Videos para aprender inglés

Selecciona una línea para volver a escucharla. Toca cualquier palabra para ver su significado. Las palabras subrayadas son las palabras clave de este video.

1. 0:00
   Bella (tutor) Welcome to MicroEnglish. This B2 lesson starts with a
2. 0:03
   Bella (tutor) familiar moment: you've just got home, you're tired, and a
3. 0:07
   Bella (tutor) friend invites you out. How can you say no warmly? Today
4. 0:11
   Bella (tutor) we'll explore give it a miss, an informal British expression
5. 0:15
   Bella (tutor) for deciding not to do something.
6. 0:17
   Bella (tutor) Both replies decline the invitation. I can't
7. 0:21
   Bella (tutor) come suggests that something prevents you from going. I'll
8. 0:25
   Bella (tutor) give it a miss presents it as your decision. You might be exhausted,
9. 0:29
   Bella (tutor) short of money, or simply not interested tonight. Thanks
10. 0:33
    Bella (tutor) helps keep the reply warm.
11. 0:35
    Bella (tutor) Your friend suggests a quiz at a pub. You reply,
12. 0:40
    Bella (tutor) I'll give it a miss tonight. I need an early night. Here,
13. 0:43
    Bella (tutor) it refers to the quiz. You aren't rejecting your friend or
14. 0:47
    Bella (tutor) promising never to go again. Tonight limits the decision to
15. 0:50
    Bella (tutor) this occasion.
16. 0:52
    Bella (tutor) The pattern is give something a miss. Put the thing
17. 0:55
    Bella (tutor) you're skipping between give and a miss. You can name it or
18. 0:59
    Bella (tutor) use it when the reference is clear. Change give for the time:
19. 1:03
    Bella (tutor) we gave the quiz a miss. Keep the article a; give
20. 1:07
    Bella (tutor) it miss is incorrect.
21. 1:09
    Bella (tutor) These aren't separate meanings. In each case, someone chooses
22. 1:13
    Bella (tutor) not to take part or do something. The expression often
23. 1:16
    Bella (tutor) fits optional plans. If you're declining an important commitment,
24. 1:21
    Bella (tutor) explain the situation clearly; a casual phrase on its
25. 1:24
    Bella (tutor) own may sound as though the commitment doesn't matter.
26. 1:28
    Bella (tutor) Say the phrase in small groups: I'll give it a miss tonight.
27. 1:31
    Bella (tutor) The word a is usually weak, and miss often
28. 1:35
    Bella (tutor) carries emphasis. Don't drop a because it's quiet.
29. 1:39
    Bella (tutor) A calm voice and a short reason help your decision sound friendly
30. 1:43
    Bella (tutor) rather than abrupt.
31. 1:45
    Bella (tutor) At a market, you notice a huge queue. Let's
32. 1:49
    Bella (tutor) give that stall a miss means let's avoid it on this visit.
33. 1:52
    Bella (tutor) No invitation is involved. You're suggesting a shared choice,
34. 1:57
    Bella (tutor) perhaps because you don't want to spend your whole lunch break
35. 1:59
    Bella (tutor) waiting.
36. 2:00
    Bella (tutor) Compare this with I missed the bus. That usually
37. 2:04
    Bella (tutor) means you failed to catch it, not that you chose to avoid it.
38. 2:08
    Bella (tutor) Give something a miss makes the choice clear. Also,
39. 2:11
    Bella (tutor) I miss the quiz could mean you feel sad because you no longer
40. 2:15
    Bella (tutor) attend.
41. 2:16
    Bella (tutor) This expression is especially associated with informal British
42. 2:20
    Bella (tutor) English. Don't assume it's a common American expression. American
43. 2:24
    Bella (tutor) speakers may understand it or ask about it; I'll skip it is
44. 2:28
    Bella (tutor) a useful alternative. For a formal invitation,
45. 2:32
    Bella (tutor) I won't be attending this time may suit the relationship better.
46. 2:36
    Bella (tutor) Now listen to four situations: two British and two American
47. 2:40
    Bella (tutor) conversations. Focus on what the speakers decide and
48. 2:44
    Bella (tutor) the details that explain it. Choose an answer before checking
49. 2:47
    Bella (tutor) the explanation. On the second listen, connect the expression
50. 2:51
    Bella (tutor) to the surrounding words.
51. 2:53
    Bella (tutor) George and Alice discuss their dance class. Listen
52. 2:57
    Bella (tutor) for whether Alice's decision is temporary.
53. 3:00
    George Are you coming to dance class?
54. 3:01
    George I'll give it a miss tonight. My feet ache.
55. 3:04
    Alice Shall I tell the teacher?
56. 3:06
    George Yes, please. Save me a place next week.
57. 3:16
    Bella (tutor) She'll skip this class and return next week. Save me a place
58. 3:19
    Bella (tutor) next week shows that she still intends to dance.
59. 3:23
    George Are you coming to dance class?
60. 3:24
    George I'll give it a miss tonight. My feet ache.
61. 3:27
    Alice Shall I tell the teacher?
62. 3:29
    George Yes, please. Save me a place next week.
63. 3:34
    Bella (tutor) Two American travellers discuss a British friend's message.
64. 3:37
    Bella (tutor) Which breakfast plan do they settle on?
65. 3:40
    Roger Our British friend wrote, 'Give the hotel
66. 3:44
    Roger breakfast a miss.' What does that mean?
67. 3:47
    Roger Skip it. She says it's expensive.
68. 3:50
    Jessica Then let's try the cafe next door.
69. 3:59
    Bella (tutor) They'll probably use the cafe. Jessica explains
70. 4:02
    Bella (tutor) the British phrase as skip it, and Roger immediately
71. 4:06
    Bella (tutor) suggests another place to eat.
72. 4:08
    Roger Our British friend wrote, 'Give the hotel
73. 4:12
    Roger breakfast a miss.' What does that mean?
74. 4:15
    Roger Skip it. She says it's expensive.
75. 4:18
    Jessica Then let's try the cafe next door.
76. 4:22
    Bella (tutor) At a museum, George and Alice have limited time. What
77. 4:26
    Bella (tutor) drives George's suggestion?
78. 4:28
    Alice We've got an hour before my train.
79. 4:31
    Alice The exhibition queue is forty minutes. Let's
80. 4:35
    George give it a miss.
81. 4:35
    George Agreed. We can see the free gallery instead.
82. 4:45
    Bella (tutor) The queue would use most of their remaining time. George
83. 4:48
    Bella (tutor) mentions forty minutes, while Alice has only an hour before
84. 4:52
    Bella (tutor) her train.
85. 4:53
    Alice We've got an hour before my train.
86. 4:56
    Alice The exhibition queue is forty minutes. Let's
87. 5:00
    George give it a miss.
88. 5:00
    George Agreed. We can see the free gallery instead.
89. 5:05
    Bella (tutor) Two American film club members discuss their British organiser.
90. 5:09
    Bella (tutor) What does his message suggest?
91. 5:12
    Jessica Is our British organiser joining us?
92. 5:15
    Jessica He wrote, 'I'll give this one a miss.
93. 5:19
    Roger Twice was enough!'
94. 5:20
    Roger Fair enough. It's my first time seeing it.
95. 5:29
    Bella (tutor) He plans to skip this screening. Twice was enough suggests
96. 5:33
    Bella (tutor) previous viewings motivate his decision. It doesn't establish
97. 5:37
    Bella (tutor) that he'll never watch the film again.
98. 5:40
    Jessica Is our British organiser joining us?
99. 5:43
    Jessica He wrote, 'I'll give this one a miss.
100. 5:46
     Roger Twice was enough!'
101. 5:47
     Roger Fair enough. It's my first time seeing it.
102. 5:52
     Bella (tutor) Your friend invites you to a late film. You're up early tomorrow.
103. 5:55
     Bella (tutor) Say, thanks, but I'll give it a miss tonight. Then add
104. 5:59
     Bella (tutor) your reason. Try to sound warm and certain.
105. 6:09
     Bella (tutor) Giving something a miss doesn't have to mean never again. Nor
106. 6:12
     Bella (tutor) is it automatically rude. Think about the invitation and
107. 6:16
     Bella (tutor) your relationship. A reason isn't grammatically necessary,
108. 6:20
     Bella (tutor) but it often helps the other person understand your decision.
109. 6:24
     Bella (tutor) Remember that it can be replaced by the activity itself. In
110. 6:28
     Bella (tutor) the past, use gave, and keep a miss unchanged.
111. 6:32
     Bella (tutor) Recognising this British expression is useful wherever you
112. 6:36
     Bella (tutor) meet it, even if you choose a different phrase in your own
113. 6:38
     Bella (tutor) speech.
114. 6:40
     Bella (tutor) Visit this lesson on MicroEnglish dot com for interactive
115. 6:44
     Bella (tutor) dictation: listen, type what you hear, and check your
116. 6:48
     Bella (tutor) answers. You can also practise with the AI tutor.
117. 6:51
     Bella (tutor) The first dictation is free; further practice and tutor access
118. 6:55
     Bella (tutor) depend on membership and available credits.
119. 6:58
     Bella (tutor) In the comments, imagine an invitation you'd decline. Write
120. 7:02
     Bella (tutor) a friendly reply using give something a miss and add a reason.
121. 7:06
     Bella (tutor) You can ask questions about the expression too. I'll leave
122. 7:10
     Bella (tutor) you with that small speaking challenge. Thanks for joining
123. 7:13
     Bella (tutor) me.

