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Hello and welcome to the English Like A Native podcast.
My name is Anna and you're listening to week 31, day 2 of Your English Five A Day, the second season.
This series is all about helping you to stick to your habit of dunking daily into the English language so that over time you increase your vocabulary and feel like you can really express your thoughts and ideas with ease.
So let's begin today's episode as we always do with a snapshot of what's to come.
After waiting for ages to get a promotion at the law firm, Sophie knew she had to do something about her stagnant career.
She used her time off in lieu from working late on the big merger case to attend job interviews in London, determined to make the most of every opportunity.
When she finally got the call, offering her a position at a top firm, she couldn't wait to speed off and tell her family the exciting news.
OK, let's now deep dive into our vocabulary, starting with the phrasal verb speed off.
To speed off, speed, S-P-E-E-D, off, O-double-F.
To speed off is to drive or move away very quickly.
Here's an example sentence. The car sped off before the police could stop it.
I'm quite a cautious driver. I'm generally very careful.
I often have the children in the car. But I'm sure there's been a few occasions in my life where I've had to speed off.
I remember once being in a slightly heated situation, a difficult situation where there was a large crowd of agitated football fans and I seem to have gotten on the wrong side of them.
So once the coast was clear and I was able to move my vehicle, I did speed off to make sure that I got away from them.
Next on our list, we have the phrase, make the most of something.
To make the most of something. Make, M-A-K-E, the most, M-O-S-T, of something.
I use this all the time. To make the most of something means to use a situation or an opportunity as well as possible.
For example, if you are on holiday and it's not the perfect holiday, maybe the weather's not so great, but you are relaxing, you're off work and you're away from your usual environment.
You have an opportunity to spend time with your family. then you might be reminded to make the most of it, to enjoy the opportunity that that environment and that time has given you, a chance to connect with your family and relax.
Even if it's not perfect, make the most of it.
Sometimes I tell the children, you're going to bed soon.
You only have 20 minutes before we head upstairs, so stop arguing and just make the most of the time that you've got.
I'm telling them to use the opportunity as well as they can.
Don't waste it by sulking or bickering over a toy.
Enjoy running around and having the freedom for 20 minutes before I send you up to bed.
Here's an example sentence. Let's make the most of the sunshine and have lunch outside.
This is something that I often do and say.
We often eat inside in our conservatory, but because of the warmer weather, we've started venturing out into the garden and And although it takes a little extra effort to set up the table outside, I do enjoy eating al fresco, eating outdoors.
And I keep reminding my family that although it takes a little extra effort to get out the cushions and put the tablecloth on the table outside and... brush away the cobwebs.
We should make the most of our summer, make the most of the opportunity to eat outside because it's not something we can do all year round.
Next, we have the noun phrase, time off in lieu, time off in lieu.
We spell this time, T-I-M-E, off, O-double-F, in, I-N, loo, L-I-E-U.
Time off in loo. Time off in lieu means time off work, so a break from work that you are given because you've earned it by working extra hours at some point before.
So, for example, if... Last month, you worked 10 additional hours that weren't part of your contract, but I asked you to work an extra 10 hours to cover some event that was going on or some additional work that needed dealing with.
I said to you, could you do these extra hours and I'll give you time off in lieu.
And you did those extra hours. Well, now I owe you 10 hours of holiday.
So what's that? A day and a half. I owe you a day and a half off.
So that's your time off in lieu. Here's an example sentence.
She saved up her time off in lieu for a long weekend away.
Next, we have the phrase do something about something.
So, to do something about something. Do, D-O, something, S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G, about, A-B-O-U-T, something and that something can change.
So to do something about a problem, to do something about a situation.
This means to take action to solve a problem or improve a situation.
For example, if you have a dog that continues to bark at inappropriate times, maybe through the night or very early in the morning, and it's disturbing your sleep, but it's also annoying the neighbours and becoming a problem.
As I say this, I don't know if you can hear in the background, but a dog is now barking.
And it's very late at night as I'm recording this.
I wonder if the dog knows. So to do something about something, you solve a problem.
Like a dog barking at inappropriate hours, you'd say, we must do something about the dog.
We must do something about this barking.
We must train the dog somehow. So here's an example sentence.
If the noise continues, I'll have to do something about it.
We often have to do little DIY projects.
If you own a home, then over time, little things go wrong.
The steel around the shower may need replacing.
The grout may need redoing. The pipes might spring a leak and you might need to fix or replace a bit of pipe work.
Some wood may become rotten and need replacing in the garden perhaps.
So you'd say, what are we going to do about the decking?
Are we going to replace it this year or wait until next year?
What should we do about that little leak?
I don't think we should ignore it. The tap keeps dripping.
I think we should have a look at it. What should we do about it?
So have you had an issue or a problem that you have recently had to do something about?
Or perhaps there's something going on at the moment that you keep wondering about?
What should I do about that? Okay, next on the list, we have the phrase for ages.
