Relaxed about the future? Here's a phrase that might describe your character
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05zj4th
Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Countable and Uncountable Nouns- Answer Me
New Entry: 'Countable and Uncountable Nouns- Answer Me' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-countable-and-uncountable-nouns-answer-me/
Monday, 26 February 2018
Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #4 - Parts of My Body
Lesson Audio Download MP3 Dialog Download MP3
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-4-parts-of-my-body/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-4-parts-of-my-body/
Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #38 - Top 10 Phrases to Know When Having a Baby
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-38-top-10-phrases-to-know-when-having-a-baby/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-38-top-10-phrases-to-know-when-having-a-baby/
Sunday, 25 February 2018
Saturday, 24 February 2018
Lesson 22: Next Summer...
Summary Anna and her producer, Amelia, are planning the new children's show. Anna has lots of ideas for the show. Will Amelia like them and work well with Anna? Speaking Learn to pronounce the new words for this lesson and how to talk about your favorite season and vacation activities. Pronunciation Use this video to learn how to do shadowing, or repeating soon after you hear a native speaker. Conversation Anna: Washington, D.C. has four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn or fall. My favorite season is summer because of summer vacation!Hey, that will be a great subject for my new work assignment -- the children’s show. I can teach what families in the U.S. do during summer vacation.Today, I’m planning the show with Amelia. This is the first time we are working together. I hope we can work well together. Hi, Amelia! Amelia: Hi, Anna! So, what are we going to talk about on the first show? Anna: I want to talk about summer vacation. Amelia: That will be fun! Are you going on vacation this summer? Anna: No. This summer I am too busy. Amelia: That’s too bad. Anna: It’s okay. I can go on vacation next summer. This show will be a lot of fun too! Amelia: So, Anna, what’s the plan for the show? Anna: First, we’re going to introduce the subject. Then we can show pictures and video. Amelia: We can show tons of video! Anna: Right! We can interview children and have guests, too. Amelia: Kids can ask us questions. Anna: Great idea! Finally, we can read the questions and tell them where to learn more. Amelia: Okay, let’s try it! Anna: Let’s do it! Anna: Hi there! And welcome to … Amelia, we don’t have a name for the show. Amelia: We’ll think of a name later. For now, we'll call it “The Show.” Anna: Great. Hi there! And welcome to “The Show.” Anna: Today we are going to take you on a summer vacation! You will see popular things to do on vacation! Anna: One is camping. When you go camping, you cook, sleep and play outdoors! Amelia: When I go camping, Anna, I like to go hiking and fishing. Anna: Me, too. Those are fun things to do when you go camping! Anna: These people are hiking. Amelia: Okay, let’s talk about the next vacation. Anna: Another popular summer vacation is going to an amusement park. At an amusement park, you go on rides and eat lots of fun food! Amelia: I love cotton candy … ! Anna & Amelia: and rollercoasters! Amelia: This show is going to be a lot of fun. Anna: I know! Anna: This is riding a rollercoaster! Amelia: Whoooo! What is the last vacation? Anna: One of the most popular vacations is … going to the beach! Anna & Amelia: I love the beach! Anna: When I see that blue ocean, I want to leave Washington, D.C. immediately and go to the beach! Anna: Maybe next summer. Amelia: But right now, it’s time to work! Anna: Right. Until next time ... Writing What is your favorite season? What do you like to do when you go on a vacation? Tell us about the next vacation you plan to go on. 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 Plan. When we learn a new language, planning helps us to continue to learn well. In the video, you can see Amelia and Anna planning for the new children's show. Notice how they talk about a list of the things they will do. "First, we’re going to introduce the subject. Then we can show pictures and video. ... We can interview children and have guests too. Great idea! Finally, we can read the questions and tell them where to learn more." How do you plan when using or 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 Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz. ______________________________________________________________ New Words amusement park - n. a place that has many games and rides (such as roller coasters and merry-go-rounds) for entertainment beach - n. an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake camping - n. the activity of sleeping outdoors in a tent usually for enjoyment cotton candy - n. candy made from sugar that is boiled, spun into a soft material using a special machine, and then wound around a stick fishing - n. the sport or business of catching fish guest - n. a usually well-known person who is invited to appear or perform on a program hike - n. to walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise immediately - adv. without any delay introduce - v. to speak briefly to an audience about something that is about to begin kid - n. a young person outdoors - adv. outside a building or not inside a building plan n. - a set of actions that have been thought of as a way to do or achieve something plan - v. to think about and arrange the parts or details of (something) before it happens or is made right - adv. in a direct course or manner right now = immediately rollercoaster - n. a ride at an amusement park which is like a small, open train with tracks that are high off the ground and that have sharp curves and steep hills season - n. one of the four periods into which the year is commonly divided subject - n. the person or thing that is being discussed or described swimming - n. the sport or activity of moving through water by moving your arms and legs vacation - n. a period of time that a person spends away from home, school, or business usually in order to relax or travel The Four Seasons: spring - n. the season when plants and trees begin to grow summer - n. the warmest season of the year autumn - n. the third season of the year, when crops and fruits are gathered and leaves fall winter - n. the coldest season of the year ______________________________________________________________ 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 what you do in different seasons. 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: Talking about a sequence of events using going to to talk about future events Topics: Vacations; Seasons Learning Strategy: Planning Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Talking about plans; vacation activities; shadowing and summarizing ______________________________________________________________ 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-22/3397314.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-22/3397314.html
Plymouth Argyles
New Entry: 'Plymouth Argyles' 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=27250
Months- Hangman
New Entry: 'Months- Hangman' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-months-hangman/
Friday, 23 February 2018
Making and Responding to Suggestions
Imagine that you haven’t seen a good friend in a month. In a telephone call, your friend tells you she would like to get together for dinner but can’t think of a restaurant to go to. So, you offer an idea. Listen to a short conversation: I’d love to have dinner on Friday but I’m not sure where. How about we go to Chez Philip? Great idea! I haven’t been there in over a year. The phrase How about is one common way to make a friendly suggestion in English. To make a suggestion means to offer an idea or plan for someone to think about. You probably already know a few ways to make suggestions in English, using words such as could or should. But, on this Everyday Grammar program, we’ll talk about common phrases you can use for making friendly suggestions. We use many of these phrases in question form. How about…? Let’s start by talking a little more about the phrase How about. When you ask a question using How about, you are asking someone if they agree with what you are suggesting. There are two structures for using this phrase. The first is: How about + subject + simple verb form Let’s listen to the first example again: How about we go to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is we, and the verb is go. The second structure for using How about is: How about + gerund Listen: How about going to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is still we, although is not directly stated. Instead, the subject is implied. And, going is the gerund form of the verb go. You can also use How about + gerund to make a suggestion for an action that does not involve you. For example: How about starting a group for English learners? What about…? The phrase What about is very similar to How about. You can replace the phrasing How about + gerund with What about + gerund to express the same meaning. For example: What about going to Chez Philip? However, What about + gerund is less common in American English than in other types of English. Something that English learners will notice is that native English speakers often leave out both the subject and verb when we use What about and How about to make suggestions. Listen: How about Chez Philip? What about Chez Philip? Why don’t..? Why don’t is very similar to How about and What about. The difference here is that we ask the question using the negative don’t. The structure is: Why don’t + subject + simple verb form Let’s hear our example again, but this time with Why don’t: Why don’t we go to Chez Philip? Why not..? Why not also uses the negative not. But this phrase is a little different from the other phrases. It is usually used to make more general suggestions. Advertisers often use Why not for selling products or services. The structure is Why not + simple verb form Listen: Why not treat yourself to a Caribbean holiday? In this example, the subject is you, but it is not directly stated. And, the verb is treat. Shall…? Using Shall is another way to make a suggestion. However, it sounds a lot more formal and is more common in British English than American English. The structure is: shall + subject + simple verb form For example: Shall we go to Chez Philip? One thing to note when using Shall to make suggestions: it is only used with the subjects I and we. We would not say, Shall you to offer an idea. Let’s… Sometimes, suggestions are expressed in statements instead of questions, such as with the phrase Let’s. Let’s is a contraction for the words let us. It is used to tell someone what you want to do with them. The structure is Let’s + simple verb form Listen: Let’s go to Chez Philip! In this sentence, the subject is us. So, how do you respond to friendly suggestions? You can either accept or decline. Accepting A few phrases for accepting a suggestion are: That’s a good/great idea! That sounds good/great. Perfect! Thanks! I’d love to. Declining A few phrases for declining a suggestion include: I’d prefer… That’s a good idea but… I’m not sure. When you decline a suggestion, you may want to then politely suggest something else. For example: I’m not sure. Chez Philip is not my favorite. How about Fearless Farmers? Making and responding to suggestions in English takes practice. But it’s one of the more fun things you can do with a classmate, friend or family member. You can also practice in our comments section. Try using a few of the phrases you learned today to make a friendly suggestion. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people gerund – n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing imply – v. to express something without saying or showing it plainly negative – n. a word or statement that means “no” or that expresses a denial or refusal formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing prefer – v. to like something better than something else contraction – n. the act or process of making something smaller or of becoming smaller decline – v. to say no to something in a polite way polite – adj. having or showing good manners or respect for other people practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/making-and-responding-to-suggestions/4266045.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/making-and-responding-to-suggestions/4266045.html
Thursday, 22 February 2018
Making and Responding to Suggestions
Imagine that you haven’t seen a good friend in a month. In a telephone call, your friend tells you she would like to get together for dinner but can’t think of a restaurant to go to. So, you offer an idea. Listen to a short conversation: I’d love to have dinner on Friday but I’m not sure where. How about we go to Chez Philip? Great idea! I haven’t been there in over a year. The phrase How about is one common way to make a friendly suggestion in English. To make a suggestion means to offer an idea or plan for someone to think about. You probably already know a few ways to make suggestions in English, using words such as could or should. But, on this Everyday Grammar program, we’ll talk about common phrases you can use for making friendly suggestions. We use many of these phrases in question form. How about…? Let’s start by talking a little more about the phrase How about. When you ask a question using How about, you are asking someone if they agree with what you are suggesting. There are two structures for using this phrase. The first is: How about + subject + simple verb form Let’s listen to the first example again: How about we go to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is we, and the verb is go. The second structure for using How about is: How about + gerund Listen: How about going to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is still we, although is not directly stated. Instead, the subject is implied. And, going is the gerund form of the verb go. You can also use How about + gerund to make a suggestion for an action that does not involve you. For example: How about starting a group for English learners? What about…? The phrase What about is very similar to How about. You can replace the phrasing How about + gerund with What about + gerund to express the same meaning. For example: What about going to Chez Philip? However, What about + gerund is less common in American English than in other types of English. Something that English learners will notice is that native English speakers often leave out both the subject and verb when we use What about and How about to make suggestions. Listen: How about Chez Philip? What about Chez Philip? Why don’t..? Why don’t is very similar to How about and What about. The difference here is that we ask the question using the negative don’t. The structure is: Why don’t + subject + simple verb form Let’s hear our example again, but this time with Why don’t: Why don’t we go to Chez Philip? Why not..? Why not also uses the negative not. But this phrase is a little different from the other phrases. It is usually used to make more general suggestions. Advertisers often use Why not for selling products or services. The structure is Why not + simple verb form Listen: Why not treat yourself to a Caribbean holiday? In this example, the subject is you, but it is not directly stated. And, the verb is treat. Shall…? Using Shall is another way to make a suggestion. However, it sounds a lot more formal and is more common in British English than American English. The structure is: shall + subject + simple verb form For example: Shall we go to Chez Philip? One thing to note when using Shall to make suggestions: it is only used with the subjects I and we. We would not say, Shall you to offer an idea. Let’s… Sometimes, suggestions are expressed in statements instead of questions, such as with the phrase Let’s. Let’s is a contraction for the words let us. It is used to tell someone what you want to do with them. The structure is Let’s + simple verb form Listen: Let’s go to Chez Philip! In this sentence, the subject is us. So, how do you respond to friendly suggestions? You can either accept or decline. Accepting A few phrases for accepting a suggestion are: That’s a good/great idea! That sounds good/great. Perfect! Thanks! I’d love to. Declining A few phrases for declining a suggestion include: I’d prefer… That’s a good idea but… I’m not sure. When you decline a suggestion, you may want to then politely suggest something else. For example: I’m not sure. Chez Philip is not my favorite. How about Fearless Farmers? Making and responding to suggestions in English takes practice. But it’s one of the more fun things you can do with a classmate, friend or family member. You can also practice in our comments section. Try using a few of the phrases you learned today to make a friendly suggestion. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people gerund – n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing imply – v. to express something without saying or showing it plainly negative – n. a word or statement that means “no” or that expresses a denial or refusal formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing prefer – v. to like something better than something else contraction – n. the act or process of making something smaller or of becoming smaller decline – v. to say no to something in a polite way polite – adj. having or showing good manners or respect for other people practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/making-and-responding-to-suggestions/4266045.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/making-and-responding-to-suggestions/4266045.html
