Effortless English Learning - Talking about Daily Routines in English!

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Effortless English Learning

Talking about Daily Routines in English!

 

Alison: Welcome to Effortless English Podcasts!

Alison: This is the Effortless English Learning series.

Alison: We help you improve your English in a fun and natural way.

Will: If you're new here, be sure to subscribe to our podcast.

Will: That way, you’ll never miss an episode!

Alison: And here’s something important.

Alison: Our podcast offers multilingual subtitles.

Alison: If you need subtitles, turn on the CC captions.

Will: Right, it makes learning easier!

Will: Today, we’re talking about daily routines.

Will: How do you talk about your day in English?

Alison: We’ll go over useful phrases and common mistakes.

Alison: Plus, we’ll compare American and British English.

Will: We have some fun examples for you today!

Will: But first, let me ask you, Alison.

Will: Are you a morning person?

Alison: Not really!

Alison: I usually hit the snooze button at least three times.

Alison: How about you, Will?

Will: I’m definitely a morning person.

Will: I wake up early, have tea, and start my day.

Alison: Tea? Of course, very British!

Will: And you? Coffee, I suppose?

Alison: Always! I can’t function without it.

Alison: Speaking of morning routines, let’s test our listeners.

Alison: Can you describe your daily routine in English?

Alison: Think about how you wake up, go to work, eat meals, and relax.

Will: Don’t worry if you don’t know all the words yet.

Will: We’re here to help you learn!

Alison: Before we dive in, let’s quickly review some key phrases.

Alison: You might hear phrases like "wake up," "get up," or "go to bed."

Alison: But do you know the difference between them?

Will: Good question!

Will: "Wake up" means you stop sleeping.

Will: "Get up" means you actually leave your bed.

Alison: Exactly!

Alison: And "go to bed" means you start your sleep.

Will: Some people say "hit the sack" instead of "go to bed."

Alison: Right! In the U.S., we also say "crash" when we’re really tired.

Alison: Like, "I got home and crashed at midnight."

Will: In the UK, we say "hit the hay" sometimes.

Will: It’s a bit old-fashioned, but people still use it.

Alison: Fun! Now, here’s another question.

Alison: What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Will: I check my phone.

Alison: Same here!

Alison: But that’s probably a bad habit.

Will: Maybe, but it’s common!

Will: Many people check emails or scroll social media in bed.

Alison: True! But let’s move on.

Alison: After waking up, most people eat breakfast.

Alison: Do you always eat breakfast, Will?

Will: Yes! I usually have toast and tea.

Alison: So British! I go for eggs and coffee.

Will: What about our listeners?

Will: Do you eat breakfast, or just grab coffee?

Alison: Let us know in the comments below!

Alison: Now, let’s talk about getting to work.

Will: Right! Some people drive, while others take the bus or train.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "commute" to describe traveling to work.

Alison: For example, "My commute takes 30 minutes."

Will: We use "commute" in the UK too, but we often say "travel to work."

Will: Like, "I travel to work by train."

Alison: Oh, here’s another one.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "I take the subway."

Will: And in the UK, we say "I take the underground" or just "the tube."

Alison: See? These little differences can be fun!

Will: Exactly!

Will: Now, after work, people have different evening routines.

Will: Some cook dinner, others eat out.

Alison: Right! I love cooking at home.

Will: I prefer eating out. Less work!

Alison: And after dinner, some people watch TV or read books.

Will: What about you, Alison?

Alison: I watch shows, but I also scroll my phone too much.

Will: That’s a modern habit!

Alison: Totally! And finally, people go to bed at different times.

Will: Some sleep early, others stay up late.

Alison: And some scroll their phones until midnight!

Will: Sounds familiar!

Alison: Now that we’ve covered these routines, let’s listen to a dialogue.

Will: Pay attention to the phrases and sentence structures.

Alison: Try to notice how daily activities are described in English.

Will: After the dialogue, we’ll go over common mistakes.

Alison: And we’ll compare American and British English even more.

Will: Ready? Let’s jump in!

Jake: Hey, what time do you wake up?

Tom: I get up at 7 AM every day.

Jake: That’s early! Do you eat breakfast?

