How to Talk About Your Daily Routine in English

TL;DR

To talk about your daily routine naturally in English, use common expressions such as “first thing,” “drop off,” “catch up on,” “go over,” “head out,” and “open up.” Vanessa explains 23 expressions through her own morning, workday, and family routine, showing important distinctions such as “catch up on” delayed tasks versus “catch up” with a friend. Read on for practical meanings, examples, and common mistakes to avoid.

Transcript

Vanessa: Hi, I'm Vanessa from SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com.   Are you ready to think and speak in  English about your daily life? Let's do it.   If you watch a lot of American movies or TV shows,  you probably have noticed that people ask a lot,   "Hey hun, how is your day?" Or, "What did you  learn in school today?" But have you ever asked   these ... Read More

Key Insights

• 'First thing' means the very first action of the morning and works at the start or end of a phrase, as in 'First thing in the morning, I hear my alarm' or 'I make coffee first thing.' Never say 'first of the things.'
• 'A morning person' is someone who wakes up happy and ready to start the day, while to 'wake up on the wrong side of the bed' is a metaphor for waking up grumpy, cranky, and not happy.
• 'Drop off' works for both people and things and the word 'off' is essential. 'I dropped my computer off at the repair shop' means you delivered it, but 'I dropped my computer at the repair shop' means it fell and broke.
• 'Catch up on' means to do something you've delayed, like chores, cleaning, or emails, while 'catch up' with a person means reconnecting and sharing everything that has happened since you last talked.
• 'Go over' is a common polite way to say 'review,' useful in the workplace, as in 'Could you go over this email before I send it?' The reviewer may give it their 'stamp of approval.'
• 'Head' plus a place means going in that direction without arriving yet, as in 'I'm heading home' or 'I'm headed to the store.' 'Head out' specifically means leaving the house.
• 'Open up' means becoming willing to share struggles, difficulties, and meaningful thoughts rather than surface-level answers. Spending quality time together lowers the wall people put up in passing situations.
• 'Hang out' functions three ways: as a verb meaning to casually spend time with people, as a noun, and as an adjective in 'hangout spot,' a casual location where people gather to spend time together.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can you talk about your daily routine in English?

Use common daily expressions while describing each part of your day, such as “first thing” for your first action, “drop off” for taking someone somewhere, and “catch up on” for delayed tasks. Vanessa teaches 23 expressions by walking through her morning, workday, and family routine.

Q: How do you use “first thing” in English?

“First thing” describes the very first action you take, especially in the morning. You can say, “First thing in the morning, I hear my alarm” or “I wake up and make tea first thing.” Do not say “first of the things” or “first of the.”

Q: What is the difference between a morning person and waking up on the wrong side of the bed?

A morning person wakes up happy and ready to start the day. To “wake up on the wrong side of the bed” means to wake up grumpy, cranky, or unhappy; it is metaphorical rather than a reference to an actual side of the bed.

Q: Why is “off” important in the phrase “drop off”?

To “drop off” means to deliver a person or thing somewhere, as in “I drop my son Theo off at preschool” or “I dropped my computer off at the repair shop.” Without “off,” saying “I dropped my computer” means that it fell, so the meaning changes completely.

Q: What is the difference between “catch up on” and “catch up” with someone?

“Catch up on” means to complete something you delayed, such as cleaning, chores, or emails. To “catch up” with a person means to reconnect after not talking for a while and share what has happened since your last conversation.

Q: How can you politely ask a coworker to review your work in English?

Use “go over” as a common alternative to “review.” For example, you can ask, “When you have a second, could you go over this email before I send it? I would really appreciate it.”

Q: What is the difference between “head home” and “head out”?

“Head” followed by a place means to move in that direction without necessarily having arrived, as in “I’m heading home” or “I’m headed to the store.” “Head out” specifically means to leave the house.

Q: How can you get someone to open up about their day?

Spend quality time doing something together, such as having a tea party with tea and a snack, so the person feels more comfortable sharing meaningful thoughts or difficulties. Ask a specific question like “What game did you play at recess today?” instead of asking them to summarize their entire day with a broad question.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The lesson teaches 23 common daily expressions by walking through Vanessa's actual daily routine. It opens with the morning, covering 'first thing in the morning,' being a 'morning person' versus waking up 'on the wrong side of the bed,' and lightening the mood at breakfast so the day starts off right.

• Workday phrases include 'drop off' for delivering people or things, 'catch up on' delayed tasks like chores or emails, 'catch up' with friends to reconnect, and 'go over' as a polite way to say review. 'Head' plus a place and 'head out' describe movement and leaving the house.

• The final section focuses on connection: to help kids or a significant other 'open up' about their day, spend quality time together, such as a tea party, and ask specific questions instead of broad ones like 'What did you learn today?' which are hard to answer. 'Hang out' describes casually spending time in a favorite hangout spot.