Phrasal Verbs para el verano. El inglés que utilizarás en la playa


Uno de los objetivos últimos que nos hemos planteado es ofreceros lecturas en inglés, adaptadas al nivel de un estudiante por las mejores figuras de nuestro gran equipo de profesores. Es un texto fácil de leer, ameno, con explicaciones y ejemplos.  Sigue leyendo si quieres aprender phrasal verbs casi sin enterarte, todos relacionados con el contexto del verano.

 

ESSENTIAL ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS FOR SUMMER

Temperatures are on the rise, and the long-awaited summer holidays are just around the corner. Whatever your summer plans, we’re sure your main goal will be to chill out (relax) and have fun –  but if you want to carry on (continue) learning while you soak up the sun (sunbathe), keep reading for our guide to essential English phrasal verbs that you can use throughout your summer vacation.

First things first

Before you pick your holiday destination, you’ll need to think about how much time you can take off (be absent) from your job or studies:  are you planning to go away (leave home for a holiday) for a whole month?  Or can you only get away (escape) for a few days?  When talking about holidays, ‘go away/ get away’ have basically the same meaning.  However, ‘Go away!’ can also be used as an imperative to mean ‘leave me alone!’, and ‘get away’ can also mean ‘escape’.  ‘Take off’ can have several different meanings:

  • “I’m going to take off my jumper – it’s too hot in here!” –  TAKE OFF = REMOVE
  • “The plane will take off in approximately 10 minutes.” –  TAKE OFF = LEAVE THE GROUND
  • “We’re taking 3 weeks off for our holidays this year.” –  TAKE (time) OFF = BE ABSENT (from work)

Confusing, right?  This is what makes phrasal verbs so tricky to learn and use correctly; each phrasal verb can have various different meanings, and those meanings are often unrelated to the ‘simple’ verb itself (in this case,  ‘to take’).  But don’t despair!  There are lots of online dictionaries and websites which can help you master the most common English phrasal verbs – we recommend PHRASAL VERB DEMON (easy to find on the internet) as a good place to start!

…And whether you’re home or away, remember that Seif Academy is here to help with all your English language needs (yes, even those pesky phrasal verbs!).  We’re open all summer long, offering a range of native-speaker taught, in-person and online English classes to suit your  schedule and location.  So what are you waiting for?  Sign up (enrol) with Seif today!

Are we there yet?

OK – you’ve booked time off, you’ve chosen your dream destination…  How are you going to get there?  If you’re having a ‘stay-cation’ (holidaying in your home country) you’ll probably be heading off (starting your journey) to the beach by car or train, but for those travelling further afield  you’ll need to set off (start your journey) for the nearest airport.  After checking in (arriving and registering), dropping off your luggage (leaving it in a designated area), and passing through security, you may have to hang around (wait aimlessly) in the departure lounge for a while before take-off, or kill time by looking round (browsing) Duty Free for some bargain designer goods.  But once you get on (board) the plane it won’t be long before you touching down (landing) in an exciting new country, ready to start your holiday!

Location, location, location!

Hotel or apartment?  Airbnb or campsite?  Whatever your accommodation, you’ll need to check in (register) when you arrive, then perhaps wind down (relax following stress/excitement) with a nap after the long journey…  Or if you’re feeling energetic, you might head directly to check out (explore/ look at) the local neighbourhood; depending on your location, you may even hire a tour guide to show you around (guide you).  And if you’ve ventured abroad then hopefully you’ve been brushing up on (improving your knowledge of) the local language, and can get by (survive a situation by having just enough) with a few key phrases  – “two beers, please!” is essential in any language!.

All-action or beach bum?

Holidays are a chance to kick back (relax) and switch off (disconnect) from our busy daily lives, but more active types will be keen to pack a lot into (manage to do a lot in a limited period) their precious holiday time.  You could take up (start doing) a new adventure sport like parasailing or scuba diving; maybe you prefer sightseeing and day trips where you can soak up (experience) the local atmosphere and history;   perhaps you’re looking for the best clubbing and nightlife and want to stay up (not go to bed) dancing ‘til dawn; or maybe you’re a shopaholic who would rather max out (spend the largest amount permitted) their credit cards buying exotic souvenirs to take home…

But if all that sounds like too much effort, there’s certainly nothing wrong with just lazing around (being idle) by the pool or chilling out (relaxing) at the beach, indulging in (allowing yourself to enjoy) the hotel buffet, or simply taking in (looking at) the views as the sun goes down.  As we English-speakers say,  “whatever floats your boat!” (= do what brings YOU joy).  No matter what you choose, there’s one thing that ALL holiday-makers can agree on:  at the end of your holiday, you definitely won’t want to come back (return)!

 

If you’d like to try some more light summer reading in English, look no further than this collection of famous quotes about summer – we think they’ll blow you away! 😉