Learn English Phrasal Verbs:Free Time
These verbs describe evenings, weekends, and the slow start of a day off: lying in, turning in, and getting on with a hobby.
carry on
continue
The teacher told us to carry on with our work during the break.
The teacher told us to continue with our work during the break.
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take in
absorb
It’s hard to take in all this information at once.
It’s hard to absorb all this information at once.
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nod off
begin to fall asleep
He started to nod off during the movie.
He began to fall asleep during the movie.
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turn in
go to bed
I usually turn in around 10 p.m. every night.
I usually go to bed around 10 p.m. every night.
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get up
get out of bed
I find it hard to get up early in the morning.
I find it hard to get out of bed early in the morning.
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lie in
stay in bed late
On weekends, I like to lie in until 9 a.m. or later.
On weekends, I like to stay in bed late until 9 a.m. or later.
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hand in
submit
Don’t forget to hand in your homework tomorrow.
Don’t forget to submit your homework tomorrow.
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crack on (with)
get something done quickly
Let’s crack on with the project to finish it before lunch.
Let’s get some work done quickly to finish the project before lunch.
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be off
go
I’m off to the gym; see you later!
I’m going to the gym; see you later!
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get on (with)
progress
She’s trying to get on with her studies despite all the distractions.
She’s trying to progress with her studies despite all the distractions.
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About this set
Use them when you talk about rest, plans, and the small routines around free time — not only “fun activities.”
A couple of items are British (lie in, be off, crack on), so they match how people actually plan a weekend in the UK.
Usage notes
- lie in. British English for staying in bed later than usual. American speakers more often say sleep in.
- turn in. Informal for go to bed. It is intransitive here: I turned in at eleven.
- crack on (with). Informal British English for continue with energy. Crack on with the ironing, not crack the ironing on.
- get on (with). Here it means continue doing something. In the Relationships set, get on with a person means have a good relationship.
Common questions
Is lie in the same as get up?
They are opposites in this set. Get up means leave bed. Lie in means stay in bed later than usual, often on a day off.
What does be off mean for a free day?
Be off means you are not at work or school that day: I am off on Friday. It is not the same as set off (start a journey) from the road and travel sets.