Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[stevenukd]

Dear Teachers,

1. Maybe we will head down to the beach and kick it awhile.
- What does �kick it awhile� mean here?

2. Watch your language around her parents.
- Can I say �with� instead of �around�?

3. Congratulations on your graduating!
- I think �graduation� is better, right?

4. Congratulations on your advancement!
- �advancement� here means �promotion�, right?

Thanks a million to Teachers,

Stevenukd

[CP]

1. "Kick it" and "kick back" and even "kick" are slang or colloquialisms for "relax, take it easy." You might ask someone over the phone what he is doing and hear, "Nothing, just kickin'."

2. No. "Around her parents" means "in the vicinity of her parents."

3. "Graduating" is a gerund, a noun made out of the verb "graduate." So "your graduating" is good English. It is not quite the same as "graduation" in this sentence, since it refers to the achievement of graduating, while "graduation" refers more to the ceremony.

4. Yes, but it could also refer to progress in something.

You might also visit the "Help Center" of this web site for questions like these. Hope this is helpful.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb