This is an All Ears English bonus.
Focus on phrasal verbs and IELTS writing.
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With your American hosts Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz, and former IELTS examiner Jessica Beck, coming to you from Arizona and Portland Oregon, USA.
Today, you'll learn two phrasal verbs for focusing.
These are perfect for both informal and formal speech.
So zero in on this lesson to learn these fantastic native verbs.
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Aubrey, we're on Allers English.
Yes.
Welcome, Jessica, to Allers English.
Lovely to have you here.
I get so excited.
I don't get to be on here a lot anymore.
Not often enough.
I'm so busy over on the Isles Energy Podcast, but that's why I'm here with you today, Aubrey.
We are going to teach two phrasal verbs that mean focus.
Really like pay attention to one thing.
And we want to invite you guys into a very special, very advanced IELTS writing program.
Aubrey.
Can you tell us a little bit more about this IELTS writing program?
Yes, we've had a lot of students asking to specialize on writing, right?
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Yeah, it's, you guys, this is huge.
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Okay, so we want to teach you guys a couple phrasal verbs today, because we are focusing on writing right over on the IELTS side of things.
But these two phrasal verbs guys, you can use to talk about, focus not just on IELTS but in any situation.
In fact the first phrasal verb is Actually we teach in our business course, so we know it is for outside use as well.
What is the first phrasal verb, Aubrey?
Yeah, so the phrasal verb is hone in on.
And this verb hone is very high level.
It means to sharpen, to perfect.
So sometimes you'll talk about a knife being honed or skills.
So I'm going to hone my skills.
And then this phrasal verb is very native.
You'll hear this all the time for focusing in on something, to hone in on something.
Yeah, totally.
So...
If you are speaking to colleagues or something like that, you could say today I really need to hone in on that second quarter report or I'm not going to get it finished.
Or if you're making a suggestion to your marketing team.
I think we should hone in on a younger market in our next launch.
Like, there are so many ways to use this.
And, of course guys, this is a great phrasal verb for IELTS writing and speaking, because it's not informal.
Like, you could use this anywhere at any time.
The next phrase though, I think is a little more informal, but still we use it all the time, right.
I like this phrasal verb, to zero in on something.
So it's basically the same meaning, right?
Like put your focus specifically on one thing.
Do you use this in daily life, Aubrey?
I do.
I use both of these.
I'll say I need to hone in on this and zero in on just the same meaning to focus.
But I often, if I'm getting distracted...
I'll say, okay, I need to zero in on this one thing on my to-do list so that I can get it done.
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Ha ha ha!
That's a great way to use it, though, to bring your attention back, to bring your focus back, right?
I think that's a great sort of extra definition to separate this from hone in on.
Because I wouldn't use hone in on like that.
That's a good point.
It's more about bringing focus back.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Let's see.
So in real life, guys, if you are talking to a child who has lost...
Who has lost focus.
Not who has gotten lost, Aubrey, but who has lost focus.
You could be like listen James, I really need you to zero in on making your lunch right now, because we have to leave in five minutes.
Or let's zero in on this last page of math and then we'll be done for the day.
Right?
And I think you bring up an interesting point that you really need to state, after this phrasal verb, what you're zeroing in on.
Right.
Like your examples.
You need to zero in on this page of homework.
You need to zero in on this task.
You're going to state whatever it is you want to focus on after you use this phrasal verb.
Totally, totally.
So guys, if you think you might have to take the IELTS exam in the next six months to one year, definitely get your name on this exclusive invitation list, guys.
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So sign up, get your name on this invitation list, allearsenglish.com slash writingwise.
Remember, you will only be able to save over $100 and get the special package next week.
So you want to be the first to know, guys.
Allersenglish.com slash writing wise.
All right, Rad.
Aubrey, thanks so much for having me over on the Allers English side.
Yes, thank you.
That was really fun.
We'll see you next time.
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