Useful Words and Expressions

Everyday routine:	to get up / to wake up; to wash / to shave; to have a shower/a bath; to put on one’s clothes / to get dressed; to have breakfast; to go to work/to university; to have (a) lunch (break); to finish work; to do some shopping / to go shopping; to go home / to come home; to go to bed / to go to sleep.
Spare time activities:	going to the cinema /to the theatre/to the opera; going to museums/to art galleries; going out for a meal/for a drink; visiting historic buildings/places; reading books/newspapers/magazines; watching TV; surfing the Internet; doing sports; playing computer games; listening to records; playing the guitar/the piano; dancing; taking pictures; gardening; cooking; needlework; knitting; embroidery.

20. Think about your morning routine from the moment you get out of bed to the moment you leave the house.

· What do you do? What order do you do things in?

• How long does each activity usually take you?

Now compare with a partner. What are the differences?

21. What’s a typical day for you? Look at the activities below and fill in the time you spend on each activity.

· sleep........

• study.......
• exercise.......
• watch television.......
• surf the Internet.......
• do housework.......

22. Speak about at least three activities you think are a waste of time.

Pattern: It is a waste of time do ing smth

Language development

 

23. Work with your partner. Read the following dialogues paying special attention to the ways of making suggestions and refusing them. Learn the dialogues by heart and act them out.

 

Making plans

A.

Tom:	It’s almost Christmas. What are you doing this weekend?
Sara:	Nothing special, just working. Why do you ask?
Tom:	Well, I still haven’t finished my Christmas shopping. Do you want to go shopping with me this weekend?
Sara:	I’d like to, but I’m not sure if I can. Work has been really busy lately. Why don’t we go on Friday instead?
Tom:	Friday’s not good. I think the stores will be very crowded and I have to work.
Sara:	OK, then let’s try to go this weekend. I should know if I can go by Friday. Is it OK if I call you then?
Tom:	Yeah, that’s fine.
Sara:	What’s your number?
Tom:	233-331-8828. Let me give you my email address too. It’s [e-mail]
Sara:	OK, I’ll talk to you soon.
Tom:	OK.

 

B.

Ann:	D’you fancy going shopping on Saturday?
Ben:	O.K. I’ll meet you outside Harrods at 1.00.
Ann:	Can you make it earlier?
Ben:	Oh, no, it’s out of the question. I always like lying in on Saturdays.
Ann:	You could always have a lie-in on Sunday, couldn’t you?
Ben:	It’s all very well to say, but Saturday morning is the only time during the week I really relax.

Here are other ways of making suggestions (informal):

What about... (doing smth)

Why don’t we... (do smth)

We could always...

I’ve got a great/marvellous idea; we could...

Listen, let’s...

Refusing suggestions

It’s out of the question (to)... It’d be a complete waste to...

Of course, we couldn’t...

What a ridiculous idea...