How was your weekend? Please practice as much as possible and add your comments below.
This is probably the most common way to ask someone about his/her weekend.
What did you get up to on the weekend?
“Get up to” is just an informal way for saying ‘do something’. So this means, “What did you do on the weekend?
Did you get up to much on the weekend?
This means “Did you do much?” or “Did you have a busy weekend?”
Asking about someone’s hobbies in natural English by saying:
“What do you do for fun?”
Or:
“What do you do in your free time?”
First of all, in English, the most natural way to say “go out drinking, dancing, etc at night” is to say just “go out”. As in, “Did you go out last night?” In context, the other person will know what you mean.
In English, it’s important not to ask things too directly. If you want to ask someone if they usually go out drinking, dancing on weekends, it’s best to say:
“What do you usually do on Friday or Saturday nights?”
It’s a bit long, but the emphasis on “Friday or Saturday nights” will tell the other person exactly what you mean. You could also say “on weekends,” but it might sound like you’re asking about what they do during the day.
A few possible responses to this are:
“I like going to bars with my friends/going clubbing with my friends/hanging out with my friends.”
If you don’t like to go out at night, that’s fine - all you have to say is:
“I don’t really like drinking/clubbing, so I just like [whatever you like doing instead].”
This is probably the most common way to ask someone about his/her weekend.
What did you get up to on the weekend?
“Get up to” is just an informal way for saying ‘do something’. So this means, “What did you do on the weekend?
Did you get up to much on the weekend?
This means “Did you do much?” or “Did you have a busy weekend?”
Asking about someone’s hobbies in natural English by saying:
“What do you do for fun?”
Or:
“What do you do in your free time?”
First of all, in English, the most natural way to say “go out drinking, dancing, etc at night” is to say just “go out”. As in, “Did you go out last night?” In context, the other person will know what you mean.
In English, it’s important not to ask things too directly. If you want to ask someone if they usually go out drinking, dancing on weekends, it’s best to say:
“What do you usually do on Friday or Saturday nights?”
It’s a bit long, but the emphasis on “Friday or Saturday nights” will tell the other person exactly what you mean. You could also say “on weekends,” but it might sound like you’re asking about what they do during the day.
A few possible responses to this are:
“I like going to bars with my friends/going clubbing with my friends/hanging out with my friends.”
If you don’t like to go out at night, that’s fine - all you have to say is:
“I don’t really like drinking/clubbing, so I just like [whatever you like doing instead].”
Here are 5 of the most common idioms that are easy to use in daily conversations:
1. “Hit the hay.”
“Sorry, guys, I have to hit the hay now!”
At first, it seems like the person saying this really wants to punch some hay. But it really just means that they’re really tired and want to go to sleep.
2. “Up in the air”
“Hey, did you ever figure out those plans?”
“No, they’re still up in the air for now. We’ll figure everything out later.”
Can plans actually be floating high in the sky? Theoretically, they could--if you wrote them down and threw them up! But this idiom really means that the situation being planned is still undecided and that everything is still uncertain/unsure.
3. “Stabbed in the back”
“I don’t want to be Hayley’s friend anymore, she stabbed me in the back!”
Literally stabbing someone in the back could bring someone to jail! That’s definitely not what this idiom means.
Being stabbed in the back means that you’ve been betrayed by someone who you thought you could trust.
4. “Takes two to tango”
“David isn’t the only guilty one here! After all, it takes two to tango.”
It literally does take two to tango--you can’t dance the tango unless you have a partner. But this idiom means that if there’s a suspicious situation, then there’s more than one culprit. They couldn’t have done it by themselves.
5. “Kill two birds with one stone.”
“Why not go to the post office on your way to the mall and kill two birds with one stone?”
Don’t worry, we’re not actually killing any birds here! When you kill two birds with one stone, a single action knocks out two tasks or responsibilities--accomplish two different things at the same time. (In this case, posting a letter and doing some shopping in one trip.)
1. “Hit the hay.”
“Sorry, guys, I have to hit the hay now!”
At first, it seems like the person saying this really wants to punch some hay. But it really just means that they’re really tired and want to go to sleep.
2. “Up in the air”
“Hey, did you ever figure out those plans?”
“No, they’re still up in the air for now. We’ll figure everything out later.”
Can plans actually be floating high in the sky? Theoretically, they could--if you wrote them down and threw them up! But this idiom really means that the situation being planned is still undecided and that everything is still uncertain/unsure.
3. “Stabbed in the back”
“I don’t want to be Hayley’s friend anymore, she stabbed me in the back!”
Literally stabbing someone in the back could bring someone to jail! That’s definitely not what this idiom means.
Being stabbed in the back means that you’ve been betrayed by someone who you thought you could trust.
