January 9, 2025 • 12 mins
Listen to the short story The Wrong Suitcase to practice your English listening skills. This story is about Lena, who mistakenly takes the wrong suitcase after a flight to Florence. Inside, she finds a series of mysterious clues that lead her on an adventure through the city, where she ultimately reconnects with her boyfriend, Alex, in a heartwarming and unforgettable way.
00:00 lesson introduction
00:29 English short story
05:17 Language analysis
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
In this lesson, we’ll explore 10 commonly used phrases and phrasal verbs from the story to help you sound more natural in English and improve your understanding. Let’s break them down:
🗨️ “Step off” means to exit a vehicle or mode of transport by stepping down or out of it. "He stepped off the train and looked for a taxi." "As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were greeted by the tour guide."
🗨️ “Grab” means to take hold of something quickly or firmly. "Can you grab me a bottle of water from the fridge?" "I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the door."
🗨️ “Kick off” has two meanings. It can mean to remove something, usually shoes, in a casual way. "At the hotel, she kicked off her shoes to relax." "After a long day, I love kicking off my shoes and lying on the couch." It can also mean to start an event or activity. "Let’s kick off the meeting with a quick update."
🗨️ “Set out” means to begin a journey or task with a specific goal in mind. "We set out early to explore the city before it got too crowded." "She set out to finish her report before the deadline."
🗨️ “Rummage through” means to search for something in a hurried or untidy way. "I rummaged through my bag but couldn’t find my keys." "He rummaged through the drawers looking for a pen."
🗨️ “Scan the room” means to look around quickly, usually to find someone or something. "She scanned the room for a familiar face." "The teacher scanned the room to see who wasn’t paying attention."
🗨️ “Head toward” means to move in the direction of a specific place. "We’re heading toward the park for a picnic." "He headed toward the exit after the meeting ended."
🗨️ “Hand over” means to give something to someone, often formally or with a specific purpose. "The cashier handed over my receipt and change." "He handed over the documents to his lawyer."
🗨️ “Look around” means to observe your surroundings, often when exploring or searching for something. "We looked around the museum for hours." "She looked around the shop for a gift but didn’t find anything."
🗨️ “Slip on” means to put something on quickly, often referring to clothing or accessories. "I slipped on my jacket before heading out." "She slipped on her shoes and ran to catch the bus."
00:00 lesson introduction
00:29 English short story
05:17 Language analysis
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
In this lesson, we’ll explore 10 commonly used phrases and phrasal verbs from the story to help you sound more natural in English and improve your understanding. Let’s break them down:
🗨️ “Step off” means to exit a vehicle or mode of transport by stepping down or out of it. "He stepped off the train and looked for a taxi." "As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were greeted by the tour guide."
🗨️ “Grab” means to take hold of something quickly or firmly. "Can you grab me a bottle of water from the fridge?" "I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the door."
🗨️ “Kick off” has two meanings. It can mean to remove something, usually shoes, in a casual way. "At the hotel, she kicked off her shoes to relax." "After a long day, I love kicking off my shoes and lying on the couch." It can also mean to start an event or activity. "Let’s kick off the meeting with a quick update."
🗨️ “Set out” means to begin a journey or task with a specific goal in mind. "We set out early to explore the city before it got too crowded." "She set out to finish her report before the deadline."
🗨️ “Rummage through” means to search for something in a hurried or untidy way. "I rummaged through my bag but couldn’t find my keys." "He rummaged through the drawers looking for a pen."
🗨️ “Scan the room” means to look around quickly, usually to find someone or something. "She scanned the room for a familiar face." "The teacher scanned the room to see who wasn’t paying attention."
🗨️ “Head toward” means to move in the direction of a specific place. "We’re heading toward the park for a picnic." "He headed toward the exit after the meeting ended."
🗨️ “Hand over” means to give something to someone, often formally or with a specific purpose. "The cashier handed over my receipt and change." "He handed over the documents to his lawyer."
🗨️ “Look around” means to observe your surroundings, often when exploring or searching for something. "We looked around the museum for hours." "She looked around the shop for a gift but didn’t find anything."
🗨️ “Slip on” means to put something on quickly, often referring to clothing or accessories. "I slipped on my jacket before heading out." "She slipped on her shoes and ran to catch the bus."
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Listen to this short story called The Wrong Suitcase to
practice your English listening skills. My name is Jack from
to Fluency. This is a taffluency podcast. Be sure to
turn on subtitles. Listen to it once without subtitles, and
then again with subtitles, and then stay until the end
(00:20):
because we're going to go through keywords and phrases used
in the story. Let's get started. The Wrong Suitcase lean aside.
