Learn English speaking: March 2018

Saturday, 31 March 2018

Video News #12 - Free English Gifts of the Month - April 2018

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-12-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-april-2018/

Friday, 30 March 2018

Lesson 27: I Can't Come In

Summary Anna does not feel well. She calls her boss and her doctor. What do they tell her to do? And will she follow their advice? Speaking Learn to pronounce the new words for this lesson. You also learn about irregular past tense verbs. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about how to ask two kinds of questions: WH-questions and Yes/No questions. Conversation Anna: Hello! I am sure that today, in Washington, D.C,. there are a lot of great things to do. But I am not doing any of them. I am sick. Right now, I'm going to call my boss and tell her I cannot come in to work. Caty: Hello? Anna: Ms. Weaver, Hi. I can’t come to work today. Caty: Why not? What is wrong? Anna: Well, yesterday I felt fine. Anna: In the morning, I painted for hours. In the afternoon, I cut wood. Then, I built a fire. Caty: Anna, what do you mean? Why can’t you come to work today? Anna: I do not feel well. I think I’m sick. Caty: I’m sorry to hear that. I was sick last week, too. I had the flu. Anna: (sneezes) What did you do? Caty: I slept a lot and I drank a lot of water. Do you have a doctor? Anna: Yes, I do. Caty: You should call your doctor. And get lots of rest! Anna: Thanks, Ms. Weaver. I’ll call right now. I'm calling my doctor. Dr. Bennett: (to herself) Now, where does this thing go? Dr. Bennett: Hello. This is Dr. Bennett. How can I help you? Anna: Hello, Dr. Bennett. This is Anna. Dr. Bennett: Oh, Hi, Anna. How can I help you? Anna: I think I’m sick. Dr. Bennett: Let me ask you a couple of questions. Do you have a sore throat? Anna: Yes. I have a sore throat. Dr. Bennett: Do you have a cough? Anna: Yes. I have a cough. Dr. Bennett: When did you start feeling sick? Anna: This morning. Yesterday I felt great. In the morning I painted, for hours - in the afternoon I cut wood - Dr. Bennett: Excuse me, Anna. But I don’t need to know all that. Do you have a fever? Anna: Oh. My thermometer says 125 degrees?! What?? Dr. Bennett: Yeah, that’s not right. Anna: Oh. Wait. The thermometer was in my hot cup of coffee. Dr. Bennett: Please take it again, Anna. Anna: Okay, the thermometer says 100.5 degrees. Dr. Bennett: 100.5 degrees is not too high. I want you to drink lots of water. Rest in bed and get lots of sleep. Anna: That is what my boss said to do. Um, Dr. Bennett, when can I go to work? Dr. Bennett: Don’t go to work for a couple of days. Anna: Yes! I mean, I don’t want to make my co-workers sick. Dr. Bennett: That’s right. Call me back in a couple of days. Anna: I will, Dr. Bennett. And thanks. Anna: Well, you heard the doctor – no work for a couple of days. I need water, sleep and um … lots of movies! Well, the doctor didn’t say anything about movies. But it can’t hurt! Until next time! Writing What happens when you get the flu? Does your family have a special way to get well again? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about health problems 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 Analyze Information. When we are learning a second language, we can think carefully about the new information we learn, and make a decision. That is what analyzing information means. In the video, Dr. Bennett asks Anna many questions. Then she analyzes the information she learned. She tells Anna to stay home, drink water and sleep. Can you find another time in the video when someone analyzes information? Write to tell us about it in an email or in the Comments section. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more on how to teach this strategy. Quiz Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz. ______________________________________________________________ New Words cough - n. the act of forcing air through your throat with a short, loud noise often because you are sick doctor - n. a person who is skilled in the science of medicine fever - n. a body temperature that is higher than normal fire - n. the light and heat and especially the flame produced by burning flu - n. a common disease that is caused by a virus and that causes fever, weakness, body aches, and breathing problems; also called influenza rest -v. to stop doing work or an activity sick - adj. affected with a disease or illness; ill sneeze - v. to suddenly force air out through your nose and mouth with a usually loud noise because your body is reacting to dust or a sickness sore - adj. feeling or affected by pain thermometer - n. an instrument used for measuring temperature throat - n. the tube inside the neck that leads to the stomach and lungs wood - n. the hard substance that makes up the stems and branches of trees and shrubs Past Tense Verbs cut / cut - v. to use a sharp tool (such as a knife) to open or divide (something, such as paper or wood) do / did - v. to perform an action or activity drink / drank - v. to take a liquid into your mouth and swallow it feel / felt - v. used to describe someone's physical or mental state hear / heard - v. to be aware of (sound) through the ear hurt / hurt - v. to be a source or cause of pain paint / painted - v. to cover (something) with paint or to put paint on (something) say / said - v. to use your voice to express (something) with words sleep / slept- v. to rest your mind and body by closing your eyes and becoming unconscious ______________________________________________________________ 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 health problems. 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: Irregular past tense verbs Topics: Asking about health problems; giving advice for health problems Learning Strategy: Analyze Information Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Wh-questions and Yes/No question intonation; Groups of verbs with irregular past tense forms ______________________________________________________________ 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-27-i-cant-come-in/3457316.html

How To Learn English The Easy Fun And The Right Way

If you follow our gr8English website regularly, you should know we are trying to help you by sharing useful tips and contents for learning English. Just enjoy below article which …

source http://www.gr8english.com/learning-english/how-to-learn-english-the-easy-fun-and-the-right-way.html

Thursday, 29 March 2018

Who needs a manbag?

