← Back to lessons
B1At a Conference

Signing Up at Conferences Made Easy

Phrasal Verb: sign up |Grammar: Past Simple

Objective

Students will learn how to use the phrasal verb 'sign up' in the past simple tense to talk about registering for events at a conference.

Article

Last week, I attended an international technology conference. Before the event started, I signed up for three different workshops. I signed up online two weeks before the conference, which made the process quick and easy. When I arrived at the venue, I signed up for an extra seminar because there were still places available. Many other attendees signed up early to make sure they could join popular sessions. Signing up is important at conferences because it helps organisers plan the rooms and materials. I enjoyed all the workshops I signed up for and met many interesting people. Overall, signing up early made my conference experience better and more organised.

Grammar Explanation

Meaning

To 'sign up' means to register or enrol for something, such as an event or activity.

Grammar Note

The past simple tense is used to describe actions that happened and finished in the past. For regular verbs, add -ed; 'sign up' is irregular, so use 'signed up' as the past form.

Usage Tips

  • Use 'signed up' when talking about past registrations.
  • Place 'sign up' before the event or activity you joined.
  • Use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past.

Examples

I signed up for the keynote speech last Monday.

Registering for a main event

She signed up early to get a good seat.

Registering before others

We signed up for the networking session yesterday.

Joining a session in the past

They signed up online before arriving at the conference.

Registering via internet

He signed up late but still attended the workshop.

Registering close to the event date

Dialogue

Context: Two colleagues talk about signing up for conference events.

A:
Did you sign up for the marketing workshop yesterday?
B:
Yes, I signed up as soon as I got the email invitation.
A:
Great! I signed up too, but I also signed up for the social media seminar.
B:
I didn’t sign up for that one. Was it popular?
A:
Very popular. I signed up early to make sure I got a spot.
B:
I should have signed up earlier then!

Vocabulary

Register
To officially join or sign up for an event.
Example: I registered for the conference online.
Synonym: enrol
Enrol
To officially join a course or event.
Example: She enrolled in the workshop last month.
Synonym: register
Workshop
A meeting where people learn or discuss something.
Example: I attended a workshop about new technology.
Synonym: training session
Seminar
A small group meeting for discussion or learning.
Example: The seminar covered marketing strategies.
Synonym: class
Attendee
A person who goes to an event or meeting.
Example: There were hundreds of attendees at the conference.
Synonym: participant
Session
A part of a conference with presentations or workshops.
Example: The first session started at 9 am.
Synonym: meeting
Venue
The place where an event happens.
Example: The conference was held at a large venue downtown.
Synonym: location
Early
Before the usual or expected time.
Example: She signed up early to secure her spot.
Synonym: in advance
Popular
Liked or chosen by many people.
Example: The seminar was very popular among attendees.
Synonym: favourite
Organiser
A person who plans and manages events.
Example: The organisers sent us the schedule.
Synonym: coordinator

Tips

  • Always sign up early to secure your place at popular events.
  • Check if you can sign up online before the conference starts.
  • Don’t confuse 'sign up' with 'show up' — one means register, the other means attend.

Summary

In this lesson, you learned how to use the phrasal verb 'sign up' in the past simple tense to talk about registering for conference events. You also practised vocabulary related to conferences and understood the importance of signing up early. Now you can confidently describe past registration actions at events.

← Back to all lessons