For ages. Now, as you run this together, the R becomes vocalised.
For ages. For ages. So this is a phrase with two words.
For, F-O-R, ages, A-G-E-S. For ages. For ages means for a very long time.
I often use this phrase. Or my children use this phrase when they've had to wait for a few minutes.
Then they get bored and they start complaining.
How long is it going to be, mummy? We've been waiting for ages.
No, you've only waited for two minutes, my love.
No, it's been for ages, mum. We've been here for ages.
So you might say, we waited for ages before the train arrived.
We waited for a very long time. Now, this is quite an informal phrase.
I wouldn't use this at work. OK, so that's our five.
Let's do a quick recap. We started with the phrasal verb speed off, which is to drive or move away very quickly.
To speed off. We had the phrase, make the most of something.
To use a situation or an opportunity as well as possible.
Make the most of it. We had the noun phrase, time off in lieu, which is time off work that you're given because you earned it by working extra hours at some point in the past.
Time off in lieu. We had the phrase do something about something, which is to take action to solve a problem or improve a situation.
To do something about something. And we finished with the phrase for ages, meaning for a very long time.
OK, it's your turn. Raise your voice and repeat after me.
Speed off. speed off make the most of something make the most of something time off in lieu time off in lieu do something about something do something about it.
For ages. For ages. Very good. What's the phrasal verb that we would use if someone moves away very quickly, particularly in a car?
Speed off. Very good. And if you're getting an extra day off work because you've worked a lot of extra hours recently, what is that additional free time called that you've earned?
Time off in lieu. Very good. With the unusual spelling, L-I-E-U.
Time off in lieu. And if there's a problem that really should be addressed, what phrase would we use?
Do something about that thing. What are we going to do about it?
If I want you to make sure that you use an opportunity as well as possible, what phrase would I use?
Make the most of it. Yes, make the most of this opportunity.
And finally, if something has been going on for a very long time, what phrase could I use instead? for ages.
It's been going on for ages. Very good. All right.
With that in mind, let's now revisit our snapshot.
After waiting for ages to get a promotion at the law firm, Sophie knew she had to do something about her stagnant career.
She used her time off in lieu from working late on the big merger case to attend job interviews in London, determined to make the most of every opportunity.
When she finally got the call, offering her a position at a top firm, she couldn't wait to speed off and tell her family the exciting news.
OK, now I want you to listen out for these items once more as we head into Storytime.
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Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance.
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Becky stared at her computer screen, watching the clock tick towards 5pm.
She had been working late shifts for months now, covering for colleagues who were off sick.
Her manager had promised her time off in lieu for all the extra hours, but somehow there was always another crisis that needed her attention.
Just one more week, her boss would say. Then you can take your holiday.
But Becky had heard this promise for ages.
She was desperate to do something about her situation before she lost her mind completely.
The stress was getting to her and she could feel herself becoming irritable with everyone around her.
That evening, Becky sat at her kitchen table with a cup of tea in her laptop.
She had been dreaming of a holiday in the Scottish Highlands for months.
She wanted to walk through ancient forests, breathe fresh mountain air and forget about spreadsheets and meetings.
She had saved enough money and more importantly, she had earned enough overtime to take two whole weeks off.
The next morning, Becky marched into her manager's office with determination.
I need to talk to you about my time off in lieu, she said firmly.
I've worked 60 extra hours this month alone.
I want to book my holiday for next month.
Her manager, Mr Collins, looked uncomfortable.
Well, Becky, we're still quite busy. Could you perhaps wait until after the summer rush?
No, Becky replied, surprising herself with her boldness.
I've been waiting for ages to take this holiday.
I need to make the most of the good weather and I need a proper break.
I'm booking it today. Mr Collins could see that Becky wasn't going to back down this time.
Her usual cheerful demeanour had been replaced with a steely resolve.
All right, he sighed. Two weeks, starting the first Monday of next month, but you'll need to hand over all your projects before you go.
Becky felt a surge of excitement. Finally!
She could hardly contain her joy as she walked back to her desk.
That lunchtime she booked a lovely cottage in the Highlands with stunning views of a lock.
She imagined herself waking up to mountain views, taking long walks and reading books by a cosy fireplace.
The days leading up to her holiday seemed to speed off in a blur of preparation.
Becky worked hard to finish everything, determined not to give Mr Collins any excuse to cancel her time off.
She briefed her colleagues thoroughly and organised all her files.
On her last day before the holiday, Becky's colleagues surprised her with a card and some Scottish shortbread for her trip.
You deserve this break, said her friend Katie.
You've worked so hard lately. As Becky packed her car that Sunday evening, she felt lighter than she had in months.
Tomorrow she would speed off towards the mountains, leaving her stress behind.
She had finally taken control of her situation and her Scottish adventure was about to begin.
And that brings us to the end of today's episode.
I do hope you enjoyed it. And until tomorrow, take very good care.
Goodbye.