What are fashionable men carrying these days? We look inside the trend for a manbag accessory and teach some new vocabulary

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p062pqy2

Comparatives- Make Me Say Yes

New Entry: 'Comparatives- Make Me Say Yes' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-comparatives-make-me-say-yes/

Advanced Audio Blog S4 #12 - Top 10 Holidays in the United Kingdom - Burns Night

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-s4-12-top-10-holidays-in-the-united-kingdom-burns-night/

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #70 - Top 10 Lines You’ll Need to Reject a Date

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-70-top-10-lines-youll-need-to-reject-a-date/

Tuesday, 27 March 2018

How To Learn English The Easy Way

Our web site the Power English has quite wide content to help you learning English. We share very useful and practical lesson on this site. Especially articles, tutorials and video lessons to improve English listening and speaking skills. So, you can find another article below which includes some useful tips about learning English. How To […]

source http://www.power-english.net/english-learning/how-to-learn-english-the-easy-way.html

Freegan

Are you someone who only eats food that has been wasted or thrown away? Learn a word that describes what you are

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p062g6p4

English Grammar Made Easy #15 - The Differences between “Speak” and “Talk”

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-15-the-differences-between-speak-and-talk/

Monday, 26 March 2018

YAHOO

New Entry: 'YAHOO' 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=27261

Facebort

New Entry: 'Facebort' 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=27259

Don Revie

New Entry: 'Don Revie' 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=27260

Put your name in the pot

New Entry: 'Put your name in the pot' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/put+your+name+in+the+pot.html

Float about

New Entry: 'Float about' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/float+about.html

Float around

New Entry: 'Float around' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/float+around.html

Like & Don’t like TPR coin game

New Entry: 'Like & Don’t like TPR coin game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-like-dont-like-tpr-coin-game/

Extensive Reading in English for Beginners #1 - The United States Flag

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-1-the-united-states-flag/

Sunday, 25 March 2018

Everyday Grammar: Eager vs. Anxious

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-eager-vs-anxious/4258147.html

English Vocab Builder #135 - Your Face

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-135-your-face/

Saturday, 24 March 2018

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #16 - How Do You Use Relative Pronouns and Clauses in English?

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-16-how-do-you-use-relative-pronouns-and-clauses-in-english/

Friday, 23 March 2018

Lesson 26: This Game Is Fun!

Summary Anna plays the game "Catch Americana" and learns more about U.S. Presidents. She also learns to watch where she walks! Speaking Learn to pronounce the new words for this lesson. Find out more about the U.S. Presidents and the symbols in the game Anna and Dan play in the video. You can also learn another way to warn someone of danger. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about how people say "ought to" in fast speech. Conversation Anna: This is the Roosevelt Memorial. Where is the symbol? Anna remembers that Dan said: You have to find things that aren't really there. ... When you find an American symbol, you win points and a Fun Fact about a U.S. President. Anna: Yay! I found Uncle Sam and I won another 40 points! What is the Fun Fact? Voice: Franklin Roosevelt was the first to fly in a plane as president! Anna: I didn't know that. This is a really beautiful memorial. Anna: This is the Lincoln Memorial! Where is the symbol? Anna: I found it! The Statue of Liberty! Please give me my Fun Fact. Voice: Abraham Lincoln was a great wrestler! Anna: I didn't know that. Lincoln wanted freedom for all people. So, the Statue of Liberty works well. Anna: And I won 20 points! Time to find the next symbol. Dan: Hey! Look out! Anna: Sorry. Hey, it's you! Now, I should be more careful. Dan: That’s okay. Anna: This game is a lot of fun. Hey, what’s your name? Dan: Dan. What’s yours? Anna: Anna. Dan: Like Americana! Anna: Yeah, I guess so. Dan: Did you find any symbols? Anna: Yes, I found three and won 120 points! Dan: Me too. But, did you find the bald eagle? Anna: No. Did you? Dan: No. Anna: First one to find it wins? Dan: Anna, look out for that tree! Anna: I learned a lot about presidents with this game. But I ought to be more careful. Until next time …! Writing Are there any memorials to famous leaders in your town or in your country? Tell us about them. Do you admire the leader? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about sports 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 Make Associations. When we think of connections between things we are making associations. In this lesson, Dan makes an association to help himself remember Anna's name. After Anna tells him her name, he says, "Like Americana!" The name "Anna" sounds like the end of the word "Americana" to Dan. Can you find another example of making associations in the conversation? 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 (air)plane - n. a vehicle that has wings and an engine and can carry people or things in the air fly - v. to travel in an aircraft or spacecraft freedom - n. the power to do what you want to do or the ability to move or act freely Look out - phrasal verb. used to tell someone to be aware of something dangerous wrestler - n. someone who competes in the sport of wrestling yay - interjection.used to express joy, approval, or excitement American Presidents and Symbols (Part Two) Abraham Lincoln: America's 16th President, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It said the 3 million enslaved people in the South were free. They could enjoy some kinds of freedom after the end of the American Civil War. Franklin Delano Roosevelt America's 32nd president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was president from March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945. He was the only President elected to four terms, and the only paralyzed President. FDR led the United States through World War Two. (President Roosevelt's symbol in the Catch Americana game is Uncle Sam. The Uncle Sam symbol called many American men to join the U.S. Army to fight in the World Wars. George Washington ______________________________________________________________ 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 associations with sports and warnings using "look out." 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: modal "ought to;" irregular past tense verbs Topics: U.S. Presidents; Americana symbols Learning Strategy: Make Associations Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Pronouncing "ought to" in fast speech; Giving warnings with the expression "look out;" Symbols associated with American Presidents ______________________________________________________________ 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-26-this-game-is-fun/3457248.html

Thursday, 22 March 2018

Can I, Could I, May I?

