Do you want to know how we spend our summers?
Read on for some great English vocabulary and phrases all about the summer hols. (= holidays) Words in bold have quick explanations to help you understand them.
Summer Holiday Destinations
Summer hols (= holidays) start at the end of July, when schools break up (= finish). Sometimes we call this time “the great getaway” = the time that everyone gets away (escapes from their home) during the summer. It lasts until August.
Foreign holidays are off the cards (= impossible) for many British people this year. There’s a lot of uncertainty about red / amber / green list countries (the countries which are safe to travel to) and whether you have to quarantine / self-isolate when you get home again.
It’s also more expensive to travel abroad, because you need to pay for a PCR test (= Covid test) during and after your holiday.
Even if you staycation (stay in the UK), it’s hard to find affordable (= not expensive) holidays. Hotels, air b&bs, self-catering cottages, caravans and campsites are all fully booked.
Less than half the British population will have a summer holiday in 2021. For those people (including me!) we can take day-trips to the seaside to relax.
Typical Holiday Activities
People often flock to (= go in great numbers to) beaches. Lots of people take special beach tents with them, as well as barbecues. In the UK, beaches are all public and free. You can also take your dog to some beaches. In seaside towns, you’ll also find a lot of amusements, such as funfairs and amusement arcades (= places with lots of fruit machines to win money / small prizes).
If you get bored of the beach, there are always plenty of food and drink options. Restaurants and pubs generally have outside seating – even many fish and chip restaurants. Just be careful of the seagulls, who have learned to snatch (= quickly steal) chips and ice-creams.
If you aren’t a fan of beaches, there are also plenty of activity holidays to choose from. Some are sporty (kayaking, paddle-boarding, etc) while others are craft-based (learn how to make jewellery, etc.)
After The Summer Break…
You should feel relaxed, refreshed and recharged!
Time to head back (= return) to your normal life. And, of course, to your English!
But this time, instead of hitting the grammar books, why not concentrate on your English fluency? When you join the English Fluency Club, you get a fantastic combination of private study materials (complete fluency programs + the Fast Phrase Finder – the world’s first database of fluency phrases) AND live lessons in small groups.
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