Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! In your home country, there are some phrases that are so common you use them or hear them every day. The same is true in USA too, so why not give your English an instant boost by learning them in this video lesson? With Alisha’s help, you’ll be sounding like a [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-37-10-most-romantic-ideas-for-a-date/
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Can & Can’t Drawing Coin Game
New Entry: 'Can & Can’t Drawing Coin Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-can-cant-drawing-coin-game/
Tuesday, 30 January 2018
To cut a long story short
Have you got a story to tell? Here's a phrase about just telling the important bits
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05wk2wk
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05wk2wk
Monday, 29 January 2018
A thing
Beards have been 'a thing' for a while. Is it now time to shave them off?
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05wfxgb
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05wfxgb
Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #2 - Shapes
Lesson Audio Download MP3 Dialog Download MP3
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-2-shapes/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-2-shapes/
Sunday, 28 January 2018
English Vocab Builder #131 - Clothing
Lesson Audio Download MP3
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-131-clothing/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-131-clothing/
Saturday, 27 January 2018
Friday, 26 January 2018
Everyday Grammar: Put Prepositions in Their Place
English learners know that prepositions can be difficult to master. There are 94 one-word prepositions in English, and about 56 prepositions with two or more words, called “complex prepositions.” This adds up to 150 chances to make mistakes. We cannot, of course, explain the small differences between all 150 prepositions here. We can, however, provide you with a few explanations of different prepositions that use one particular verb: provide. Provide (someone) with: When provide is followed by an indirect object, English speakers use the preposition “with.” Providing (someone) with something means to give something wanted or needed. Here is an example sentence, written by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama: “Room to Read provides girls with scholarships that cover the cost of housing, food, and books.” In this sentence, “girls” is the indirect object and “scholarships” is the direct object. Provide for: Another preposition with the same verb is “provide for.” “Provide for,” in general, means to make whatever is necessary for someone available to him or her. We often use this expression when we talk about parents providing for their family. In a VOA Learning English story about a Cambodian-American filmmaker, we used the preposition in this way: “She says changes such as migration away from rural areas are allowing more women to find work and provide for their families.” This preposition can also be used in other ways. “Provide for” can mean to make it possible for something to happen in the future. For example, in our story about water shortage in California, we wrote, “They say it [California] needs to find a way to provide for the growing need for water.” Provide (something) to/for: When “provide” is followed by a direct object, English speakers can use the prepositions “to” or “for.” Provide (something) to/for (someone) means that you deliver or give something to someone. For example, “The company provides health insurance to all of its employees.” “Health insurance” is the direct object and “employees” is the indirect object. In this example, we also could have said “The company provides health insurance for all of its employees.” Both of these sentences are correct, but it is more common to use “provide (something) for” than “provide (something to)” someone. The expression using “to” is rather new to American English, according to the Internet application Google Ngrams. Google Ngrams is an app that shows general changes in English usage by searching all the words in Google’s digital books. The graph on Ngram for “provide (something) to” shows it was hardly ever used before 1960. Compare that to the Ngram graph for “provide (something for).” The expressions appear more often. The expressions also appeared much earlier, around 1920. They were used then almost as often as they are used now. Understanding English prepositions can be difficult, even for native speakers! But we hope that we have been able to provide assistance to all of our listeners and readers. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story prepositions - n. a word or group of words that is used with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object direct object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase which indicates the person or thing that receives the action of a verb indirect object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that occurs in addition to a direct object after some verbs and indicates the person or thing that receives what is being given or done
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-prepositions-provide/2701412.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-prepositions-provide/2701412.html
Everyday Grammar: Put Prepositions in Their Place
English learners know that prepositions can be difficult to master. There are 94 one-word prepositions in English, and about 56 prepositions with two or more words, called “complex prepositions.” This adds up to 150 chances to make mistakes. We cannot, of course, explain the small differences between all 150 prepositions here. We can, however, provide you with a few explanations of different prepositions that use one particular verb: provide. Provide (someone) with: When provide is followed by an indirect object, English speakers use the preposition “with.” Providing (someone) with something means to give something wanted or needed. Here is an example sentence, written by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama: “Room to Read provides girls with scholarships that cover the cost of housing, food, and books.” In this sentence, “girls” is the indirect object and “scholarships” is the direct object. Provide for: Another preposition with the same verb is “provide for.” “Provide for,” in general, means to make whatever is necessary for someone available to him or her. We often use this expression when we talk about parents providing for their family. In a VOA Learning English story about a Cambodian-American filmmaker, we used the preposition in this way: “She says changes such as migration away from rural areas are allowing more women to find work and provide for their families.” This preposition can also be used in other ways. “Provide for” can mean to make it possible for something to happen in the future. For example, in our story about water shortage in California, we wrote, “They say it [California] needs to find a way to provide for the growing need for water.” Provide (something) to/for: When “provide” is followed by a direct object, English speakers can use the prepositions “to” or “for.” Provide (something) to/for (someone) means that you deliver or give something to someone. For example, “The company provides health insurance to all of its employees.” “Health insurance” is the direct object and “employees” is the indirect object. In this example, we also could have said “The company provides health insurance for all of its employees.” Both of these sentences are correct, but it is more common to use “provide (something) for” than “provide (something to)” someone. The expression using “to” is rather new to American English, according to the Internet application Google Ngrams. Google Ngrams is an app that shows general changes in English usage by searching all the words in Google’s digital books. The graph on Ngram for “provide (something) to” shows it was hardly ever used before 1960. Compare that to the Ngram graph for “provide (something for).” The expressions appear more often. The expressions also appeared much earlier, around 1920. They were used then almost as often as they are used now. Understanding English prepositions can be difficult, even for native speakers! But we hope that we have been able to provide assistance to all of our listeners and readers. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story prepositions - n. a word or group of words that is used with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object direct object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase which indicates the person or thing that receives the action of a verb indirect object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that occurs in addition to a direct object after some verbs and indicates the person or thing that receives what is being given or done
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-prepositions-provide/2701412.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-prepositions-provide/2701412.html
Lesson 18: She Always Does That
