7.2 Core Lexical Domains for School-Age Learners

7.2 Core Lexical Domains for School-Age Learners

Acquiring a rich, practical vocabulary foundation is essential for success on the Cambridge A2 Key for Schools examination. Cambridge's language specifications list 21 topics for the exam. This section groups them into nine study clusters that reflect teenage daily life, then maps every official topic to a cluster so nothing is missed. In Paper 1, lexical knowledge is tested directly in Part 4 (Multiple-Choice Cloze) and receptively across Part 1 signs, Part 2 profiles, and Part 3 articles. In productive components (Writing Parts 6–7 and Speaking Parts 1–2), examiners reward candidates who demonstrate an appropriate lexical range by deploying precise nouns, descriptive adjectives, and action verbs rather than repeating elementary terms like good or nice. OpenExamPrep provides this independent study resource for Cambridge A2 Key for Schools to help learners systematically master these core domains.

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Nine Study Clusters

1. School & Education

School settings appear often in the for-Schools version. Candidates must recognize subject names, classroom tools, and school facilities:

• Academic Subjects: geography, history, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics / maths, art, drama, physical education / PE, information technology / IT, foreign languages.
• Classroom Objects: ruler, compass, scissors, whiteboard, textbook, timetable, homework, dictionary, rubber / eraser, pencil case, notebook.
• Places & People: headteacher, librarian, classmate, school hall, canteen / cafeteria, gymnasium, science laboratory, sports pitch, playground, locker.
• Collocations: take an exam, pass / fail a test, do homework, hand in an assignment, follow the timetable.

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2. Hobbies, Leisure Activities & Sports

Free-time activities feature heavily in Speaking Part 1 personal questions and Writing Part 6 emails to friends:

• Sports & Venues: football, badminton, volleyball, athletics, gymnastics, snowboarding, surfing, swimming pool, tennis court, pitch, ice rink, stadium.
• Equipment: racket, bat, helmet, trainers, skateboard, bicycle, swimsuit, goggles.
• Instruments & Arts: keyboard, acoustic guitar, drums, violin, flute, stage, concert, painting, photography.
• Collocations: join a club, collect cards, practice the guitar, score a goal, win a prize, take up a hobby.

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3. Family, Friends & Personal Descriptions

Examiners frequently prompt candidates to describe relatives, classmates, or cartoon characters:

• Physical Appearance: curly, straight, wavy, dark, fair, blond hair; tall, short, slim, medium height; beard, moustache, glasses, freckles.
• Personality Adjectives: friendly, cheerful, polite, honest, clever, patient, kind, creative, generous, quiet, funny, lazy, noisy.
• Relationships: cousin, nephew, niece, twin, grandchild, neighbor, best friend, teammate.

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4. Home & Daily Routine

Questions regarding home life test knowledge of living spaces, furniture, and domestic responsibilities:

• Rooms & Layout: hallway, attic, basement, balcony, garage, stairs, ceiling, roof, garden.
• Furniture & Appliances: wardrobe, cupboard, bookcase, cooker, microwave, fridge, freezer, washing machine, sink, blanket, pillow, towel.
• Daily Chores: tidy the bedroom, do the washing-up, lay / clear the table, take out the rubbish / bin, make the bed, sweep the floor.

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5. Town, Places & Transport

Notices, listening monologues, and speaking prompts require familiarity with urban layouts and public transit:

• Navigation: crossroads, roundabout, pedestrian crossing, traffic lights, pavement / sidewalk, corner, bridge, tunnel.
• Public Buildings: chemist / pharmacy, post office, library, museum, police station, town hall, tourist information centre, department store.
• Transit & Vehicles: single / return ticket, passenger, platform, coach, ferry, tram, underground / metro, bus stop, luggage rack.
• Directions: turn left, turn right, go straight ahead, opposite the bank, next to the cinema.

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6. Travel, Weather & Nature

Outdoor excursions and holidays form the basis of many reading articles and picture narratives:

• Landscapes & Nature: cliff, valley, coast, island, forest, mountain range, river bank, beach, waterfall.
• Weather & Seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter; foggy, stormy, freezing, chilly, sunny, windy, rainy, thunderstorm, temperature.
• Travel Logistics: passport, boarding pass, suitcase, backpack, guidebook, flight delay, departures board, tourist, souvenir.

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7. Food & Dining

Catering contexts appear across all papers, from restaurant dialogues to school lunch notices:

• Meals & Courses: breakfast, lunch, dinner, picnic, snack, starter, main course, dessert.
• Ingredients: flour, garlic, onion, butter, cheese, beef, chicken, tuna, vegetables, pepper, sugar, fruit salad.
• Utensils & Verbs: fork, spoon, knife, frying pan, saucepan, bowl, plate, cup, mug; boil, bake, roast, fry, slice, chop, serve.

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8. Health & Body

Listening Part 2 note-taking and Reading Part 1 signs often focus on doctor appointments and physical wellness:

• Body Parts: shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, ankle, neck, chest, stomach, throat, forehead.
• Symptoms & Illnesses: headache, toothache, stomach ache, earache, sore throat, cough, fever, cold, flu, cut, bruise, broken leg.
• Medical Treatment: chemist / pharmacy, doctor's appointment, prescription, medicine, pill, bandage, plaster, rest in bed.

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9. Shopping & Clothes

Vocabulary involving clothing, sizes, and transactions is heavily tested:

• Garments & Accessories: hoodie, jumper / sweater, jacket, suit, tracksuit, boots, sandals, trainers, belt, scarf, gloves.
• Materials & Sizes: cotton, wool, leather, plastic, striped, spotted; small, medium, large, tight, loose.
• Shopping Transactions: price tag, discount, sale, customer, cashier, changing room, receipt, cash, credit card, refund, exchange.
• Collocations: try on clothes, fit comfortably, suit someone, pay by card, pay in cash.

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Common Lexical Traps and False Friends

Candidates at Level A2 frequently confuse pairs of words that share similar sounds or meanings:

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Mapping Cambridge's 21 Official Topics

Cambridge's official topic list for A2 Key for Schools is: clothes; daily life; entertainment and media; food and drink; health, medicine and exercise; hobbies and leisure; house and home; language; people; personal feelings, opinions and experiences; personal identification; places and buildings; school and study; services; shopping; social interaction; sport; the natural world; transport; travel and holidays; and weather. The table shows where each topic is covered and adds starter words for the topics that the nine clusters above do not name directly:

Cambridge also publishes an A2 Key and A2 Key for Schools vocabulary list, which it updates annually. The list is a guide, not a complete register of every word that can appear, so read widely as well. American pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are acceptable in the exam.

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Lexical Domains Taxonomy Table