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Lesson 124 of 240

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Looking ahead in English

Tasha meets Ana at the Blue Plate on a weekday afternoon. Ana is happy about Saturday, and she is keeping money for a bike.

Murray sits at the counter with two stools and a coffee he has not finished.

By the end, you'll say what you're looking forward to, what you're saving for, and what you will not buy.

You'll also say no day is set, and that you still need an answer.

By the end of this lesson

Say what you're looking forward to, saving for, and what you will not do.

  • I'm looking forward to ___.I feel happy waiting for this.
  • I'm saving up for ___.I am keeping money for this later.
  • I don't think I'll buy it.I probably will not get this.
  • I don't have any fixed plans.Nothing is set on my calendar.
  • What do you want to do after this?What would you like to do next?
  • I still have to figure that out.I still need to find the answer.

Scene — tasha in a booth

Same weekday afternoon at the Blue Plate. Tasha sits with Ana in a booth by the window. Dee refills coffee without asking.

Murray uses two stools at the end of the counter. His black coffee is still full. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Tasha and Ana sit by the window while Murray occupies two stools at the counter beside his full cup of coffee.

Learn — looking ahead

Six short lines help you talk about later. You can name a thing you wait for, money you keep, and a plan you do not have.

You also ask what comes next, and say you still need time to think.

  1. Tasha leans toward Ana with an eager gesture as Ana looks pleased to be waiting for something.

    I'm looking forward to ___.

    I feel happy waiting for this.

    When to use it: Say this when a later thing makes you happy now.

    The -ing form looking goes with forward as one piece.

    Say it: The stress is on the first part of forward.

  2. Ana keeps her money tucked away in her closed purse as she thinks about saving for later.

    I'm saving up for ___.

    I am keeping money for this later.

    When to use it: Say this when you keep money for a later buy.

    The -ing form saving goes with up as one piece.

  3. Ana gives a small hesitant no when Tasha asks about the bike they saw.

    I don't think I'll buy it.

    I probably will not get this.

    When to use it: Say this when you will probably not buy a thing.

    Don't and I'll are contractions you learn as one piece each.

    Say it: Don't has a clear n sound.

  4. Murray shrugs at the counter beside his still-full black coffee, with no plans on his calendar.

    I don't have any fixed plans.

    Nothing is set on my calendar.

    When to use it: Say this when no day or time is set yet.

    Fixed here means set, not repaired.

  5. Dee indicates the empty calendar while Ana listens and Tasha remains beside her in the booth.

    What do you want to do after this?

    What would you like to do next?

    When to use it: Ask this when now is almost over and next is open.

    You will hear wanna, but say want to in this line.

    Say it: To in want to can sound like tuh.

  6. Murray studies the pie case thoughtfully as he continues looking for an answer.

    I still have to figure that out.

    I still need to find the answer.

    When to use it: Say this when you do not know the answer yet.

    Learn figure that out as one piece.

Story — murray wants pie

Watch Ana tell Tasha about Saturday and a bike. Murray has no set plan, then he wants pie.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Tasha and Ana sit in a booth. Murray's coffee is still full.
  2. TashaDo you have plans this weekend?Ask if they already know their Saturday and Sunday.
  3. AnaI'm looking forward to Saturday.I feel happy waiting for this.
  4. TashaThe market again?She checks if Ana means the Saturday market.
  5. AnaI'm saving up for a bike.I am keeping money for this later.
  6. TashaThat blue one in the window?She asks about the bike they saw.
  7. AnaThat's too expensive. I don't think I'll buy it.The price is too high, so she will probably not get it.
  8. Murray turns on his two stools.
  9. TashaWhat do you want to do after this?What would you like to do next?
  10. MurrayI don't have any fixed plans.Nothing is set on my calendar.
  11. AnaFixed? So someone will fix them?She thinks fixed means repaired.
  12. DeeNo, hon. He means nothing is set.She tells Ana the plans are not on a calendar.
  13. TashaPie, then?She suggests pie as the next step.
  14. MurrayI still have to figure that out.I still need to find the answer.
  15. He looks at the pie case.
  16. MurrayWell, a slice of pie, please.He asks for pie now.

Practice — plans and money

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. What does it mean?

    I'm saving up for ___.

  3. What do you say?

    The bike in the window costs too much. You will not get it now.

  4. Fill the gap

    Nothing is set on my calendar.

    I don't have any ____ plans.

  5. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    What do you want to do after this?

    What would you like to do next?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    What would you like to do next?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You will probably not get the bike.

    I don't think I'll buy ____.

  8. Match the pairs

    English

    I'm looking forward to ___.Drop the Simple English here
    I'm saving up for ___.Drop the Simple English here
    I don't think I'll buy it.Drop the Simple English here
    I don't have any fixed plans.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

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

  9. True or false?

    This line means you will buy it now.

  10. What do you say?

    You want to ask Tasha about Saturday and Sunday.

Say it — say your plans

Now you're Ana at the Blue Plate 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. TashaDo you have plans this weekend?Ask if they already know their Saturday and Sunday.
  2. Ana (you)Tell her you feel happy waiting for Saturday.

    I'm looking forward to ___.

    I feel happy waiting for this.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
I'm looking forward to ___.I feel happy waiting for this.
I'm saving up for ___.I am keeping money for this later.
I don't think I'll buy it.I probably will not get this.
I don't have any fixed plans.Nothing is set on my calendar.
What do you want to do after this?What would you like to do next?
I still have to figure that out.I still need to find the answer.
Next: lesson 125What I can do

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