4. “Takes two to tango”
“David isn’t the only guilty one here! After all, it takes two to tango.”
It literally does take two to tango--you can’t dance the tango unless you have a partner. But this idiom means that if there’s a suspicious situation, then there’s more than one culprit. They couldn’t have done it by themselves.
5. “Kill two birds with one stone.”
“Why not go to the post office on your way to the mall and kill two birds with one stone?”
Don’t worry, we’re not actually killing any birds here! When you kill two birds with one stone, a single action knocks out two tasks or responsibilities--accomplish two different things at the same time. (In this case, posting a letter and doing some shopping in one trip.)
Ill and sick are both adjectives that mean ‘not in good health’. We use both ill and sick after a verb such as be, become, feel, look or seem:
I was ill for a time last year, but I’m fine now.
Example: Lisa looks ill. We wonder what’s wrong with her.
I felt sick and had to go home at lunchtime.
We can use sick before a noun but we don’t normally use ill before a noun:
Example: He’s been looking after a sick child this week, so he’s not at work.
Note that to be sick means ‘to vomit’ in British English. In American English, it means more generally ‘to be unwell’.
I was ill for a time last year, but I’m fine now.
Example: Lisa looks ill. We wonder what’s wrong with her.
I felt sick and had to go home at lunchtime.
We can use sick before a noun but we don’t normally use ill before a noun:
Example: He’s been looking after a sick child this week, so he’s not at work.
Note that to be sick means ‘to vomit’ in British English. In American English, it means more generally ‘to be unwell’.
Meaning: An invitation to a person lost in thought to share his or her preoccupation.
Origin: Along with Biblical expressions, proverbs form the bulk of the very earliest phrases that have existed in English since the language was first recorded on paper. 'A penny for your thoughts' is one of the few that is neither of the above but which is of the same vintage.
The expression became so well used that it was often shortened to 'a penny for them' or even just 'penny'.
It is less common in the 21st century and more used by the older generation than the young.
Example: You haven't said very much – a penny for your thoughts.
Origin: Along with Biblical expressions, proverbs form the bulk of the very earliest phrases that have existed in English since the language was first recorded on paper. 'A penny for your thoughts' is one of the few that is neither of the above but which is of the same vintage.
The expression became so well used that it was often shortened to 'a penny for them' or even just 'penny'.
It is less common in the 21st century and more used by the older generation than the young.
Example: You haven't said very much – a penny for your thoughts.
People generally understand next Friday as the Friday after this, that is, if you are on a Thursday, and someone tells you to meet him next Friday, it doesn't mean the next day, but rather, Friday week, the Friday after.
Some pedantic will believe and argue that it is, as you say, the Friday that comes next. That is valid reasoning. However, if you want to be understood by the majority, "next Friday" will mean Friday next week.
Some pedantic will believe and argue that it is, as you say, the Friday that comes next. That is valid reasoning. However, if you want to be understood by the majority, "next Friday" will mean Friday next week.
How to Improve Spoken English (Without a Speaking Partner!)
1. Talk to Yourself.
Speak, speak, speak. Let's start right off by saying that there isn't a magic pill for better speaking.
2. Reflect on your conversations. After your conversation is over, take a moment to reflect.
3. Listen and read.
4. Record your voice.
5. Learn phrases rather than single words and ...
Have fun!
1. Talk to Yourself.
Speak, speak, speak. Let's start right off by saying that there isn't a magic pill for better speaking.
2. Reflect on your conversations. After your conversation is over, take a moment to reflect.
3. Listen and read.
4. Record your voice.
5. Learn phrases rather than single words and ...
Have fun!
What do you find the most fascinating when learning a new language? It could be the new words or phrases – some of which might sound very strange, to begin with! If you’re interested in English, you might find Tokport.com interesting and useful
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Meaning: “Hey, how are you?”
Sure, Shakespeare was British, but modern-day Brits are decidedly less wordy. Long gone are the days where we would greet each other in the street with a formal “How do you do, Sir?” (while tipping our hats and waving our handkerchiefs in the air). Nowadays, your average Brit under the age of 40 is far more likely to greet their friends or loved ones with a curt “Alright?”
But don’t get your knickers in a twist. This greeting is simply an expeditious, modern version of “Hello!” The greeter is not asking you for an in-depth explanation of your well-being. An authentic “Alright?” can only truly be achieved if the greeter gives a slight nod of the head, while the word itself is to be voiced as a short groan — none of this “top-of-the-morning” chirpiness!
Sure, Shakespeare was British, but modern-day Brits are decidedly less wordy. Long gone are the days where we would greet each other in the street with a formal “How do you do, Sir?” (while tipping our hats and waving our handkerchiefs in the air). Nowadays, your average Brit under the age of 40 is far more likely to greet their friends or loved ones with a curt “Alright?”
