Check in

Check in

“Check in.”

You’ve almost definitely heard this term used in travel experiences. And that is the most popular way to use it. But today, you’ll learn a few ways of using “check in.”

To “check in” is to register with a company or a person, to let them know that you’re there. Let’s start with travel; that’s the easiest.

Check in at hotels and airports

When you get to the airport and confirm that you’re there, you check in. You tell the airline you’re there. That’s when they give you your boarding pass. When you check in for an international flight, you usually have to show your passport.

You can use “check in” at a hotel, too. You walk through the door, you’re carrying your bags, you approach the front desk, and you say: “I’m here to check in” or “I’m checking in.” You’re telling them that you’re there.

Any time that you have to confirm that you’re there, to claim your reservation, you’re checking in. “Check in” is not the same as standing in line or showing your ticket. It’s about telling the company that you’re there.

You typically don’t check into a train or a bus; you just show your ticket as you get on.

Check in with experiences

Some experiences require you to check in. Imagine that you’re going on a food tour. You bought a ticket online in advance. The tour company might ask you to come to the office to check in. That means, you’ll go to the office, tell them you’re there, they’ll confirm your reservation, and show you where to go.

Just like with a hotel or airline, you tell the company your name. They confirm you’re on the list. Then they show you where to go for the tour.

If you’ve registered to run a road race, you should get to the race early to check in. When you check in for the race, they confirm that you’re registered. They might give you a number or a badge. And they show you where to go to start the race.

You can use “check in” with some experiences that are less fun. If you have a dentist appointment, you would go into the office and check in at the reception desk. You tell the receptionist that you’re there. He or she confirms your appointment and asks you to take a seat.

Check in without a reservation

There are some times you might check in without an appointment or a reservation. In this case, “check in” simply means to register your arrival.

If you need to go to the emergency room at the hospital, you’ll have to check in. It’s an emergency; you clearly don’t have an appointment. But you still have to check in: you have to show your identification and tell them why you’re there.

If you’re called to serve on a jury , you have to check in at the jury room in the courthouse on the day of your service. If you’ve registered for a large conference or business meeting, you check in at the registration table on the first day.

Check into

“Check in” works by itself. But you often put “to” after “in.” And when that happens, you make “in” and “to” just one word: “check into.”

I still need to check into my hotel. “Into” is one word. If you’re summoned for jury duty, you might have to check into the clerk’s office in the courthouse.

See you next time!

And that is all for us here at Plain English. This was lesson number 703. So remember, each Plain English lesson has quizzes, exercises, and a chance to practice what you’ve learned. So if you just listen, then you’re only getting part of the experience.

Check out the full experience at PlainEnglish.com/703. We’ll be back on Monday with a new topic. See you then.