Tom: Yeah, I always eat toast and eggs.

Jake: I just drink coffee in the morning.

Tom: Do you exercise before work?

Jake: No, I usually work out in the evening.

Tom: I like morning workouts.

Jake: What time do you leave for work?

Tom: I leave home at 8:30 AM.

Jake: I start work at 9 AM.

Tom: Do you drive to work?

Jake: No, I take the bus.

Tom: I drive, but traffic is bad.

Jake: My bus ride takes 30 minutes.

Tom: My drive is about the same.

Jake: What do you do first at work?

Tom: I check my emails.

Jake: Me too, then I start meetings.

Tom: How long is your lunch break?

Jake: One hour. I eat at my desk.

Tom: I go out for lunch.

Jake: What time do you finish work?

Tom: Around 5:30 PM.

Jake: Same here. Do you cook dinner?

Tom: Sometimes. Other times, I eat out.

Jake: I like cooking at home.

Tom: What do you usually make?

Jake: Pasta, chicken, or rice.

Tom: Sounds good. Do you watch TV?

Jake: Yeah, after dinner I watch shows.

Tom: I prefer reading books.

Jake: What kind of books?

Tom: Mostly fiction or self-help.

Jake: I like action movies more.

Tom: Do you go to bed early?

Jake: Not really, I sleep at midnight.

Tom: I sleep at 11 PM.

Jake: Do you use your phone in bed?

Tom: Yeah, I scroll for a bit.

Jake: Me too, then I fall asleep.

Tom: Do you set an alarm?

Jake: Of course, or I’ll wake up late!

Tom: Same! I need my alarm.

Jake: Do you plan your next day?

Tom: Sometimes, but not always.

Jake: I write down my tasks.

Tom: That’s a good habit.

Jake: What do you do on weekends?

Tom: I sleep in and relax.

Jake: I wake up late too.

Tom: Do you hang out with friends?

Jake: Yeah, we grab dinner.

Tom: I visit family sometimes.

Jake: Do you clean your house?

Tom: On Sundays, I do laundry.

Jake: I clean on Saturday mornings.

Tom: Do you meal prep for the week?

Jake: No, I cook daily.

Tom: I should try that too!

Alison: Now that we’ve listened to the dialogue, let’s go over some key phrases.

Will: Yes! We heard many useful expressions for daily routines.

Alison: Let’s start with waking up.

Alison: The dialogue used "wake up" and "get up."

Will: We already talked about the difference.

Will: But let’s review it quickly.

Alison: Sure! "Wake up" means to stop sleeping.

Will: "Get up" means to leave the bed.

Alison: Exactly! You can wake up but stay in bed.

Will: Some people wake up and check their phones.

Alison: That’s me!

Will: And me!

Alison: Now, let’s talk about morning habits.

Alison: The dialogue mentioned breakfast.

Will: Right! One person eats toast and eggs.

Alison: The other just drinks coffee.

Will: That’s common! Some people skip breakfast.

Alison: But many say breakfast is the most important meal.

Will: What do you usually eat, Alison?

Alison: Eggs, toast, and sometimes fruit.

Will: I prefer cereal or a sandwich.

Alison: And what about our listeners?

Alison: Do you eat breakfast every day?

Will: Let us know in the comments!

Alison: Now, let’s talk about getting to work.

Alison: The dialogue mentioned different ways to commute.

Will: One person drives, the other takes the bus.

Alison: What about you, Will?

Will: I take the train.

Alison: I usually drive, but I hate traffic.

Will: Same! Traffic is the worst.

Alison: Now, let’s move to work routines.

Alison: The dialogue mentioned checking emails.

Will: That’s how most people start work.

Alison: And then come meetings!

Will: Meetings, meetings, meetings!

Alison: Some people love them.

Will: Some people don’t!

Alison: What about you, listeners?

Alison: Do you like meetings, or do you avoid them?

Will: Tell us in the comments!

Alison: Next, let’s talk about lunch breaks.

Alison: In the dialogue, one person eats at their desk.

Will: The other goes out for lunch.

Alison: Which one are you, Will?

Will: I like eating out.

Alison: I eat at my desk too often.

Will: That’s very American!

