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A2Travelling by Car

Using 'Set Off' for Starting a Road Trip

Phrasal Verb: set off |Grammar: Past Simple

Objective

Students will learn how to use the phrasal verb 'set off' in the past simple tense to talk about starting a car journey.

Article

Last Saturday, my family and I set off early in the morning for a road trip to the countryside. We set off at 7 a.m. because we wanted to avoid traffic. Before we set off, we checked the car and packed our bags carefully. The weather was sunny, so we set off with a lot of excitement. On the way, we stopped once for snacks and then set off again towards the lake. We set off from the town and drove through beautiful green fields. It was a great trip, and we were happy we set off early.

Grammar Explanation

Meaning

'Set off' means to begin a journey or start travelling.

Grammar Note

In the past simple tense, 'set off' stays the same because 'set' is an irregular verb. Use it to talk about completed actions in the past.

Usage Tips

  • Use 'set off' to say when you start travelling somewhere.
  • Remember that 'set' does not change form in the past tense.
  • You can use it with time phrases like 'early in the morning' or 'last week'.

Examples

We set off at dawn to avoid the traffic.

Starting a trip early in the morning

They set off last Friday for their holiday.

Beginning a journey on a specific day

I set off from home after packing my bag.

Leaving your house to start travelling

She set off on her car trip with her friends.

Starting a journey with others

We set off again after a short break.

Continuing a trip after stopping

Dialogue

Context: Two friends talk about starting their road trip yesterday.

A:
When did we set off yesterday?
B:
We set off at 8 o'clock in the morning.
A:
Did we remember to check the car before setting off?
B:
Yes, we checked the tyres and fuel first.
A:
Good. That made our trip safe.
B:
Exactly! I’m glad we set off early.

Vocabulary

journey
The act of travelling from one place to another
Example: Our journey took three hours by car.
Synonym: trip
traffic
Many vehicles moving on the road
Example: There was a lot of traffic on the highway.
Synonym: congestion
check
To examine something to make sure it is correct or safe
Example: We checked the car before leaving.
Synonym: inspect
early
Before the usual or expected time
Example: We set off early in the morning.
Synonym: ahead of time
break
A short stop during a journey
Example: We had a break for lunch.
Synonym: pause
excited
Feeling very happy and eager
Example: She was excited about the trip.
Synonym: thrilled
pack
To put things into a bag or suitcase
Example: I packed my clothes for the trip.
Synonym: load
safe
Protected from danger or harm
Example: We wanted a safe journey.
Synonym: secure
weather
The conditions outside, like sun, rain, or wind
Example: The weather was sunny all day.
Synonym: climate
drive
To control and operate a vehicle
Example: He drove the car carefully.
Synonym: steer

Tips

  • Use 'set off' when talking about the exact time you started travelling.
  • Remember 'set off' does not change in the past tense; it stays 'set off'.
  • Avoid confusing 'set off' with 'set out' – both can mean start a journey, but 'set off' is more common in spoken English.

Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to use 'set off' to talk about starting a car journey in the past. You practised using the past simple tense and saw how 'set off' stays the same in past form. Now, you can confidently describe when you began your trips.

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