Below is a list of 70 key words realted to the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. (https://learnerslibrary.net/the-giving-tree-by-shel-silverstein-a-perfect-book-for-english-learners/) Each word is accompanied by its meaning and an example sentence to help you understand how it’s used in context.
Take a moment to check how many of these words you already know!
You can also download the complete list and examples by clicking the button below.
| word | meaning | example sentence | |
| 1 | tree | a tall plant with a trunk and branches | The boy sat under the tree to enjoy the shade. |
| 2 | boy | a young male child | The boy loved climbing the tree every day. |
| 3 | love | a strong feeling of affection and care | The tree loved the boy very much. |
| 4 | give | to provide something to someone | The tree wanted to give the boy everything it had. |
| 5 | take | to receive or acquire something | The boy took the apples from the tree. |
| 6 | care | to show concern or interest | The tree cared for the boy as he grew older. |
| 7 | happy | feeling joy or pleasure | The tree felt happy when the boy played with it. |
| 8 | sad | feeling sorrow or unhappiness | The tree felt sad when the boy stopped visiting. |
| 9 | sit | to rest with your weight on your bottom | The boy used to sit under the tree and think. |
| 10 | rest | to relax or take a break | The tired boy came to the tree to rest. |
| 11 | play | to engage in fun activities | The boy would play in the tree’s branches. |
| 12 | climb | to move up using hands and feet | The boy loved to climb the tree when he was young. |
| 13 | branches | the parts of a tree that grow out from the trunk | The boy sat on the tree’s branches. |
| 14 | leaves | flat, green parts of a plant | The wind rustled through the leaves of the tree. |
| 15 | shade | a cool area blocked from the sun | The boy enjoyed sitting in the tree’s shade. |
| 16 | apples | a round fruit from trees | The tree gave the boy apples to sell. |
| 17 | sell | to exchange something for money | The boy sold apples to make money. |
| 18 | money | coins or notes used to buy things | The boy needed money to buy things he wanted. |
| 19 | buy | to get something by paying money | He used the money to buy new things. |
| 20 | build | to make something by putting parts together | The boy wanted to build a house. |
| 21 | house | a place where people live | He used the tree’s branches to build a house. |
| 22 | boat | a small vessel for traveling on water | The boy built a boat from the tree’s trunk. |
| 23 | trunk | the main wooden stem of a tree | The tree gave its trunk to the boy for a boat. |
| 24 | cut | to remove something using a sharp tool | The boy cut down the tree’s trunk. |
| 25 | grow | to increase in size or change over time | The boy grew older and needed different things. |
| 26 | want | to desire something | The boy wanted many things in life. |
| 27 | need | something necessary for living | The tree always gave the boy what he needed. |
| 28 | tired | feeling exhausted or in need of rest | The old man was too tired to stand. |
| 29 | old | having lived for a long time | The tree and the boy both grew old. |
| 30 | stump | the bottom part of a tree left after it’s cut down | The old man sat on the tree’s stump. |
| 31 | forest | a large area covered with trees | The tree once stood in a big forest. |
| 32 | time | the passing of minutes, hours, and days | Over time, the boy visited the tree less often. |
| 33 | giveaway | to offer something for free | The tree gave away all its parts to the boy. |
| 34 | come | to move toward a place | The boy came back to the tree after many years. |
| 35 | go | to move away from a place | The boy would often go far away and forget the tree. |
| 36 | remember | to think of something again | The tree always remembered the boy. |
| 37 | forget | to fail to remember | The boy forgot the tree for many years. |
| 38 | grow up | to become older or mature | The boy grew up and stopped playing with the tree. |
| 39 | lonely | feeling alone and without company | The tree felt lonely when the boy was gone. |
| 40 | smile | to show happiness with your mouth | The boy smiled when he saw the tree again. |
| 41 | cry | to shed tears when sad | The tree felt like crying when the boy left. |
| 42 | return | to come back to a place | The boy finally returned to the tree when he was old. |
| 43 | journey | traveling from one place to another | Life is a long journey with many changes. |
| 44 | hope | a feeling of wanting something to happen | The tree hoped the boy would return. |
| 45 | empty | having nothing inside | The tree felt empty after giving everything. |
| 46 | kind | being nice and caring to others | The tree was very kind to the boy. |
| 47 | strong | having great physical power | The boy was strong when he was young. |
| 48 | weak | lacking strength or energy | The boy grew weak as he got older. |
| 49 | generous | willing to give and share freely | The tree was generous with its gifts. |
| 50 | greedy | wanting too much of something | The boy became greedy as he grew older. |
| 51 | selfish | thinking only about oneself | The boy was selfish but the tree still loved him. |
| 52 | helpful | providing assistance or support | The tree was always helpful to the boy. |
| 53 | patient | being able to wait calmly | The tree was patient and waited for the boy. |
| 54 | loneliness | the feeling of being alone | The tree felt loneliness when the boy was away. |
| 55 | fulfill | to achieve or complete something | The tree fulfilled the boy’s wishes. |
| 56 | content | being happy and satisfied | The tree felt content after giving everything. |
| 57 | sacrifice | giving up something for others | The tree sacrificed itself for the boy. |
| 58 | comfort | a state of physical or emotional ease | The tree gave comfort to the boy. |
| 59 | torn | ripped or damaged | The tree’s branches were torn away. |
| 60 | farewell | a way to say goodbye | The boy did not say farewell to the tree. |
| 61 | promise | a statement to do something in the future | The boy made no promises to return. |
| 62 | faithful | remaining loyal and true | The tree was always faithful to the boy. |
| 63 | grateful | feeling thankful | The boy was not always grateful for the tree’s gifts. |
| 64 | lesson | something learned from experience | The boy learned a lesson too late. |
| 65 | regret | feeling sorry for something done | The boy had no regret for taking from the tree. |
| 66 | end | the final part of something | In the end, the tree was just a stump. |
| 67 | carefree | without worries or stress | The boy was carefree when he was young. |
| 68 | grow old | to age and become older | Both the boy and the tree grew old. |
| 69 | companion | a friend or partner | The tree was a lifelong companion to the boy. |
| 70 | belong | to be part of something | The boy always belonged to the tree. |