Transcription
This is Max and Mia podcast.
Good morning everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Max and Mia podcast. I'm Max and I'm Mia. Thanks for tuning in today. We really appreciate you being here with us. Whether you're listening during your morning coffee or on your way to work, we're glad to have your company.
Absolutely. We've got some interesting things lined up for you today. So, let's jump right in.
So, today we're going to talk about daily routines. I know we've covered this topic in previous episodes, but here's the thing. There's always more to explore.
Exactly. Daily routines are such a common topic and they're incredibly versatile. You can talk about them in the past, present, future. The possibilities are endless, right? And since our goal is to help you sound more natural and less robotic, learning new vocabulary and expressions is always worthwhile.
Speaking of sounding natural, that's actually one of our main focuses today. We'll be looking at the key differences between B1 and B2 when describing your daily routine. We'll show you how to move beyond basic descriptions and add more nuance to your speech.
Plus, we're going to reinforce some important grammar points: present perfect, future perfect, and future continuous and much more. So, stick around because this is going to be useful.
All right, let's start with mornings. Now, just to give you some context, I'm juggling both work and studies at the moment, and I work shifts, morning, afternoon, and night shifts.
Oh, wait. That's a good word to highlight. Actually, Mia, do you want to explain what shift means?
Sure. A shift is a scheduled period of work. So, when I say morning shift, I mean I'm working during the morning hours. Some jobs have rotating shifts, which means your schedule changes.
Exactly. So, Mia, how does your morning look when you're on the morning shift?
Well, it depends. If I'm working the morning shift, I have to get up quite early. Usually around 5:30.
Ouch, that's rough.
Tell me about it. I've been doing this for 3 years now, so I've gotten used to it, but it's still challenging some days.
Notice how Mia used I've been doing this there. That's present perfect continuous, perfect for talking about something that started in the past and continues now, right? Anyway, once I'm up, I usually grab a quick shower. I don't really have time to linger in the bathroom.
Linger, that's a nice word. It means to stay somewhere longer than necessary. Kind of taking your time.
Exactly. At B1 level, you might say, I don't stay long in the bathroom, but linger sounds more natural and is more B2. So, after my shower, I'll throw on my uniform and head straight to the kitchen. Do you have breakfast at home?
I try to, but honestly, most mornings I just grab something on the go. Maybe a banana or some toast. Not the healthiest, I know.
Better than nothing, though. Quick note for our listeners. On the go means while you're moving or traveling, not sitting down to eat properly.
Good point. What about you, Max? Your mornings must be hectic with work and classes.
They are. I usually wake up around 6:00, which gives me enough time to get ready without rushing too much. I've started setting out my clothes the night before.
Oh, that's smart. Setting out your clothes. That means preparing them in advance. Right.
Exactly. It saves me from standing in front of my closet half asleep trying to figure out what to wear.
I should start doing that. So, after you get dressed, what's next?
I make myself some coffee. Can't function without it. And I'll have some cereal or eggs. I found that if I skip breakfast, I'm useless by 10:00.
Useless. Totally get that. A common mistake learners make here is saying I'm no good when they mean I can't function properly. Useless or I'm not productive sounds much more natural.
Good catch. Then I check my schedule for the day because my classes are at different times depending on the day of the week.
That must be tricky to manage.
It can be. By next semester, I'll have been balancing work and studies for two years. Sometimes I wonder how I'm managing it.
That's future perfect there, right?
I'll have been balancing.
Exactly. It's useful when you're talking about something that will be completed by a specific point in the future. Anyway, after breakfast, I usually leave the house around 7:30. I take the bus to work. Do you listen to anything on the commute?
Usually podcasts or music. It helps me wake up and get in the right mindset. By the time I arrive at the office, I'm already mentally prepared for the day.
That's a good routine. I do something similar when I'm driving to work. I'll put on some music or catch up on the news.
Catch up on another useful expression. It means to get the latest information about something you've missed, right? So, at B1, you might say, "I listen to the news." But catch up on the news is more sophisticated.
And it shows you're actively trying to stay informed, not just passively listening.
Exactly. Now, one thing I've noticed about mornings is that they really set the tone for your entire day.
Absolutely. If I have a chaotic morning, the rest of the day feels off. That's why I try to stick to my routine as much as possible.