For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. This week we will give you some tips on how to use modals to make requests and give permission. Some common modals for expressing permission are may, can, and could. But these modals have multiple meanings that can be confusing for English learners. Can and May Children in American schools learn to use the modal may when asking for permission. A student might ask the teacher, "May I be excused?" before leaving the room. When students asked, "Can I leave the room?" their teachers often made a joke, "You can, but you may not." The teacher was saying the student is able to leave the room, but does not have permission to do so. May is the most formal way to ask for permission. The distinction between can and may is slowly disappearing in English. These days, is not always clear if may is being used to express permission or possibility—or both. Let's look at some examples in the language of Internet privacy policies. When you visit a website for the first time, you often see a popup box asking for permission to collect information about you. Privacy laws in some countries require websites to tell you what information is collected and how it will be used. A common privacy statement includes this sentence: “We may collect various types of information…when you visit any of our sites.” Let's see what this legal language really means. "We may collect information…" means that you give the company permission to collect information about you. In other words, you allow the company to save your email address or your computer's address. But may has multiple meanings. In addition to expressing permission, may also expresses possibility. For example, “It may rain” means that there is a possibility of rain. Let’s go back to our privacy example. “We may collect various types of information…when you visit any of our sites.” The policy contains some clever legal language. “We may collect information” means “We have permission to collect information.” But it could also mean, “There is a possibility that we will collect information.” One could make an argument for both meanings. As an Internet user, you should assume both meanings of may are part of the policy. Could and May A third modal for making polite requests is could. For example, “Could I please have some water?” Could is the past tense of can. However, when asking for permission, could does not have a past tense meaning. Could has the same meaning as may when making requests. It is equally polite to say “Could I leave early?” or “May I leave early?” Could is used with any subject to ask for permission. For example “Could I open the window?” or “Could you open the window?” are both grammatical. Be careful with may. When making a request using may, only I can be the subject. If you are making a formal request to dance with someone, you would say, “May I have this dance?” not “May you have this dance?” May followed by you does not express a request; it expresses a wish, as in “May you live long.” But that’s another episode. Until next time, we’ll leave you a song of permission by the Temptations. May I have this dance May I, may, may I have this dance I’m Jonathan Evans with Ashley Thompson. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Adam Brock was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story modal verb - 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 permission - n. the right or ability to do something that is given by someone who has the power to decide if it will be allowed or permitted distinction – n. the separation of people or things into different groups privacy – n. the state of being away from public attention pop-up – adj. computers : appearing on the screen over another window or document allow - v. to permit (something) : to regard or treat (something) as acceptable formal - adj. of language: suitable for serious or official speech and writing ______________________________________________________________ A Game to Learn "May" A traditional children's game is called "Mother May I?" One child plays the Mother or Father at one end of a room or a yard. The other children start on the opposite side in a line. The goal of the game is to get to the place where the Mother or Father stands. The Mother/Father player gives one player instructions, such as "Take three giant steps." The player must ask for permission to move forward by saying, "Mother, may I?" The Mother/ Father says, "Yes, you may" or "No, you may not." If the player moves without asking for permission, that player has to go back to the starting line. This game helps children to remember two things - to ask permission and to be polite. Now it’s your turn. Write one sentence politely asking for permission.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-modals-permission-can-may/2877141.html

Microadventures!

You don't need to go far for adventure. Find out how there's fun to be had on your doorstep

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p061ywkr

English Grammar Made Easy #9 - Common Negative Prefixes

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-9-common-negative-prefixes/

Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Solutions to countable and uncountable problems- discussion

New Entry: 'Solutions to countable and uncountable problems- discussion' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-solutions-to-countable-and-uncountable-problems-discussion/

Teaching ordinal numbers to EFL learners

New Entry: 'Teaching ordinal numbers to EFL learners' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/teaching-ordinal-numbers-to-efl-learners.html

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

Barking up the wrong tree

Have you ever made the wrong assumption? Here's a dog-related phrase to describe your actions

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p061qb2b

Monday, 19 March 2018

Use -Ever Words Whenever You Like

In the song “Whenever, Wherever,” popular Colombian singer Shakira tells us about a long-distance romance. At one point in the song, she asserts that time and distance are of little importance when two people are meant for each other: Can't you see I'm at your feet Whenever, wherever We're meant to be together I'll be there and you'll be near And that's the deal, my dear… In the song, Shakira uses the words “whenever” and “wherever,” meaning “it doesn’t matter when” and “it doesn’t matter where.” From popular songs to written and spoken communication, English speakers use what are called “-ever words” quite a lot. Today, we will explore the meanings and uses of these words. Each one is formed by taking what we call “wh- question words” –like when and where -- and adding the word -ever to them. A common structure for -ever words is: -ever word + subject + verb. And, as you will see, each word has two main meanings, and they are not very different. Whatever Let’s start with the word whatever. The word whatever can mean “anything” at all or “it doesn’t matter what.” Listen to an example: You can have whatever you like. This sentence means: “You can have anything that you like.” Whatever also means “it doesn’t matter what.” Listen: Whatever you do, don’t come home after sunset! This sentence means: “I don’t care what you are doing. Just don’t come after sunset!” In this case, “Whatever you do” is a not a necessary clause, but is used to emphasize when to return home. Whichever Our next -ever word is whichever. The word whichever can mean “any one of a group” or “it doesn’t matter which.” English learners may ask about the difference between whichever and whatever. Here’s what’s different: whichever is used when identifying from a set of choices that are known to both the speaker and the listener. Listen: Those three hats are the nicest. Choose whichever you like best and I’ll buy it. This means: “Choose any one of the three hats and I’ll buy it.” The word whichever also means “it doesn’t matter which.” Listen: I’m not sure whether I want to go to Martinique, Guadeloupe or St. Lucia. Whichever trip you choose, I’m sure you’ll get lots of time in the sun. The second speaker is saying: “It doesn’t matter which trip you choose. I’m sure you’ll get to spend a lot of time in the sun.” Whoever Our next -ever word is: whoever or whomever. Unlike other -ever words, this word has two forms. The word whomever has become less common over the years because of the difficulty people have had knowing when to use it. Today, whoever is more popular in American English. The word whoever can mean “any person” or “it doesn’t matter who.” Listen: Whoever told you that didn’t know much about cars. This means: “Any person who gave you that piece of information did not know much about cars.” Whoever also means “it doesn’t matter who.” Listen: Whoever you go with, make sure they bring their cell phone. The speaker is saying that it doesn’t matter who you go with. Make sure they bring their phone. Now we’ll tell you about wherever, whenever and however and give you some sentence examples. But this time, instead of us telling you the meaning, you can tell us the meaning in the Comments section. Wherever Our next word -- wherever -- can mean “in at or to any place” or “it doesn’t matter where.” Listen an example: Home can be wherever you find happiness. And here’s another one: Wherever the boy went, the dog followed. Tell us what you think each sentence means. Whenever Onto our next -ever word: whenever. This word can mean “at any time” or “it doesn’t matter when.” Here’s one example: I’m going to stay for another hour. Feel free to leave whenever you want. And here’s another: Whenever you have time, let’s sit down and have some pie. Did you guess the meanings of these whenever sentences? In the second example the word whenever is used simply to emphasize that this can happen when the person has time. Replacing whenever with the word when would express the same basic meaning. However Now, let’s move on to our final -ever word for today: however. As you may know, however can have a few meanings, including being a synonym for the word but. But today, we’ll talk about its meanings as an -ever word. However can mean “in any way” or “it doesn’t matter how.” Listen to an example: We will help you however we can. Here’s the second example: However you do it, please finish it by 10 tomorrow morning. Tell us what you think the meanings are in the Comments. What can you do? So, how can you become comfortable using -ever words? The next time you’re reading something, listening to a song, or watching a film or television show in English, look for examples of -ever words. Then, try using them in your everyday conversations. If you practice these words enough, you’ll be able to use them whenever and wherever you like. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. -ever word meaning whatever ‘anything’ or ‘it doesn’t matter what’ whichever ‘any one of a group’ or ‘it doesn’t matter which’ whoever / whomever ‘any person’ or ‘it doesn’t matter who’ wherever ‘any place’ or ‘it doesn’t matter where’ whenever ‘any time’ or ‘it doesn’t matter when’ however ‘any way’ or ‘it doesn’t matter how’ ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story assert – v. to state something in a strong and definite way it doesn’t matter – expression. used to say that something is not important clause - n. a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb emphasize – v. to give special attention to something synonym – n. a word that has a similar meaning as another word in the same language comfortable – adj. causing no worries, difficulty or uncertainty practice - v. to do something again and again in order to become better at

