Our Daily Commute

🍎 Today's Expression

overlook

: fail to notice (간과하다)

 

mundane

: boring (평범한, 지루한)

 

take in

: full understand something (받아들이다)

 

catch bits of...

: hear parts of (지나가는 것을 잡아 듣다)

 

occupy... with

: keep busy with something (할애하다)

 

 

👩🏻‍🏫 Overall Feedback

Great job on today's lesson! I thought you did a great job communicating all your thoughts in a very fluid way that I could understand. You also had clear pronunciation, but if you wanted to take your accent to a native-sounding level, then I would just recommend for you to continue practice speaking and listening in English. I would also recommend for you to learn more natural English words/phrases to make you sound more native!

 

 

✍🏻 In-depth Feedback

1. If you don’t have a commute, do you wish you did?

If I don't have a commute, I would like to go to the gym with a peaceful mind. About two years ago, I used to commute for about one and a half hours by subway, so I decided to live alone near the office. I moved to another city that is only a 15-minute walk from the office. I felt that my quality of life became extremely high because I could make up for the lack of sleep or go to the gym. These things made me take initiative in my life. Having free time before or after work was a much better opportunity than I had thought.

→ If I don't have to commute, I would spend that time going to the gym or just relaxing. About two years ago, my commute used to be an hour and a half by subway, so I decided to move closer to the office. I moved to a city that was only a 15-minute walking distance from the office, which improved my quality of life. I could sleep in more and also have more time for the gym, because of all the free time I had before and after work. In my second job, I used to commute for just one hour, which is pretty average for my commute time, so it was better than my other job. I prefer hybrid work, because I'm a very extroverted person, so I like talking with my coworkers in the office, and it's nice to be in-person for meetings.

 

2. How do you use your time when you commute?

Now I have quit my job, so I don't have to commute. However, when I used to commute for about one and a half hours by subway, sometimes I would read a newsletter or a book or even prepare for meetings, or I would make up for a lack of sleep. Sometimes I felt frustrated that I had to waste my time on the road, but I realized that it was maybe a better chance to do something than to be lazy in bed.

→ As I mentioned/said before, I quit my job, so I don't have to commute anymore. However, when I used to have an hour-long commute, I would read the newspaper or a book or even prepare for meetings. I would also sometimes sleep in. I used to feel like I was wasting my time by commuting, but I started realizing that starting my day early might be more productive than just doing nothing at home. My commute helped me start my routine and get things done, so it was helpful to an extent.

 

 

📔 Today I learned

Spend time  

: to use your time in a certain way, usually by doing an activity.

: 그냥 ~한다 라는 표현보다, I would spend that time이 더 구체적인 표현

 

Relax

: to become less stressed and anxious. This is more natural than using the phrase "peaceful mind."

: 굳이 'peaceful mind'라고 구체적으로 쓰지 않고 relax라고 써도 됨

 

An hour and a half > one and a half hour

: "an hour and a half" is the more natural way that we refer to this time period!

 

#-minute walking distance

:  this is a common way we describe how far one place is from another based on minutes - walked.

: 걸어서 이만큼 걸린다는 표현

 

Sleep in

: to sleep later than usual.

: 평소보다 더 늦잠을 자는 경우는 'sleep in'이라고 함

 

Hybrid (work)

: a hybrid workflow is one that is half in the office and half remote.

 

commute

: commute를 재택근무라는 명사로 사용해도 됨

 

Coworkers

: the American way to refer to our "colleagues" or company team members.

: 영국식 표현에서는 colleagues, 미국식 표현에서는 coworkers를 더 많이 씀

 

in-person

: helpful phrase to describe face-to-face interactions.

 

Used to

: most natural way to describe something that you used to do or feel in the past but no longer do or feel.

: 과거 이야기를 할 때 used to를 쓰면 문장이 더 풍부해짐

 

Start my day early

: common phrase to refer to the idea of waking up earlier and being productive.

 

Doing nothing

: to be lazy.

: 게으르다는 표현을 이렇게 사용해도 좋음

 

To an extent

: to a certain degree, level, limit.

: '~의 정도까지'라는 뜻으로 That's true to an extent (그것이 어느 정도까지는 사실이지만)과 같이 쓸 수 있음

 

As I mentioned

: As I said 만큼 많이 쓰는 표현이니 알아두기