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B1At the Gym

Don't Give Up at the Gym!

Phrasal Verb: give up |Grammar: Past Simple

Objective

Students will learn how to use the phrasal verb 'give up' in the past simple tense to talk about stopping exercise or quitting habits at the gym.

Article

Last year, many people started going to the gym to improve their health. At first, some people tried hard, but then they gave up after a few weeks. For example, Tom gave up running because he felt tired. Sarah gave up lifting weights because she thought it was too difficult. However, some gym members never gave up. They kept exercising every day and saw good results. One day, Alex gave up eating unhealthy snacks and started a new routine. Sometimes, giving up bad habits is as important as starting new ones. So, it is normal to give up sometimes, but it is better to keep trying and not give up on your goals.

Grammar Explanation

Meaning

The phrasal verb 'give up' means to stop doing something or quit a habit.

Grammar Note

The past simple tense is used to talk about actions that happened and finished in the past. For regular verbs, add -ed, and for irregular verbs, use the correct past form.

Usage Tips

  • Use 'gave up' when talking about stopping something in the past.
  • Remember 'give up' is a phrasal verb and changes form in past tense.
  • Use past simple to tell when the action happened.

Examples

I gave up going to the gym last month because I was very busy.

Stopping gym attendance

She gave up drinking soda to be healthier.

Quitting a bad habit

They gave up after the first week because the exercises were hard.

Stopping early due to difficulty

We gave up the idea of running every day due to bad weather.

Abandoning a plan

He gave up smoking and started going to the gym.

Quitting smoking and starting exercise

Dialogue

Context: Two friends talk about their experiences at the gym and giving up.

A:
Did you keep going to the gym last year?
B:
No, I gave up after two months. It was too hard to find time.
A:
I gave up too, but only for a short time. Then I started again.
B:
That’s good. I should not give up completely.
A:
Yes, don’t give up. Even small progress is important.
B:
You’re right. I’ll try not to give up this time.

Vocabulary

exercise
Physical activity to stay healthy
Example: I do exercise at the gym every day.
Synonym: workout
routine
A regular way of doing things
Example: My gym routine includes running and weights.
Synonym: schedule
habit
Something you do regularly, often without thinking
Example: Eating junk food is a bad habit.
Synonym: custom
quit
To stop doing something
Example: He quit smoking last year.
Synonym: give up
tired
Feeling the need to rest
Example: I felt tired after the long workout.
Synonym: exhausted
progress
Improvement or development
Example: She saw progress after weeks of training.
Synonym: advancement
difficult
Not easy; hard to do
Example: The exercises were difficult at first.
Synonym: hard
health
The condition of your body and mind
Example: Regular exercise is good for your health.
Synonym: well-being
motivation
The reason for doing something
Example: She has motivation to keep exercising.
Synonym: inspiration
challenge
A difficult task or problem
Example: Running a marathon is a big challenge.
Synonym: test

Tips

  • Use 'gave up' to clearly show you stopped an activity in the past.
  • Remember to use the past simple form of 'give' with 'up' for past actions.
  • Avoid mixing present and past tense when telling your gym stories.

Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to use the phrasal verb 'give up' in the past simple tense to talk about stopping exercise or quitting habits at the gym. You also practised vocabulary related to gym activities and how to encourage yourself or others not to give up.

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