Staying Active (J8A)
Listen to Course
0:00
0:00
EN: The verb 'enjoy' is transitively followed by a gerund (V-ing) as its direct object, not an infinitive (to V). This pattern is used to express pleasure in performing an action.
She enjoys reading novels in her free time.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'on weekends' (or 'on the weekend') is used as an adverbial of time to indicate a regular, recurring activity that happens every weekend.
They usually go hiking on weekends.
EN: Badminton is an extremely popular recreational and competitive sport in many Asian countries, often played in local community centers or school gyms on weekends. In English-speaking countries, while popular, sports like tennis or soccer sometimes receive more media coverage, but badminton remains a favorite backyard and club sport.
EN: The phrase 'be good at' is a common idiom used to express proficiency or skill in a particular activity. It is followed by a noun or a gerund (verb-ing).
She is good at playing the piano.
EN: The preposition 'in' is used with 'the pool' to indicate being inside the physical boundaries of the swimming pool.
They are playing in the park.
EN: The verb 'finish' is transitively followed by a gerund (V-ing) when expressing the completion of an activity. It cannot be followed by an infinitive (to + V).
They finished painting the house yesterday.
EN: Possessive adjectives (such as 'her', 'my', 'his') are used before nouns to show ownership or association. In this sentence, 'her' indicates that the 'first race' belongs to or was run by her.
He lost his keys at the park.
EN: The verb 'love' can be followed by a gerund (verb-ing) to express a general preference or enjoyment of an activity. In this sentence, 'watching' is the gerund acting as the direct object of 'love'.
She loves playing the piano in her free time.
EN: The preposition 'on' is used when referring to shows, sports, or programs broadcasted via electronic media devices like 'TV', 'the radio', or 'the internet'.
I heard that interesting story on the radio.
EN: In American English, 'soccer' refers to the sport played with a round ball using feet, while 'football' refers to American football. In British English and most other parts of the world, the sport is called 'football'.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so the verb that follows must be in the singular form (e.g., 'keeps').
Swimming in the pool is my favorite exercise.
EN: The causative/resultative structure 'keep + object + adjective': This pattern is used to express that someone or something causes the object to remain in a certain state or condition.
Eating vegetables keeps her healthy.
EN: In Western culture, morning jogging is a very common lifestyle habit associated with self-discipline, physical fitness, and mental well-being. The word 'fit' in English-speaking countries often implies being toned and healthy, rather than just thin.
EN: The verb 'mind' is typically followed by a gerund (V-ing) when expressing the action that someone might object to. It is commonly used in polite requests and questions.
Do you mind opening the window?
EN: The possessive determiner 'our' is used before a noun to show that something belongs to or is associated with the speaker and one or more other people.
This is our new office.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, asking 'Do you mind...?' is a very polite and common way to make a request or invitation, as it gives the other person an easy way to decline. Note that to agree to the request, the response is usually negative (e.g., 'No, not at all' or 'Sure, I'd love to'), meaning 'I do not mind'.
EN: The phrase 'be interested in' is used to express a feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or learn more about it. Since 'in' is a preposition, it must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or a gerund (verb-ing).
She is interested in learning photography.
EN: A gerund (verb + -ing) functions as a noun in a sentence. In this sentence, 'learning' is a gerund acting as the object of the preposition 'in'.
He enjoys playing tennis.
EN: Yoga has become extremely popular in Western countries as a form of exercise and mindfulness. Expressing interest in learning yoga is a common way to initiate social conversations about wellness and lifestyle.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so it takes a singular verb (e.g., 'is').
Swimming is a great way to stay healthy.
EN: Prepositions of Time: 'Before' is used as a preposition followed by a noun (e.g., 'sports') to indicate that an action happens prior to that event.
Wash your hands before dinner.
EN: In Western sports culture, 'stretching' and warming up are highly emphasized from a young age in school physical education to prevent injuries and promote lifelong physical wellness.
EN: The verb 'keep' is followed by a gerund (verb-ing) to express that an action continues or is repeated. It means to do something repeatedly or continuously.
She keeps studying until late at night.
EN: A possessive determiner (such as 'his', 'her', 'my') is used before a noun to show ownership or association. In this sentence, 'his' indicates that the free throws belong to or are performed by him.
Ryan lost his basketball yesterday.
EN: In basketball, a 'free throw' (also known as a foul shot) is an uncontested shot taken from the free throw line. Practicing free throws is a fundamental part of basketball training, emphasizing discipline and repetition.
EN: The phrasal verb 'feel like' is used to express a desire or inclination for something at a particular moment. It is followed by a gerund (verb-ing) or a noun.
I feel like having some ice cream after dinner.
EN: A gerund (verb-ing) acts as a noun in a sentence. In this sentence, 'riding' is the gerund serving as the object of the prepositional phrase 'feel like'.
She enjoys reading novels in her free time.