Summary Anna reads the news for the first time. She learns that there is a right way and a wrong way to read the news. Speaking Learn the new words for this lesson in this video. Also, learn the phrasal verb "got it" to show understanding. Pronunciation This video teaches about shortened forms of object pronouns that begin with a /th/ or /h/ sound. You also learn about two different ways to pronounce the "s" ending on verbs like "talks" and "says." Conversation Anna: Hello, from Washington, D.C.! Today at work I am reading the news for the first time. I am really nervous. But my boss, Ms. Weaver, is here to help me. Caty: Now, Anna, remember. When we read the news we are always reading facts. We never show our feelings. Anna: Sure thing, Ms. Weaver. Caty: Great. Are you ready? Anna: Yes. Caty: Okay, let’s try the first story! Anna: Hello, and welcome to The News. Anna: A new book is very popular with children and families. This is it. Anna: It is about a lost duckling. The duck's mother cannot find him. Caty: Stop! Anna, when you say the words “duck” and “duckling” you look really sad. Anna: I do? Caty: Yes. Sad is a feeling. Anna: Sad is not a fact. Sorry. Let me try again. Caty: Okay, she’s trying again! And go. Anna: Hello, and welcome to The News. A new book is very popular with children and families. This is it. Anna: It is about a lost duckling. The duck’s mother can not find ‘im. But a family gives him a home. Caty: Stop! Anna, you are doing it again. Anna: This story is very sad. Caty: I have an idea. Let’s read the second story. She’s reading the second story. And … go! Anna: Hello , and welcome to The News. In Indiana, a grandmother is the first 80-year-old woman to win The Race Car 500. Anna: That is awesome! Caty: Stop! Stop! Anna, please -- no feelings. Anna: Right. But it is awesome that an 80-year-old grandmother wins a car race. Caty: Just the facts, Anna. Anna: Right. Anna: Hello, and welcome to The News. In Indiana, a grandmother is the first 80-year-old woman to win The Race Car 500. Anna: She rarely talks to reporters. But when she does, she often says, “Nothing can stop me now!” Anna: I am very happy for her! Caty: Stop, stop, stop!! Anna, you cannot say you are happy. Anna: But I am happy. Caty: But you can’t say it. Anna: Why? Caty: This is the News. Happy and sad are feelings. You can’t have them in The News. Anna: Okay. I got it. Caty: Okay. Let’s try the third story. She’s reading the third story! Anna: Hello and welcome to The News. City politicians in Big Town are using city money to have a big party on a cruise ship. They are taking the money for the party from the children’s library. Anna: What?! That makes me very angry. Caty: No, no, no! Anna, you cannot say you are angry! This is The News!!! Anna: What can I do, Ms. Weaver? Take out my feelings and put them here … on the news desk? Caty: Yes. Yes. That’s right! Now you’ve got it! Caty: Let’s repeat the first story. Anna: This is going to be a very long day. Anna: Until next time! Writing In this lesson, Anna is nervous because she is reading the news for the first time. How do you feel when you do something for the first time? Write to us to tell us about yourself or a friend doing something at work or school for the first time. Send us an email or write in the Comments section. Use the Activity Sheet to practice writing and using ordinal numbers. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Classify. We can classify kinds of words we learn, or groups of things we need to remember. In the video for this lesson, you see Caty classifying the way she wants Anna to read the news. Caty says, "When we read the news we are always reading facts. We never show our feelings." She is classifying two different things: facts and feelings. Anna needs to learn the difference to read the news the way her boss wants her to do it. How do you classify when you are learning English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz Test your understanding by taking this listening quiz. Play each video, then choose the best answer. ______________________________________________________________ New Words angry – adj. having a strong feeling of being upset or annoyed cruise ship – n. a large ship that stops at different ports and carries passengers who are traveling for pleasure desk – n. a piece of furniture that is like a table and often has drawers duck – n. a bird that swims and has a flat beak, a short neck, a heavy body, short legs, and webbed feet duckling – n. a young duck fact – n. a true piece of information feeling – n. an emotional state or reaction get – v. to understand (something or someone) Indiana – n. state of the U.S. long – adj. lasting or continuing for a great amount of time lost – adj. not knowing where you are or how to get to where you want to go popular – adj. liked or enjoyed by many people race car – n. a very fast car that is used in professional auto racing rarely – adv. not very often repeat – v. to say (something) again sad – adj. not happy story – n. a description of how something happened throw – v. to cause (something) to move out of your hand and through the air by quickly moving your arm forward win – v. to achieve victory in a fight, contest, game, etc. ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice writing ordinal numbers. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Describing frequency of actions; Object pronouns; ordinal numbers Topics: Reacting to information; Facts vs. Feelings Learning Strategy: Classify Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Object pronouns with /h/ sound deleted ['em; 'im] ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-18-she-always-does-that/3357748.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-18-she-always-does-that/3357748.html
Thursday, 25 January 2018
Everyday Grammar: Put Prepositions in Their Place
English learners know that prepositions can be difficult to master. There are 94 one-word prepositions in English, and about 56 prepositions with two or more words, called “complex prepositions.” This adds up to 150 chances to make mistakes. We cannot, of course, explain the small differences between all 150 prepositions here. We can, however, provide you with a few explanations of different prepositions that use one particular verb: provide. Provide (someone) with: When provide is followed by an indirect object, English speakers use the preposition “with.” Providing (someone) with something means to give something wanted or needed. Here is an example sentence, written by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama: “Room to Read provides girls with scholarships that cover the cost of housing, food, and books.” In this sentence, “girls” is the indirect object and “scholarships” is the direct object. Provide for: Another preposition with the same verb is “provide for.” “Provide for,” in general, means to make whatever is necessary for someone available to him or her. We often use this expression when we talk about parents providing for their family. In a VOA Learning English story about a Cambodian-American filmmaker, we used the preposition in this way: “She says changes such as migration away from rural areas are allowing more women to find work and provide for their families.” This preposition can also be used in other ways. “Provide for” can mean to make it possible for something to happen in the future. For example, in our story about water shortage in California, we wrote, “They say it [California] needs to find a way to provide for the growing need for water.” Provide (something) to/for: When “provide” is followed by a direct object, English speakers can use the prepositions “to” or “for.” Provide (something) to/for (someone) means that you deliver or give something to someone. For example, “The company provides health insurance to all of its employees.” “Health insurance” is the direct object and “employees” is the indirect object. In this example, we also could have said “The company provides health insurance for all of its employees.” Both of these sentences are correct, but it is more common to use “provide (something) for” than “provide (something to)” someone. The expression using “to” is rather new to American English, according to the Internet application Google Ngrams. Google Ngrams is an app that shows general changes in English usage by searching all the words in Google’s digital books. The graph on Ngram for “provide (something) to” shows it was hardly ever used before 1960. Compare that to the Ngram graph for “provide (something for).” The expressions appear more often. The expressions also appeared much earlier, around 1920. They were used then almost as often as they are used now. Understanding English prepositions can be difficult, even for native speakers! But we hope that we have been able to provide assistance to all of our listeners and readers. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story prepositions - n. a word or group of words that is used with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object direct object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase which indicates the person or thing that receives the action of a verb indirect object - n. a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that occurs in addition to a direct object after some verbs and indicates the person or thing that receives what is being given or done
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-prepositions-provide/2701412.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-prepositions-provide/2701412.html
The rise of artificial intelligence
Will artificial intelligence ever outperform humans?
