TOEIC Vocabulary - movement

The phrase "come along" can be used in two main contexts. Firstly, it can invite someone to join others in going somewhere or doing something. Secondly, it can refer to the progress or development of a task or project. The usage depends on the context but generally implies participation or progress.

• I'm going to lunch. Would you like to come along?

• We're going to the cinema. Do you want to come along?

• Dave, I was wondering if it would be okay if I came along to attend the kitchen appliance trade next week.

• When you come to my house tonight, you can ask Jane if she would like to come along.

• Mateo's English pronunciation is really coming along.

• Your swing is really coming along. 

• How is your plan coming along?

• The project started slowly, but now the work is coming along.

• I know it's hard to imagine right now, but a better guy for you will come along in the future.

• Well, opportunities like this come along once in a lifetime.

"Come by" is often used to describe obtaining something that is not easily available or visiting someone in a casual or unplanned manner. It emphasizes the incidental or effortful nature of acquiring something or visiting a place. This phrase can be used in various contexts, from acquiring scarce items to suggesting a casual visit to someone's place.

• I'm going to order pizza for dinner tonight. Why don't you come by and join me?

• It is so good to see you, James. You really should come by more often. 

• Why don't you come by this afternoon and I'll help you study?

• It's hard to come by a vintage car like this.

• Cheap organic food is hard to come by.

• Jobs are hard to come by these days.

• Work-from-home jobs are not that easy to come by. You should take any job opportunity that comes along.

• John, how did you come by that vintage car?

• I asked him how he came by the money, but he wouldn't tell me.

• It's hard to come by fresh fruit in the winter.

• Feel free to come by my office anytime if you have questions.
  
  

"Come for a visit" is typically used in informal settings to invite friends or relatives to one's home or a specific place for socializing or leisure. This phrase emphasizes a friendly and open invitation, encouraging the invitee to take some time for a social or leisure visit.

• Is your daughter coming for a visit?

• Do you need a place to stay when you come for a visit?

• My aunt's coming for a visit, and I'm supposed to pick her up at the airport around 6 P.M.

• Why don't you come for a visit this weekend?

• We would love you to come for a visit whenever you are in town.

• They came for a visit and stayed for dinner.

The phrase "come over" is commonly used to invite someone to move from one place to another, typically to the speaker's location. It implies a casual visit or gathering at the location where the speaker is or will be. This can be used in various contexts, whether social, such as inviting friends for a casual meet-up, or more urgent situations requiring someone's presence.

• I'm having a hotpot for dinner tonight. Why don't you come over and join me?

• Oops, I didn't expect you today. I thought you would come over tomorrow. 

• Is your family coming over from Taiwan for the wedding?

• Can you come over after work today?

• I invited my friends to come over for dinner tomorrow.

The phrase "give someone a ride" refers to the act of providing transportation for someone, typically using a personal vehicle. It is a common way to help out friends, family, or even acquaintances when they need to travel somewhere and do not have a means of transportation. This can be a casual, friendly gesture or an arrangement based on necessity.

• I see you missed the bus. If you like, I'll give you a ride home.

• Stephanie asked Philip to give her a ride home.

• Could you give me a lift back into town?

• Hey, if it's not too much trouble, do you think you could give me a lift to the movies?

• Can I give you a ride to the airport?
  She offered to give him a ride home after the meeting.
  Do you need me to give you a ride to the station?

The phrase "go out" is commonly used to express leaving one's home or current location to participate in social activities. It can involve going to restaurants, movies, parks, or any place where people can engage in leisure activities. This phrase can also mean to have a relationship with someone and go on a date with someone.

• I'm going out for a walk. I'll be back soon.

• Do you want to go out for a drink after work?

• I'll be at home around 2 o'clock, but I need to go out at three o'clock.

• She's just gone out. Would you like to leave a message?

• They went out a couple of times, but it was never serious. 

• We've been going out for over five years now.

• They went out (with each other) for almost three years before getting married.

The word "head" primarily refers to the upper part of the human body that contains the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. However, it is also used metaphorically to denote leadership or direction in various contexts. As a verb, it can mean to lead a group or organization, or to move in a particular direction.

• Where are you heading?

• Where are you headed?

• Where are you going?

• I am headed to Phoenix to deliver a brief tomorrow.

• I'm heading for the bus stop. Are you with me?

• I was heading out of the room when she called me back. 

• I need to head down to the grocery store for some milk. Is there anything else I should pick up?

• He parked his car and headed down the pedestrian street to buy some painkillers at the pharmacy.

• I think we should head back now, before it gets too dark. 

• After lunch, we headed back to the office.

• He nodded his head in agreement.
  She heads the marketing department.

The phrase "head out" is commonly used in spoken English to indicate that someone is about to leave for a destination or begin a journey. It can be used in various contexts, whether for a short trip to a local store or the start of a long vacation. The expression conveys a sense of departure and the commencement of an action.

• We should head out early to avoid traffic.

• Let's head out to the beach this weekend.

• I'm going to head out now, I'll see you later! 

The phrase "on one's way" is used to indicate that someone is in the process of traveling to a particular destination. It can be used in various contexts, whether someone is walking, driving, or using any form of transportation. It is a versatile phrase that helps specify the progress of one's journey.

• I'm on my way to lunch with a client and already running late. I won't be back for about two hours.

• I am on my way to the hospital. 

• I'm on my way to the airport to catch a plane that leaves in an hour.

• I stopped by the drugstore last night on my way back home from work. I had a few toiletries to pick up.

