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👶 Class Topic: Falling Birth Rates Around the World

1️⃣ Warm-up (5–7 minutes)

Start with personal but simple questions:

Do you think people today want more children or fewer children?

Is it expensive to raise a child in Brazil?

What is the best age to have children?

Do you think life was easier for parents in the past?

Then transition:

👉 “Today we will talk about a global problem: falling birth rates.”

🌍 Key Vocabulary

Teach these words before the video.

Fertility rate

→ the average number of children women have in a country.

Birth rate

→ the number of babies born in a population.

Raising a child

→ taking care of a child while they grow.

Barrier

→ something that makes something difficult.

Cost of living

→ how expensive life is (rent, food, education).

Population decline

→ when the number of people in a country decreases.

Partner

→ husband, wife, or person you have a relationship with.

Work-life balance

→ time between work and personal life.

🎥 While Watching (BBC Video)

Ask him to listen for these ideas.

Questions

1. What problem is the UN talking about?

2. Why do many people not have children?

3. What are the biggest barriers to having children?

4. Why is it difficult for governments to increase birth rates?

5. Are people waiting longer to have children?

🧠 Comprehension Check

Ask him to explain in his own words:

What is the difference between fertility rate and birth rate?

Why is this becoming a global problem?

What countries are most worried about population decline?

Encourage longer answers:

👉 “Can you explain more?”

👉 “Why do you think that happens?”

⚖️ Discussion (Personal + Professional Perspective)

Now connect the topic with his life as a father and lawyer.

Personal Questions

How did your life change after your son was born?

What are the biggest responsibilities of a parent?

What is the most difficult part of raising a child today?

What is the best part?

Society Questions

Why do many couples delay having children today?

Do you think people are more selfish today or just more careful?

Is the cost of living the biggest problem?

Legal / Policy Perspective (great for a lawyer)

Should governments help families financially?

Should companies give more parental leave?

Should governments give tax benefits for parents?

Do you think countries should encourage people to have children?

🗣️ Speaking Task

Ask him to give advice to young couples.

Prompt:

👉 “If a couple asks you: Should we have children today? What would you say?”

Encourage structure:

1. Advantages

2. Difficulties

3. His advice

✍️ Optional Homework

Writing task:

Topic:

“Is it harder to raise children today than in the past?”

(120–150 words)

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Why are people having fewer babies? - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

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🧠 Adapted Lesson Plan (Easier, More Supportive)

Level: B1 (strong) → B2 (developing)
Time: 50–60 min
Focus: Speaking, confidence, guided opinions

🎯 Main Goal (Simplified)

By the end, the student can:

Talk about online relationships in a simple way

Give opinions with support

Use 3–5 key words correctly

Speak longer without getting stuck

🔹 1. Warm-up (Very Accessible – Build Confidence)

Start more personally (less abstract):

👉 Ask:

“Do you think people feel more lonely today than before?”

“Why?”

👉 If needed, help:

“I think people feel more lonely because…”

“Nowadays, people…”

💡 Goal: Get them talking early without pressure

🔹 2. Introduce the Topic (Soft Entry)

Instead of a “strong statement”, make it simpler:

👉 Say:

“Some platforms on the internet allow people to talk privately and feel close to others.”

👉 Ask:

“Do you think people can feel a real connection online?”

👉 Support:

“Yes, because…”

“No, because…”

🔹 3. Understanding the Situation (Guided + Simple)

👉 Ask:

“What do people do on platforms like OnlyFans?”
(if needed, guide gently)

👉 Help them say:

“People send messages”

“They pay for content”

“They talk to creators”

👉 Then:

“Why is it different from Instagram?”

👉 Support:

“It is more personal because…”

“Users can talk directly…”

🔹 4. Feelings & Loneliness (Core Section)

👉 Ask:

“Why do people use these platforms?”

👉 If stuck, give options:

“For entertainment?”

“For connection?”

“Because they feel lonely?”

👉 Follow-up:

“Do you think this helps people or not?”

👉 Support:

“It helps because…”

“It can be bad because…”

💡 Keep it emotional + relatable, not too analytical

🔹 5. Simple Opinion (Light Ethics – NOT heavy legal)

👉 Ask:

“Do you think it is okay to pay for attention?”

👉 Then:

“Is it honest or not?”

👉 Support:

“I think it is okay because…”

“I think it is not fair because…”

💡 Avoid “legal perspective” — too heavy for fluency

🔹 6. Responsibility (Keep it Simple)

👉 Ask:

“Who is responsible?”

The platform?

The creator?

The user?

👉 Support:

“I think ___ is responsible because…”

“Maybe both…”

🔹 7. Future (Easy Closing)

👉 Ask:

“Do you think this will grow in the future?”

👉 Support:

“Yes, because…”

“No, because…”

👉 Final question:

“Is this good or bad for society?”

🧩 Simplified Vocabulary (Focus on Use, not Complexity)

Only 5 words (VERY important ↓)

1. Loneliness
👉 Feeling alone

“Many people feel loneliness today.”

2. Online relationship
👉 Connection on the internet

“Some people have online relationships.”

3. Connection
👉 Feeling close to someone

“People want connection.”

4. Responsibility
👉 Who is in charge

“The platform has responsibility.”

5. Manipulation (optional if they can handle it)
👉 Controlling someone unfairly

“This can be manipulation.”

💡 Tell them:
👉 “Try to use at least 3 words”

🗣️ Mini Speaking Task (Much Easier & Structured)

👉 Question:

“Do you think these platforms are more good or more bad for people?”

👉 Give a clear speaking structure:

“First of all, …”

“Also, …”

“But, …”

“In conclusion, …”

👉 Model answer (simplified):

“First of all, I think it can be good because people feel less lonely.
Also, they can talk to others.
But, it can be dangerous because people can become dependent.
In conclusion, I think it is more negative.”

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OnlyFans, loneliness, and rise of explicit direct messages

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Katty Kay speaks to writer and podcaster Ed Elson about the adult content industry’s pivot to direct messaging.

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⚖️ Lesson Plan: The Gig Economy and Delivery Workers in India

🎯 Lesson Goals

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

Understand what the gig economy is

Describe the working conditions of delivery drivers in India

Explain basic legal and labor rights issues

Express opinions about worker protection and the law

Use key vocabulary related to law and employment

📺 Part 1: Warm-up Discussion (Easy questions)

Ask your student:

1. Do you use delivery apps like Uber Eats, iFood, or Rappi? 📱

2. Are delivery drivers employees or independent workers?

3. Do you think delivery drivers have good working conditions? Why or why not?

4. Should the government protect gig workers?

📖 Part 2: Easy Reading (Adapted for Lower Level)

The Gig Economy and Delivery Workers in India

The gig economy is a system where people work per job, not full-time. They use apps to find work. Many gig workers are delivery drivers or taxi drivers.

In India, there are about 12 million gig workers. This number may grow to 24 million by 2030.

Recently, many delivery drivers in Delhi protested. They were unhappy with their pay and working conditions. Some companies promised delivery in 10 minutes. This created pressure and stress for drivers.

Drivers said they must work fast and take risks. Sometimes they do not earn enough money. They also do not have benefits like health insurance or paid vacation.

Companies say gig work gives flexibility. Workers can choose when to work.

Governments in many countries are now discussing new laws to protect gig workers.

📘 Part 3: Key Vocabulary (Simple Definitions)

Gig economy

Work where people are paid per job, not full-time.

Delivery driver

A person who brings food or products to customers.

Working conditions

The situation and environment where people work.

Protest

When people show they are unhappy and want change.

Pressure

Stress or strong demand to do something fast.

Benefits

Extra protections like health insurance or paid vacation.

Independent worker

A person who works for themselves, not a company employee.

Labor rights

Legal protections for workers.

📺 Part 4: Watch the Video

Tell the student:

👉 Watch and listen for:

Why are workers protesting?

What problems do delivery drivers have?

What do companies say?

What role does the government play?

❓ Part 5: Comprehension Questions (Easy)

1. What is the gig economy?

2. How many gig workers are there in India?

3. Why did delivery drivers protest?

4. What is the 10-minute delivery guarantee?

5. Do gig workers have benefits?

6. What is one advantage of gig work?

⚖️ Part 6: Legal Discussion (Important for your lawyer student)

Ask simple legal-focused questions:

1. Should gig workers be employees or independent contractors?

2. Should companies provide health insurance?

3. Is the 10-minute delivery guarantee dangerous?

4. Should governments create new laws for gig workers?

5. Who is responsible if a delivery driver has an accident?

🧠 Part 7: Speaking Practice (Opinion)

Ask your student to complete:

“I think gig workers should…”

“Companies should…”

“The government must…”

“In my opinion, gig work is good/bad because…”

✍️ Part 8: Legal Role-Play (Excellent for a lawyer student)

Scenario:

Your student is a lawyer representing a delivery driver.

Ask them:

What legal arguments would you use?

What rights should the driver have?

What law would you propose?

📚 Part 9: Useful Legal Vocabulary (Simplified)

Contract – legal agreement

Employer – company that hires workers

Employee – person who works for a company

Liability – legal responsibility

Labor law – laws that protect workers

Wages – money paid for work

Protection – legal safety

🎯 Bonus: Homework

Ask your student to answer:

“Should gig workers have the same rights as employees? Why?”

not, because there have options to stop or fired their work every time. and the gig companies should continue their labor rights.

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Why gig workers are protesting around the world - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

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(Photo by Getty Images)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

The story

A famous group of experts have warned that the world is the closest it has ever been to disaster. They've set the Doomsday Clock at 85 seconds to midnight.

The Doomsday Clock was developed by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists to warn about dangerous technologies and risks in the world. Doomsday means the end of the world, or a time when something very bad will happen. The idea is that the closer the Doomsday Clock is to midnight, the closer humanity is to being destroyed.

The Doomsday Clock was set up in 1947 as a way to track the risk of nuclear war. Scientists now consider other threats like climate change and artificial intelligence and update the clock every year.

Scientists moved the clock forward four seconds on Tuesday, indicating that the risk of disaster is getting worse.

News headlines

Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight in stark 'apocalypse' warning
The Independent

Is humanity running out of time? World holds its breath as Doomsday Clock is updated
World Is One News

' Every second counts' - Doomsday Clock moves closer to midnight
BBC News
Key words and phrases
stark
clear, often serious

This accident is a stark reminder of why health and safety policies are so important.

hold your breath
wait nervously or excitedly for something that's about to happen

The crowd held its breath as the gymnast began his routine.

every second counts
every moment is important

If we're going to finish the project on time, every second counts.

Next

Do you ever find speaking scary? Try our new Beating Speaking Anxiety course

Try The Listening Room to practise your listening skills with BBC news reports.

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Doomsday Clock: Highest ever disaster risk

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Experts decide on the risks to humanity every year by setting the Doomsday Clock.

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🌍 Class: Why Are Billionaires Building Bunkers?

Level: Lower-intermediate

Student profile: Adult, lawyer

Focus: Listening comprehension, debate, argumentation language

Time: 60 minutes

Source: BBC Learning English – What in the World (Neil & Hannah)

🎯 Lesson Objectives

By the end of the class, the student will be able to:

Understand why some tech billionaires are preparing for a possible apocalypse

Use key vocabulary related to disaster and social behavior

Introduce, support, and defend an argument in a short debate

Express agreement and disagreement politely and clearly

1️⃣ Warm-up (10 minutes)

Lead-in Questions

Use these to start the conversation:

When you hear the word “apocalipse ”, what comes to your mind?

Do you think the world is more unstable today than 20 years ago? Why?

If you were very rich, would you prepare for a global disaster?

➡️ Teacher note: Encourage opinions, not accuracy. Don’t correct too much here.

2️⃣ Pre-listening: Prediction & Context (5 minutes)

Explain briefly:

“People around the world have been preparing for a major world disaster. Now, tech billionaires are building underground bunkers.”

Prediction Questions

Why do you think billionaires are building bunkers?

Do you think this is fear, strategy, or exaggeration?

3️⃣ Vocabulary Focus (10 minutes)

Work with the BBC vocabulary before listening.

Key Vocabulary (with guided questions)

prepper – someone who prepares for disaster
👉 Is a prepper pessimistic or realistic?

kid – joke
👉 When someone says “I was just kidding”, should we take it seriously?

mentality – the way someone thinks
👉 Do lawyers need a strategic mentality?

apocalypse – a destructive world-changing event
👉 Is the apocalypse always fictional?

status – respect and importance
👉 Do billionaires have more status or more responsibility?

compromise – lower the standard of something
👉 Is it acceptable to compromise ethics for safety?

4️⃣ Listening Task (10 minutes)

First Listening – General Understanding

Ask the student to listen and answer:

Are the speakers supporting or questioning the idea of bunkers?

Is fear the only reason billionaires prepare?

This Week’s Question (from BBC)

How much is Mark Zuckerberg reportedly spending on the bunker project?

Options:

a) $10 million

b) $50 million

c) $100 million

(Answer after listening.)

5️⃣ Post-listening Discussion (10 minutes)

Comprehension & Critical Thinking

Do the speakers suggest billionaires know something we don’t?

Is this behavior individual protection or social inequality?

Should people with high status act differently in times of crisis?

➡️ Legal angle:

“As a lawyer, how would you view this from an ethical or social responsibility perspective?”

6️⃣ Language for Argumentation (10 minutes)

Useful Phrases – Introduce Arguments

Giving your opinion

In my opinion…

From my point of view…

I believe that…

I would argue that…

Supporting your argument

One reason is that…

Another important point is…

This shows that…

Contrasting / disagreeing

I understand that, but…

However, I don’t fully agree…

That may be true, however…

Conclusion

In conclusion…

To sum up…

7️⃣ Debate Activity (15 minutes)

Debate Statement

“Billionaires building bunkers is a rational response to global instability.”

Instructions

1. Student chooses: Agree / Disagree / Partly agree

2. He must:

Introduce his opinion

Give two arguments

Respond to one counter-argument from the teacher

Possible Counter-Arguments (Teacher)

“This creates more inequality in society.”

“Rich people should invest in prevention, not escape.”

“It shows a lack of trust in governments.”

📝 Optional Homework

Writing task (120 words):

“Do you think preparing for a global disaster is an individual responsibility or a collective one?”

Requirements:

Clear opinion

At least 2 arguments

One sentence acknowledging the opposite view

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Why are billionaires building bunkers?

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Is the end of the world closer than we thought?

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Class: Australia’s Social Media Ban (Intermediate)

1. Warm-up – Activate opinions (8–10 minutes)

Lead-in questions (spoken):

At what age will you let your son start using social media? I will let my son to use social media when he is 11 more less, his doctor suggested me that he should not develop his creativity if he uses social media at early age.

Which apps do you think are the most popular today that can help your son?

maybe the apps about language like English, localisation for safety, the research apps.

Do you think social media is more positive or negative for teenagers?

is more negative because there they don[t have conditions to select content that will give them good access to content like pornography, violence or crimes, exessive consumption.

👉 Follow-up challenge (sentence building):

Ask the student to answer using:

In my opinion…

I believe that… because…

One advantage / disadvantage is…

✏️ Write 1–2 of the student’s sentences and gently reformulate them together.

2. Gist reading – Understanding the issue (8 minutes)

Ask the student to read only “The story” section.

Gist questions:

What has Australia decided to do?

Who is affected by this law?

Why did the government create this ban?

Why do some people disagree with it?

➡️ Student answers orally, not in full sentences at first.

Then push them to upgrade:

“Can you turn that into one complete sentence?”

3. Vocabulary focus – Meaning + use (10 minutes)

Work with these key words:

come into force/ came into force/coming into force/have come into force.

ex the law can have a good or bad effect after the decision has come into force.

caveat/warning/ can be a verb.

ex a long time the caveat are not kept some time they are difficult to do.

brag/ speak with pride about something.

ex. I played soccer with bragging for my son, I won many time.

ban/ prohibition

harmful content/ dangerous content

negative impact/ bad influence.

Task A – Match meaning (oral first):

You explain situations, the student chooses the word.

Example:

“A rule officially starts today” → come into force

“A warning or limitation” → caveat

Task B – Personalised sentences:

Ask the student to create one true sentence about their life or opinion for 3 words.

Example prompts:

A rule that came into force in your country

Something people brag about on social media

A caveat about using social media

Correct sentence order gently:

“Let’s move the time expression to the beginning.”

“Where does the verb sound more natural?”

4. Sentence order & structure task (10 minutes)

Give the student scrambled sentences orally or written:

👉 ban / the government / created / to protect / teenagers

✔️

👉 might / teenagers / lose / social contact / without social media

✔️

👉 there is / a caveat / the law / with

✔️

Follow-up:

Ask:

Can you make it longer?

Can you add because, although, or however?

5. Speaking task – Opinion & critical thinking (15 minutes)

Discussion prompts (choose 3–4):

Do you agree with banning social media for under-16s? Why or why not?

Is it the government’s responsibility to control social media use?

Could this ban make teenagers more curious about “darker parts of the internet”?

Would this law work in your country?

Language support on the board:

On the one hand… on the other hand…

I understand the idea, but…

One possible consequence could be…

Encourage longer turns (30–60 seconds).

6. Mini production – Final opinion statement (5–7 minutes)

Ask the student to prepare and say:

“In my opinion, Australia’s social media ban is a good/bad idea because…”

Requirements:

At least 3 sentences

Use one keyword from the lesson

Use one linker (because, however, although)

Give focused feedback on:

Word order

Clarity

Vocabulary choice

Optional homework (short & effective)

Write 5 sentences giving your opinion about social media bans.

At least 2 sentences must start differently (not “I think…”).

Use 2 words from today’s vocabulary.

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Australia teen social media ban

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Australia’s social media ban for under-16s has started.

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🐶 CLASS: Can Dogs Read Our Minds?

Level: Lower Intermediate
Skills: Reading, vocabulary, speaking, basic critical thinking
Time: 45–60 minutes

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Ask your student:

Do you think dogs understand humans?

Can dogs feel when we are sad or happy?

Do animals have emotions?

Encourage short, simple answers.

2. Vocabulary Preparation (8 minutes)

Teach these words using simple explanations and your own examples:

aware – when you know something

relate closely to – understand well or feel a connection

brain scan – a picture or study of the brain

provoke – to cause something to happen

domesticated – trained to live with humans

subtle – very small and difficult to notice

innate – something natural, not learned

stimulus – something that makes you react

genes – parts of DNA that affect how living things grow

Ask:
“Which of these words describe a dog you know?”

3. Reading (5 minutes)

Have the student read the text aloud or silently.
Stop after each paragraph to check understanding.

4. Comprehension: Match Headings to Paragraphs (5 minutes)

Correct answers:

Paragraph 1 → friendly mind readers?

