Everyday English (Elementary)

Topic: Making Small Talk

Lesson Notes February 28, 2023 (Elementary)

• Where did you go last week? (Go asks about place)

• What did you do last week? (Do asks about activity

• The flowers were in full bloom. (NOT full in bloom)

• Are the flowers in bloom?

• Did people have cherry blossom picnics? (Informal; friends, family)

• … cherry blossom parties? (Formal; co-workers, classmates)

• Geyser; a hot springs which sends water and steam into the air

• The geyser erupts one time an hour.

• The (sign / schedule) says the geyser erupts at 11:30 and 1:30. (NOT the sign reads)

• (Lower / Middle / Upper) back

• My doctor (gave / prescribed) me another allergy medicine.

• I had hey fever for about a week. I recovered (in / after) a week.

• My new allergy medicine makes me sleepy, so I take it only at night

Making Small Talk

• “The rooms aren’t very good here.” (= not of good quality. This could mean that the rooms are small, uncomfortable, outdated, poorly maintained etc)

• (best) fantastic / great / good / ok / bad / terrible / horrible (worst)

• "Not bad" means something is okay or decent. It's better than bad, but not great.

• "Not so bad" means the same thing as "not bad," but with a slightly more positive opinion.

• The food at the restaurant was not (so) bad. (meaning the food was decent or satisfactory)

• The weather today is not (so) bad. (meaning the weather is okay or acceptable)

• "Not good" means something is bad or not enjoyable. It's the opposite of good.

• “Not so good" means the same thing as "not good," but with a slightly more negative opinion.

• The movie we watched was not (so) good. (meaning the movie was bad or disappointing)

• My sandwich is not (so) good. (meaning the sandwich doesn't taste good)

• "So-so" means something is neither good nor bad. It's just okay or average.

• A: How was your day?
  B: It was so-so. (meaning the day was neither great nor terrible)

• I thought the concert was so-so. (meaning the concert was not great, but not terrible either)

Homework

Practice saying out loud the sentences in Section 1 and 2; pay attention to the vocabulary. You will you this vocabulary in Section 3