Making and Responding to Suggestions
Imagine that you haven’t seen a good friend in a month. In a telephone call, your friend tells you she would like to get together for dinner but can’t think of a restaurant to go. So, you offer an idea. Listen to a short conversation: I’d love to have dinner on Friday but I’m not sure where. How about we go to Chez Philip? Great idea! I haven’t been there in over a year. The phrase How about is one common way to make a friendly suggestion in English. To make a suggestion means to offer an idea or plan for someone to think about. You probably already know a few ways to make suggestions in English, using words such as could or should. But, on this Everyday Grammar program, we’ll talk about common phrases you can use for making friendly suggestions. We use many of these phrases in question form. How about…? Let’s start by talking a little more about the phrase How about. When you ask a question using How about, you are asking someone if they agree with what you are suggesting. There are two structures for using this phrase. The first is: How about + subject + simple verb form Let’s listen to the first example again: How about we go to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is we, and the verb is go. The second structure for using How about is: How about + gerund Listen: How about going to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is still we, although is not directly stated. Instead, the subject is implied. And, going is the gerund form of the verb go. You can also use How about + gerund to make a suggestion for an action that does not involve you. For example: How about starting a group for English learners? What about…? The phrase What about is very similar to How about. You can replace the phrasing How about + gerund with What about + gerund to express the same meaning. For example: What about going to Chez Philip? However, What about + gerund is less common in American English than in other types of English. Something that English learners will notice is that native English speakers often leave out both the subject and verb when we use What about and How about to make suggestions. Listen: How about Chez Philip? What about Chez Philip? Why don’t..? Why don’t is very similar to How about and What about. The difference here is that we ask the question using the negative don’t. The structure is: Why don’t + subject + simple verb form Let’s hear our example again, but this time with Why don’t: Why don’t we go to Chez Philip? Why not..? Why not also uses the negative not. But this phrase is a little different from the other phrases. It is usually used to make more general suggestions. Advertisers often use Why not for selling products or services. The structure is Why not + simple verb form Listen: Why not treat yourself to a Caribbean holiday? In this example, the subject is you, but it is not directly stated. And, the verb is treat. Shall…? Using Shall is another way to make a suggestion. However, it sounds a lot more formal and is more common in British English than American English. The structure is: shall + subject + simple verb form For example: Shall we go to Chez Philip? One thing to note when using Shall to make suggestions: it is only used with the subjects I and we. We would not say, Shall you to offer an idea. Let’s… Sometimes, suggestions are expressed in statements instead of questions, such as with the phrase Let’s. Let’s is a contraction for the words let us. It is used to tell someone what you want to do with them. The structure is Let’s + simple verb form Listen: Let’s go to Chez Philip! In this sentence, the subject is us. So, how do you respond to friendly suggestions? You can either accept or decline. Accepting A few phrases for accepting a suggestion are: That’s a good/great idea! That sounds good/great. Perfect! Thanks! I’d love to. Declining A few phrases for declining a suggestion include: I’d prefer… That’s a good idea but… I’m not sure. When you decline a suggestion, you may want to then politely suggest something else. For example: I’m not sure. Chez Philip is not my favorite. How about Fearless Farmers? Making and responding to suggestions in English takes practice. But it’s one of the more fun things you can do with a classmate, friend or family member. You can also practice in our comments section. Try using a few of the phrases you learned today to make a friendly suggestion. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people gerund – n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing imply – v. to express something without saying or showing it plainly negative – n. a word or statement that means “no” or that expresses a denial or refusal formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing prefer – v. to like something better than something else contraction – n. the act or process of making something smaller or of becoming smaller decline – v. to say no to something in a polite way polite – adj. having or showing good manners or respect for other people practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/making-and-responding-to-suggestions/4266045.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/making-and-responding-to-suggestions/4266045.html
Swimming like a mermaid
There's a new trend: dressing up and swimming like a mermaid. It's aimed at teaching kids to be safe in the water, but it's catching on with adults too
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05z1nb7
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05z1nb7
English Grammar Made Easy #8 - Common Prefixes
Lesson Video Download Video
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-8-common-prefixes/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-8-common-prefixes/
Tuesday, 20 February 2018
That's not the way ___ it.
New Entry: 'That's not the way ___ it.' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1198.html
Whizz-kid
Young, clever and successful: find out a phrase that describes someone like this
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05ys2j8
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05ys2j8
British English Reading Comprehension for Advanced Learners #5 - A Changed Train Schedule
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-5-a-changed-train-schedule/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-5-a-changed-train-schedule/
Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #33 - Top 10 Phrases You’ll Need for a Date
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-33-top-10-phrases-youll-need-for-a-date/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-33-top-10-phrases-youll-need-for-a-date/
Monday, 19 February 2018
American Business English for Beginners #17 - Explaining an Absence from the Office 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 explain an absence. [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-17-explaining-an-absence-from-the-office-in-english/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-17-explaining-an-absence-from-the-office-in-english/
Sunday, 18 February 2018
Saturday, 17 February 2018
Nationality Words- Syllables And Stress
New Entry: 'Nationality Words- Syllables And Stress' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-nationality-words-syllables-and-stress/
Friday, 16 February 2018
Lesson 21: Can You Come to the Party?
