Learning English in your spare time is really helping you, but what happens when you need to use it at work? We’ve been studying for ages and yet do not speak fluently. Time to speak more English if we want to speak better English.

Here are some easy ways to practice your English at work:

Try to use English at work every day: you can start slowly but steadily, do something in English as part of your work, send a mail, make a phone call, book an appointment, etc. Start with easy tasks and increase difficulty gradually. Have some of your colleagues help you when preparing and/or to check your message.

Interact on social networks in English, especially in professional ones, where you get to practice vocabulary related to your field. Interacting means to get actively involved, not just read and share, so follow specialised/professional blogs, news, media and write comments, participate in groups, report news, express your point of view, etc.

Do you have a foreign co-worker? Make friends with him/her. Take advantage and try to have casual conversations first, before moving into more professional ones.

Or just do it the other way around, some people feel more confident when they know the subject they are talking about. Do whatever feels right for you.

You don’t have a multicultural work environment where you get the chance to practice your English skills? Create one!! agree on a day/time and try to get your team involved in communicating in English for that time span. Or do a regular progress meeting in English, to get used to speaking it in a “safe” environment at the work place. Certainly, you don’t want to start on it with that very important meeting at the client, but you’ll be better prepared and more confident if you’ve already had some practice.

Probably some days you just won’t feel like it, or you’ll have too much workload to focus on English but keep it mind and create a habit. The most important thing is that it becomes a regular practice and not something that feels awkward.

Easy, peasy!

Hey buddies, hoy toca post de phrasal verbs, I know, they can be hard y no siempre es fácil entenderlos y luego ponerlos en práctica. Hoy nos centramos en los 15 Phrasal verbs con take que ya tendrías que conocer. No worries, si aún no los conoces te los explicamos con significado y ejemplos, uno por uno.

To take after someone – to look like someone, to have a similar appearance or personality- parecerse a alguien

E.g.
Mike takes after his mother; they both have the same blue eyes and blond hair.
Everybody says Beth takes after her grandmother, they have a talent for art.

To take something apart – to disassemble, to separate something into smaller parts- desmontar

E.g.
He’s always taking apart all types of mechanical toys.
I think I should take apart my computer and clean it properly.

To take away something – to separate, to remove – apartar, quitar, llevarse

E.g.
Could you take away this old chair? I don’t want it anymore.
If you don’t study harder, we’ll have to take away your telephone.

To take something back

1) to return something – devolver algo

E.g.
He bought some shoes but they don’t fit. He will ned to take them back.

2) to admit that you did/say something wrong – retirar (algo que has dicho)

E.g.
Sorry for saying those words to you, I take it back.

To take something down

1) to separate something into parts – desmontar

E.g.
After the concert finished, the crew took down the stage.

2) to write on paper – escribir, tomar nota de algo

E.g.
Let me take down your phone number, just in case.

To take someone in – to let someone stay in your house – dejar que alguien se quede en tu casa.

E.g.
He was having a hard time finding an apartment, so we took him in for a month.
You are so nice to take me in, I cannot thank you enough.

To take something in – to assimilate or understand information – comprender o asimilar información.

E.g.
The speaker said interesting things but it was a lot to take in.
I’m reading this manual and I can’t take it in.

To take off

1) to rise in the air (an airplane) – despegar (un avión)

E.g.
The plane will take off in 30 minutes.

2) also to become successful or popular very fast – despegar en sentido figurativo.

E.g.
Recently, their blog has taken off and now they are very popular.
Her career took off when she started working in publicity.

To take something off

1) to remove (clothes) – quitarse (ropa)

E.g.
As soon as I get home I take off my shoes and change my clothes.

2) not to work for a period of time – tener un día/semana libre (sin ir al trabajo)

E.g.
She took a week off to visit her family in France.
I’ll take two days off next week.

To take someone on – to hire someone – contratar a alguien.

E.g.
We need to take on a new cleaning lady.
Our company is taking on more employees next month.

To take something on – to accept some work or responsibility – aceptar/asumir responsabilidades

E.g.
Do you have time to take on a new project?
She took on more tasks in order to get promoted.

To take (it) out on someone – to make someone feel bad, because you are feeling bad too – tomarla con alguien

E.g.
Hey, I understand that you’ve had a horrible day, but don’t take it out on me.
I was stressed and I took it out on him.

To take over something – to take control of something – asumir el control de algo

E.g.
His real intention was to take over the company.
A large holding has taken over our company and there will be some changes.

To take up something

1) to fill space or time – ocupar espacio o tiempo

E.g.
These books are taking up all the space in my room.
This project is taking up more time than I expected.

2) to start doing something regularly – comenzar un nuevo hábito

E.g.
I’ve recently taken up yoga.
Why did you took up golf?

To take somebody up on something – to accept an offer- aceptar una invitación.

E.g.
You’re always welcome to stay with us when you’re in Paris.
Thank you, I’ll take you up on that the next time I come to France.