Lesson Notes October 30, 2026 (FRIDAY ZOOM)
Words & Phrases
I was on the sofa reading yesterday and Sophie laid between my legs for a few hours.
There were many different tribes in that region, and none of them spoke English. They only spoke Chinese or their local languages.
In our group there was an 82 year old man travelling (by himself / on his own).
What was the most western city you visited?
I was a little worried about altitude sickness, but the bus had portable oxygen masks just in case.
Grammar
"I had coffee with cake."
Main Focus: The coffee is the main event.
Meaning: You met or sat down primarily to have a cup of coffee, and you had a slice of cake on the side to go with it.
"I had cake with coffee."
Main Focus: The cake is the main event.
Meaning: You were primarily eating cake, and you drank some coffee to accompany or wash it down.
“I had a beer for lunch."
Meaning: The beer was your lunch.
Context: You didn't eat any solid food—your entire meal consisted solely of a single beer.
I had a salad for lunch. / I had a smoothie for breakfast.
"I had a beer at lunch.”
Simple meaning: You drank a beer during your lunch break.
Focus: When it happened. (You might have eaten food too, or just sat at a restaurant).
"I had a beer with lunch.”
Simple meaning: You ate a meal and drank a beer at the same time.
Focus: The beer was your drink for the food.
Appropriate Language
Safety (noun) vs Safely (adv)
I returned home safely.
Make sure you drive safely, the roads are slippery.
Seatbelts are important for safety.
Your safety is our top priority.
Please hold onto the hand strap for you safety.
Types of Travelling
Planning everything completely yourself
Travelling independently, solo, duo trip
We’re travelling on our own.
Travelling with a larger group of travellers
Group tour / guided tour
We signed up for a group tour.
Hired a guide for you or your group
Private tour
We hired a guide for a private tour of the area.
