I’ve noticed that many English learners have difficulty talking about how to relax. In this post you can read about how NOT to relax. I will also show you the 4 forms of the word relax to use and how to use them in a sentence!
How NOT to use relax:
1. After a hard day at work, I just want to relax myself
*You cannot ‘relax yourself’. When you use the verb relax the listener already knows from the verb that you are doing it to yourself. You don’t need to say ‘He relaxes himself‘ or ‘I relax myself.’
2. I get more relaxed when I exercise.
*Relaxed is not something you can get. You can feel it or be it.
How to use relax:
1. Relax (verb)
After a hard day at work, I just want to relax.
I find it difficult to relax when I’m working on a stressful project at work.
I like to relax by watching TV, listening to music, or going to the gym.
When I want to relax, I put on some comfortable clothes and I read a good book.
I relaxed when I realized the plane wasn’t going to crash.
Relax! There’s no reason to get so worked up over such a small problem.
What are you doing right now?
~ I’m just relaxing.
2. Relaxing (Noun – gerund)
We spent our vacation relaxing on the beach in Mexico.
Ways of relaxing include taking a bath, going for a walk or listening to music.
Here’s a picture of my mom and I relaxing on the deck.
Some people like to spend Victoria Day relaxing at home.
3. Relaxed (adjective)
After a day at the spa, I always feel so relaxed!
I just took a bath. I feel so relaxed now!
When I saw her after the exam, she seemed very relaxed.
I love going to that gym. It has such a relaxed atmosphere.
He always looks so relaxed when he’s giving a speech.
Even though the project was over budget and out of time, the project manager always seemed so relaxed.
4. Relaxing (adjective)
A swim in the ocean, a massage and an afternoon nap – what a relaxing way to spend the day!
I find gardening so relaxing.
When I have trouble sleeping, I put on some relaxing music.
After a hard day at work, I like to take a hot bath. It’s so relaxing.
She has a very relaxing way of speaking.
Melanie is a TESL-certified English teacher. She lives near Toronto, Canada. Through her blog, videos, podcasts, and social media, she helps thousands of people around the world improve their English. She makes English a little less confusing and a little more fun! She also helps people understand Canadian and American culture. She believes that natural interaction with a native speaker helps people practice what they have learned and builds their confidence with English!
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