Paragraph 2 → different perspectives

Paragraph 3 → canine brain responses

Paragraph 4 → nature or nurture

Paragraph 5 → companions and assistants

5. Comprehension: Choose the Correct Option (8 minutes)

1. Dogs develop a detailed picture of what we are thinking.
→ False

2. In paragraph 2, “they” refers to…
→ dogs

3. Dogs know when they should be quiet to get food.
→ True

4. Dogs show greater emotional responses than other domesticated animals.
→ Not given

5. Dogs are better than wolves at responding to ______ clues.
→ subtle

6. Summary Completion (5 minutes)

Fill in the blanks using words from the lesson.

Correct answers:

1. relate closely

2. aware

3. brain scans

4. provoke

5. innate

7. Guided Speaking Practice (10 minutes)

Ask your student to answer using simple sentences:

Why do people love dogs so much?

Do you think dogs can feel human emotions? Why?

Can you describe a moment when a dog understood something about a person?

Why do you think dogs are good assistance animals?

Do you think dogs are born with emotional intelligence, or do they learn it?

Encourage them to use the new vocabulary when possible.

8. Simple Critical Thinking (5 minutes)

Give your student these statements.
Ask if they agree or disagree, and why, using easy language.

“Dogs understand humans very well.”

“Animals can feel emotions just like humans.”

“Dogs should be trained to help more people.”

You can give sentence starters such as:
“I think… because…”
“In my opinion…”
“I agree / I disagree because…”

9. Optional Homework

Write 5–6 sentences about:

A dog you know (real or imagined): What can it understand about people?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - The Reading Room / Is your dog reading your mind?

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Practise your reading skills and learn about pets reading your mind in English

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Hostages released in Gaza ceasefire agreement

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Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees were exchanged on Monday as a ceasefire deal is agreed to end the war in Gaza

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📝

Lesson Plan: Renewable Energy Surpasses Coal

Level: Intermediate (B1–B2)

Duration: 60 minutes

Skill Focus: Reading – Vocabulary – Pronunciation – Discussion

1. 🗣

Warm-up (10 min)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and introduce the topic.

Procedure:

Ask the student:

“What are some sources of renewable energy you know?”

“Is renewable energy common in your country?”

“Do you think the world is moving fast enough toward clean energy?”

Write key words from their answers (e.g., solar, wind, hydro, coal, pollution) on a shared screen or paper.

👉 Optional: Show a short image of solar panels/wind turbines to spark discussion.

2. 📖

Reading Activity (10 min)

Objective: Develop reading comprehension with a short authentic text.

Procedure:

Have the student read the text aloud slowly to practice pronunciation:

The Story

For the first time ever, more electricity has been generated through wind and solar power than from coal power plants. That’s according to a new report.

The amount of electricity used globally has increased since last year, but 100% of that increase has been met by renewable energy sources.

China and India are responsible for a large part of this growth of renewable energy. Europe and the US actually increased their coal and gas power generation.

It has been predicted that renewable energy generation could double by the end of the decade.

Focus on pronunciation of:

generated /ˈdʒenəˌreɪtɪd/

renewable /rɪˈnuːəbəl/

coal /koʊl/

growth, increase, double

3. 🧠

Comprehension Questions (10 min)

Objective: Check understanding.

Ask the student:

1. What type of energy surpassed coal for the first time?

2. Which countries contributed most to the growth?

3. What did Europe and the US do with coal and gas generation?

4. What is predicted for renewable energy by the end of the decade?

👉 Encourage full-sentence answers.

4. 🗂

Vocabulary Practice (10 min)

Objective: Learn and use key vocabulary from the text.

Target words:

surpass

ex: the Fc Bahia surpassed the Fc Vitoria the last years.

primary source

ex: the primary source of the electric car todays keeps a coal system.

demand

ex; we have a lot of demand on the civil law for example consumption problems are in demand.

Activities:

1. Read definitions and example sentences together (provided in the story).

2. Ask the student to create one original sentence with each word.

e.g., “Wind energy surpassed coal in 2025.”

“Water is the primary source of life.”

“The demand for electric cars is growing.”

👉 Correct grammar and pronunciation gently as they speak.

5. 📝

Pronunciation & Reading Extension (10 min)

Objective: Improve fluency and intonation.

Do a second reading of the story, now more confidently.

Practice chunking (grouping words naturally) and stressing key words.
Example:

“For the first time ever, more electricity has been generated through wind and solar power than from coal power plants.”

summary: solar and wind power

the solar and wind energy can be changed by the productivity on the industry and in China and India are growing a lot, but these countries are not a reference of producing energy but they are potencial in their creativity on electric products like electric cars. Renewable energy is concentrated more in Brazil that´s why many countries come to invest and produce their products here.

6. 💬

Discussion & Critical Thinking (10 min)

Objective: Use the topic for free speaking practice.

Prompts:

“Why do you think Europe and the US still use coal and gas?”

“What could your country do to promote more renewable energy?”

“Do you believe renewable energy can fully replace fossil fuels?”

👉 Encourage use of new vocabulary (surpass, primary source, demand) in their answers.

🏁

Wrap-up & Homework

Review: 3 key words + 1 main idea from the article.

Homework idea:
Write a short paragraph (80–100 words) answering:
👉 “How do you think the world’s energy sources will change in the next 10 years?”

Optional: Bring a short news clip about renewable energy for the next class.

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Solar and wind beat coal for first time

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More electricity has been generated through wind and solar power than from coal power plants for the first time ever

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🏫 Class Plan –

Afghanistan’s Internet Blackout and Women’s Rights

1. Warm-up (5–7 min)

Ask your student:

How important is the internet in our daily life?

Could you live without it for a week? Why/why not?

Do you think governments should have the power to cut internet access?

2. Reading Article (Extended Version) (10–12 min)

📖 Reading Passage

In recent weeks, Afghanistan has faced a nationwide internet and mobile service shutdown, ordered by the Taliban government. The decision has provoked shock both inside the country and internationally. For many Afghans, especially women and girls, internet access was more than just a luxury—it was a lifeline.

After being banned from attending schools, universities, and most workplaces, many Afghan women relied on online education platforms to continue studying. Others turned to the internet to sell homemade products, offer freelance services, or connect with customers abroad. With the blackout, these opportunities have been destroyed almost overnight.

Human rights organisations warn that the shutdown could have devastating long-term effects. By restricting women’s ability to study or earn a living, Afghanistan risks creating a generation of women who are isolated, uneducated, and financially dependent. Critics argue that the Taliban’s strategy aims to stamp out any form of independence among women, leaving them with no alternatives.

Beyond women’s rights, the blackout affects the entire Afghan population. Businesses cannot communicate with international partners, students cannot access resources, and families are cut off from relatives living abroad. Observers fear that without urgent international intervention, Afghanistan may slide deeper into an abyss of poverty, repression, and global isolation.

For many Afghan women, the internet was their last hope of having a voice in society. With this hope now extinguished, the country’s future appears uncertain and fragile.

3. Vocabulary Focus (10 min)

stamp out – take strong action to stop something

abyss – a very negative situation that is hard to escape

last hope – the final chance for success

👉 Activity: Student creates 3 original sentences for each phrase, one personal, one global, and one imaginary/futuristic.

Example: If we don’t act on climate change, the planet could fall into an abyss of destruction.

example: Donald Trump is trying to stamp out the immigration system.

example: the international support is the last hope for Ucrane keep their territory.

4. Reading Comprehension (10 min)

Questions:

1. Why was the internet especially important for Afghan women?

2. What consequences does the article suggest the shutdown might cause?

3. How might the blackout affect Afghanistan’s connection with the rest of the world?

.

4. Why do human rights organisations consider this situation so serious?

1. What is meant by “last hope” in the article?

5. Grammar Practice (10 min)

Focus: Expressing concern and probability (modals of deduction & speculation)

Examples from the text: “The shutdown could have devastating long-term effects.”

Structures to review:

might / could / may + verb (possibility)

must + verb (logical conclusion)

can’t + verb (impossibility)

👉 Activity: Ask the student to speculate:

What might happen if the blackout continues for months?

What must Afghan women be feeling now?

What can’t happen in a modern society without internet access?

6. Discussion & Critical Thinking (15 min)

Should access to the internet be considered a human right?

Is it possible for a country to develop without internet access?

Do you think international governments should intervene in situations like this? Why or why not?

What parallels can you see with other countries that restrict internet or media freedom?

7. Wrap-up & Homework

Student writes a short opinion essay (150–180 words): “The internet should be a basic human right. Do you agree or disagree?”

Prepare 5 discussion questions for the next class about how technology influences freedom and education.

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Taliban cut off internet

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The Taliban government of Afghanistan has shut down the internet, making it even harder for women and girls to access education.

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📰 Class Plan: Trump, Tylenol, and Autism – Fact or Fear?

🎯 Objectives

Improve reading comprehension with a longer news-style text.

Learn and use vocabulary connected to science, health, and misinformation.

Practice critical thinking and discussion about health claims in politics and media.

1. Warm-up (5 min)

Questions to spark ideas:

Should politicians give medical advice? Why or why not?

Who do you usually trust more: a doctor or a politician?

2. Extended Reading (10–12 min)

📖 Reading Text

Recently, former US President Donald Trump suggested that there may be a link between the common painkiller Tylenol (also called paracetamol) and autism in children. He mentioned that pregnant women who use the drug could increase the risk of their babies developing autism.

However, medical experts strongly disagree. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) said Trump’s comments were “unsettling” and not supported by “reliable data.” Scientists in the UK also criticized his remarks, injecting what they called “a large dose of scepticism.”

Health professionals worry that such statements can create fear and confusion among pregnant women. Tylenol is one of the most widely used medicines in the world for reducing pain and fever. Most scientific studies so far show no clear evidence that it causes autism.

Doctors argue that when politicians make unscientific claims, the public may stop trusting medical advice. In fact, misinformation about medicine has been linked to dangerous consequences in the past — for example, people refusing vaccines because of false information.

This is not the first time Donald Trump has made controversial health claims. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he suggested that disinfectant injections could be a possible treatment — an idea that doctors immediately debunked as false and dangerous.

The current debate shows how important it is for the public to check the reliability of information. While politicians have influence, experts warn that scientific evidence, not personal opinion, should guide public health decisions.

3. Vocabulary Focus (8 min)

Key words from the article:

push back = to resist or disagree strongly

dose = an amount of something (medicine, or metaphorical)

debunk = to prove something false

👉 Practice: Make your own sentences.

Scientists pushed back on the president´s claims.

I need a daily dose of heineken two days in the week

Experts debunked the idea of the effect in the medicine tylenol.

4. Comprehension Questions (5–7 min)

1. What claim did Trump make about Tylenol and autism?

He claims that the tylenol can cause autism on children and pregnant women shouln´t take this medicine.

2. How did medical experts react?

the medical experts debunked this idea from the president.

3. Why can Trump’s comments be dangerous for pregnant women?

because women can suffer if they don´t take this medicine.

4. What other controversial health suggestion did he make in the past?

he suggested to take disinfectant injeccions instead of the covid19 vaccine.

5. According to the text, what should guide public health decisions?

6. they say that fovernment must pay attention to the press.

5. Discussion (15 min)

Small debate / conversation prompts:

Should politicians be punished if they spread false medical information?

Why do you think some people believe politicians more than doctors?

How can society protect people from misinformation about health?

Can you think of other cases when misinformation about medicine caused harm?

Who do you think should be responsible for correcting false claims in the media?

6. Wrap-Up (5 min)

Review vocabulary (push back, dose, debunk).

Emphasize the difference between opinion vs. evidence.

Student shares one final thought: “I believe…” about the role of politicians in health communication.

✅ Homework idea: Write a short opinion article (150–200 words):
"Should politicians talk about medicine and health? Why or why not?"

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Trump’s unproven autism claim

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President Trump makes unproven link between autism and the pain relief drug Tylenol – scientists react.

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🌍 Class Plan: UN Report on Genocide in Gaza

1. Warm-up (5–7 min)

Ask:

What do you know about the role of the United Nations?

What do you think a “commission of inquiry” is?

How do international reports influence public opinion or governments?

2. Expanded Reading (15 min)

📖 The story (expanded for comprehension)

In 2024, the United Nations Human Rights Council created a special team, called a commission of inquiry, to investigate the war in Gaza.

After months of research, interviews, and collecting evidence, the commission published its report.

The report says that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Under international law, genocide means trying to destroy a group of people, in whole or in part. There are five acts that can legally be considered genocide. According to the UN, Israel carried out four of these five acts since the war with Hamas began in 2023.

The report gives two main reasons:

1. Actions of the Israeli army – military operations that caused massive civilian deaths and destruction of homes, hospitals, and schools.

2. Statements by Israeli leaders – speeches and comments that, according to the UN, show an intention to destroy the Palestinian population in Gaza.

Israel’s foreign ministry strongly rejected the report. It said the document was “distorted and false”, and that Israel is defending itself against Hamas, a group it considers a terrorist organization.

The report has led to different reactions around the world:

Human rights groups welcomed the findings, saying it confirms what they have been warning about for months.

Some world leaders said the report is exaggerated and unfair to Israel.

Others said it should push governments to take action in international courts.

This shows how international reports can create debates, with different countries and organizations interpreting the same evidence in different ways.

3. Vocabulary Focus (10 min)

rising chorus – more and more people saying the same thing
There is a rising chorus of voices demanding justice.

hold someone responsible – blame someone for something
The UN report holds Israel responsible for genocide.

sloppy – careless, not precise
Some politicians called the UN investigation sloppy.

➡️ Students make their own example sentences.

4. Comprehension Questions (10 min)

1. What is a commission of inquiry?

they are analysing the situation for creating a report on war in Gaza. and they call this a comission of inquiry.

2. How many acts of genocide does international law recognize?

there are 5 acts but israel committed 4 of this acts.

3. What did the UN report accuse Israel of doing?

they are accusing about killing civil people and attacking hospitals, schools and kill the birth of new citizens. this is genocide.

4. How did Israel respond to the report?

Israel showed it´s fake and exaggerated and sloppy.

5. Why are reactions around the world different?

because the governments have different rules and ideologies for this war.

5. Discussion (15 min)

Do you think international investigations can change conflicts? Why or why not?

Why might different groups interpret the same report in different ways?

Should world leaders be held responsible for their words as well as their actions?

6. Optional Writing Task (Homework)

Write a short opinion paragraph (120–150 words):

“Do you think UN reports have real power to stop wars, or are they only symbolic?”

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Israel committing genocide in Gaza: UN commission

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A report commissioned by the United Nations has found that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza

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🌟 Class Plan – Sadness, Culture, and Politics

1. Warm-up (5–7 min)

Start with personal connection:

How are you feeling today?

Do you think Brazilians express sadness openly or do they hide it?

Do you think politics can make people feel down in the dumps?

2. Listening/Reading Input (Podcast excerpt – 10 min)

Play/read short parts of the transcript (not the whole thing, just 2–3 key extracts about culture and sadness).

Pre-teach vocabulary from the podcast:

down in the dumps

fed up

melancholy

grief

repressed

stiff upper lip

👉 Ask him to match words with definitions or give him short situations:

“You lost your job and you’re very tired of the situation → you feel… (fed up).”

“Your team loses the championship, you can’t stop crying → you feel… (grief/melancholy).”

3. Comprehension Check (5 min)

Which colour is associated with sadness in English?

How is sadness expressed in Japan vs. Spain?

What is “stiff upper lip”?

4. Discussion (15 min)

💬 Connect the podcast with Brazil:

1. Do Brazilians usually express sadness openly or hide it?

2. Do you think politics today makes Brazilians more melancholy or fed up? Why?

3. Do you see differences between the “right” and “left” in how they show frustration?

4. Social media: does it make people feel more blue or give them hope?

(Encourage him to use the new vocabulary in his answers.)

5. Grammar Focus (10 min)

📌 Contrasting ideas with connectors (although, even though, however, on the other hand).
Examples:

Although people are fed up with politics, they still hope for change.

Many Brazilians feel blue; however, some use humor to deal with sadness.

👉 Activity: Give him prompts and let him build sentences.

Economy improving vs. people still unhappy.

some people are hoping to get new opportunities in the usa, on the other hand many other problems are increasing with the inflation.

Social media gives information vs. increases stress.

social media show a lot of unnecessary information, however the people don´t get to filter the right or the wrong information.

People want change vs. don’t trust politicians.

it´s impossible to get the change of the reality in the country on the other hand, you don´t believe on politicians.

6. Writing/Reflection (5–7 min)

Mini-writing task: Write 3 sentences comparing how sadness is expressed in Brazil and another culture (UK, Japan, Spain).
Example starter: In Brazil, people show sadness by… while in Japan…

7. Wrap-up (3–5 min)

Quick review: What’s one new word you learned?

Encourage him: Use “fed up” or “feeling blue” this week when talking with someone.

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How does culture influence the way you feel and show sadness? Neil and Sam will be investigating how the way people express sadness is influenced by their culture, and, as usual, we'll be learning some new, useful vocabulary as well.

This week's question

Which colour is associated with sadness? Is it:

a) yellow?

b) blue? or,

c) brown?

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary

(to be) down in the dumps
feel miserable and depressed

(to be) fed up
feel unhappy, bored, or tired, especially of something you have been experiencing for a long time

melancholy
intense and thoughtful sadness

grief
strong feeling of sadness, especially caused by someone's death

repressed
unable to show your true feelings and emotions

stiff upper lip
not showing your feelings when you are upset, even though it is difficult not to

TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Sam
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Sam.

Neil
And I'm Neil. When Helen Russell was three years old, her new-born baby sister died suddenly. Looking back at that sad time, Helen remembers making a big decision - she wanted to be happy. She became a bestselling author and wrote a book called, The Atlas of Happiness. She got married, and even moved to the famously happy city of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Sam
But the sadness Helen felt didn't disappear, and the longer she lived abroad, the more she wondered whether her feelings were somehow connected to being born in England, into a culture where, traditionally, expressing your emotions was discouraged.

Neil
In this programme, we'll be investigating how the way people express sadness is influenced by their culture, and, as usual, we'll be learning some new, useful vocabulary as well.

Sam
But first I have a question for you, Neil. In English there are many idioms which describe being sad, including down in the dumps, meaning that you feel miserable and depressed. Also, emotions are often associated with colours, for example you might go red with anger, or turn green with envy. But which colour is associated with sadness? Is it:

a) yellow?
b) blue? or,
c) brown?

Neil
I think the answer is blue.

