Overview
This lecture covers essential English vocabulary and expressions related to talking about weekends, including common questions, activities, and differences between British and American English usage.
Weekend Expressions & Questions
- The term "the weekend" refers to Saturday and Sunday.
- People often ask, "Do you have any plans for the weekend?" on Fridays.
- "TGIF" stands for "Thank God (or goodness) it's Friday," expressing happiness about the weekend's arrival.
- A "long weekend" is a three-day weekend, usually including Friday or Monday.
- On Mondays, people ask, "What'd you do this weekend?" meaning "What did you do this weekend?"
- "How was your weekend?" and "Did you get up to anything this weekend?" are common questions.
- "Get up to" means "do," especially when asking about someone's activities in the past.
Useful Weekend Responses & Grammar Notes
- Respond "I didn't get up to much" if you did little during the weekend.
- The phrase "get up to" is typically used in negative statements, not positive ones.
- In British English, say "at the weekend"; in North American English, use "on the weekend."
- Use "on" with days of the week, e.g., "on Friday."
Common Weekend Activities
- "Brunch" is a meal combining breakfast and lunch, usually eaten late morning, often on Sundays.
- To "binge" on a TV show means watching many episodes in a row.
- To "run errands" means doing small tasks like grocery shopping or paying bills.
- To "meet up with" friends or family means to see and spend time with them.
- "BBQ" is short for "barbecue," a social meal often held outdoors.
- To "get caught up on" refers to completing things you missed during the week (schoolwork, housework, sleep).
- To "sleep in" means to wake up later than usual.
- To "relax" means to rest and do low-energy activities on the weekend.
Example Weekend Plans (Conversation Recap)
- Attending a family barbecue and having coffee with friends.
- Going shopping and attending a sewing class.
- Planning to do laundry (an errand).
- Waking up early (not sleeping in), wishing to sleep in later.
- Going for brunch with friends and trying new foods.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Weekend — Saturday and Sunday.
- TGIF — Thank God/Goodness It's Friday.
- Long weekend — Three-day weekend.
- Brunch — Meal between breakfast and lunch.
- Binge — To do or consume too much of something, especially watching TV.
- Errands — Small tasks or jobs, like shopping or paying bills.
- Meet up with — To see and spend time with someone.
- BBQ — Short for barbecue.
- Get caught up on — Finish tasks left undone.
- Sleep in — Wake up later than usual.
- Get up to — To do (used in questions about activities).
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice using weekend vocabulary and expressions in conversations.
- Take the quiz on www.engvid.com to test your understanding of these terms.
- Watch more English learning videos on Emma's channel for additional practice.