But don’t get your knickers in a twist. This greeting is simply an expeditious, modern version of “Hello!” The greeter is not asking you for an in-depth explanation of your well-being. An authentic “Alright?” can only truly be achieved if the greeter gives a slight nod of the head, while the word itself is to be voiced as a short groan — none of this “top-of-the-morning” chirpiness!
When speaking English, we use tenses to tell others what is happening now, what will happen and what did happen. It is very important to understand that English speakers need to know whether an event happened in the past, is happening in the present or will happen in the future. Once we understand the use of tenses, we can learn to speak and write more fluently and be understood by other English speakers.
PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE
We use the present simple tense for action we do generally or often, perhaps even on a daily basis, and is an action we do at the present time.
For example:
We eat dinner together every day.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
We use the present continuous tense for an action that we are doing now.
For example:
We are travelling to Spain now.
PAST SIMPLE TENSE
We use the past simple tense for an action that finished in the past and the time was specified.
For example:
He went to England last year.
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
We use the past continuous tense for a continuous action that we were
PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE
We use the present simple tense for action we do generally or often, perhaps even on a daily basis, and is an action we do at the present time.
For example:
We eat dinner together every day.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE
We use the present continuous tense for an action that we are doing now.
For example:
We are travelling to Spain now.
PAST SIMPLE TENSE
We use the past simple tense for an action that finished in the past and the time was specified.
For example:
He went to England last year.
PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE
We use the past continuous tense for a continuous action that we were
PAST PERFECT TENSE
We use the past perfect tense for two actions in the past when one action comes before the other.
For example:
He had studied English before he went to England.
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE
We use the future simple tense for an action that we will do in the future.
For example:
You will see your friend this afternoon.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
We use the future continuous tense for a continuous action we will be doing at a particular time in the future.
For example:
I will be making a birthday cake tomorrow for my daughter’s birthday party.
FUTURE INTENTION “TO BE GOING”
We use the future intention of ‘to be going’ when we intend to do an action usually in the near future.
For example:
She is going to a party on Saturday.
We use the past perfect tense for two actions in the past when one action comes before the other.
For example:
He had studied English before he went to England.
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE
We use the future simple tense for an action that we will do in the future.
For example:
You will see your friend this afternoon.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
We use the future continuous tense for a continuous action we will be doing at a particular time in the future.
For example:
I will be making a birthday cake tomorrow for my daughter’s birthday party.
FUTURE INTENTION “TO BE GOING”
We use the future intention of ‘to be going’ when we intend to do an action usually in the near future.
For example:
She is going to a party on Saturday.
Reason #1: You don't spend enough time on it.
If you have a busy life and only study on the weekend, it's going to take a very, very long time to become fluent. You've got to do it every day. Even spending 15 minutes a day is better than nothing. Research shows that the key to success with a foreign language is a regular practice. It's better to practice 15 minutes each day than several hours once a week. With Tokport you practice English in short practice sessions, but you do it every day.
Reason #2: You rely on your native language too much.
Explanations of English written in your native language can be fun to read. They allow you to easily understand things that would be too complicated to have explained for you in English.
But a translation or an explanation in your native language only gives you knowledge about English. It doesn't give you practice.
Reason #3: You're focused on "mistakes".
A lot of English learners want to know when they've made a mistake.
If you have a busy life and only study on the weekend, it's going to take a very, very long time to become fluent. You've got to do it every day. Even spending 15 minutes a day is better than nothing. Research shows that the key to success with a foreign language is a regular practice. It's better to practice 15 minutes each day than several hours once a week. With Tokport you practice English in short practice sessions, but you do it every day.
Reason #2: You rely on your native language too much.
Explanations of English written in your native language can be fun to read. They allow you to easily understand things that would be too complicated to have explained for you in English.
But a translation or an explanation in your native language only gives you knowledge about English. It doesn't give you practice.
Reason #3: You're focused on "mistakes".
A lot of English learners want to know when they've made a mistake.
How to respond when someone tells a funny joke in English:
“What are you talking about?”- this can be used when someone says something that is surprising or “off the wall” and you want to show that you are shocked.
“That’s right, isn’t it?”- When someone says something that is 100% true but also funny you can say this.
“That was a good one”- This is a very common way to respond when someone tells a great joke in English.
“What are you talking about?”- this can be used when someone says something that is surprising or “off the wall” and you want to show that you are shocked.
“That’s right, isn’t it?”- When someone says something that is 100% true but also funny you can say this.
“That was a good one”- This is a very common way to respond when someone tells a great joke in English.