What are chunks and how can they help improve my fluency in English?

Knowing the meaning of a word is useful, but knowing how to use it in context is vital. Words aren’t used in isolation and will often form part of an expression or fixed set of words. Being able to call on these ‘chunks’ of vocabulary will help you to improve English fluency skills.

Category

Greetings

• 1. Good afternoon
• 2. Good morning
• 3. Good evening
• 4. Good luck
• 5. Great
• 6. Happy birthday
• 7. Have a good trip
• 8. Nice to meet you
• 9. How are you?
• 10. How are you doing?

Travel, directions

• 11. At what time?
• 12. Does this road go to___?
• 13. Go straight ahead
• 14. How do I get there?
• 15. How do I get to___?
• 16. How long does it take by car?
• 17. How long does it take by bus?
• 18. How long does it take to get to?
• 19. I’d like to make a phone call?
• 20. I’d like to make a reservation
• 21. I’m going home in __ days
• 22. I’m looking for ___
• 23. I’m leaving tomorrow
• 24. One ticket to ___, please
• 25. Please take me to ___
• 26. That way
• 27. Turn around
• 28. Turn left
• 29. Turn right

Making friends

• 30. Are you American?
• 31. Are you coming this evening?
• 32. Are you free tonight?
• 33. Are you going by bus?
• 34. Are you going by car?
• 35. Are you hungry?
• 36. Are you sure?
• 37. Are you working tomorrow?
• 38. Cheers!
• 39. Did you get my email?
• 40. Do you to ___often?
• 41. Do you need anything?
• 42. Do you want to come with me?
• 43. Do you want to go with me?
• 44. Give me a call
• 45. How long have you been here?
• 46. How long have you been in ___?
• 47. How long have you lived here?
• 48. How many languages do you speak?
• 49. How old are you?
• 50. This is the first time I’ve been here
• 51. What are you going to do tonight?
• 52. What are your hobbies?
• 53. What do you study?
• 54. What do you want to do?
• 55. What’s your favorite movie?
• 56. Let’s meet in ___
• 57. Let’s meet at___

Exchanging personal information

• 58. Here’s my number
• 59. What’s your cellphone number?
• 60. What’s your address?
• 61. Can you write your email for me?
• 62. Can you write your ___ for me?

Communication difficulties

• 63. Am I pronouncing it correctly?
• 64. Can you help me?
• 65. Can you do me a favor?
• 66. Can you say that again please?
• 67. Can you show me?
• 68. Do you speak English?
• 69. Excuse me, what did you say?
• 70. Forget it, thank you.
• 71. Please speak more slowly
• 72. What does this mean?

Cultural expressions

Commonly used idioms and meaning.

http://www.smart-words.org/quotes-sayings/idioms-meaning.html