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Lesson 09 / Emotions & habits
5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.
Talk about emotions, rest, and small changes in routine.
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A randomly assigned, fixed male or female synthetic voice for each phrase or sentence · Slow playback at 0.7× preserves pitch.
Take a slow breath and calm down.
Take a slow breath and calm down.
A quiet walk helps me calm down after a busy day.
A quiet walk helps me calm down after a busy day.
This describes becoming less upset or agitated. It does not necessarily mean becoming happier.
Cambridge Dictionary · calm down
Your message really cheered me up.
Your message really cheered me up.
Let us watch a funny film to cheer her up.
Let us watch a funny film to cheer her up.
Emphasize less sadness and more happiness. When there is a pronoun, put it between “cheer” and “up”.
Cambridge Dictionary · cheer up
I am tired. I am going to lie down for a while.
I am tired. I am going to lie down for a while.
You can lie down on the sofa.
You can lie down on the sofa.
This use has no object. The -ing form is “lying down”.
Cambridge Dictionary · lie down
I am trying to cut down on sugary drinks.
I am trying to cut down on sugary drinks.
We should cut down on the amount of food we waste.
We should cut down on the amount of food we waste.
Reduced but not completely eliminated. Use “on” before something that needs to be reduced.
I want to give up drinking soda every day.
I want to give up drinking soda every day.
He gave up late-night snacks last month.
He gave up late-night snacks last month.
With actions, use the -ing form: “give up drinking”, do not use “give up to drink”.
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 19, 22, 79, 31, 54. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
One step forward every day
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Sentences using suggestions are counted as needing more practice. Review schedule based on each phrase's meaning.
OBSERVE · UNDERSTAND · MATCH
Drag a wire from the dot beside a phrase to the dot beside its matching picture. You can also tap a phrase, then a picture. Drag again to change a pair before checking.
Read the picture descriptions for more context. Similar expressions are accepted when they fit the particular scene.
Mây sits down and breathes slowly to calm herself when she feels anxious.
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A friend gives Mây flowers and comforts her when she feels sad.
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Mây lies down on the sofa with a pillow because she feels tired.
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Mây chose to put half a spoon of sugar in her tea instead of a whole spoon.
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Mây pushed the soft drink bottle aside and chose a glass of water.
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Choose a phrase to begin.
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Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
I am upset about the result. I need a moment to calm down.
I am upset about the result. I need a moment to calm down.
Would a short walk help, or would you rather lie down?
Would a short walk help, or would you rather lie down?
A walk might cheer me up. Thank you for asking.
A walk might cheer me up. Thank you for asking.
“Calm down” means become less angry, worried, or excited; “cheer up” means become happier. Someone can be calmer while still feeling sad.
Try answering before revealing the suggested answer. This practice is not scored.
The answers below are models. Other answers can also work if they preserve the facts, meaning and structure requested in the task.
A player is angry after losing. Later she is calmer, but still disappointed and not smiling.
Which change has already happened?
She has calmed down.
She is less angry but still disappointed; “calmed down” does not claim that she is happy.
Correct: The news cheered up her yesterday.
The news cheered her up yesterday.
“Her” is the person made happier by the news and goes between “cheered” and “up”.
Offer support without claiming she is already happy.
Take a short break; perhaps a walk will cheer you up.
“Perhaps” suggests that walking may help her feel happier; it does not claim her sadness has already gone.
The usage comparisons are checked against the Cambridge Dictionary entries linked beside the compared expressions. The additional conversations and exercises are written for this course.
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