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05w16bm
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05w16bm
English Vocab Builder #86 - March Madness Basketball
Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! Our English vocabulary lists are listener favorites, and now we’ve made it even better! In each lesson, you’ll hear the English words and phrases from the English vocabulary lists. Join us for English Vocab Builder! Click here to make your own flashcards using the vocab and phrases introduced in this lesson! Visit us [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-86-march-madness-basketball/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-86-march-madness-basketball/
Wednesday, 24 January 2018
Chankles
New Entry: 'Chankles' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?show=Slang&entry_id=27245
Lion's lair
New Entry: 'Lion's lair' has just been added to the Cockney Rhyming Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?show=Cockney&entry_id=27246
Nationality Word Endings
New Entry: 'Nationality Word Endings' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-nationality-word-endings/
British English Reading Comprehension for Advanced Learners #3 - Reading British English Directions
Learn British English with EnglishClass101.com! Welcome to the British English Reading Comprehension for Advanced Learners series. In this series, you will continue to build up your British English reading skills through lessons focussed on everyday activities like taking the bus or train. You’ll learn how to read notices in the station, directions, confirmation emails, and [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-3-reading-british-english-directions/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-3-reading-british-english-directions/
Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Stand off
New Entry: 'Stand off' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/stand+off.html
Just the ticket
Rob and Feifei help teach a phrase to describe something you really want or need
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05vt2s4
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05vt2s4
British English Reading Comprehension for Advanced Learners #4 - British English Email Instructions
Learn British English with EnglishClass101.com! Welcome to the British English Reading Comprehension for Advanced Learners series. In this series, you will continue to build up your British English reading skills through lessons focussed on everyday activities like taking the bus or train. You’ll learn how to read notices in the station, directions, confirmation emails, and [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-4-british-english-email-instructions/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-4-british-english-email-instructions/
Monday, 22 January 2018
Blocks games for different language points
New Entry: 'Blocks games for different language points' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/blocks-games-for-different-language-points.html
New Lesson
Lesson Video Download Video
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-8-new-lesson/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-8-new-lesson/
American Business English for Beginners #15 - Interrupting and Suggesting Alternatives in English
Learn Business English with EnglishClass101.com! Whether you’ve just started working for an American company or started doing business with one, you’ll need some polished and professional English words and phrases to make a good impression. And that’s exactly where this new Business English series comes in! In this lesson, you’ll learn how to interrupt conversations and [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-15-interrupting-and-suggesting-alternatives-in-english/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-15-interrupting-and-suggesting-alternatives-in-english/
Sunday, 21 January 2018
Friday, 19 January 2018
Lesson 17: Are You Free on Friday?
Summary Anna tries to plan to see a movie with a friend. But they are both very busy. Will they find a time to get together? What will they do? Speaking English has two ways to show something is happening at a future time. To form the simple future, use will and then the simple form of the verb. You can use will to express a desire to do something. The second form of the simple future is be going to. Use "be + going to" when you already have a plan to do something. Pronunciation There are also two shortened forms of future verbs. In casual conversation, most Americans will change going to to gonna. English speakers often change we will to we’ll. Another shortened form in this lesson is want to shortened to wanna. Conversation Anna: This city is very interesting, I really like my job, and I have some good friends! Speaking of friends … I see one now! Marsha! Hi! Marsha: Hi, Anna. What’s going on? Anna: Not much. How about you? Marsha: Busy as usual. Hey, do you wanna see a movie with me? Anna: Sure! I never have time to see a movie. When? Marsha: Are you busy this Thursday at 6pm? Anna: Let’s see …. I’m busy. I am going to tap dance with my friends Thursday night. Marsha: Tap dancing? That sounds fun! Anna: I’m still learning. But it is fun! Anna: Are you busy on Friday night? Marsha: Yes. Friday nights are when I visit my parents. Anna: What do you and your family do together? Marsha: We always eat dinner together and sometimes we play board games. Anna: Playing board games is fun, too! The word game Scrabble is my favorite. Marsha: I like Connect Four! Anna: I’m not busy Monday night. Are you? Marsha: I am busy on Monday night. I’m going to jog in the park with my friend. Do you jog? Anna: Oh! I always jog. Well, sometimes I jog. Okay, I never jog. But I will try because it is good for you. Marsha: I always feel great after I jog. Marsha: How about on Wednesday night? Anna: Wednesday night I am not busy. Oh, no, wait. This Wednesday night I will be busy. Marsha: What are you doing? Anna: I’m going to teach children how to play the ukulele. Anna: Now, children, play “C.” Good. I like your “C.” Marsha: The world does need more ukulele players. Anna: Marsha, it looks like we’ll never have time to see a movie. Anna: Wait a minute. Are you busy now? Marsha: It’s Saturday afternoon. This is always when I do my errands. Anna: Okay, but the new Star Wars movie is gonna start in 30 minutes. Marsha: I’ll do my errands on Sunday. Let’s go! Anna: Most days of the week, people are really busy. But it’s important to find time to be with your friends! Anna: Until next time! * Connect Four is a two-player connection game using colored discs. Writing What do you like to do with your friends? Is it easy or difficult to find time to be with your friends? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Tell us two or three things you do with friends using words like always, usually and sometimes. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice writing about your schedule. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Evaluate. When we evaluate our own language learning, we think of how well we are learning, remembering and practicing the language. We evaluate after doing many things. For example, in the video for this lesson, Anna and Marsha talk about jogging. Anna evaluates her plan to jog: "I will try because it is good for you." Then, Marsha evaluates her feelings after jogging. "I always feel great after I jog." You can evaluate any time you stop to think about your learning (that is, monitor, the strategy in Lesson 16). Ask yourself: "Am I listening often to English? Am I practicing English every day? How can I learn more?" Evaluating helps learners to understand what is working well and make new plans for learning well. How do you evaluate your own learning? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz Test your understanding by taking this listening quiz. Play the video, then choose the best answer. ______________________________________________________________ New Words Note: You can listen to the definitions of these words in the Speaking Practice Video. always - adv. at all times; on every occasion; in a way that does not change board games - a game (such as chess) that is played by moving pieces on a special board important - adj. having serious meaning or worth jog - v. to run slowly especially for exercise movie - n. a recording of moving images that tells a story and that people watch on a screen or television night - n. the time of darkness between one day and the next play - v. to do activities for fun or enjoyment Scrabble - trademark. a board game in which players use lettered tiles to create words in a crossword fashion. sing - v. to use your voice to make musical sounds in the form of a song or tune sometimes - adv. at certain times; occasionally Star Wars - n. an epic film series chronicling the rise, fall, and redemption of Anakin Skywalker start - v. to do the first part of something : to begin doing something tap dance - n. a kind of dance in which you wear special shoes with metal plates on the heels and toes and make tapping sounds with your feet teaching - v. to cause or help (someone) to learn about a subject by giving lessons ukulele - n. a musical instrument that is like a small guitar with four strings week - n. a period of seven days - in the U.S., a week is usually considered to start on Sunday and end on Saturday, while in the U.K. a week is usually considered to start on Monday and end on Sunday. will - modal verb. used to say that something is expected to happen in the future Days of the Week: In the U.S., the week starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday. Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice talking about activities and schedules. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Simple Future tense with will and going to. Topics: Talking about schedules and leisure time activities Learning Strategy: Evaluate Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Future verb forms; shortened forms of future verbs and invitations. ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/are-you-free-on-friday-lets-learn-english/3355785.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/are-you-free-on-friday-lets-learn-english/3355785.html
Simple Past and Present Perfect
In this week’s episode of Everyday Grammar we’re going to help you understand the difference between the simple past and the present perfect. English learners often confuse these two verb tenses. Let’s start with an example. Can you tell the difference between these two sentences? Sentence one: I saw the movie. Sentence two: I have seen the movie. Sentence one uses the simple past tense. Sentence two uses the present perfect tense. “I saw the movie” and “I have seen the movie” both refer to an action that was finished in the past. But there is one important difference: “I saw the movie” suggests that you saw the movie at a specific time in the past. “I have seen the movie” suggests that you saw the movie at an unknown time in the past. Use the simple past to talk about a finished action that happened at a specific time. For example, “I went out with my friends last night.” The adverb “last night” is not required, but it does help clarify that the event happened at a specific time. That’s the easy part. Now let’s talk about the present perfect. You form the present perfect by using “have” or “has” followed by the past participle form of the verb. For example, “I have graduated from college.” The present perfect confuses English learners because it refers to a past action. It is also called “present perfect” because speakers use it to stress the importance of a past event in the present. The sentence “I have graduated from college,” emphasizes the present effect of a past event -- graduation. The exact time of the graduation is not important. There are four more common situations that require the present perfect. First, it can express a repeated action. When an action happened more than one time in the past, use the present perfect. For example, “I have seen the movie three times”. Second, it is common to use the present perfect with the words “for” and “since.” “For” and “since” are adverbs that tell about the duration of an activity. They answer the question “how long?” For example, “I have studied English for a long time”. Third, the negative adverb “never” requires the present perfect. You can say, “I have never been to France.” You would not say, “I did never go to France.” Finally, when asking a question in the present perfect, use “ever,” as in, “Have you ever won the lottery?” Listen for the present perfect question in this song by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. I wanna know have you ever seen the rain? I wanna know have you ever seen the rain Coming down on a sunny day? In an informal situation, you can take out the word “have” in a present perfect question. Listen to actor Jack Nicholson playing the Joker in the 1989 movie Batman. Before the Joker takes his victims, he asks them an unusual question. Tell me something, my friend. You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? Here’s a tip: pay close attention to adverbs. Adverbs give hints, or clues, about which verb tense you should use. Take a look at the reference list below. A good way to practice the present perfect is to ask an English-speaking friend if he or she has ever done something. “Have you ever flown in an airplane?” or “Have you ever seen the Grand Canyon?” You could even ask something more profound like, “Have you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day?” I wanna know have you ever seen the rain Coming down on a sunny day? I’m Ashley Thompson. And I’m Jonathan Evans. Adam Brock wrote and produced this story for VOA Learning English. Jill Robbins was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Reference Forming the present perfect Have/has + past participle verb Ex. I have proven her theory. Ex. She has gotten promoted. Common adverbs in the simple past: last night, last year, yesterday, today, ago, first, then, later, when Ex. Yesterday morning, I went to the store. Ex. When I lived in Boston, I worked at a deli. Common adverbs in the present perfect: before, after, already, yet, for, since, recently, still, time Ex. I have already eaten. Ex. I have already visited Angola three times. Tip 1: Be careful of irregular verbs in the present perfect. With irregular verbs, the simple past and the past participle form are usually different. INCORRECT: I have already did it. CORRECT: I have already done it. Tip 2: Make sure to use “has” for the third person in the present perfect. INCORRECT: She have not read the book yet. CORRECT: She has not read the book yet. Click here for a list of common irregular verbs. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story simple past tense – n. the basic form of the past tense in English. It is used to describe events that finished at a specific time in the past. present perfect tense – n. A grammatical combination of the present tense and the perfect aspect, used to express a past event that has present consequences. unspecified – adj. not specified or particular clarify – v. to make (something) clear or clearer: such as duration –n. the length of time that something exists or lasts victim – n. a person who has been attacked, injured, robbed, or killed by someone else pale – adj. light in color profound – adj. having or showing great knowledge or understanding
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-simple-past-and-present-perfect/2752310.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-simple-past-and-present-perfect/2752310.html
All About American English — Talk Show #25 - Famous American Christmas Movies
Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! English is a versatile language, and every speaker has their own favorite words and phrases. This new video lesson will help you boost your English vocab while you listen to our hosts Alisha and Michael chat about some English topics.In this lesson, [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/all-about-american-english-talk-show-25-famous-american-christmas-movies/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/all-about-american-english-talk-show-25-famous-american-christmas-movies/
Thursday, 18 January 2018
Simple Past and Present Perfect
In this week’s episode of Everyday Grammar we’re going to help you understand the difference between the simple past and the present perfect. English learners often confuse these two verb tenses. Let’s start with an example. Can you tell the difference between these two sentences? Sentence one: I saw the movie. Sentence two: I have seen the movie. Sentence one uses the simple past tense. Sentence two uses the present perfect tense. “I saw the movie” and “I have seen the movie” both refer to an action that was finished in the past. But there is one important difference: “I saw the movie” suggests that you saw the movie at a specific time in the past. “I have seen the movie” suggests that you saw the movie at an unknown time in the past. Use the simple past to talk about a finished action that happened at a specific time. For example, “I went out with my friends last night.” The adverb “last night” is not required, but it does help clarify that the event happened at a specific time. That’s the easy part. Now let’s talk about the present perfect. You form the present perfect by using “have” or “has” followed by the past participle form of the verb. For example, “I have graduated from college.” The present perfect confuses English learners because it refers to a past action. It is also called “present perfect” because speakers use it to stress the importance of a past event in the present. The sentence “I have graduated from college,” emphasizes the present effect of a past event -- graduation. The exact time of the graduation is not important. There are four more common situations that require the present perfect. First, it can express a repeated action. When an action happened more than one time in the past, use the present perfect. For example, “I have seen the movie three times”. Second, it is common to use the present perfect with the words “for” and “since.” “For” and “since” are adverbs that tell about the duration of an activity. They answer the question “how long?” For example, “I have studied English for a long time”. Third, the negative adverb “never” requires the present perfect. You can say, “I have never been to France.” You would not say, “I did never go to France.” Finally, when asking a question in the present perfect, use “ever,” as in, “Have you ever won the lottery?” Listen for the present perfect question in this song by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. I wanna know have you ever seen the rain? I wanna know have you ever seen the rain Coming down on a sunny day? In an informal situation, you can take out the word “have” in a present perfect question. Listen to actor Jack Nicholson playing the Joker in the 1989 movie Batman. Before the Joker takes his victims, he asks them an unusual question. Tell me something, my friend. You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? Here’s a tip: pay close attention to adverbs. Adverbs give hints, or clues, about which verb tense you should use. Take a look at the reference list below. A good way to practice the present perfect is to ask an English-speaking friend if he or she has ever done something. “Have you ever flown in an airplane?” or “Have you ever seen the Grand Canyon?” You could even ask something more profound like, “Have you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day?” I wanna know have you ever seen the rain Coming down on a sunny day? I’m Ashley Thompson. And I’m Jonathan Evans. Adam Brock wrote and produced this story for VOA Learning English. Jill Robbins was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Reference Forming the present perfect Have/has + past participle verb Ex. I have proven her theory. Ex. She has gotten promoted. Common adverbs in the simple past: last night, last year, yesterday, today, ago, first, then, later, when Ex. Yesterday morning, I went to the store. Ex. When I lived in Boston, I worked at a deli. Common adverbs in the present perfect: before, after, already, yet, for, since, recently, still, time Ex. I have already eaten. Ex. I have already visited Angola three times. Tip 1: Be careful of irregular verbs in the present perfect. With irregular verbs, the simple past and the past participle form are usually different. INCORRECT: I have already did it. CORRECT: I have already done it. Tip 2: Make sure to use “has” for the third person in the present perfect. INCORRECT: She have not read the book yet. CORRECT: She has not read the book yet. Click here for a list of common irregular verbs. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story simple past tense – n. the basic form of the past tense in English. It is used to describe events that finished at a specific time in the past. present perfect tense – n. A grammatical combination of the present tense and the perfect aspect, used to express a past event that has present consequences. unspecified – adj. not specified or particular clarify – v. to make (something) clear or clearer: such as duration –n. the length of time that something exists or lasts victim – n. a person who has been attacked, injured, robbed, or killed by someone else pale – adj. light in color profound – adj. having or showing great knowledge or understanding
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-simple-past-and-present-perfect/2752310.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-simple-past-and-present-perfect/2752310.html
Comparative Adjectives Drawing Games
New Entry: 'Comparative Adjectives Drawing Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-comparative-adjectives-drawing-games/
Dry January
What are the benefits of giving up alcohol for a month?
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05v8qrq
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05v8qrq
Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #28 - 20 Must-Know Family Words
Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! In your home country, there are some phrases that are so common you use them or hear them every day. The same is true in USA too, so why not give your English an instant boost by learning them in this video lesson? With Alisha’s help, you’ll be sounding like a [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-28-20-mustknow-family-words/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-28-20-mustknow-family-words/
Wednesday, 17 January 2018
Tuesday, 16 January 2018
300 Technical English abbreviations list
New Entry: '300 Technical English abbreviations list' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/300-technical-english-abbreviations-list.html
How to teach short answers
New Entry: 'How to teach short answers' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-teach-short-answers.html
Monday, 15 January 2018
You need ____ prescription from your doctor to get the medicine.
New Entry: 'You need ____ prescription from your doctor to get the medicine.' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1196.html
300 Technical English abbreviations list
New Entry: '300 Technical English abbreviations list' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/articles/300-technical-english-abbreviations-list.html
Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #1 - Pets
Lesson Audio Download MP3 Dialog Download MP3
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-1-pets/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-1-pets/
Sunday, 14 January 2018
Saturday, 13 January 2018
Friday, 12 January 2018
Lesson 16: Where Are You From?