Elige una respuesta para cada pregunta y después muestra la solución para comprobarla.

1. Pregunta 1

   What is the lesson about?

   A How to decline an invitation politely. B How to invite friends to a pub quiz. C How to make new friends in Britain.
   Comprobar mi respuesta Chatea con el tutor
2. Pregunta 2 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   What does 'give that stall a miss' mean at a market?

   A to avoid it on this visit B to buy something from it later C to wait in the long queue
   Comprobar mi respuesta Chatea con el tutor
3. Pregunta 3 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   Which sentence avoids incorrect preposition additions?

   A I think I will give for the noisy party a miss. B I think I will give to the noisy party a miss. C I think I will give the noisy party a miss.
   Comprobar mi respuesta Chatea con el tutor
4. Pregunta 4 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   How should you report that you chose not to attend yesterday's workshop?

   A I gived the workshop a miss yesterday. B I gave the workshop a missed yesterday. C I gave the workshop a miss yesterday.
   Comprobar mi respuesta Chatea con el tutor
5. Pregunta 5 Escuchar la frase de nuevo

   In which situation is give it a miss most appropriate?

   A A formal job interview when declining a salary offer. B A quick text message telling a friend you will skip bowling. C A written legal contract terminating a supplier agreement.
   Comprobar mi respuesta Chatea con el tutor
6. Pregunta 6

   What does it mean if an employee says, 'I gave the meeting a miss'?

   A The employee intentionally chose not to attend the meeting. B The employee ran into traffic and arrived after the meeting finished. C The employee tried to join online but lost internet connection.
   Comprobar mi respuesta Chatea con el tutor
7. Pregunta 7

   Which syllable typically carries the strongest emphasis when someone says 'give it a miss'?

   A The indefinite article a. B The final noun miss. C The unstressed pronoun it.
   Comprobar mi respuesta Chatea con el tutor