Travelling. It’s a wonderful thing, right? The chance to explore new places, meet different people, and experience unique cultures.
Whether you’re planning a big adventure or a short break, there’s always something new to discover. Maybe you’re jetting off to the other side of the world, or just getting away for a weekend in the countryside.
But what about the English you need to get by? If I asked you to name five different types of accommodation, could you? If I asked you to tell me five things you’d pack for a trip, could you? How about a phrasal verb with a travel word in it?
As someone who loves to travel and teaches English speaking lessons online with a native speaker, I think it’s important to know the right vocabulary to make the whole experience smoother, especially when dealing with airlines or booking rooms.
Things to pack: Passport / Phone / Clothes / Toiletries / Chargers / Medication
Which one is your go-to when you head off on an adventure? For more practice, check the Travel topic list.
Phrasal Verbs for Getting Around
I’m always on the lookout for new places to explore. If we look at planning a trip, here are the actions we take and the phrasal verbs that match:
- setting off — starting a journey, like leaving home or a hotel
- checking in — arriving at a hotel or airport and confirming your reservation
- dropping off — taking someone or something (like a rental car) to a location
- picking up — collecting someone or something (like luggage or a friend) from a location
- taking off — when a plane leaves the ground
- getting away — going on a short holiday or break
Key Phrasal Verbs
Here are 8 commonly used British English phrasal verbs for travelling:
To set off
To start a journey.
We set off early to avoid the morning traffic.
To check in
To register at a hotel, airport, or conference.
Make sure you check in at the airport at least two hours before your flight.
To drop off
To take someone or something to a place and leave them/it there.
I can drop you off at the train station on my way to work.
To pick up
To collect someone or something.
My brother will pick me up from the airport.
To take off
When an aeroplane leaves the ground.
The plane took off on time despite the bad weather.
To get away
To go somewhere for a holiday, often for a short break.
We’re hoping to get away to the coast next weekend.
To look around
To visit a place and explore what is in it.
After we check in, we can look around the old town.
To end up
To find yourself in a place or situation you didn’t plan.
We got lost and ended up in a completely different village.
Practice
Use one of the expressions above to complete the conversations.
#1
a: Are you excited about your trip to Spain?
b: Absolutely! We’re planning to ________ at about 6 am to get a good start.
a: Nice. What time do you have to be at the airport?
b: We need to be there at 10 am to check in. Our plane is supposed to ________ at noon.
a: And what about the hotel?
b: They said we can’t check in until 3 pm, so we might drop off our luggage first and then ________ the area for a bit.
a: That sounds like a plan.
#2
a: How was your weekend getting away?
b: It was great! We planned to go to the mountains but ended up at the seaside instead because of the weather!
a: Oh, I hate when that happens. Did you have a good time anyway?
b: Yes! My friend picked me up on Friday evening, and we just drove until we found a nice spot.
Show answers
set off / take off / look around / getting away / ended up / picked me up
Key Vocabulary
- jetting off — travelling by plane, usually a long distance
- phrasal verb — a verb + adverb/preposition combination with a new meaning
- to pack — to put clothes and items into a bag before a trip
- head off — to start a journey or leave a place
- on the lookout for — searching for
- loads — many
- native speaker online — a British English teacher who teaches online and speaks English as their first language
Ready to practise this? Book a lesson or see how I teach.