Summary Anna interviews tourists on the National Mall in Washington, DC. She learns about where they are from and the languages they speak. Speaking In this video, you can learn to say the new words. Learn how to say your country and nationality. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about countries and nationalities with a friend. Pronunciation In this video, you learn about how English speakers say, "a couple of." Conversation Anna: Hello! Washington, D.C. has many tourists! People from different countries come here. Today, my job is to interview tourists. I have to learn why they come here. This is very exciting! Excuse me. I’m Anna Matteo from The News. Do you have time for an interview? Sabrina: Sure, I have time. Anna: What is your name? Sabrina: My name is Sabrina. Anna: What country are you from? Sabrina: I’m from Bangladesh. Anna: So, you are Bangladeshi. Sabrina: That’s right! My nationality is Bangladeshi. Anna: Do you like Washington, D.C.? Sabrina: Yes! The city is very beautiful! Anna: What do you like to do in Washington D.C.? Sabrina: I like history. So, I like walking around and looking at all the monuments and memorials. They make history come alive! Anna: Washington has many monuments and memorials. The Washington Monument is behind us! Which is your favorite? Sabrina: I really like Lincoln Memorial. It is very beautiful. And it feels like Abraham Lincoln is still alive. Anna: Awesome. Thank you for your time, Sabrina! Sabrina: You’re welcome. Anna: Let’s find another tourist. Anna: Oh! Excuse me. I am Anna Matteo from The News. Do you have time for a couple of questions? Louis: Sure! Anna: Are you from Washington, D.C.? Louis: No, I’m not. Anna: What is your name and where are you from? Louis: My name is Louis. And I’m from China. Anna: What languages do you speak? Louis: I speak Chinese and English. Anna: What do you like about Washington DC? Louis: I like the museums. I really like the art museums. Anna: Many of the museums are free. Louis: I like that too! Anna: Awesome! Thanks for your time, Louis. Louis: You’re very welcome. Bye! Anna: Now, let’s find another tourist! Anna: Hello! I am Anna Matteo from The News. Do you have time to answer a couple of questions? Mehrnoush: Sure! Anna: What is your name and where’re you from? Mehrnoush: My name is Mehrnoush. I am from Iran. I’m Iranian. Anna: What language do they speak in Iran? Is it Persian? Mehrnoush: They speak Farsi. Anna: What do you like to do in Washington DC? Mehrnoush: Well, I like learning about government and politics. Anna: Washington has many politicians! Mehrnoush: It does! I want to see the U.S. Capitol. Anna: Look, you are very near. Mehrnoush: I am! Anna: Have fun! Mehrnoush: Thanks! Anna: There you have it. Tourists from all over the world come to Washington, D.C. They all like doing and seeing different things in the city. This is Anna Matteo reporting for The News. Until next time! Anna: Is that okay? Awesome! Now, I want to do my favorite thing in the city … ride the carousel! Writing Where are you from? What languages do you speak? What do you like to do when you travel? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice writing and talking about countries and nationalities with a friend. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Monitor. We monitor to check on what we hear and say when we are speaking and listening in English. Here is an example from this lesson's conversation. Anna asks, "What country are you from?" She monitors to make sure Sabrina understands the question. Sabrina answers, "I’m from Bangladesh." Now, Anna knows that Sabrina understands the question. Anna thinks she knows how to say Sabrina's nationality. She tries it: "So, you are Bangladeshi." Anna is listening to monitor what Sabrina says. Anna is not sure: is "Bangladeshi" the right way to say Sabrina's nationality? Some people use the word, "Bengali" to say this nationality. Sabrina answers, "That’s right! My nationality is Bangladeshi." In Anna's mind, she monitors her understanding. She thinks, "I can say Bangladeshi for the nationality of a person from Bangladesh." How do you monitor when learning English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz Anna asks the tourists many questions. Can you choose the right question for each person? See how well you understand the lesson by taking this short quiz. ______________________________________________________________ New Words Abraham Lincoln – n. the 16th President of the United States alive – adj. living; not dead art – n. something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings carousel – n. a machine or device with a moving belt or part that carries things around in a circle country – n. an area of land that is controlled by its own government couple – n. two (things) or a few (things) favorite – n. a person or a thing that is liked more than others free – adj. not costing any money government – n. the group of people who control and make decisions for a country, state, etc. history – n. the study of past events memorial – n. something (such as a monument or ceremony) that honors a person who has died or serves as a reminder of an event in which many people died monument – n. a building, statue, etc., that honors a person or event museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public nationality – n. the fact or status of being a member or citizen of a particular nation question – n. a sentence, phrase, or word that asks for information or is used to test someone's knowledge politics – n. activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government ride – v. to sit on and control the movements of (a horse, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.) tourist – n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure U.S. Capitol – n. the building in which the U.S. Congress meets in Washington, D.C. Countries/Nationalities/Languages Bangladesh – n. a country in Asia Bangladeshi – n. a native or inhabitant of Bangladesh. adj. of, relating to, or characteristic of Bangladesh or its people. China - n. People's Republic of, a country in E Asia. Chinese - n. the standard language of China, based on the speech of Beijing; Mandarin; a native or descendant of a native of China. adj. of or relating to China, its inhabitants, or one of their languages Iran - n. a republic in SW Asia. Iranian - adj. of or relating to Iran, its inhabitants, or their language; of or relating to the Iranian languages. n. a subbranch of the Indo-European family of languages, an inhabitant of Iran; Persian. Farsi - n. the modern Iranian language of Iran and western Afghanistan, written in the Arabic alphabet; modern Persian. Persian – adj. of or relating to ancient and recent Persia (now Iran), its people, or their language. n. a member of the native peoples of Iran; the principal language of Iran and western Afghanistan, in its historical and modern forms. ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice talking about nationalities and languages. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Nationality and language names used as nouns and adjectives Topics: Countries and Nationalities; Tourism activities Learning Strategy: Monitor (comprehension and production) Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Talking about countries, languages, and nationalities; Saying "a couple of" quickly ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-16-where-are-you-from/3355849.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-16-where-are-you-from/3355849.html
Possessives- Coin Drawing Game
New Entry: 'Possessives- Coin Drawing Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-possessives-coin-drawing-game/
Thursday, 11 January 2018
Can You Correct 'Her and I?'
On March 5, Jazmine Hughes wrote in a New York Times blog, “Recently, at an IRL party — that is, a party that takes place ‘in real life,’ as opposed to where I generally live, which is on the Internet — a guest asked a friend and I how we met.” The sentence includes a common error I have been seeing and hearing more and more often lately. The error is using the subject pronoun “I” when the object pronoun “me” should be used. Even President Obama can be heard using “I” for the object of a sentence. At his first press conference, on November 7, 2008, he spoke about being invited to tour the White House. “Well, President Bush graciously invited Michelle and I to -- to meet with him and First Lady Laura Bush.” The rule for object pronouns English has eight subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, you and they. Subject pronouns show the actor in a sentence. For example, in the sentence “I speak English,” “I” is the actor. English also has eight object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, you and them. We use an object pronoun to show the receiver of the action in a sentence, as in “She gave the book to me.” In that sentence, “me” is the receiver. People often confuse subject pronouns and object pronouns in sentences with two receivers. Take the sentence “President Obama gave an award to my brother and me.” We can easily see the need for an object pronoun because of the preposition “to.” But some sentences do not have prepositions, as in “Obama asked my brother and me some questions.” The sentence still needs the object pronoun “me.” However, some people might want to say “Obama asked my brother and I some questions.” You know that sentence has a grammar error because “I” is not an object pronoun. Why people say “I” instead of “me” I think the confusion about “I” and “me” comes from instruction we get as children: to be polite. When we mention ourselves and another person in a sentence, we are told to put the other person first. For example, we might be reminded to say, “My brother and I went to the White House.” Saying “I and my brother went to the White House” is grammatically correct but would sound impolite, or rude. So, English speakers who are faced with two people in the object position in a sentence often grab for the phrase “someone and I.” They do not notice the phrase is grammatically incorrect. It just sounds more polite. Another theory about the “I” or “me” error comes from a 2009 New York Times article “The I’s Have It.” Writers Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman guess that people correct children who use “me” instead of “I” so much, the children grow up using “I” even when it is wrong. They explain the term for this linguistic phenomenon is “hypercorrection.” Back to Ms. Hughes, her party and the New York Times blog. Her sentence should be re-written as “…a guest asked a friend and me how we met.” Shortly after I called the error to the newspaper's attention, the sentence was corrected in this way. A simple way to check for the correct pronoun in a case like this is mentally to eliminate the second person. Try saying in your head “A guest asked me how we met,” or, “A guest asked a friend how we met.” That simple check makes choosing the correct pronoun easier. Now you will always know the right pronoun to use – take it from me! I’m Jill Robbins. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story error - n. something that is not correct; a wrong action or statement; mistake instruction - n. the action or process of teaching : the act of instructing someone phenomenon - n. something (such as an interesting fact or event) that can be observed and studied and that typically is unusual or difficult to understand or explain fully hypercorrection – n. the mistaken use of a word form or pronunciation based on a false analogy with a correct or prestigious form Now it’s your turn. In the comments section, tell us about your own grammar gripes. What do people say in your language that bothers you?
