VOA慢速英语--Grammar, Planning, and Summer Trips

 

Imagine you want to talk about a plan you are making, perhaps for a trip this summer.

In today's Everyday Grammar, we will explore some important ideas for discussing plans. You will learn about important verb¹ forms and expressions that can be used to talk about summer vacations, or really any kind of fun event in the future.

Will and be going to

everyday grammar

everyday grammar

When we talk about planning, we are generally talking about future time. English speakers show future time by using a couple of different structures³.

The first is to add the word will. For example, a student might say:

I will finish my homework later.

The main verb is finish. The word will suggests a future time.

In everyday speech, English speakers often shorten⁴ will, as in:

I'll finish my homework later.

When talking about summer plans, a person might say:

We will travel in August.

Or

We'll travel in August.

But English speakers also use the structure² be + going to to talk about future plans. An example of this would be:

We are going to travel in August.

In everyday speech, going to is sometimes shortened⁵ to gonna, as in:

We're gonna travel in August.

But will and be going to are not the only useful structures for talking about plans. Different kinds of expressions can also be helpful.

Make + noun⁶ phrase⁷

Perhaps one of the most useful of these structures is make + noun phrase. A noun phrase is a group of words that act like a noun in a sentence.

Consider this example:

Have you made summer plans yet?

Yes, we talked, argued and finally made a decision.

So, what are your plans?

We made arrangements to stay at a hotel on the beach.

You don't sound very happy about it...

I wanted to go visit family!

I'd rather go to the beach - your family must be a lot nicer than mine!

Note that the structure make + noun phrase appeared several times – made summer plans, made a decision, made arrangements.

In this case, make + noun phrase means⁸ to plan or decide to do something.

Phrasal verbs⁹

English speakers also often use phrasal verbs when talking about plans. A phrasal verb is a verb and another short word or words that act together in a sentence. They take on a meaning different from what the individual words suggest.

One common phrasal verb used for planning is pick up.

Pick up has different meanings, but probably the most common one is to get or take something or someone from a place.

So, someone might plan to pick up a family member from the airport. Or, a person might plan to pick up some food.

Consider this example:

Are you going to pick up Ben at the airport?

Yes, he arrives at 8 o'clock.

What will you do for dinner?

We will pick up some food on the way home.

Note that both will and be going to appear in the discussion¹⁰, as does the phrasal verb pick up.

Closing thoughts

Take some of the ideas you heard today and use them to write about your own plans. These plans can be real or imagined. What is important is that you get experience describing plans of many kinds.

Of course, there are many other ways you can talk about future plans... But we will wait to explore those ideas in a future program.

Words in This Story

arrangement – n. (usually plural) something that is done to prepare or plan for something in the future

1 verb   

n.[语]动词

参考例句：

• The sentence is formed from a verb and two nouns.这句子由一个动词和两个名词构成。
• These are the finite forms of a verb.这些是一个动词的限定形式。

2 structure   

n.结构，构造，建筑物；v.构成；

参考例句：

• Doctors study the structure of the human body.医生研究人体构造。
• A flower has quite a complicated structure.一朵花的结构相当复杂。

3 structures   

n.结构( structure的名词复数 )；[生物学]构造；机构；构造物v.组织( structure的第三人称单数 )；安排；制定

参考例句：

• All three structures dated to the third century and were tentatively identified as shrines. 这3座建筑都建于3 世纪，并且初步鉴定为神庙。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Flexibility of labour was obtained through the breakup of old trade union structures. 打破了旧的工会结构之后，雇用劳工可以灵活处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 shorten   

vt.弄短，缩小，减少

参考例句：

• Minor accidents can shorten the life of a car.小事故会缩短汽车寿命。
• My dress is too long I must shorten it.我的连衣裙太长了，我得把它截短些。

5 shortened   

v.弄短，缩短( shorten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shortened the skirt by an inch. 她把裙子缩短了一英寸。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Vacations have lengthened and the work week has shortened. 假期延长，工作周就缩短了。 来自辞典例句

6 noun   

n.名词

参考例句：

• What kind of noun is this?这是哪类名词？
• This word is a collective noun.这个词是个集体名词。

7 phrase   

n.短语，词组；成语，习语

参考例句：

• The phrase was caught on and immediately became popular.这个短语被采用后很快就流行了。
• That's exactly the phrase I was looking for.这就是我一直找的那个短语。

8 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

9 verbs   

动词

参考例句：

• I have to swot up on phrasal verbs for a test tomorrow. 我不得不为明天的测验努力温习短语动词。
• Verbs that do not take object are called intransitive verbs. 不带宾语的动词称为不及物动词。

10 discussion   

n.讨论，谈论；论述

参考例句：

• It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
• After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。