Irregular verbs
Paul Simon, Slip slidin’ away Level: A1 (Elementary) – American English Practise irregular verbs with this Paul Simon song.
Read moreQuestions without auxiliary verbs
Look at these two questions: Question word Auxiliary Subject Verb Who do you love? Question word verb object Who loves you? The first question is a normal question and uses the form which we almost always use for a question: question word + auxiliary + subject + verb In the second question, the question word is the subject. When the […]
Read moreGonna, gotta and wanna
In American movies and music it is very common to hear the words gonna, gotta and wanna. They are short forms of talking about the future (gonna), obligation (gotta) and desires (wanna). Gonna Gonna is the abbreviated form of going to and so is used to talk about the future. Sentence/ question with gonna Grammatically correct sentence/ question I’m gonna […]
Read moreAdjectives
Tracy Chapman, All that you have is your soul Level: A2 (Pre-Intermediate) – American English Practise adjectives with this Tracy Chapman song.
Read moreObligation: Must, have to, have got to
Basically, must, have to and have got to have the same meanings. Must is more formal, have to can be used when we write and when we speak and have got to is usually used in spoken English. Positive sentences Present Past They must sleep. They have to sleep. They‘ve got to sleep. They had to sleep. They had to sleep. They had to […]
Read moreEnglish Phrasal Verb – Ask out
Phrasal Verb ask out Definition to invite someone to go out with you Examples I finally had the courage to ask her out and she said yes! I asked her out after I saw her in the theatre. Verb and preposition separated? Must be separated Normal or Informal Normal American / British /International International Regular / Irregular Ask is a […]
Read moreEnglish Phrasal Verb – Ask over
Phrasal Verb ask over Definition to invite someone to your house Examples I asked her over so we could talk about what was on her mind. I’ve asked my mother over for lunch. I hope you don’t mind. Verb and preposition separated? Must be separated Normal or Informal Normal American / British /International International Regular / Irregular Ask is a […]
Read moreLearn English with American television: Shopping vocabulary
Friends Level: Elementary – American English Despite the fact that she could hardly walk in her expensive new boots, Monica finds it difficult to accept that she can’t wear them again… and that she can’t buy any more! In this exercise there is some useful vocabulary connected with shopping.
Read moreLearn English with American television: Crime vocabulary
Law and Order Level: Advanced – American English Lennie and Ray talk to the wife and daughter of a murdered man. In this exercise there is some useful crime vocabulary. See also: Exercise song: Crime vocabulary
Read moreCrime vocabulary
Bob Dylan, Hurricane Level: Advanced This song is about the wrongful imprisonment of the boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. It tells the story from the moment shots were heard to when Carter was imprisoned. It was written in 1975 and made Carter’s story known to the world. In this exercise there is some useful crime vocabulary. See also: Learn English with […]
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