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-use-ever-words-whenever-you-like/4300264.html

American Business English for Beginners #19 - Arriving to an Appointment and Notifying the Receptionist

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 tell a receptionist [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-19-arriving-to-an-appointment-and-notifying-the-receptionist/

Sunday, 18 March 2018

Everyday Grammar: Assure, Ensure, Insure

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-insure-assure-ensure/4258156.html

News #226 - 6 Ways to Get Every English Lesson for Free and Your ALL Access Pass Inside

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-226-6-ways-to-get-every-english-lesson-for-free-and-your-all-access-pass-inside/

Saturday, 17 March 2018

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #15 - How Should You Address People in English?

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source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-15-how-should-you-address-people-in-english/

Lesson 25: Watch Out!

Summary Anna learns about a new game, "Catch Americana." She walks around the memorials to U.S. Presidents and learns fun facts by playing the game. Speaking In this video, you can practice saying the new words and learn how to make recommendations using "should." Pronunciation This video teaches about past tense contractions, like "didn't." Conversation Anna: Hello from Washington, DC! This city has many monuments and memorials. Anna: Today I am visiting the ones built in memory of our Presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. Anna: I want to learn more about them. Anna: Hey! Watch out! Dan: Sorry! I didn't see you. Anna: You were not looking. You should be more careful. Dan: I know I should be more careful. But this game is really fun. Anna: What kind of game? Dan: You have to find things that aren't really there. Anna: How can you find things that aren’t really there? Dan: They're in your phone. See? Anna: I see. It’s like a scavenger hunt. Dan: That’s right! Anna: I don’t have time for games. I want to learn about U.S. presidents. Dan: Then you should play this game! When you find an American symbol, you win points and a Fun Fact about a U.S. President. Anna: I have time for this game! Dan: Here are the symbols that I caught: the Statue of Liberty for 20 points, Uncle Sam for 40 points and the American flag for 60 points. Anna: What symbol are you looking for now? Dan: I am looking for the bald eagle. That is 100 points! It should be near the Washington Monument. Anna: This game is awesome. Dan: You ought to buy the app right now. It’s called “Catch Americana.” Anna: Got it. Catch Americana. Anna: Thanks! Good luck! Dan: Good luck to you too! Anna: This is the Jefferson Memorial. I know that Thomas Jefferson signed the Declaration of Independence! Now, where is that symbol? Anna: Here it is! My first one. It’s an American flag! I won 60 points! Anna: An American flag works well for Thomas Jefferson*. I see lots of American flags on Independence Day! Anna: Where is my Jefferson Fun Fact? Voice: In his lifetime, Thomas Jefferson wrote about 19,000 letters! Anna: I did not know that. Where is the next symbol? *See an explanation of this sentence in the Learning Strategy section. Writing In this lesson, Anna learns about a new video game. What games do you like to play? Write to us to tell us about the video games or other games you like. Send us an email or write in the Comments section. Use the Activity Sheet to play a game that helps you practice talking about games, sports, and leisure activities. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Make Associations. When we think of connections between things we are making associations. In this lesson, Anna connects the picture of an American flag in her mind with President Thomas Jefferson. She sees the flag in the game and says, "I know that Thomas Jefferson signed the Declaration of Independence! Now, where is that symbol?" "Here it is! My first one. It’s an American flag! I won 60 points! An American flag works well for Thomas Jefferson. I see lots of American flags on Independence Day!" Anna is making associations between the flags and President Thomas Jefferson. What associations do you make when learning new things in English? Is there something in this lesson that you can associate with the new words? Maybe the association will help you remember them. 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 Americana - n. things produced in the U.S. and thought to be typical of the U.S. or its culture bald eagle - n. a very large bird of North America that has a white head and white tail feathers build / built - v. to make (something) by putting together parts or materials be careful! - an instruction to take care in a particular situation catch/caught - v. to capture and not allow (a person, animal, or fish) to escape Declaration of Independence - n. the statement adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776. It said that the thirteen American colonies would not accept British rule find / found - v. to get or discover something or someone that you are looking for flag - n. a piece of cloth with a special design that is used as a symbol of a nation or group Independence Day - n. July 4 celebrated as a legal holiday in the U.S. in honor of the day when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 memory - n. the power or process of remembering what has been learned in memory of or in someone's memory - made or done to honor someone who has died ought to - modal verb. used to say or suggest that something is the proper, reasonable, or best thing to do. It has the same meaning as should and is used in the same ways, but it is less common and somewhat more formal. point - n. a unit that is used to score a game or contest scavenger hunt - n. a game in which players try to find specified items within a particular period of time should - v. used to say or suggest that something is the proper, reasonable, or best thing to do Statue of Liberty - n. A large sculpture given to the United States from the people of France. It is a symbol of freedom and democracy. symbol - n. an action, object, event, etc., that expresses or represents a particular idea or quality Uncle Sam - n. A common symbol of the government of the United States. Watch out! - phrasal verb. to be aware of something dangerous American Presidents (Part One) Thomas Jefferson - America’s 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson signed the Declaration of Independence on America’s birthday - the 4th of July. (The symbol for President Jefferson in the Catch Americana game is an American flag.) ______________________________________________________________ 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 games, sports, and leisure activities. 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: Modals: should; ought to Topics: Warnings: Be careful, Watch out; Recommending products, giving advice Learning Strategy: Cooperate Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: past tense contractions ; Making recommendations using ‘should’ 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. What do you think the game in this lesson? Do you play a game like this? 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-25-watch-out/3431138.html

