English lessons and practice games are intended for people aged 13 and over.
Enable JavaScript to listen, practice and save progress. The lesson content can still be read below.
Lesson 68 / Movement & learning
5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.
Review the rules of the game, catch up with your friends, and increase your practice efforts.
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.
I need to brush up on the rules before we play.
I need to brush up on the rules before we play.
We brushed up on our English before the club meeting.
We brushed up on our English before the club meeting.
Review knowledge or skills you already know but need to refresh. Add “on” when stating content; not brushing teeth.
Cambridge Dictionary · brush up
I ran a little faster to catch up with my friends.
I ran a little faster to catch up with my friends.
He was behind at first, but he soon caught up.
He was behind at first, but he soon caught up.
In the lesson, it is no longer behind; different from asking for news from old friends. Past tense “caught”.
Cambridge Dictionary · catch up
Our team stepped up its practice before the school match.
Our team stepped up its practice before the school match.
We need to step our efforts up to finish the task.
We need to step our efforts up to finish the task.
Emphasize increased activity or effort, not climbing a flight of stairs.
The excitement wore off after the first few games.
The excitement wore off after the first few games.
The feeling of nervousness soon wore off.
The feeling of nervousness soon wore off.
In the lesson, the feeling gradually weakens. Different from worn out items in “wear out”; past tense “wore”.
Our team is going for the school trophy.
Our team is going for the school trophy.
Let us go for our best score today.
Let us go for our best score today.
The meaning here is to aim at a goal; phrase also means choosing an option in another situation.
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 15, 20, 122, 138, 55. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
One step forward every day
Your browser could not save your play history. Results from this session may be lost when you close the page.
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.
Nam reviews the rules of the game on picture cards with Minh before practice.
The picture could not load. Try loading it again before matching.
Nam runs in the same direction behind two friends on the track, speeding up to catch them.
The picture could not load. Try loading it again before matching.
Nam increased his efforts to practice soccer by practicing more attentively.
The picture could not load. Try loading it again before matching.
Nam became less excited after trying the sport and became more relaxed.
The picture could not load. Try loading it again before matching.
Nam tries with the team towards the school's small cup.
The picture could not load. Try loading it again before matching.
Choose a phrase to begin.
Your browser could not save your play history. Results from this session may be lost when you close the page.
Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
I need to brush up my French before the trip.
I need to brush up my French before the trip.
We can practise together until you catch up with the group.
We can practise together until you catch up with the group.
Good. I will step up my practice this week.
Good. I will step up my practice this week.
“Brush up” means refresh an existing skill; “catch up” means reach another person’s pace or level. Revision may help you catch up, but the aims differ.
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 former pianist revises old skills before joining a group whose members have practised recently.
Describe revising an existing skill.
She is brushing up her piano skills.
The pianist has learned before, so “brush up” refreshes existing skills rather than starts from scratch.
Complete: I need time to catch ___ with the group.
up
“Catch up with the group” means reach their level; keep “up” before “with”.
Write a plan to increase practice.
I will step up my practice before our first performance.
“Step up my practice” increases preparation before the performance, providing a way to close the gap.
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.
Progress is saved on the device. Sign in with Google to save with the same account and continue on another device.