Same here. Even on my days off, I find myself waking up early out of habit. My body's just programmed that way now.
Programmed. I like that. It's like your internal clock has adjusted.
Definitely. Oh, and here's something worth mentioning. When you talk about routines, instead of always using usually or always, you can mix it up with expressions like more often than not, as a rule, or nine times out of 10.
Good point. That variety makes you sound less repetitive. For instance, nine times out of 10, I'll have coffee with breakfast.
Or more often than not, I'm out the door by 7:00. These little variations really elevate your speaking from B1 to B2.
They do. So, Max, do you have any morning rituals? Like things you absolutely have to do?
H I wouldn't call them rituals. Exactly. But I do have certain things I prefer. Like I always check my phone for messages while I'm having coffee.
A lot of people do that nowadays. I try not to because it stresses me out first thing in the morning.
Fair enough. I've been trying to cut back on screen time in general. Actually,
cut back on reduce the amount of something. Right.
Exactly. Instead of saying use my phone less, saying cut back on screen time sounds more natural.
These phrasal verbs really make a difference in how fluent you sound.
They really do. Okay, so we've covered mornings pretty thoroughly. What do you say we move on to afternoons?
Sounds good. Afternoons can be quite different depending on whether I'm working or not.
And for me, afternoons are when things really pick up because that's when most of my classes are scheduled, right? So, let's dive into that and see what a typical afternoon looks like for each of us.
All right, let's talk about afternoons. So, afternoons vary a lot for me depending on my shift. If I've worked the morning shift, I'm usually done by around 2 or 3:00 p.m.
That's pretty decent. What do you normally do once you clock out?
Clock out? Good expression there. It means to officially finish your work shift, usually by recording the time you leave.
Right. At B1, you might just say finish work, but clock out is more specific and natural.
Exactly. So once I clock out, I'm usually pretty exhausted. I'll head home and fix myself some lunch.
Do you cook or do you usually get takeout?
I try to cook when I have the energy. I've been working on meal prepping on my days off. So, sometimes I just reheat something I made earlier in the week.
Meal prepping? That's become really popular lately. It's when you prepare several meals in advance, usually for the whole week.
Yeah, it's a lifesaver. Saves time and money. But if I'm really tired, I'll just order something or throw together a quick sandwich. throw together. That's a nice casual phrase meaning to make something quickly without much effort.
Good point. A common mistake learners make is saying I make fast a sandwich instead of I quickly make a sandwich or throw together a sandwich.
The word order matters there. So after lunch, what's next?
Well, if I don't have the evening shift, I usually have some free time. I might run some errands, you know, go to the supermarket, pay bills, that sort of thing.
Run errands, another essential phrase. It means doing small tasks or chores outside the house.
Right. You wouldn't say do errands or make errands. It's always run errands.
Exactly. For me, afternoons are when things get busier because that's when most of my classes happen.
Right. You mentioned that. What time do your classes usually start?
It depends on the day, but typically around 2 or 3. I'll be attending lectures until about 6 or 7:00 p.m.
That's a long afternoon. Do you get breaks in between? Sometimes if I have a gap between classes, I'll grab a coffee at the campus cafe or catch up on some reading.
A gap between classes. That's better than saying free time between classes, right?
Yeah, gap is more natural. You can also say break or window like I have a 2-hour window between classes.
Nice. So during these gaps, are you actually productive or do you just zone out?
Zone out. Love that expression. It means to stop paying attention or lose focus.
Usually happens when you're tired or bored.
Exactly. And honestly, it depends. Some days I'm productive and I'll work on assignments. Other days I'm just scrolling through my phone.
We've all been there. By the way, scrolling through my phone is such a common phrase nowadays. At B1, you might say looking at my phone, but scrolling is more specific to what we actually do.
True. It captures that mindless browsing we all do.
So, when do you usually eat lunch?
I try to eat before my first class, around 1:00 or so. Otherwise, I'll grab something quick from the cafeteria during a break.
The university cafeteria food is decent.
It's hit or miss, honestly. Some days it's fine. Other days I regret not bringing something from home.
Hit or miss, meaning inconsistent. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.
Exactly. You could also say it varies or it's unpredictable. But hit or miss is more colloquial.
I like it. Now, when you're in class, are you usually focused or does your mind wander?
