How to BREAK UP in English (at a C1-C2 ADVANCED level) - British Vocabulary & Grammar Lesson!

Hello lovely students and welcome back to English with Lucy.

In the last lesson as part of my series focused on very advanced English, taking

everyday topics or the first things that you learn in English to an advanced level.

Last week, I did a really fun video about how to ask someone out, how to flirt with

someone and ask them on a date.

But unfortunately, all good things must

come to an end.

Today, I'm doing a video on how to break

up with someone in super advanced, C1 to C2 level English.

Now this is something I hope you never have to do, but if you are going to do

it, you might as well do it in style.

Am I right?

Before we get started, I have created an awesome PDF and worksheet.

It contains everything that we discuss in today's lesson, plus further reading on

the subject, other genuine ways that you might consider breaking up with someone

in English.

On top of that, if you really want to

master the B1 or B2 or C1 level of English, I have created an ebook and you

can download it for free.

It's my B1, B2 and C1 ebook.

It contains everything that you need to learn to achieve the B1, B2 and C1 levels

of English.

If you would like to download the PDF and

the ebook, just click on the link in the description box.

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Right, let's get on with the lesson.

Before I get into the speeches that I've

created to help you break up with someone, I want to talk about a few

clichés that you might have heard in films or on TV or even read in books.

Maybe you've even heard them in real life, but I really hope not.

These are phrases that people often say to end a relationship, but they don't

usually express what the speaker really means.

So I'm going to translate them for you.

The first one, you might have a version of this in your own language.

It's not you.

It's me.

Also, don't get that wrong and say it's

not me, it's you, because that's even worse.

If someone says, it's not you, it's me,

the translation is that it's probably you.

The next one.

Oh, this one's painful.

I love you.

I'm just not in love with you.

Translation of this is that they might see you more as a friend.

The next one, I've heard this one before.

Heartbreaking.

I need space.

If someone needs space, they need space

away from you.

That relationship didn't work out for me.

Another one I've heard as well.

Oh my word, this is triggering.

You deserve better.

You deserve better.

I guess when someone says this, they just can't think of anything better to say.

That's a major red flag.

Now, I don't think there are any really

good ways to break up with someone.

Let's start with level 1, and this is

going to be a very basic way to break up with someone.

Are you ready?

Because this is going to be brutal.

I'm not happy.

This isn't working.

We need to break up.

Okay, I'm going to take that as a

baseline for my super advanced ways to break up with someone.

Before I start, I need to add my disclaimer.

The following levels are for

entertainment purposes!

I do not recommend that you try to break

up with someone and also aim for a C1 or C2 level of language whilst doing it.

I do think that this is a really fun and interesting way of teaching you advanced

level grammar and vocabulary.

If you copy my wording when breaking up

with your partner, that's on you.

Your partner will probably be confused or

furious or both.

Let's go with number 2.

You're a fantastic person, and I've treasured the moments we've shared.

But I've been reflecting a lot lately, and it's become clear that we're as different

as chalk and cheese.

Let's call a spade a spade -

our paths are heading in completely different directions.

The odds are that we're just going to make each other miserable in the future.

This has been as good a relationship as I've ever had, but I think we need to

acknowledge reality and go our separate ways.

That's a fairly advanced text, and

there's a lot to unpack here.

There's a lot to analyse.

There were two idioms that I want to point out.

Chalk and cheese is the first, which means completely different.

Chalk and cheese are very different.

We can say that people or things are like

chalk and cheese or are as different as chalk and cheese.

Notice the pronunciation of and.

In this phrase, I drop the d sound and I

say n, chalk and cheese.

We call chalk and cheese a binomial, and

in a binomial, there are two words separated by a conjunction, and the

conjunction is often and, said as n.

The word order is usually fixed.

It's always chalk and cheese and never cheese and chalk.

Chalk and cheese is also an alliterative phrase.

It's an alliteration, meaning that the

two words start with the same sound, ch, ch, chalk, cheese.

There are lots of other binomials in English, and they're not always idioms,

as in this case.

They include ones that use synonyms like

pride and joy.

Sorry, I couldn't quite find my thumb there.

Pride and joy.

We also have ones that use opposites like ups and downs.

The other idiom I want to talk about is

to call a spade a spade, to call a spade a spade, and I feel this one is fairly British.

This means to tell the truth and say exactly what you think, even if it's not

polite, even if it's going to hurt someone's feelings.

There are some other advanced words and phrases in that text that I've put in the

PDF, which you can download using the link in the description box, but now I

want to touch on some structures I use that are very advanced.

The first is the odds are, the odds are.

Now, this is a phrase that we use to say

how likely it is that something will happen.

You saw this phrase in the sentence, the

odds are that we're just going to make each other miserable in the future,

meaning it's likely that we will make each other miserable.

An example, the odds are that Jane and Ellie will break up soon.

The second phrase is an advanced comparative.

You saw this in the sentence, this has

been as good a relationship as I've ever had, as good a relationship as.

I'm saying as, as, as, a weak form, as good a relationship as.

This means that the relationship was as good as or equally good as any other

relationship the person has had.

The structure is as + adjective + a

or an + noun + as.

You're as patient a partner as I could

wish for.

You're as perfect a match as I could ever

hope for.

All right, let's see if we can make it

more advanced.

Let's move to level 3.

Are you ready?

