Time to relax, it’s the weekend!

Duration: 50 minutes.

Let’s take a look at today’s lesson

In this lesson, we will look at, some small talk and phrasal verbs about the weekend.
What did you get up to at the weekend?
I will ask you some questions, and we will learn some new vocabulary.

Lesson Key: (L) = Listening (U) = Understanding. (R) = Reading.

When someone asks you: ‘What did you get up to at the weekend?‘, what do they mean? It’s common to ask the people you meet on a Monday at work.

It’s part of small talk, polite and friendly conversation about everyday topics, and it is a great way to catch-up on what you all did during the weekend.

Watch a video about BBQs.
Do you like them? Why are they so good?
When was the last time you went to one?

How to talk about the weekend.

AFTER THE WEEKEND

“How was your weekend?”
“What did you get up to on the weekend?”
“Did you get up to much on the weekend?”

WAYS TO RESPOND

“I had a quiet weekend“.
“It was pretty low-key.”
“I had a wild weekend”.
“I had a full on weekend”.
“My weekend was very busy!”.

I had a night in = I stayed at home	I cleaned up the house all day Saturday
I tidied up my bedroom	I stayed in and read a book
I slept in = I slept longer than I usually do	I spent the whole weekend studying
I did some shopping	I spent the whole weekend working
I did nothing, I just stayed at home and took it easy	I had friends over for a BBQ on Sunday
I caught up with friends = meet up with them, as you haven’t seen them for a while	I watched a film on Netflix
Long Weekend = when the Friday and/or Monday is a public holiday, we call it a long weekend.	I went to the gym

TO CATCH UP ON
TO LEARN ABOUT RECENT EVENTS OR TO DO SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO DO BEFORE.

Let’s catch up later over coffee.

I caught up on some rest.

Let’s catch up about the meeting.

PHRASAL VERBS (Phrasal verbs are phrases that indicate actions)

1. to catch up on: to do something you didn’t have time to do before.

“What did you get up to on the weekend?”
“I caught up on some rest.”
“What are you going to do this weekend?”
“I’m going to catch up on some reading.”

2. to catch up with someone: to meet with a friend socially.

“What did you get up to on the weekend?”
“I caught up with some friends”.
“What are you doing this weekend?”
“I’m catching up with some friends.”

3. to go out: to go to a bar, restaurant, club or social event, usually to drink and eat.

“What did you get up to last weekend?”
“I went out for some drinks with some friends.”

4. to wind down: to relax after hard work or stress

“What did you get up to on the weekend?”
“I just wound down a bit”.
“I’m going to wind down this weekend and watch some movies.”

To unwind also means to relax.

“I really need to unwind. I need to take a holiday.”

Questions about your weekend.
I have written some examples of answers in simple and advanced English.

Do you like to BBQ?

Simple English: Yes, I love barbecue!

Advanced English: While I do enjoy barbecuing and the social aspects that often accompany it, I also recognize the environmental impact of grilling and the potential health risks associated with consuming charred meat.

What are some things that might cause you to frown?

Simple English: Things that might cause me to frown include bad news, unpleasant surprises, and people being mean or rude.

Advanced English: There are many things that might cause a person to frown, and they can vary greatly from individual to individual. For some people, hearing bad news or receiving unpleasant surprises might cause a frown. Others might frown in response to certain social situations, such as encountering someone who is being mean or rude. In general, frowning is often a natural response to negative or unpleasant experiences, as the muscles in the face naturally contract to reflect one’s emotional state.

Do you like to BBQ? = Barbecue
Do you have a barbecue in your garden or in your flat?
What do you like to do outside? Why?
Do you exercise? YES or NO? Why?
What’s your favourite sport? Why?
Do you like to play sport at the weekend?
How do you like to spend your free time?
Do you have a hobby?
What do you do for fun, what makes you smile?
Where do you feel most comfortable?
What are some things that might cause you to frown?
How would your friends describe you?
What would you add?
What are three things that you appreciate about living in Brazil?

Photo by Matthieu Joannon on Unsplash