Your mind wanders. That's a good way to say you're thinking about other things instead of concentrating.
Right? Instead of saying, "I don't pay attention," you can say, "My mind wanders."
It sounds less harsh. But to answer your question, I try to stay focused. I found that if I sit near the front, I'm less likely to get distracted.
Smart strategy. Does it actually work?
Most of the time, yeah. By next month, I'll have been using this strategy for a whole semester, and my grades have definitely improved.
There's that future perfect again I'll have been using.
Yep. It's great for showing that an action will be completed by a certain time in the future.
So, after your classes end, what do you do?
Well, by that time, it's already evening, but if I finish earlier, I might swing by the library to work on assignments.
Swing by. That means to visit somewhere briefly or casually, right?
Exactly. It's more casual than go to. Like, I'm going to swing by the store sounds more natural than I'm going to go to the store.
These little nuances really add up.
They do. Oh, and here's something worth mentioning. When talking about your routine, try to vary your time expressions. Don't just use then over and over.
Good point. You can use after that, following that, once I'm done with that, or next up.
Right? It makes your speech flow better and sound less repetitive.
Speaking of afternoons, one thing I've noticed is that they tend to drag when I'm not working.
Totally. Drag is the perfect word for that. It's like time is standing still.
Yeah. Time feels like it's moving slowly. A common mistake is saying the afternoon is very slow, but native speakers would say the afternoon drags or time drags.
That's a great distinction. So, what do you do to combat that?
Well, I try to keep myself busy. I might work out, meet up with friends, or just watch something on Netflix.
I like that choice of words. Using work out and meet up keeps the tone friendly and informal.
That's right. The up makes it sound more casual and planned, like you're arranging to see them.
And do you have a regular workout routine?
I'm trying to build one. Right now, I'll be working out three times a week by the end of this month if I stick to my plan.
Future continuous there. I'll be working out.
Exactly. It shows an ongoing action at a specific time in the future.
That's ambitious. I should probably exercise more myself.
You and me both. But with your schedule, when would you even find the time?
That's the problem. Between work, classes, and studying, there's not much left over. I've been trying to squeeze in some exercise here and there.
Squeeze in. fit something into a busy schedule. That's such a useful phrase.
It is like, I need to squeeze in a dentist appointment this week.
Perfect example. Okay, so we've covered mornings and afternoons pretty thoroughly. Should we move on to evenings?
Yeah, let's do that. Evenings are when I finally get some downtime.
And for me, it depends on whether I'm working the night shift or not. Right. Your schedule is all over the place with those rotating shifts.
Tell me about it. But let's break down what a typical evening looks like for each of us.
All right, so evenings.
This is when I finally get to relax if I'm not working the night shift.
Lucky you. What does a typical evening look like when you're off?
Well, I usually get home around 7 or 8 if I've been out. First thing I do is change into something more comfortable. Sweatpants, a t-shirt, you know, the usual.
Yeah, I do the same thing. There's nothing better than getting out of work clothes, right? So, after that, I'll make dinner if I haven't eaten yet. Nothing fancy. Maybe some pasta, a salad, or just heat up leftovers from the day before. Do you eat while watching TV or do you actually sit at the table?
Honestly, I usually plop down on the couch with my plate and put on a show.
Plop down. That's a fun one. It means to sit down heavily, kind of carelessly. Much more casual than just saying sit down.
Yeah, it's very informal, but really common. I know it's not the healthiest habit, but after a long day, I just want to unwind.
I totally get that. For me, evenings are when I finally wrap up with classes and head home. By the time I get there, it's usually around 8:00 p.m. and I'm pretty drained.
I bet. Do you eat with your family or is everyone on different schedules?
It depends. Sometimes we eat together if they haven't had dinner yet. Otherwise, I'll just heat something up. My mom and I kind of take turns cooking during the week.
That's nice that you share the responsibility. So, after dinner, I'm guessing you have to study.
Yeah, unfortunately. I usually have to work on assignments or study for a couple of hours. I try to get everything done at my desk because if I study on my bed, I'll just end up falling asleep.
Smart move. I've made that mistake before. You tell yourself you'll just review some notes and next thing you know, you're waking up at 2:00 a.m. with your laptop on your chest.
Exactly. Has that happened to you recently?