Summary Anna meets her friend Marsha in a coffee shop. Marsha asks Anna to come to a party. But Anna has to take a driving test. Can Anna come to the party? Speaking In this video, you can practice saying the new words and learn how to show that one event comes after another event. Pronunciation This video teaches about two ways to pronounce have to. Conversation Anna: Hi there! Washington, D.C. has some great coffee shops. My favorite is this one -- Busboys & Poets. Anna: Actually it’s more than a coffee shop. It’s also a bookstore, a restaurant and a theater! Anna: Marsha and I love coming here. Marsha: Hey, Anna, my friend is having a party on Saturday. Can you come with me? Anna: Sorry, I can’t come with you. I have to get my driver’s license. Marsha: Will you be busy all day? Anna: I don’t know. First, I have to take a test on the computer. Then I have to take a test in the car. Marsha: But you have to take the test during the day, don't you? Anna: Yes. Marsha: The party is at night. Anna: Oh. Then I can come with you to the party on Saturday night. Marsha: Great! I have to help my friend with the party. Can you help me? Anna: Sure. That sounds like fun. Marsha: Everyone has to bring something or do something. You can bring food, or you can perform. Anna: Really, I can perform? Marsha: You can! Can you? Anna: Yes! I can recite poetry. (Anna is in a club reciting a poem) - A poem - Light dark Light dark Darkness Dark Marsha: In this country, nobody recites poetry at parties. Um … can you do anything else? Anna: Hmm, yes. I can do a card trick. (Anna is doing a card trick) Your card is the 10 of diamonds! No? Pick a card. Any card. Here, just pick this one. Great! Marsha: Anna, maybe you can just bring food. Anna: No, I can’t cook. And I really want to perform. You know, there is one thing I can do. (Anna plays a song on the ukulele and sings) Trouble in mind. I’m blue... But I won't be blue always The sun's gonna shine in my back door some day.* Marsha: That’s it! You can sing at the party. Now, I have to go shopping for food. Anna: Can I help? I’m not busy right now. Marsha: Sure, let’s go! Anna: We have to go. I have to help Marsha shop. And I have to practice my song! Trouble in mind. I’m blue... Anna: Until next time! *The song Trouble in Mind was written by jazz pianist Richard M. Jones. Writing In this lesson, Marsha asks Anna to come to a party on Saturday. What do you like to do on the weekends? Write to us to tell us about what you plan to do next weekend. Send us an email or write in the Comments section. Use the Activity Sheet to practice talking about your talents and skills. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is cooperate. When we work together to help others we are cooperating. We also cooperate when we help someone understand their second language. In this lesson, Marsha tells Anna about a party. Everyone who comes to the party cooperates by bringing food or performing something. Anna wants to cooperate by performing at the party. Can you find another time in the video when Anna or Marsha cooperate? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Listening Quiz Check your understanding and practice your listening skills with this quiz. ______________________________________________________________ New Words bookstore- n. a store that sells books card - n. a small piece of stiff paper that is used for playing games day - n. the part of the day when light from the sun can be seen driver’s license- n. an official document or card which shows that you have the legal right to drive a vehicle else - adv. used to refer to a different or additional person or thing night - n. the time of darkness between one day and the next perform - v. to entertain an audience by singing or acting poetry - n. the writings of a poet recite - v. to read (something) out loud or say (something) from memory test - n. a set of questions or problems that are designed to measure a person's knowledge, skills, or abilities trick - n. a clever and skillful action that someone performs to entertain or amuse people ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Word Book 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 your talents and skills. 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: Have to, Can, Can't, Contractions Topics: Invitations, Apologizing, Hobbies & Personal Skills, Expressing Obligation Learning Strategy: Cooperate Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using then to talk about a result; Using have to or reduced hafta to express obligation Are you teaching with Let's Learn English? Send us a photo of your class and we'll put it on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ 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-21-can-you-come-to-the-party/3406732.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-21-can-you-come-to-the-party/3406732.html
Thursday, 15 February 2018
Everyday Grammar: In, On, and At
When English speakers talk about time and place, there are three little words that often come up: in, on, and at. These common words are prepositions that show a relationship between two words in a sentence. Some prepositions are rather easy for English learners to understand: behind, over, under, next to, etc… But these little two-letter prepositions seem to create confusion. Here are a few rules to help you understand when to use in, on, and at in a sentence. For describing time and place, the prepositions in, on, and at go from general to specific. Prepositions and Time Let’s start by looking at how we talk about time. English speakers use in to refer to a general, longer period of time, such as months, years, decades, or centuries. For example, we say “in April,” “in 2015” or “in the 21st century.” Moving to shorter, more specific periods of time, we use on to talk about particular days, dates, and holidays . You may hear, “I went to work on Monday,” or “Let’s have a picnic on Memorial Day.” For the most specific times, and for holidays without the word “day,” we use at. That means you will hear, “Meet me at midnight,” or “The flowers are in bloom at Easter time.” Prepositions and Place When English speakers refer to a place, we use in for the largest or most general places. You can say that “VOA is located in Washington, D.C.” And “for the best food, try the restaurants in Chinatown.” For more specific places, like certain streets, we use the preposition on. You may know that President Obama lives on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Finally, we get to the most specific places. For exact addresses or intersections, we use the preposition at. If I invited you to visit us here at VOA, I would say, “Come to my office at 330 Independence Avenue.” To be exact, it’s at the corner of Independence and 3rd Street.” In English, though, there is always an ‘exception to the rule.’ When talking about transportation, things get a little hard to understand. We use on for public vehicles like buses or trains, but also for smaller ones like a bicycle. “I rode there on my bicycle.” However, you ride in a car. Still, it helps to know that English prepositions do have some rules. Following the “general to specific” rule should help you most of the time. I’m Jill Robbins. And, I’m Ashley Thompson. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story specific - adj. clearly and exactly presented or stated : precise or exact intersection - n. the place where two or more streets meet or cross each other Now it’s your turn. What helps you to remember the prepositions in English? Do you have any grammar tips you’d like to share? Write to us in the comments section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/prepositions-time-place-everyday-grammar-in-on-at/2732061.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/prepositions-time-place-everyday-grammar-in-on-at/2732061.html
Everyday Grammar: In, On, and At
When English speakers talk about time and place, there are three little words that often come up: in, on, and at. These common words are prepositions that show a relationship between two words in a sentence. Some prepositions are rather easy for English learners to understand: behind, over, under, next to, etc… But these little two-letter prepositions seem to create confusion. Here are a few rules to help you understand when to use in, on, and at in a sentence. For describing time and place, the prepositions in, on, and at go from general to specific. Prepositions and Time Let’s start by looking at how we talk about time. English speakers use in to refer to a general, longer period of time, such as months, years, decades, or centuries. For example, we say “in April,” “in 2015” or “in the 21st century.” Moving to shorter, more specific periods of time, we use on to talk about particular days, dates, and holidays . You may hear, “I went to work on Monday,” or “Let’s have a picnic on Memorial Day.” For the most specific times, and for holidays without the word “day,” we use at. That means you will hear, “Meet me at midnight,” or “The flowers are in bloom at Easter time.” Prepositions and Place When English speakers refer to a place, we use in for the largest or most general places. You can say that “VOA is located in Washington, D.C.” And “for the best food, try the restaurants in Chinatown.” For more specific places, like certain streets, we use the preposition on. You may know that President Obama lives on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Finally, we get to the most specific places. For exact addresses or intersections, we use the preposition at. If I invited you to visit us here at VOA, I would say, “Come to my office at 330 Independence Avenue.” To be exact, it’s at the corner of Independence and 3rd Street.” In English, though, there is always an ‘exception to the rule.’ When talking about transportation, things get a little hard to understand. We use on for public vehicles like buses or trains, but also for smaller ones like a bicycle. “I rode there on my bicycle.” However, you ride in a car. Still, it helps to know that English prepositions do have some rules. Following the “general to specific” rule should help you most of the time. I’m Jill Robbins. And, I’m Ashley Thompson. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story specific - adj. clearly and exactly presented or stated : precise or exact intersection - n. the place where two or more streets meet or cross each other Now it’s your turn. What helps you to remember the prepositions in English? Do you have any grammar tips you’d like to share? Write to us in the comments section.
