Everyday Conversations · Kids, Health & Family Life
Habits and health
“I'm trying to cut down on coffee, but it's not going well.”
B1 · Intermediate9 minPhrases
When you need this
People love talking about their habits: the ones they're trying to start, the ones they're trying to stop, and how badly it's going. These conversations are friendly and a little self-deprecating. Nobody wants a lecture, and nobody gives one; they share their own attempts and laugh about the failures.
The phrasal verbs do the heavy lifting: cut down on, give up, take up, stick to. Notice too how often people use the present continuous for goals: "I'm trying to walk more." It frames the habit as something in progress, which is more honest, and more modest, than "I walk more."
Phrases
start doing something regularly
stop doing something you do without thinking
do or have less of something
stop doing something completely
start a new activity or hobby
exercise, usually at a gym
continue with a plan
stop following a plan you set yourself
return to a plan after a break
the things you do regularly, in the same order
helpful to your health, in everyday talk
have something nice as a reward
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Practice · 3 min
Say one natural line for each situation.
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Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.