EN: In English-speaking countries, 'riding a bike' (cycling) is not only a popular sport but also a common leisure activity and eco-friendly way of commuting. Expressing spontaneous desires using 'I feel like...' is very common in daily casual conversations.
EN: Gerunds (verb-ing) can function as nouns and serve as the subject of a sentence. When a gerund is the subject, it takes a singular verb.
Swimming keeps us healthy.
EN: The causative verb 'make' can be followed by an object and a bare infinitive (verb without 'to') to express causing someone to experience a certain feeling or perform an action.
Music makes me feel relaxed.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It takes a singular verb.
Eating vegetables is good for you.
EN: The Adjective Phrase 'be good for': This pattern is used to indicate that something has a beneficial effect on a person, object, or situation.
Regular exercise is good for your heart.
EN: The pronoun 'everyone' is an indefinite pronoun. In English, indefinite pronouns ending in -one, -body, or -thing (such as everyone, everybody, everything) are grammatically singular and must be followed by a singular verb (e.g., 'enjoys' with an -s).
Everyone in the office wants to go home early.
EN: The verb 'enjoy' is always followed by a gerund (V-ing) when expressing an action that someone likes doing. It cannot be followed by an infinitive (to + verb).
She enjoys reading novels before going to bed.
EN: The verb 'love' is followed by a gerund (verb-ing) to express a general preference or enjoyment of an activity. 'Playing' acts as the direct object of the verb 'love'.
I love reading books in the library.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'after school' functions as an adverbial phrase of time, indicating when the action of playing basketball takes place.
They usually go to the park after school.
EN: In many English-speaking countries, participating in after-school sports or clubs is a very common part of student life, fostering teamwork and social connections outside the classroom.
EN: The phrase 'be good at' is used to express proficiency in a certain activity. It must be followed by a noun or a gerund (verb-ing).
He is good at playing the guitar.
EN: The adverbial phrase 'a lot' is used to modify verbs, meaning 'frequently' or 'to a great degree'. It usually comes at the end of the clause.
My brother travels a lot for his job.
EN: The verb 'enjoy' is always followed by a gerund (verb-ing) when expressing an activity that someone likes doing. It cannot be followed by an infinitive (to + verb).
They enjoy playing soccer after school.
EN: The causative verb 'make' can be followed by an object and an adjective (make + object + adjective) to describe how someone or something causes a change in state or emotion.
This music makes me relaxed.
EN: The verb 'keep' is followed by a gerund (V-ing) to express that an action continues or is repeated. In this sentence, 'keeps getting' means the action of becoming faster is ongoing.
She keeps practicing the piano every day.
EN: The verb 'get' can function as a linking verb meaning 'to become', which is often followed by a comparative adjective (e.g., 'faster') to show a gradual change in state.
The weather is getting colder.
EN: Gerunds (V-ing) as Subjects: A gerund is a verb ending in '-ing' that functions as a noun. When used as the subject of a sentence, it takes a singular verb.
Swimming is a great way to stay healthy.
EN: The verb 'help' can be followed by an object and then either a bare infinitive (verb without 'to') or a full infinitive (with 'to'). Both 'helps us avoid' and 'helps us to avoid' are grammatically correct.
This app helps me organize my daily schedule.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so it takes a singular verb (e.g., 'is').
Eating vegetables is good for your health.
EN: Adjective Modifier 'Enough': 'Enough' can be used as an adjective to modify nouns, meaning 'as much as necessary'. It is placed directly before the noun it modifies (e.g., 'enough water').
We have enough time to finish the project.
EN: In Western sports culture, staying hydrated (often referred to as 'hydration') is highly emphasized by coaches and fitness experts. It is common for athletes and gym-goers to carry reusable water bottles everywhere to ensure they drink enough water before, during, and after exercise.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as the noun subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so the verb that follows must agree with it (e.g., 'makes' with an -s).
Swimming regularly keeps us healthy.
EN: Make + Object + Adjective (Causative Structure): The verb 'make' can be used to express causation, meaning 'to cause someone or something to become'. It is followed by an object and an adjective that describes the state of the object.
Studying hard makes her confident.
EN: In English-speaking sports culture, the concept of 'teamwork' and 'team spirit' is highly valued from a young age. Phrases like 'as a team' emphasize collaboration, mutual support, and collective success over individual achievement.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so it takes a singular verb.
Eating vegetables is good for your health.
EN: The 'keep + object + adjective' structure: The verb 'keep' can be followed by an object and an adjective to describe causing the object to remain in a certain state.
Please keep the door open.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, there is a strong emphasis on holistic health, which views physical fitness ('bodies') and mental well-being ('minds') as interconnected. This is reflected in the common phrase 'bodies and minds'.
EN: Wh-questions with 'what' as a determiner: In this sentence, 'what' acts as a determiner modifying the noun 'sport' to ask for specific information. The auxiliary verb 'do' is used before the subject 'you' to form the question in the simple present tense.
What books do you read?
