For A1-A2 Levels

Please, review the vocabulary related to the topic. It will help you feel more confident when role-playing and – if you find any words that are entirely new to you, make sure you write them down and use them in the Conversation Club meeting.

Part 1: Call Off – Figure Out – Turn Down

• Have you ever called off a very important meeting?
• Have you ever been turned down by someone after the 1st date?
• Tell your partner about your personality trait you’re trying to change. Why are you trying to change it? How did you understand that it was a problem?
• Have you ever turned down a job offer or a promotion? 

Phrasal Verbs

Call Off = Cancel

to decide that a planned event will not happen: Union leaders called the strike off at the last minute. 

To call off a dog is to order it to stop attacking someone or something.

Figure Out = Work something out

to understand or solve something: figure out how/why/what, etc. If they know the cause of the problem, they might be able to figure out how to prevent it happening again. It takes most people some time to figure out new software.

 to calculate an amount: It is difficult to access funding before the elements of an outline business plan have been figured out.

Turn Down = To refuse to accept or agree to something

to refuse someone’s request: The bank turned her down for a loan. The former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman has turned down the job.

Part 2: Put off – Come up with – Mess up – Get Away with

1. What is the most creative thing you ever came up with?
2. Share one task you are putting off these days. Why do you think you’re procrastinating?
3. What type of things does your partner puts off doing?
4. What behaviour or attitude can mess up a marriage? Why?
5. Have you ever cheated during a test? Did you get away with it?

Phrasal Verbs To Use  

Put off = To postpone something to a later date
I cannot keep putting off my dentist appointment. It’s been over 6 months since my last visit!

Come up with = Have an idea, generate a solution, creatively propose something Mark came up with this new way to test the students.

Mess up = to make something dirty or untidy: Who’s messed up the bookshelf?

to spoil or damage something, or to do something wrong or badly: I messed up my chances of becoming a great singer.

get away with = to escape blame or punishment when you do something wrong, or to avoid harm or criticism for something you did:

She thought she could get away with cheating on her taxes.

Vocabulary To Use:

• freak out- If someone freaks out, or if something freaks them out, they suddenly feel extremely surprised, upset, angry, or confused. I remember the first time I went onstage. I freaked out completely

• miss out – to fail to use an opportunity to enjoy or get an advantage from something: Don’t miss out on the fantastic bargains in our summer sale.

• to knuckle down – to start working or studying hard: You’re going to have to really knuckle down (to your work) if you want to pass your final exams.