English course

Lesson 122 of 240

New here? This is lesson 122 of a free 240-lesson English course.

Start hereHow this works

Trip stories in English

Tasha grew up in Milwaukee, and she still talks about weekends there. At the Blue Plate she tells Ana about a trip last year.

Ana wants the best part, and Tasha makes the food sound bigger than it was, then laughs.

You'll say where you went, what was best, and what surprised you.

Keep the trip happy. Save trip problems for a later lesson.

By the end of this lesson

Say where you went, what was best, and what surprised you.

  • I went to ___ last year.Name a place you visited in the last year.
  • The best part was ___.Say the thing you liked most.
  • I was surprised by the lake.The water was not what I imagined.
  • What was the best part of your trip?Which thing on the trip did you like most?
  • I really enjoyed the walk.The walk made me happy.
  • I would definitely go back.I want to visit that place again.

Scene — tasha talks about milwaukee

Same Blue Plate, a slow afternoon. Ana and Tasha sit in a booth by the window. Dee is at the counter with the coffee pot.

Murray sits on two stools at the end, coffee unfinished. The jukebox by the door stays quiet. Tasha is already smiling about Milwaukee.

Tasha settles into the window booth opposite Ana while Murray rests at the far end of the quiet counter.

Learn — where you went and what was best

Six lines help you tell a happy trip story.

You'll name the place, the best part, a surprise, and if you would go back.

  1. Tasha leans forward to introduce the place visited while Ana listens across the booth table.

    I went to ___ last year.

    Name a place you visited in the last year.

    When to use it: Use this after a trip when you name the place.

    Went is the past tense of go.

  2. Tasha holds a coffee mug while pausing to choose the favorite part of the trip.

    The best part was ___.

    Say the thing you liked most.

    When to use it: Use this when you name the one thing you liked most.

    Was is past tense, then you name the best thing.

  3. Seen through the diner window, Tasha turns toward the daylight while describing an unexpected impression of the water.

    I was surprised by the lake.

    The water was not what I imagined.

    When to use it: Use this when a place was not what you expected.

    This uses past tense for a surprise that already happened.

    Say it: The stress in surprised is on the second part.

  4. Ana leans toward Tasha with an open-handed gesture to ask about the favorite part of the trip.

    What was the best part of your trip?

    Which thing on the trip did you like most?

    When to use it: Ask this after someone tells you about a trip.

    Use past tense because the trip is already finished.

  5. Tasha traces a walking route on the tabletop while Ana shares the pleasure of the memory.

    I really enjoyed the walk.

    The walk made me happy.

    When to use it: Use this when a walk was a happy part of the trip.

    Enjoyed is the past tense of enjoy.

    Say it: Enjoyed ends with a d sound.

  6. Tasha rests a palm firmly on the table with a cheerful resolve to visit again as Ana listens.

    I would definitely go back.

    I want to visit that place again.

    When to use it: Use this at the end when you want another visit.

    Learn this as one piece when you want another visit.

    Say it: The stress in definitely is on the first part.

Story — not a mountain

Watch Tasha tell Ana about Milwaukee last year. Ana asks what was best, and Tasha grows the food a little.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Saturday afternoon at the Blue Plate. Tasha slides into the booth with a grin.
  2. TashaSo, I went to Milwaukee last year.She names Milwaukee as a place from last year.
  3. AnaMilwaukee? What was it like?She asks how that trip felt or seemed.
  4. TashaThe lake, the food, the walk. All of it.She lists a few good things from the trip.
  5. AnaWhat was the best part of your trip?Which thing on the trip did you like most?
  6. TashaThe best part was the frozen custard.She names the food she liked most.
  7. AnaFrozen? Did they forget to heat it?Ana takes the word frozen too literally.
  8. TashaNo. I mean, it was huge. Like a mountain.She makes the food sound bigger than it was.
  9. She laughs at her own story.
  10. TashaOkay, not a mountain. I really enjoyed the walk.She shortens the story and names the walk she liked.
  11. AnaThat sounds fun.Ana is happy for Tasha about the trip.
  12. TashaI was surprised by the lake.The water was not what I imagined.
  13. AnaYou thought there was no water?Ana takes the surprise too literally.
  14. TashaWell, it was bigger than I thought.The lake was larger than she expected.
  15. TashaI would definitely go back.I want to visit that place again.

Practice — tell a happy trip

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    I went to ___ last year.Drop the Simple English here
    The best part was ___.Drop the Simple English here
    I really enjoyed the walk.Drop the Simple English here
    I would definitely go back.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

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

  3. What do you say?

    A friend asks where you went last year. You went to Milwaukee.

  4. What does it mean?

    What was the best part of your trip?

  5. Fill the gap

    The walk made me happy.

    I really enjoyed the ____.

  6. Build the line

    I want to visit that place again.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    I went to Milwaukee last year.

    She says she visited Milwaukee last year.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    A friend asks what you liked most. You name the frozen custard.

    The ____ part was ___.

  9. True or false?

    This line means you never want to go there again.

  10. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    I really enjoyed the walk.

    The walk made me happy.

    And you reply with:

Say it — say the trip back

Now you're Ana in the booth 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. TashaI went to Milwaukee last year.She says she visited Milwaukee last year.
  2. Ana (you)Ask which thing she liked most on the trip.

    What was the best part of your trip?

    Which thing on the trip did you like most?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
I went to ___ last year.Name a place you visited in the last year.
The best part was ___.Say the thing you liked most.
I was surprised by the lake.The water was not what I imagined.
What was the best part of your trip?Which thing on the trip did you like most?
I really enjoyed the walk.The walk made me happy.
I would definitely go back.I want to visit that place again.
Next: lesson 123Plans for later

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 these trip lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

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

Open Yak Cards