Words and phrases

Here are some words and phrases from the text that you might find useful when talking about your home or describing rooms.

Words

a living room (n) – the main room in a home where people relax or watch TV
cozy (adj) – warm and comfortable
neutral colours (n) – soft, light colours like cream or beige
a bookshelf (n) – a piece of furniture for holding books
a plant (n) – a green living thing that grows in a pot or garden
a difference (n) – a change or improvement
a sofa (n) – a large seat for two or more people
squishy (adj) – soft and comfortable to sit on
a cushion (n) – a soft pillow used for comfort or decoration
a blanket (n) – a warm cover used when sitting or sleeping
a coffee table (n) – a small table in front of a sofa
a candle (n) – a stick of wax that gives light when it burns
fairy lights (n) – small decorative lights, often on a string
comfortable (adj) – giving a feeling of rest and ease
welcoming (adj) – friendly and pleasant; making people feel at home
flashy (adj) – showy; too bright or expensive-looking
expensive (adj) – costing a lot of money

Phrases

my favorite room – the room I like best
has got to be – definitely is; for sure
to be honest – I’m telling the truth
spend most of my time (somewhere) – be in a place very often
on the whole – in general; mostly
hang (something) up – put something on a wall
make a difference – cause a positive change
brighten (something) up – make something look lighter or happier
the best part of (something) – the thing you like most
loads of (something) – a lot of something
turn on (the lights) – make the lights start working
instead of (something) – in place of something
feel at home – feel relaxed and comfortable
spend time with (someone) – be with another person to enjoy yourself
come over – visit someone at their home
hang out – spend time relaxing or chatting
chat about (something) – talk informally about a topic
on my own – alone; without other people
meant to be (something) – supposed to be or designed for something
a nice place to be – somewhere that feels good and comfortable

Grammar from the transcript

Here are a few key English grammar examples from the transcript:

Adjective patterns

Adjectives like nice are often followed by infinitives, e.g. “It’s nice to see you!”

• It’s nice to turn on my fairy lights..

Find out more about adjective patterns here.

Relative clause with “where”

Emily uses a relative clause starting with “where” to give more information about a place:

• …a place where you can really feel at home.

Preference verb (like) + -ing verb

Preference verbs like “like”, “enjoy” and “love” are usually followed by -ing verbs. This is a kind of verb pattern.

• I like spending time with friends and family.
• I love relaxing on my sofa.

for + -ing pattern

We use patterns like “for + -ing” to explain what something is used for.

• It’s great for relaxing on my own.
• It’s great for spending time with friends and family.

More free A2, B1 and B2 English listening exercises and lessons here!