Sam
OK, Neil. We'll find out the later in the programme. Around the world, cultures express emotions very differently. In Spain, flamenco performers express their emotions with colourful displays of song and dance, whereas in Japan, crying is considered weak and shameful. To discover more about how British people express their feelings, Helen Russell interviewed, Thomas Dixon, a professor at the Centre for the History of Emotion, for BBC World Service programme, The Documentary:

Professor Thomas Dixon
The word sad, as you will know, Helen, literally means sated or full. So, it's earliest use is in English, it means being literally fed up, being full of something sad or sated means heavy and full. And then of course we have this huge vocabulary of melancholy, sorrow, grief, depression and many, many other terms, and they all mean slightly different things.

Sam
But fed up is just one of many words to describe feelings of sadness, each with a slightly different meaning. One of them is melancholy, a kind of intense and thoughtful sadness. Another is grief - a strong sadness often caused by the death of someone you love.

Neil
In Irish culture, melancholy is expressed artistically in poems or songs. And in other cultures, India for example, grief can be expressed by professional mourners who are paid to cry by the family of the person who has died. In England, however, big public displays of emotion are uncommon.

Sam
But according to Professor Dixon that wasn't always the case. Here he explains to BBC World Service programme, The Documentary, how it was only quite recently, during the time of Queen Victoria and the British Empire, that the English got a reputation for being repressed - unable to show their true feelings and emotions.

Neil
Professor Dixon says the Victorians who ruled the empire had a stiff upper lip. These men believed they were better than everyone else, and that to cry was a sign of weakness. When we cry, our top lip starts to wobble and so this gave rise to the idiom a stiff upper lip, meaning to not show your feelings when you are upset, even though it is difficult not to.

Sam
Fortunately, most Brits are less repressed nowadays, but it's still hard for some people, especially men, to express their feelings. Sometimes drinking alcohol gives people the courage to say what they are feeling, but this is not so healthy and can even increase feelings of depression.

Neil
It's talking to someone about your feelings that can really help, and keep away the blues... and in saying that I think I've answered your question, Sam.

Sam
I asked Neil which colour is often associated with feeling sad.

Neil
And I said it was blue...

Sam
Melancholy is a type of intense and thoughtful sadness; and grief is a strong sadness usually caused by someone's death

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / How culture affects sadness

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What ways do you think culture can influence sadness?

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📝 Lesson Plan – Lower Intermediate English (A2–B1)

Topic: Social Media & Adolescents
Time: 60 minutes

1️⃣ Warm-up (5 min) 🎤

Quick chat:

Do you think social media is good or bad for teenagers?

find - found- write a message - 20 cents for message - 150 - a limited - ringtones - mp3music -

Did you watch Felca´s video talking about pornography with teenagers?

👉 Focus: activate topic, simple sentences.

2️⃣ Vocabulary Introduction (15 min) 📚

Target words:

adolescent 👦👧 - teenagers

fed 🍔📱 feed - fed up - i am fed up with the social media / the government needs to feed poor. communities - all children shoud be fed.

algorithms 🧮💻

revenue 💰 = profits/ receita

onus 🏋️=

a losing battle ⚔️= lose - lost - losing

Activities:

1. Matching exercise: match the word with its definition.

2. Pronunciation practice: teacher says, students repeat (clap syllables).

a-do-les-cent (4 syllables, stress on les)

al-go-rithms (3 syllables, stress on al)

re-ve-nue (3 syllables, stress on re)

o-nus (2 syllables, stress on o)

3. Sentence completion:

Social media makes a lot of ______ through advertising.

The ______ is on parents to control children’s phone use.

3️⃣ Grammar Focus: Word Order in Sentences (15 min) 🏗️

Rule reminder: Subject + Verb + Object + (extra info)

The company (subject) earns (verb) revenue (object) from ads (extra info).

Practice:

1. Jumbled sentences (students reorder words):

revenue / makes / social media / much

algorithms / are / videos / fed / to / by / us

is / control / the / onus / parents / on

2. Guided production:

Give prompts → students build correct sentences.
Example: (adolescents / spend / online / hours) → Adolescents spend hours online.

4️⃣ Pronunciation & Rhythm Practice (10 min) 🔊

Practice intonation in statements vs. questions.

Adolescents are fed videos by algorithms. (falling tone)

Are adolescents fed videos by algorithms? (rising tone)

Pair work: read mini-dialogues with correct stress.

5️⃣ Controlled Practice: Short Reading (10 min) 📖

Mini-text (using vocab):

Many adolescents use social media every day. They are fed videos by algorithms. The onus is on parents to control what their children watch. Social media companies make revenue from advertising, but fighting harmful content is a losing battle.

Comprehension questions:

Who is fed videos?

Where does the revenue come from?

Who has the onus to control children’s use?

Why is it a losing battle?

6️⃣ Wrap-up & Homework (5 min) ✅

Quick oral recap: students must say one new word they learned.

Homework writing task: Write 5 sentences using the new vocabulary.

1) the Brazil has a problem with politic it is a losing battle in my opinion.

2) I am feed up, I want go out.

3) The adolescent feeds in social media, the goverment needs to make a new rule about it.

4) my job is to generate revenue for my hotel

5) the algorithm directs interests to people

6) The parant has the onus to safe your childrens

👉 In this lesson, the student will:

📚 Learn 6 new words.

🏗️ Practice correct sentence order.

🔊 Work on pronunciation and stress.

✍️ Produce sentences and short answers with new grammar and vocab.

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What are the risks of social media to teenage health and what can be done about them? Beth and Neil discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question

What percentage of 13 to 24-year-olds use Snapchat?

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary

adolescent
a person aged 10 to 19: between childhood and adulthood

fed
given content by a social media platform

algorithms
a complex set of rules and calculations that prioritise and personalise online content

revenue
the money a company earns, which could come from sales or advertising

onus
responsibility or duty

a losing battle
a fight you cannot win
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Neil
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. ... Beth? What are you doing? Get off your phone!

Beth
Oh, sorry. And I'm Beth.

Neil
Are you addicted to social media? It wouldn't be a surprise. With so many different apps out there, Snapchat, TikTok, and the latest, Threads, it's easy to spend a lot more time on your phone than ever before.

Beth
Yes. I don't think I'm addicted, but I definitely spend more time on social media than I would like to. However, there are plenty of studies out there looking at how social media affects mental health with some saying it can be as addictive as gambling.

Neil
Research in the US has found that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media have double the risk of developing depression and anxiety. An adolescent is someone aged 10 to 19, between childhood and adulthood. With that in mind, it's no wonder parents are worried. To help with this, the US is currently in the process of regulating social media apps for teenagers. Some scientists think the UK should do the same.

Beth
There has been growing agreement among health experts about the negative, chronic health effects of social media use on teenagers. They have revealed in surveys that social media makes them feel worse about their body image, and 64% of teens have said they are regularly exposed to hate-based content. In this programme, we'll be discussing how social media affects teenagers, and, as usual, we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well.

Neil
But first I have a question for you, Beth. The app Snapchat is a very common way that teenagers communicate these days. This is partly because messages and photos disappear after a certain time period. But, what percentage of 13 to 24-year-olds use Snapchat? Is it:

Neil
OK, Beth, I'll reveal the answer later in the programme. Now, a lot of social media platforms, such as TikTok, work by showing and suggesting similar accounts and content to those someone has already searched for. Professor Devi Sridhar, the chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, thinks this can be concerning, as she told BBC World Service programme, Inside Science:

Professor Devi Sridhar
And this is worrying for example, with young girls and eating disorders, that they're being fed that in an addictive way and the algorithm is saying 'oh they like that content. We want to keep giving it to them because it keeps them on their phones', and I think that's the really vital message here, of any of these apps, is that their revenue comes from advertising.

Beth
Teenagers are being fed content in a way that is addictive. If you are fed something, it means you are given something. In this case, it refers to content, not food. The content is addictive because social media uses algorithms. Algorithms are a complex set of rules and calculations that prioritise and personalise the content a user sees.

Neil
But we need to remember that social media platforms use algorithms to keep users on the platforms for as long as possible because the revenue comes from advertising. Revenue is the money a company earns. They are paid by other companies to use the social media space to promote their products.

Beth
This could be seen as social media platforms prioritising making money over the mental health of users - a worry for parents. Professor Devi Sridhar talked about the challenges of having a teenager addicted to social media on BBC World Service programme, Inside Science:

Professor Devi Sridhar
And so, I think the challenge here, as a parent, listening to this is what do you do about it. And I think the onus has really been put on parents and concerned adults to find solutions on their own. And that means debates with your child over what are you on, are you using this, but it's a losing battle because it's their entire social network.

Beth
Professor Sridhar says that, when it comes to helping teenagers navigate social media, the onus has been put on parents to find solutions. The onus means the responsibility or duty. Parents need to be able to challenge their children when they need to, even if this is a losing battle, a fight they cannot win, as teenagers have their 'entire life' on social networks.

Neil
OK, Beth. I think it's time I revealed the answer to my question. I asked you what percentage of 13 to 24-year-olds use Snapchat?

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Social media and teenage health

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What are the health risks of social media for teenagers?

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🧘‍♂️ ESL Lesson: A Scandal Involving Thai Monks

Skills: Reading, Vocabulary, Speaking, Writing

Topic: Ethics and Religion in the News

🟢 Warm-Up (Speaking – 5 minutes)

Ask your student:

1. What do you know about Buddhism or monks?

2. Are religious leaders important in your country?

3. What should happen if a religious leader breaks the law?

📘 Vocabulary (pre-teach before the reading)

Introduce these words before reading. Explain with examples:

Monk – a man who lives a simple life in a religious place.

Blackmail – when someone asks for money in exchange for keeping a secret.

Scandal – a big and shocking problem that many people talk about.

Extort – to take money from someone by using threats or pressure.

Arrest – when police take someone because of a crime.

Child support – money a parent gives to help raise a child.

Committee – a group that works together to study or solve a problem.

Strict – having many serious rules.

Reform – to make big changes to improve something.

Abuse of power – when someone with power uses it in a bad way.

Encourage your student to use a few of these words after the reading.

📖 Reading (Simplified and Shortened)

A woman in Thailand, called “Ms Golf,” had sex with many Buddhist monks. She recorded the acts with her phone. Later, she asked the monks for money. If they didn’t pay, she said she would show the videos to others. This is called blackmail.

Police say she did this to at least nine monks. One monk gave her money after she said she was pregnant with his baby. She asked him for seven million baht (around $200,000).

The police found more than 80,000 videos and photos in her house. She made about 11 million dollars in three years. Police say she used some of this money to gamble online.

Now, Ms Golf is in jail. She is in trouble for many crimes, such as blackmail and money laundering (hiding illegal money).

This is a big scandal in Thailand. Most people in the country are Buddhist, and monks are usually respected. The king of Thailand removed the special titles of 81 monks because of the problem.

Many people now want to change how the Buddhist system works. Experts say young monks are afraid to speak out when they see bad things. Older monks have too much power. A group is now working to make rules stricter and stop these kinds of problems in the future.

💬 Comprehension Questions (Speaking or Writing)

Ask your student to answer in complete sentences:

1. Who is Ms Golf and what did she do to the monks?

2. How did she get money from them?

3. What did the police find in her house?

4. Why are people in Thailand upset about this?

5. What changes are happening now?

💡 Discussion Questions

Use these for conversation:

1. Should religious leaders follow special rules?

2. What should happen when a person with power does something wrong?

3. How can a country protect people from blackmail or scams?

✍️ Short Writing Task (5–10 minutes)

Ask your student to write 5–6 sentences answering this question:

What should happen when a person with power does something bad?

Encourage them to use at least two vocabulary words from the lesson

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Thai woman arrested for blackmailing monks after sex with thousands of videos

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The woman, known as “Ms Golf”, allegedly had sexual relations with monks and extorted money from them.

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BBC Learning English - The English We Speak / Grind someone’s gears

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What does it mean to ‘grind someone’s gears’?

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🚭

Class Title:

“Vaping: Is It Safe?”

Focus: Reading comprehension, sentence order, vocabulary, opinion sharing

Main Grammar Point: Basic sentence structure (Subject + Verb + Object)

Duration: 60 minutes

🟡 Part 1: Warm-Up (5–10 min)

Ask simple questions:

Do you smoke or vape?

Do you think vaping is better than smoking?

Do you think it can be dangerous?

🎯 Encourage full answers:

“Yes, I vape sometimes.”

“No, I don’t smoke.”

“I think vaping is dangerous.”

📘 Part 2: Vocabulary Focus (10 min)

Teach these key words with clear examples:

Bombshell – a big, surprising, usually bad news
➤ “The study was a bombshell. People were shocked.”

Blow something out the water – to destroy an idea completely
➤ “The study blew the idea out the water.”

Shed light on – to explain or show new information
➤ “The study sheds light on the dangers of vaping.”

📌 Ask the student to match words with meanings or complete mini-sentences:

“The study was a ___ (surprise, big news).”

“The study ___ the old theory out the water.”

📰 Part 3: Story Reading (10–15 min)

Shortened version of the text for easier understanding:

53% of vapers in the UK used to smoke cigarettes.

Many people think vaping is safer than smoking.

A new study says vaping is also dangerous.

The study tested blood flow and brain health.

Results show that vaping causes heart and brain problems—like smoking.

🎯 After each sentence, ask:

“Who is the subject?”

“What is the verb?”

“What is the object?”

✅ Reinforce: Subject + Verb + Object

🧩 Part 4: Sentence Order Practice (10 min)

Give mixed-up sentences and ask the student to correct them.

1. smoke / people / cigarettes / 53% / used to
➤ .

2. study / a / dangerous / is / says / vaping
➤

3. blood / damaged / vaping / flow
➤

Do 4–5 examples and ask the student to build new correct sentences using parts.

💬 Part 5: Speaking Practice – Expressing Opinion (10–15 min)

Ask simple, supported opinion questions:

What do you think about vaping?

Is vaping better or worse than smoking?

Do you think young people understand the risks?

🎯 Help with sentence starters:

“I think vaping is…”

“It is dangerous because…”

“I read that it causes…”

🗞️ Part 6: Headline Discussion (5–10 min)

Show these 2 headlines (read them together):

1. “Vaping more dangerous than smoking”

2. “Deadly side of vaping revealed”

Ask:

What do these headlines say?

Do they match the study?

Are they scary or shocking?

Help student form short answers:

“Yes, they are scary.”

“The study shows the same.”

“I didn’t know that before.”

📝 Optional Homework

Task: Choose one:

1. Write 3 sentences about what the study found.

2. Create 3 headlines about the study using words like “danger,” “study,” and “vaping.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Is vaping as bad as smoking cigarettes?

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A new study reveals harmful effects of vaping

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🌡️ World Watch Extension – Health & Climate

Focus: Expanding vocabulary, using critical grammar, and expressing solutions
Level: Lower Intermediate
Time: 45–60 minutes
Skills: Speaking, Listening, Writing, Critical Thinking

🧠 Warm-Up Review (5 minutes)

Ask:

What do you remember from our last class about climate and women’s health?

What new words did you learn?

deadly

fuel

sound the alarm

wish

If I…

Quick oral review. You can say:

“Can you make a sentence with ‘deadly’?”
“How can climate change fuel health problems?”

🟩 Vocabulary Expansion (10–12 minutes)

Teach 3 new words from news headlines and reports:

1. exposure – when someone comes into contact with something harmful
→ Too much sun exposure can cause skin cancer.

2. preventable – something that can be stopped or avoided
→ Many health problems are preventable with education.

3. policy – a plan or rule created by a government or company
→ The government should create a new climate policy.

Ask students:

What kind of exposure can be dangerous?

What is a preventable illness?

What policies should your country change?

🔷 Role Play – Doctors & Government (15–20 minutes)

Set up a real-world simulation:

🧑‍⚕️ Student A is a doctor.
🎩 Student B is a government health minister.

Give them a mission:

Talk about the rise of cancer in women due to heat and create 2 actions you will take.
Use at least one new vocabulary word (exposure, preventable, policy) and one “wish” or “If I…” sentence.

Example dialogue:

Doctor: “I wish people had better access to health information.”

Minister: “If we change our climate policy, we can reduce heat exposure.”

Optional: Switch roles after 5–7 minutes.

🟡 Writing Mini-Task (10 minutes)

Prompt:

"Write a short paragraph about one change you would make if you had power in your city to improve health and climate."

Students should include:

One “If I…” sentence

One “wish” sentence

One vocabulary word

📝 Example:

If I were the mayor, I would plant more trees in every neighborhood. I wish we had more clean air. Pollution is a deadly problem that fuels illness.

🟤 Final Reflection & Discussion (5–10 minutes)

Ask:

What was the most surprising idea in today’s class?

What are 3 things you can do personally to reduce climate-related health risks?

If you could send one message to the government, what would it be?

Let students share ideas and close with a positive action-oriented tone.

📘 Optional Homework Extension

Creative Option:
Write a letter to a local government or the UN with suggestions about climate and women’s health. Use:

3 new vocabulary words

1 “If I…” sentence

1 “I wish…” sentence

Example Prompt for Homework:

“Dear Minister, I wish you listened more to doctors. If we work together, we can protect women from deadly diseases caused by heat…”

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🌍 World Watch Session – Lesson Plan

Topic: Global Warming and Women's Health
Level: Lower Intermediate
Time: 60 minutes
Focus: Vocabulary, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Simple Grammar

🎯 Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

Understand key words used in real news headlines

Speak about the relationship between health and climate

Use “wish” and “if I…” to express hopes and ideas

Think critically about actions for the future

1. 🟢 Warm-Up (5–7 minutes)

Ask students:

What do you know about global warming?

What are the effects of heat on people?

Do you think weather affects health? Why or why not?

Encourage them to share personal thoughts. Don’t worry about grammar at this point.

2. 🟠 News Summary – Listening or Reading (10 minutes)

Say or read this story slowly. Stop to check understanding after each short section.

Global warming may increase the risk of cancer in women.
A new study in 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa found a link between extreme heat and breast, ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancer.
These areas are among the hottest in the world.
Doctors are sounding the alarm. They are asking governments to think about climate change in their health plans.

Ask the group:

What kind of cancer is increasing?

the cancers that are increasing are breast cancer, ovarian and cervical due to global warming.

Where did the study take place?

it takes place in africa, in the middle east.

What are the doctors doing?

the doctors are sounding the alarm for prevention and protection.

fuel = abastecer/ aumentar.

the cost of living is fueling in salvador.

sound the alarm = preveer

the municipality is sounding the alarm of heavy rain

deadly= mortal /extremamente perigoso.

another pandemic can be deadly.

3. 🔵 Vocabulary in Context (10–12 minutes)

Introduce three useful expressions from the news. Explain them with simple examples.

Deadly means very dangerous or causing death.
Example: “A deadly disease can kill you.”

Fuel as a verb means to make something worse or stronger.
Example: “Hot weather can fuel more sickness.”

Sound the alarm means to give a strong warning.
Example: “Doctors are sounding the alarm about this problem.”

