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Lesson 117 / Speaking & listening
5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.
Open a discussion, add an opinion and notice signs in a friend’s speech.
Match words to pictures →Play What is She/He doing? →
A randomly assigned, fixed male or female synthetic voice for each phrase or sentence · Slow playback at 0.7× preserves pitch.
She led off the discussion with a tree picture.
She led off the discussion with a tree picture.
Who will lead the meeting off tomorrow?
Who will lead the meeting off tomorrow?
Here this means opening a discussion. The past form is “led”, not “leaded”.
Cambridge Dictionary · lead off
She launched into a story about the forest trip.
She launched into a story about the forest trip.
He launched into an explanation before we asked.
He launched into an explanation before we asked.
Often suggests a sudden, energetic start, sometimes to a long speech. No rocket or ship is being launched.
Cambridge Dictionary · launch into
She weighed in with an idea about the garden.
She weighed in with an idea about the garden.
Everyone can weigh in during the discussion.
Everyone can weigh in during the discussion.
Here this means adding an opinion, not standing on a scale. Use “with” before the contribution.
She picked up on her friend’s hesitation.
She picked up on her friend’s hesitation.
Did you pick up on the hint in his question?
Did you pick up on the hint in his question?
Keep both “up on” before the sign noticed. Compare “pick up”, meaning lift an object or collect a person.
Her voice tailed off at the end of the sentence.
Her voice tailed off at the end of the sentence.
The applause slowly tailed off.
The applause slowly tailed off.
This can describe sound or activity gradually decreasing. It is not an animal’s tail or a sudden stop.
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 77, 76, 139, 97, 127. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
Additional references for the senses used in this lesson: tail off — Collins.
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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.
Vy leads off the discussion with a picture of a tree.
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Vy launches into an enthusiastic story about a forest trip.
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Vy weighs in with her own opinion after listening to the plan.
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Vy picks up on a friend’s hesitation and gently offers help.
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Vy’s voice tails off, shown by three sound-wave groups decreasing towards silence.
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Choose a phrase to begin.
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Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
Would you lead off with a short introduction?
Would you lead off with a short introduction?
Yes. I will not launch into a long explanation immediately.
Yes. I will not launch into a long explanation immediately.
Then others can weigh in with their own ideas.
Then others can weigh in with their own ideas.
“Lead off” starts an activity or discussion; “launch into” begins speaking or acting energetically or abruptly. Choose the emphasis that fits the situation.
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 presenter should open a discussion briefly. She is tempted to begin an energetic, lengthy explanation immediately.
Ask for the brief opening.
Could you lead off with a short introduction?
“Lead off with a short introduction” requests a brief opening rather than a long initial explanation.
Complete: Please do not launch ___ every detail yet.
into
“Launch into every detail” begins an extensive explanation; “do not… yet” asks the speaker to postpone that step.
Invite the others to contribute afterwards.
Once the introduction is finished, everyone can weigh in.
“Once the introduction is finished” gives others a turn to “weigh in”, meaning contribute their views.
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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