Friday, 16 March 2018

Put the Days of the Week in Order

New Entry: 'Put the Days of the Week in Order' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-put-the-days-of-the-week-in-order/

Thursday, 15 March 2018

Use -Ever Words Whenever You Like

In the song “Whenever, Wherever,” popular Colombian singer Shakira tells us about a long-distance romance. At one point in the song, she asserts that time and distance are of little importance when two people are meant for each other: Can't you see I'm at your feet Whenever, wherever We're meant to be together I'll be there and you'll be near And that's the deal, my dear… In the song, Shakira uses the words “whenever” and “wherever,” meaning “it doesn’t matter when” and “it doesn’t matter where.” From popular songs to written and spoken communication, English speakers use what are called “-ever words” quite a lot. Today, we will explore the meanings and uses of these words. Each one is formed by taking what we call “wh- question words” –like when and where -- and adding the word -ever to them. A common structure for -ever words is: -ever word + subject + verb. And, as you will see, each word has two main meanings, and they are not very different. Whatever Let’s start with the word whatever. The word whatever can mean “anything” at all or “it doesn’t matter what.” Listen to an example: You can have whatever you like. This sentence means: “You can have anything that you like.” Whatever also means “it doesn’t matter what.” Listen: Whatever you do, don’t come home after sunset! This sentence means: “I don’t care what you are doing. Just don’t come after sunset!” In this case, “Whatever you do” is a not a necessary clause, but is used to emphasize when to return home. Whichever Our next -ever word is whichever. The word whichever can mean “any one of a group” or “it doesn’t matter which.” English learners may ask about the difference between whichever and whatever. Here’s what’s different: whichever is used when identifying from a set of choices that are known to both the speaker and the listener. Listen: Those three hats are the nicest. Choose whichever you like best and I’ll buy it. This means: “Choose any one of the three hats and I’ll buy it.” The word whichever also means “it doesn’t matter which.” Listen: V1: I’m not sure whether I want to go to Martinique, Guadeloupe or St. Lucia. V2: Whichever trip you choose, I’m sure you’ll get lots of time in the sun. The second speaker is saying: “It doesn’t matter which trip you choose. I’m sure you’ll get to spend a lot of time in the sun.” Whoever Our next -ever word is: whoever or whomever. Unlike other -ever words, this word has two forms. The word whomever has become less common over the years because of the difficulty people have had knowing when to use it. Today, whoever is more popular in American English. The word whoever can mean “any person” or “it doesn’t matter who.” Listen: Whoever told you that didn’t know much about cars. This means: “Any person who gave you that piece of information did not know much about cars.” Whoever also means “it doesn’t matter who.” Listen: Whoever you go with, make sure they bring their cell phone. The speaker is saying that it doesn’t matter who you go with. Make sure they bring their phone. Now we’ll tell you about wherever, whenever and however and give you some sentence examples. But this time, instead of us telling you the meaning, you can tell us the meaning in the Comments section. Wherever Our next word -- wherever -- can mean “in at or to any place” or “it doesn’t matter where.” Listen an example: Home can be wherever you find happiness. And here’s another one: Wherever the boy went, the dog followed. Tell us what you think each sentence means. Whenever Onto our next -ever word: whenever. This word can mean “at any time” or “it doesn’t matter when.” Here’s one example: I’m going to stay for another hour. Feel free to leave whenever you want. And here’s another: Whenever you have time, let’s sit down and have some pie. Did you guess the meanings of these whenever sentences? In the second example the word whenever is used simply to emphasize that this can happen when the person has time. Replacing whenever with the word when would express the same basic meaning. However Now, let’s move on to our final -ever word for today: however. As you may know, however can have a few meanings, including being a synonym for the word but. But today, we’ll talk about its meanings as an -ever word. However can mean “in any way” or “it doesn’t matter how.” Listen to an example: We will help you however we can. Here’s the second example: However you do it, please finish it by 10 tomorrow morning. Tell us what you think the meanings are in the Comments. What can you do? So, how can you become comfortable using -ever words? The next time you’re reading something, listening to a song, or watching a film or television show in English, look for examples of -ever words. Then, try using them in your everyday conversations. If you practice these words enough, you’ll be able to use them whenever and wherever you like. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. -ever word meaning whatever ‘anything’ or ‘it doesn’t matter what’ whichever ‘any one of a group’ or ‘it doesn’t matter which’ whoever / whomever ‘any person’ or ‘it doesn’t matter who’ wherever ‘any place’ or ‘it doesn’t matter where’ whenever ‘any time’ or ‘it doesn’t matter when’ however ‘any way’ or ‘it doesn’t matter how’ ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story assert – v. to state something in a strong and definite way it doesn’t matter – expression. used to say that something is not important clause - n. a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb emphasize – v. to give special attention to something synonym – n. a word that has a similar meaning as another word in the same language comfortable – adj. causing no worries, difficulty or uncertainty practice - v. to do something again and again in order to become better at

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-use-ever-words-whenever-you-like/4300264.html

How do you learn to speak a language?

It's good to learn another language but it can be challenging. We discuss the ideas that could make it easier

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0616tq1

How do you learn to speak a language?

It's good to learn another language but it can be challenging. We discuss the ideas that could make it easier

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0616rx9

Hospitality English for Hotels #17 - Guest Interaction: Dos and Don’ts

Learn English for the hospitality industry with EnglishClass101.com’s Hospitality English for Hotels series! No matter which part of the hotel you work in, it’s important to be able to communicate with your guests professionally and efficiently. With this series, you’ll learn how to do just that! In this lesson, you’ll learn dos and don’ts of guest [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/hospitality-english-for-hotels-17-guest-interaction-dos-and-donts/

Wednesday, 14 March 2018

LTTIC

New Entry: 'LTTIC' 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=27258

A tumbleweed moment

New Entry: 'A tumbleweed moment' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/a+tumbleweed+moment.html

Tuesday, 13 March 2018

Everyday Grammar: Em Dash, En Dash

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-em-dash-en-dash/4258141.html

Thinking About Using -ing Words?

