New Year Goals (J8A)
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EN: The verb 'want' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to express a desire or intention to perform an action.
I want to learn a new language.
EN: The comparative adjective 'more' is used before nouns (like 'healthy food') to indicate a greater quantity or degree of something.
We need to drink more water every day.
EN: The verb 'plan' is followed by an infinitive (to + base verb) to express an intention or a future goal. 'Plan to do something' is a common structure for sharing resolutions.
I plan to save money for a trip.
EN: 'Every' is a determiner used with singular countable nouns (like 'month') to refer to all members of a group or to describe how often something happens.
She exercises every day.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, making 'New Year's Resolutions' is a very common tradition. People often set goals related to self-improvement, such as reading more, exercising, or learning a new skill at the beginning of the year.
EN: The verb 'decide' is followed by a to-infinitive (to + base verb) to indicate a choice or plan made for the future. In this sentence, 'decided to learn' shows the past decision to acquire a new skill.
He decided to buy a new computer.
EN: The verb 'learn' can also be followed by a to-infinitive to express acquiring the ability to do something. Additionally, when playing a musical instrument, the definite article 'the' is used before the instrument (e.g., 'play the guitar').
She wants to learn to speak French.
EN: In Western culture, learning to play a musical instrument like the guitar is a very common New Year's resolution or personal hobby. The phrase 'play the guitar' always requires 'the' before the instrument, which is a standard grammatical convention in English for musical instruments, unlike sports (e.g., 'play soccer').
EN: The verb 'need' is followed by a to-infinitive ('to' + base verb) when expressing an obligation, necessity, or requirement to perform an action.
I need to study for my exams tonight.
EN: The word 'more' functions as an adverb here, modifying the verb 'exercise' to indicate a greater degree or frequency of the activity.
You should sleep more to stay healthy.
EN: In many English-speaking countries, 'after school' refers to the time immediately following the end of the school day, which is typically associated with extracurricular activities, sports, homework, or relaxing. It is a very common time frame for students to schedule personal goals.
EN: The verb 'hope' is followed by an infinitive (to + base verb) to express a desire or plan for the future. In this sentence, 'to make' acts as the direct object of 'hope'.
I hope to travel to Japan next year.
EN: The collocation 'make friends' means to establish a friendship with someone. The adjective 'new' is placed before 'friends' to describe them, and 'many' quantifies the plural noun.
It is easy for him to make new friends at school.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, expressing a desire to 'make many new friends' is a very common and positive social goal, especially at the beginning of a school year or when moving to a new place. It reflects an open and friendly attitude.
EN: The verb 'plan' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to express an intention or future arrangement. Since the subject 'She' is third-person singular, the verb 'plan' takes the ending '-s' (plans) in the simple present tense.
He plans to study abroad next year.
EN: The preposition 'for' is used here to indicate purpose or destination, showing what the saved money is intended to buy.
I am saving money for a new phone.
EN: The dummy subject 'It' is used to replace a long infinitive phrase (to set clear goals) as the subject of the sentence, making the sentence structure more balanced. The real subject is the infinitive phrase 'to set clear goals'.
It is necessary to practice every day.
EN: The infinitive phrase 'to set clear goals' functions as the real subject. 'To set' is the transitive verb taking 'clear goals' as its direct object.
I want to learn a new language.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, goal-setting (especially 'SMART goals'—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) is highly emphasized in personal development, education, and career planning, particularly at the beginning of a new year.
EN: The verb 'promise' is followed by an infinitive (to + base verb) to express a commitment to perform a future action.
He promised to call me after the meeting.
EN: The phrase 'more often' is a comparative adverbial phrase used to describe doing an action with greater frequency than before.
I need to exercise more often to stay healthy.
EN: The verb 'want' is followed by an infinitive (to + base verb) to express a desire or intention to perform an action.
I want to learn how to play the guitar.
EN: The demonstrative adjective 'this' is used with time expressions like 'term', 'week', or 'year' to refer to the current period of time.
We have a lot of exams this term.
EN: In English-speaking academic environments, 'term' and 'semester' are both used to divide the school year. 'Term' is more common in the UK and can refer to a three-term system (trimester), while 'semester' is widely used in the US for a two-term system.
EN: The dummy pronoun 'It' is used as a placeholder subject when the real subject is an infinitive phrase (to + verb). This structure avoids having a long subject at the beginning of the sentence.
It is important to exercise every day.
EN: The infinitive phrase 'to try new things' acts as the real subject of the sentence. 'Try' is a transitive verb taking 'new things' as its direct object.
I want to try Japanese food.
EN: In Western culture, trying new things and stepping out of one's comfort zone is highly encouraged, especially as a shared social activity to build stronger bonds with friends.
EN: The verb 'need' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to express necessity or obligation. In this sentence, 'need to work' indicates that working hard is necessary.
We need to study for the upcoming exam.