Practice Questions:

Is COVID-19 a deadly disease?

What things fuel climate change?

What is something that people should sound the alarm about today?

Let students answer using their own experiences or ideas.

4. 🟣 Speaking & Critical Thinking (15 minutes)

Give students these questions one at a time. Discuss them in pairs or as a group.

How do you feel about this study?

Why do you think heat affects women more than men in this case?

What should the government do to protect people from health problems caused by the climate?

Can you think of ways people can protect themselves?

Encourage answers like:

“In my opinion...”
“I believe...”
“Maybe governments should…”

5. 🟡 Grammar Practice – Wishes & Possibilities (10 minutes)

Explain with examples (speak them slowly and write them if possible):

We use “wish + past” to talk about things we want to change now.
Example: I wish my city had more green spaces.
Example: I wish the air were cleaner.

We use “If I…” to imagine possible actions.
Example: If I were the president, I would create free hospitals.
Example: If people had more information, they would protect themselves better.

Ask students to create:

One sentence with “I wish…”

One sentence with “If I…”

Example answers:

“I wish I lived in a cooler place.”
“If I were rich, I would build a hospital in my city.”

6. 🟤 Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

Ask each student:

What is one thing you learned today?

What is one thing you wish would change about the climate or health?

Optional Homework:
Ask them to write 3 sentences using:

One with “wish”

One with “If I…”

One using one of the vocabulary words (deadly, fuel, or sound the alarm)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Global warming increases risk of cancer in women: Study

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Global warming increases the risk of cancer in women, a new study has found

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🧑‍🏫

Lesson Plan: Spending Time with Friends

Time: 60 minutes

Main skills: Listening, Vocabulary, Writing, Speaking

Vocabulary Focus: socialise, small talk, awkward, embarrassed, have (something) in common

Based on: BBC Learning English - Real Easy English: “Spending Time with Friends”

🔹 1. Warm-up (10 minutes)

Goal: Introduce the topic and activate background knowledge.

Ask the student these questions to start a conversation:

Do you prefer being with your son or going out with friends?

Do you prefer big parties or small get-togethers?

How do you feel when you after you socialize?

Encourage complete answers using structures like “I like ___” or “I prefer ___ because…”

🔹 2. Vocabulary Introduction (15 minutes)

Goal: Teach key vocabulary from the podcast.

Introduce the five words:

Socialise – to spend time with people for fun.

Small talk – casual conversation about unimportant things, often with strangers.

Awkward – feeling uncomfortable or unsure in a situation.

Embarrassed – feeling shy, ashamed, or nervous.

Have (something) in common – to share interests or experiences with someone.

For each word:

1. Say the word aloud and ask the student to repeat.

2. Give a simple example sentence.

3. Ask the student to give their own example, or help them create one.

Example:

Teacher: “Awkward means feeling uncomfortable. For example: ‘I felt awkward when no one spoke at the dinner.’ Can you give me your own sentence?”

🔹 3. Listening Focus (10 minutes)

Goal: Understand the vocabulary in context.

Play or read short parts of the transcript from the podcast. After each part, ask the student questions to check understanding.

Example questions:

What does Georgie say about socialising?

Does Neil like small talk?

Who prefers small gatherings?

What does “social burnout” mean?

You can also pause and ask, “What does the word ‘awkward’ mean here?” or “Why does Neil feel embarrassed sometimes?”

🔹 4. Writing Task (15 minutes)

Goal: Practice using new vocabulary in written form.

Ask the student to write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences) answering these questions:

Do you enjoy socialising?

What kind of social events do you prefer: big parties or small groups?

Do you ever feel awkward or embarrassed when meeting new people?

What do you and your friends have in common?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about socialising

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Learn to talk about spending time with friends

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🧑‍🏫 Class Title: Can Animals Help Fight Climate Change?

Level: Upper-Intermediate (B2)

Time: 60–90 minutes

🎯 Objectives:

Learn and use vocabulary related to climate change and animal migration

Practice listening comprehension and paraphrasing

Improve structured speaking and writing using academic and conversational discourse features

🗣️ Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you know any animals that migrate? Why do they migrate?

2. How do you think animals and climate change are connected?

3. Have you ever heard of the Great Migration?

Mini Vocabulary Preview (Quick Match):
Match the terms to definitions:

Term Definition

migrate : move to another place due to weather or temperature

sequester : store or trap something, like CO2

secret weapon : something that gives an unexpected advantage

🎧 Listening & Vocabulary (20–25 minutes)

Audio: 6 Minute English - Can animals help fight climate change?
Link: BBC Learning English Episode

Task 1: Comprehension Check

Answer the question from the episode:

How many animals are thought to take part in The Great Migration?
a) 1 million b) 1.5 million c) 2.5 million

Task 2: Vocabulary in Context
Complete the sentences using the vocabulary from the episode:

1. Some animals __________ long distances for food or mating.

2. Climate activists believe forests and seagrass help __________ carbon.

3. The phrase "__________" means a powerful tool that isn't obvious.

4. The migration of sharks covers large __________ of ocean.

5. To understand better, we can say "__________" and then give an example or comparison.

✍️ Writing Task (20–25 minutes)

Prompt:

Write a short opinion paragraph (120–150 words) answering:
"Should governments invest more in protecting migratory animals to fight climate change?"

Include:

A clear topic sentence

Supporting arguments with vocabulary from today’s lesson

Linking words: however, in addition, as a result, for example, in contrast

Concluding sentence

Optional peer review or homework submission

💬 Speaking Task: Structured Discussion (20 minutes)

Debate Pairs / Small Groups:

"Sharks are more useful to the planet alive than dead."

Assign roles:

One student supports the idea using information from the podcast

One plays devil's advocate or a skeptical policymaker

Third student (if in group) summarizes the main points

Discourse Features to Practice:

Expressing agreement/disagreement

Adding evidence: “For example, studies show...”

Clarifying: “What I mean is…”

Perspective: “To put this in perspective…”

✅ Wrap-Up (5–10 minutes)

Reflection questions:

What new vocabulary did you use in speaking or writing today?

Did anything surprise you about animal migration and climate change?

How can you apply today’s vocabulary in other contexts?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / How climate change affects animal migration

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How is climate change affecting animal migration?

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🔑

Target Phrasal Verbs with Definitions

1. be into (something) – to have an interest in something
Example: My son is really into building things with Lego.

2. take (something) up – to start doing a new activity
Example: I took up swimming to relax after work.

3. read up on (something) – to study or learn about something by reading
Example: I read up on child development before my son started school.

4. brush up on (something) – to improve a skill that you haven’t used in a while
Example: I brushed up on my Spanish before our trip to Barcelona.

5. work on (something) – to put effort into improving or completing something
Example: I’m working on my patience as a parent.

6. fall behind – to make less progress than expected or needed
Example: He fell behind in his studies after missing a week of school.

7. catch up on (something) – to do something that should have been done earlier
Example: I had to catch up on emails after my vacation.

8. hand (something) in – to submit something, usually a task or assignment
Example: He handed in his homework just before the deadline.

🧠

TASK – Complete the Story

Tell your student:

“I’m going to read a story about a busy parent. You’ll help me complete it using the phrasal verbs we’ve just learned.”

Story: “A Busy Week at Home and Work”

This week has been crazy! Lately, I’ve really been ___ ___ fitness and healthy eating. That’s why I decided to ___ ___ yoga in the mornings—just 15 minutes a day to stay active.

At work, I had a big presentation to prepare. I had to ___ __ the topic, since it was something I hadn’t worked on in years. I also realized I needed to ___ my public speaking skills, so I practiced every night.

At the same time, my son’s kindergarten teacher said he was starting to ___ ___ in writing his letters, so I stayed up late to help him.

By midweek, I was exhausted and needed to ___ ___ sleep and some emails I’d ignored. Luckily, I finally managed to finish the presentation and ___ ___ it to my boss on Thursday.

Now, I’m just ___ ___ staying sane!

be into (something)
have an interest in something

Many teenagers nowadays are into gaming and spend hours playing with friends.

ex: i have been into marketing for my company and the resulst in the future.

take (something) up
start participating in an activity

During retirement, Mr Johnson took up gardening to stay active and spend time outdoors.

i will take up on trials next week

read up on (something)
learn about something through reading

Before starting his business, Jack spent weeks reading up on entrepreneurship.

in the moment i read up on management.

brush up on (something)
improve your existing skills that may be a bit weak

Mark did a refresher course to brush up on his accounting skills before starting his new job.

i tried to brush up on the commerce field of my company.

work on (something)
put effort and concentration into doing something

She needs to work on her time management so she can meet deadlines more easily.

i work on training and some lawuits of employers.

fall behind
progress more slowly than others doing the same activity

Because of her illness, Sarah fell behind in her coursework.

we fell behind when ignoring the importance of marketing.

catch up (on something)
spend extra time doing something because you did not do it earlier

Once Sarah recovered from her illness, she took some time to catch up on her coursework.

after that we understood what we needed to do, we cach up on with the trial.

hand (something) in
give a finished project to the person or people who need to see it

Once Sarah had caught up on her coursework, she handed it in to her teacher.

today i will hand in the proposal for my client.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for education

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If you’re into phrasal verbs, you’re in the right place!

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🎓

Class Title: What If Kids Ran the School?

Level: Upper Intermediate

Duration: 60 minutes

Theme: Education system, parenting, and decision-making in schools

Material: BBC Learning English podcast episode

🧩

Lesson Objectives:

Discuss modern education systems and alternatives

Learn and apply useful vocabulary in context

Develop listening comprehension skills

Reflect on the student’s experience as a parent

🪜

Warm-up (10 min)

Discussion Questions:

Do you think the approach used in your school helped you to develop good skills that now you use?

What are your expectations for your son’s education?

Would you prefer a traditional or alternative school model?

Add a few questions with conditionals:

What would you change if you were in charge of a school?

What would your school look like?

I would like that school can be more concerned with the usually skills, for example financial investment, constitucionalism on the country, actually politics history, oratory, to control feelings, more time for sports, teaching about foods and health and self care, besides that technology how to use social media to save money, languages in general.

🎧

Listening Activity (15 min)

Podcast: BBC Learning English - What happens when you put the kids in charge of the school?

Comprehension Questions:

What’s the name of the school mentioned?

What do students have to do instead of paying fees?

Who makes the decisions at the school?

What kind of learning does the school focus on?

Quiz:

What do children at the Bamboo School have to do instead of paying school fees?

a) teach lessons

b) learn English

c) plant trees

🧠

Vocabulary Focus (15 min)

Vocabulary from the podcast:

call the shots

hands-on

real world

grown-ups

kids

community service

Activities:

1. Match words to definitions

2. Fill in the blanks with new vocabulary

3. Discuss in pairs (or with you):

Have you ever had a hands-on learning experience?

Do you think kids should be allowed to call the shots in some situations?

🗣️

Speaking Practice (15 min)

Roleplay / Discussion Scenarios:

Imagine you’re designing a kindergarten for your son. What elements would you include? What would you avoid?

You’re a principal of a new experimental school. What rules would you implement?

What kind of education do you think prepares kids best for the “real world”?

✍️

Optional Homework / Wrap-up (5 min)

Writing Task:

Write a short paragraph about your ideal school for your son. Use at least three of the vocabulary words from today.

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______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Try more episodes of 6 Minute English:
Introduction

What happens when you put the kids in charge of the school? Phil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question

What do children at the Bamboo School have to do instead of paying school fees?

a) teach lessons
b) learn english, or
c) plant trees

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary

call the shots
have the power to make the important decisions which can influence a situation

hands-on
being actively involved in doing something practical, rather than talking about it or getting someone else to do it

real world
used to describe how the world really is, in contrast to a particular person's view which may be unrealistic or untypical; reality rather than an idea, wish or dream

grown-ups
(informal) adults

kids
(informal) children

community service
work that is done without pay to help people in a community
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Phil
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Phil.

Georgie
And I'm Georgie.

Phil
Some people remember their school days as the best time of their lives. For others, it was the worst. Did you enjoy school, Georgie?

Georgie
Most of the time, yes, but there was one thing I didn't like - the school rules!

Phil
Luckily that's not a problem for pupils at the Bamboo School in Thailand because there, the children, not the teachers, make the rules! Children at the Bamboo School are responsible for every part of running the school, from buying food for the kitchens to disciplining fellow students and even hiring new staff. It's a school run by students, for students.

Yes. In this programme we'll be hearing about the Bamboo School, a unique school where the children call the shots - they have the power to make the decisions. We'll also be learning some useful new vocabulary, and before you ask, Phil, - yes, the Bamboo School really is made of bamboo!

Phil
Sounds good, Georgie. But first I have a question for you. The Bamboo School is a private school for poorer children who can't afford school fees. Bamboo School children get educated for free but have to do something in return. But what? Is it:

a) teach lessons?
b) plant trees? or,
c) learn English?

Georgie
Hmm, I guess they have to learn English.

Phil
OK Georgie, I'll reveal the answer at the end of the programme. The idea behind the Bamboo School is simple: teaching children responsibility by letting them run their own school. The school doesn't employ cooks, gardeners or cleaners - it's all done by the pupils.

Georgie
Twice a week, children go to the vegetable market with a school officer and buy food for all 150 students. The prices are then carefully checked by other students like Nooneem, who manages the food accounts. Here is Nooneem speaking with William Kramer, reporter for BBC World Service programme, 'People Fixing the World':

William Kramer
So, you went to a local school before, just in this area, what are the differences between that school and this school?

She enjoys managing the food accounts because it's real world experience. The phrase real world describes how the world works in reality, rather than someone's idea of it, which might be unrealistic. Children at the Bamboo School get opportunities to try something new and different outside the classroom, increasing the chances they'll find something they're really good at.

Phil
Of course, there are some adults - every school needs teachers. But what's special is how children are trusted, and respond positively to that trust. Here's reporter, William Kramer, again, speaking with Myra Anubi for BBC World Service programme, People Fixing the World:

So, just to be clear, it seems like the grown-ups are still in charge in the classrooms, but outside it's the kids who run stuff.

William Kramer
Yeah, I think that's broadly right, and I think one of the things that's interesting about this school is it manages to be quite conventional in some ways and really innovative, even radical, in others.

At the Bamboo School, the grown-ups - another word for adults - are still in charge in the classroom, but it's the kids, or children, who run everything. It's a radical idea and means that besides lessons, there's lots of work to be done. Children do two hours of community service, that's work that is done without pay to help people in a community, every week.

Georgie
Anyway, I think it's time to reveal the answer to your question.

Phil
Yes, we just heard that kids go to the Bamboo School for free but do something in return. But what? Georgie guessed it was learning English, which was... the wrong answer, I'm afraid. In fact, pupils at the school have to plant trees, 400 of them every year!

Right, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned from this programme about a school where the kids, or children, call the shots, a phrase meaning have the power to make the important decisions.

A grown-up is an informal word for an adult, and a kid is an informal word for a child.

Phil
Bye!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / The school that puts the kids in charge

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What happens when you put the kids in charge of the school?

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🎯 Lesson Plan: Making “Mum Friends”
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Skills: Listening, Vocabulary, Speaking
Materials: BBC audio clip (Beth & Neil), transcript (if needed), visuals for vocabulary

🔹 Objective:

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

Understand key vocabulary related to friendship and parenting

Talk about social experiences like making new friends

Practice listening comprehension with real-life English

🔸 1. Warm-Up: Social Circles (7–10 min)

Discussion Questions:

Is it easy or hard to make new friends as an adult? Why?

Do parents feel pressure to socialize with other parents?

Have you ever had to "fit into" a new group?

👉 Pre-teach the concept of “mum friends” and “play date.”
Example: “A mum friend is a friend you make because your kids are friends.”

Summary:

🔸 2. Vocabulary Focus (10–12 min)

Teach these expressions using examples and questions:

1. play date – “Have you ever arranged a play date for children?”

2. clique – “Have you ever felt excluded by a clique?”

3. glam – “Who is someone you find glam?”

4. fit into – “Is it easy for you to fit into new groups?”

5. down to luck – “Do you think making friends is down to luck?”

6. click with – “Can you describe someone you clicked with instantly?”

📌 Use pictures or short definitions to reinforce meaning.

🔸 3. Listening Task (15–20 min)

Task 1: Prediction (before listening):
Ask: Where do you think the word “play date” comes from? Australia, New Zealand, or the USA?

Task 2: Listen for general meaning (1st listen):
Ask: Do Beth and Neil think making “mum friends” is easy or hard? Why?

Task 3: Listen for detail (2nd listen):
Write down which vocabulary items you hear.
(Optionally, use a transcript to support comprehension.)

Check the quiz question answer:

🔸 4. Speaking Practice (10–15 min)

Discussion Prompts (using target vocabulary):

Have you ever joined a group where it was hard to fit in?

Do you believe making close friends is down to luck?

Can you describe someone you clicked with instantly?

What do you think about cliques among parents?

Encourage the student to use 3–4 of the new words in context.

🔸 5. Wrap-Up / Optional Homework

Recap the vocabulary.
Ask: Which words were new or interesting for you?

Homework (optional):
Write a short paragraph (6–8 sentences) about a time you tried to make a new friend, using at least three of the new expressions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Making ‘mum friends’

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Is making new ‘mum friends’ the positive experience it’s often described as?

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🎯 Lesson Plan: Phrasal Verbs and Emotions

Level: Lower Intermediate (A2–B1)
Topic: Emotions & Self-care
Focus: Phrasal verbs in context
Time: 40–50 minutes
Target Phrasal Verbs:

bottle up

open up

hold back

break down

freak out

blow up

calm down

chill out

🔹 Warm-Up – Talking About Emotions (5–7 mins)

Ask your student:

What do you do when you feel stressed or sad?

Do you talk to someone? Do you take time for yourself?

What does "self-care" mean to you?

Transition: “In English, we often use phrasal verbs (verbs + prepositions) to describe how we manage our emotions. Today, you’ll learn how to use some of them.”

🔹 Step 1 – Learn the Phrasal Verbs (10–12 mins)

Introduce the verbs one by one with short, simple definitions and an example sentence.

1. bottle up – to hide your feelings/ esconder os sentimentos
“He bottles up his anger and never talks about it.”

2. open up – to share your emotions with someone/ abrir emoçoes
“She opened up to her friend about her problems.”

3. hold back – to stop yourself from showing emotion/ segurar emoçoes.
“He tried to hold back his tears.”

4. break down – to start crying or lose emotional control/ perder equilibrio emocional.
“She broke down after the bad news.”

5. freak out – to suddenly feel very afraid, surprised, or angry/ nervoso
“I freaked out when I lost my phone!”

6. blow up – to suddenly get very angry/ malhumorar/ explodir
“He blew up when he heard the lie.”

7. calm down – to become more relaxed/ se acalmar
“Take a deep breath and calm down.”