As she stood on the baggage carousel watching the suitcase's
spin by. She was exhausted after a flight to Florence
for a work conference. All she wanted was to grab
(00:42):
a suitcase, head to a hotel and sleep. Finally, she
spotted her bag, or at least she thought it was
her bag, a black suitcase with the same bright pink
ribbon she always tied to the handle. She grabbed it,
rolled it out of the airport and into a taxi.
When she arrived at her hotel, she kicked off her
(01:04):
shoes and unzipped the suitcase. That's when she froze. Inside
was not her carefully packed workoutfits, but a neatly folded dress,
a box of chocolates, and an envelope with a name
written on it. Her heart raised as she opened the envelope.
Inside was a note, this suitcase isn't a mistake. Followed
(01:28):
the clues. A Lena stared at the note, confused. A
that could only mean Alex, her boyfriend of two years.
But what was he doing in Florence. She had left
him back home, thousands of miles away, saying goodbye at
the airport just yesterday. She picked up her phone and
(01:49):
called him. No answer. She tried texting him nothing. Frustrated
but curious, she rummaged through the suitcase and found another
note taped to the chocolates. Go to the cafe where
you had your first cappuccino in Florence. Lina smiled. Alex
had joined her on her first work trip to Florence
(02:11):
last year, and they had stumbled into a small cafe
near the city center. She remembered the way he had
laughed at her trying to order in Italian. After a rest,
Lina set out, the suitcase rolling behind her. The streets
of Florence were just as beautiful as she remembered, with
cobblestones on the foot and the smell of fresh pastries
(02:31):
in the air. When she reached the cafe. She stepped
inside and scanned the room. On a small table near
the window was a cappuccino and a note. Lina sat
down and opened it. I know you're busy with work,
but I hope you'll make time for this adventure. Your
next clue is at the Effizi Gallery. Look near the
(02:52):
Botticelli paintings. Lena laughed quietly to herself. Alex knew she
loved the Effizi. She had spent hours in the berth
of Venus on her last trip, admiring every detail. At
the gallery, Lina felt the excitement growing. She walked through
the crowded halls, stopping near Botacelli's famous painting. There, a
(03:13):
museum guide handed her a small envelope. How did you
know to give this to me, she asked, surprised, the
guide smiled. A man came earlier. He described you perfectly.
Lina blushed as she opened the envelope. The note was longer.
Remember when we got lost trying to find the ponte Vecchio,
(03:34):
you said you never forget the view. Go there next.
Lena headed toward the bridge, her heart racing. She could
picture Alex setting this up. His playful smile as he
planned every step. Ponte Vecchio was busy with trus crowd
in the shops along the bridge. Lina searched for another clue,
feeling a little lost. Then she saw a street performer
(03:57):
holding a rose. Are you Lina? The performer asked yes,
She replied, feeling a mix of surprise and anticipation. The
performer handed her a rose in a note, this is
the last stop. Come to the Piazza Michelangelo at sunset.
By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon,
(04:17):
Lina was climbing the steps to the Piazza Michelangelo. The
view of Florence stretched out before her, bathed in golden light.
Her heart pounded as she scanned the square, and then
she saw him. Alex stood near the edge of the piazza,
hooding a small black box. Tears filled Lena's eyes as
she walked towards him. You did all this, Alex, grinned.
(04:41):
I figured if you were going to Florence for work,
it was a perfect chance to remind you how much
I love you. He dropped to one knee and opened
the box, revealing a sparkling ring. Lina, will you marry me?
Lena laughed through her tears. Yes, Yes, of course. The
(05:02):
tourists around them clapped as Alex slipped the ring onto
her finger. As they hugged, Lina couldn't stop smiling. What
had started as a work trip turned into the most
unforgettable adventure of her life. In this story, we explored
ten commonly used phrases and a lot of phrasal verbs.
(05:24):
Let's break those down now so you can understand their
meanings and how they're used in everyday conversations. These phrases
will help you sound more natural when speaking English, and
it will help you understand English better. The first one
is step off, and step off means to exit a
(05:45):
vehicle or a mode of transport by stepping down or
out of it. So in the story, Lena stepped off
the plane feeling tired but excited, She stepped off the plane.
For examples, he stepped off the train and looked for
a taxi. As soon as we stepped off the bus,
(06:06):
we were greeted by the tour guide. Number two is grab.
