This week we're looking at some English Grammar.

I have collected all the sentences from this episode from things my students have said. The correct use of 'well' is quite a common challenge. This is understandable because we can use 'well' to talk about how we feel, then it's an adjective, or we can use it to talk about a skill or ability level and then it's an adverb!

In this episode we will have lots of chances to see how to use 'well' in different scenarios and hopefully you'll have a chance to test your skill and see if you can work out the right answers. I hope this will help you know how to solve this problem in your own English.

Today's sentences

'I don't feel very well'

In this kind of sentence 'well' is usually an adjective and we're talking about our health.

'My English is not very well'.

In this sentence we need an adjective to describe the noun 'English'.

'My English is not very good.'

'I think the Internet is not very well.'
The internet doesn't have health trouble! So 'well' isn't going to work.

'I think the Internet is not very good.'

'I sleep not very well.'
In this case the 'not' is the problem, it's in the wrong place and we have a word missing. 'Well' is fine in this sentence.

'I didn't sleep very well.'

'My cat miss her very well.'
So here 'well' doesn't work. We can't use 'well' for negative things, instead we need to talk about the amount of feeling. So we need a measurement word.

'My cat miss her very much'
And one more change we need to improve the grammar.

'My cat misses her very much'

'Some children good very well at maths.'
In this case we have both 'good' and 'very well'! Too many things.
We can choose one or the other. So we have two potential sentences.
'Some children are very good at maths.' This tells us about their Maths ability.

'Some children do very well at maths.' This tells us about their accomplishments in Maths.

Last week, in Episode 138, I read 'Winnie the Pooh Goes Visiting', I decided to spend some time looking at some of the phrases from this story as they are great examples of phrases commonly used in the UK.

In the UK being polite is a very important part of our culture, but this can be very confusing for foreigners and even for native speakers, because what we mean and what we say may not always match! The important point is always context.

In this episode we will look again at the story, see the key phrases and look at the context so that we can understand what is really going on.

Additional Vocabulary

Condensed Milk - this is milk with all the water taken out and a lot of sugar added. It's very sweet and commonly used in desserts.

heavily influence - to make a big impact on something or help us decide

directly - in this context it's an old fashioned way of saying 'soon' or 'right now'

dance of politeness - just meaning this confusing and subtle form of politeness

holding it back - idiom - if we hold something back it means we don't say it, we keep it to ourselves.

veil of politeness - the veil is what some women wear to cover their faces, it's just thin fabric so in this case we mean that the politeness is just there to look good, but it doesn't change the truth. It makes Rabbit sound nice, but it doesn't mean he's actually being nice.

blurt out - phrasal verb - when we say something without thinking

the truth only comes to light - idiom - when we learn the truth or somebody tells us the truth we can say 'the truth has come to light'.

run out of patience - idiom - if we use the phrasal verb 'run out of something' then we haven't got any more, there's none left. So we've 'run out of patience' means I haven't got any more patience left.

Today we're going to look at my Chinese Learning Journal.

Although mine is in Chinese I think there are a lot of principles that work for learning any language.

Key things to remember when choosing a journal:

1. Choose the right size

2. Choose the right paper

3. Make it colourful

4. Use pictures to help you remember vocabulary

5. Use your own language to help you identify and remember sounds

6. Put boxes around important information

7. Number your pages and create a Contents page or Index so you can quickly find things

8. Use different sections of the book for different things (Vocabulary at the back, lessons in the front, for example)

9. Use Post-it notes or similar to identify important pages quickly (such as Classroom English)

10. Don't worry about how it looks, what's important is how it works for you!

I hope you found that helpful.

Additional Vocabulary

tidal lake - tides come in and go out, so a tidal lake is one that goes in and out with the moon phases. Most Lake District lakes are too small to be affected by the moon, instead they go in and out depending on how much it has rained.

hazy - when there is a think fog in the sky so it's not very clear or easy to see distances

Please, please, oak trees, save me! - knock on wood - idiom, I was sitting too far away from the trees to use the usual 'knock on wood' or 'touch wood' phrase so I adapted it. This is a superstition, that if we say something ominous, if we knock on some wood it will stop the bad thing from happening!

something to bear in mind - something to remember

but don't go overboard - don't get too excited or do too much

I didn't stick to a thing - I didn't continue to do a particular, specific thing

I kept running out of colors - idiom - run out of means we don't have enough left

new vocabulary that was popping up - something comes up or appears suddenly

Pinyin - this is the roman alphabet that is used by Mandarin speakers to write out the sounds or pronunciation of Mandarin words.