8. chill out – to relax and do nothing stressful/ relaxar
“On Sundays I just chill out at home.”

..

Check comprehension after each one:

Ask the student to say it back in their own words or translate into Spanish.

Ask: “Can you think of a situation when you would say this?”

🔹 Step 2 – Choose the Best Option (10 mins)

Say these sentences aloud and have your student choose the correct phrasal verb from two options:

1. When I heard the bad news, I started to cry. I really
(a) broke down / (b) chilled out

2. He never tells anyone about his feelings. He always
(a) bottles up / (b) opens up

3. I lost my keys and completely !
(a) calmed down / (b) freaked out

4. After the argument, she needed time to .
(a) blow up / (b) chill out

🔹 Step 3 – Finish the Sentence (10 mins)

Ask the student to complete each sentence with a personal example:

I freak out

To chill out, I usually

I think it’s hard to open up because i

Once, I broke down when i

You can help them expand with follow-up questions.

🔹 Step 4 – Creative Speaking (Optional Extension – 10 mins)

Role play or storytelling:

"Imagine a friend is feeling stressed. What would you tell them?"

Or: "Tell me about a time when you had to calm down or chill out."

Encourage use of at least 3–4 phrasal verbs.

🟢 Homework (Optional)

Ask your student to write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences) about a time they felt very emotional, using at least 3 phrasal verbs from the lesson.

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for feelings

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Calm down! Phrasal verbs aren’t THAT bad…

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🎓 Lesson Plan: Comparing Education Systems

Level: Lower Intermediate

Duration: 60 minutes

Topic: Education systems and international rankings

Main Skills: Listening, Vocabulary, Grammar (Comparatives), Speaking

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Use comparatives to compare education systems

Understand and use key vocabulary from the episode

Discuss the fairness and value of comparing education systems

Express opinions using simple structured sentences

🗣️ Warm-up (10 minutes)

Activity: Quick Discussion

Ask: What do you think makes a good school?

for me in the period of kids are little they need to be empathic and adapt to learning and schools have this mission. They claim a clear methodology for learning.

Follow-up: How was your experience at school?

i was a party goer, high school i started to study and get ready fot university. i got matured ealier and i needed to get ready and dedicate time for my future.

Introduce the topic: “Today, we’ll talk about education systems around the world.”

🧠 Vocabulary Task (10 minutes)

In the podcast they talk about which is the best school according to Pisa Ranking and Singapoure is the best in the ranking but the best in reading is Ireland.

Target Vocabulary:

contentious, outpace, rival, knowledge economy, regardless, segregate

Task: Matching & Fill in the blanks

Provide meanings and gap-fill examples.

Examples: contentious, outpace, rival, knowledge economy, regardless, segregate

1. Smaller countries sometimes ___outpace____ larger ones in education rankings.

2. The idea of comparing education systems can be _contentious_________.

📚 Grammar Focus: Comparatives (10 minutes)

Target Structure:

smaller than, better than, more effective than, less segregated than

Mini Presentation:

Explain comparative rules: (adj + -er) / more + adj

Use examples from the episode:

Estonia is more successful than many larger countries.

Singapore is better at reading than the UK.

Practice Activity:

Student compares countries (e.g., Ireland vs. USA) using comparatives.

🎧 Listening Practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Guided Listening with the Episode

Play short segments, then pause to ask:

What does “contentious” mean?

Why are smaller countries often more successful?

What makes Estonia’s system different?

Comprehension Questions:

1. What does the Pisa test measure?

2. What’s a knowledge economy?

3. Why don’t Estonian schools segregate students?

🗨️ Speaking Practice (10 minutes)

Activity: Discussion Using Prompts

Use prompts like:

Do you think it’s fair to compare education systems?

What would you change about education in your country?

Which country do you think has the best education system?

Encourage use of comparatives and key vocabulary.

✅ Wrap-up (5 minutes)

Quick Vocabulary + Grammar Quiz: True/False

A knowledge economy needs highly skilled workers.

If countries are segregated, they work together. (

Smaller countries often outperform bigger ones in education.

✍️ Homework (Optional)

Writing Task:

Write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences): Compare your country’s education system with another using at least 3 comparatives and 2 new vocabulary words from today’s lesson.

The system of my country priorotize topics that are more traditional than the best education country's; here the process of learning was outpacing a long time because is older; here the system to stymulating graduated on socialogical topics than economy or financial graduated students.

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Which country has the best schools?

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🧾 Lesson Plan: Allergy Overload

Skills: Listening, Vocabulary, Speaking

🎯 Objectives

By the end of the class, students will:

Understand the main idea and details of a short audio clip.

Learn and use new vocabulary in context.

Practice speaking about allergies and health-related issues.

🔹 1. Warm-up (10 mins)

Discussion Questions:

Do you have any allergies?

i am allergic to dust (dusting)

Do you know anyone who has many allergies?

nope.

What do people usually do when they have allergies?

i have medication for my allergies - alegra D

Can you name some common allergies?

allergic to shrimp - allergic to salt - lactose .

Write answers on the board and introduce the weekly question: 🧠 “What is the most common allergy in the world?”
a) Peanuts
b) Pollen
c) Dairy ( milk/ cheese/ butter/
(Students give guesses – they’ll find out later in the episode.)

🔹 2. Vocabulary Preview (10 mins)

Present these expressions and check understanding:

ExpressionMeaningExample

call ahead of time

phone before you go somewhere

You should call ahead of time to book a table.

accommodate

give someone what they need

We can accommodate gluten-free diets.

protocols

strict rules for doing something

Hospitals follow safety protocols.

(allergy) capital of the worlda place known for somethingThat city is the allergy capital of the world.

drop off

decrease over timeThe temperature will drop off tonight.

or so

about / approximately

She has 50 allergies or so.

🔄 Match the word with its meaning (or give a fill-in-the-gap activity).

🔹 3. Listening Activity (15 mins)

🎧 BBC 6 Minute English – “Do you know anyone who has 50 allergies?”
[Play the episode once – 6 mins]
👉 You can find it here: BBC 6 Minute English website

Task 1: General comprehension

Who are they talking about?

How many allergies does she have?

What does she do to prepare?

Task 2: Specific details (True/False or Multiple Choice)

1. The woman is allergic to 15 things. (False)

2. She calls ahead of time before going out. (True)

3. She lives in a place known for having few allergies. (False)

4. Her allergies have increased over time. (False)

🎯 Reveal the answer to the question:
✅ The most common allergy in the world is… b) Pollen!

🔹 4. Vocabulary Practice (10 mins)

Use the new words in personalized questions:

Do you usually call ahead of time when you go to restaurants?

How can a restaurant accommodate someone with allergies?

What kind of protocols do you think airlines have?

Is your city the capital of anything? (funny or serious)

Has the number of tourists in your city dropped off recently?

Do you have 5 friends or so you speak English with?

(Do this orally or in pairs.)

🔹 5. Speaking Practice (15 mins)

Roleplay activity:
Student A: You have 10 food allergies and want to eat at a restaurant.
Student B: You work at the restaurant. Ask questions and see how you can accommodate the guest.
Use the vocabulary: call ahead of time, protocols, accommodate.

OR
Discussion questions:

What would you do if you had 50 allergies?

Is it difficult to live with food allergies in your country?

What’s something you would hate to be allergic to?

🔹 6. Wrap-up (5 mins)

✅ Recap:

What was the most surprising thing you learned today?

Which new words can you remember?

Any words you want to practice more?

Homework idea:
Write a short paragraph (5–7 sentences):
“Imagine you are allergic to 10 things. Describe how your life would change.”

So, maybe the solution can be change my behavior, for exemple work in my house more time and stop the frequency in some places. Mayhbe i should also change my alimentation, for removing the artificial food.

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Try more episodes of 6 Minute English:
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Introduction

Do you know anyone who has 50 allergies? Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.

This week's question

What is the most common allergy in the world?

a) Peanuts?
b) Pollen?
c) Dairy?

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary

call ahead of time
phone before an appointment, or before going somewhere

accommodate
give someone what they need

protocols
strict rules for how something is done

(allergy) capital of the world
a place that is known for (allergies)

drop off
get lower over time

or so
used to indicate that a number is an estimate, or is not exact
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Beth
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Beth.

Neil
And I'm Neil. In this episode, we're talking about allergies. Allergies are when a certain food or material makes you feel sick. Do you have any allergies, Beth?

Beth
Yeah, so I am actually allergic to dairy so I can't have anything with milk. So, no cheese, no butter. What about you, Neil? Have you got any allergies?

Neil
Well, I'm not great with dairy either, but it's not an allergy - more of an intolerance. So, it just makes me feel a bit bad rather than actually making me sick. But I do have hay fever, so I'm allergic to pollen. That means in the summer months I'm sneezing and coughing all the time. I get runny eyes and a runny nose, and it also gives me a little bit of asthma, so it's a bit of a pain.

Beth
Oh yeah, that sounds really horrible. Now, scientific evidence shows that more people are developing allergies. In this programme we're going to find out about what it's like living with an allergy and where in the world has the highest rate of allergies.

Neil
But first, I have a question for you, Beth. What is the most common allergy in the world? Is it:

a) Peanuts?
b) Pollen? Or
c) Dairy?

Beth
I'm going to say pollen. A lot of people I know have hay fever.

Neil
Including me. Well, we'll find out the answer at the end of the show. Now, Beth, you're allergic to dairy, but imagine if you had over 50 allergies. That's the situation for Mia Silverman, who runs a social media account, Allergies with Mia, where she talks about living with lots of allergies.

Mia Silverman
My 50+ allergies include all nuts and their oils. I'm allergic to all fish except for cooked tuna and cooked codfish.

Beth
Life for Mia involves a lot of planning, as she told BBC World Service programme, What in the World.

Mia needs to find out whether restaurants can accommodate her allergies. Accommodate in this context means give someone what they need.

Because Mia has so many allergies, she has to visit restaurants which have protocols to stop the food she is allergic to touching her meal. Protocols means a set of rules for a process, to make sure things are done properly.

Beth
Now, most people who have allergies don't have as many as Mia, but scientists believe more people are developing allergies. And there is one place where the number of allergies is particularly high: Australia.

Beth
BBC journalist Frances Mao is from Australia and explains some of the allergy data to BBC World Service podcast, What in the World.

Frances talks about the high numbers of Australian infants, that's babies, who have allergies. But she says the numbers drop off as children get older. If numbers or rates of something drop off, they get lower.

By age six or so, Australian children are less likely to have allergies. We can use or so in informal speech to show that the number is an estimate: it's not exact.

Neil
So Beth, is there anything we can do about all these allergies?

Beth
Well, scientists are investigating giving babies vitamin D, which can be shown to reduce allergies. Another technique is immunotherapy, which involves scientists giving children tiny amounts of the thing they are allergic to and then building up their baby's tolerance.

Neil
Interesting! And I think it's time to find out the answer to my question. I asked you, 'What is the most common allergy in the world?'

Beth
I said pollen. Was I right?

Neil
You were right. Well done!

If somewhere is the capital of the world for a particular thing, it is known for that thing. For example, London is sometimes called the theatre capital of the world because we have lots of theatres.

Beth
Once again, our six minutes are up. But you can test your knowledge even more using the interactive quiz on our website - visit bbclearningenglish.com.

Neil
Bye for now!

Beth
Bye!

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Are we getting more allergic to things?

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Do you know anyone who has 50+ allergies?

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Lesson Plan: Is Happiness the Key to Success?

Level: Upper Intermediate (B2)
Objective: The student will discuss the relationship between happiness and success, expand their vocabulary, and practice listening skills with the BBC podcast.

1. Warm-up (10 min)

Discussion Questions:

What does success mean to you?

it´s about not having the relationship with money, it´s about more personal growth, have you family near you. success is about to know how to live.

STATUS/ LIFESTYLE/WEALTH/HAPPINESS.

Can someone be successful without being happy? Why or why not? (happy = unhappy.)

What things make people happy at work?

COFFEE BREAK/SOLUTIONS SOLVED/SATISFACTTION/MEET PEOPLE/VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE GRATEFUL/

Prediction Activity:

Show the title: Is happiness the key to success?

Ask: What do you think the podcast will talk about?

2. Vocabulary Introduction (15 min)

Introduce the vocabulary with definitions and examples:

1. Modernise – Make more modern, for example, through introducing new technology.

Many companies are modernising their offices with AI tools.

2. Social fabric – Community relationships that connect members of a society.

Strong families and friendships help maintain the social fabric of a country.

3. Intact – Complete and untouched.

Despite the storm, the old bridge remained intact.

Despite he lives in spain, he always is availabel to help.

4. Take centre stage – Become more important than anything else.

Climate change has taken centre stage in global discussions.

going to usa has taken a centre stage for many travelers and they don´t want to go.

5. Brain drain – When large numbers of educated and skilled people leave their country to work abroad.

Many doctors move to the US because of the brain drain in their home countries.

6. Upskilling – Improving workers’ skills by giving them additional training.

The company is upskilling employees to prepare them for new technology.

3. Listening Activity (20 min)

Step 1: First listen – General understanding

What is the main idea of the podcast?

->

Does the speaker think happiness is the key to success?

->

Step 2: Second listen – Focus on details

What examples are given about happiness and success?

->

How do the vocabulary words appear in the podcast?

->

What is the answer to the question: When is International Happiness Day?

->

4. Discussion & Speaking Practice (15 min)

Debate: What is more important: happiness or success?

One student argues that happiness leads to success.

One student argues that success leads to happiness.

Follow-up Questions:

Can money buy happiness?

How does social fabric influence happiness?

What are the risks of brain drain for a country?

5. Writing Activity (10 min)

Task: Write a short essay (150-200 words) answering:
"Do you think happiness is necessary for success? Why or why not?"

Use at least 3 new vocabulary words.

-> I

6. Wrap-up (5 min)

Review the key vocabulary.

Share answers to the International Happiness Day question.

Ask: What did you learn today?

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / The country that measures happiness

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1. Warm-up (10–15 minutes)

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you know any online communities?

(Example: In the past, there was Orkut for people to share interests and hobbies.)

2. Why do people join online communities instead of making friends in real life?

(Example: Online, people feel less shy and can share their feelings more easily.)

3. Are online communities good or bad for mental health? Why?

(Example: Mental health is important for a happy life, but online spaces can be good or bad.)

Encourage simple answers and opinions.

2. Vocabulary & Key Concepts (15 minutes)

Introduce key words with simple definitions and examples:

• Incel (a person who feels lonely because they can’t find a romantic partner)

• Echo chamber (a group where people only hear opinions they already agree with)

• Misogyny (strong dislike or disrespect for women)

• Radicalization (becoming more extreme in ideas or beliefs)

• Toxic masculinity (when society expects men to act in a harmful or aggressive way)

Activity:

Show short, modified sentences from online discussions and ask students to guess the meanings of words in context.

3. Reading & Analysis (20 minutes)

Provide a short and simplified article or text about incel communities and loneliness.

Guided Questions:

1. What is an incel?

(Example: An incel is a person who feels lonely and frustrated because they don’t have a romantic partner.)

2. Are incels victims or dangerous people?

(Example: Some incels are lonely, but others become angry and dangerous.)

3. How does society make this problem worse?

(Example: People feel pressure to look a certain way or be successful in dating.)

Students can work in pairs or small groups to discuss.

4. Debate & Discussion (30 minutes)

Debate topic: Should social media ban incel groups?

• Team A (Pro-ban): Online platforms should stop hate speech.

• Team B (Anti-ban): Banning people makes them more extreme.

Activity:

• Give students simple phrases for debating:

• I agree because…

• I disagree because…

• A good example is…

• In my opinion…

Encourage structured responses with basic argumentation.

5. Conclusion & Reflection (10 minutes)

Final Discussion Questions:

1. How do incel communities show bigger problems in society?

2. What can help lonely people feel better?

3. How can we stop people from becoming more extreme online?

Optional Homework:

• Write a short opinion paragraph: Is loneliness a big problem today? Why or why not?

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Inside the hateful and lonely world of incel men | Uncovering Incels (Part 1) | Short Documentary

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The Wall of Shame – A Symbol of Social Division

In Lima, the capital of Peru, there is a long concrete wall known as "The Wall of Shame." It separates two very different communities: a wealthy neighborhood with large houses and green gardens, and a poor area where people live in small, simple homes.

The wall was built in the early 2000s. Wealthy residents said they needed protection from crime. They believed the wall would keep their community safe. However, many people argue that this wall is not about security—it is about social inequality and discrimination.

On one side of the wall, people live in luxury, with private schools, modern hospitals, and parks. On the other side, people struggle with poverty, lacking access to basic services like clean water and education.

Many residents of the poor area believe the wall is unfair. They feel it treats them like criminals just because they are poor. Some have tried to protest against it, but the wall still stands.

This situation is not unique to Peru. In different parts of the world, physical barriers have been built to divide people based on wealth, race, or nationality. Some of the most famous examples include the Berlin Wall, the Mexico-US border wall, and the Israel-Palestine separation barrier.

The question remains: Do walls solve problems, or do they create bigger divisions in society?

for me is clear; this situation worse the problem when you hide the problem causes the worsening of this situation.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Where is the Wall of Shame located?

is located in PERU

2. What are the main differences between the two sides of the wall?

on the rich side we have bigger houses with gardens and on the poor side there are a lot of simple houses.

3. Why do rich residents say the wall was built?

it was because existed the fear of terrorism and crime from the poor.

4. Why do poor residents think the wall is unfair?

because they don´t have access to the social inclusion and services

5. Can you think of another example of a wall that separates people?

i believe here is different because the form of separation is soft and subtle. Because apparently the poor people can´t walk on every place but in real this conditions is very difficult in some neighborhoods.

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Class 2 The Wall of Shame – Social Inequality in Peru

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Class 2 The Wall of Shame – Social Inequality in Peru

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1. Warm-up Discussion (10 min) – Introducing the Topic

Questions to activate prior knowledge:

"Have you ever heard of 'The Wall of Shame' in Peru?"

"Do you know of any walls that separate people in history?"

"What do you think are the reasons for building walls between communities?"

Vocabulary Preview (Word Matching or Discussion):

Social inequality

Discrimination

Segregation

Divide / Division

Marginalized communities

Comprehension Questions:

"What are the main reasons behind the construction of the wall?"

"How does the wall affect the communities on both sides?"

"What are the arguments for and against keeping the wall?"

Extra Resource (Video)

Video: "The Wall of Shame in Lima, Peru – Why does it exist?" (YouTube, news clips, or mini-documentaries).

"Does this remind you of similar situations in other countries?"

3. Grammar Focus: Past Simple vs. Past Continuous (15 min)

Explanation & Examples:

Past Simple → Events that happened at a specific time.