To grab means to take hold of something quickly or firmly,
and it's often used in casual situations. In the story,
she grabbed the suitcase. Thinking it was hers, she grabbed
the suitcase. Other examples, can you grab me a bottle
(06:30):
of water from the fridge. Can you grab me a
bottle of water from the fridge. I grabbed my bag
and rushed out of the door. I grabbed my bag
and rushed out of the door. The third one is
one that is a little bit more advanced. It's to
kick off. To kick off. Now, there are various meanings
(06:50):
for this, but in the story at the hotel, she
kicked off her shoes to relax. At the hotel, she
kicked off her shoe to relax. So to kick off
means to remove something, usually shoes, in a casual way.
Another example is, after a long day, I love kicking
(07:11):
off my shoes and lying on the couch. After a
long day, I love kicking off my shoes and lying
on the couch. Kickoff can also mean to start an
event or activity. For example, let's kick off the meeting
with a quick update. Let's kick off the meeting with
a quick update. Them before is set out. Set out
(07:35):
to set out means to be gaining a journey or
a task with a specific goal in mind. In the story,
Lina set out to follow the clues Alex had left.
Lina set out to follow the clues Alex had left.
Other examples are, we set out early to explore the
city before it got too crowded. This is something I
(07:57):
like to do on vacation. We see set out early
to explore the city before it got too crowded. And
another example, she set out to finish her report before
the deadline. She set out to finish her report before
the deadline. I like number five, which is rummage through.
Rummage through. To rummage through means to search for something
(08:20):
in a hurried or untidy way. So in the story,
Lena rummaged through her suitcase to find more clues. She
rummaged through the suitcase to find more clues. Other examples,
I rummaged through my bag but couldn't find my keys.
I rummaged through my bag but couldn't find my keys.
(08:41):
And he rummaged through the draws looking for a pen.
He rummaged through the draws looking for a pen. You're
halfway through the language analysis, so let's keep going. Before
you do, be sure to check the description for English
learning resources, and also for all of the phrases in
(09:01):
this story. Number six is scanned the room to scan
the room, and to scan the room means to look
around quickly, usually to find someone or something. In the story,
it said at the cafe, she scanned the room for
her next clue. At the cafe, she scanned the room
for her next clue. Other examples are, she scanned the
(09:23):
room for a familiar face. She scanned the room for
a familiar face, and the teacher scanned the room to
see who wasn't paying attention. The teachers scanned the room
to see who wasn't paying attention. Number seven is head toward.
You might also hear head towards now. To head toward
(09:46):
means to move in the direction of a specific place,
and in the story, she headed toward the Eufizi Gallery,
excited for the next stop. Hopefully I am pronouncing that correctly.
Other examples are, we're heading toward the park for a picnic.
We're heading toward the park for a picnic, and he
(10:10):
headed toward the exit after the meeting ended. He headed
toward the exit after the meeting ended. Number eight is handover.
To hand over means to give something to someone. This
is often formal with a specific purpose, and in the story,
the performer handed over a rose and a note. Other
(10:33):
examples are the cashier handed over my receipt and change.
The cashier handed over with my receipt and change, and
he handed over the documents to his lawyer. He handed
over the documents to his lawyer. Number nine is look around.
To look around means to observe your surroundings, often when
(10:56):
you're exploring or searching for something. In the story, Lena
looked around the piazza searching for Alex. Other examples, we
looked around the museum for hours. We looked around the
museum for hours. And she looked around the shop for
a gift but didn't find anything. She looked around the
(11:19):
shop for a gift, but didn't find anything. And number
ten is slip on. To slip on means to put
something on quickly, often referring to clothing or accessories. So
in the story, Alex slipped on the ring after Lena
said yes. Other examples are I slipped on my jacket
(11:41):
before heading out. I slipped on my jacket before heading out,
and she slipped on her shoes and ran to catch
the bus. She slipped on her shoes and ran to
catch the bus. So that is today's lesson. If you
want to learn more English with me, then check the
description to go through the different lessons that I have
(12:02):
available for you. If you are on YouTube, then simply
click on more videos. If you're on the podcast, continue
listening with me. And if you enjoyed this then I
would appreciate it greatly if you shared it with a friend,
So click that share button and send it to somebody
who would benefit from this lesson. Thank you for watching
(12:25):
or listening, and I will speak too soon. Bye for now.
