Language tip of the week: sounds

In this weekly post, we bring more useful content from the Macmillan Dictionary to English language learners. These tips are usually based on areas of English which learners find difficult, e.g. spelling, grammar, collocation, synonyms, etc.

This week’s language tip helps with key words which are used for talking or writing about sounds. To listen to the sounds, click on the links and then the symbol:

bang a sound like something exploding:
There was a loud bang and a puff of smoke.
rattle a sound like a loose object hitting another object:
The rattle under the dashboard is getting worse.
crash a sound like a large object falling onto the ground:
We heard an enormous crash outside.
creak a sound that something like a door, floor, or bed makes when you push it, or sit or stand on it:
The creak of a floorboard upstairs told me he was awake.
squeak a sound like the noise a mouse makes:
I’ve oiled that hinge but the squeak is still there.
thud a sound like something heavy and soft falling onto the ground:
There was a loud thud as he fell onto the floor.
clank a sound like two heavy pieces of metal knocking together:
the loud clank of chains as the prisoners walked by