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/prepositions-time-place-everyday-grammar-in-on-at/2732061.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/prepositions-time-place-everyday-grammar-in-on-at/2732061.html
Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #49 - 10 Ways to Say Hello
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-49-10-ways-to-say-hello/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-49-10-ways-to-say-hello/
The rise of drones
Good or bad, drones are taking off. We discuss how these pilotless flying machines are helping and hindering our lives
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05y8w2q
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05y8w2q
Passive Voice- Yes-No Questions Games
New Entry: 'Passive Voice- Yes-No Questions Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-passive-voice-yes-no-questions-games/
Upper Beginner #8 - A Trip to an American Steakhouse
Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! You’ve had a great trip through several American cities so far, and you’ve learned lots of English. But as you write back home to your friends, you have to figure out how to say the plural of a word in English, and you’re not sure how to form it! You want [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/upper-beginner-8-a-trip-to-an-american-steakhouse/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/upper-beginner-8-a-trip-to-an-american-steakhouse/
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
The best of both worlds
Can you enjoy the advantages of two different situations at the same time? You can if you use this phrase
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05y11rm
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05y11rm
Monday, 12 February 2018
Days of the Week- Pick and Draw
New Entry: 'Days of the Week- Pick and Draw' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-days-of-the-week-pick-and-draw/
Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #3 - I Move
Lesson Audio Download MP3 Dialog Download MP3
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-3-i-move/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-3-i-move/
Ferret about
New Entry: 'Ferret about' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/ferret+about.html
Ferret around
New Entry: 'Ferret around' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/ferret+around.html
How to teach days of the week in English
New Entry: 'How to teach days of the week in English' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-teach-days-week-in-english.html
Sunday, 11 February 2018
Saturday, 10 February 2018
Lesson 20: What Can You Do?
Summary Anna meets her friend Pete in a coffee shop. Pete needs a job. Can Anna help him to find the right job for him? Speaking In this video, you can practice saying the new words and learn how to ask questions when you do not understand someone clearly. Pronunciation This video teaches about the shortened form of cannot and the two ways to pronounce can. Conversation Anna: Hi, there! Washington, D.C. is a great place to work. Many people here work in government and politics. But there are many other jobs. You can work at a hospital; a university. You can work in a coffee shop. Wait a minute, I think I see a friend of mine. Pete? Is that you? Pete: Hi, Anna. Anna: You look different. Your beard … is really big. Pete: You don’t like it, do you? Anna: No, no. You just look … different. (To server) Thank you. So, what’s wrong? You look sad. Pete: I don’t have a job. Anna: Sorry, I can’t hear you. Pete: I do not have a job! Anna: Oh. I’m sorry to hear that, Pete. Pete: I don’t have a skill. Anna: Everyone has a skill. You need to find yours. Pete: I don’t know, Anna. Anna: Pete, I am good at asking questions. Let me ask you some. Pete: Really, Anna? Can you help me? Anna: Yes, I can. Let me help. Pete: Sure, Anna. Maybe you can help. Anna: Can you write code? Pete: Sure, c-o-l-d. How is this going to help? Anna: No, not “cold.” Code; you know, for making phone apps, or websites. You can make tons of money writing code. Pete: Tons of money? But I can’t code. Anna: Next question. Can you drive? Pete: Do you mean drive a race car? It’s really hard to be a race car driver. First, you need a race car ... Anna: No, I mean drive a taxi or drive a bus. Pete: No, I always fall asleep when I drive. Anna: Oh, that’s not good. Next question. Can you teach? You can be a teacher in a school. Pete: No, I cannot teach. Anna: Can you cook? You can be a chef in a restaurant. Pete: No, I can’t code! I can’t teach! I can’t cook! Anna, I can’t do anything. This is sad. I’m gonna write about my feelings in my blog. Anna: You write a blog? Pete: Yeah, I write a blog. Anna: How many followers do you have? Pete: I don’t know … 59,538. Anna: Pete, that's a lot of followers! You can make money writing! Pete: Writing is easy. Everyone can write. Anna: Not everyone can write well. You can be a writer! Pete: I can be a writer. I can be a writer! I can be a writer! Thanks, Anna. Marsha: Hi, Pete. Hi, Anna. Pete: Hi, Marsha. Excuse me, I have to go. Marsha: Where are you going? Pete: I’m going to be a writer! Marsha: Good luck, Pete! (To Anna) He does know that it’s not easy to be a writer, doesn’t he? Anna: There are many different jobs you can have in Washington, D.C. Pete wants to be a writer. I wish him luck. Lots of luck. Until next time! Writing In this lesson, Anna is helping her friend Pete. He needs to find a new job. How do you try to help your friends? Write to us to tell us about the ways you help your friends. Send us an email or write in the Comments section. Use the Activity Sheet to practice talking about jobs and skills. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is identify problems. When we are talking with someone in English it helps to identify problems in understanding and get the information we need to correct the problems. In the video for this lesson, there are three problems. Here are two of them. 1. Anna identifies one problem. Pete is not talking loud enough. She tells Pete. "Sorry, I can’t hear you." Pete speaks more loudly so she can hear him. 2. Later, Pete does not understand Anna. He asks, "Do you mean drive a race car?" Anna explains that she means to "drive a taxi or drive a bus." Can you find another time in the video when Anna or Pete identifies a problem? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Listening Quiz Test your understanding by taking the listening quiz. Listen to the short video, then choose the best answer. ______________________________________________________________ New Words app - n. a computer program that performs a particular task (such as word processing) beard – n. the hair that grows on a man's cheeks and chin blog - n. a Web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences chef - n. a professional cook who usually is in charge of a kitchen in a restaurant code - n. - a set of instructions for a computer code - v. to change (information) into a set of letters, numbers, or symbols that can be read by a computer drive - v. to direct the movement of a vehicle such as a car, truck, or bus easy - adj. not hard to do follower - n. a person who likes and admires (someone or something) very much good luck - expression. used to say that you hope someone will succeed hard - adj. physically or mentally difficult lot(s) or a lot (informal) lots - n. a large amount hospital - n. a place where sick or injured people are given care or treatment and where children are often born school - n. a place where children go to learn taxi - n. a car that carries passengers to a place for an amount of money teacher - n. a person or thing that teaches something university - n. a school that offers courses leading to a degree and where research is done website - n. a place on the World Wide Web that contains information about a person, organization, etc., and that usually consists of many Web pages joined by hyperlinks well - adv. -- in a skillful way ______________________________________________________________ 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 write the names of jobs and talk about what people do at work. 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: Expressing ability; Can & Can't; Contractions Topics: Occupations and skills; Helping friends Learning Strategy: Identify Problems Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Asking clarification questions; Pronouncing can & can’t ______________________________________________________________ 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-20-what-can-you-do/3384429.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-20-what-can-you-do/3384429.html
Thursday, 8 February 2018
Could Have, Would Have, and Should Have
From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Today we will take a look at the modal verbs could have, would have and should have. These past tense modals are useful for expressing your present feelings about a past decision (or other action). Could have, would have, and should have are sometimes called “modals of lost opportunities.” They work like a grammatical time machine. The simple past just tells what happened. Past modals tell what could have, would have, and should have happened. To form these past modals, use could, would, or should followed by have, followed by a past participle verb. Use have for all pronouns; never use has or had to form a past modal. Here are some examples: She could have gone to any college she wanted to. I would have gone to the party, but I was tired. He should have told the truth about what he saw. Each of these modals has a slightly different meaning. We’ll look at each of them using examples from movies and popular songs. Could have We’ll start with could have. Could have means that something was possible in the past, but it did not happen. I could have gone directly to college, but I decided to travel for a year. Listen to this song by 1980s teen pop star Tiffany. The singer is thinking about past possibilities with her lost love. Could have been so beautiful Could have been so right Could have been my lover Every day of my life Native speakers often do not pronounce their past tense modals as clearly as Tiffany. Could have been usually gets contracted to could’ve been or even coulda’ been. Listen to Marlon Brando in the classic film “On the Waterfront.” Brando’s character, Terry Malloy, was once a promising young boxer. “You don’t understand. I coulda’ had class. I coulda’ been a contender. I could have been somebody—instead of a bum.” To form the negative with these modals, use not between could and have. Could not have means that something was impossible in the past. For example: She could not have been on that flight because I just saw her at work. Defense lawyers often use could not have to argue for a client’s innocence. A popular compliment in English is, “I couldn’t have said it better myself.” You can say this when you like the way somebody said something. It is a way to show strong agreement. Would have Let’s move on to would have. Would have is a bit more difficult because it has two common structures. The first is with but. I would have A, but I had to B. Use this structure to show that you wanted to do something in the past, but you could not. I would have called, but there was no phone service. I would have loaned you the money, but I didn’t have any. Would have also forms the result clause of a past unreal conditional. For example: If I had known they were vegetarians, I would have made a salad. You can always reverse conditional sentences. If would have comes first, there is no comma. I would have made a salad if I had known they were vegetarians. Past unreal conditionals are very complex; you can learn more about them on a previous episode of Everyday Grammar. Usually, would have suggests a bad feeling about the past. But not always. In this song by the band Chicago, the singer is surprisingly happy that his ex-girlfriend cheated on him. Her infidelity gave him the opportunity to meet someone else. And that someone else turned out to be his true love. If she would have been faithful If she could have been true Then I wouldn’ta been cheated I would never know real love I would've missed out on you Should have Finally, let’s look at should have. Should have means that something did not happen, but we wish it had happened. We use should have to talk about past mistakes. A worried mother might say: “I was so worried about you. You should have called!” Should have is common in apologies. For example: I’m sorry that I’m late for work. I should have woken up earlier. You might remember Lieutenant Dan in the movie Forrest Gump. In the movie, Dan loses both of his legs in the Vietnam War. He would have died, but Forrest saved him. Listen for should have as Dan confronts Forrest. “You listen to me. We all have a destiny. Nothing just happens. It’s all part of a plan. I should have died out there with my men. But now I’m nothing but a cripple!” Should have can be used in a light-hearted way. In this song, country singer Toby Keith imagines how exciting his life would be if he had chosen to be a cowboy. I should’ve been a cowboy I should’ve learned to rope and ride Wearing my six-shooter Riding my pony on a cattle drive I couldn’t have said it better myself. As you can see, these modals of lost opportunities offer a colorful way to talk about past choices. That’s all for this week. Join us next week for more Everyday Grammar. I’m John Russell. And I’m Dr. Jill Robbins. Now it's your turn. Leave us example sentence. What is something you could have / should have / would have done in the past? Adam Brock wrote this article for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story modal verb – n. a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission contender – n. a person who tries to win something in a game or competition bum – n. a person who is lazy or who does something badly compliment – n. a comment that says something good about someone or something vegetarian – n. a person who does not eat meat infidelity – n. the act or fact of having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone other than your husband, wife, or partner confront – v. to oppose someone, especially in a direct and forceful way cripple – n. a person who cannot move or walk normally because of a permanent injury or other physical problem six-shooter – n. a kind of gun (called a revolver) that can hold six bullets (often used to describe guns used in the old American West) cattle drive – n. the process of moving cows from one place to another
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-could-have-should-have-would-have/3391128.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-could-have-should-have-would-have/3391128.html
Transport of the future
What will travel be like in the future? We discuss new ideas for moving us faster
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05xjd9x
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05xjd9x
Wrigley's gum
New Entry: 'Wrigley's gum' 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=27249
RTB
New Entry: 'RTB' has just been added to the Chatlish area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?show=Chatlish&entry_id=27248
American Business English for Beginners #6 - Going Out to Meet Clients 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 what to say when you [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-6-going-out-to-meet-clients-in-the-united-states/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-6-going-out-to-meet-clients-in-the-united-states/
Wednesday, 7 February 2018
Nationality Word Endings Mazes
New Entry: 'Nationality Word Endings Mazes' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-nationality-word-endings-mazes/
Hardly had Jim arrived at the beach ____ it started raining
New Entry: 'Hardly had Jim arrived at the beach ____ it started raining' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.
