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Unit 1: English In A Minute
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Session 40

Welcome to English In A Minute. Give us a minute and we'll give you a hot tip about English. Grammar, vocabulary... there's so much to learn! And all taught by your favourite BBC Learning English staff!

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

Journey and trip

Do you have a minute to spare to learn some English? Sian explains why we use journey and trip. Give us 60 seconds and we'll give you the English!

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Sian
Hi! Sian here again! Now, we all love going on holiday, but these two words can cause problems.

So a journey is a noun and refers to a single piece of travel - so, when you move from one place to another by car, plane, train, bus. The journey to London takes three hours by bus.

A trip is also a noun, but usually refers to more than one journey and the time you spend in a place. So, if someone asks 'How was your trip?' they're asking about the whole time you are away, not the journey.

Phil
How was your camping trip, Sian?

Sian
It was fun, but it rained all weekend!

A trip is often quite short compared to a holiday, and we can use it in these set phrases. So you can have a business trip, a school trip or a day trip.

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EIAM Teaser 6minvocab_2_time_expressions.jpg TGGTeaser______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Journey and trip

Journey
Journey is a noun. It refers to a single piece of travel i.e. one period of movement from one place to another by car, plane, train etc.

  • The journey to London takes three hours by bus.
  • Before the car, journeys used to take much longer.
  • It's been a long journey but we're finally here!

Trip
Trip is a noun. It usually refers to more than one journey and the time spent somewhere. If you travel for a day to a hotel, stay three days and travel for one day home again, then your trip was five days. 

  • How was your camping trip, Sian?
  • It's been quite the trip, but I'm glad to be home.
  • Next week, I'm going on a short trip to France. I'll be away for six days.

Trip is also often used in several set phrases: a business trip, a school trip and a day trip.

  • Mr Johnson is away on a business trip in Germany. Can I take a message?
  • Please get your permission slips signed if you want to come on the school trip to the zoo.
  • Shall we take a day trip to the beach today?

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