Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

The Visitors

This is the full version of my story The Visitors recorded in October of last year. The level is B2, but my B1 students are also invited, of course! ;-) 

These are the comprehension questions: (the answers are further down - but don't look at those yet!!

1) Who said he didn't want to be rescued and why?

2) What is the bridge of a ship, and why did the scientists and naval officers all go there?

3) Where was the alien ship when the ship's crew first detected it?

4) Why did Pierre Lafayette say "Merde!" at the end of the story?

Answers:

1) Who said he didn't want to be rescued and why?

‘Rescue mission!’ the admiral suddenly shouted and he looked irritated. ‘Who are they gonna rescue? I don’t need rescuing, thank you very much! I have a nice home and beautiful family right here on Honolulu Island. 

2) What is the bridge of a ship, and why did the scientists and naval officers all go there?

They hurried along the deck and in through a door that led to the bridge* - the highest part of the ship and the best place to get an all-round view of the surrounding darkening sea and sky.

3) Where was the alien ship when the ship's crew first detected it?

‘Sonar?’ interrupted Pierre. ‘Do you mean it’s under the water?’ The captain ignored him.

‘Estimated time of arrival?’

‘Four minutes, Captain! It’s incredible! There’s nothing that can travel that speed under water! I… I don’t get it!’

4) Why did Pierre Lafayette say "Merde!" at the end of the story?

‘Merde!’ said Pierre ('merde' is a swaer word in French) to anyone who might be listening to him. ‘They want nothing to do with us!’

(The alien spaceship had come to rescue the dolphins and whales of the ocean, and was not interested in making contact with the humans!)

Hope you enjoyed the story and learned some new language from it!

Mike.

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

Adjectives with hyphen at B1 level

good-looking (only with hyphen) - attractive (for people, often men)

well-known - a lot of people have heard of it and know it/him/her

old-fashioned (only with hyphen) - (often criticising something) not new, not in fashion

well-dressed - dressed in attractive clothes, smart, elegant

up-to-date - (usually technology) the newest in software, hardware, computers etc.

middle-aged - around 50 years old

face-to-face (only with hyphen) (also adv. came face-to-face with the burglar) - talk to somebody while looking at them in the same room.

out-of-date - (fashion, technology) not new, there are more up-to-date versions, or a more recent fashion, or more modern.

hand-held  (only with hyphen) - held in the hand e.g. like a mobile phone. 

next-door (adv. next door) - referring to your neighbours. They live next to you. A house with is next to another.

full-time - (work) a complete schedule. 40 hours a week, for example. Compare with 'part-time'.

self-service  (only with hyphen) - (usually a restaurant) where you get your own food from the counter, no waiters or waitresses.

first-floor - on the first floor of a building.

second-hand  (only with hyphen) - not new, has been used before.

We can also invent words by putting the adjective and noun together to make another adjective: dark-haired, short-haired, short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt.

Young people's slang in Great Britain

Ace - really good

Bog off - go away and leave me alone.

Bonkers - crazy

Chippy - fish-and-chip shop

Chuffed - really pleased

Fancy - want to do something

Snog - kiss

dead wealthy / dead boring

go for a spin

To see the dialogue, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-229.htm

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.

https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/

My novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!

Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

- The reason is I like working with people, I have experience of looking after elderly people and I enjoy volunteering work. 

- The problem is I’m a little lazy, I am often late for work because I sleep in. 

- The fact (of the matter is) is that the planet is warming and many species are dying. 

- The fact is we need computers to function better in business. 

- It is true that a lot of accidents are caused by motorbikes. But the point is that the car if far more dangerous. 

- The thing is, he is in a wheelchair and cannot access his own house because of the high steps.

To read the full dialogue, go to my website at: Practising English, podcast 228...

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.

https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!

Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

Future Forms in English

I'm not going to talk about future tense and predictions, but other uses of future tense.Going to and present continuous for future

Going to – plans and intentions that we have;

I'm going to pay Mum a visit later today. She's not feeling well.

Strong intentions.

I'm going to learn German next year. It's something I've always wanted to do.

Present continuous – something that had been planned earlier – some sort of planning has taken place. You have a plan now. That's why we often call this present –future. You've made an appointment, you've phoned somebody about it, etc. You might write these things in your diary – if you have one.

The Jones's are coming round to dinner this evening. (I've called them)

I'm having my haircut this afternoon. (I have an appointment)

But I could say those above with ‘going to' as well.

Be careful – present continuous doesn't work well if you want to express strong intention about something you've been thinking about doing, like your intention to learn German:

I'm learning German next year – does not express that intention.

Better:

I'm going to learn German next year, if it's the last thing I do.

I'm going to keep asking her until she says yes.

In British English, you'll hear present continuous used more with verbs of movement.

I'm just popping out to buy a newspaper.

Are you coming down the pub, Dave?

Where are you going for your holidays this summer.Will

Will does not talk about any planning at all. It describes actions in the future when you decided to do that thing at that moment.

I can't open this tin of tomatoes.

I'll do it for you!

Mum told me she was feeling lonely.

Really? I'll give her a call this afternoon.

So then we need to remember that when we talk about these future actions later. We just used the past tense of these forms.Past tense of going to

I was going to study German this year but I haven't started yet.

You said you were coming down the pub, Dave. Where are you?

The Jones's were going to come to dinner this evening, but they can't make it.

So the past tense of ‘will' is ‘would'

You said you would open this tin of tomatoes. Well you haven't done it.

See the dialogue at...

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-227.htm

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.

https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here:https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!

Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

Now it's interesting that we use get as a verb of motion. Often, when it's difficult to actually move. Have you noticed that we say,

Would you like to get into my car.

Now, you go into your house, you open the door and you walk in. You don't usually get into your house, but you get into a car. Why? Because you have to bend down usually to get in. So you get into a car. Perhaps you're up a ladder, you know, a ladder, which takes you upwards. If you're painting a wall, for example. And you don't like heights. So you find it difficult to get down the ladder. To get down. It means just to step down, to walk down the ladder.

Now, we might say, to get into a house, especially if there's some difficulty. For a burglar, for example, somebody who breaks a window and gets into your house that way. So last year, a burglar got into my house, he broke the window and opened it from the inside and got in and stole a television. So there, it's difficult because he has to break the window. So there we do say to get into the house.

I can't get in. The door's locked.

The old lady can't get across the road, there's too much traffic.

The cat's climbed up the tree, and now it can't get down.

Nobody can get to their homes because of the floods.

We've put the biscuit tin on the top shelf so that little Jonny can't get at/to it. (reach)

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-226.htm

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.

https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!

Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

Where there is movement, there's a preposition, and a preposition is used in the same way we use preposition of place (where things are)

He ran across the street.

The dog ran after the cat.

Go / run / walk / swim etc. along this street until you get to the crossroads and then turn right.

I walked among the all the people.

They travelled all around / round the country.

The little girl walked between her mother and father.

He ran down the stairs.

She got into her car and drove away.

The cat fell off the chair.

She got onto the motorbike and drove away.

The eagle flew over the mountains.

The train went through the tunnel.

She ran under the bridge.

My cat climbed up the tree.

To see the audioscript and more help, visit my website

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-225.htm

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.

https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!

Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

In today's story, I'll be looking at some B2-level phrasal verbs.

I explain 5 of the phrasal verbs below in the podcast: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10. You can listen to all ten of these phrasal verbs. They are in the order you'll hear them.

1) figure something out - try to find the answer to a problem

2) get on with something - continue an activity you were doing earlier

3) get round to something - do one of the jobs that needs doing but you don't find time for it

4) go down with something - to get ill

5) get over a bad cold etc. - recuperate from an illness

6) live up to your expectations - when something is as good as you expected it to be e.g. a product you bought

7) put somebody up - give temporary accommodation to somebody

8) stick out - something can be seen because it is showing from inside something e.g. a handkerchief sticking out somebody's pocket

9) miss out on an opportunity - lose an opportunity you did not take advantage of

10) Get round to something (repeat of nº3)

To see the answers, please visit my website at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-224.htm

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.

https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!

Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

To write a successful story for the Cambridge PET exam (Preliminary English Test)

Here is some of the help and advice I talk about in the podcast. I will also read you a model story.You are always given a first sentence, which you must use.

'When Jasmin looked down at the soft ground, she could see quite clearly that the tiger had recently come this way.'

Use of 'when' here. 'When ' is a good word to use in your story as it means you create a complex, 2-part sentence.Setting the scene - where the story is happening etc.

It was foggy in the early morning light, but she clearly noticed that something was moving in the long grass. 

Here we can show where the action is happening, and things that can be seen from where we are. Note the use of past continuous.Putting the story into context by saying what happened before.

It had all started when she began hanging out with gamers*. They said she was a ‘natural’. So she had started training. All that time spent in the gym working out to get fit for the most realistic computer game ever. 