source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1197.html
Tuesday, 6 February 2018
Bone idle
Are you taking it easy or just be lazy? Here's a phrase to describe your condition
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05x8hmj
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05x8hmj
Monday, 5 February 2018
American Business English for Beginners #16 - Asking For Time Off Work 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 ask for a [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-16-asking-for-time-off-work-in-english/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-16-asking-for-time-off-work-in-english/
Sunday, 4 February 2018
Saturday, 3 February 2018
Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #48 - What are Your Top 10 Language Learning Goals for the Year?
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-47-what-are-your-top-10-language-learning-goals-for-the-year/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-47-what-are-your-top-10-language-learning-goals-for-the-year/
Friday, 2 February 2018
Lesson 19: When Do I Start?
Summary Anna has to walk to work because the Metro is closed. She calls to tell her boss she is late. Ms. Weaver wants her to come and talk about a new assignment. What will Anna do? Speaking Learn to pronounce the new words for this lesson and the months of the year. Learn about using which for offering choices and every or next with time words. Pronunciation In this video, learn how English speakers say the second month of the year. Conversation Anna: Hi there! Summer in Washington, D.C. is hot and sunny. I always ride the Metro to work. Riding the Metro is cool and fast. But today it’s closed. So, I am walking to work. (On the phone) Ms. Weaver, I am late this morning. The Metro is closed. So, I am walking to work. Caty: That’s too bad. It’s really hot today. Anna: Yes it is. Caty: When you arrive, please come to my office. I have important news to tell you. Anna: Of course. Good-bye. My boss has news for me. The question is: Is it good news or bad news? (At work) Anna: Hello, Ms. Weaver. Caty: Anna, I have good news and I have bad news. Which do you want to hear first? Anna: The good news. No … okay, the bad news. Caty: The bad news is you are not good at reading the news. Anna: Oh. I am very sorry to hear that. Caty: So, starting next month you will not read the news. Anna: Next month is July. You are firing me in July. Caty: No. I am not firing you in July … or in August or in September. That is the good news. Anna: Okay. You are not firing me. I am not reading the news. What will I be doing? Caty: Well, you are good at asking questions. You are good at talking to people. You are good at showing your feelings. And you are great at being silly. Anna: Thank you, Ms. Weaver. But what does all that mean? Caty: I have a new assignment for you! Your skills are perfect for a new show … a children’s show. Anna: A children’s show ... That is awesome! When do I start? Caty: You start next month. Start thinking of ideas for the show. Anna: I have tons of ideas! I can show children what it’s like in outer space ... Caty: Great … Anna: … or in the deep, dark ocean … Caty: Those are great ideas, Anna. Please go think of more … at your desk. Anna: Yes. What other things can I show them? Mt. Everest! Everyone has different skills. You have skills. I have skills. The important thing is to know what you are good at. Until next time! Writing What are your skills? Do you use them at work or at school? Tell us about a couple of skills you have. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice talking with a friend about what you do at different times of the year. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Summarize. In this week's video, you hear Ms. Weaver tell Anna, "Well, you are good at asking questions. You are good at talking to people. You are good at showing your feelings. And you are great at being silly." Anna does not understand why Ms. Weaver is telling her about her skills. She asks, "But what does all that mean?" In answering the question, Ms. Weaver summarizes, "I have a new assignment for you! Your skills are perfect for a new show … a children’s show." When we summarize we tell a story or report on information in fewer words. We tell the most important information and do not include many details. Summarizing helps us remember new information and practice using new words. How do you summarize 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 the listening quiz. Listen to the short video, then choose the best answer. ______________________________________________________________ New Words arrive - v. to come to or reach a place after traveling assignment - n. a job or duty that is given to someone child - n. a young person (plural: children) closed - adj. not operating or open to the public deep - adj. having a large distance to the bottom from the surface or highest point everyone - pron. every person; everybody fire - v. to dismiss (someone) from a job idea - n. a thought, plan, or suggestion about what to do mean - v. to cause or result in (something) month - n. any one of the 12 parts into which the year is divided Mt. Everest - n. a mountain in Asia; it is the highest mountain in the world ocean - n. the salt water that covers much of the Earth's surface other - adj. used to refer to the one person or thing that remains or that has not been mentioned outer space - n. the region beyond the Earth's atmosphere in which there are stars and planets perfect - adj. having all the qualities you want in that kind of person or situation silly - adj. playful or funny skill - n. an ability to do something that comes from training, experience, or practice ton n. informal: a large amount; in the US, a ton is a unit for measuring weight that equals 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) ______________________________________________________________ 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 practice talking with a friend about what you do at different times of the year. 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: Which as an adjective alone and with pronouns; Adjectives next and every Topics: Saying the months of the year; Talking about seasons and activities Learning Strategy: Summarize Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using which and which one to offer a choice; using every and next with time expressions; Pronunciation of February ______________________________________________________________ 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-19-when-do-you-start/3357760.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-19-when-do-you-start/3357760.html
Thursday, 1 February 2018
Everyday Grammar: Mastering Reported Speech