This week on the podcast we're reading Chapter 2 'In which Pooh goes visiting and get's into a tight place' from A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh.

There are a few things to remember about this book, which I'll go into more detail about next week.

The first is that the book was first published in 1926.

Christopher Robin was a real boy, he was A.A. Milne's son, and Christopher had a toy bear, called Edward, or Winnie the Pooh for short, who A.A Milne based these stories on. This means that sometimes the way Christopher Robin talks and writes is not like an adult, but a child, because he was a real child.

This also means that some of the language and ways of talking are a little bit old fashioned sometimes.

I hope you enjoyed this episode in the woods.

Additional Vocabulary

Pooh for short - if something is 'for short' we mean it's a shortened version of a word this is common with names, and in Australia, lots of words.

stoutness - this is Pooh's word for fat

glass - this is an old fashioned name for 'mirror'

learned it off by heart - idiom - if we learn something 'off by heart' then we can commit it to memory or memorise it.

walking gaily along - 'gay' was a commonly used word for happy until the 1970's when it started to be used to describe homosexual men, it is now almost entirely used by and to describe the queer community.

scuffling - a noise we might make when we move our feet on sand.

larder - another word for pantry or food storage cupboard

I was going out myself directly - in this sentence 'directly' means right now, or as soon as you had left.

said Pooh crossly - 'cross' is a British word for angry

it seems a pity to waste it. - we can say 'a shame' instead of 'a pity' we use this phrase when we're sad or disappointed about something

towel horse - a kind of wooden or plastic thing that holds drying towels

head over heels - describing someone who has fallen over completely or has turned over while they fell.

In today's episode I continue the stories I was telling you about St Bees yesterday. This includes a story about the hand-carved swimming pool in the cliffs and my Grandma's St Bees Doctor story. We then go around to the church and I tell you a little bit more about the history of the church and area.

Again, just like yesterday, this episode is best viewed as a video. If you are on Spotify, you should be able to view the video.

In this episode I talk about the church and St Bees man. Please let me know if this interests you and I might organise an interview with the man in the church to tell us all about it.

If you'd like to hear the organ in action check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrnvnegjCEI

Today's and yesterday's episodes are much more conversational in style than my normal videos, so don't be surprised if you hear an unusual phrase, remember you can always find these phrases and vocabulary below.

I should be heading home soon so next week we'll be back to normal.

Have a great weekend!

Vocabulary

some genius - this phrase can be used positively or negatively, entirely depending on the tone of voice. In this case I'm using it positively to say the person who thought of making a swimming pool had a really great idea. I can also use it sarcastically to say someone had a really stupid idea!

the farce - this means something that is absurd or disorganised. In this case I'm commenting on the unfairness of the situation

taking the mickey - idiom - this is a British idiom that means someone is making a joke against you or something that's happening is an insult to your situation

pluses and minuses with sandstone - idiom - pluses and minuses of something just mean the positive sides and negative sides

porous - something that easily absorbs water

wild swimming - a growing sport in the UK where people swim in rivers and the sea

up and downy - phrase to mean hilly or there are many slopes

In today's episode I take you on a walk from my parent's house down to the beach in St. Bees.

This episode works best as a video. If you're on Spotify you should be able to access the video.

In this episode I start at my parent's house, then go down through St Bees village. I have an ice cream on one side of the beach and then continue to tell you the founding story of St Bees on the other side of the beach, under St Bees head.

In the middle of the episode you will hear the sea. Most of St Bees beach is sandy, but right at the top is a pebble beach. When the waves roll out across these pebbles all the stones knock together creating an unusual clicking or ticking sound. I hope you can hear it, although the waves were coming in quite quickly on that day.

In this episode I mentioned Episode 3 - Home, a video about this area of Cumbria with pictures. I also mentioned the videos I did in Workington, this was a series of 3 episodes, Episodes 60-62 where I read several book excerpts about the sea.

In the next episode I will continue to tell you some stories from this part of the beach and a little about St Bees Church.

I hope you find this episode interesting. It was quite challenging to put this video together as it required far more editing skills than normal, I don't think I'll do videos like this often so I hope you don't mind listening.

Vocabulary

the weather man reliably informed me - this is a common phrase in the UK, it's a joke, because the weather report is almost always wrong because the weather is so changeable in the UK.

Deigned - to do something considered beneath your dignity. In this case I'm using it to mean that the Catholic Church seems to be the only people able to decide who was important in our history.

Back in the mists of time - idiom meaning a long time ago, and often before written history

vocal history - vocal or verbal history is a way to describe the stories that are passed down but maybe not written down until long after the story happened

sailed across the ocean waves - this is just a phrase, I think I probably stole it from a song

They took up the mantle. - idiom - to take up the responsibilities or duties

tide is very high - the 'tide' is the moon's influence on the ocean, we can describe a tide as high or low

tide was turning - this is when the tide has come as high (or low) as it will come and is now going back the other way

Today we are continuing with yesterday's theme of preferences.

Today we will discuss preferences in four different scenarios: business/work, food, free time and dating.

During the episode I played one of Meghan Trainor's songs, No: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMTAUr3Nm6I

Today's Vocabulary

Business

I prefer your project plan to the other team's. Do you have a timescale for delivery?

If we have to use this colour, then I would prefer we use a different tone.

If we have to deliver the project in two weeks, then I would prefer to work from home.

I prefer that style.

I would rather not choose, let's try both for now.

Food

Would you prefer Italian food or sushi?

I would prefer Italian.

I would rather not have sushi.

What would you like to drink?

I would prefer not to have alcohol. What would you suggest?

Free Time

How do you prefer to spend your free time?

I love going to the movies.

I usually just focus on my hobbies.

I would rather go to the movies than watch TV.

I prefer playing golf to going swimming.

Dating

What would you like to do on our date?

I would prefer to stay close to home. Can we just go to the park?

I'd rather not go into town on a Saturday night, it's just too busy. Can we do something local instead?

Can I kiss you?

Yes, that would be my preference.

Is this working for you?

I'd prefer it if you...

I would love it if you would...

Additional Vocabulary

We've mostly ticked that box. - idiom - 'ticked the box' mean's we've done the thing we intended to do.

Open question - there are two kinds of questions in English. Closed questions elicit a Yes/No answer. Open questions elicit a longer, fuller answer.

Prude - someone who feels uncomfortable discussing intimacy and other things considered too private to discuss.

Caveat - something to be aware of

Hitting on you - someone is flirting with you, someone wants to date you

Coming on too strong - someone is flirting with you, but it's not fun, it's uncomfortable or aggressive or they are too persistent.

In this episode we're discussing what to look for when you're choosing a book to help you practise your English.

Books can be great places to help you improve your English. You can read good quality language and depending on the kind of book you choose you can find vocabulary relevant to work, common dialogue spoken by native speakers and you can improve your grammar.

Reading is a great use of time, even in your own language. Don't be scared of reading in English though. Of course its scary at first and it will seem very difficult at first, but you'll be surprised by how quickly you improve.

In this episode I used books to give you examples of things to look for or things to avoid. I do not advocate you reading all of these books, some of them were very hard! But if you're interested I have included the list below.

Book List

Bernadine Evaristo - Girl Woman Other

Melissa Benn - Life Lessons, The Case For a National Education System

Audre Lorde - The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House

Audre Lorde - Sister Outsider

Simon Sinek - Start With Why

Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic

Kirsty Greenwood - Yours Truely

Elif Shafak - The Island of Missing Trees

Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist

Penguin's Abridged Sets Include:

Penguin Modern

Little Black Classics

Alternative Book Sites Include:

https://www.wob.com/

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/

Additional Vocabulary

A bunch of tips - a selection of something

Secondhand/Firsthand - 'secondhand' is commonly used to describe something that has been owned before. If it's the first time something has been owned we usually just say it's 'new'. In general, we use 'firsthand' to describe something that we have seen or read ourselves (I used it incorrectly in the podcast, because I was going too fast😖!).

Throw away the rule book - idiom - to do something in a new, unconventional way, or to completely reinvent something.

Advocate - to defend or suggest

Abridged - a shortened version of something

Chick-lit - now generally considered to be a derogatory term (but stil widely used) that describes books that are written with women in mind. This term is derogatory because it suggests that books written about or for women do not have literary value.

I devour it in a short space of time. - 'I devour it' meaning I read it quickly. 'A short space of time' - idiom - often used to express something that happens quickly.

On a similar note - a common phrase used to add further information that is related but not the same.

Exquisite - extra special, expensive or beautiful, often meaning created with excellent craft skills

A bit picky - a little choosy about what we like

Don't be put off by that. - to be put off - phrasal verb - you no longer want to do something or you might give up doing something

You can't work out something - work something out - phrasal verb - to work by yourself to find the right answer

Get the gist - Pronunciation 'jist' - to get the basic meaning

Skip over it - phrasal verb, 'skip over' - to just avoid it

Hero's Journey - The Hero's Journey is an idea first identified by Writer, Joseph Campbell. He identified a specific story arc and stereotypical characters that we see occur again and again over time. Star Wars, is one of his most famous examples.