EN: The infinitive 'to reach' is used here as an adverbial of purpose (infinitive of purpose), meaning 'in order to reach'. It explains why we need to work hard.
He saved money to buy a new laptop.
EN: The infinitive 'to start' is used as an adjective (adjectival infinitive) to modify the noun 'chance', explaining what kind of chance it is.
I need a chance to prove myself.
EN: The word 'fresh' is used as an adverb in the collocation 'start fresh', which means to begin something again in a new or different way, forgetting past difficulties.
After moving to a new city, she decided to start fresh.
EN: In Western culture, the New Year is strongly associated with 'New Year's Resolutions'—commitments to self-improvement or starting fresh. The phrase 'start fresh' reflects this cultural emphasis on personal renewal and leaving past mistakes behind.
EN: The verb 'give' is a ditransitive verb, which means it can take two objects: an indirect object (the recipient, 'me') and a direct object (the thing being given, 'a chance to grow'). The pattern is: Subject + Give + Indirect Object + Direct Object.
My teacher gave me a useful book.
EN: The infinitive phrase 'to grow' is used as an adjective (adjectival infinitive) to modify the noun 'chance', explaining what kind of chance it is.
She has a strong desire to learn.
EN: In many cultures, the 'New Year' is universally seen as a symbol of rebirth, fresh starts, and personal growth. It is a common time for people to make 'New Year's resolutions' to improve their lives.
EN: The verb 'want' is followed by an infinitive (to + base verb) when expressing a desire to perform an action. In this sentence, 'want to become' indicates the speaker's goal or aspiration.
I want to learn English this year.
EN: Comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between two objects or states. 'Healthier' is the comparative form of 'healthy' (ending in -y, which changes to -ier), meaning 'more healthy'.
I plan to eat healthier food from now on.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, making 'New Year's resolutions' (goals for the coming year) is a very common tradition. Becoming healthier, exercising more, and learning new skills are among the most popular resolutions.
EN: The verb 'plan' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to express an intention or future arrangement. In this sentence, 'plan' is followed by two parallel infinitive phrases: 'to exercise' and 'to sleep early', connected by the conjunction 'and'.
I plan to study English and to travel abroad next year.
EN: Parallel structure (or parallelism) involves using the same grammatical pattern to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Here, repeating the infinitive marker 'to' ('to exercise and to sleep') emphasizes each action individually, though the second 'to' can sometimes be omitted in casual speech.
She decided to read more books and to write a journal.
EN: The verb 'decide' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to express a choice or plan. When connecting two actions with 'and', the 'to' in the second infinitive can either be kept for emphasis/parallelism or omitted.
He decided to study hard and to pass the exam.
EN: The phrase 'write a journal' (or 'keep a journal') means to regularly record your daily experiences, thoughts, or feelings.
I try to write a journal before going to bed.
EN: Writing a journal (or keeping a diary) is a very common New Year's resolution in English-speaking cultures, often associated with self-reflection, mindfulness, and personal growth.
EN: The dummy pronoun 'It' is used as a placeholder subject when the real subject is an infinitive phrase (to + verb). This structure avoids having a long, heavy subject at the beginning of the sentence.
It is important to exercise regularly.
EN: The infinitive phrase 'to keep a good habit' acts as the real subject of the sentence, expressing an action or state.
To learn a new language takes time.
EN: The dummy pronoun 'it' is used as a placeholder subject when the real subject is an infinitive phrase (to + verb). This structure 'It is + adjective + to-infinitive' is common in English to avoid top-heavy sentences.
It is important to practice speaking every day.
EN: The verb 'see' is a sensory verb (verb of perception). It can be followed by an object and a bare infinitive (verb root) to emphasize the entire action, or a present participle (-ing) to emphasize an ongoing action.
I saw him cross the street.
EN: The verb 'need' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to express necessity. In this sentence, 'need' is followed by two parallel infinitive phrases connected by 'and': 'to be patient' and 'to never give up'.
I need to study hard and to pass the exam.
EN: The split infinitive occurs when an adverb (like 'never') is placed between 'to' and the verb (like 'give up'). This is very common in modern English to add emphasis directly to the verb.
She decided to slowly walk home.
EN: The verb 'promise' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) when expressing an agreement or commitment to perform an action. In this sentence, 'promise to support' means making a commitment to help each other.
We promised to arrive on time.
EN: 'Each other' is a reciprocal pronoun used to show that two or more people perform the same action toward one another. It functions as the object of the verb 'support'.
They always help each other with their homework.
EN: The verb 'hope' is followed by a to-infinitive (to + base verb) to express a desire or plan for the future.
We hope to visit Japan next summer.
EN: The adverb 'yet' is used after a superlative adjective (like 'best') to mean 'up to the present time' or 'so far'.
This is his most exciting book yet.
EN: In Western culture, the transition to a new year is often associated with self-improvement, setting goals, and supporting friends and family in their 'New Year's resolutions'. Expressing a shared hope for a great year ahead is a common way to build community and mutual encouragement.