Notice the use of the past perfect here to talk about what happened before the present moment in the story.Use of linking words.

Despite, however, although, so, because...Back to the present action...

She turned and set off again.

We now use past simple to describe the action in the story.Use of adverbs like, luckily, fortunately, unfortunately, slowly etc.

She fell about ten metres. Luckily, her fall was broken by a branch

Fortunately, she had not reached the bottom, 

Although this world was not real, the tears on her cheeks were wet, and the cold morning fog and her fear made her body shake.

(linker 'however' - making the story exciting - what happened next?)

However, what happened next made Jasmin scream. The branch began to break - slowly, at first. You could also finish with a more classical ending than mine

Finally, her friends came to rescue Jasmine and took her out of the virtual world.

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

Strong B1 to B2-level story. Today, as I'm still on holiday, I'm offering you the complete version of the very popular story I published in September - A Window on Time. Read and listen to the comprehension questions before you start listening.

1) What was the bad news Geoffrey received at the beginning of the story?

2) What physical changes happened to Geoffrey when he entered the classroom for the first time?

3) Why did Geoffrey stay in the classroom and not make an attempt to get back to his own time?

4) What was the plan that Geoffrey, or Geoffer, Ken and Timmy made for 6.30 that evening?

5) Why did Geoffrey decide not to stay in the past as a teenager, and live his life again?

Below, are the answers. Please, don't look until you have listened to the story!

1) What was the bad news Geoffrey received at the beginning of the story?

He learned from the hospital that he possibly had cancer.

2) what physical changes happened to Geoffrey when he entered the classroom for the first time?

a) his skin was younger and fairer

b) he had lost his stomach - he now had a firm, flat tummy

c) his voice was higher pitched.

d) He was 14 again.

3) Why did Geoffrey stay in the classroom and not make an attempt to get back to his own time?

Because he was excited to at the thought of seeing his parents again.

4) What was the plan that Geoffrey or Geoffer, Ken and Timmy made for 6.30 that evening?

Ken was going to bring some cigarettes and they were going to smoke them.

5) Why did Geoffrey decide not to stay in the past as a teenager, and live his life again?

He realised he would make the same foolish mistakes, and he missed his wife and two children.

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.

Victims of Nature Complete Version (B1, B2)

This is the full version of the two story parts published last September. 

Comprehension questions

1) What reasons did Alberto's mother give Alberto for leaving the Alpujarra?

2) What did Gustavo mean by the comment "we're just victims of nature"?

3) The story says, "When Alberto saw the pink clouds at dawn, he knew bad weather was on the way". What was the saying mentioned in the story which told Alberto there was going to be a storm?

4) Why was Alberto worried when he saw the effects of the storm on the mountain?

5) Why did the picnickers run away from the pool?

6) Was this a true story?

There are some more exercises at my website:

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-206.htm

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-207.htm

Answers to the questions above - please listen to the podcast first before you read the answers.

1) What reasons did Alberto's mother give Alberto for leaving the Alpujarra?

She said Alberto would be bored:

"You’ll be bored stiff. Only sheep, poverty and danger around here. Do you want to be a shepherd for the rest of your life?"

She said Alberto should be like his brother, Gustavo:

"Your brother took a risk and left. Look at him now. He’s taken charge of his life: he’s set up his own business in Granada - paying a mortgage on his flat. He has an expensive car and a lovely wife and baby."

She said Alberto would probably die in the Alpujarra:

Where’s that going to lead you?’ Off a cliff probably, off another cliff - just like your father, and tears fell down her cheeks.

2) What did Gustavo mean by the comment "we're just victims of nature"?

That the mountainous Alpujarra was too dangerous to live in:

This place defeats a human being. Those mountains are too big, too dangerous. You can’t beat them. Life here is beyond our control. This land will kill you in the end. Here, we’re just victims of nature itself.’

3) The story says, "When Alberto saw the pink clouds at dawn, he knew bad weather was on the way". What was the saying mentioned in the story which told Alberto there was going to be a storm?

“Red sky at night, shepherds' delight, but red sky in the morning, shepherds’ warning”, which means red clouds in the evening means good weather tomorrow, but red clouds in the morning bad weather that day.

4) Why was Alberto worried when he saw the effects of the storm on the mountain?

He was worried about the picnickers lower down the river in Trevelez:

"Every day in August the place was full of swimmers and picnickers. Those enormous wooden logs were rushing towards them. To make matters worse, they would fall over the waterfall down into the swimming pool below killing everybody in their path."

5) Why did the picnickers run away from the pool?

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)