Speaking vocabulary · Topic 35 of 46
Evening time
Model answers to every Part 1 question on this topic, with natural B2–C1 vocabulary and idiomatic phrasal verbs to help you answer in your own words.
In this lesson you will
- read and listen to model answers to 6 Part 1 questions about evening time
- learn 10 natural phrases, including idiomatic phrasal verbs
- practise them in a gap fill, drag-the-word, multiple-choice and crossword
- answer the questions yourself and record your answers
Step 1
Key vocabulary
- wind downrelax after a period of activity or stress
- put offdelay doing something
- chill outrelax completely
- lie instay in bed later than usual in the morning
- night owla person who likes to stay up late
- early birda person who gets up early
- stay upnot go to bed
- get round tofinally do something you have been intending to do
- fly by(of time) pass very quickly
- routinethe usual order in which you do things
Step 2
Model answers
Read and listen. The highlighted phrases are the vocabulary for this topic: hover over or tap them to see what they mean. Notice how each answer gives a reason or an example, not just “yes” or “no”.
What do you hate doing in the evening?
I hate doing chores, like washing up, when I'm tired after a long day. I tend to put them off until the next morning, which isn't a great habit, because then I start the day with a messy kitchen.
Do you prefer the morning or the evening?
The evening, because I'm definitely a night owl rather than an early bird. I feel most creative after dark, when the house is quiet.
What do you usually do in the evening?
After dinner I usually chill out with a TV series or call my parents, who live in another city. Before I go to bed, I read for half an hour to wind down.
What did you do in the evenings when you were little? Why?
I did my homework and then played with my neighbours until it got dark. I wasn't allowed to stay up late, because I had to get up early for school.
Is what you do in the evening now different from what you did in the past?
Yes, because as a child my evenings followed a strict routine, whereas now I'm much more flexible. The downside is that evenings fly by, and I rarely get round to the things which I've planned.
Do you do the same things in the evening at weekends and on weekdays? Why?
No, because on weekdays I'm tired and stay at home. On Friday and Saturday nights I go out with friends, since I know that I can lie in the next morning.
Step 3
Practise the vocabulary
Match the meanings
Choose the phrase that matches each meaning.
- not go to bed
- relax after a period of activity or stress
- finally do something you have been intending to do
- a person who gets up early
- a person who likes to stay up late
- stay in bed later than usual in the morning
- delay doing something
- relax completely
- (of time) pass very quickly
- the usual order in which you do things
Gap fill: use the right form
Complete the answers with phrases from the box. You may need to change the form (e.g. drag on → dragged on, struggle with → struggling with).
What do you hate doing in the evening?
I hate doing chores, like washing up, when I'm tired after a long day. I tend to until the next morning, which isn't a great habit, because then I start the day with a messy kitchen.
What do you usually do in the evening?
After dinner I usually with a TV series or call my parents, who live in another city. Before I go to bed, I read for half an hour to .
Is what you do in the evening now different from what you did in the past?
Yes, because as a child my evenings followed a strict , whereas now I'm much more flexible. The downside is that evenings , and I rarely the things which I've planned.
Drag the words
Drag each phrase into the right gap. On a phone, tap a phrase and then tap the gap. Tap a filled gap to empty it.
Do you prefer the morning or the evening?
The evening, because I'm definitely a rather than an . I feel most creative after dark, when the house is quiet.
What did you do in the evenings when you were little? Why?
I did my homework and then played with my neighbours until it got dark. I wasn't allowed to late, because I had to get up early for school.
Do you do the same things in the evening at weekends and on weekdays? Why?
No, because on weekdays I'm tired and stay at home. On Friday and Saturday nights I go out with friends, since I know that I can the next morning.
Choose the right phrase
Which phrase completes each sentence?
- I tend to ______ until the next morning, which isn't a great habit, because then I start the day with a messy kitchen.
- The evening, because I'm definitely a ______ rather than an early bird.
- After dinner I usually ______ with a TV series or call my parents, who live in another city.
- Before I go to bed, I read for half an hour to ______.
- I wasn't allowed to ______ late, because I had to get up early for school.
- Yes, because as a child my evenings followed a strict ______, whereas now I'm much more flexible.
Crossword
Write the phrases without spaces or hyphens. The numbers in brackets show the length of each word, e.g. kill time (4,4) → KILLTIME.
| 1 | |||||||||||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | |||||||||||||||
| 7 | 8 | ||||||||||||||
| 9 | |||||||||||||||
| 10 | |||||||||||||||
Across
- 2 the usual order in which you do things (7)
- 8 a person who gets up early (5,4)
- 9 finally do something you have been intending to do (3,5,2)
- 10 not go to bed (4,2)
Down
- 1 relax after a period of activity or stress (4,4)
- 3 a person who likes to stay up late (5,3)
- 4 relax completely (5,3)
- 5 (of time) pass very quickly (3,2)
- 6 stay in bed later than usual in the morning (3,2)
- 7 delay doing something (3,3)
Step 4
Now you answer
Pick a question, then answer it out loud in two or three sentences. Try to use at least two phrases from this lesson, and give a reason or an example. Record yourself and listen back: did you sound natural? Did you extend your answer?
Press Record, answer out loud, then listen back.
Questions: frequently reported IELTS Speaking Part 1 topics. Model answers and exercises written for Tips4IELTS.