things to say if you make a mistake
Intermediate
Jay

7 things to say when you make a mistake

What do we say when we make a mistake? Maybe it’s an expletive. (Did you you know the pronunciation of expletive is different in British and American English?) In this video we look at some swear word alternatives like bother, shoot and damn. You’ll also learn the phrasal verb screw up and the more polite phrasal verb mess up. We also look at the expressions ‘by mistake‘ meaning by accident and ‘It’s my fault‘, meaning

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November 9, 2018 3 Comments
British and American compliments
Intermediate
Jay

Are Brits or Americans more polite? Let’s see!

The US and UK have a rather different style of politeness. You’ll learn about them both in this video. In American English it’s often important to show warmth and friendliness. That’s true in British English too, but there we sometimes place more emphasis on not intruding or interfering. It’s not that one style of politeness is better than the other, but it can lead to some funny differences on when we give compliments and how

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November 2, 2018 4 Comments
tricky words to pronounce
Intermediate
Jay

Tricky words to pronounce in British and American English

We’re back with some more tricky words to pronounce in English. Hear how some English learners say them and then listen to how Vicki and Jay say them, in British and American English. It’s a fun way to improve pronunciation. In this video you’ll learn the pronunciation and meaning of these words: Mishap Depth Mishap Posthumously Choir Asked Onomatopoeia Sword Click here to see more pronunciation videos Tricky words to pronounce in British and American

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October 26, 2018 No Comments
Halloween vs. bonfire night
Intermediate
Jay

Halloween vs. Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night.

Halloween is a big holiday at this time of year in the US. Folks are carving pumpkins to make jack-o’-lanterns and getting their costumes ready for trick-or-treating. Halloween is growing in popularity in the UK, but the big event for us is Bonfire night or Guy Fawkes. It’s a celebration of a historical event from 1605, when a plot to assassinate the king was thwarted. You’ll hear about both celebrations this video and learn about

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October 26, 2018 3 Comments
condolences grief
Intermediate
Jay

Words of comfort – expressing condolences in English

It’s hard to know what to say to comfort people who are grieving. Grief and death aren’t easy topics to talk about in any language. In this video we share some English phrases that have made us feel a little better as we grieve the death of our dog Carter. Most of the words of comfort we share are appropriate for dogs and humans. Click here to watch some more videos with useful everyday English

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October 19, 2018 No Comments
possibility modals
Intermediate
Jay

Modal verbs: How to use may, might and could to talk about past possibilities

Learn how to use the past possibility modals may, might and could. This is the second of two videos on 3 useful modal verbs that we use to talk about possibility and certainty in English. The first video was about how we use them in the present and future and you can see it here. This video is about how we use may have done, might have done and could have done to talk about

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October 12, 2018 1 Comment
English modal verbs possibilty may could might
Intermediate
Jay

Modal verbs: How to use may, might and could to talk about possibilities

May, might and could are really useful English modal verbs. We use them in lots of different ways but an important one how we use them to express uncertainty when we’re not sure. You can use may might and could with the same simple structure if you’re talking about the present or the future. They mean the same thing and you’ll have no problems. But do you know how to use them in the negative?

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October 5, 2018 9 Comments
things you shouldn't say in English
Intermediate
Jay

5 Things You Shouldn’t Say in English (if you want to be polite)

Translation is dangerous! Sometimes words and phrases that work in one culture are rude in English. This video is about cultural differences and how to be polite in English. We look at 5 things you shouldn’t say in English unless you want to be rude or get a black eye. Grandma and grandad/granddad Aunt and aunty How old are you? How much do you earn? You’re looking fat. We talk about cultural differences that can

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September 28, 2018 No Comments
to agree in English
Elementary
Jay

How to agree in English – 12 different ways

In this lesson we look at how to agree in English and we’ll spice up your vocabulary with 12 different words and phrases. We’ll show you common words and phrases in action and explain what they mean. If someone gives an opinion or makes a suggestion that we like, we can say ‘I agree with you’. This phrase is clear, but be careful. If you use it too often, you might sound a little formal

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September 22, 2018 8 Comments
FCE speaking part 3 B2 First
Intermediate
Jay

B2 First Speaking Test – Parts 3 & 4 + useful phrases

The B2 First Speaking test (FCE) has four parts and in this video we look at the last half of the test. In FCE speaking part 3, the examiner gives the candidates a task to perform and they need to interact with one another. In part 4, the topic stays the same, but the candidates interact with the examiner and answer questions. Watch this video to see what happens in these two parts of the

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September 20, 2018 2 Comments

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