The wall was built to separate communities.

Past Continuous → Background actions or ongoing past events.

While some people were protesting against the wall, others were defending it.

Grammar Exercise (Gap Fill):

Complete the sentences with the correct verb tense:

In the 1980s, Peru’s economy ___ (struggle) due to political instability.

While people ___ (debate) the issue, the government ___ (decide) to build the wall.

When the wall ___ (be) first built, many residents ___ (not expect) the consequences.

4. Speaking & Debate (25 min) – Critical Thinking Activity

Group A: Defend the existence of the wall as a necessary security measure.

Group B: Argue that the wall is a symbol of social discrimination and should be removed.

Use these prompts to guide discussion:

"Does the wall solve or worsen social inequality?"

"What alternatives could replace a physical barrier?"

5. Writing Task (20 min) – Argumentative Essay

Task: Write a short 200-250 word essay answering the question:

Are physical walls ever a good solution to social problems?

not because, every seperation causes more division, and conflicts so, maybe the best solution can be involve the rich people in the problems and improve more the equality between social classes not only in peru but around the world.

Homework Option:

Research another famous dividing wall (Berlin Wall, Mexico-US border, Israel-Palestine barrier) and compare it to the Wall of Shame.

Extra Resources for Students

Article: "Peru’s Wall of Shame and the Debate on Social Inequality" (Find a news article or blog post on the topic).

Video: Short documentary on urban segregation in Latin America (BBC, Al Jazeera, or National Geographic).

Podcast: A discussion on the effects of social segregation.

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🇵🇪 Peru's 'wall of shame' keeping rich and poor apart | Al Jazeera English

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Warm-up (10 min) – Discussion

• Ask the student:

Have you ever seen an online post or video that made people angry? Why do you think people react so strongly?

• Briefly introduce the concept of rage bait (content designed to provoke anger for engagement).

2. Vocabulary Introduction (15 min)

Target Words/Phrases:

• Rage bait – Content designed to provoke anger for engagement.

• Engagement – Interaction with online content (likes, comments, shares).

• Monetization – Turning content into money.

• Algorithm – A system that decides which content gets promoted.

• Controversial – Likely to cause disagreement or strong opinions.

• Clickbait – Sensational headlines designed to attract attention.

• Ad revenue – Money earned from online advertisements.

Activity:

• Provide definitions and examples.

• Ask the student to match the words with their meanings.

• Have them create sentences using the new vocabulary.

3. Speaking Activity (20 min) – Debate & Discussion

Task: Is rage bait an ethical way to make money online?

• Student argues for or against rage bait as a business strategy.

• Encourage them to use new vocabulary.

• Guide them with follow-up questions:

• Why do people engage with rage bait?

• Should social media platforms limit this kind of content?

4. Writing Activity (20 min) – Opinion Piece

Prompt:

“Do you think people should make money from rage bait? Why or why not?”

• Student writes a short opinion piece (150–200 words).

• Encourage them to use at least four of the new vocabulary words.

• Provide feedback on structure, grammar, and vocabulary use.

The rage bait is being used for personal interest a long time, for war, on the politicians speech or on social media. I don't like it, but some choices is impossible for prohiblition. I believe that the best solution is the awareness and the responsabilities that exagerates.

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Rage bait: How online anger makes money

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How do people make money from rage bait?

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Burnout and Productivity Culture

Objective: By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to discuss burnout, its causes, effects, and possible solutions.

1. Warm-up (5-10 min)

• Ask: “Have you ever felt exhausted or overwhelmed because of work or studies?”

• Show these sentences and ask what they think:

• “Hustle culture is glorified burnout.”

• “Rest is not a reward; it’s a necessity.”

• “Burnout is not a badge of honor.”

• Discuss their reactions.

2. Vocabulary (10 min)

Introduce and discuss these words:

• Burnout – A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion.

• Hustle culture – A mindset that glorifies overworking.

• Work-life balance – Managing time between work and personal life.

• Chronic stress – Long-term stress that affects well-being.

• Mental exhaustion – Feeling drained and unable to concentrate.

• Self-care – Activities that promote well-being.

Activity: Use each word in a sentence related to work or study life.

3. Reading (15 min)

“Burnout is becoming more common in modern workplaces. Many people feel pressure to work long hours, always be available, and push themselves to the limit. However, this can lead to mental and physical health problems. Burnout symptoms include fatigue, lack of motivation, and feeling emotionally drained. Experts suggest setting boundaries, taking breaks, and practicing self-care to prevent burnout.”

Activity:

• Ask comprehension questions:

1. What is burnout?

2. Why do people experience burnout?

3. How can burnout be prevented?

2: Short Video

Find a YouTube video about burnout and discuss key points.

4. Discussion (15-20 min)

• Why do some people feel guilty about resting?

• Is productivity more important than well-being?

• Should companies be responsible for preventing burnout?

• What are good ways to recover from burnout?

5. Speaking Activity (10 min)

Role Play:

• Scenario 1: The student is a worker experiencing burnout. You are their boss. They must explain their situation and negotiate better work conditions.

• Scenario 2: The student is giving advice to a friend who is overworked.

6. Writing (Homework or Class Activity)

Prompt: “Write a short email to your boss explaining that you are experiencing burnout and requesting support.”

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Key Vocabulary

• Burnout – A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion.

• Hustle culture – A mindset that glorifies overworking.

• Work-life balance – Managing time between work and personal life.

• Chronic stress – Long-term stress that affects well-being.

• Mental exhaustion – Feeling drained and unable to concentrate.

• Self-care – Activities that promote well-being.

• Overload – Having too many responsibilities.

• Time off – A break from work or responsibilities.

• Set boundaries – Establish limits to protect personal time.

• Burnout prevention – Strategies to avoid exhaustion.

2. Chunk Expressions

Talking About Burnout

• I feel completely burned out.

• I’ve been working non-stop, and it’s taking a toll on me.

• I’m mentally and physically exhausted.

• I have no motivation to do anything anymore.

• I’m running on empty.

Describing Work Culture

• There’s a lot of pressure to always be productive.

• Hustle culture makes people feel guilty for resting.

• My company expects us to be available 24/7.

• Working long hours is seen as a sign of dedication.

• People often sacrifice their well-being for success.

Preventing and Recovering from Burnout

• It’s important to set clear boundaries between work and personal life.

• Taking breaks can actually improve productivity.

• I need to prioritize self-care before I burn out.

• Unplugging from work helps me recharge.

• A good work-life balance leads to better mental health.

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Channel 4 News on Instagram: "Almost 40,000 people have died alone in the first half of the year, and thousands were not discovered until a month or more after their death, according to Japan’s National Police Agency.

It comes amid a loneliness crisis, as Japan grapples with an older population and declining birth rates.

#Japan #Elderly #Loneliness #Channel4News"

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905 likes, 34 comments - channel4news on September 5, 2024: "Almost 40,000 people have died alone in the first half of the year, and thousands were not discovered until a month or more after their death, according to Japan’s National Police Agency.

It comes amid a loneliness crisis, as Japan grapples with an older population and declining birth rates.

#Japan #Elderly #Loneliness #Channel4News". 

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Here are some useful vocabulary terms and phrases related to elderly people, financial security, and legal protection:

Financial & Housing Terms

1. Mortgage A loan taken out to buy a home, usually repaid over many years. Some elderly people struggle with mortgage payments after retirement.

2. Reverse mortgage A loan that allows elderly homeowners to access the value of their home while still living in it.

3. Pension A regular payment from the government or a company after retirement.

4. Retirement savings Money set aside for use after a person stops working.

5. Fixed income A limited amount of money received regularly, often referring to pensions or retirement benefits.

6. Debt Money that a person owes to a bank or lender. Many elderly people face debt due to medical expenses.

7. Loan Money borrowed that must be paid back, often with interest.

8. Foreclosure When a bank takes a person’s home because they failed to pay their mortgage.

Security & Social Issues

9. Elderly abuse Mistreatment of older people, often financial, physical, or emotional.

10. Nursing home A facility where elderly people live and receive medical care.

11. Social security Government assistance programs that provide financial support to retired or disabled people.

12. Fraud A crime that involves tricking people, often elderly victims, into giving away their money.

13. Identity theft A type of fraud where someone steals another person’s personal information to commit crimes.

Legal Protections for the Elderly

14. Age discrimination Unfair treatment based on age, such as being denied a job or medical care.

15. Power of attorney A legal document allowing someone to make financial or medical decisions for an elderly person.

16. Elder law Legal policies that protect older adults rights, including housing, healthcare, and financial matters.

17. Long-term care insurance

Insurance that helps cover the cost of nursing homes or home care services.

18. Will & inheritance A legal document that states how a person’s assets will be distributed after their death.

19. Guardianship A legal arrangement where a person is responsible for making decisions for an elderly person who cannot do so themselves.

20. Scam A dishonest scheme to trick people out of their money, often targeting the elderly.

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Here are the definitions of the key terms:

Key Terms & Definitions

1. Shoplifting “ The act of stealing goods from a store without paying.

ex: a woman was caught practicing shoplifting in stotes in salvador.

2. Social isolation “ A state in which a person has little or no contact with others, leading to loneliness.

3. Welfare system “ Government programs designed to provide financial and social support to people in need.

4. Recidivism “ The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend after being released.

5. Life expectancy “ The average number of years a person is expected to live based on demographic factors.

6. Incarceration “ The state of being imprisoned or confined in jail.

7. Petty theft “ A minor crime involving the stealing of small or inexpensive items.

is considered a petty theft when a thift takes your cellphone?

8. Giggle “ A light, high-pitched laugh, often from nervousness or amusement.

9. Outstrips “ Exceeds or surpasses something in degree, amount, or performance.

sometimes criminals outstrips with violence.

10. Undoing “ A cause of downfall or failure; something that ruins or destroys.

criminals must pay for their undoing.

11. Serving “ (in the context of prison) The act of completing a sentence or period of imprisonment.

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Elderly Crime in Japan - A Social Crisis.

1. Warm-up

Why do people commit crimes? and Do you think some people commit crimes on purpose?

so, i think the people commit crimes because they have the distortion about the rules and they commit crimes on purpose due to their compromises with the society that sometimes force them to commit crimes, normally there are people that use any argument for justifying their conduct/behavior but the reality is that people try to break the law for getting their goals.

word bank|:

sentenced = go to jail

guilt / guilty

undoing - error

released - solto

recidivism

lack of basic needs

unemployment

job opportunities

requirements

fully capable

forcing

Watch the picture of the article and brainstorm what may be happening with elderly people? : (homeless, struggling) how’s life for elderly people nowadays?

2. Reading/Listening Activity (15 min)

Use this BBC article: Why some elderly Japanese are turning to crime

Have the student skim the article and identify key points.

Discussion: What are the main reasons elderly people commit crimes?

according to the article elderly people are commiting crimes in japan due to the financial crisis, lonliness, and safety and prove their existence.

however this is not a reason to commit crimes.

3. Vocabulary & Discussion (15 min)

Introduce key terms:

shoplifting, social isolation, welfare system, recidivism, life expectancy, incarceration

Ask: How does Japan is aging population contribute to this problem?

4. Speaking Activity Role-play (10 min)

One student plays a government official, the other an elderly citizen considering committing a crime.

The official must persuade the citizen not to go to prison and offer alternatives.

5. Debate (10 min)

Should governments provide better welfare for the elderly, or is prison a reasonable solution?

6. Wrap-up (5 min)

Ask: What solutions do you think Japan should implement?

Reflect on:Could this happen in other countries?

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Japan is in the grip of an elderly crime wave - the proportion of crimes committed by people over the age of 65 has been steadily increasing for 20 years. The BBC's Ed Butler asks why.

At a halfway house in Hiroshima - for criminals who are being released from jail back into the community - 69-year-old Toshio Takata tells me he broke the law because he was poor. He wanted somewhere to live free of charge, even if it was behind bars.

"I reached pension age and then I ran out of money. So it occurred to me - perhaps I could live for free if I lived in jail," he says.

"So I took a bicycle and rode it to the police station and told the guy there: 'Look, I took this.'"

The plan worked. This was Toshio's first offence, committed when he was 62, but Japanese courts treat petty theft seriously, so it was enough to get him a one-year sentence.

Small, slender, and with a tendency to giggle, Toshio looks nothing like a habitual criminal, much less someone who'd threaten women with knives. But after he was released from his first sentence, that's exactly what he did.

"I went to a park and just threatened them. I wasn't intending to do any harm. I just showed the knife to them hoping one of them would call the police. One did."

Altogether, Toshio has spent half of the last eight years in jail.

I ask him if he likes being in prison, and he points out an additional financial upside - his pension continues to be paid even while he's inside.

"It's not that I like it but I can stay there for free," he says. "And when I get out I have saved some money. So it is not that painful."

Toshio represents a striking trend in Japanese crime. In a remarkably law-abiding society, a rapidly growing proportion of crimes is carried about by over-65s. In 1997 this age group accounted for about one in 20 convictions but 20 years later the figure had grown to more than one in five - a rate that far outstrips the growth of the over-65s as a proportion of the population (though they now make up more than a quarter of the total).

Another example is Keiko (not her real name). Seventy years old, small, and neatly presented, she also tells me that it was poverty that was her undoing.

"I couldn't get along with my husband. I had nowhere to live and no place to stay. So it became my only choice: to steal," she says. "Even women in their 80s who can't properly walk are committing crime. It's because they can't find food, money."

We spoke some months ago in an ex-offender's hostel. I've been told she's since been re-arrested, and is now serving another jail-term for shoplifting.

Japan's Elderly Crime Wave can be heard on Assignment on the BBC World Service from Thursday 31 January - click here for transmission times

Michael Newman, an Australian-born demographer with the Tokyo-based research house, Custom Products Research Group points out that the "measly" basic state pension in Japan is very hard to live on.

"The pensioners don't want to be a burden to their children, and feel that if they can't survive on the state pension then pretty much the only way not to be a burden is to shuffle themselves away into prison," he says.

The repeat offending is a way "to get back into prison" where there are three square meals a day and no bills, he says.

"It's almost as though you're rolled out, so you roll yourself back in."

Newman points out that suicide is also becoming more common among the elderly - another way for them to fulfil what he they may regard as "their duty to bow out".

The director of "With Hiroshima", the rehabilitation centre where I met Toshio Takata, also thinks changes in Japanese families have contributed to the elderly crime wave, but he emphasises the psychological consequences not the financial ones.

"Ultimately the relationship among people has changed. People have become more isolated. They don't find a place to be in this society. They cannot put up with their loneliness," says Kanichi Yamada, an 85-year-old who as a child was pulled out of the rubble of his home when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

"Among the elderly who commit crimes a number have this turning point in their middle life. There is some trigger. They lose a wife or children and they just can't cope with that... Usually people don't commit crime if they have people to look after them and provide them with support."

Toshio's story about being driven to crime as a result of poverty is just an "excuse", Kanichi Yamada suggests. The core of the problem is his loneliness. And one factor that may have prompted him to reoffend, he speculates, was the promise of company in jail.

It's true that Toshio is alone in the world. His parents are dead, and he has lost contact with two older brothers, who don't answer his calls. He has also lost contact with his two ex-wives, both of whom he divorced, and his three children.

I ask him if he thinks things would have turned out differently if he'd had a wife and family. He says they would.

"If they had been around to support me I wouldn't have done this," he says.

Michael Newman has watched as the Japanese government has expanded prison capacity, and recruited additional female prison guards (the number of elderly women criminals is rising particularly fast, though from a low base). He's also noted the steeply rising bill for medical treatment of people in prison.

There have been other changes too, as I see for myself at a prison in Fuchu, outside Tokyo, where nearly a third of the inmates are now over 60.

There's a lot of marching inside Japanese prisons - marching and shouting. But here the military drill seems to be getting harder to enforce. I see a couple of grey-haired inmates at the back of one platoon struggling to keep up. One is on crutches.

"We have had to improve the facilities here," Masatsugu Yazawa, the prison's head of education tells me. "We've put in handrails, special toilets. There are classes for older offenders."

He takes me to watch one of them. It begins with a karaoke rendition of a popular song, The Reason I was Born, all about the meaning of life. The inmates are encouraged to sing along. Some look quite moved.

"We sing to show them that the real life is outside prison, and that happiness is there," Yazawa says. "But still they think the life in prison is better and many come back."

Michael Newman argues that it would be far better - and much cheaper - to look after the elderly without the expense of court proceedings and incarceration.

"We actually costed a model to build an industrial complex retirement village where people would forfeit half their pension but get free food, free board and healthcare and so on, and get to play karaoke or gate-ball with the other residents and have a relative amount of freedom. It would cost way less than what the government's spending at the moment," he says.

But he also suggests that the tendency for Japanese courts to hand down custodial sentences for petty theft "is slightly bizarre, in terms of the punishment actually fitting the crime".

"The theft of a 200-yen (£1.40) sandwich could lead to an 8.4m-yen (£58,000) tax bill to provide for a two-year sentence," he writes in his 2016 report.

That may be a hypothetical example, but I met one elderly jailbird whose experience was almost identical. He'd been given a two-year jail term for only his second offence: stealing a bottle of peppers worth £2.50.

And I heard from Morio Mochizuki, who provides security for some 3,000 retail outlets in Japan, that if anything the courts are getting tougher on shoplifters.

"Even if they only stole one piece of bread," says Masayuki Sho of Japan's Prison Service, "it was decided at trial that it is appropriate for them to go to prison, therefore we need to teach them the way: how to live in society without committing crime."

I don't know whether the prison service has taught Toshio Takata this lesson, but when I ask him if he is already planning his next crime, he denies it.

"No, actually this is it," he says.

"I don't want to do this again, and I will soon be 70 and I will be old and frail the next time. I won't do that again."

Just over a year ago, Greek pilot Vasileios Vasileiou checked into a luxury hilltop hotel in Kabul. The Intercontinental was popular with foreign visitors - which is why, on 20 January, Taliban gunmen stormed it, killing at least 40 people. Vasileios explains how he survived.

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Why some Japanese pensioners want to go to jail

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Japan is in the grip of an elderly crime wave - the proportion of crimes committed by people over the age of 65 has been steadily increasing for 20 years. The BBC's Ed Butler asks why.

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The World First Solar-Powered Campervan

Skills Focus: Listening, Speaking, Vocabulary Expansion, Critical Thinking

1. Warm-up (10 min)

Engaging Discussion

: Have you ever traveled in a campervan? Would you like to? Why or why not?

Show a picture of a traditional campervan

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of living in one?

the advantage is that people can follow some places where they want to travel and the tourist can be in more contact with nature. And people can have best control of the trip.

the disadvantage is less comfort and the risk about you can get during trip.