EN: The verb 'want' is followed by an infinitive (to + base verb) to express a desire or intention to perform an action.
I want to learn English this year.
EN: In information questions (wh- questions) in the simple present tense, the auxiliary verb 'do' is placed before the subject 'you' when the main verb is a non-be verb.
What do you study on weekends?
EN: In English-speaking cultures, asking about plans or resolutions for 'this year' is a very common and friendly way to start a conversation, especially around the New Year. Addressing someone directly by their first name (like 'Emma') at the end of a question adds warmth and personal connection to the dialogue.
EN: The verb 'want' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) as its direct object. In this sentence, 'want' is followed by 'to learn', and 'learn' is also followed by another infinitive 'to swim' to show the action being learned.
I want to learn to speak English.
EN: The word 'well' is an adverb of manner used to modify the verb 'swim', indicating the ability to perform the action to a high standard.
EN: The verb 'hope' is followed by a to-infinitive (to + base verb) when expressing a desire or plan for the future. In this structure, 'to join' acts as the direct object of the verb 'hope'.
I hope to travel to Japan next year.
EN: The noun phrase 'the science club' uses the definite article 'the' because it refers to a specific, unique club within the school context that both the speaker and listener are aware of.
She decided to join the drama club.
EN: In American and British schools, extracurricular activities and clubs (like the 'science club', 'drama club', or 'sports clubs') play a huge role in student life. Joining these clubs is highly encouraged to build social skills, explore interests, and enhance university applications.
EN: The verb 'decide' is followed by a to-infinitive (to + base verb) when expressing a decision to perform an action.
She decided to buy a new laptop.
EN: 'A little' can be used as an adverb to mean 'slightly' or 'to a small degree', modifying a verb like 'study'.
I need to sleep a little before the meeting.
EN: The verb 'need' is followed by a to-infinitive ('to' + base verb) when it expresses an obligation, necessity, or intention to perform an action.
I need to study for my exams tonight.
EN: The pattern 'spend time on + noun' is used to express dedicating a certain amount of time to an activity or object. 'Less' is the comparative form of 'little', used here with the uncountable noun 'time'.
She spends less time on social media now.
EN: In modern English-speaking cultures, discussing digital well-being and limiting screen time (or time spent on video games) is a very common topic among students and young professionals as they strive for a balanced lifestyle.
EN: The dummy subject 'It' is used as a placeholder at the beginning of the sentence when the real subject is an infinitive phrase (to + verb). This structure (It + be + adjective + to-infinitive) is used to make sentences easier to understand and more natural, avoiding a long subject at the start.
It is important to exercise every day.
EN: The to-infinitive 'to have' acts as the real subject of the sentence. In this context, 'have' means to possess or maintain a specific thing (a clear plan).
To learn a new language takes time.
EN: The verb 'plan' is followed by a to-infinitive (to + base verb) to express an intention or a future arrangement. In this sentence, 'to save' acts as the direct object of the verb 'plan'.
I plan to visit my grandparents next weekend.
EN: The preposition 'for' is used here to indicate purpose or destination. When followed by a noun (like 'a trip'), it explains the reason or goal of the action (saving money).
She is studying hard for the exam.
EN: The verb 'agree' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to express consent or a decision to perform an action. In this sentence, 'agreed to study' shows that the decision was made in the past.
They agreed to meet at the library.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'on weekends' is used to describe an action that happens regularly on Saturdays and Sundays. In American English, 'on weekends' is common, while British English often uses 'at weekends'.
I usually visit my grandparents on weekends.
EN: The dummy subject 'It' is used as a placeholder at the beginning of the sentence when the real subject is an infinitive phrase (to + verb). This structure keeps the sentence balanced and avoids a heavy subject at the start.
It is important to exercise every day.
EN: The infinitive 'to chase' acts as the real subject of the sentence. It is placed after the adjective 'exciting' to complete the meaning of what is exciting.
It is fun to learn a new language.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, especially around the New Year, there is a strong emphasis on self-improvement and setting 'resolutions' or 'goals'. Expressing excitement about these goals is a common way to motivate oneself and others.
EN: The structure 'Let's + base verb' (short for 'Let us') is used to make suggestions or proposals, inviting others to join in an action.
Let's work together to finish the project.
EN: The verb 'promise' is followed by a to-infinitive ('to' + base verb) to express a commitment or agreement to do something in the future.
I promise to call you when I arrive.
EN: In Western peer groups and educational settings, mutual growth and peer support ('helping each other grow') are highly valued concepts. It reflects a collaborative rather than purely competitive mindset.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To stop trying to do something before you have finished, usually because it is too difficult.
To start something again in a new way, forgetting about the past.
Used to refer to two or more people who do something to, or feel something for, the other person or people.
To keep money instead of spending it, especially in order to buy something in the future.