Our relationship has experienced its

share of waxing and waning.

You know that I've always had a jealous

streak, but lately, I've been feeling there's a lack of trust between us.

It's been an honour to have been a part of your life, and I've cherished our time

together.

However, given that trust is fundamental, we would be better off parting ways.

Tough to hear, but trust, trust is essential in a relationship.

Let's look at some of the vocabulary and structures in this text.

The first one, to wax and wane, to wax and wane.

This is another binomial with two words with opposite meanings.

I will say that this is quite an old-fashioned idiom and we don't tend to use

the words separately.

Wane maybe, but wax in this context,

not as much.

To wax is to grow stronger.

To wane is to grow weaker.

To wax and wane, to grow stronger and weaker.

It comes from the phases of the moon.

When the moon is getting bigger, it's waxing.

When it's getting smaller, it's waning.

Next, I want to point out a strong, a

very strong collocation, a jealous streak.

A streak is a characteristic and it's

often an unpleasant one.

If someone has a jealous streak, they

have a tendency to be jealous sometimes.

Other strong collocations include a

stubborn streak, a vicious streak, a nasty streak, an independent streak.

That one could be used positively or negatively.

Streak, characteristic.

Finally, I want to touch on an advanced conditional sentence from the text.

You saw that given that trust is fundamental, we would be better off

parting ways.

Given that means when you consider that.

Given that Heather is in love with you, she will be devastated when you break it off.

Okay, that was pretty advanced, but I know we can do better.

Let's move to level 4, our most advanced level.

Are you ready?

It seems that our paths in life are diverging.

We've indisputably had some incredible moments together, but it's imperative

that I be true to myself.

Recently, it's become apparent to me that

variety is the spice of life and I feel a powerful need to explore diverse relationships.

This decision hasn't been taken lightly, but it's essential for both of us to

prioritise our individual happiness and fulfilment.

Okay, good riddance.

What a horrible speech for a breakup.

It's horribly advanced as well.

So let's take a look at some of the vocabulary and structures that are used

in that text.

Firstly, I want to highlight the verb to seem.

And I know this is not an advanced verb, so you may already know that it means to appear.

One common use of this verb is to make what we are saying less forceful.

It softens it, often when we're not sure whether what we're saying is true or if

we want to be polite.

This is a skill that we call hedging.

You often see to seem in the structure, it seems that, or it seems to me that.

It seems that Jeremy is looking to end the relationship, for example.

I don't know for sure, that's what it seems like to me.

The next word I want to draw your attention to is indisputably.

Indisputably.

This is an advanced adverb meaning in a way that is true or cannot be disagreed with.

The adverb indisputably emphasises or boosts what we're saying.

Other similar adverbs include undeniably and unquestionably.

Hedging and boosting are really important skills to learn when you reach an

advanced level in English and in academic writing, and we cover them in depth in my

C1 Programme.

If you want to check that out, just visit

englishwithlucy.com.

Now I want to talk about the phrase

variety is the spice of life.

It's a proverb that means new things and

changes make life more interesting.

And this is probably one of the worst

things that you could say during a breakup because it makes the person think

that you want to date other people.

Okay, there are two grammatical

structures that I want to cover now.

The first was in the sentence, it's

imperative that I be true to myself.

You can see I be instead of the usual I am.

This is an example of the subjunctive mood, which we use to express

possibilities and wishes.

If we use the subjunctive mood in the

present tense with the verb to be, we use be for all subjects.

I be, you be, he be, she be, for example.

Quite fun to say, he be, she be.

We use the base form with all subjects.

So instead of she goes, the subjunctive

is she go.

Here are a couple more examples.

I propose that you be completely honest about the reasons why you want to break up.

Or it's my recommendation that she end the relationship immediately.

The subjunctive mood is formal and impersonal.

And in modern usage, it's not

particularly common.

And people will often say it's imperative

that I am true to myself, for example.

I do personally use it.

And this video is all about advanced English and the subjunctive is super advanced.

And I love the way it sounds.

I think it sounds really elegant.

I just like it.

And I think you should like it too.

Again, this is something we cover quite in depth in my C1 Programme.

Finally, I want to look at the passive voice.

You saw it in this sentence.

This decision hasn't been taken lightly.

Hasn't been taken is an example of the present perfect simple passive voice.

Has not been + the past participle.

In this case, the passive voice makes the

sentence very impersonal by not naming the person who made the decision.

And it's more commonly heard from leaders like politicians or people in business

who don't want to take responsibility for something.

I sincerely hope that you never hear this when someone is breaking up with you.

Well, I really hope no one ever breaks up

with you, but I really hope they don't use the passive voice whilst doing it.

An example of how politicians would use it.

Mistakes have been made.

Promises have been broken.

They're not saying I made a mistake or we

broke promises.

They have been broken.

They have been made.

Okay.

Well, the course of true love never did run smooth.

Shakespeare said that, not me.

I really hope you'll be able to remember

some of the idiomatic language and advanced structures thanks to this lesson.

Don't forget to download the PDF.

We've got some more information in there

and activities and you get a copy of my B1, B2, and C1 ebook

for free.

Just click on the link in the description box.

Also, don't forget that I have my B1, B2, and C1 Programmes.

If you found this lesson really interesting, I think my C1 Programme

could be really up your street.

To check them out, just visit

englishwithlucy.com.

I will see you soon for another lesson.