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-subject-object-pronouns/2674867.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-subject-object-pronouns/2674867.html
Ethical coffee
Would you pay more for coffee if you knew it was doing some good? Dan and Catherine discuss the pros and cons of ethically produced coffee
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05tk6hw
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05tk6hw
Advanced Audio Blog S4 #17 - Top 10 Holidays in the United Kingdom - Easter Sunday
Learn British English with EnglishClass101.com! Ever wondered what the best-known holidays and festivals in the UK are, and why they’re so well loved? Then these 10 audio blogs in this British English series are for you! With this series, you’ll learn all about the 10 most famous holidays and festivals from UK. In this audio blog, [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/advanced-audio-blog-s4-17-top-10-holidays-in-the-united-kingdom-easter-sunday/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/advanced-audio-blog-s4-17-top-10-holidays-in-the-united-kingdom-easter-sunday/
Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Not a stitch
New Entry: 'Not a stitch' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/not+a+stitch.html
Stitch together
New Entry: 'Stitch together' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/stitch+together.html
How to teach short answers
New Entry: 'How to teach short answers' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/articles/how-to-teach-short-answers.html
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
Do a runner
Is it time to go? Here's a phrase about avoiding a tricky situation
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8rnm
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8rnm
Is 'man flu' real?
Can science prove the existence of 'man flu' or are men just big babies? Dan and Neil discuss all this and give you six useful items of vocabulary
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8rd9
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8rd9
Do a runner
Is it time to go? Here's a phrase about avoiding a tricky situation
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8rcd
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8rcd
Is 'man flu' real?
Can science prove the existence of 'man flu' or are men just big babies? Dan and Neil discuss all this and give you six useful items of vocabulary
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8pt5
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05t8pt5
Monday, 8 January 2018
American Business English for Beginners #14 - Apologizing When You Forget Something in the United States
Learn Business English with EnglishClass101.com! Whether you’ve just started working for an American company or started doing business with one, you’ll need some polished and professional English words and phrases to make a good impression. And that’s exactly where this new Business English series comes in! In this lesson, you’ll learn how to admit fault and [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-14-apologizing-when-you-forget-something-in-the-united-states/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-14-apologizing-when-you-forget-something-in-the-united-states/
Sunday, 7 January 2018
Friday, 5 January 2018
Country and Nationality Words- Sentence Completion Games
New Entry: 'Country and Nationality Words- Sentence Completion Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-country-and-nationality-words-sentence-completion-games/
Names of Months Dominoes
New Entry: 'Names of Months Dominoes' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-names-of-months-dominoes/
Thursday, 4 January 2018
Getting to Know Gerunds and Infinitives
Welcome to another episode of Everyday Grammar on VOA Learning English. English learners have difficulty with gerunds and infinitives. A gerund is the –ing form of a verb that functions the same as a noun. For example, “Running is fun.” In this sentence, “running” is the gerund. It acts just like a noun. The infinitive form of a verb appears either as the basic form (with no marking) or with the word “to.” For example, you can say “I might run to the store” or “I like to run.” In this sentence, “to run” is the infinitive. It is difficult for English learners to know whether to use a gerund or an infinitive after a verb. Here’s an example. Which sentence is correct? Sentence One: I suggested going to dinner. Sentence Two: I suggested to go to dinner. Sentence One, with the gerund, is correct. “I suggested going to dinner.” Why? You can only use a gerund after the verb “suggest.” Let’s take the word “like.” You can say “I like" running” or “I like to run.” Both sentences have the same meaning. You can use either a gerund or an infinitive after “like.” Now let’s try “enjoy.” We can say, “I enjoy running.” But we cannot say, “I enjoy to run.” Why? Only a gerund can follow the verb “enjoy.” Are you confused yet? You’re not alone. Gerunds and infinitives confuse even very advanced English learners. Basically, some verbs are followed by gerunds, some verbs are followed by infinitives, and some verbs can be followed by gerunds or infinitives. Native speakers do not think about the difference. But English learners have to memorize the hundreds of different verb combinations. Here are a few tips. Tip Number 1: you almost always find a gerund after a preposition. For example, “She is afraid of flying.” In this sentence “of” is the preposition and “flying” is the gerund. You cannot say “She is afraid of to fly.” An infinitive cannot be the object of a preposition, only a gerund can. You could say, “She is afraid to fly,” but in this sentence, the preposition “of” is gone. Tip Number 2: When you are talking about an activity, you usually use a gerund. For example, “I stopped smoking.” You can describe many activities by using “go” before a gerund. “Let’s go shopping,” or “We went skiing.” Let’s see how much you know. Try to complete these sentences using the verb “study.” Ready? I’ll read the first part of the sentence and you finish it. I enjoy … (studying) I considered … (studying) I managed … (to study) I hope … (to study) I suggested … (studying) I like… … (studying) or … (to study) This is only a simple introduction to a complicated grammar topic. There is no quick and easy way to learn gerunds and infinitives. It takes years of practice and familiarity with the English language. Next time you read or listen to a VOA Learning English story, pay attention to use of gerunds and infinitives. Over time, you will begin to hear the right verb combination. Below is a helpful reference list for using gerunds and infinitives. I’m Jonathan Evans. And I’m Ashley Thompson. Adam Brock wrote this story for Learning English. Dr. Jill Robbins was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story gerund - n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing infinitive - n. the basic form of a verb; usually used with to except with modal verbs like should and could and certain other verbs like see and hear preposition - n. a word or group of words that is used with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object Now it’s your turn. In the Comments section, write one sentence that uses a verb followed by a gerund or an infinitive. We’ll respond with feedback about your usage. _____________________________________________________________ Only a gerund can follow these verbs: admit, avoid, be used to, can’t help, can’t stand, consider, deny, discuss, dislike, end up, enjoy, feel like, finish, get used to, give up, go on, have difficulty, have problems, have trouble, imagine, it’s no use, it’s worthwhile, keep, look forward to, mention, mind, miss, recommend, remember, quit, spend time, stop, suggest, understand, waste time, work at Either a gerund or an infinitive can follow these verbs, and there is no change in meaning advise (requires object with infinitive), begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer, start Either a gerund or an infinitive can follow these verbs, but the meaning may change: forget, remember, stop An infinitive follows these verbs: afford, agree, appear, arrange, ask, care, decide, demand, expect, fail, hope, learn, manage, mean, offer, plan, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, remember, seem, stop, volunteer, wait, want, wish A noun or pronoun and an infinitive follow these verbs advise, allow, ask, cause, challenge, command, convince, expect, forbid, force, hire, instruct, invite, order, pay, permit, program, remind, teach, tell, urge, want, warn
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/getting-to-know-gerunds-and-infinitives/3111996.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/getting-to-know-gerunds-and-infinitives/3111996.html
English Vocab Builder #25 - Top 10 Foods That Will Make You Live Longer
Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! Our English vocabulary lists are listener favorites, and now we’ve made it even better! In each lesson, you’ll hear the English words and phrases from the English vocabulary lists. Join us for English Vocab Builder! In this lesson, you’ll learn words and phrases about the Foods That [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-25-top-10-foods-that-will-make-you-live-longer/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-25-top-10-foods-that-will-make-you-live-longer/
Tuesday, 2 January 2018
Lesson 15: I Love People-Watching!