We often need to tell others what someone else said. There are two ways to do this. One is to say the same words and use quotation marks. That is "direct speech." The other method is to summarize, or tell about what someone said. This is called "reported speech." Before we get into the rules for reporting speech, here are the terms we are using to explain it. Subject noun or pronoun Reporting verb Conjunction Reported speech clause She said that she wanted a cookie. Rules for reporting speech To get this kind of sentence right, there are four things you should keep in mind: The first rule is to choose a reporting verb and tense. When did the speech happen? With current, repeated or recent events, the reporting verb is in the present tense. "He says he is hungry, so let's go to lunch." A habitual or repeated statement is in the present tense: "Everyone says the water is safe to drink." For reporting less immediate speech, choose the past tense. The reporting verb is often said, but it can also be told, or other verbs like ordered, stated, or reported, depending on the situation. When reporting questions, you can use verbs like asked or requested. The second rule is to change the perspective, or point of view. That means I becomes he, she, or they. "Mary said 'I ate the pie."' becomes "She said that she ate the pie." "The boys said, 'We are coming tomorrow'" becomes "They said they are coming tomorrow." Next, choose whether to include "that or "if." You can say, "He says he is at home" or "He says that he is at home." That is a conjunction here, linking the two parts of the sentence. It is optional. Another conjunction, if, is required when reporting on a question: "He asked me if I knew how to play tennis." The fourth rule is to "backshift" the tense. This is the trickiest part of reported speech. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported clause is in the past tense, too. The verb aspect, showing whether the action is completed, matches. Here are some examples: "I am buying my ticket." (present continuous) -> He said he was buying his ticket. (past continuous) Ashley: "I have fixed my bicycle." (present perfect) -> She said she had fixed her bicycle. (past perfect) Reporting speech in English would be easy if these rules were all learners needed to know. But as usual, there is more to learn. Let's look at what happens with questions and modals. Reporting on questions When we report questions, we have to pay attention to the auxiliary verb. These are words like do, be, and have. Yes or no questions begin with an auxiliary, such as "Do you like pizza?" To report that question, drop the auxiliary and add if: He asked me if I liked pizza. Learners often make the mistake of leaving the auxiliary verb in the reported speech: He asked me do I like pizza. Information questions start with a question word: "Where are you going?" To report on these, simply change the pronoun and word order. She asked me where I was going. Here, learners often make the mistake of keeping the same word order: She asked me where was I going. A similar word order switch appears with the verb "be" in questions. They asked, "When is the party?" -> They asked me when the party was. The question word "when" remains. "Be" moves from a position before the noun to after the noun. Reporting speech with modals Finally, pay attention to whether the speech you are reporting uses a modal verb. Will, can, and shall change to would, could, and should when reported. Will is used to make statements about the future in English. When reporting this kind of statement, will becomes would. Compare these sentences: Kelly said, "I will pick up the sandwiches." -> Kelly said she would pick up the sandwiches. Modal verbs may appear in questions, as well: Caty asked, "Can you answer the phone while I'm out?" -> Caty asked me if I could answer the phone while she was out. If the modal verb is already in its past form, it does not change when reported. George stated, "I would not do that." -> George said he would not do that. Test your knowledge Let's try a few sentences. I'll say the direct speech, and you make a sentence in reported speech. Our boss said, "You can all go home early today." -> Our boss said we could all go home early. Anna asked "When is your birthday?" -> Anna asked me when my birthday was. Adam said, "I am leaving on Tuesday." -> Adam said he was leaving on Tuesday. Chris said, "I will bring the cake." -> Chris said he would bring the cake. Reported speech in song Reported speech sometimes shows up in popular songs. The singer Lisa Loeb begins the song "Stay" with a reported verb in the present tense to show that the action is a habit. you say I only hear what I want to you say I talk so all the time so Later she reports something in the past, so the reported speech verb is in the past tense. you said that I was naive, and I thought that I was strong. I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave." but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you. Follow these simple rules and you will be reporting speech like a pro. She said that you would be reporting speech like a pro. I'm Pete Musto. And I'm Jill Robbins. Reference Reporting Verb Tense Direct Speech Direct Speech Tense Indirect Speech Reported Speech Tense Present Adam says, "I have a headache. I can't go." Present simple Adam says he has a headache, so he can't go." Present Simple (it is still true) Past Adam said, "I am going to Seattle." Present continuous Adam said he was going to Seattle. Past continuous Past Ashley said, "I can clean up." Present Modal form Ashley told us she could clean up. Past Modal form Past Ashley said, "I have never been to Seattle." Present Perfect Ashley said she had never been to Seattle. Past perfect Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story. Adam Brock was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story report – v. to tell people about (something) aspect – grammar : the characteristic of a verb that expresses the way an action happens auxiliary verb – n. a verb (such as have, be, may, do, shall, will, can, or must) that is used with another verb to show the verb's tense, to form a question, etc. modal verb – n. a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission Now it's your turn. Try changing these sentences into reported speech. Write your sentences in the comments section and we will give you feedback. Trung asked, "Did you eat dinner?" Pete said, "I have been looking for a new car." Ashley says, "Come into my office."
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-reported-speech/2856671.html
source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-reported-speech/2856671.html
What’s in a name?
A growing number of western millennial men are taking their new wife's name when they get married. Dan and Neil discuss this trend and teach you six items of vocabulary
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05wscpx
source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05wscpx
Innovative English #2 - How to Describe Where You’re From in English
In this lesson, you’ll learn How to Describe Where You’re From in English. Visit us at EnglishClass101.com, where you will find English lesson notes and many more fantastic lessons and learning resources. Leave us a message while you are here! Learn innovative English with EnglishClass101.com! Whether you’re moving to America or just visiting, [...]
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/innovative-english-2-how-to-describe-where-youre-from-in-english/
source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/innovative-english-2-how-to-describe-where-youre-from-in-english/
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