Listen to this short story called The Wrong Suitcase to
practice your English listening skills. My name is Jack from
to Fluency. This is a taffluency podcast. Be sure to
turn on subtitles. Listen to it once without subtitles, and
then again with subtitles, and then stay until the end
(00:20):
because we're going to go through keywords and phrases used
in the story. Let's get started. The Wrong Suitcase lean aside.
As she stood on the baggage carousel watching the suitcase's
spin by. She was exhausted after a flight to Florence
for a work conference. All she wanted was to grab
(00:42):
a suitcase, head to a hotel and sleep. Finally, she
spotted her bag, or at least she thought it was
her bag, a black suitcase with the same bright pink
ribbon she always tied to the handle. She grabbed it,
rolled it out of the airport and into a taxi.
When she arrived at her hotel, she kicked off her
(01:04):
shoes and unzipped the suitcase. That's when she froze. Inside
was not her carefully packed workoutfits, but a neatly folded dress,
a box of chocolates, and an envelope with a name
written on it. Her heart raised as she opened the envelope.
Inside was a note, this suitcase isn't a mistake. Followed
(01:28):
the clues. A Lena stared at the note, confused. A
that could only mean Alex, her boyfriend of two years.
But what was he doing in Florence. She had left
him back home, thousands of miles away, saying goodbye at
the airport just yesterday. She picked up her phone and
(01:49):
called him. No answer. She tried texting him nothing. Frustrated
but curious, she rummaged through the suitcase and found another
note taped to the chocolates. Go to the cafe where
you had your first cappuccino in Florence. Lina smiled. Alex
had joined her on her first work trip to Florence
(02:11):
last year, and they had stumbled into a small cafe
near the city center. She remembered the way he had
laughed at her trying to order in Italian. After a rest,
Lina set out, the suitcase rolling behind her. The streets
of Florence were just as beautiful as she remembered, with
cobblestones on the foot and the smell of fresh pastries
(02:31):
in the air. When she reached the cafe. She stepped
inside and scanned the room. On a small table near
the window was a cappuccino and a note. Lina sat
down and opened it. I know you're busy with work,
but I hope you'll make time for this adventure. Your
next clue is at the Effizi Gallery. Look near the
(02:52):
Botticelli paintings. Lena laughed quietly to herself. Alex knew she
loved the Effizi. She had spent hours in the berth
of Venus on her last trip, admiring every detail. At
the gallery, Lina felt the excitement growing. She walked through
the crowded halls, stopping near Botacelli's famous painting. There, a
(03:13):
museum guide handed her a small envelope. How did you
know to give this to me, she asked, surprised, the
guide smiled. A man came earlier. He described you perfectly.
Lina blushed as she opened the envelope. The note was longer.
Remember when we got lost trying to find the ponte Vecchio,
(03:34):
you said you never forget the view. Go there next.
Lena headed toward the bridge, her heart racing. She could
picture Alex setting this up. His playful smile as he
planned every step. Ponte Vecchio was busy with trus crowd
in the shops along the bridge. Lina searched for another clue,
feeling a little lost. Then she saw a street performer
(03:57):
holding a rose. Are you Lina? The performer asked yes,
She replied, feeling a mix of surprise and anticipation. The
performer handed her a rose in a note, this is
the last stop. Come to the Piazza Michelangelo at sunset.
By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon,
(04:17):
Lina was climbing the steps to the Piazza Michelangelo. The
view of Florence stretched out before her, bathed in golden light.
Her heart pounded as she scanned the square, and then
she saw him. Alex stood near the edge of the piazza,
hooding a small black box. Tears filled Lena's eyes as
she walked towards him. You did all this, Alex, grinned.
(04:41):
I figured if you were going to Florence for work,
it was a perfect chance to remind you how much
I love you. He dropped to one knee and opened
the box, revealing a sparkling ring. Lina, will you marry me?
Lena laughed through her tears. Yes, Yes, of course. The
(05:02):
tourists around them clapped as Alex slipped the ring onto
her finger. As they hugged, Lina couldn't stop smiling. What
had started as a work trip turned into the most
unforgettable adventure of her life. In this story, we explored
ten commonly used phrases and a lot of phrasal verbs.
(05:24):
Let's break those down now so you can understand their
meanings and how they're used in everyday conversations. These phrases
will help you sound more natural when speaking English, and
it will help you understand English better. The first one
is step off, and step off means to exit a
(05:45):
vehicle or a mode of transport by stepping down or
out of it. So in the story, Lena stepped off
the plane feeling tired but excited, She stepped off the plane.
