Happy Halloween
In this lesson we will be talking about Halloween in English, and looking at some phrasal verbs and idioms related to the topic.
"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win".
— Stephen King
The customs of Halloween go back almost 2,000 years, and originate from several cultures: the early Celts of Great Britain and northern France, the Romans and the early Christians all had traditions that shape the way we celebrate Halloween nowadays.
Typically in the Anglo-Saxon world (but increasingly in other countries too) the days and weeks leading up to Halloween represent the time to make your jack-o-lantern, buy sweets for the trick-or-treaters, get your costume ready for the fancy dress party, and watch scary movies.
Before we get started with today’s class, here is a list of vocabulary that will help you talk about Halloween with your native English-speaking teacher in your conversation classes via Skype.
Trick or treat
English vocabulary related to Halloween
Grammar to use in your online English conversation class
Here are 5 idiomatic expressions and 5 phrasal verbs related to Halloween:
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
1. To be scared to death (of something) = to be very scared
2. Dead = Very (informal)
3. Bedlam = madness craziness
4. To be as white as a ghost = To be very white
5. Not a cat in hell’s chance = no chance at all
PHRASAL VERBS
1. Turn into = become
2. Dress up = put a costume on to make yourself look like someone / something else
3. Look forward to = to wait for something with happiness and excitement
4. To freak out = to experience strong emotions and become excited, disturbed, angry or upset.
5. Wind (someone) up = say something that isn’t true in order to make a joke on someone.
Useful verb forms:
Common mistakes:
X I dressed up like a witch
√ I dressed up AS a witch
X Phantom
√ Ghost
X The thirty-one October
√ The thirty-FIRST OF October / October the thirty-FIRST
Common pronunciation problems:
Don't be afraid of speaking in English
Questions we will discuss in your online English conversation class:
Practice reading and listening before speaking with your native English-speaking teacher:
This short article explains the difference between Halloween and the Latin American celebration Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos):
“The Latin American celebration Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated during the same time frame as Halloween. Both events are centered on traditions rooted in acknowledging the deceased. Although mostly different, a few characteristics of both holidays make them similar -- helping to explain why confusion between the two exist.” Read more…
And this very interesting short video talks about the real story behind the tricks, treats and costumes of Halloween:
Speaking practice:
See our other English conversation lessons, to improve your grammar and vocabulary, and practice your reading and listening skills.
And don't forget to book your online English conversation classes with one of our native English-speaking teachers to put into practice what you’ve learned in this lesson.
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