More times than I'd like to admit. When I'm not working nights, I'm usually pretty low-key. In the evenings, I might read for a bit, scroll through social media, or just watch TV until I start dozing off.
What kind of shows are you into lately?
I've been re-watching some old sitcoms. Nothing that requires too much brain power, you know, just something light and easy.
Yeah, I can't watch anything too intense in the evening either. My brain is already fried from classes. By the end of the semester, I'll have been studying for 6 months straight without a real break.
That's rough. Do you have trouble falling asleep or does it come pretty easily?
It varies, honestly. Some nights I'm out like a light the moment my head hits the pillow. Other nights I toss and turn for hours thinking about everything I have to do the next day.
Out like a light and toss and turn. Both great expressions. Instead of saying I sleep immediately or I can't sleep, these sound way more natural.
Exactly. They're much more vivid. Do you have the same problem?
Yeah, especially when I'm on the morning shift. I have to force myself to go to bed early, but my mind just keeps racing. Have you tried anything to help with that?
I've started putting my phone away at least 30 minutes before bed. It actually helps a bit. The blue light from screens can really mess with your sleep.
That's good advice. I should probably do that, too, but I always end up scrolling until the last minute. A common mistake learners make here is saying I look my phone instead of I'm on my phone or I scroll through my phone.
Good point. It's be on your phone or use your phone, not look your phone.
Right. What time do you usually call it a night when you're not working?
I try to be in bed by 10 or 11, but it doesn't always work out that way. What about you?
Usually around midnight, sometimes later if I have a lot of work to finish. I know I should sleep more, but there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Tell me about it. By next year, I'll have been working these crazy shifts for 4 years. Sometimes I wonder how I'm still functioning.
You're tougher than you think. But seriously, sleep is important. You don't want to burn out. Burnout, become exhausted from too much stress or work. Really important phrase to know.
Yeah, it's different from just being tired. Burning out is more serious. It's when you're completely mentally and physically exhausted.
I know. I've been trying to take better care of myself. It's a work in progress, aren't we all? I keep telling myself that once this semester is over, I'll have a better routine. But then the next semester starts and it's the same story.
The cycle never ends, does it? Do you ever just crash on the weekends to catch up on sleep?
Crash, another good word. It means to sleep heavily, usually because you're exhausted, right? Like I'm going to crash early tonight or I crashed as soon as I got home.
Exactly. And yeah, weekends are when I try to recover. I'll be sleeping in tomorrow if I can.
Lucky. I'll be working the early shift tomorrow, so no sleeping in for me.
That's brutal. Do you ever feel like you're constantly tired?
Sometimes, yeah, but I've gotten used to it over the years. Your body adapts, you know.
I guess that's true. I suppose juggling work and school has made me more resilient, too.
Definitely. Anyway, before bed, do you have any kind of routine? Like anything specific you always do?
Not really a strict routine, but I usually brush my teeth, set my alarm, and maybe read for a few minutes if I'm not too tired. Same here. I'll also make sure my clothes are ready for the next day if I'm working early. Saves me time into morning when I'm half asleep.
That's smart. Small things like that can make a big difference.
They really do. Well, I think we've covered morning, afternoon, and evening pretty thoroughly.
We have. Hopefully, our listeners picked up some useful ways to talk about their daily routines without sounding too robotic or repetitive.
So, just to wrap things up today, we talked about daily routines from morning all the way through to evening, right? We covered a lot of useful vocabulary and expressions, things like shift, on the-go, catch up on, run errands, and squeeze in. We also looked at some really natural phrases for describing tiredness and sleep like out like a light, toss and turn, and burn out.
And we touched on some important grammar points, too. Present perfect, future perfect, and future continuous, showing how they fit naturally into everyday conversation. The key takeaway is that moving from B1 to B2 isn't just about grammar. It's about using more varied vocabulary and natural expressions that native speakers actually use.
Exactly. Small changes like using plop down instead of sit down or catch up on the news instead of listen to the news can make a big difference in how fluent you sound.
Absolutely. Well, that's all we have for today.
Thanks so much for listening everyone. We really appreciate you spending this time with us.
If you found this episode helpful, feel free to share it with anyone who's learning English. And we'd love to hear from you. What topics would you like us to cover next?
Until next time, take care.
See you soon.