Learning English

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Talking about your future

At the start of a new year, we often think about what we want to do in the future and what we want to change about ourselves. Many people make New Year's resolutions. Hear what Buli, Pippa, Neil, George and Georgie think 2025 will be like for them, and learn some useful expressions.

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Things you want to do

I really want to start + noun/gerund
Use this to talk about something that you think would be good to do.

• I really want to start some new hobbies in 2025.
• I really want to start cooking different things next year.

I'm thinking of taking up + noun/gerund
Use this expression for something that you are considering starting. 'Take up' means to start doing something.

• I'm thinking of taking up dance lessons
• I'm thinking of taking up swimming. It's great exercise!

I thought I might + verb
You can also use this expression for something that you are considering doing.

• We both thought we might do some swing dancing.
• I thought I might take a cookery class.

Personal change

I want to be more + adjective
Use this with an a characteristic that you want to have in the future.

• I want to be more engaged and dedicated to my plans.
• I want to be more active. I'm going to join a gym.

Every year I promise myself + clause
Use this with something that you often try or want to do, maybe unsuccessfully.

• Every year I promise myself I'll become a better language learner.
• Every year I promise myself I'll visit somewhere new. Usually, I manage it.

Hopefully I can be the person who + clause
Use this expression to say what you hope to be like in future.

• Hopefully I can be the person who finishes all his plans.
• Hopefully I can be the person who doesn't get scared by challenges.

Challenges

get out of my comfort zone
This expression means to do something new that you don't feel confident or comfortable doing.

• I've actually been thinking that I need to get out of my comfort zone more.
• If you do something that gets you out of your comfort zone, you can learn many new things.

push myself to + verb
We use this expression to say 'make yourself do something difficult'.

• I pushed myself to speak at my choir concert.
• I want to push myself to get better at running next year. I want to beat my best time.

pull off + noun/gerund
We use this expression to mean 'achieve something difficult'. 

• Probably pulling off the wedding, getting all the family together will probably be my biggest challenge.
• We really want to pull off buying a house next year, but it's going to be tricky!

stick to + noun/gerund
Use this expression to mean keep doing something, especially if it's something difficult.

• I think my biggest challenge is going to be sticking to my routine of running.
• I'm going to try to stick to limiting my screen time to one hour a day. I'm on my phone far too much!

there's no getting away from it + noun/gerund + is the only way.
We use this expression to say that there is no alternative to doing something difficult to achieve something.

• There's no getting away from it, hard work is the only way to learn a language.
• There's no getting away from it, being active is the only way to stay fit.