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Lesson 58 / Independence
5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.
Get to work, take responsibility and make do with what you have.
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 set about organizing my desk after breakfast.
I set about organizing my desk after breakfast.
We set about the task with a few empty boxes.
We set about the task with a few empty boxes.
After “about” use a noun or -ing form, do not use “set about to do”. The past is still “set”.
Cambridge Dictionary · set about
I will see to the cups while you prepare the food.
I will see to the cups while you prepare the food.
Can you see to the drinks for our guests?
Can you see to the drinks for our guests?
Accept responsibility for handling a task; Don't just look at it with your eyes. The past tense of “see” is “saw”.
I can rely on my sister to help me with the high shelf.
I can rely on my sister to help me with the high shelf.
You can rely on me to bring the cups.
You can rely on me to bring the cups.
In this lesson, relying on reliable support does not mean having to do everything yourself. Do not split phrases.
We can get by with just three coloured pencils.
We can get by with just three coloured pencils.
I got by with an old notebook until I found a new one.
I got by with an old notebook until I found a new one.
Emphasis is still enough to work even if there are few things or one thing is missing. Past tense “got”.
I finally got around to sorting my toy drawer.
I finally got around to sorting my toy drawer.
Have you got around to putting the photos in the album?
Have you got around to putting the photos in the album?
This refers to something you intended to do but postponed. “To” is a preposition here, so use an -ing form after it. British English also uses “get round to”.
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 114, 113, 106, 50, 49. 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.
An started arranging her desk with small boxes.
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An took on the job of preparing cups for the family dinner table.
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An asked Minh to help her safely get the box from the high shelf.
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An can still draw a colorful picture even though she only has three colored pencils.
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An finally organized the toy drawer after many times putting it aside for later.
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Choose a phrase to begin.
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Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
How shall we set about fixing the room?
How shall we set about fixing the room?
We can get by with the tools we already have.
We can get by with the tools we already have.
I will see to the broken handle first.
I will see to the broken handle first.
“Set about” means start doing a task; “get by” means manage with limited resources. Starting a task does not guarantee having everything you need.
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 student starts cleaning a small studio with only basic tools. She must manage without buying equipment today.
Describe starting the task using set about.
She sets about cleaning the studio.
“Set about cleaning” starts the cleaning task; “about” takes “cleaning”, not “clean”.
Complete: We can get ___ with the tools we have.
by
“Get by with the tools we have” means manage with the available tools despite their limitations.
Offer to deal with one specific job.
I will see to the dusty window ledge first.
“See to the dusty window ledge” takes responsibility for that cleaning job rather than merely looking at it.
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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