Hi Tim here with another 9 - five English lesson.

Today's lesson will be our first to focus on english phrase, Alvar verbs and we're going to kick off with some phrase Alvar verbs for talking about beginnings if you're not sure what a phrase, Alvar verb is.

Well I just used one I said we're going to kick off.

Kick off is a phrase of verb because it has a verb kick and a preposition off and when used together, the meaning is different from the individual words.

There are hundreds of these little two word combinations in english, we use them all the time and their meaning isn't always clear from the two words they're made of.

So it's a great idea to study them in our example to kick off means to start or begin and just like the verb start.

We can either say that an event kicks off or that we kick off an event.

Let's try a bit of practice with this phrase of verb.

Listen to each example, then repeat it yourself.

The event kicks off this morning at eight a.m.

We're going to kick our conference off with a great speaker in that first example kick and off stayed together.

But in the second example, those two words were split as in kick our conference off, Some phrase of verbs can be split like this, some can't and some like kick off can be used both ways.

So when you learn a new phrase of verb, it can be a good idea to make note of whether it can be split like this.

There's another common phrase of verb that has basically the same meaning as to kick off and that's to start off.

But with start off we usually give some more explanation of what's happening.

We might say let's start the meeting off with some introductions.

And while kickoff is often used with events or things with an official start.

The phrase Alvar verb to start off is used to describe the beginning of a journey or a process.

Let's try some examples with to start off.

Remember to repeat the examples after you hear them.

I'd like to start this meeting off by reviewing the agenda.

We will start off on our trip to Chicago tomorrow.

Now I don't want you to think you can just change the preposition and keep the same meaning or sense.

One tricky thing about phrase all verbs is that you can have one verb with many different prepositions and each combination has a different meaning.

For example we just looked at to start off but we might also use the phrase Alvar verb to start up.

However they're not used in exactly the same way.

If you start something up you're not beginning a meeting or a journey or a process instead you're starting a business or a machine.

If you start up a business you are creating a new one and if you start up a machine you are turning it on.

How about some practice with this phrase.

All verb once again repeat the examples after you hear them.

Susan left our company last year to start up her own business when I arrive at the office each day I start up my laptop so you can start up a new business.

But do you think you can start up a new hobby or some activity that you do in your free time?

Does it sound right to say something?

Like I recently started up swimming on weekends.

In fact, no, we can't say that for hobbies.

We use a different phrase Als verb to take up.

So you can say I recently took up swimming on weekends.

But here's another tricky thing about phrase of verbs, sometimes the same phrase Alvar verb can have different meanings to take up, doesn't just mean to start a new hobby.

We also use it to talk about how much space or time something uses like responding to email takes up so much time.

Let's practice to take up with a couple of examples.

One for each of these meanings, repeat the examples after you hear them last year.

I took up gardening in my free time.

This table takes up too much space in our office.

Great work.

We've practiced several phrase Alvar verbs to talk about beginnings, but how do these sound in a conversation, let's listen to a short conversation between tom and Bonnie.

They're talking about a speech that Bonnie is preparing for.

So how are you going to start your speech?

I think I'm going to kick off with a story.

A story I guess.

That's not a bad idea.

Yeah, I want to start off with something interesting.

Now it's your turn to practice.

We'll repeat the dialogue but this time we're going to beep out the second speaker's words, you will have to say those parts yourself, remember to start by saying you're going to kick off with a story, then explain that you want to start off with something interesting.

Ready here we go.

So how are you going to start your speech?

A story?

I guess That's not a bad idea.

Okay, that's all for this lesson.

Our first with a focus on phrase of verbs.

We've learned how to use several phrase, all verbs related to beginnings, including to kick off to start off to start up and to take up we'll be back soon with some more useful english expressions.