Lily asks
Describe where you work or study. Is it tidy or a bit chaotic?
How to build your answer
Describe: four moves, about a minute.
- 1Say who or whatOne line to introduce it.
- 2Two detailsWhat they're like, or what it looks like.
- 3Why it mattersWhat it means to you.
- 4A small momentOne example that brings it to life.
Lily's answer, three ways
The same story, from easy to advanced. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Easy
Lily's voice note
I work in a big open office in the city. My desk is quite tidy, actually. I've just got my laptop, a little plant and a photo of my family. But my desk drawer? Well, that's a different story. Old receipts, pens, half a sandwich once! I tidy up my desk every Friday before I go home, so Monday feels nice and fresh. I don't like starting the week with a mess.
Phrases to borrow
that's a different story
/ðæts ə ˈdɪfrənt ˈstɔːri/
that situation is very different from the one you just talked about
My kitchen's tidy. My bedroom? That's a different story.
Natural
Lily's voice note
I work in a big open office in the city, and my desk's pretty tidy. There's just my laptop, a little plant and a photo of my family. Nothing in the way. I think I work better when everything's neat around me. My drawer's a mess, though, old receipts, pens, even half a sandwich once! Every Friday before I go home, I tidy everything up, so on Monday I've got a clean slate.
Phrases to borrow
in the way
/ˈɪn ðə ˈweɪ/
blocking you or stopping you moving or working
Your bag's in the way, can you move it?
work better
/ˈwɜːk ˈbetə/
do your job or study better
I work better in the morning.
a clean slate
/ə ˈkliːn ˈsleɪt/
a fresh beginning with no old problems or mess
New year, clean slate, I'm going to be more organised.
Advanced
Lily's voice note
I'm in a big open-plan office in the city, and my desk's surprisingly tidy: my laptop, a little plant and a photo of my family, that's it. I'm a bit of a neat freak at work. The drawer underneath, though, is organised chaos. Old receipts, pens that don't work, and once, half a sandwich. Don't ask. Still, I know exactly where everything is. Every Friday I tidy it all up before I head home, so Monday feels like a fresh start.
Phrases to borrow
a neat freak
/ə ˈniːt ˈfriːk/
someone who likes everything very clean and tidy
My flatmate's a neat freak, so the kitchen's always spotless.
organised chaos
/ˈɔːɡənaɪzd ˈkeɪɒs/
looks messy, but actually works
Our kitchen at dinner time is organised chaos.
know exactly where something is
/ˈnəʊ ɪɡˈzæktli weə ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪz/
be sure about where things are
I know exactly where my keys are.
feel like a fresh start
/ˈfiːl ˈlaɪk ə ˈfreʃ ˈstɑːt/
seems like a new beginning
A new haircut always feels like a fresh start.
Your turn: answer Lily
Describe where you work or study. Is it tidy or a bit chaotic?
Answer out loud, in your own words. Try one phrase you just borrowed.
Daily life
in the way
blocking you or stopping you moving or working
“Your bag's in the way, can you move it?”
heytardy