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   Tutor Welcome to MicroEnglish. This B2 lesson starts with a
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   Tutor familiar moment: you've just got home, you're tired, and a
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   Tutor friend invites you out. How can you say no warmly? Today
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   Tutor we'll explore give it a miss, an informal British expression
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   Tutor for deciding not to do something.
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   Tutor Both replies decline the invitation. I can't
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   Tutor come suggests that something prevents you from going. I'll
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   Tutor give it a miss presents it as your decision. You might be exhausted,
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   Tutor short of money, or simply not interested tonight. Thanks
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    Tutor helps keep the reply warm.
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    Tutor Your friend suggests a quiz at a pub. You reply,
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    Tutor I'll give it a miss tonight. I need an early night. Here,
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    Tutor it refers to the quiz. You aren't rejecting your friend or
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    Tutor promising never to go again. Tonight limits the decision to
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    Tutor this occasion.
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    Tutor The pattern is give something a miss. Put the thing
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    Tutor you're skipping between give and a miss. You can name it or
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    Tutor use it when the reference is clear. Change give for the time:
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    Tutor we gave the quiz a miss. Keep the article a; give
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    Tutor it miss is incorrect.
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    Tutor These aren't separate meanings. In each case, someone chooses
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    Tutor not to take part or do something. The expression often
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    Tutor fits optional plans. If you're declining an important commitment,
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    Tutor explain the situation clearly; a casual phrase on its
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    Tutor own may sound as though the commitment doesn't matter.
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    Tutor Say the phrase in small groups: I'll give it a miss tonight.
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    Tutor The word a is usually weak, and miss often
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    Tutor carries emphasis. Don't drop a because it's quiet.
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    Tutor A calm voice and a short reason help your decision sound friendly
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    Tutor rather than abrupt.
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    Tutor At a market, you notice a huge queue. Let's
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    Tutor give that stall a miss means let's avoid it on this visit.
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    Tutor No invitation is involved. You're suggesting a shared choice,
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    Tutor perhaps because you don't want to spend your whole lunch break
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    Tutor waiting.
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    Tutor Compare this with I missed the bus. That usually
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    Tutor means you failed to catch it, not that you chose to avoid it.
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    Tutor Give something a miss makes the choice clear. Also,
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    Tutor I miss the quiz could mean you feel sad because you no longer
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    Tutor attend.
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    Tutor This expression is especially associated with informal British
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    Tutor English. Don't assume it's a common American expression. American
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    Tutor speakers may understand it or ask about it; I'll skip it is
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    Tutor a useful alternative. For a formal invitation,
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    Tutor I won't be attending this time may suit the relationship better.
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    Tutor Now listen to four situations: two British and two American
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    Tutor conversations. Focus on what the speakers decide and
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    Tutor the details that explain it. Choose an answer before checking
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    Tutor the explanation. On the second listen, connect the expression
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    Tutor to the surrounding words.
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    Tutor George and Alice discuss their dance class. Listen
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    Tutor for whether Alice's decision is temporary.
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    George Are you coming to dance class?
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    George I'll give it a miss tonight. My feet ache.
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    Alice Shall I tell the teacher?
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    George Yes, please. Save me a place next week.
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    Tutor She'll skip this class and return next week. Save me a place
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    Tutor next week shows that she still intends to dance.
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    George Are you coming to dance class?
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    George I'll give it a miss tonight. My feet ache.
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    Alice Shall I tell the teacher?
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    George Yes, please. Save me a place next week.
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    Tutor Two American travellers discuss a British friend's message.
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    Tutor Which breakfast plan do they settle on?
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    Roger Our British friend wrote, 'Give the hotel
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    Roger breakfast a miss.' What does that mean?
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    Roger Skip it. She says it's expensive.
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    Jessica Then let's try the cafe next door.
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    Tutor They'll probably use the cafe. Jessica explains
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    Tutor the British phrase as skip it, and Roger immediately
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    Tutor suggests another place to eat.
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    Roger Our British friend wrote, 'Give the hotel
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    Roger breakfast a miss.' What does that mean?
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    Roger Skip it. She says it's expensive.
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    Jessica Then let's try the cafe next door.
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    Tutor At a museum, George and Alice have limited time. What
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    Tutor drives George's suggestion?
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    Alice We've got an hour before my train.
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    Alice The exhibition queue is forty minutes. Let's
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    George give it a miss.
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    George Agreed. We can see the free gallery instead.
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    Tutor The queue would use most of their remaining time. George
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    Tutor mentions forty minutes, while Alice has only an hour before
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    Tutor her train.
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    Alice We've got an hour before my train.
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    Alice The exhibition queue is forty minutes. Let's
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    George give it a miss.
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    George Agreed. We can see the free gallery instead.
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    Tutor Two American film club members discuss their British organiser.
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    Tutor What does his message suggest?
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    Jessica Is our British organiser joining us?
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    Jessica He wrote, 'I'll give this one a miss.
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    Roger Twice was enough!'
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    Roger Fair enough. It's my first time seeing it.
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    Tutor He plans to skip this screening. Twice was enough suggests
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    Tutor previous viewings motivate his decision. It doesn't establish
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    Tutor that he'll never watch the film again.
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    Jessica Is our British organiser joining us?
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    Jessica He wrote, 'I'll give this one a miss.
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     Roger Twice was enough!'
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     Roger Fair enough. It's my first time seeing it.
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     Tutor Your friend invites you to a late film. You're up early tomorrow.
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     Tutor Say, thanks, but I'll give it a miss tonight. Then add
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     Tutor your reason. Try to sound warm and certain.
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     Tutor Giving something a miss doesn't have to mean never again. Nor
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     Tutor is it automatically rude. Think about the invitation and
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     Tutor your relationship. A reason isn't grammatically necessary,
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     Tutor but it often helps the other person understand your decision.
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     Tutor Remember that it can be replaced by the activity itself. In
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     Tutor the past, use gave, and keep a miss unchanged.
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     Tutor Recognising this British expression is useful wherever you
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     Tutor meet it, even if you choose a different phrase in your own
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     Tutor speech.
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     Tutor Visit this lesson on MicroEnglish dot com for interactive
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     Tutor dictation: listen, type what you hear, and check your
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     Tutor answers. You can also practise with the AI tutor.
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     Tutor The first dictation is free; further practice and tutor access
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     Tutor depend on membership and available credits.
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     Tutor In the comments, imagine an invitation you'd decline. Write
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     Tutor a friendly reply using give something a miss and add a reason.
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     Tutor You can ask questions about the expression too. I'll leave
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     Tutor you with that small speaking challenge. Thanks for joining
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     Tutor me.

Choose an answer for each question, then check it.

1. Question 1

   What does someone communicate when they say they will give an event a miss?

   A They forgot the event took place and arrived too late. B They intentionally choose not to attend on that occasion. C They demand that the host reschedule the event immediately.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor
2. Question 2

   Which sentence places the words in standard idiomatic order?

   A We will give the noisy concert a miss tonight. B We will give a miss the noisy concert tonight. C We will miss give the noisy concert tonight.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor
3. Question 3

   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.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor