Tech, Communication Apps, and Grammar

  Person-to-person communications have changed a lot over the past few months. Stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions have limited travel and face-to-face contact. In place of these, many people now use computer software apps, such as Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts. This technology will be the subject of our Everyday Grammar story today. Humor and technology The American television show Saturday Night Live has used video calling in its most recent programs. Often, technology is behind the humor in each short sketch. Consider this example. A television show broadcasts a “live” interview with a news reporter. The reporter’s teenage daughter is filming him on her mobile phone. She uses unusual Snapchat filters to film her father. He does not realize what she is doing.   If you are just tuning in, the funny filters on Brian are not us. Yeah, my daughter said the camera looks fine, so...not sure what is going on, guys. These lines give you an example of a common grammatical feature of video calls: linking verbs. What are linking verbs? Linking verbs are verbs that link an adjective or noun with a subject. Let me explain. Imagine you are on a video call. One person might say, “The sound is good.” The verb BE links the adjective good with the subject of the sentence, the sound. Linking verbs are generally used to describe a state of existence or a change of state. So, in the example sentence, by saying “The sound is good,” the speaker is describing the quality of the video’s sound. Other kinds of linking verbs show changes of state or condition. We will explore that issue a little later in the program. Common linking verbs The good news for you is this: There are not too many linking verbs. English speakers use maybe 20 or 30 of them in everyday speech. Examples include verbs such as seem, appear, or become, as well as verbs of the senses – sound, feel, taste and so on. The words go and get are often used as linking verbs. As linking verbs, they generally carry a bad or negative meaning. They suggest a change to a negative state, and usually go with adjectives that have a negative meaning. Imagine you hear someone describe what happened after a failed video call: “He got angry after something went wrong with the video.” In the example, the linking verb got connects the adjective angry with the subject, he. Got shows that the person’s emotional state changed. The sentence also has a second linking verb, went, the past tense of go. It links the word something with the adjective wrong. Any number of sentences with linking verbs could be used in a video call, or to describe a video call. Imagine you are talking to a friend who is beginning to suffer from ‘Zoom fatigue’ - a term that means growing tired of using Zoom too much. Your friend might say, “I have to go now, I’m getting tired.” or “I need to take a break, I’m getting frustrated.” As I said before – and as the examples show - linking verbs are generally followed by an adjective or a noun. In other words, they do not usually end sentences. Keep that point in mind if you try writing sentences with linking verbs! Closing thoughts The next time that you do a video call, try to think of linking verbs that might be useful to describe the state – or change of state – in each call. Over time, you will begin to use common linking verbs and adjectives with ease. We end the report today with a short quiz. At the beginning of the story, we played the following exchange: If you are just tuning in, the funny filters on Brian are not us. Yeah, my daughter said the camera looks fine, so...not sure what is going on, guys. Can you identify the linking verb? What are the important clues for telling you where the linking verb is? Write to us in the Comments Section of our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. And that’s Everyday Grammar. I’m John Russell.   John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   application – n. a computer program that performs a particular task (such as word processing) sketch -- n.  a short, funny performance interview -- n. a meeting between a reporter and another person in order to get information for a news story​ mobile -- adj. able to be moved​ filter – n. a device that prevents some kinds of light, sound, electronic noises, etc., from passing through; OR an app that adds some kind of light, sound, electronic noise, etc. feature – n. an interesting or important part, quality, ability, etc. frustrated – adj. discouraged or upset because of being unable to do or complete something quiz -- n. a short spoken or written test that is often taken without preparation clue -- n. something that helps a person find something, understand something, or solve a mystery or puzzle  

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/tech-communication-apps-and-grammar/5397845.html

Tech, Communication Apps, and Grammar

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/04/29/3fb1c759-1c5d-4887-8821-5fd0cd050fcf_hq.mp3

Tips for parents coping with kids at home

How do you cope with children at home during the lockdown? That's what we discuss.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08bwkpm

Bin off

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

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/bin.html#Bin-off

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #110 - Education-Related Expressions

learn useful education-related expressions

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-110-educationrelated-expressions

Cabin fever

Some people suffer from this experience.Find out what it means.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08bnz62

Grammar Games at Home: Simon Says

This is Everyday Grammar. And today, I’ll start the program with a question: If I told you to touch your toes, would you know where to find these body parts? A toe is one of the five separate parts at the end of each foot. If you did not know that, you are not alone. Many English learners need practice at learning the names of parts of the body. On recent programs, I talked about grammar games that you can play at home, like Jeopardy and Questions and Answers.  Today’s game is one that will help you remember anatomy words as you also practice using the imperative – the grammatical form used in commands. The game is called Simon Says and you can play it with people at home and on video calls.  Many Americans played Simon Says as children -- but of course we were using our native language. Playing the game in a foreign language is a totally different experience. It makes the game more challenging and turns it into a learning tool. But it is also fun! Simon Says is a physical game and you can play it inside your home or outside in the yard.    In addition to using the imperative and building your vocabulary, Simon Says also helps you practice saying and hearing new words in English. You will even get a little physical exercise – and, hopefully, a few laughs. Playing the game To start the game, you will need three or more players but no more than eight. This way everyone can see the movements of the other players. One player at a time leads the game. The leader calls out commands to the group. If the leader says “Simon says” in ordering the command, the other players must carry out that command. But if the words “Simon says” are not included in the command, the players must remain still. Listen to this example and you’ll hear what I mean: Simon says jump on one foot. Simon says look up. Simon says touch your ears. Simon says run in place. Turn around. If any players turn around on the last command, they lose and leave the game. The last player remaining in the game wins! Then, the winning player can become the leader and everyone plays again. Or if no one wins, the group can choose a new leader. Using the imperative Now that you know how the game works, we can talk a little bit more about the imperative. Did you notice that I used only the imperative form in the commands? I said, for example, “Simon says touch your ears.” The command there is “touch your ears” and the verb is “touch.” English commands begin with a verb and use the shortest verb form with no s- ending. Players giving commands cannot use questions such as “Simon says, can you turn around?” or modal verbs, as in “Simon says you must turn around.” Neither of these are examples of the imperative form. One small piece of advice: Before starting the game, choose a level of difficulty based on the English skills of the players. You can make the game easier or harder by giving commands more quickly or slowly and by choosing vocabulary that is easy or hard. Well, that’s all for today’s program. Simon says try playing the game and let us know how it goes! I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you have a similar game in your country or native language? Write to us in the comments and tell us about it! ___________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   anatomy - n. the parts that form a living thing, such as an animal or plant challenging - adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable yard - n. an outdoor area that is next to a house and is usually covered by grass vocabulary -  n. the words that make up a language practice - v. to do something again and again in order to get better at it modal verb - n. a verb (such as can, must or should) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission ___________________________________________________________________   Choosing Vocabulary   Before you play, choose the level of difficulty for the game. You can make the game faster and pick harder words for more fluent speakers. Examples of more commonly known words for body parts include eyes, ears, nose, mouth, face, hands and feet. Less known are words including knees, shoulders, elbows, stomach and forehead.   Verbs more widely understood include touch, stand, sit, jump, run, turn, close and move. Less commonly known verbs include wiggle, hop, jog, shake, kick, cross and bend. If you choose harder words, it is a good idea to discuss them with the players before starting the game. You can practice before you play. For help saying new words, visit a website that lets you hear the words as they are spoken, such as Merriam Webster’s Learners Dictionary.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-games-at-home-simon-says/5382485.html

News #278 - What’s the Best Language Learning Advice You've Ever Gotten?

find out our best advice for language learning

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-278-whats-the-best-language-learning-advice-youve-ever-gotten

English Vocab Builder S1 #187 - Around the Kitchen: Common Utensils

learn essential common terms about kitchen

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-187-around-the-kitchen-common-utensils

First Contact- Functions Card Game

New Entry: 'First Contact- Functions Card Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-first-contact-functions-card-game/

First Contact- Brainstorming and Jigsaw

New Entry: 'First Contact- Brainstorming and Jigsaw' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-first-contact-brainstorming-and-jigsaw/

Everyday Grammar:Polite Speech & Past Continuous

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5335887.html

Video News #37 - Free English Gifts of the Month - May 2020

get your learning gifts for the month of May 2020

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-37-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-may-2020

Grammar Games at Home: Simon Says

This is Everyday Grammar. And today, I’ll start the program with a question: If I told you to touch your toes, would you know where to find these body parts? A toe is one of the five separate parts at the end of each foot. If you did not know that, you are not alone. Many English learners need practice at learning the names of parts of the body. On recent programs, I talked about grammar games that you can play at home, like Jeopardy and Questions and Answers.  Today’s game is one that will help you remember anatomy words as you also practice using the imperative – the grammatical form used in commands. The game is called Simon Says and you can play it with people at home and on video calls.  Many Americans played Simon Says as children -- but of course we were using our native language. Playing the game in a foreign language is a totally different experience. It makes the game more challenging and turns it into a learning tool. But it is also fun! Simon Says is a physical game and you can play it inside your home or outside in the yard.    In addition to using the imperative and building your vocabulary, Simon Says also helps you practice saying and hearing new words in English. You will even get a little physical exercise – and, hopefully, a few laughs. Playing the game To start the game, you will need three or more players but no more than eight. This way everyone can see the movements of the other players. One player at a time leads the game. The leader calls out commands to the group. If the leader says “Simon says” in ordering the command, the other players must carry out that command. But if the words “Simon says” are not included in the command, the players must remain still. Listen to this example and you’ll hear what I mean: Simon says jump on one foot. Simon says look up. Simon says touch your ears. Simon says run in place. Turn around. If any players turn around on the last command, they lose and leave the game. The last player remaining in the game wins! Then, the winning player can become the leader and everyone plays again. Or if no one wins, the group can choose a new leader. Using the imperative Now that you know how the game works, we can talk a little bit more about the imperative. Did you notice that I used only the imperative form in the commands? I said, for example, “Simon says touch your ears.” The command there is “touch your ears” and the verb is “touch.” English commands begin with a verb and use the shortest verb form with no s- ending. Players giving commands cannot use questions such as “Simon says, can you turn around?” or modal verbs, as in “Simon says you must turn around.” Neither of these are examples of the imperative form. One small piece of advice: Before starting the game, choose a level of difficulty based on the English skills of the players. You can make the game easier or harder by giving commands more quickly or slowly and by choosing vocabulary that is easy or hard. Well, that’s all for today’s program. Simon says try playing the game and let us know how it goes! I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ___________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   anatomy - n. the parts that form a living thing, such as an animal or plant challenging - adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable yard - n. an outdoor area that is next to a house and is usually covered by grass vocabulary -  n. the words that make up a language practice - v. to do something again and again in order to get better at it modal verb - n. a verb (such as can, must or should) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission ___________________________________________________________________   Choosing Vocabulary   Before you play, choose the level of difficulty for the game. You can make the game faster and pick harder words for more fluent speakers. Examples of more commonly known words for body parts include eyes, ears, nose, mouth, face, hands and feet. Less known are words including knees, shoulders, elbows, stomach and forehead.   Verbs more widely understood include touch, stand, sit, jump, run, turn, close and move. Less commonly known verbs include wiggle, hop, jog, shake, kick, cross and bend. If you choose harder words, it is a good idea to discuss them with the players before starting the game. You can practice before you play. For help saying new words, visit a website that lets you hear the words as they are spoken, such as Merriam Webster’s Learners Dictionary.

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-games-at-home-simon-says/5382485.html

The power of crying

Does crying make you feel better? We discuss crying and teach you vocabulary.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08b8j2l

Grammar Games at Home: Simon Says

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/04/22/9f049529-966a-451a-bc9a-b883abe6a2f8_hq.mp3

Isobar

New Entry: 'Isobar' 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?entry_id=27407

Present Progressive for the Present and Future- Simplest Responses Game

New Entry: 'Present Progressive for the Present and Future- Simplest Responses Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-present-progressive-for-the-present-and-future-simplest-responses-game/

Subject Questions Quiz - People Related to Crime

New Entry: 'Subject Questions Quiz - People Related to Crime' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-subject-questions-quiz-people-related-to-crime/

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #109 - Listen vs Hear

learn the difference between: listen & hear

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-109-listen-vs-hear

Extensive Reading in English for Intermediate Learners #18 - Why People Wear Glasses

learn why people wear glasses and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-intermediate-learners-18-why-people-wear-glasses

Bang on about something

Do you know someone who talks about something so much that it gets annoying?

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08b050t

Cambridge Proficiency (CPE) Use of English- Inversion

New Entry: 'Cambridge Proficiency (CPE) Use of English- Inversion' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-cambridge-proficiency-cpe-use-of-english-inversion/

How Questions- Simplest Responses

New Entry: 'How Questions- Simplest Responses' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-how-questions-simplest-responses/

Everyday Grammar: It-Cleft Sentences

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5335892.html

Throwback Thursday S1 #9 - Going Camping

learn about going camping and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-9-going-camping

Advice, Modals, and Coronavirus

  In recent months, health experts have released many statements on the new coronavirus that was first identified in China. These statements often include suggestions on how people can slow the spread of the virus.  Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore the grammar behind some of this advice. Specifically, we will examine public health videos from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. The CDC is the top public health protection agency in the United States.  Giving and asking for advice  Nancy Messonnier is the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC. She also is an expert on vaccines.  In one video, she offers the following advice:    “The best way to protect yourself from 2019 Novel coronavirus is to avoid being exposed to the virus.”  In this statement, Messonnier is using an important sentence pattern for giving advice. Her sentence begins with the words “the best way to...”  In an earlier Everyday Grammar program, we explained that some nouns, such as the word 'way,' are often followed by an infinitive. These infinitives act like nouns in the sentence.  When Messonnier said, “The best way to protect yourself,” she used the infinitive to protect after the word way. Note that she then used the verb BE and another infinitive.  The basic pattern is as follows: “The best way + infinitive + BE verb + infinitive”  This is a common pattern for giving and asking for advice. It is useful in many situations – not just on health-related issues. Here is an example about those of you studying English.  “What is the best way to learn English?”  “The best way to learn English is to practice every day.”  Here is another example. Imagine yourself on vacation. You ask someone for directions:  “What is the best way to get to the airport?”  “The best way to get to the airport is to take the train.”  Modals for advice  Now, here is part of another video from the Centers for Disease Control. In it, the CDC’s Tom Chiller talks about ways to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.    “Here are some things you should do:  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds...  Take extra measures to put distance between yourself and others...  Avoid close contact with people who are sick.”  Let us look at verbs that Chiller used.  Notice Chiller used the modal verb, should.  Should is a modal that, in the words of grammar expert Betty Azar, expresses advisability.  In other words, should tells another person that you are advising them to do something.  There are several modals that express advisability in English. They include should, ought to and had better.  Chiller could have replaced should with the words ought to – they are similar in meaning. But should is more common.  Had better also expresses advisability, but it has a different meaning than should and ought to. Had better suggests bad consequences if an action is not taken. In some cases, it can have a commanding, more threatening quality.  If you would like to learn more about modals, read our Everyday Grammar story called “You Had Better Learn Modals.” You can find it on our website, learningenglish.voanews.com.  Imperative statements and advice  Let’s think about some of the other words Chiller said:  “Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds...  Take extra measures to put distance between yourself and others...  Avoid close contact with people who are sick.”  When offering advice, Chiller made several kinds of imperative statements. The imperative, a kind of mood, is made from the base form of the main verb. The subject of the sentence, you, is left out.  Chiller could have given the same advice using the modal should. For example, he could have said, “You should wash your hands often.”  But, if you remember the video we listened to, Chiller already said, “Here are some things you should do.”  He did not use the word should again because he already said it.  Chiller’s advice is another useful pattern for English learners. You could use it to give advice in any number of ways. For example, if someone had asked you how to improve their English, you could say:  “Here are some things you should do to improve your English:  Practice speaking every day.  Write down new words.  Test yourself on words and grammar.”  Closing thoughts  Let’s end this report with an idea for you: The best way to learn new information is to practice using it.  Try writing some suggestions by using the patterns we explored. You can write us in the website’s Comments Section.  In the future, try looking for other kinds of patterns on the internet, in books and movies. Over time, you will notice that giving advice in English is not too difficult.  And that’s Everyday Grammar.  I’m John Russell.    John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story    grammar – n. the system and structure of a language  novel – adj. new and different from what has been known before  expose – v. to show or uncover; to cause someone to be at risk  pattern – n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done  practice – v. to do (something) often or repeatedly  consequence – n. a result of effect of an action  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. 

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/advice-modals-and-coronavirus-/5374838.html

Advice, Modals, and Coronavirus

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/04/16/17c15367-f004-48c0-a63b-bfadcedd9d39_hq.mp3

Are bucket lists always a good thing?

Do you have a bucket list? We discuss if planning our dreams is a good or a bad thing.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p089n91s

How to teach starting and ending conversations in English

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

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

Hill of beans

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

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/hill+of+beans.html

Fire

Everyone knows what fire is, don't they? Think again! Roy and Feifei teach a new meaning.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p089gjtp

Subject questions about this class

New Entry: 'Subject questions about this class' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-subject-questions-about-this-class/

Subject Questions- Personalised Quizzes

New Entry: 'Subject Questions- Personalised Quizzes' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-subject-questions-personalised-quizzes/

How to Learn English FREE for 3 Months with our Absolute Beginner Course

source https://cdn.innovativelanguage.com/sns/em/2020/landing+pages/freepath/freepath_med.mp4

Everyday Grammar: Be Willing to

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5335921.html

Went

New Entry: 'Went' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1228.html

News #277 - How to Speak More English with Line-by-Line Scripts

learn how reading line-by-line helps you master a language

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-277-how-to-speak-more-english-with-linebyline-scripts

English Vocab Builder S1 #186 - Natural Science Fields

learn essential vocabulary and common terms related to natural science fields

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-186-natural-science-fields

Grammar Games at Home: Questions and Answers

Hello, friends! On a recent program, we talked about a game called Jeopardy. I also said I would show you more games that can help you practice your English grammar, speaking and listening skills as you spend long periods at home. Today, we will talk about a game you can play both at home and over video conference with friends or family. Let’s call it Questions and Answers. The game uses dice to create conversation between players. Dice are box-shaped objects often made of plastic or wood and small enough to hold in your hand. You can even make them yourself with paper. The six sides of a die have either dots, numbers or words on them. We throw the die on a surface and use the side that faces up in game play.   The game Questions and Answers uses two dice. One of the dice holds six question words, one on each side: Who, Why, Where, When, What and How. The second die has a subject on each side. You can pick any six subjects you like. Here are some examples: Clothes, Hobbies, Sports, Television, Food and Places. At least two people are needed for the game. How to play the game Here is how to play. Suppose someone rolls the dice and gets the words What and Food. That player must ask another player a “what” question about food. They could ask, for example, “What is your favorite meal?” The player must answer the question in a complete sentence. Here is an example of a good answer: “My favorite meal is garlic shrimp with rice.” The great thing about this game is that no one can cheat. The questions and answers cannot be found in a Google search because they will be different for every player.   Who asks and who answers? Now, let’s talk about who rolls the dice and who answers the questions. If you have only two players, then it is simple: One person rolls the dice and asks the question; the other person answers. You take turns doing this so each person has the chance to ask and answer questions. If you have three players, the person rolling the dice can ask the same question to both players and each gives their own answer. Then, the next person rolls the dice. For four or more players, before the game, you can decide on a way to choose who will answer the dice roller’s question. You can ask everyone to answer the same question, or play the game some other way. Note that if there are some players at home and other players on video chat, each location will need a set of dice. The good news is that paper dice are very easy to make! Visit our website at learningenglish.voanews.com to see an image and read the quick and simple directions. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Practice With a little practice, it's easy to think of questions just from the words What and Food! Here are some examples: What is your favorite meal? What was the last breakfast you made? What is your least favorite vegetable? What produce have you grown in a garden? What snacks do you eat when you watch movies? Can you think of more food questions that start with the word What? Get creative! Write your questions in the comment below. Then, let other readers write their answers in complete sentences.  _________________________________________ Words in This Story   practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it conversation – n. informal talk involving two people or a small group of people dot – n. a small round mark hobby – n. an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working cheat – v. to break a rule usually to gain an advantage at something location – n. a place or position

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-games-at-home-questions-and-answers/5363630.html

Grammar Games at Home: Questions and Answers

Hello, friends! On a recent program, we talked about a game called Jeopardy. I also said I would show you more games that can help you practice your English grammar, speaking and listening skills as you spend long periods at home. Today, we will talk about a game you can play both at home and over video conference with friends or family. Let’s call it Questions and Answers. The game uses dice to create conversation between players. Dice are box-shaped objects often made of plastic or wood and small enough to hold in your hand. You can even make them yourself with paper. The six sides of a die have either dots, numbers or words on them. We throw the die on a surface and use the side that faces up in game play.   The game Questions and Answers uses two dice. One of the dice holds six question words, one on each side: Who, Why, Where, When, What and How. The second die has a subject on each side. You can pick any six subjects you like. Here are some examples: Clothes, Hobbies, Sports, Television, Food and Places. At least two people are needed for the game. How to play the game Here is how to play. Suppose someone rolls the dice and gets the words What and Food. That player must ask another player a “what” question about food. They could ask, for example, “What is your favorite meal?” The player must answer the question in a complete sentence. Here is an example of a good answer: “My favorite meal is garlic shrimp with rice.” The great thing about this game is that no one can cheat. The questions and answers cannot be found in a Google search because they will be different for every player.   Who asks and who answers? Now, let’s talk about who rolls the dice and who answers the questions. If you have only two players, then it is simple: One person rolls the dice and asks the question; the other person answers. You take turns doing this so each person has the chance to ask and answer questions. If you have three players, the person rolling the dice can ask the same question to both players and each gives their own answer. Then, the next person rolls the dice. For four or more players, before the game, you can decide on a way to choose who will answer the dice roller’s question. You can ask everyone to answer the same question, or play the game some other way. Note that if there are some players at home and other players on video chat, each location will need a set of dice. The good news is that paper dice are very easy to make! Visit our website at learningenglish.voanews.com to see an image and read the quick and simple directions. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Practice With a little practice, it's easy to think of questions just from the words What and Food! Here are some examples: What is your favorite meal? What was the last breakfast you made? What is your least favorite vegetable? What produce have you grown in a garden? What snacks do you eat when you watch movies? Can you think of more food questions that start with the word What? Get creative! Write your questions in the comment below. Then, let other readers write their answers in complete sentences.  _________________________________________ Words in This Story   practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it conversation – n. informal talk involving two people or a small group of people dot – n. a small round mark hobby – n. an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working cheat – v. to break a rule usually to gain an advantage at something location – n. a place or position

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-games-at-home-questions-and-answers/5363630.html

Subject Questions Drawing Game with Animal Vocabulary and Clothes Vocabulary

New Entry: 'Subject Questions Drawing Game with Animal Vocabulary and Clothes Vocabulary' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-subject-questions-drawing-game-with-animal-vocabulary-and-clothes-vocabulary/

How Questions and Answers- The Same or Different Simplest Responses Game

New Entry: 'How Questions and Answers- The Same or Different Simplest Responses Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-how-questions-and-answers-the-same-or-different-simplest-responses-game/

Is the pasty really Cornish?

We serve up a discussion about this tasty snack and teach some new vocabulary.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0890dfn

British English Reading Comprehension #9 - Receiving a Delivery Notification

learn to read information about delivery of an item bought online

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-9-receiving-a-delivery-notification

British English Reading Comprehension #8 - Shopping Online

learn to choose a method of delivery for items bought online

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-8-shopping-online

British English Reading Comprehension #7 - Visiting a Clinic

learn to read a written diagnosis

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/british-english-reading-comprehension-for-advanced-learners-7-visiting-a-clinic

Grammar Games at Home: Questions and Answers

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/04/07/7b0265ac-daee-49d3-99b5-c66779390d45_hq.mp3

Must-Know American English Social Media Phrases S1 #20 - Arriving Home

learn how to post comments about returning home after a trip

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/mustknow-american-english-social-media-phrases-20-arriving-home

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #107 - Using "Should" in the Past and Future

learn how to use "should" in the past and future

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-107-using-should-in-the-past-and-future

Running on fumes

What can you say when you have no energy? Learn a new English expression!

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p088s81h

PIMPL

New Entry: 'PIMPL' 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?entry_id=27404

Lock down

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

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/lock.html#Lock-down

Covidiot

New Entry: 'Covidiot' 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?entry_id=27403

Describing Social Issues with the Passive Voice

New Entry: 'Describing Social Issues with the Passive Voice' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-describing-social-issues-with-the-passive-voice/

Different ways of Saying Numbers- Reversi

New Entry: 'Different ways of Saying Numbers- Reversi' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-different-ways-of-saying-numbers-reversi/

Extensive Reading in English for Intermediate Learners #17 - Living in the Country

learn about living in the country and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-intermediate-learners-17-living-in-the-country

Everyday Grammar: Always

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5318125.html

Monthly Review Video #19 - English April 2020 Review - Are You Really Improving Your English?

discover your new learning strategies and free resources of the month.

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-19-english-april-2020-review-are-you-really-improving-your-english

Grammar, Quantities, and Public Health

In recent weeks, public health officials have been making many statements about the new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. Officials give either very general or more detailed information about the virus. They often use certain kinds of words and expressions, and their explanations may include numbers or percentages. These issues will be our subject this week on Everyday Grammar. Expressions of quantity Expressions of quantity often appear in news stories about the coronavirus. When speaking with reporters, experts often talk about numbers of cases in order to give people an idea of what is going on in their country. One such expert is Doctor Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Here, he is talking about the spread of the coronavirus in the United States.   “Importantly, there are a number of areas in the country that have relatively few cases – those are the ones that are vulnerable and dangerous ...” You heard Dr. Fauci say the words “a number of” and “few.” These are two important expressions of quantity. They are somewhat general in meaning. For example, a number of always means more than one, but it is unclear exactly how many a number of refers to. Similarly, the word few means more than one, but could be five, 10, or even more. It is important to note that both of these expressions describe plural count nouns -- areas and cases. In general, English speakers use a number of and few along with count nouns – nouns that can be counted. In the example we heard, Fauci probably used these expressions of quantity because he was talking about general trends in the United States. He surely did not have the time to talk about specific numbers of cases nationwide. Such information would take far too long to give in a short interview with a reporter. Grammar experts often talk about different kinds of expressions of quantity. Some of these, such as a number of, almost always have the word of. Other examples include the terms a lot of or lots of. So, for example, you might hear a health expert say, “A lot of doctors are taking extra steps to keep themselves safe.” The word few is a little more complicated and harder to explain. Few appears in a different class of expressions of quantity. It sometimes appears in American English as a few, or even a few of. The word of only appears sometimes. And in some cases, speakers change the meaning of few with an adverb – as in very few or relatively few. If you would like to learn more about expressions of quantities, be sure to read the story “How Much Do You Know About Quantifiers?” You can find it on our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. Percentages Now, let us turn to how a scientist or medical expert might give more specific information when talking about quantities. One of the central questions about the coronavirus pandemic is this: how many people have to go to the hospital because of it? Let’s listen to an example. Here Dr. Payal Kohli tells about specific information from a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC.   “Yeah, so the CDC report that just came out a couple days ago was a little bit of a surprise, because what we had mostly been hearing was that older people end up having ICU admissions and hospitalizations. But what it actually showed was that 38 percent of hospitalizations were people under 65, 48 percent of ICU admissions were people under 65.” Here, Dr. Kohli describes numbers related to hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. The ICU is a part of a hospital that provides care for very sick people. Note that Kohli always used the word “of” following the percentage. So, she said “38 percent of hospitalizations” and “48 percent of ICU admissions.” The general pattern she used was percentage+ of+ noun. You will hear this kind of pattern in all kinds of news reports. For example, you might hear about an education report that says “25 percent  of American college students have more than $10,000 in student loan debt.” Closing thoughts The goal today was to show you a number of ways that health experts describe quantities. When you read or listen to doctors or other experts in the future, ask yourself how they are expressing quantities. Do they give general descriptions of trends, or do they give specific numbers? When you ask yourself these kinds of questions, you will begin to see patterns in how people express different kinds of information. Be sure to make note or record the patterns you find. Then try to use what you learn either in speaking or writing. And that’s Everyday Grammar. I’m John Russell.   John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   certain – n. known for sure; unquestioned quantity – n. the amount of number of things refer – v. to mean; to direct one’s attention to trend – n. a general direction of change; a way of behaving that is developing and becoming more common vulnerable – adj. open to attack, harm, or damage pandemic – n. a disease that has spread across a large area intensive – adj. involving very great effort or work couple – adj. meaning two pattern – n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done  

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/grammar-quantities-and-public-health-/5355886.html

Touring bands and climate change

Music with a smaller carbon footprint. We discuss and teach new vocabulary.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p088ftv6

Grammar, Quantities, and Public Health

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/04/01/014a3adc-2edc-4981-ab20-60cd407fd5ea_hq.mp3

Animals- Guessing Game and Discussion

New Entry: 'Animals- Guessing Game and Discussion' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-animals-guessing-game-and-discussion/

Academic Bios- Tips and Connecting Expressions Practice

New Entry: 'Academic Bios- Tips and Connecting Expressions Practice' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-academic-bios-tips-and-connecting-expressions-practice/