Wish and If only
When we want something to be different than it is we can make sentences with wish or if only. Wish […]
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What is ____ like?
When we want someone to describe something or someone for us, we can ask the question “What is … like?“ What is the weather like? It’s hot and sunny. What’s your mother like? She’s patient and kind. What’s New York like? It’s big and exciting. What was the match like? It was boring.
Read moreWish and If only
When we want something to be different than it is we can make sentences with wish or if only. Wish Present subject wish subject past simple I wish I had a million dollars. I wish I could speak Chinese. I wish she lived nearer. It is the same construction as the second conditional. As with the second conditional it […]
Read moreLearn English with English television: Job Interview
Job Interview – The Pursuit of Happyness Level: B2 – Upper Intermediate, American English The Pursuit of Happyness (note that this not the correct spelling of happiness!) tells the true story of Chris Gardner as he battles to overcome all his problems and to make something of himself. Don’t turn up for an interview as Chris does in this clip, […]
Read moreLearn Business English with video: Advertising
Psychological tricks in advertising Level: B1 – Intermediate, American English Advertisers use many methods to persuade us to buy their products. In this clip, pyschologist Robert Cialdini, who spent three years studying their methods, tells us what are the six most important. Watch the video and put the methods in the order in which he talks about them.
Read moreAdvanced Dictation
The Bridges of Madison County, trailer Level: C1 – Advanced, American English This is the trailer for the 1995 tearjerker with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. It is, of course, a love story and in this trailer there is some useful “affairs of the heart” vocabulary which we use especially in written English.
Read moreImperative form
When we tell someone to do something we use the base form of the verb. Examples Be quiet! Come here, please. Look after your sister while I’m out. When we tell someone not to do something we use Don’t + base form or Do not + base form Examples Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t be silly! Do not do that […]
Read moreUses of will
Of course we use will in English but not as often as you might think. Here is when we use it: To make an immediate decision What would you like to eat? I‘ll have a ham sandwich please. To make an offer You see that someone needs your help and so you offer to help him: I‘ll carry that for […]
Read moreThere is / There are
Look at these sentences: There is a blackbird in the garden. There’s a bottle of coke in the fridge. There are sixty people in the waiting room. There are a lot of wild animals in the forest. We use the form there is in the singular form and the form there are in the plural form. Singular Positive Negative Question […]
Read moreSome and Any
Look at these sentences: Are there any anteaters in the zoo? No, there aren’t any anteaters but there are some chimpanzees. We use some in positive sentences and any in negative sentences and questions. Positive Negative Question There are some cars. There aren’t any cars. Are there any cars? You have some money. You don’t have any money. Do you […]
Read moreThe Verb to be
The verb to be is the first verb to learn when you are learning English. It immediately allows us to give basic information about ourselves and other people. Positive Negative I am I‘m not / I aren’t You are You aren’t / you‘re not He isShe isIt is He isn’t / he‘s notShe isn’t / She‘s notIt isn’t / It‘s […]
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