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Lesson 53 / Plan
5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.
Choose activities, estimate time and present a clear plan.
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.
We decided on a picnic for our class outing.
We decided on a picnic for our class outing.
Have you decided on a place to meet?
Have you decided on a place to meet?
“Decide on” describes choosing after consideration. Keep “on” before the chosen option, as in “decide on a date”.
Cambridge Dictionary · decide on
Allow for extra travel time if it rains.
Allow for extra travel time if it rains.
We allowed for a short break in our plan.
We allowed for a short break in our plan.
You include factors that can affect the plan, not just who does what.
Cambridge Dictionary · allow for
Let us draw up a plan for the class picnic.
Let us draw up a plan for the class picnic.
We drew the list of jobs up together.
We drew the list of jobs up together.
The meaning in the lesson is to compose an organized document, not to draw upwards. The past tense of “draw” is “drew”.
We should stick to the plan we agreed on.
We should stick to the plan we agreed on.
I stuck to my study schedule this week.
I stuck to my study schedule this week.
Emphasize not deviating from plans or rules. Past tense “stuck”; no phrase separation.
The poster sets out the steps for our picnic.
The poster sets out the steps for our picnic.
She set the rules out clearly for everyone.
She set the rules out clearly for everyone.
In an article, there is an orderly explanation or presentation. The past is still “set”; different from starting the trip in “set off”.
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 35, 6, 37, 123, 115. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
One step forward every day
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OBSERVE · UNDERSTAND · MATCH
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Read the picture descriptions for more context. Similar expressions are accepted when they fit the particular scene.
Linh and her friend choose an activity from three picture cards for the day out.
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Linh looked at the clock and it was raining, spending more time on the trip.
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Linh writes and draws a simple plan on paper before a picnic.
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Linh follows the agreed items on the picture planning board.
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Linh presents the steps in the plan to her friends using a picture poster.
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Choose a phrase to begin.
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Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
Have we decided on a date for the trip?
Have we decided on a date for the trip?
Saturday, but we should allow for heavy traffic.
Saturday, but we should allow for heavy traffic.
Then I will draw up a timetable with extra travel time.
Then I will draw up a timetable with extra travel time.
“Decide on” means choose after consideration; “allow for” means take a factor into account. Choosing a departure time still leaves delays to consider.
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 cycling group chooses Sunday for a trip but expects crowded roads and possible delays.
Describe choosing the day.
They have decided on Sunday for the trip.
The group has selected Sunday for the trip, so say “decided on Sunday”, with “on” introducing the choice.
Complete: We should allow ___ delays near the bridge.
for
“Allow for delays” builds possible bridge delays into the plan rather than authorising delays.
Write a timetable instruction using draw up.
Draw up a timetable with extra time for the busy roads.
“Draw up a timetable” creates a schedule with extra time for crowded roads, beyond choosing the day.
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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