Lesson 2.2 — Messages & social English (Spoken English A2)

Listen first

Read along as two friends text about the weekend. Notice how short the messages are — one invites, one can't come but suggests another day.

🔊 Real audio — spoken by your browser in Spoken English. Tap any word below to hear it.

New vocabulary — tap to hear

Hey/heɪ/ · casual message opener; skip "Dear" with friends 🔊

Do you want to…?/dʊ jə ˈwɑːnə/ · the everyday way to invite someone 🔊

I'd love to/aɪd ˈlʌv tu/ · warm acceptance; "'d" is short for "would" 🔊

I can't make it/aɪ kænt ˈmeɪk ɪt/ · natural way to say you can't come 🔊

How about…?/haʊ əˈbaʊt/ · suggests an alternative, then a noun or -ing 🔊

Let me know/lɛt mi ˈnoʊ/ · friendly sign-off asking for a reply 🔊

Now say it

Tap the phrase to hear it, then press the mic and repeat — we score your pronunciation for real (Chrome/Edge).

« I'd love to, but I can't make it on Friday. » 🔊

Say "I'd love to" with a real lift in your voice — the warmth up front is what stops the "but" from sounding like a brush-off.

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Pronunciation

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Read the dialogue

Tap any line to hear it. Grammar appears in context, never as a dry rule.

Hey! Do you want to come over for dinner on Friday? 🔊A casual invitation

I'd love to, but I can't make it on Friday — I'm working late. 🔊Warm decline with a reason

No worries. How about Saturday instead? 🔊Suggests an alternative time

Saturday's perfect. What time works for you? 🔊Accepts and asks a follow-up

Around seven? Let me know! 🔊Proposes a time and invites a reply

Grammar in focus · "How about" + noun or -ing

"How about" is your quick tool for suggesting things, and it takes a noun or an -ing verb: "How about Saturday?", "How about meeting at seven?" Learners often say "How about to meet?" — the safe pattern is "How about" + -ing. Never follow it with "to".

Full lesson: making suggestions

Write it yourself

A friend texts: "Do you want to see a film tonight?" Write a reply that says no for tonight but suggests tomorrow.

Your answer

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Tip for this task
Lead with something warm before the "no" ("I'd love to, but…"). A bare "I can't" reads as cold in a text, even when you don't mean it that way.

Quick check

An adaptive quiz confirms you've got it and schedules the right words for review.

1. Which is the most natural way to start a message to a friend?

2. You want to come but the day doesn't work. Best reply?

3. Complete the suggestion: "How about ___ on Saturday?"

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