English course

Lesson 171 of 240

New here? This is lesson 171 of a free 240-lesson English course.

Start hereHow this works

Planning a weekend trip in English

Ana and Tasha sit at the Blue Plate and plan a weekend in Milwaukee.

They talk about the train, a hotel for two nights, food, and what to pack.

Murray recommends pie, even though nobody asked him.

By the end, you'll suggest a train, say you booked a hotel, and ask about food, sights, bags, and weather.

By the end of this lesson

Plan a weekend trip: the train, a hotel, food, sights, bags, and weather.

  • Let's take the train to Milwaukee.I think we should go to Milwaukee by train.
  • I booked a hotel for two nights.I reserved a place to sleep for two nights.
  • What do you want to eat there?Which food do you want in that city?
  • Which places are worth seeing?Which places are good to visit?
  • How much stuff should we bring?How many bags do we need?
  • Let's check the weather first.We should look at the weather before we go.

Scene — a booth by the window

Saturday at the Blue Plate. Ana and Tasha share a booth by the window. Dee fills two cups without asking.

Murray sits at the counter on two stools, coffee still full. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Tasha has her phone out. They are planning a weekend in Milwaukee.

Ana and Tasha settle into a window booth at the Blue Plate while Dee pours coffee.

Learn — plan a weekend trip

Six lines help you plan a weekend trip.

You'll suggest the train, talk about a hotel, and ask about food, sights, bags, and weather.

  1. Ana gestures toward the street while proposing the journey, and Tasha listens across the booth.

    Let's take the train to Milwaukee.

    I think we should go to Milwaukee by train.

    When to use it: Say this when you suggest going to Milwaukee by train.

    Let's is a short form of let us, used to suggest a plan.

    Say it: The stress is on the second part of Milwaukee.

  2. Tasha gives a pleased confirming nod as the conversation turns to the hotel reservation.

    I booked a hotel for two nights.

    I reserved a place to sleep for two nights.

    When to use it: Say this after you reserved a hotel for the trip.

    Booked is the past tense of book, meaning you reserved it.

    Say it: The -ed ending sounds like t.

  3. Ana opens both palms toward Tasha while asking about food for the trip.

    What do you want to eat there?

    Which food do you want in that city?

    When to use it: Ask this when you plan meals in another city.

    There means in that city, not in the diner right now.

  4. Tasha gestures while naming places to visit, and Ana listens from the opposite seat.

    Which places are worth seeing?

    Which places are good to visit?

    When to use it: Ask this when you choose which sights to visit.

    Seeing is the -ing form after worth. Learn it as one piece.

    Say it: The th at the end of worth is the sound in think.

  5. Ana looks toward the tote beside Tasha and spreads both hands while asking about luggage.

    How much stuff should we bring?

    How many bags do we need?

    When to use it: Ask this when you decide what to pack.

    Stuff means the bags and things you pack for the trip.

  6. Tasha lifts the phone beside the sunny window as the planning turns to checking the weather.

    Let's check the weather first.

    We should look at the weather before we go.

    When to use it: Say this before you pack or leave.

    First means do this before you pack or go.

    Say it: The th in weather is the sound in this.

Story — pie, unasked

Watch Ana and Tasha plan the Milwaukee weekend at the diner.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Tasha drops her tote on the booth seat. Dee is already pouring.
  2. TashaSo. Milwaukee this weekend?She starts the plan for the weekend trip.
  3. AnaLet's take the train to Milwaukee.I think we should go to Milwaukee by train.
  4. TashaGood idea. I booked a hotel for two nights.She likes the plan and reserved a hotel.
  5. AnaWhat do you want to eat there?Which food do you want in that city?
  6. TashaA fish fry, I think. You?She wants a fish dinner, then asks Ana.
  7. AnaI'm easy. Which places are worth seeing?She is not picky, then asks which sights are good.
  8. TashaThe old warehouse streets, and the river.She names two places in Milwaukee.
  9. AnaHow much stuff should we bring?How many bags do we need?
  10. TashaJust a small bag, I think. Let's check the weather first.She says a small bag is enough, then she wants to look at the weather.
  11. Dee leans in with the coffee pot. Murray turns on his stools.
  12. DeeJacket, hon. It's windy by the water.She tells them to pack a warm jacket.
  13. MurrayYou know, the pie here is worth seeing.He suggests diner pie, though nobody asked.
  14. AnaWe're planning a trip, Murray.She tells him they are not staying for pie.
  15. MurrayWell, pie after you get back. Works for me.He agrees to wait and have pie later.
  16. DeeSafe travels, hon.She wishes them a safe trip.

Practice — train, hotel, weather

Eleven short exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay small, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    I booked a hotel for two nights.

  3. What do you say?

    You and Tasha are choosing meals for Milwaukee.

  4. Fill the gap

    How many bags do we need?

    How ____ stuff should we bring?

  5. Build the line

    Which places are good to visit?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    How much stuff should we bring?

    How many bags do we need?

    And you reply with:

  7. Match the pairs

    English

    Let's take the train to Milwaukee.Drop the Simple English here
    I booked a hotel for two nights.Drop the Simple English here
    What do you want to eat there?Drop the Simple English here
    Let's check the weather first.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  8. Swap the word

    You are packing for Milwaukee. You want to know if it will rain.

    Let's check the ____ first.

  9. True or false?

    This line means you wish someone a safe trip.

  10. Which one doesn’t belong?

  11. What do you say?

    Ana and Tasha stand up to leave for Milwaukee. Wish them a safe trip.

Say it — say the plan

Now you're Ana, planning the trip with Tasha. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. TashaSo. Milwaukee this weekend?She starts the plan for the weekend trip.
  2. Ana (you)Suggest going by train to that city.

    Let's take the train to Milwaukee.

    I think we should go to Milwaukee by train.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
Let's take the train to Milwaukee.I think we should go to Milwaukee by train.
I booked a hotel for two nights.I reserved a place to sleep for two nights.
What do you want to eat there?Which food do you want in that city?
Which places are worth seeing?Which places are good to visit?
How much stuff should we bring?How many bags do we need?
Let's check the weather first.We should look at the weather before we go.
Next: lesson 172How it turned out

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep this trip plan handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the trip lines ready.

Open Yak Cards