In this episode we're looking at another tip to improve your English: finding the right teacher for you.

It's OK to Change Teachers:

Remember you might need different teachers at different times in your development. In addition you might look for teachers that can help you solve a particular problem or help you with a particular kind of English, such as Business English or English relevant to your work.

English Qualifications

Today I talked about four different ESL qualifications:

ESL - English as a Second Language

ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages

DELTA - High level diploma run by Cambridge English. It includes learning how to teach and using different techniques, teaching practise, observations and specification for kinds of ESL teaching. It can take 9 - 12 months to complete.

CELTA - Also run by Cambridge English. Includes detailed lessons on English, grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure etc, lessons on how to teach and teaching practise and observations. Can take 1-3 months to complete.

TEFL and TESOL - Run by multiple organisations online and in-person. Some have teaching involved but they are often only online. Teaches some elements of English, although not in depth and some teaching suggestions. Multiple choice test usually. If you've never taught English before it could take a week to complete a TEFL course.

But remember, it's important to think about why you are looking for a teacher. In addition, you must bear in mind the number of years someone has been teaching. Someone might have a TESOL but has been teaching English for 10 years and has taught all over the world. In this case they are likely to be a better teacher and more knowledgeable than someone who as only just completed their CELTA course.

Teachers to Help with Your Work

If you are looking for help to develop your English for work, then it's worth looking for an English teacher with experience in your particular field or job, that way they can teach you vocabulary and sentences relevant to your job and help you progress faster and more effectively. The best place to look for teachers who specialise in your area of business is LinkedIn.

Additional Vocabulary

Biased - someone who's suggestions or opinions are affected by their experience or preferences

Bar one - idiom - except one

Viable - good or something that works correctly

Mean to you - idiom - someone who is purposefully unkind

Intimidated - someone who makes you feel uncomfortable

Build your confidence - common collocation - to make you feel more confident

Knock it down - idiom - to break down or damage someone's confidence or skills

That's a topic for another day. - common sentence to let someone know there is another thing to say about this, but it's not our priority right now.

take on - phrasal verb - to 'take on another language' to start learning something new or 'take on' more responsibility, to be responsible for more things

pick it up - phrasal verb - to quickly and easily learn something

I'm super nosey - I'm really curious and interested and ask a lot of questions!

live off something - phrasal verb - to have enough money to manage

corner of the market - idiom - this part or segment of the market

scope around - idiom - 'scope' often means look, so this means to look around

niche teacher - a newly developing field of teachers who are self-employed and running their own business, often focusing on a very small corner of the market.

Vice versa - this way, or the other way; both ways work

In these two episodes I covered some social media (especially Instagram/TikTok) sources you could use to practise your English. I also talked about the importance of finding sources that you enjoy and trust, that you understand and can comprehend easily. This will make it more likely that you stop and watch their videos when you are scrolling.

In this episode I covered some Instagram Influencers. You can find them in the links below.

Stage Door Johnny is a British actor, cabaret performer and comedian. His videos focus on the confusing parts of English: words that sound different but have the same spelling, words that have different spelling but sound the same, words that are similar but have totally different spelling. His videos are short and funny. https://www.instagram.com/stage_door_johnny/

Blair Imani is an American author, historian and activist who uses her platforms to inform and educate. She founded Smarter in Seconds, a video series that informs and raises awareness about modern issues. https://www.instagram.com/blairimani/ #SmarterinSeconds

RxckStxr is a music producer and writer as well as a voiceover artist. He creates funny content where he adds voices to animal videos. As a Black American his content often has lots of slang and is casual English, it's also very funny.https://www.instagram.com/therxckstxr/

Elyse Myers is an influencer and singer with ADHD. She uses her platform to create content that is funny, she often tells stories from her life. Recently she's become very famous, even starring in a music video with Meghan Trainor! She has also recently started her own podcast, Funny Cuz It's True. https://www.instagram.com/elyse_myers/

Mel Robbins is a writer, motivational speaker and influencer who also has ADHD. She has one of the most watched TED talks ever with over 31 million views! She has written several books including: High Five Habit and Five Second Rule. She also has her own podcast.https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/

Additional Vocabulary

Content Creators - a modern term describing people who create video, or online content

comprehensive - complete, whole

homonyms - words that have the same spelling or pronunciation but different meanings

little bits - 'bit' or 'skit' are words to describe small plays or funny stories told to make people laugh.

killing two birds with one stone - idiom - to take one action that solves two problems.