Alison: True! In the U.S., people often work while eating.

Will: In the UK, people like to take a real break.

Alison: That’s nice!

Will: Now, let’s talk about evening routines.

Alison: Some people cook dinner.

Will: Others eat out.

Alison: What do you prefer, Will?

Will: I cook simple meals.

Alison: I like cooking, but I eat out sometimes.

Will: And after dinner, people watch TV, read, or relax.

Alison: Some people scroll their phones too much.

Will: That’s me!

Alison: Finally, let’s talk about bedtime habits.

Alison: The dialogue mentioned using phones in bed.

Will: That’s common!

Will: But it’s not a great habit.

Alison: True! It can make it hard to sleep.

Will: What time do you go to bed, Alison?

Alison: Around midnight. You?

Will: Around 11 PM.

Alison: Pretty normal!

Will: And what about you, listeners?

Will: Are you an early sleeper or a night owl?

Alison: Let us know in the comments!

Will: That wraps up our review!

Will: Next, we’ll talk about common mistakes.

Alison: Stay with us!

Alison: Now, let’s talk about common mistakes.

Will: Yes! Learning daily routines is easy, but small mistakes happen.

Alison: Let’s start with wake up and get up.

Alison: Many learners mix them up.

Will: Right! "Wake up" means to stop sleeping.

Will: "Get up" means to leave the bed.

Alison: If you say, "I get up at 6 AM," it means you’re out of bed.

Will: But if you say, "I wake up at 6 AM," you might stay in bed longer.

Alison: Some people wake up but don’t get up right away.

Will: Like me on weekends!

Alison: Same here!

Alison: Another mistake is saying ‘go to sleep’ instead of ‘go to bed’.

Will: Yes! "Go to bed" means you’re lying down, ready to sleep.

Alison: "Go to sleep" means you actually start sleeping.

Will: So, if someone says, "I go to sleep at 10 PM," it means they fall asleep at that time.

Alison: But if they say, "I go to bed at 10 PM," they might stay awake for a while.

Will: Maybe they check their phone first!

Alison: Another common mistake is using "do breakfast" instead of "have breakfast".

Will: Right! We say "have breakfast," not "do breakfast."

Alison: The same goes for lunch and dinner.

Alison: We say "have lunch" or "have dinner", not "do lunch" or "do dinner."

Will: But you can say, "Let's do lunch sometime."

Alison: That’s true! It’s more casual.

Will: Next, let’s talk about transportation mistakes.

Will: Many learners say, "I go to work with the bus."

Alison: But we say, "I take the bus to work."

Will: Right! Or, "I go to work by bus."

Alison: The same rule applies to trains, subways, and cars.

Will: We say, "I take the train," not "I go with the train."

Alison: And for cars, we say, "I drive to work," not "I go with the car."

Will: Here’s another mistake—mixing up "finish work" and "leave work."

Alison: "Finish work" means your work is done.

Alison: "Leave work" means you are leaving the office.

Will: So, you can finish work at 5 PM but leave work at 5:30 PM.

Alison: Maybe you stay late to chat with coworkers.

Will: Or maybe you check your phone for 30 minutes!

Alison: True!

Alison: Now, let’s share our own experiences.

Alison: Will, did you make mistakes when learning daily routine phrases?

Will: Yes! When I first learned American English, I said "take a nap" wrong.

Alison: What did you say?

Will: I said "do a nap" instead of "take a nap."

Alison: That sounds funny!

Will: It does! But I learned quickly.

Alison: I made mistakes too.

Alison: When I first moved to the U.S., I said "make exercise" instead of "work out."

Will: Oh, that’s a common one!

Alison: In English, we say "work out" or "exercise", not "make exercise."

Will: That’s right!

Alison: And what about you, listeners?

Alison: Have you made mistakes with daily routine phrases?

Will: Tell us in the comments!

Will: Next, we’ll talk about American vs. British English.

Alison: Stay tuned!

Alison: Now, let’s talk about American vs. British English.

Will: Yes! Daily routine phrases can be different in the U.S. and the U.K.

Alison: Let’s start with transportation.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "take the subway."

Will: But in the U.K., we say "take the underground" or "take the tube."

