Speak better English with Harry - Episode 357
List of collocations
Harry
English collocations with time
Hi there, Harry here. Welcome back to my podcast where I try to help you to get a better understanding of the English language. Hopefully, help you with vocabulary, grammar, idiomatic expressions, phrasal verbs, whatever you think is appropriate for you. Something that you feel that you need an improvement in, I’m here to help.
So what are we going to talk to you about today in this podcast? We’re going to talk to you about time. Collocations with time, so different expressions. As always, I’m going to give them to you one by one. I have 10 of them for you today. And I’ll give you some examples as to exactly the meaning of each one.
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INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Okay, let’s take the first one
take time
Meaning: to spend a little time thinking about something
We have to take time to enjoy ourselves.
We take time to look at the view.
Take time to consider the proposal. Let me have your final answer next week.
So if you’re going for a job interview, you’ve had three, four interviews, and they’re really keen to have you. You’re still a little bit uncertain.
Take your time, consider it carefully. Any questions, just come back to me.
make/ find time
Meaning: make sure you have some time to do something
This is always a difficult thing.
Find time to do the things you like.
Find time to call that friend you haven’t spoken to for a long time.
Always make time for yourself, but above all, make time for other people.
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kill time
Meaning: to pass time doing something when you’re waiting
I was at the airport to collect my wife. The plane was delayed. I had a couple of hours to kill time.
You get onto the Internet on your phone. You get a book in the shop. You go and have a cup of coffee. You walk up and down. These are the things you usually do when you’re trying to kill time.
You might be interviewing people during the day. And in between interviews, you’ve got 20 or 25 minutes to kill.
I’ll grab a cup of coffee, get on to the internet and check out those emails. Just to kill a bit of time until the next appointment is ready.
waste time
Meaning: spend time doing something useless or meaningless
Well, we can all do that.
We can waste time on the internet.
We can waste time playing computer games.
Waste time travelling into the office every day.
Oh, look at the time I’ve wasted waiting for you. Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you text me? Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be late?
Why am I wasting my time with this guy? I don’t really like him.
Why am I wasting time looking at this apartment? I’m not going to change my home now.
English collocations with time
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save time
Meaning: to get something done a little quicker than we had expected
This is the opposite of wasting time is to save time.
If we use technology to its utmost, we can save a lot of time with our schedules and emails.
Moving a little closer to our office will save time, every day.
Working from home will certainly save a lot of time.
run out of time
Meaning: when you have no time left
Oh, is that the time? I’m going to run out of time here, I really have to jump to another meeting. Great to talk to you. I’ll talk to you again soon.
Oh, look at the meter and the parking lot is going to run out of time soon. And I don’t want to get a parking ticket. So do you mind if we catch up another time?
English collocations with time
Number seven
quality time
Meaning: valuable time that is worthwhile; time doing something that people enjoy
Quality time is better than quantity.
Spend quality time with the kids.
Spend quality time with the family.
We all live very busy lives. Sometimes we forget that in all of that there are other people around us that might like to spend some time together.
Number eight
smashing time
Meaning: wonderful time; really enjoy yourself
Very English expression this is.
Oh, I had a smashing time. My holiday was wonderful.
Oh, I had a smashing time with my friends. They came over, I haven’t seen her since my college days. It was a great sort of reunion.
English collocations with time
And then number nine,
spare time
Meaning: free time; time when you’re not working
I finished the report by three o’clock. Now I’ve got two hours of spare time. What am I going to do with it?
I need to do a bit of decorating this weekend. Have you got any spare time that you can help me?
A spare time when we finish a job early.
Spare time at the end of the day to wrap up and finish our emails.
Spare time over the weekend because the kids are away at a summer camp.
And then finally,
precious time
Meaning: valuable time that should not be wasted
The time we spend with loved ones is precious time.
The spare time we spend with elderly relatives who are in the last years of their life is precious time.
Okay, so these are collocations with time.
- take time
- make or find time to do something
- kill time
- waste time
- save time
- run out of time
- quality time
- smashing time
- spare time
- precious time
Okay, collocations with time. As always, if you want to contact me, well, you can do so on www.englishlessonviaskype.com
Always happy to get your comments. And if you have somebody that you know would benefit from our podcast, well, give them the details, and we welcome all newcomers.
And if you have any friends or relatives or even yourself, you want online English lessons on a one-to-one basis, plenty of native teachers are willing to help you.
So if you’re preparing for an English proficiency exam, you want to improve your business English or indeed if you want to get that all-important job interview. We’ll try and help you.
Thanks for listening. Join me again soon. englishclass101
More information
For more information on English grammar rules, English collocations and English idioms, check out the links below:
You can always study English advanced level at Learning English with the BBC.
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