How to quit nicotine
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Think about these questions before listening. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Think about a habit you've tried to change, either successfully or unsuccessfully. What made the process either difficult or easy?
- If a close friend was trying to break a difficult habit, what kind of support do you think would be most helpful, and what might actually be unhelpful?
- Beyond health concerns, what are some of the powerful motivators that might push someone to quit a long-term habit like using nicotine?
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Kicking the Habit
Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.
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Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the audio recording.
01What method is Marco using to quit his coffee habit, and what is the negative consequence he's experiencing?
Sample answerHe is going 'cold turkey,' which means stopping suddenly. As a result, he is having awful withdrawal symptoms.
02What does Marco regret about the way he chose to quit?
Sample answerHe regrets stopping so suddenly. He says, 'if I hadn't stopped so suddenly, I wouldn't be having these awful withdrawal symptoms now,' which shows his regret.
03What specific fear does Marco express to Emma about his progress?
Sample answerHe expresses his fear that he is going to relapse. He mentions that he almost bought an espresso that morning.
04How does Emma try to reassure Marco when he worries about relapsing?
Sample answerShe tells him not to be so hard on himself, reminding him that thinking about having coffee isn't the same as actually doing it. She also reminds him of his original motivation for quitting.
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Key vocabulary for quitting a habit
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about the challenges and process of quitting a habit.
Examples
Go cold turkey — to stop a bad habit suddenly and completely, rather than gradually.
This is an informal idiom. It's often used to describe quitting addictive substances like nicotine or caffeine. For example: 'He tried to quit smoking by going cold turkey, but the withdrawal symptoms were too intense.'
Relapse — to return to a previous bad condition or habit after a period of improvement.
This word can be used as both a noun ('He had a relapse last month') and a verb ('She was afraid she would relapse under stress'). It's common in discussions about addiction and recovery.
Kick the habit — to successfully stop doing something that is a habit, especially a bad one.
This is a common and informal way to talk about quitting. It's often followed by 'for good', meaning permanently. For example: 'After years of trying, she finally managed to kick the habit for good.'
A slippery slope — a course of action that is likely to lead to something worse or more dangerous.
Use this phrase to describe how a small, seemingly harmless decision can lead to a full relapse. For example: 'He thought having just one cigarette wouldn't hurt, but he knew it was a slippery slope.'
Withdrawal symptoms — the unpleasant physical and mental effects that someone experiences after stopping an addictive substance.
This is a standard term used in both medical and general contexts. Common examples include irritability, headaches, and anxiety. For example: 'The first few days are the hardest because the withdrawal symptoms are at their peak.'
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Phrases for talking about quitting
Quitting a habit involves many stages. These phrases describe common experiences and strategies.
Match the beginning of each sentence with its correct ending.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
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The quitting journey
Read the passage about the challenges of quitting a bad habit.
Fill in each blank with the correct word or phrase from the word bank.
Word bank
Deciding to is a major first step, but the journey is often challenging. Some people try to and stop abruptly, which can trigger severe . It's easy to think one small slip-up is harmless, but it can be that leads to a complete . Ultimately, success depends on finding a sustainable strategy and strong support.
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Grammar: Mixed conditionals
Grammar
Mixed conditionals combine different conditional types to show how a hypothetical past action affects the present, or how a general present state affected a past action. They are perfect for reflecting on past decisions and their current consequences, a common part of quitting a habit.
Examples
If I had listened to my doctor's advice last year, I would be healthier now.
This connects a hypothetical past action (if + past perfect) with a present result (would + infinitive).
She wouldn't have started smoking if she weren't so stressed at work all the time.
This connects a past result (would have + past participle) with a continuous present condition (if + past simple).
If I didn't have such a supportive family, I would have given up trying to quit a long time ago.
Here, a general truth about the present (having a supportive family) affects a past possibility (giving up).
Key points
- Past condition, present result: If + had + past participle, ...would + infinitive.
- Present condition, past result: If + past simple, ...would have + past participle.
- These structures are used to express regret or reflect on how things could be different.
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Find the mistake
Read the sentences below. Each one has a single error related to grammar or vocabulary. Can you spot it and fix it?
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01If I wasn't so stressed at work these days, I wouldn't have had a relapse last weekend.
Corrected version
If I wasn't weren't so stressed at work these days, I wouldn't have had a relapse last weekend.
02The physical dependant on nicotine makes it incredibly difficult to kick the habit.
Corrected version
The physical dependant dependence on nicotine makes it incredibly difficult to kick the habit.
03He's experiencing some severe withdrawl symptoms, but he's determined to stay on track.
Corrected version
He's experiencing some severe withdrawl withdrawal symptoms, but he's determined to stay on track.
04I would have more energy now if I didn't smoke that cigarette last night.
Corrected version
I would have more energy now if I didn't smoke hadn't smoked that cigarette last night.
05My brother decided to make cold turkey and gave up sugar completely.
Corrected version
My brother decided to make go cold turkey and gave up sugar completely.
06Thinking that you can have 'just one' is a slippery hill that often leads to a full relapse.
Corrected version
Thinking that you can have 'just one' is a slippery hill slope that often leads to a full relapse.
07Since she has quit vaping three months ago, she says her breathing has improved a lot.
Corrected version
Since she has quit vaping three months ago, she says her breathing has improved a lot.
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The challenge of quitting
Read the passage below, then answer the comprehension questions.
For many, the decision to kick a habit like smoking is the easy part; the real challenge begins on day one. Take the case of Alex, who decided to go cold turkey after a decade of daily smoking. He knew that for him, trying to reduce his intake slowly would be a slippery slope leading right back to where he started. The initial 72 hours were a battle. The physical withdrawal symptoms were intense, but the psychological pull was even stronger. One evening, after a particularly stressful meeting, the urge was overwhelming. If Alex weren't so determined to improve his health, he would have certainly bought a pack of cigarettes that night. He understood that a single moment of weakness could trigger a full relapse, undoing all his hard work. Resisting that one cigarette was, in his mind, the most important victory of his entire journey.
01Why did Alex choose to 'go cold turkey' instead of quitting gradually?
Sample answerHe believed that quitting gradually would be a 'slippery slope' that would lead him back to his old habit.
02What did Alex find more difficult to deal with than the physical symptoms?
Sample answerHe found the psychological pull, or the mental urge to smoke, more difficult to deal with.
03What does the passage imply about Alex's character?
Sample answerIt implies that he is very determined and has strong willpower, as he was able to resist a powerful urge during a stressful time.
04According to the text, what was Alex's main fear about having just one cigarette?
Sample answerHe was afraid that it would cause a complete relapse, meaning he would go back to smoking regularly and lose all his progress.
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Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- Some people believe the only way to truly kick a habit is to go cold turkey, while others argue a gradual approach is more sustainable and reduces the risk of a relapse. Which method do you think is generally more effective, and why? Consider the psychological and physical challenges, like withdrawal symptoms.
- In your country, what is the general attitude towards habits like smoking or vaping? Do you think government policies, such as high taxes or public bans, are effective in helping people kick the habit, or do they have unintended consequences?
- The idea of a 'gateway drug' or a 'slippery slope' suggests that starting one small bad habit can lead to more serious ones. To what extent do you believe this is true? Can you think of examples where a seemingly minor habit became a slippery slope towards bigger problems?