Alison: I love "the tube." It sounds fun!

Will: It does! But it’s just the London Underground.

Alison: Another one—Americans say "I take a cab."

Will: In the U.K., we say "I take a taxi."

Alison: But Americans also say "taxi" sometimes.

Will: True! But "cab" is more common in the U.S.

Alison: Next, let’s talk about meal times.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Will: In the U.K., we say the same, but some people say "tea" instead of "dinner."

Alison: "Tea"? That’s confusing!

Will: It depends on the region.

Will: In some parts of the U.K., "tea" means an evening meal.

Alison: What if someone invites me for tea?

Will: It could mean tea and snacks or a full meal!

Alison: That’s tricky!

Alison: Now, let’s talk about breaks at work.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "lunch break."

Will: In the U.K., we say "dinner break" in some workplaces.

Alison: Really? Even if it’s lunch?

Will: Yes! In some jobs, "dinner" means the main meal, even at noon.

Alison: That’s interesting!

Alison: Next, let’s talk about relaxing after work.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "watch TV."

Will: In the U.K., we often say "watch telly."

Alison: "Telly" sounds so British!

Will: It is! But "TV" is common too.

Alison: Another one—Americans say "take a nap."

Will: In the U.K., we sometimes say "have a kip."

Alison: "Have a kip"? That’s new to me!

Will: It’s informal, but people say it.

Alison: Now, let’s talk about going to sleep.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "go to bed" or "hit the sack."

Will: In the U.K., we say "hit the hay."

Alison: Americans say that too, but it’s less common.

Will: Here’s another one—Americans say "fall asleep."

Will: But in the U.K., people sometimes say "drop off to sleep."

Alison: That sounds fancy!

Will: It just means you start sleeping.

Alison: Now, let’s talk about weekend plans.

Alison: In the U.S., we say "hang out with friends."

Will: In the U.K., we often say "meet up with mates."

Alison: "Mates" means friends, right?

Will: Exactly!

Alison: And here’s a fun one—Americans say "run errands" on weekends.

Will: In the U.K., we say "do the shopping" or "pop to the shops."

Alison: "Pop to the shops" sounds so polite!

Will: It just means a quick trip to buy things.

Alison: Okay, last one—housework!

Alison: Americans say "do the laundry."

Will: In the U.K., we say "do the washing."

Alison: But "washing" sounds like washing dishes!

Will: That’s why it can be confusing!

Will: We say "do the washing-up" for dishes.

Alison: So, "do the washing" means clothes.

Will: And "do the washing-up" means dishes.

Alison: Got it!

Alison: These small differences can be fun, but they can also cause confusion.

Will: Yes! But don’t worry—people will understand you.

Alison: And what about you, listeners?

Alison: Have you ever been confused by American or British English?

Will: Tell us in the comments!

Will: Next, we’ll wrap up the episode.

Alison: Stay with us!

Alison: That was a fun discussion!

Will: Yes! We covered daily routines, common mistakes, and English differences.

Alison: Now, we want to hear from you!

Alison: Tell us about your daily routine in the comments.

Will: What time do you wake up?

Alison: Do you eat breakfast or just grab coffee?

Will: How do you get to work?

Alison: Do you drive, take the bus, or walk?

Will: And what do you do after work?

Alison: Do you cook, watch TV, or read?

Will: We’d love to hear about your routine!

Alison: And don’t forget—tell us if you prefer American or British English!

Will: Do you say "take the subway" or "take the tube"?

Alison: "Watch TV" or "watch telly"?

Will: "Do the laundry" or "do the washing"?

Alison: Let us know in the comments!

Will: And remember, mistakes are part of learning.

Alison: Yes! Everyone makes mistakes.

Alison: The important thing is to keep practicing.

Will: The more you use English, the better you get.

Alison: And we’re here to help you learn.

Will: If you found this episode helpful, subscribe to our podcast.

Alison: That way, you’ll never miss an episode.

Will: Also, share this episode with your friends.

Alison: Learning together makes it more fun!

Will: And if you have questions, leave them in the comments.

Alison: We might answer them in a future episode!

Will: Thanks for listening!

Alison: See you next time!

Will: Bye for now!