Summary Anna and her friends are eating lunch outside on a beautiful day in Washington, DC. They are people-watching. They like seeing the many different people walking by. Speaking In this video, you can learn to say the new words. Learn about the sounds English speakers make to show they are happy. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about how people look with a friend. Pronunciation In this video, you learn about how to make tag questions. These are the short questions at the end of a sentences, as you hear in the video, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Conversation Anna: Hello! People from all over the world come to Washington, D.C. When I’m at work, I love eating lunch outside. I like to watch people walking by. They all look very different. Today, my friend Ashley is eating lunch with me. Anna: Ashley, today the weather is beautiful, isn’t it? Ashley: Yes, it is. Ahh. Ooh, we have to return to work! Anna: No, we have time! Let’s people-watch a little more. Ashley: Okay. Anna: Oh, I know her. She works in my office! Keyana, hi! Come and join us! Keyana: Hi Anna, how are you? Anna: I’m doing great! Keyana, this is my friend Ashley. Keyana: Hi, Ashley! Anna: We need to return to work. But the weather is beautiful and people-watching is fun! Keyana: I love people-watching too! Anna: Well, have a seat! It is fun to see how people are different or the same. Keyana: It is. For example, Anna, you are tall. But Ashley and I are short. Anna: And Keyana, you and Ashley have brown eyes; I have blue eyes. Keyana: You two have light skin and I have dark skin. Anna: Ashley, you have straight hair. Keyana and I have curly hair. Ashley: You have very curly hair, Anna. Keyana: I need to return to work. See you, Anna! Nice to meet you Ashley! Ashley: Bye, Keyana! Ashley: Anna, I have to go, too. Are you returning to work? Anna: I still have time. And this sun feels so good! Ashley: Um, Anna, what does your boss look like? Anna: She is short. She has straight, light hair. Ashley: Does she wear glasses? Anna: Yes. Yes, she does. Ashley: Is she wearing a blue sweater today? Anna: How do you know that? Ashley: She’s coming this way. Anna: Oh no! Hide me! Ashley: Um, bye, Anna. Call me later. Anna: Bye, Ashley! Talk to you later! Caty: Anna? Is that you? Anna: Ms. Weaver! Hi! Caty: What are you doing behind that bench? Anna: I am looking for my, my … stick. Here it is. Anna: I am people-watching. Oh! But it’s time to return to work! Caty: No need to hurry. I love people-watching too! Let’s sit! Anna: Sure! Ahh. Caty: It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? Anna: Yes. Yes, it is, Ms. Weaver. Anna: People-watching in D.C. is fun. It makes me forget the time! Anna: Until next time! Ahh. Writing What do you look like? What does your friend look like? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Access Information Sources. In our digital world there are many free sources of information to help you learn English. And remember that other people can also help. Here is an example. João is visiting Miami. He wants to take a tour of the National Park in the Everglades (or marismas in Portuguese). He finds the word "Everglades" in his pocket paperback Portuguese - English dictionary, but doesn't know how to pronounce it. He opens a translation web page on his phone, writes "Everglades" and pushes the button to translate. Soon a symbol appears under the word. João clicks on the symbol to hear the sound of the word, "Everglades." He goes to the hotel tour desk and asks, "Do you have a tour of the Everglades?" The clerk understands him and begins to show him the tour information. João asks the clerk, "Will you please say the word slowly for me? I want to check my pronunciation." The clerk smiles and pronounces the word and João says it again. Now João is sure he can say it correctly. How do you access information sources when learning English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz Test your understanding by taking this listening quiz. Play the video, then choose the best answer. ______________________________________________________________ New Words bench - n. a long and usually hard seat for two or more people blue - adj. having the color of the clear sky brown - adj. having a color like coffee or chocolate curly - adj. formed into a round shape dark - adj. of a person's hair, eyes, skin, etc.: black or brown in color eyes - n. the part of the body that you see with forget - n. to be unable to think of or remember (something) glasses - n. a pair of glass or plastic lenses set into a frame and worn over the eyes to help a person see hair - n. a thin threadlike growth from the skin of a person or animal hide - v. to put (something) in a place where it cannot be seen or found join - v. to come together with (something or someone) light - adj. not dark or deep in color; pale like - prep. similar to look like - to have an appearance that is very similar to (someone or something) people-watch - v. to spend time idly observing people in a public place. seat - n. something (such as a chair) that you sit on : a place for sitting have a seat - a polite invitation to sit down. short - adj. having little height; not tall skin - n. the natural outer layer of tissue that covers the body of a person or animal stick - n. a cut or broken branch or twig straight - adj. not having curves, bends, or angles tall - adj. greater in height than the average person ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice describing people. For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Descriptive adjectives; Tag questions Topics: Describing Differences and Similarities; Watching People Learning Strategy: Access Information Sources Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Non-Verbal Expressions of Happiness; Rising and Falling Intonation in Tag Questions ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-15-i-love-people-watching/3343720.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-15-i-love-people-watching/3343720.html
Strong and Weak Opinions
New Entry: 'Strong and Weak Opinions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-strong-and-weak-opinions/
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