Grammar, Planning, and Summer Trips
2021-07-16
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1Imagine you want to talk about a plan you are making, perhaps for a trip this summer.
2In today's Everyday Grammar, we will explore some important ideas for discussing plans.
3You will learn about important verb forms and expressions that can be used to talk about summer vacations, or really any kind of fun event in the future.
4When we talk about planning, we are generally talking about future time.
5English speakers show future time by using a couple of different structures.
6The first is to add the word will.
7For example, a student might say:
8I will finish my homework later.
9The main verb is finish. The word will suggests a future time.
10In everyday speech, English speakers often shorten will, as in:
11I'll finish my homework later.
12When talking about summer plans, a person might say:
13We will travel in August.
14Or
15We'll travel in August.
16But English speakers also use the structure be + going to to talk about future plans.
17An example of this would be:
18We are going to travel in August.
19In everyday speech, going to is sometimes shortened to gonna, as in:
20We're gonna travel in August.
21But will and be going to are not the only useful structures for talking about plans.
22Different kinds of expressions can also be helpful.
23Perhaps one of the most useful of these structures is make + noun phrase.
24A noun phrase is a group of words that act like a noun in a sentence.
25Consider this example:
26Have you made summer plans yet?
27Yes, we talked, argued and finally made a decision.
28So, what are your plans?
29We made arrangements to stay at a hotel on the beach.
30You don't sound very happy about it...
31I wanted to go visit family!
32I'd rather go to the beach - your family must be a lot nicer than mine!
33Note that the structure make + noun phrase appeared several times - made summer plans, made a decision, made arrangements.
34In this case, make + noun phrase means to plan or decide to do something.
35English speakers also often use phrasal verbs when talking about plans.
36A phrasal verb is a verb and another short word or words that act together in a sentence.
37They take on a meaning different from what the individual words suggest.
38One common phrasal verb used for planning is pick up.
39Pick up has different meanings, but probably the most common one is to get or take something or someone from a place.
40So, someone might plan to pick up a family member from the airport. Or, a person might plan to pick up some food.
41Consider this example:
42Are you going to pick up Ben at the airport?
43Yes, he arrives at 8 o'clock.
44What will you do for dinner?
45We will pick up some food on the way home.
46Note that both will and be going to appear in the discussion, as does the phrasal verb pick up.
47Take some of the ideas you heard today and use them to write about your own plans.
48These plans can be real or imagined.
49What is important is that you get experience describing plans of many kinds.
50Of course, there are many other ways you can talk about future plans...
51But we will wait to explore those ideas in a future program.
52I'm John Russell.
1Imagine you want to talk about a plan you are making, perhaps for a trip this summer. 2In today's Everyday Grammar, we will explore some important ideas for discussing plans. You will learn about important verb forms and expressions that can be used to talk about summer vacations, or really any kind of fun event in the future. 3Will and be going to 4When we talk about planning, we are generally talking about future time. English speakers show future time by using a couple of different structures. 5The first is to add the word will. For example, a student might say: 6I will finish my homework later. 7The main verb is finish. The word will suggests a future time. 8In everyday speech, English speakers often shorten will, as in: 9I'll finish my homework later. 10When talking about summer plans, a person might say: 11We will travel in August. 12Or 13We'll travel in August. 14But English speakers also use the structure be + going to to talk about future plans. An example of this would be: 15We are going to travel in August. 16In everyday speech, going to is sometimes shortened to gonna, as in: 17We're gonna travel in August. 18But will and be going to are not the only useful structures for talking about plans. Different kinds of expressions can also be helpful. 19Make + noun phrase 20Perhaps one of the most useful of these structures is make + noun phrase. A noun phrase is a group of words that act like a noun in a sentence. 21Consider this example: 22Have you made summer plans yet? 23Yes, we talked, argued and finally made a decision. 24So, what are your plans? 25We made arrangements to stay at a hotel on the beach. 26You don't sound very happy about it... 27I wanted to go visit family! 28I'd rather go to the beach - your family must be a lot nicer than mine! 29Note that the structure make + noun phrase appeared several times - made summer plans, made a decision, made arrangements. 30In this case, make + noun phrase means to plan or decide to do something. 31Phrasal verbs 32English speakers also often use phrasal verbs when talking about plans. A phrasal verb is a verb and another short word or words that act together in a sentence. They take on a meaning different from what the individual words suggest. 33One common phrasal verb used for planning is pick up. 34Pick up has different meanings, but probably the most common one is to get or take something or someone from a place. 35So, someone might plan to pick up a family member from the airport. Or, a person might plan to pick up some food. 36Consider this example: 37Are you going to pick up Ben at the airport? 38Yes, he arrives at 8 o'clock. 39What will you do for dinner? 40We will pick up some food on the way home. 41Note that both will and be going to appear in the discussion, as does the phrasal verb pick up. 42Closing thoughts 43Take some of the ideas you heard today and use them to write about your own plans. These plans can be real or imagined. What is important is that you get experience describing plans of many kinds. 44Of course, there are many other ways you can talk about future plans... But we will wait to explore those ideas in a future program. 45I'm John Russell. 46John Russell wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. 47_______________________________________________________________ 48Words in This Story 49arrangement - n. (usually plural) something that is done to prepare or plan for something in the future