Transition: What if a campervan could run entirely on solar power? What challenges and benefits might that have?

key terms from the video: solar-powered, campervan, sustainable travel, efficiency, renewable energy.

What do you think a solar-powered campervan would look like? What features might it have?

solar energy is a good alternative for vehicles but the problem in Brazil might be the structure and we don´t how to keep or mantain this modern car.

Predicción activity: Based on what you know about solar power, do you think this campervan could work in any weather or location?

it´s important about the solar energy that can recognize the battery.

3. While-viewing (10 min) “ Active Listening

:

1. Check comprehension: What problem does this innovation solve?

gas - petrol - diesel- sustainable life - less pollution - housing - save money.

2. Identify features: What are three key features of the campervan?

1. flexible

2. have a goo consume of energy, it goes 720 km.

3. easy to drive and to use the all the equipments in the kitchen.

3. Note challenges: What are some limitations or obstacles mentioned in the video?

4. Discussion & Reflection

Discuss the answers: Encourage your student to elaborate on their answers.

Opinion Questions:

Would you consider using a solar-powered vehicle? Why or why not?

Do you think this technology will become mainstream in the future?

Can you think of other ways to make travel more sustainable?

5. Wrap-up (15 min) Creative Task

Scenario: Imagine you are designing a solar-powered campervan for a specific type of traveler (e.g., a family, a solo traveler, or an explorer). What features would it need?

describe your ideal solar campervan or sketch it while explaining its features.

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The world’s first solar-powered campervan

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The Travel Show goes to the Netherlands to take a tour inside the world’s first ever solar-powered campervan.

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1. Warm-Up Discussion

Do you think the new generation is more focused on health than previous ones? Why or why not?

What are some modern trends that promote a healthier lifestyle? (e.g., fitness apps, plant-based diets, mental health awareness)

2. Vocabulary Expansion

key words: Use these words in sentences related to your life.

Wellness, longevity, mindfulness, nutrition, sustainable living, mental health, fitness culture, wearable technology (e.g., smartwatches, fitness trackers).

3. Debate or Opinion Sharing

Will the new generation live longer and healthier than past generations? Why or why not?

This is really true, so because the new generation have access to information and access to good products and services more accessible.

Are social media and influencers helping or harming health trends?

In general, I think that they improve a good impact on the people, but I think too that this is not a best path for developement a good habits.

5. Writing Task

Prompt: Imagine the year 2050. How has the focus on health changed the world?

Probably we will have more food industrialized, maybe more places for consumming food, and the prices the nature food will increase.

-->

word bank:

alimentation

food

to eat

carbohydrate

every time more

bread

juices

sodas (pop)

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about family jobs

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Learn to talk about different professions

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Answer the questions:

1. Have you ever felt embarrassed for something you did?

well i think i can get/ feel embarrased when i dont speak the right word or intonation when i speak portuguese in public. so, i easily i get blushed or a little nervous.

1. What can make you feel embarrassed to go to the doctor?

About the podcast: what happened in the conversation?

Words and phrases to remember:

delay
put off to a later time; postpone

diagnose
identify a disease or medical problem by recognising the symptoms and examining the patient

suffer in silence
endure or struggle with painful feelings or trauma without asking anyone for help

put (someone) at ease
make someone feel calm and relaxed

confidential
kept private and secret; information which is not shared with anyone

non-verbal cues
communication using means such as the expression on your face, hand gestures, or tone of voice to show how you feel about something, rather than using words

Highlight the grammar:

Here are some useful phrases for argumentation, categorized by their function:

Introducing an Argument

• To begin with, …

• First and foremost, …

• The main point is …

• Let me start by saying …

• It is often argued that …

Presenting Evidence or Examples

• For example, …

• For instance, …

• According to …

• As evidence shows, …

• Research suggests that …

Agreeing with a Point

• I agree with you because …

• You’re absolutely right that …

• I share your view on …

• That’s a valid point …

• I couldn’t agree more …

Disagreeing Politely

• I see your point, but …

• While I respect your opinion, …

• I understand your perspective, however …

• I beg to differ because …

• That’s an interesting point, but …

Clarifying a Point

• Let me clarify, …

• In other words, …

• What I’m trying to say is …

• To put it another way, …

• Let me explain further …

Summarizing

• In summary, …

• To sum up, …

• All in all, …

• In conclusion, …

• To wrap things up, …

Conceding a Point

• That’s true, however …

• I agree up to a point, but …

• You have a point, yet …

• I can see why you think that, but …

• Although I agree with some aspects, …

Offering Alternatives

• Instead, we could …

• Alternatively, …

• Another option might be …

• Have you considered …

• Perhaps we should look at …

Asking for Clarification

• Could you elaborate on …

• What do you mean by …

• Can you explain that further?

• I’m not sure I understand. Could you clarify?

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Embarrassed to go to the doctor?

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Have you ever been embarrassed to go to the doctor?

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Lesson Plan: How AI is Changing Education in the World

Grade Level: High School / College

Duration: 60 minutes

Objective:

You will understand how AI is transforming education globally, including its benefits, challenges, and future implications.

Video Presentation (10 minutes)

• Activity:

• What are the main ways AI is impacting education?

The impact cause a disruptive situation because all process of the learning will need change.

• Which example from the video stood out to you?

Maybe, when she told about the possibilities that have use of tecnology.

3. Case Studies (15 minutes)

Discussion: Benefits and Challenges (10 minutes)

• What are the benefits of AI in education?

The AI are democratic form for reserch and possibility for students for more access in information.

• What challenges or ethical issues might arise (e.g., privacy, bias)?

I belieave that the best problem can be trying of influence the mind of the people.

4. Future of AI in Education (10 minutes)

• Objective: Encourage students to think about the future implications of AI in education.

• Activity:

• Ask students to brainstorm how they think AI will evolve in education over the next decade.

• Prompt: “Imagine you’re an educator in 2035. How do you think AI will change your teaching methods and your students’ learning experiences?”

5. Assessment:

• Formative Assessment: Participation in discussions and group activities.

• Summative Assessment: A short reflective essay (300-500 words) on how students perceive the role of AI in the future of education.

homework:

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Should we let students use ChatGPT? | Natasha Berg | TEDxSioux Falls

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Here are some useful phrases and structures for giving recommendations and strong advice during your conversation about climate change:

Recommendations:

1. “It’s a good idea to…”

• Example: “It’s a good idea to recycle more to reduce waste.”

2. “You should…”

• Example: “You should try to use less water during a drought.”

3. “Why don’t you…”

• Example: “Why don’t you use public transportation to reduce your carbon footprint?”

4. “I recommend that you…”

• Example: “I recommend that you plant more trees to help the environment.”

5. “It might be helpful to…”

• Example: “It might be helpful to use energy-efficient appliances at home.”

Strong Advice:

1. “You must…”

• Example: “You must take action to prevent more severe climate change.”

2. “It’s essential to…”

• Example: “It’s essential to conserve water during dry seasons.”

3. “You have to…”

• Example: “You have to reduce plastic use to protect marine life.”

4. “It’s crucial that you…”

• Example: “It’s crucial that you support renewable energy initiatives.”

5. “You can’t ignore…”

• Example: “You can’t ignore the signs of climate change around us.”

How to Use Them in Class:

• Encourage your student to practice using these phrases by giving their own recommendations or advice related to climate change or any other topic of interest.

• You can also role-play scenarios where they need to give advice, such as helping a friend make eco-friendly choices.

Homework: write about a situation like challenges for surviving in emergency like natural disasters, are people ready to face disaster in your country? Like a fire, heavy rain or a flooding? Use the advices and recommendations.

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LA fires: What’s happening in Los Angeles, and what caused the wildfires?

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Everything you need to know about the blazes that have forced thousands to leave their homes.

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Watchet homes approved despite climate change concerns

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A housing estate in Watchet will now be completed after plans for 175 new homes were approved.

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Certainly! Drones have been advancing rapidly and are already transforming various aspects of our lives. Below is a summary of how drones can change our lives, categorized by key areas, including real-world applications and future possibilities:

1. Delivery Services

• How Drones Help:

• Drones can deliver small packages, food, and medical supplies faster than traditional methods.

• They are particularly useful in remote or hard-to-reach areas.

• Examples:

• Companies like Amazon and UPS are already testing drone deliveries for e-commerce.

• In Rwanda, drones deliver blood and medicine to rural hospitals.

• Impact:

• Faster delivery times.

• Reduced environmental impact compared to cars or trucks.

2. Agriculture and Farming

• How Drones Help:

• Drones can monitor crops, spray pesticides, and optimize irrigation.

• They use sensors to analyze soil quality, moisture, and crop health.

• Examples:

• Farmers use drones equipped with cameras to map fields and identify problems like pests or disease.

• Impact:

• Increased crop yields and better resource management.

• Reduced costs and environmental impact.

3. Search and Rescue Operations

• How Drones Help:

• Drones can access areas that are unsafe or difficult for humans, such as mountains, forests, or disaster zones.

• They can use thermal imaging cameras to locate missing people.

• Examples:

• In natural disasters (earthquakes, floods), drones deliver food and supplies.

• Emergency teams use drones to find survivors during search-and-rescue missions.

• Impact:

• Faster and safer rescue operations.

• Saving lives in critical situations.

4. Environmental Protection

• How Drones Help:

• Drones can monitor wildlife, detect illegal activities like poaching, and map deforestation.

Task: make your argumentation about the drones and the positive and negative aspects for it with your own words.

Drones are a technology that can be used for good or bad situations, so I think it is very important to regulate their use to avoid problems. Drones can be used positively in show business, transport choices, and development resources, but they can also be used negatively in war and for privacy violations.

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ELEVATION – HOW DRONES WILL CHANGE CITIES official trailer

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🗣️ Questions for Discussion:

• How has technology improved human relationships?

-> The technology got together with their people and conteted more people around the world.

• What are some negative impacts of technology on communication?

-> The best problem is becouse some times the people try replaced the fisical relationships for virtual relationships, its not good.

• Can online friendships be as meaningful as face-to-face ones? Why or why not?

-> Not, becouse every virtual relationships are superficial.

• Should there be limits on technology use in personal relationships?

-> Yes, this is necessary becouse some technology can rob our time.

🧠 Critical Thinking Activity:

• what’s your thought about family that uses technology during dinner, friends who only interact online, or coworkers relying on messaging apps).

->

Write footnotes about your thoughts:

🎥 Video summary:

-> The podcast talks about how technology has facilitated our studies, our day-to-day; how we use and adapt new technologies; from people who tech-savvy (understand a lot and manage well the new technological devices).

📝 Word bank:

Technology - new scientific things that make our life easier, such as smartphones and computers.

Tech-savvy - good at using technology.

Present simple - to talk about our technology habits, things we always do. For example, I use my phone way too much.

Present continuous - to talk about things we are doing at this moment in time.

✍️Writing Prompt:

“Write an essay about how technology has changed the way people connect with one another. Discuss both the advantages and disadvantages, and provide examples from your personal experiences or observations.”

->

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about technology

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Learn to talk about your technology habits

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Class 3  Cultural Awareness - Business Jargon 

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Class 3  Cultural Awareness - Business Jargon 

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What does these words mean to you?

Here are some of the most commonly used acronyms in English, categorized by usage type:

General Use and Everyday Communication

1. ASAP – as soon as possible

2. FYI – For Your Information

3. IDK – I Don’t Know

4. OMG – oh my god

5. BRB – Be Right Back

6. BTW – By The Way

7. TMI – Too Much Information

8. LOL – laughing out loud

9. ROFL – Rolling On the Floor Laughing

10. IMO/IMHO – In My Opinion / In My Humble Opinion

Speaking 🗣️

Are there any business phrases like this that you like, Hélio?

Do you like it or do you hate it?

Do you find this acronyms important in the work environment?

Writing ✍️

the use of acronyms and new phrases used by new generations on important documentation as CVs and forth.

I think that sometimes we should be formal with our communication, especially when you will be writing a professional text, for example on documents or CVs. But, I don't see a problem when people use the informal language to talk about random choices or their personal life.

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BBC Learning English - Business Jargon / What is jargon?

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Learn what business jargon is and how we use it

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Why friendships are key to living longer?

Word bank:

What’s your own message to friendship?

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Why friendships are key to living longer

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Friends are not just fun to be around, having a steady group of friends can help us live longer.

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After a long wait, Apple has finally released its artificial intelligence (AI) tools for iPhone - to a select few.

Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI tools announced in June, became available to owners of some iPhones around the world on Monday.

The new features include notification summaries, tools to assist users in writing messages, and a glowing new interface for virtual assistant Siri.

But they will only be available to people with the latest devices - including all iPhone 16 models, and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Apple Intelligence is also available on Mac computers and iPad tablets that are powered by its latest chips.

But some of the tools made available on Monday have arrived later than equivalent features on other popular devices.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the public release of its AI tools introduced "a new era" for its products.

It comes after the company said on Friday it would reward ethical hackers who could demonstrate vulnerabilities in its AI software with a bounty of up to $1m (£770,000).

The bundle of features released on Monday in its iOS 18.1 update are the first wave of AI tools previously shown off at Apple's summer developer conference.

More features expected later this year include generating images and emoji from text prompts.

Rival features

Google and Samsung have already introduced AI features to their devices.

These include allowing users to translate conversations in real-time, automatically organise notes, and search for something online by drawing a circle around it.

While initially making its Galaxy AI features available on its latest handsets, Samsung widened it to include S22 devices released in 2022.

The South Korean tech giant said in February it planned to introduce Galaxy AI for more than 100 million users within 2024.

Apple's new Clean Up tool, allowing people to remove unwanted objects or people from an image, also follows Google's previous release of a similar tool called Magic Eraser.

Mr Cook told the Wall Street Journal in October that the company was "perfectly fine with not being first", adding it "takes a while to get it really great".

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Apple Intelligence: AI features start to roll out to some iPhones

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The new features include notification summaries and tools to assist users in writing messages.

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for work

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It’s time to put in some effort to learn these phrasal verbs

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obsolete
no longer in use, having been replaced by something newer, better or more fashionable

if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
(idiom) used to say that if something is working satisfactorily, there is no reason to try to change it

clockwork
machinery using metal springs and wheels which move when wound up with a key

QWERTY
the traditional typewriter arrangement of keys in which the top line begins with the letters q,w,e,r, t and y

verbatim
using exactly the same words as were originally used

stick with
continue using or doing something

used to

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Tech that refuses to die

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Technology is always changing! Or is it...?

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be into (something)
have an interest in something

Many teenagers nowadays are into gaming and spend hours playing with friends.

take (something) up
start participating in an activity

During retirement, Mr Johnson took up gardening to stay active and spend time outdoors.

read up on (something)
learn about something through reading

Before starting his business, Jack spent weeks reading up on entrepreneurship.

brush up on (something)
improve your existing skills that may be a bit weak

Mark did a refresher course to brush up on his accounting skills before starting his new job.

work on (something)
put effort and concentration into doing something

She needs to work on her time management so she can meet deadlines more easily.

fall behind
progress more slowly than others doing the same activity

Because of her illness, Sarah fell behind in her coursework.

catch up (on something)
spend extra time doing something because you did not do it earlier

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for education

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If you’re into phrasal verbs, you’re in the right place!

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Summary:

Word bank:

attention span
the length of time that someone can keep their thoughts concentrated and fixed on one thing

(do something) for the joy of it
do an activity simply for the pleasure of doing it, rather than as a means to gain something else

on the surface level
quickly and superficially looking at what can be easily understood, rather than understanding the full depth of something

analogy
comparison between things that have similar features

inference
guess, opinion or conclusion that you make based on the information you already have

skimming
reading rapidly in order to get a general overview of the text being read

Discuss what can be better after all reading on a screen or reading on paper?

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Try more episodes of 6 Minute English:
Introduction

What makes reading from a book better than reading from a screen? Phil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some useful vocabulary.

This week's question

How many words does the average person read a day? Is it:

Listen to the programme to hear the answer.

Vocabulary

attention span
the length of time that someone can keep their thoughts concentrated and fixed on one thing

(do something) for the joy of it
do an activity simply for the pleasure of doing it, rather than as a means to gain something else

on the surface level
quickly and superficially looking at what can be easily understood, rather than understanding the full depth of something

analogy
comparison between things that have similar features

inference
guess, opinion or conclusion that you make based on the information you already have

skimming
reading rapidly in order to get a general overview of the text being read
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Phil
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Phil.

Georgie
And I'm Georgie. For me, there's nothing like reading a book - I love turning the pages and the smell of the paper. But nowadays, the fact is that much of the time we read from electronic screens, not paper.

Phil
Yes. Like Georgie, I love books. I also find that too much screen time hurts my eyes. But the availability of digital information means that I end up reading from screens most days.

Phil
Great, but first it's time for my question. Whether you prefer paper or screens, as humans we're now reading more words than ever before. So how many words does the average person read a day? Is it:

a) 50,000 words?
b) 100,000 words? or,
c) 200,000 words?

Georgie
I'll guess it's 50,000 words a day.

OK, Georgie, we'll find out the correct answer later in the programme. Of course, there's little doubt that any kind of reading is good for you. Here's Cressida Cowell, author of the How to Train Your Dragon children's books, speaking with BBC Ideas:

Cressida talks about the importance of reading for the joy of it. When you do an activity for the joy of it, you do it simply for the pleasure of doing it, rather than as a way to gain something else.

Phil
Cressida lists the many benefits of reading for children, including economic success in later life. But many of these benefits depend on a state known as 'deep reading' - analysing a text to understand its deeper meaning. And in test after test, researchers have shown that 'deep reading' skills develop better when kids read from books.

Georgie
Professor Maryanne Wolf is a teacher, and advocate for children's literacy around the world. Here, she explains more about 'deep reading' to BBC Ideas:

Professor Maryanne Wolf
When we read at a surface level, we're just getting the information. When we read deeply, we use much more of our cerebral cortex. Deep reading means that we make analogies, we make inferences, which allows us to be truly critical, analytic, empathic, human beings.

[...]

The reality is, it's not what, or how much we read but how we read, that's really important. The very volume is having negative effects because to absorb that much, there's a propensity towards skimming.

Professor Wolf's research shows that reading from screens encourages reading at the surface level - quickly and superficially looking at what can be easily understood. Reading books, on the other hand, activates different areas of the brain, allowing a reader to develop positive traits like empathy, and to understand the deeper level of a book, including analogies and inferences. An analogy is a comparison between things that have similar features. For example, you might talk about the human heart using the analogy of a pump.

An inference is a guess, opinion, or conclusion that you make based on the information you already have. For example, seeing smoke in the distance you would make an inference that there's fire. It's these types of deeper, more subtle understanding that we get from reading books.

Georgie
And I guessed it was 50,000 words.

