Lily asks
Tell me about a trip or outing you went on recently.
How to build your answer
Tell a story: four moves, about a minute.
- 1Set the sceneWhen and where. “A few months ago, I…”
- 2What happenedTwo or three moments, in order.
- 3How it feltYour reaction. “I was mortified.”
- 4How it endedThe ending, or what you'd do now.
Lily's answer, three ways
The same story, from easy to advanced. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Easy
Lily's voice note
Last Sunday my flatmate Mia and I went to Hampstead Heath. It's a big wild park in north London. We didn't plan much. We just wanted to get out of the house for a few hours. We bought some sandwiches and drinks on the way, then sat on the hill and looked at the view of the whole city. We walked a bit, took silly photos and talked for ages. It was really simple, but that was the best part. I got home tired but happy, and I slept like a baby.
Phrases to borrow
get out of the house
/ˈɡet ˈaʊt əv ðə ˈhaʊs/
leave home to do something, often to avoid feeling bored
I need to get out of the house, let's go for a walk.
on the way
/ɒn ðə ˈweɪ/
during the journey to a place
We stopped for petrol on the way.
tired but happy
/ˈtaɪəd bət ˈhæpi/
tired from a good day
We got back from the beach tired but happy.
Natural
Lily's voice note
Last Sunday Mia, my flatmate, and I went to Hampstead Heath. It's a huge park in north London, a bit wild, with amazing views. We picked up sandwiches on the way and sat on the big hill, looking out over the whole city. After that we just wandered around for a while, taking silly photos. We didn't have a plan, so we could go slowly, without rushing. We talked for hours, which we don't often get to do. It was a simple day, but it was exactly what I needed.
Phrases to borrow
wander around
/ˈwɒndə əˈraʊnd/
walk slowly with no fixed plan
We spent the afternoon wandering around the market.
without rushing
/wɪˈðaʊt ˈrʌʃɪŋ/
slowly and calmly, not too fast
I like to eat breakfast without rushing.
exactly what I needed
the perfect thing for how you felt at that moment
A hot bath after work was exactly what I needed.
Advanced
Lily's voice note
Last Sunday Mia and I escaped to Hampstead Heath, that big wild park in north London. We grabbed sandwiches on the way, climbed the hill and parked ourselves on the grass with the whole city spread out below us. We wandered, took ridiculous photos, and finally got to catch up properly, because we're usually like ships in the night in our flat. The best bit was just sitting there, chatting for ages, with nowhere to be. I came home tired but happy. That's what I'd call a proper reset.
Phrases to borrow
park yourself somewhere
/ˈpɑːk jɔːˈself ˈsʌmweə/
to sit down somewhere and stay there for a long time
He parked himself on my sofa and watched football all afternoon.
catch up properly
/kætʃ ˈʌp ˈprɒpəli/
talk for a long time about everything that's happened
Let's meet for dinner so we can catch up properly.
the best bit
/ðə ˈbest ˈbɪt/
the best part of something
The best bit of the film was the ending.
a proper reset
/ə ˈprɒpə ˈriːset/
a break that makes you feel fresh again
A weekend in the country was a proper reset.
Your turn: answer Lily
Tell me about a trip or outing you went on recently.
Answer out loud, in your own words. Try one phrase you just borrowed.
Travel & places
wander around
walk slowly with no fixed plan
“We spent the afternoon wandering around the market.”
heytardy