In the English language, putting two -ing words together often is not only natural but correct. Listen to an example: I’ve been avoiding going to the doctor. In today’s Everyday Grammar, we will look at examples of when two or more -ing words appear next to each other. What's the present participle? To understand why two -ing words can appear in a row in English, you must first understand the present participle. A present participle is a word that is formed from a verb and ends in -ing. For example, the present participle of the verb to avoid is avoiding. The present participle is used with the verb to be to form the continuous tenses. For instance, a few continuous tenses of to avoid include are avoiding, was avoiding and has or have been avoiding. But, the present participle can also act as a gerund or an adjective. Consider the verb to sing. The present participle is singing. Listen to an example of singing as a gerund: Singing is my favorite activity. As an adjective: The singing man was happy. And as part of a continuous verb tense: The man was singing in the rain. verb + gerund One common situation in which two -ing words can appear next to each other is when the first -ing word is part of a continuous verb tense and the second -ing word is a gerund, as in the first example: I’ve been avoiding going to the doctor. Here, have been avoiding is the present perfect continuous form of to avoid. Going is the gerund. Here’s another example: I’m considering buying a home in DC. Here, am considering is the present continuous form of the verb to consider. Buying is the gerund. go + gerund Two -ing words can also appear together in what we call “go + gerund.” Go + gerund is an example of the verb + gerund construction. In English, we add the verb to go to certain recreational activities. These activities include fishing, swimming, shopping and skating, plus more than a dozen more. Because of this, when go is in the continuous verb tense, you will see two -ing words together. Listen: I’m going shopping in Alexandria next weekend. In this sentence, am going is the present continuous form of the verb to go and the gerund is shopping. Here’s another: We’re going skating on Friday in the sculpture garden. In this sentence, are going is the present continuous form of the verb to go and skating is the gerund. Note, however, that you will not see two -ing words together when go is not in the continuous tense with these activities. For example: “We went skating in the sculpture garden last Friday” is still part of the go + gerund structure. verb + adjective Another English construction in which two -ing words commonly appear next to each other is the verb + adjective structure. Listen to the example: The noise is becoming irritating. In this example, is becoming is the present continuous form of the verb to become and irritating is an adjective that describes the noun noise. Here's another: I’ve been hearing disturbing stories about that place. In this example, have been hearing is the present perfect continuous form of the verb to hear and disturbing is an adjective that describes the noun stories. three -ing words You may be surprised to know that, in English, it’s also possible to put three -ing words together. Listen to an example: We’re considering going fishing near Providence or Newport. No one would look at you strangely if you said this because it sounds natural in English. In this sentence, are considering is the present continuous form of the verb to consider. And, going fishing follows the go + gerund construction. But, if you wanted to express the same meaning in another way, you could say, “We’re thinking about going fishing near Providence or Newport.” Notice that there are still three -ing words close together, but the preposition about separates the first two. However, many examples of three -ing words together do not sound natural. Listen to this example from the website English Stack Exchange: Some doctors are considering stopping recommending high-carb diets. According to the website, this sentence is grammatically correct. However, it sounds less natural than the example about fishing. Now, listen to a sentence with the same meaning. Some doctors are rethinking recommending high-carb diets. It sounds a little better than the original example. But this next one sounds better: Some doctors are rethinking their recommendations of high-carb diets. These examples sound more natural in English. Putting three -ing words together is often complicated and can sound unusual. So, until you’ve mastered English, you should probably avoid it. However, in many situations you can feel comfortable using two -ing words in a row. I’m Alice Bryant. Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story row – n. a straight line of people or things that are next to each other gerund – n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing recreational – adj. done for enjoyment skating – n. the activity or sport of gliding on skates or a skateboard (gerund of the verb to skate) sculpture garden – n. an outdoor garden dedicated to the presentation of sculpture irritating – adj. causing annoyance, impatience or anger 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 high-carb – adj. having a high number of carbohydrates grammatically – adv. in a way that relates to the rules of grammar original – adj. happening or existing first or at the beginning

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-thinking-about-using-ing-words/4282670.html

Cloud cuckoo land

Can you make the impossible possible? This phrase implies you can't but what's it got to do with a cuckoo?

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p060zcqh

English Grammar Made Easy #14 - The Differences between “For,” “Since,” and “Ago”

Lesson Video Download Video

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-14-the-differences-between-for-since-and-ago/

Monday, 12 March 2018

Tell me all ____ what happened.

New Entry: 'Tell me all ____ what happened.' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1199.html

How to teach dates in English

New Entry: 'How to teach dates in English' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-teach-dates-in-english.html

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #14 - How Do You Use “Though” in English?

Lesson Video Download Video

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-14-how-do-you-use-though-in-english/

Extensive Reading in English for Absolute Beginners #5 - Farm Animals

Lesson Audio Download MP3 Dialog Download MP3

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-absolute-beginners-5-farm-animals/

Sunday, 11 March 2018

Everyday Grammar: Em Dash, Em Dash

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-em-dash-en-dash/4258141.html

Incel

New Entry: 'Incel' 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=27255

Days of the Week Flashcards

New Entry: 'Days of the Week Flashcards' 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-flashcards/

English Vocab Builder #134 - Bedroom

Lesson Audio Download MP3

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-134-bedroom/

Friday, 9 March 2018

Lesson 24: Yesterday Was Amazing!

