impossible.

Synonyms: continue, keep going, persevere

Collocations: persist with, persist through, persist despite

overcome

/ˈəʊvəkʌm/

o‑ver‑come

verb | [overcome – overcame – overcome]

To overcome means to successfully deal with a problem or challenge.

Word family: overcoming (n.)

Example: Through determination and support from her teammates, she overcame her fear of competing.

Synonyms: conquer, get past, defeat

Collocations: overcome a challenge, overcome fear, work to overcome

setback

/ˈsɛtbæk/

set‑back

noun

A setback is something that stops progress or makes a situation worse for a time.

Example: Losing the first match was a setback, but the team used it as motivation to train harder.

Synonyms: difficulty, obstacle, disappointment

Collocations: suffer a setback, a major setback, recover from a setback

Academic Vocab

local

/ˈləʊkəl/

lo‑cal

adjective

Something that is local relates to a nearby area rather than somewhere far away.

Word family: locally (adv.), locality (n.)

Example: She volunteered at the local library every Saturday morning to help with the reading programme.

Synonyms: nearby, community, neighbourhood

Collocations: local area, local community, local residents

global

/ˈɡləʊbəl/

glo‑bal

adjective

Something that is global relates to the whole world.

Word family: globally (adv.)

Example: Climate change is a global challenge that requires cooperation between countries and communities.

Synonyms: worldwide, international, universal

Collocations: global issue, global community, a global response

community

/kəˈmjuːnɪti/

com‑mu‑ni‑ty

noun

A community is a group of people who share a place, interest, or values.

Word family: communal (adj.)

Example: The community came together after the flood to help families who had lost their belongings.

Synonyms: group, society, neighbourhood

Collocations: local community, a sense of community, community spirit

world

/wɜːld/

world

noun

The world refers to the earth and all the people, places, and things on it.

Example: Acts of everyday courage, no matter how small, make the world a better place for everyone.

Synonyms: earth, globe, society

Collocations: around the world, the whole world, make a difference in the world

connection

/kəˈnɛkʃən/

con‑nec‑tion

noun

A connection is a link or relationship between people, places, or ideas.

Word family: connect (v.), connected (adj.)

Example: She felt a strong connection to her mentor, who had overcome similar challenges earlier in life.

Synonyms: link, bond, relationship

Collocations: make a connection, a strong connection, a connection between

for instance

/fɔː ˈɪnsəns/

for in‑stance

phrase

‘For instance’ introduces a specific example that illustrates a general point.

Example: Many people show quiet courage every day; for instance, a student who speaks up for a friend being treated unfairly.

Synonyms: for example, such as, to illustrate

Collocations: for instance, this shows; for instance, consider

Confusing Words

check vs cheque

These two words sound exactly the same but are used in different contexts.

  • check — Check' is the more common word with multiple meanings: it can mean to inspect or verify something — for example, She paused to check her work before submitting it — or to stop or restrain something — for example, He kept his emotions in check during the difficult conversation.
  • cheque — Cheque' (Australian and British spelling) is a noun referring to a written order to a bank to pay a specific amount of money — for example, The school received a cheque from the local council to fund the resilience programme.

Memory rule: A helpful trick: 'cheque' is the banking spelling used in Australia. If you mean money or a bank payment, use 'cheque'. For all other meanings, use 'check'.