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   Tutor Welcome to MicroEnglish. Your study is being painted, so your
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   Tutor laptop is on a small desk in the kitchen. Will you work there
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   Tutor forever? Probably not. In this B2
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   Tutor lesson, we'll use for the time being to explain arrangements
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   Tutor like this.
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   Tutor Someone asks where your office is. You reply, I'm
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   Tutor working in the kitchen for the time being. That describes your
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   Tutor current arrangement as temporary. You expect something different
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   Tutor later, although you haven't said exactly when the painting
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    Tutor will be finished.
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    Tutor Picture a timeline. Put the kitchen desk at now,
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    Tutor then draw a short stretch ahead. For the time being
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    Tutor covers that temporary stretch. Leave its end open:
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    Tutor the phrase doesn't give a deadline. The period could be days
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    Tutor or months, depending on the situation.
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    Tutor You can put the phrase at the end of a sentence or at the beginning.
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    Tutor Both positions are natural. In writing, a comma
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    Tutor usually follows the opening phrase. Keep its words unchanged;
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    Tutor the verb in the main sentence carries the tense.
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    Tutor Compare these plans. We'll use the kitchen for the time
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    Tutor being leaves room for a later change. We're moving our workspace
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    Tutor here permanently presents it as a lasting decision. Temporary
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    Tutor doesn't mean the arrangement is bad. It simply isn't being
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    Tutor presented as the final one.
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    Tutor Listen to the rhythm: for the time being. Time
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    Tutor and being are usually clearer than for and the, which
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    Tutor are often weaker. Practise the whole phrase smoothly.
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    Tutor You don't need to pause between its words or make each word
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    Tutor equally strong.
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    Tutor Our studio needs repairs. The class is meeting at the library
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    Tutor for the time being. This is neutral language, useful
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    Tutor in conversation and work emails. It explains a practical
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    Tutor arrangement without promising a date when the usual routine
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    Tutor will return.
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    Tutor I work at home tells us a present fact. Adding for
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    Tutor the time being tells us to view that fact as temporary.
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    Tutor For now often expresses the same idea more briefly.
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    Tutor Neither expression tells us how long the arrangement will actually
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    Tutor last.
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    Tutor A common learner error is leaving out the. Say for
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    Tutor the time being, not for time being. Also,
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    Tutor being stays being. You aren't choosing a form of the verb
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    Tutor be here; you're using a fixed expression that describes a limited
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    Tutor period.
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    Tutor Now listen to four situations, with British and American
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    Tutor speakers. First, listen without captions and choose
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    Tutor an answer. Ask yourself what is true now and what could
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    Tutor change later. We'll check the clues, then you'll hear the same
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    Tutor conversation again.
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    Tutor George notices a change in Alice's journey to work. Listen
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    Tutor for why her new routine might end.
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    George You're at the bus stop early today.
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    George The garage still has my car. I'm taking the bus for the time
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    Alice being.
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    Alice Let's hope they finish the repairs soon.
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    Tutor The garage still has her car. The bus is her temporary
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    Tutor solution, so her travel routine may change when she gets the
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    Tutor car back.
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    George You're at the bus stop early today.
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    George The garage still has my car. I'm taking the bus for the time
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    Alice being.
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    Alice Let's hope they finish the repairs soon.
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    Tutor Jessica and Roger discuss recording equipment. What does Roger's
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    Tutor choice tell you about his plans?
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    Jessica Are you buying a new microphone for the podcast?
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    Jessica I'll keep this one for the time being. I want to compare
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    Roger a few models.
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    Roger Sure. It still sounds clear.
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    Tutor He wants to compare models before choosing. Keeping this
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    Tutor microphone is a decision for now; he hasn't ruled out replacing
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    Tutor it later.
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    Jessica Are you buying a new microphone for the podcast?
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    Jessica I'll keep this one for the time being. I want to compare
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    Roger a few models.
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    Roger Sure. It still sounds clear.
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    Tutor Two neighbours are organising garden tools. Listen
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    Tutor for the connection between the hallway and the shed.
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    Alice These garden tools can't stay out in the rain.
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    Alice Put them in my hallway for the time being. The shed isn't ready
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    George yet.
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    George Thanks. I'll carry them inside.
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    Tutor The shed isn't ready yet. The hallway provides storage meanwhile,
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    Tutor so the tools are expected to move once the shed is ready.
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    Alice These garden tools can't stay out in the rain.
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    Alice Put them in my hallway for the time being. The shed isn't ready
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    George yet.
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    George Thanks. I'll carry them inside.
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    Tutor Jessica asks Roger about lunch at a café. What
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    Tutor does his reply suggest about the menu?
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    Jessica Can we get a hot lunch here?
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    Jessica Their oven broke. They're serving sandwiches for the time being.
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    Roger A sandwich works for me.
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    Tutor The broken oven explains the limited menu. It's
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    Tutor temporary, but nobody gives a repair date, so tomorrow would
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    Tutor be an unsupported guess.
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    Jessica Can we get a hot lunch here?
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    Jessica Their oven broke. They're serving sandwiches for the time being.
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    Roger A sandwich works for me.
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    Tutor Your study is still being painted. Say, I'm using the kitchen
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     Tutor table for the time being. Then replace the kitchen table with
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     Tutor another place. Keep the phrase together, and make your sentence
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     Tutor sound like a practical explanation.
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     Tutor How long is this period? There is no fixed length,
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     Tutor and you don't need an end date. Does the phrase guarantee a
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     Tutor change? No. It presents the current situation as
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     Tutor temporary, but a temporary plan can last longer than anyone
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     Tutor expected.
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     Tutor The phrase works in both everyday and professional situations.
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     Tutor For now is often a shorter alternative. At the moment
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     Tutor mainly focuses on what is true now. Context may
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     Tutor suggest that it's temporary, but for the time being makes that
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     Tutor temporary view more explicit.
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     Tutor Visit this lesson on MicroEnglish dot com for interactive dictation:
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     Tutor listen, type what you hear, and check your answers. You
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     Tutor can also practise with the AI tutor. The first dictation is
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     Tutor free; further practice and tutor access depend on membership
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     Tutor and available credits.
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     Tutor Write a comment about a temporary arrangement in your life,
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     Tutor real or imagined. You could mention borrowed equipment,
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     Tutor a place to stay, or a work routine. Add what might change
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     Tutor later, and ask any questions you have. Thanks for joining
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     Tutor me today.

Choose an answer for each question, then check it.

1. Question 1

   Which statement best describes an arrangement made 'for the time being'?

   A It is a current solution that is not meant to last permanently and may change. B It is a permanent agreement with a guaranteed completion date next month. C It is a past habit that finished many years ago.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor