How do you like to relax at the end of a long day?
In this B1/B2 English listening lesson, Mike is talking about different ways to relax. Mike speaks quite slowly, and he has a soft, south-eastern, British accent.
After the exercises, read the transcript at the bottom to check what you heard is correct.
Contents
Listen in full
Watch the video and listen to Mike’s story, then answer the questions and start the exercises.
Gist questions
Answer these general questions about Mike’s talk:
1. How does Mike feel about relaxation in general?
a) He sees it as a waste of time b) He believes it’s essential for managing stress c) He only relaxes when someone reminds him to2. What kind of activities does Mike find relaxing?
a) Only watching TV or sitting still b) Both calm moments and active things like walking c) Only outdoor sports and high energy activities3. How does Mike describe his personal balance between work and rest?
a) He finds it impossible to manage b) He does his best to find a good rhythm c) He focuses only on relaxing, not workingDetail questions
Here are some more detailed questions about Mike’s talk. See how many you can answer:
4. When does Mike usually take time to relax during the week?
a) Early in the morning before work b) After he finishes his daily responsibilities c) Only during his lunch break5. Why does Mike enjoy walking in the park?
a) It helps him forget everything and keeps him fit b) It gives him mental space and helps him unwind c) He likes meeting friends there every evening6. Why does Mike think people avoid relaxing?
a) They believe relaxing is only for holidays b) They think they should always be doing something useful c) They don’t enjoy calm moments7. How does Mike feel when he doesn’t take time to rest?
a) He becomes unfocused and bored b) He feels tired and overwhelmed c) He becomes restless and argumentative8. What role does tea play in Mike’s routine?
a) He uses it to relax in the evening b) He drinks it only when he’s sick c) He avoids it because it makes him more alertTrain your ear
Listen for words
Listen 1
Listen and write the words you hear.
Finding time to relax .
Listen 2
Listen and write the words you hear.
After I’ve finished everything .
Listen 3
Listen and write the words you hear.
, I like to just sit down.
Listen 4
Listen and write the words you hear.
Just do nothing .
Listen 5
Listen and write the words you hear.
It’s what , anyway.
Dictation
Listen to Mike and write down what he says in the box below. Then, check what you wrote. Any mistakes you make will be in blue.
Listen and read!
Read the transcript of Mike’s talk, and listen at the same time. Click on any part of the text to listen again.
Words and phrases
Here are some useful words and expressions from the text about relaxing that you might want to learn and use.
Words
tricky (adj) – difficult or not easy to do
a break (n) – a short rest from work or activity
a crime drama (n) – a TV show about police and criminals
a cooking show (n) – a programme where people make food on TV
require (v) – need something
a podcast (n) – a recorded talk or show you can listen to online
clear my mind (v) – stop thinking about worries for a while
a lie-in (n) – staying in bed later than usual in the morning
productive (adj) – doing useful work or achieving something
exhausted (adj) – extremely tired
responsibilities (n) – things you have to do
balance (v) – keep different parts of your life equal and healthy
to chill (v) – to relax and do nothing special
Phrases
finding time to relax – making time to rest or take it easy
slow down and take a break – stop rushing and rest for a short time
feel guilty about relaxing – think you shouldn’t rest or feel bad about it
supposed to be doing something – expected to do something
take time to relax – spend time resting
end up feeling exhausted – finish the day feeling very tired
try and balance everything – make sure all parts of life are in harmony
allow myself time to chill – give myself permission to relax
it works for me – it’s something that suits or helps me personally
Grammar from the transcript
Below are several grammar features that naturally appear in the speaker’s description.
Verb patterns: verb + infinitive
We use the infinitive after certain verbs to express purpose, intention, or the effect of a feeling.
- I find it really relaxing to go for a walk
- It just really helps, you know, clear my mind
- I do my best to try and balance everything
Reduced relative clauses
Shorter, "reduced" relative clauses give us extra information about a noun in a shorter form. You can shorten relative clauses by removing words like, "that" , "who", "where", etc:
- this park near my house = this park (which is) near my house
Adverbial time clauses
Time clauses link actions to a time reference such as after, when, or whenever.
- I relax in the evening after I’ve finished everything
- especially after a stressful day
- When things get really busy
Zero and first conditionals for facts and routines
Zero conditional relates to facts and common situations; first conditional usually describes likely future results based on present conditions. However, in this example, the speaker uses first conditional like a zero, because he's talking about routines - not the future. This is a common pattern in casual English conversation.
Form: Zero conditionals use present simple in the result clause, while first conditional results take "will" + base verb.
- ’Cos if you don’t take time to relax, you end up feeling exhausted (zero conditional)
- If I don’t want to go anywhere, I’ll just have a lazy day (first conditional)
Coordinated verb phrases
Coordinated verb phrases link multiple actions together in a single clause.
- have a lazy day… a nice lie in, read a book or whatever
- sit down with a nice hot cup of tea or maybe watch a bit of TV
Infinitives after some adjectives
We use infinitives after some adjectives like "important" , "nice", "interesting", etc:
- I think it's really important to have
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