Phobias & Fear Reactions
B1/B2 · Useful vocabulary · Fear idioms · Past modals
Goal: use practical fear vocabulary in complete B1/B2 sentences, not just memorize rare phobia names.
Exercise 1
Choose the one best word or phrase for each sentence.
1.A phobia is often _____ because the fear is much stronger than the real danger.
2.After a frightening childhood experience, some people _____ a phobia.
3.A person with acrophobia has a fear of _____.
4.The dog barked loudly, but it did not bite anyone. Nobody was _____.
5.Do not eat those berries. They may be _____.
6.A snake that injects venom when it bites is _____.
7.Harm means _____.
8.If something is harmless, it is _____.
9.When the alarm went off in the dark cave, she stopped moving. She _____.
10.During a panic reaction, a person may have difficulty _____.
11.A large group of jellyfish in the sea can be called a _____.
12.I need some _____ before I decide what to do.
Goal: build sentence frames the student can reuse when explaining fears, causes, and consequences.
Exercise 2
Match each useful structure to its correct ending.
Structure
Correct ending
Use modal + have + V3: must have = almost certain, couldn't have = impossible, might have = possible, should have = regret/criticism, could have = missed opportunity.
Exercise 3
Choose the one correct modal form for each past situation.
1.Her coat is gone and her car is not outside. She _____ already.
2.You _____ Anna at the party; she was abroad that evening.
3.I failed the exam because I did not study enough. I _____ more.
4.The bus is late, so Amir _____ it and is walking instead. We are not sure.
5.We had enough time to take a quieter route, but we chose the motorway. We _____ a quieter route.
6.She looks pale and went home early. She _____ sick.
7.The security camera shows the shop was empty. He _____ the wallet there.
8.She had the possibility to study more, but she went partying instead. She _____ more.
9.You did not tell me about your fear of flying. You _____ me earlier.
10.The dog has grass in its mouth. It _____ the grass, but I am not certain.
Goal: turn the lesson notes into reusable B1/B2 language for describing pressure, panic, regret, and emotional control.
Exercise 4
Match each idiom or useful word to its exact meaning.
Expression
Meaning
N
E
R
D
Word Origin
Naturally Eccentric, Remarkably Different
Word Origin
Naturally Eccentric, Remarkably Different
| Word / Phrase | Category | Origin & Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Phobia | etymology | From Greek phobos, meaning fear or panic. In modern English, a phobia is an intense fear that is often irrational and difficult to control. |
| Fear vs phobia | usage | A fear can be reasonable: the danger is real. A phobia is stronger than the real danger, so the reaction can feel irrational. |
| Develop a phobia | collocation | Use develop a phobia when the fear starts and becomes serious over time: She developed a phobia after a childhood trauma. |
| Poisonous / venomous | usage | Use poisonous for something harmful if you eat it, drink it, or touch it. Use venomous for an animal that injects venom by biting or stinging. |
| Harm, harmful, harmless | word family | Harm means damage. Something harmful can cause damage. Something harmless is safe and does not cause damage. |
| Freeze / paralyzed | usage | When fear is very strong, a person may freeze: they stop moving and feel almost paralyzed. |
| Time to think | grammar | After time, use to + verb: I need time to think. Also: time to decide, time to react, time to recover. |
| By yourself | grammar | By yourself means without help. You can't fix it by yourself means you need support from another person. |
| Fear idioms | idiom | On edge, scared stiff, go to pieces, and have nerves of steel describe how people react under pressure. |
| Modal verbs + have + past participle | grammar | Use must have for near certainty, couldn't have for impossibility, might have for possibility, should have for regret or criticism, and could have for a missed opportunity. |