• On your way over, could you get a gallon of milk from the store, please? 

• Could you stop on your way over and pick up some fresh heirloom tomatoes?  

• I'll be there in 10 minutes, I'm on my way.

"Stop by" is a phrasal verb used to describe the action of visiting someone or somewhere briefly while you are going somewhere else. It often implies a casual or unplanned visit, making it a common phrase in everyday English conversation. It can be used in both social and professional contexts.

• I just stopped by to say hello.

• I'll stop by after work to drop off the paperwork.

• I was passing your house, so I thought I'd stop by for a chat.

• I stopped by the drugstore last night on my way back home from work. I had a few toiletries to pick up.

• There is a print shop not far from our office. I can stop by there during my lunch break around noon and get the copies made for you.

"Swing by" is used to describe a brief or casual visit to a place while one is on the way to another destination. It implies a sense of convenience and spontaneity, as the visit is not the main purpose of the trip but rather a quick stop. This phrase is very useful in everyday English conversation, especially when making informal plans or suggesting a minor detour.

• Sam swung by here on his way home.

• I'll swing by the supermarket on my way home. Is there anything you need?

• What time should I swing by to pick you up?

• What do you say we swing past the bakery on the way to the party and pick up a cake?

• I called several times, but no one answered. So I just thought I'd swing by and see how you are.

• I'll swing by your house later to pick up the book.

• Can you swing by the grocery store on your way home?

• They decided to swing by the cafe for a quick coffee.

"Make one's way" typically refers to the action of progressing, moving forward, or advancing towards a particular destination or goal. It can be used both literally, as in physically moving from one place to another, and figuratively, as in advancing in one's career or life. This phrase emphasizes the process of movement or progression rather than the destination itself.

• Passengers, please make your way toward the exit in an orderly fashion.

• I'm making my way to New York City by car.

• The hikers made their way back to the campsite at the end of the day.

• His family hasn't much money so he'll just have to make his own way in the world.

• After college, she set out to make her way in the world as a lawyer.

• He has made his way in the world. 

• He made his way through the crowded market, carefully avoiding bumping into anyone.

• After graduating, she made her way to the top of the corporate ladder through hard work and determination.

When you "run an errand," you are performing a specific task that typically involves going somewhere to take care of something. This could be shopping, dropping off or picking up items, paying bills, etc. It's a common part of daily routines for many people, helping them complete personal or household tasks efficiently.

• She went to run an errand, but she should be back shortly.

• I gotta go run an errand, but I was thinking perhaps we could get a drink tonight.

• Hey, I've got to run some errands. I'll be back in about an hour.

• I need to run an errand before we meet for lunch.

• Can you run an errand for me? I forgot to mail this package.

• She spent the morning running errands in town.

"Run late" is commonly used to describe situations where someone or something does not adhere to the expected or scheduled time. This phrase can apply to various scenarios, such as arriving late to appointments, events starting later than planned, or tasks taking longer than initially expected. It reflects a deviation from a set timetable, often causing inconvenience or requiring adjustments to subsequent plans.

• I'm sorry for the delay, I ran late at the office.
  The meeting ran late, so I missed my train.

• She often runs late in the mornings because she takes too long to get ready. 

The phrase "set off" is used to describe the action of starting something, particularly a journey or an event that causes something else to happen. It can be used in various contexts, from travel to causing alarms to activate or initiating a series of events or reactions.

• After dinner, Derek set off for the supermarket to get some drinks. 

• My friend set off for Paris a few days ago, which inspired me to plan out my trip. 

• What time are you setting off?

• We set off at 6 a.m. tomorrow.

• Have a wonderful time in Korea! When do you set off?

• The loud noise set off the alarm. 
  His comment set off a heated debate.  

“Set out” is a versatile verb used in English to indicate the beginning of a journey, an attempt, or a detailed explanation. When someone "sets out," they start with a specific goal or destination in mind. This phrase can be used both in literal scenarios, such as starting a physical journey, and in metaphorical senses, such as beginning to explain a complex idea or theory.

• Where he lives is kind of far away from the company, so he has to set out at 5:00 a.m. every day.

• I'm setting out for New York tomorrow to attend a business meeting.

• My friend set out for Paris a few days ago, which inspired me to plan out my trip. 

• After dinner, Derek set out for the supermarket to get some drinks. 

• I set out to build a cat window perch for my cats. 

• We set out to create the best product on the market three years ago. I think we did it.  

• We accomplished what we set out to do.

• I set out to be the first girl to run the Marathon in my school. 

• She set out to be an industrial designer after graduating from Emily Carr University in Vancouver in 2018.

"Stick around" is a phrasal verb often used in conversational English to suggest staying in a particular place for a period of time, especially when expecting something to happen or simply to spend more time with someone. It conveys a sense of remaining present without moving to a different location.

• Why don't you stick around, see if you can wait her out？

• All right. I don't mind sticking around for a bit.

• Hey, would you mind sticking around for a bit longer? I need to talk to you.

• Can you stick around after the meeting? I'd like to discuss something with you.

• Most of the guests left early, but a few decided to stick around until the end.

"Run down to" is a phrasal verb that means "to go quickly to a specific place," often to perform a quick errand or task. The phrase implies a sense of urgency or speed in completing the task.

• Mark, could you do me a favor? Could you run down to the convenience store and pick up a bag of ice?

• I was just thinking maybe you could run down to the deli and get me a sandwich?

• Can we talk later? I just need to run down to the post office to send this package.

• I'm just going to run these documents down to Harvey in the accounting department.