Level: Intermediate
Hello, intermediate English learners! As your TEFL-certified English teacher, I am delighted to guide you through this next stage of your language journey. You've mastered the basics, and now it's time to refine your communication skills, making your English sound more natural, nuanced, and confident. Today's lesson focuses on Mastering Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Conversations, a topic that will significantly enhance your ability to express yourself effectively in a variety of situations.
At the intermediate level, the goal shifts from simply being understood to communicating with greater precision and fluency. We'll explore how to move beyond basic phrases and incorporate more sophisticated language, allowing you to engage in deeper conversations and articulate your thoughts with clarity. This lesson is designed to provide you with practical tools and strategies that you can immediately apply to make your English more dynamic and expressive.
As you progress in English, you'll find that native speakers use a rich array of expressions and grammatical structures to convey subtle meanings. Understanding and using these elements is key to sounding more natural and participating fully in conversations. This lesson will help you unlock those nuances, empowering you to express opinions, understand complex ideas, and navigate social and professional interactions with greater ease. It's about adding depth and color to your linguistic palette.
One of the hallmarks of an intermediate speaker is the ability to express opinions and preferences with more sophistication than simple "I like" or "I don't like." This involves using a wider range of vocabulary and phrases, as well as understanding how to agree or disagree politely and constructively.
Example Dialogue: Discussing a New Project
A: "I think the new marketing strategy is too aggressive. It might alienate some of our long-term customers."
B: "I see your point, but I'm not sure I agree. In my opinion, we need to be more proactive to capture new market share."
A: "That's a good point about market share, but I strongly believe that customer loyalty is paramount."
B: "I understand what you're saying. Perhaps we can find a balance that addresses both concerns. It seems to me that a phased approach could be a win-win."
Practice Activity: Choose a current event or a topic you feel strongly about. Write a short paragraph expressing your opinion, using at least three phrases from the lists above. Then, imagine someone disagrees with you and write a response, politely disagreeing and offering an alternative viewpoint.
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and a preposition or adverb (or both) that create a new meaning. They are incredibly common in everyday English and mastering them will make your speech sound much more natural. The challenge is that their meaning is often not obvious from the individual words.
Strategy for Learning Phrasal Verbs: Don't try to memorize long lists. Instead, learn them in context. When you encounter a new phrasal verb, write down the entire sentence it was used in. Try to group them by situation (e.g., phrasal verbs for daily routines, for work, for travel). Create flashcards with the phrasal verb on one side and a sentence using it on the other.
Storytelling is a fundamental human activity, and being able to recount past events clearly and engagingly is a key intermediate skill. This lesson will review the past tenses and introduce you to time connectors that help create a smooth narrative flow.
Example Story: A Memorable Trip
"Last summer, I decided to visit Japan. First, I booked my flights and accommodation. Then, I started learning some basic Japanese phrases. After that, I packed my bags, feeling very excited. Meanwhile, my friend, who had lived in Japan, was giving me tips. Suddenly, I realized I had forgotten my passport! I rushed back home. Eventually, I found it under my bed, and I made it to the airport just in time. It was a stressful start, but the trip was amazing in the end!"
Practice Activity: Think about a memorable event from your past – a vacation, a special day, or a funny incident. Write a short story (around 150-200 words) about it, making sure to use a variety of past tenses and at least five different time connectors. Read it aloud to check the flow.
For many intermediate learners, using English in a professional setting is a key goal. This lesson will equip you with essential vocabulary and phrases for common workplace scenarios, focusing on emails and meetings.
Subject Line: Clear and concise (e.g., "Meeting Request - Project X," "Follow-up on Y").
Opening:
Body - Common Phrases:
Closing:
Practice Activity: Imagine you need to email a colleague to ask for an update on a project. Write a short, professional email (100-150 words). Then, imagine you are in a meeting discussing the project. Write a short dialogue (4-6 lines) where you express an idea and a colleague asks for clarification.
Conditionals, or "if-clauses," are essential for discussing possibilities, hypothetical situations, and their consequences. Mastering them will add significant depth to your English communication.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Practice Activity: Complete the following sentences with the correct conditional form:
Congratulations on completing these intermediate lessons! The key to solidifying your learning is consistent practice and application. I encourage you to:
Your dedication to learning is truly commendable. Keep pushing forward, and you will undoubtedly achieve your fluency goals. I am here to support you every step of the way!
Want guided practice? Book a private English lesson with Scott today → Book Your Free Evaluation
Created by Scott Kucher — TEFL Certified English Teacher