• Online Classes
  • Face to Face Classes
  • Private Classes
  • Courses
    • Timetable
    • General English Courses
    • Exam Preparation Courses
    • Summer Intensives >
      • Introduction to English
      • Listening & Speaking Skills
      • Advanced Speakers
      • English Language & CLIL Teachers
      • Online English Language & CLIL Teachers
      • Family Courses
  • Bookings
  • Contact us
  • Blog
  • Online resources
    • Exam Student Resources
    • General English Self-study
    • Job Hunt
    • BOOK GROUP
    • Advent Calendar
  • Accommodation
  • Edinburgh
English Language School - The Edinburgh Experience - Scotland
  • Online Classes
  • Face to Face Classes
  • Private Classes
  • Courses
    • Timetable
    • General English Courses
    • Exam Preparation Courses
    • Summer Intensives >
      • Introduction to English
      • Listening & Speaking Skills
      • Advanced Speakers
      • English Language & CLIL Teachers
      • Online English Language & CLIL Teachers
      • Family Courses
  • Bookings
  • Contact us
  • Blog
  • Online resources
    • Exam Student Resources
    • General English Self-study
    • Job Hunt
    • BOOK GROUP
    • Advent Calendar
  • Accommodation
  • Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Experience Blog

Christmas Phrasal Verbs

12/16/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture

Phrasal verbs are a very important part of the English language. They are informal, so people use them all the time. It’s important that you can incorporate them into your vocabulary in order to improve your level of speaking AND listening.

However, don’t panic about learning lists of 100s of verbs! Just learn them as they appear. The most important thing is to learn them in context as they very often change meaning. Today we’re looking at them in the context of Christmas! Look at the verbs in the text and see if you can understand what they mean. You can find the answers at the end of the blog post. Don't forget to click on the links to get your little Christmas presents from us!

Remember, you can follow our Online Unlimited course for only £50 a month, or group classes form £100 a month. We also run our Lunchtime Lessons on Tuesdays at 12pm UK time which are free! to book any of these courses, click the button below. 
Book a course
Photo of a Christmas tree with decorations on it
Christmas is one of my favourite times of year. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet up with friends and family. Everywhere looks lovely because all the Christmas lights have been put up and it feels like there’s magic in the air! I love wrapping up presents, lighting up the fire and getting into the Christmas spirit.

In the UK, the main holidays are 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st of December. The 24th is called Christmas Eve. It’s more common to spend this day with friends rather than family, usually having a few drinks in the pub. Children make sure they hang up their stockings on the fireplace and then they leave milk and biscuits for Santa Claus! When everyone is asleep, Santa comes down the chimney and leaves the presents.

The 25th is the day we spend with family. In the morning we open the presents and then start getting ready for Christmas Dinner. The traditional meal these days is turkey with roast potatoes, brussel sprouts and stuffing and for dessert Christmas Pudding, which is a calorie bomb! Everyone sits down and before we start to eat we have to pull a cracker. Crackers are a big Christmas tradition in the UK. Inside there is a joke, a paper hat and a present. Each person pulls one end and when it opens it makes a bang. After dinner most people watch the Queen’s speech on TV. In my family we usually play games and sing along to Christmas Carols.

The 26th is called Boxing Day. Originally it was the day that the rich gave their servants a box with presents. Now it’s famous because it’s the first day of the sales. People run to the shops to try and snap up a bargain.

The last big celebration is 31st of December, New Year’s Eve. In Scotland it has a different name, Hogmanay. For some people in Scotland this is a bigger celebration that Christmas! Hogmanay has its roots in Norse and pagan festivals. In fact, in Edinburgh on the 29th there is a beautiful torch light procession which ends with burning a Viking boat! Normally on the 31st you “see the bells in”, or celebrate midnight, and then go “first footing”. This is when you go to visit other people’s houses. To bring good luck for the new year you need to have a tall dark and handsome first footer who brings you coal!

The only thing I hate about Christmas is taking down the tree! It makes me feel very sad that the holidays are over!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
from The Edinburgh Experience!

Read the words to the song here!

Phrasal Verb definitions

  •  I like to meet up with friends over the holidays - To see friends
  • Putting up the tree and decorations is so exciting - Decorate your house and Christmas tree
  • I like to wrap up presents using nice paper - to fold a present in paper so you don't know what it is
  • I love lighting up the fire and drinking a hot chocolate! - making a fire in a fireplace
  • I love getting into the Christmas spirit by watching festive films - Becoming involved in, becoming interested in
  • You hang up your stockings on the mantelpiece - Put the stockings on the mantelpiece
  • Santa comes down the chimney to deliver the presents - Santa enters through the chimney
  • When we sit down to eat Christmas dinner, the first thing we do is pull a cracker - to be in a sitting position or get into a sitting position 
  • My family all sing along to Christmas carols  - Sing with a recorded song or other singers
  • The Boxing Day sales are a great place to snap up a bargain - get something quickly for a very good price
  • The only thing I hate about Christmas is taking down the tree! - Removing the tree 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Learn vocabulary and expressions while you communicate in English! Please feel free to comment on our posts or ask any questions

    Categories

    All
    Advanced
    Exam Preparation
    Grammar
    Halloween
    Holiday Special
    Listening
    Lunchtime Lesson Series
    Reading
    Real English Series
    Scottish Culture
    Speaking
    Vocabulary

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    November 2015
    October 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    RSS Feed

Picture


©2020 The Edinburgh Experiences Language School
2 Hill Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3JZ
​Tel: 
 +441316299706
  • Online Classes
  • Face to Face Classes
  • Private Classes
  • Courses
    • Timetable
    • General English Courses
    • Exam Preparation Courses
    • Summer Intensives >
      • Introduction to English
      • Listening & Speaking Skills
      • Advanced Speakers
      • English Language & CLIL Teachers
      • Online English Language & CLIL Teachers
      • Family Courses
  • Bookings
  • Contact us
  • Blog
  • Online resources
    • Exam Student Resources
    • General English Self-study
    • Job Hunt
    • BOOK GROUP
    • Advent Calendar
  • Accommodation
  • Edinburgh