Rank your favourite parts of a celebration, from the bit you live for to the bit you could skip.

B Natural answer

For me, the ranking is pretty clear. The best part is the opening moment because everyone finally relaxes and the event starts to feel real. Next comes catching up, since that is where the celebration actually feels personal. After that, I enjoy the music and dancing if the mood is right. What I could easily skip is the long time between arriving and when people actually begin the main activity. That part can feel slow and a bit awkward. Once things get moving, though, I usually enjoy the whole evening.

Key phrases in this answer

• the opening moment — the first exciting part when something begins“The opening moment is always my favourite.”
• catching up — talking to people about recent news“I spend most of the night catching up.”
• the music and dancing — the lively entertainment part“The music and dancing come later in the evening.”
• the food first — the food is the top priority“At a party, I'm all about "the food first."”
• seeing everyone — meeting lots of familiar people“My favourite part is seeing everyone at once.”
• the late-night chatting — relaxed conversation that happens late“I usually enjoy the late-night chatting most.”