For examples, he stepped off the train and looked for
a taxi. As soon as we stepped off the bus,
(06:06):
we were greeted by the tour guide. Number two is grab.
To grab means to take hold of something quickly or firmly,
and it's often used in casual situations. In the story,
she grabbed the suitcase. Thinking it was hers, she grabbed
the suitcase. Other examples, can you grab me a bottle
(06:30):
of water from the fridge. Can you grab me a
bottle of water from the fridge. I grabbed my bag
and rushed out of the door. I grabbed my bag
and rushed out of the door. The third one is
one that is a little bit more advanced. It's to
kick off. To kick off. Now, there are various meanings
(06:50):
for this, but in the story at the hotel, she
kicked off her shoes to relax. At the hotel, she
kicked off her shoe to relax. So to kick off
means to remove something, usually shoes, in a casual way.
Another example is, after a long day, I love kicking
(07:11):
off my shoes and lying on the couch. After a
long day, I love kicking off my shoes and lying
on the couch. Kickoff can also mean to start an
event or activity. For example, let's kick off the meeting
with a quick update. Let's kick off the meeting with
a quick update. Them before is set out. Set out
(07:35):
to set out means to be gaining a journey or
a task with a specific goal in mind. In the story,
Lina set out to follow the clues Alex had left.
Lina set out to follow the clues Alex had left.
Other examples are, we set out early to explore the
city before it got too crowded. This is something I
(07:57):
like to do on vacation. We see set out early
to explore the city before it got too crowded. And
another example, she set out to finish her report before
the deadline. She set out to finish her report before
the deadline. I like number five, which is rummage through.
Rummage through. To rummage through means to search for something
(08:20):
in a hurried or untidy way. So in the story,
Lena rummaged through her suitcase to find more clues. She
rummaged through the suitcase to find more clues. Other examples,
I rummaged through my bag but couldn't find my keys.
I rummaged through my bag but couldn't find my keys.
(08:41):
And he rummaged through the draws looking for a pen.
He rummaged through the draws looking for a pen. You're
halfway through the language analysis, so let's keep going. Before
you do, be sure to check the description for English
learning resources, and also for all of the phrases in
(09:01):
this story. Number six is scanned the room to scan
the room, and to scan the room means to look
around quickly, usually to find someone or something. In the story,
it said at the cafe, she scanned the room for
her next clue. At the cafe, she scanned the room
for her next clue. Other examples are, she scanned the
(09:23):
room for a familiar face. She scanned the room for
a familiar face, and the teacher scanned the room to
see who wasn't paying attention. The teachers scanned the room
to see who wasn't paying attention. Number seven is head toward.
You might also hear head towards now. To head toward
(09:46):
means to move in the direction of a specific place,
and in the story, she headed toward the Eufizi Gallery,
excited for the next stop. Hopefully I am pronouncing that correctly.
Other examples are, we're heading toward the park for a picnic.
We're heading toward the park for a picnic, and he
(10:10):
headed toward the exit after the meeting ended. He headed
toward the exit after the meeting ended. Number eight is handover.
To hand over means to give something to someone. This
is often formal with a specific purpose, and in the story,
the performer handed over a rose and a note. Other
(10:33):
examples are the cashier handed over my receipt and change.
The cashier handed over with my receipt and change, and
he handed over the documents to his lawyer. He handed
over the documents to his lawyer. Number nine is look around.
To look around means to observe your surroundings, often when
(10:56):
you're exploring or searching for something. In the story, Lena
looked around the piazza searching for Alex. Other examples, we
looked around the museum for hours. We looked around the
museum for hours. And she looked around the shop for
a gift but didn't find anything. She looked around the
(11:19):
shop for a gift, but didn't find anything. And number
ten is slip on. To slip on means to put
something on quickly, often referring to clothing or accessories. So
in the story, Alex slipped on the ring after Lena
said yes. Other examples are I slipped on my jacket
(11:41):
before heading out. I slipped on my jacket before heading out,
and she slipped on her shoes and ran to catch
the bus. She slipped on her shoes and ran to
catch the bus. So that is today's lesson. If you
want to learn more English with me, then check the
description to go through the different lessons that I have
(12:02):
available for you. If you are on YouTube, then simply
click on more videos. If you're on the podcast, continue
listening with me. And if you enjoyed this then I
would appreciate it greatly if you shared it with a friend,
So click that share button and send it to somebody
who would benefit from this lesson. Thank you for watching
(12:25):
or listening, and I will speak too soon. Bye for now.
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