Summary Anna discovers a festival - the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. What does she learn there about Basque culture? Speaking Learn to pronounce the new words for this lesson. You also learn about the words people use in English when they cannot remember a word, or they do not know a word. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about three ways to pronounce the past tense ending of regular verbs. Conversation Anna: Yesterday was the most amazing day. I want to tell my friend back home about it. So, I am writing her a letter! Anna: Dear Penelope, Life in Washington, D.C. is interesting. I see something new every day -- like yesterday. Yesterday started like a usual work day. Anna: I said, "Yesterday started like a usual work day." Anna's voice: I was at work. And I wanted a break. So, I walked and walked … and walked. Then, I saw something! It was a festival -- a big festival! Anna: It is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Anna's voice: Yes. It was the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Every year the festival shows different cultures. This year one of the cultures was the Basque culture. There was dancing and food and games!” Anna: I am dancing a traditional Basque dance. Anna's voice: At the festival, I danced a traditional Basque dance! Anna: They are cooking traditional Basque food. Anna's voice: They cooked a lot of traditional Basque food. Anna: They are playing a game. It’s a kind of handball. What do they call it? They call it pilota! Anna's voice: They played a game with their hands and a small ball. It’s a kind of handball. But this game is called pilota. Anna: This is beautiful! This is traditional Basque art. Anna: They are making a traditional Basque ship. This festival is a lot of fun! Anna's voice: The whole day was a lot of fun! Anna: Who said that? I want to write my friends and tell them about my day! Anna: … So, I wanted to tell you about my day! Please, my friend, come visit Washington, D.C. soon. There is a lot to do! Until next time … Anna. Writing Tell about a party or festival in your town. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using the past tense 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 Substitute. When we are speaking a second language, we often do not know a word. That is the time we can substitute a phrase or another word, and continue speaking. In the video, you can hear Anna telling about the game. She does not remember the name at first. They are playing a game. It’s a kind of handball. What do they call it? They call it pilota! Anna uses a phrase, "It's a kind of handball," to tell about the game. She is substituting that phrase for the Basque name. Then she remembers the name, pilota. How about you? Do you sometimes substitute a word or phrase for an English word you do not know? Write to tell us how you use this strategy in an email or in the Comments section. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more on how to teach this strategy. Quiz Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz. This week's quiz also tests your learning strategy knowledge. ______________________________________________________________ New Words was - v. past tense of the verb "be" in first or third person (I was; he/she/it was) Basque Country _- n. region of Spain culture - n. the beliefs, customs, or arts of a particular society festival - n. an organized series of performances handball - n. a game for two or four players who use their hands to hit a ball against a wall interesting - adj. attracting your attention and making you want to learn more about something or to be involved in something said - v. past tense of the verb "say" traditional - adj. following the tradition of a certain group or culture Past tense verbs start - started want - wanted walk - walked dance - danced play - played call - called ______________________________________________________________ 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 the past tense. 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: Regular past tense verbs Topics: Festivals and cultural traditions Learning Strategy: Substitute Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Voiced and voiceless past tense pronunciations; Substituting one word for another ______________________________________________________________ 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-24-yesterday-was-amazing/3439164.html

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Thinking About Using -ing Words?

Robot therapist

Would you tell a robot your deepest secrets? And could a robot help someone overcome mental health issues? Rob and Catherine discuss robot therapists

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p060hczq

How to teach months

New Entry: 'How to teach months' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-teach-months.html

Gengo English #16 - Fitting in and Making Friends - Several Surefire Phrases to Help Your Social Life

Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! While in New York, your new English friend and colleague offers you something to drink. You’re not sure what to have, so you ask him to make a suggestion. “Do you like sweet alcohol?” he asks. “No, I don’t really like that,” you reply. “How about beer?” he offers. “That sounds [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/gengo-english-16-fitting-in-and-making-friends-several-surefire-phrases-to-help-your-social-life/

Wednesday, 7 March 2018

Superlative Adjectives- Dice Bluffing Game

New Entry: 'Superlative Adjectives- Dice Bluffing Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-superlative-adjectives-dice-bluffing-game/

Tuesday, 6 March 2018

A taste of your own medicine

Payback time

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0608201

Absolute Beginner American English for Every Day #107 - Top 10 School Subjects

Lesson Video Download Video

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-american-english-for-every-day-107-top-10-school-subjects/

Monday, 5 March 2018

Run past

New Entry: 'Run past' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/run+past.html

Run by

New Entry: 'Run by' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/run+by.html

American Business English for Beginners #18 - Apologies in an American Business Setting

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 apologize to a [...]

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/american-business-english-for-beginners-18-apologies-in-an-american-business-setting/

Bucket of water

New Entry: 'Bucket of water' 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=27254

The john

New Entry: 'The john' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/the+john.html

Days of the Week Projects

New Entry: 'Days of the Week Projects' 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-projects/

Saturday, 3 March 2018

Lesson 23: What Do You Want?

Summary Anna and her boss go on a trip around the world. That is, they eat foods from around the world. What will they find? Speaking In this video, you can practice saying the new words and learn about counting when you give someone change. Pronunciation In this video, you can learn about three informal English expressions: outta, yep, and whaddaya. Conversation Anna: Washington, D.C. has great food from all over the world. Anna: Today I’m having lunch with my boss. Ms. Weaver says we’re going on a trip around the world. But she knows I only have an hour for lunch! Silly woman. Jonathan: Hi, Anna! Anna: Hi Jonathan! Hey, we are meeting Ms. Weaver for lunch at noon, aren’t we? Jonathan: Yes. Anna: What time is it now? Jonathan: 11:50. Anna: 11:50! We have to go! Anna: So, where is this world food restaurant? Caty: We’re not eating at a restaurant. Anna: Where are we eating? Caty: We are eating at ... food trucks! Anna: Food trucks … awesome! What’s a food truck? Caty: These are food trucks! Anna: Wow! Jonathan: Whoa! Caty: Okay, Jonathan, you will buy the first dish. Here is $10. Surprise us! Jonathan: Okay, I’ll be back in 15 minutes. Anna: What country do I want to visit? Caty: Anna, you pick the second country. Here is $10. Anna: I want chicken. Caty: The food truck, over there, has great chicken. Anna: Awesome! Caty: After you buy your food, meet me here. Jonathan: Excuse me, I’ll have the shrimp. Jonathan: Oh, you’re out of shrimp. Okay, I’ll have the beef then. Anna: Hello. I want the chicken dish. Truck worker: We're out of chicken. Anna: You're out of chicken. Worker: Yep. Anna: I’ll try another food truck. Thanks! Worker: You're welcome. Jonathan: Okay, here is your change. The dish is $7. So, here is 1, 2, 3 dollars back from your 10. Caty: Great. Jonathan: Where’s Anna? Is she dancing by that food truck? Caty: Yes. Yes, she is. Anna: Ms. Weaver, here is your change. The dish costs $5. So - $5 back. Caty: Thanks, Anna. But where is the food? Anna: I’m eating it. The Peruvian chicken is delicious! Try some! (Caty and Jonathan shake their heads “no”) Caty: Well, we still have $8! What do you want now? Anna: We can buy dessert! Caty: I’ll buy dessert. Anna: In Washington, D.C., you can travel around the world … with food trucks! And it does not cost a lot. Anna: Until next time! Writing Anna and her co-workers are going out for lunch together. What do you usually have for lunch on a weekday? Describe it and send us a photo if you can! Send us an email or write in the Comments section. Use the Activity Sheet to practice writing and talking about money and change. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Respond. In many everyday situations, we have to respond to what we hear. Speaking English as a second language might make it hard for you to respond quickly. The strategy respond is part of listening actively. After listening to what the other person says, you respond on the same topic. In the video, Jonathan listens to the food truck worker. She says they are out of shrimp. Jonathan responds. First, he repeats the sentence, "Oh, you're out of shrimp." That shows he understands. Second, he asks for a different dish. "I'll have the beef, then." When you talk with someone in English, how do you usually respond? 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 after - adv. following in time or at a later time beef- n. meat from a cow or the meat of the cow used as food chicken n. a bird that is raised by people for its eggs and meat or the meat of the chicken used as food cost - v. to have (an amount of money) as a price delicious - adj. very pleasant to taste dessert - n.sweet food eaten after the main part of a meal dish - n. food that is prepared in a particular way hour - n. one of the 24 equal parts of a day; 60 minutes minute - n. a unit of time equal to 60 seconds; one 60th of an hour noon - n. the middle of the day;12 o'clock in the daytime only - adv. no more than pick - v. to choose or select (someone or something) from a group shrimp - n. small shellfish that has a long body and legs and that is eaten as food trip -n. a journey to a place truck n. a very large, heavy vehicle that is used to move large or numerous objects _____________________________________________________________ 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 learn how to talk about prices, American coins and money. 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: Using want to express desires Topics: Asking the time; Counting back change; Time and Punctuality Learning Strategy: Respond Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Counting change, Reduced form of "out of;" Reduced form, "whaddaya;" Informal agreement using "yep." ______________________________________________________________ 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.