EN: The verb 'enjoy' followed by a direct object: The transitive verb 'enjoy' means to take pleasure in something. It can be followed directly by a noun (like 'sport') or a gerund (V-ing) to indicate the activity that brings pleasure.
I enjoy music.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, asking about someone's favorite sports or hobbies is a very common and friendly way to make small talk and build rapport, especially in casual or social settings.
EN: The verb 'enjoy' is always followed by a gerund (verb-ing) when expressing an action that someone likes doing. It cannot be followed by an infinitive (to + verb).
She enjoys reading novels in her free time.
EN: Parallel structure with coordinating conjunctions: When connecting two activities with 'and', both elements must share the same grammatical form. Here, both 'dancing' and 'playing' are gerunds.
He likes swimming and riding his bike on weekends.
EN: The phrase 'be good at' is a common idiom used to express proficiency or skill in a particular activity. The preposition 'at' must be followed by a noun or a gerund (verb-ing).
She is good at playing the piano.
EN: A gerund (verb-ing) functions as a noun in a sentence. In this sentence, 'jumping' is a gerund acting as the object of the preposition 'at'.
Swimming is great exercise.
EN: In American English, 'jumping rope' is the common term, whereas in British English, it is more frequently referred to as 'skipping'. It is a popular playground game as well as a common fitness workout.
EN: Gerunds (verb + -ing) function as nouns. In this sentence, 'swimming' and 'running' are gerunds acting as the direct objects of the verb 'like'.
She prefers cycling to walking.
EN: The structure 'A or B more' is used in alternative questions to ask someone to choose their preference between two options.
Do you like tea or coffee more?
EN: Gerunds (verb + -ing) can function as nouns in a sentence. In this sentence, 'swimming' acts as the direct object of the verb 'love', and 'running' acts as the subject of the clause 'running is harder'.
Swimming is great exercise, and I love cycling too.
EN: The coordinating conjunction 'but' is used to connect two independent clauses that show a contrast. A comma is typically placed before 'but' when it connects two complete sentences.
I want to go for a run, but it is raining outside.
EN: The verb 'finish' is followed by a gerund (verb-ing) when expressing the completion of an activity. It cannot be followed by an infinitive (to + verb).
She finished writing the report last night.
EN: In English, units of measurement like 'kilometers' can be modified by a number (ten) to express distance. When used as a noun phrase acting as the object of the gerund 'cycling', it specifies the extent of the action.
He ran five miles this morning.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so the verb that follows must agree with it in the singular form (e.g., 'feels').
Running every day keeps you healthy.
EN: Linking Verb + Adjective: The verb 'feel' is a linking verb (copula) used to describe a state or sensation. It is followed directly by an adjective (e.g., 'great') rather than an adverb to describe the subject.
Taking a hot bath feels relaxing.
EN: In Western wellness and fitness culture, morning stretching is highly emphasized as a healthy habit to wake up the body and improve flexibility. It is often associated with mindfulness and starting the day with positive energy.
EN: The verb 'keep' is followed by a gerund (V-ing) to express the continuation of an action. In this sentence, 'keeps trying' means to continue attempting something without stopping.
She keeps practicing the piano every day.
EN: 'Until' is used as a conjunction to connect two clauses, indicating that an action continues up to a specific point in time or event. In the clause 'until he scores', the present simple tense is used to refer to a future event after a time conjunction.
We will wait here until it stops raining.
EN: In sports and personal growth contexts, 'keep trying until you score' reflects the value of perseverance and determination, which is highly celebrated in Western sports culture (often summarized as 'never give up').
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so it takes a singular verb (is).
Swimming in the ocean is exciting.
EN: Superlative Adjective: 'The best' is the superlative form of the adjective 'good'. It is used to compare three or more things, or to express that something is the absolute highest in quality or degree.
This is the best coffee I have ever tasted.
EN: In Western culture, group fitness and exercising with friends (often called 'workout buddies') is highly encouraged as a social activity that promotes motivation, accountability, and mental well-being.
EN: Gerund as Subject: A gerund (verb + -ing) can function as a noun and serve as the subject of a sentence. It is treated as a singular noun, so the verb that follows must agree with a singular subject (e.g., 'makes').
Staying healthy requires regular exercise.
EN: Causative Verb 'Make' with Bare Infinitive: The verb 'make' can function as a causative verb meaning 'to cause to be or do'. When followed by an object and another verb, the second verb must be in its base form (bare infinitive), as in 'makes us feel'.
The sad movie made me cry.
EN: In Western culture, 'feeling alive' is a common idiom associated with physical activity, nature, and stepping out of one's comfort zone. It emphasizes the mental and emotional well-being that comes from physical health, reflecting a holistic view of wellness.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To be able to do something well; to be skilled in a particular activity.
To have a desire for something or to want to do something at a particular moment.
An unhindered shot at the basket from a line established for that purpose, awarded after a foul.
To play or exercise by jumping over a rope that is being swung under one's feet and over one's head.