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Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #13 - Common Mistakes by English Learners

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Friday, 2 March 2018

TSOB

New Entry: 'TSOB' has just been added to the Chatlish area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

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Yaba

New Entry: 'Yaba' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

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Blood is up

New Entry: 'Blood is up' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

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Total up

New Entry: 'Total up' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

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Academic Discussions- Cultural Differences and Useful Phrases

New Entry: 'Academic Discussions- Cultural Differences and Useful Phrases' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

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Thursday, 1 March 2018

Everyday Grammar: You Had Better Learn Modals!

For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. This week we are going to show you how to give advice using modal verbs. Modal verbs (called modals for short) are auxiliary verbs that express a speaker's attitude and the strength of that attitude. For example, "He should visit Prague." In this sentence, should is the modal verb, and visit is the main verb. The simple form of a verb goes after a modal. Do not add the third person "s" to a verb after a modal. It would sound strange to say "He should visits Prague" or "He should to visit Prague." The correct way is "He should visit Prague." There are about 17 modals in English—grammar experts do not agree on an exact number. Today we will focus on three common modals used for giving advice: should, ought to, and had better. Using should Let's start with should. Should has multiple meanings. It can be used to express certainty, such as, "He should be here by five o'clock." Should can be a substitute for the conditional word if. You might hear someone say, "Should you need help, just ask me." But more often, we use should to give suggestions and friendly advice, such as "You should apply for that job" or "You should try that new restaurant." The past form of the modal should is should have + the past participle. For example, "I should have brought my wallet." Notice that the main verb brought is in the past participle form. Use should have to express regret, or a negative feeling about the past. Imagine you trusted someone and that person later cheated on you. You could say, "I should have known better than to trust him." The Beatles used the expression in a popular song. I should have known better with a girl like you That I would love everything that you do And I do Hey hey hey Using ought to The next modal we will talk about is ought to. Ought to is another modal for giving advice. Sometimes ought to sounds more like "otta" as in this romantic song by Al Green. Sit back down and talk to me About how you want to be You ought to be with me Yeah you ought to be with me Ought to is similar in meaning to should, but it is not used as often. In modern American English, ought to is seldom used with the past tense or in the question form. Using had better Let's move on to had better. Had better is stronger than should and ought to. Had better carries an indirect threat. For example, if you said, "You had better finish the report," you are not making a polite suggestion. You are making an indirect threat. In other words, if you don't finish the report, you are in trouble. Authority figures sometimes use had better when speaking to people below them. Parents also use this form often. Listen to cartoon character Malory Archer. Malory is the head of a spy agency. People think she is arrogant and heartless. Listen to her tone when she uses had better. Oh for—I'll send up some help. And Missy, you had better watch it! As you can hear, Malory is not making a polite suggestion. She is threatening someone in a lower position. Had better is not always impolite, it could express a sense of urgency as in, "Your plane is leaving! You had better run!" In other words, "If you don't run, you will miss your flight." Had better has no past tense or question form. Modals in rapid speech Should, ought to, and had better can be difficult for English learners to hear. Native speakers often shorten these words in casual conversation. In rapid speech, modals seem to disappear because they are shortened and often fall on unstressed syllables. We will read some examples for you. The first sentence will be in slow, careful speech. Then we will read it again in rapid, informal speech. I should have been listening to what she had to say. I shoulda been listenin' ta what she had t' say. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You otta be ashamed of yourself. You had better decide what you want to do. You'd better decide whatcha wanna do. That's all the advice we have for you today. There is much more to learn about modals. We will cover them in more detail in future episodes. Until then, you should practice modals with British punk band, The Clash. Darling you've got to let me know Should I stay or should I go If you say that you are mine I'll be here till the end of time So you've got to let me know Should I stay or should I go I'm Pete Musto. And I'm Jill Robbins. Adam Brock wrote this story for Learning English. Dr. Jill Robbins was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story modal verb - 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 auxiliary verb - 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. attitude – n. the way you think and feel about someone or something certainty – n. the state of being or feeling about how likely it is that something will happen conditional – adj. showing or used to show that something is true or happens only if something else is true or happens past participle - the form of the verb that is used with "have" in perfect tenses and with "be" in passive constructions arrogant – adj. having or showing the insulting attitude of people who believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people unstressed – adj. not having an accent syllable – n. any one of the parts into which a word is naturally divided when it is pronounced Now it's your turn. Think of a friend that you would like to give advice. Write to us in the comments section. Write two sentences - using should, ought to, or had better - giving advice. We'll give you feedback.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/everyday-grammar-you-had-better-learn-modals/2865365.html