An analogy is a comparison between things that have similar features, for example, a human heart and a pump. And an inference is a guess or conclusion that you make based on the information you already have, like inferring fire from seeing smoke.

Georgie
Bye!

For more interesting topics from BBC Ideas, click here.

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Why read books, not screens?

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Why is it better to read from a book than a screen?

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Lesson 2: Leading change for women and girls

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Geetha Murali, CEO, Room to Read
One of the Topical Talk Leadership For Change Prize 2024 experts.

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Is there any ending for violence against women and girls?

What does Authority do to stop this abuse of women, men and children?

What about schools must be abolished to talk about it?

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Digital posters are being used to promote the Taking Action campaign across Merseyside

A police force has said it was "staggered" to learn how many women would not report sexual violence if they suffered it.

Merseyside Police said of 4,000 women it spoke to 71% of women still lived in fear of sexual assault and 69% said they would not report an incident to the police.

The figures were revealed as the force launched its Taking Action campaign, aimed at encouraging women and girls to report incidents, improve the system for reporting offences and put a greater focus on helping victims.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy and Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said the campaign was about ensuring there was a constant dialogue with women and girls.

Emily Spurrell said she wanted to ensure women and girls were getting "the right response"

Ms Spurrell said: "The statistics set out in this campaign are hard-hitting and show the scale of the issue right here in Merseyside.

"They are stark, but they are sadly not surprising."

She said women's voices "must be at the heart of our work to prevent, reduce and tackle the violence and abuse they face in our communities, day in day out".

"It's vital we continue to listen to them so we can effectively build on the work that has already been delivered but crucially, to ensure we are taking the right action to protect them, bring perpetrators justice and provide the support they need," she said.

She added she wanted to reassure women and girls that "if they do experience something then the police wants to know about it".

"We want to make sure that women and girls are getting the right response," she said, adding the force "takes these issues incredibly seriously".

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Merseyside Police says too few women would report sex crime

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Merseyside Police says of 4,000 women it spoke to, 69% say they would not report an incident.

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Vocabulary

drain
remove the liquid from something by pouring it out or letting it flow away

cling
stick or hold onto something very tightly

kick-start
make something start to happen or develop more quickly

manipulate
skilfully use or control something

down the line
at some unspecified point in the future

only time will tell
(idiom) the real results of something happening now will not be known until some time in the future

Summarize the podcast:

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Saving water in the driest place on Earth

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How do farmers in the driest place on Earth manage to grow crops? With this solution!

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Agreement or disagreement:

phrases:

I agree with you/ with the topic/ with the fact/

I don’t agree with you/ I don’t think this is right/

Summary:

The podcast talked about the problem with the relationship between kids and social media. Its a global problem, so affect all communities, because we are not aware to pose limits for social media on our life. The situation of the children is worse because they are on process of learning and development mind, so the social media can be more prejudicial for them.

New words: make a list of the new words and choose 3 words to create a context.

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Keeping kids off smartphones

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Australia plans kids’ social media ban

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Word bank:

Enough is enough

spit your dummy out = react in a childish way

ban

lack

Your argumentation:

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BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / Australia plans kids’ social media ban

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Australian Prime Minister announces plans to ban children from social media sites

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Sentences to summarize the podcast:

Vocabulary:

How do you deal conflict at work:

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Image: Getty

Introduction

We don't always agree with people at work. But we still need to get the job done. In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about how to stay polite and professional at work when conflict arises.

TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is a transcript of a spoken conversation and is not a word-for-word script.

Pippa
Sometimes at work we disagree with our colleagues.

Voicenote clips
I definitely think that everyone's ideas are worth something and it's definitely worth disagreeing with your peers.

Generally, I don't like confrontation and sometimes I worry if I disagree with someone, they might think I'm criticising them as a person.

There's this idea that people with authority always have things right, you know, impostor syndrome.

Phil
Today on Office English, we're talking about how you can keep things professional when disagreements happen at work.

Pippa
Hello and welcome to Office English from BBC Learning English, your podcast guide to the language of the office. In each episode, we talk about business English that will help you succeed in your career. I'm Pippa.

Phil
And I'm Phil. And in this episode we're talking about disagreements at work. Of course we never disagree, do we Pippa?

Pippa
No, we never disagree. We never have a crossed word. But different opinions at work, aren't always a bad thing, Phil. Sometimes you want different perspectives on a problem. Sometimes you want to hear what other people have to say, even if you don't agree. The problem I guess comes when a disagreement gets in the way of the work getting done.

Phil
Today we're going to talk about how to express your opinion, disagree politely and if necessary, complain about a colleague at work, all while staying professional of course.

Pippa
And it's important to say that we're speaking from a British cultural context. So in Britain, we like to think of ourselves as quite polite. We're quite indirect when it comes to conflict. So we don't like to say straight to somebody's face that we disagree with them or that we think that their idea is rubbish. So that's what we have to think about when we're having this discussion, Phil.

Phil
Yes as always, do think about the context in which you work. Think about how direct people are comfortable being with each other.

Phil
So, Pippa. Let's imagine there's a decision that needs to be made at work and we have a strong opinion about it. How do we share that opinion?

Pippa
So we could say something like my feeling is we need to... So that's quite polite. You're not saying, 'We must do this'. You're making it clear what your opinion is but you're saying, my feeling is that we need to... do something like this.

Phil
Yes, this is a very common way of saying it. Yeah it's that idea of this is what I think but of course other people might think different things. You're allowing the possibility that someone else might have a different opinion. It's not the same as just saying 'we have to do this, we need to do this', it's saying, 'This is what I think. But you might think differently'.

Phil
This definitely sounds like something a manager will say when they're trying to bring a meeting back on topic or a discussion back. They'll say, 'Well look, these are the priorities. Whatever you suggest needs to do this, this and this. So why don't we try this'.

Phil
Yes, but again as... as before you're acknowledging that there are other opinions.

Pippa
OK, so we have given our opinion, but let's imagine that we have a colleague who is trying to persuade everybody to make a decision that we think is a terrible idea. What would we do then, Phil?

Phil
OK so this first one I think we often say something like Hmm, I'm not sure about that, I think... So we're not just saying 'I think that idea is terrible'. We're saying that you've got doubts about it, you're saying that your opinion is that you think there might be a problem with this approach.

Pippa
I couldn't say, Phil. Yes, I like this because you're being quite direct about disagreeing with someone, you're saying I have to disagree with you. But you're saying I'm sorry and you're saying I have to disagree. So it sort of makes it more professional. It's less of a personal disagreement because you have to disagree, you don't want to disagree. It's more of a matter of principle.

Phil
So we have some good options for disagreeing. But what if the person we disagree with becomes unprofessional and prevents the work from getting done? Is there anything we can do here, Pippa?

Pippa
So it depends. If you have a colleague who keeps getting in the way of things or ignores the decisions being made by the company, you could consider complaining to someone more senior, so your boss or your manager. You'll have to think really carefully about whether it's a good idea. This will depend on the seriousness of what's happened and also the kind of company that you work in. It might be a better idea just to talk to the person directly, but sometimes you just aren't getting anywhere, it's a really big issue and it's causing problems for your work and for the company, so you have to complain.

If you're gonna complain, you might use a phrase like I'm finding it difficult to work effectively because... What do you think of that, Phil?

Phil
Well, it's a very common way of saying this and the reason that it works is because the focus is on you, on why your work is difficult, rather than the focus being directly on the other person's behaviour. Although, obviously, you are going to mention that. But it, kind of, it tries to reduce the conflict by pointing out the consequences of what the other person is doing.

Phil
Yes I think, by focusing on the consequences, it reduces the possibility of it just becoming too personal. You're just saying, 'Look, it's about our customers or it's about the work that we need to do'. And that's where the focus needs to be really.

Pippa
Yeah, and not everybody gets on as well as we do Phil so, you know, sometimes you'll have to work with people you don't get on with, but it is really about whether or not you can do the work. And if the work can't get done, then you probably need to look at what the problem is and how you can solve it.

Phil
Hopefully, with these phrases, you can keep disagreements professional and avoid having to complain. But conflict at work is difficult, as we heard from our BBC Learning English colleagues at the start of the podcast.

Voicenote clips
Generally, I don't like confrontation and sometimes I worry if I disagree with someone they might think I'm criticising them as a person.

There's this idea that people with authority always have things right, you know, impostor syndrome.

Phil
Yes, it can be difficult with impostor syndrome, because there's two sides to this. You get people who are not very confident, but they are competent, and that's usually when people have impostor syndrome. But you also get the opposite, you get some people who are really confident, but maybe they're not so good at their job. And if you're the person who's not that confident, it can be really difficult to stand up against another colleague who's really confident, even though you think they're doing everything wrong.

So, again, as we've said, it's about reading the situation, trying to be confident in your opinions if you think they're gonna make the company better, make the work better, but also recognising when it's a good idea not to voice an opinion.

Phil
Yes. And actually that's a really important skill. Look at the place where you work, look at how people deal with conflict. Are they very direct in criticising each other? Or are they a lot more indirect, do they try and not get very personal with it or perhaps go through third people? Have a look at it and see what the context is where you work.

Pippa
That's it for this episode of Office English. Remember, you can find more programmes and activities to help you with your English at work on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

Phil
Next time, we'll be talking about the language of negotiating at work.

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BBC Learning English - Office English / Conflict

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What are the benefits of working collaboratively and how can we work together more effectively?

Word bank:

Grammar input:

Discussion: what other things do you think can help with collaboration with a team?

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discussion:

What kinds of tasks do you think you should or shouldn’t delegate?

word bank:

leadership - burnout - overworked - to arise - to oversee - to hand over - valuable - grow - to discourage -

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for money

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Phrasal verbs mentioned

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Free worksheet
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

Georgie teaches you some phrasal verbs that can be used to talk about money.

Phrasal verbs mentioned

fork out
spend a lot reluctantly

I forked out a large part of my savings for my cat's medical bills this month.

splash out (on)
spend a lot enthusiastically

After our wedding, we splashed out on a safari in South Africa for our honeymoon.

pay (someone) back
return money that you borrowed from someone

My dream is to pay my parents back for all the money they spent on my education.

run out of
spend all your money, leaving nothing left

Unfortunately, we ran out of money before we finished building the shed, and we couldn't pay for more materials.

live on
have a particular amount of money that you use to buy the essentials

Since retiring, my grandparents are able to live on their state pensions.

get by
live with difficulty with the money you have

I get by with my salary, but I don't have enough to save up or treat myself to luxuries.

save up
accumulate your money by not spending it, usually for a purpose

My sister is saving up to buy a house.
TOP TIPS!

If you see the word 'something', it usually means the verb requires an object.

If 'something' is in the middle of the phrasal verb, it means that it can be separated by the object (but doesn't have to be).

If 'something' is at the end of the phrasal verb, it means it cannot be separated.

When a pronoun, e.g. him, her, them, is the object of a separable phrasal verb, it must go between the verb and the particle.

To do
Practise by using the worksheet on this page.
NEXT Prepositions with Georgie
Try our other vocabulary programmes

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for money

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Learn these common and useful phrasal verbs about money

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how do you build trust at work?

words related: TRUST =

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is it difficult to give bad news at work? how do you deal with it ?

sometimes is difficult because i have a good expectative but it' s not always the case. Frustration is stronger for me and the clients, for that reason i need to deal with the reality.

phrases and sentence to introduce bad news:

1. i would like talking about a bad situation, unfortunately we decided to make cuts because your position has been sacked.

2. the company is passing through a difficult time and we are making efficiencies.

3.unfortunately, your role is being made redundant

4. i am sorry you've reached a certain age and you are not longer accepted to do the job.

5. i am very sorry to say but ........

How people can tell bad news at work and how normally people are dealing with this situations, they mention as well how people put this into the relationship and sometimes is not like that.

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Image: Getty

Introduction

Nobody likes to talk about bad news. But sometimes at work, we have to. Do you know the phrases your boss might use to give you bad news? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about how to understand bad news and deliver it to other people.

TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is a transcript of a spoken conversation and is not a word-for-word script.

Phil
Sometimes we have to give or receive bad news at work.

Voicenote Clips
Even if you're really, kind of, grown up about it, it's still a difficult thing to hear. So to give that information is equally difficult, I'd say.

It's important to remember that you're talking to a real person and this bad news is going to affect them in a personal way, and you have to take that into account rather than just following business kind of speak.

Pippa
In this episode of Office English, we're talking about the language of bad news.

Phil
Welcome to Office English, the podcast where we discuss business language to help you succeed at work.

Pippa
Today we're talking about bad news. Nobody likes talking about bad news, right Phil? But sometimes at work we have to.

Phil
OK you're talking about bad news. What do we mean by bad news at work? What things can be bad news at work?

Pippa
So it's things that might affect your job in a bad way. So it might be a company-wide problem, maybe financial difficulties, decisions have to be made about what people can afford ,what jobs are going to remain and who might be losing their job. Or it might be something more specific to you, so your manager might need to give you bad news about a report you've written, or some work you've done, or something that's happened in your department that affects you.

And when people give bad news, they often don't like doing it and so they'll often use something which we call a business euphemism. And that means sort of a word or a phrase which sounds innocent, sounds harmless, but actually could mean something quite bad or serious. So they're trying to hide the bad news from you or make it sound like a positive thing, when it might actually be bad for your future at the company.

Pippa
Right, let's start with recognising bad news. How do managers talk about problems at work, Phil? What phrases should we look out for?

Phil
You mean fewer things like fewer people sometimes?

Pippa
Yeah, I think it probably is a metaphor.

Phil
Yeah, so a lot of these, I mean they don't have to be, but they often do mean that there's gonna be fewer people working at the place that you work, which could be bad news. And these euphemisms carry on because we actually have euphemisms that specifically mean people losing their jobs, but we perhaps don't want to say that. So we can talk about downsizing. How is downsizing made? Where's that coming from?

Pippa
Another one we use is restructuring. So the word restructuring, changing the structure of something, we might not think that wouldn't necessarily mean that there would be people losing their jobs, but it usually does. Restructuring is a euphemism for 'We are going through a process where there will be fewer people working here'.

Phil
And then we have some words are specifically about people losing their jobs. We've got redundancies and layoffs. What's... what's a redundancy? What's the difference between being made redundant and getting sacked for example?

Pippa
So, being sacked is when you lose your job because of something you've done or because of your performance at work, usually. Whereas being made redundant, in the UK we have a very formal process for redundancies. It is basically where a company has to decide that they need to make their workforce smaller and so some people need to lose their jobs, but it's not their fault. So being made redundant just means that your role won't exist anymore, your job won't exist anymore and the company makes that decision, but it's not something that you've done. It's just something that's kind of outside of your control, really.

Pipp
This is sort of a phrase that we used to say that somebody has to lose their job, it's another one of these euphemisms. To let someone go is almost, sounds like you're doing them a favour. When actually, you're saying that they can't work here any more for various reasons. So to l et someone go means to make them redundant, so that they lose their job.

Phil
Right so, we now know some words to talk about bad news at work. But imagine we're the ones giving the bad news. What else do we need to say?

If you have to do it yourself, it's not a nice thing to do, probably the best way is to start by being honest. So say something like we've had to make some tough decisions and after a long and careful review we have decided that... So that's showing that you've taken the decision that you are about to communicate very seriously, you're taking this whole conversation seriously.

Phil
And it's often good at this moment to, yeah, avoid cliches. So things like 'oh, look on the bright side'. I mean, there could be nice sentiment behind it, but if it's a cliche, it sort of suggests you haven't really been thinking about it and you haven't... you don't really mean it. So do try to make sure when you're talking to someone, sound like you mean what you say. Don't just use the same old, tired cliches.

Pippa
Yeah. And you probably don't want to just try and cheer them up. Your natural instinct when you speak to someone and they're upset is to try and cheer them up, but they probably don't want to hear that from the person that has given them the bad news or that they might see as responsible for their misfortune. So yeah, it's a really difficult thing to do, basically.

Phil
Unfortunately, even if you're calm and sympathetic with bad news, people can still be upset. Let's hear again from our BBC Learning English colleagues.

Voicenote clips
It's important to remember that you're talking to a real person and this bad news is going to affect them in a personal way, and you have to take that into account rather than just following business kind of speak.

I think there's a temptation to say to someone that something isn't maybe as bad as it is. And that makes the whole situation even more difficult, I think. You need to be upfront with someone even if it's difficult because otherwise you're just kicking that can down the road and they'll have to deal with a possibly even bigger problem later on.

Phil
It's a metaphor and it means that instead of dealing with something that you need to deal with now, you put it off until some time in the future. But if we go back to the metaphor, instead of picking the can up and throwing in the bin, you're kicking it further down the road so you'll just have to do it later on when you get to it.

Pippa
Yeah I think that's a good idea. So start the conversation and warn someone that they're about to hear something bad, is probably a good way to start off. Don't start the conversation with a nice chit chat and a really friendly conversation because they'll just think it's a normal meeting and then, you know, the bad news comes and shocks them even more.

That's it for this episode of Office English. Hopefully, you won't have any bad news at work soon. But if you do these phrases can help you communicate.

Phil
If you like this podcast you can find more programmes and activities to help you with your English at bbclearningenglish.com.

Pippa
Next time, we'll be talking about how to deal with disagreements at work.

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BBC Learning English - Office English / Bad news

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Learn how to talk about bad news at work

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What do you understand by the word phrase Agile working?

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why do you think is important to sell yourself nowadays?

Our tools and achievements and abilities are the form that I can help other persons and for impacting the world. So, selling yourself is talked about the important aspect of your life, about your history and about your vision, because its important. We need to do it normally and consistent every day. The consequence of it is that you can be more remembered as a good solution for other people.

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Image: Getty

Introduction

It's important to be able to talk about our achievements at work. How do you talk about your strengths? What are interview questions really asking? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about phrases for selling yourself at work and when to use them.
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is a transcript of a spoken conversation and is not a word-for-word script.

Pippa
How good are you at talking about your achievements?

Voicenote clips
I find it really painful to say, 'Oh, yeah. I'm really good at this' or 'I did a really good job at that.' I even find it embarrassing and painful to be told that, even if somebody thinks that I have done a good job.

I definitely think it's important to be able to sell yourself at work, not only for your managers and your bosses and even your colleagues to have confidence in you and your work and what you're able to produce, but also to give yourself that confidence.

Pippa
Hello and welcome to Office English from BBC Learning English. I'm Pippa.

Phil
And I'm Phil. In this podcast we discuss the language you need to help you succeed at work.

Pippa
OK, let's begin with how to talk about your strengths. What phrases can we use, Phil?

Phil
OK, so we have some ways to start talking about the positives, but in a job interview an employer might be looking for more evidence of the things that you're good at. What's the best approach here, Pippa?

Phil
Yeah, I think numbers and things like this are really good. Details are really important because anyone can go in and say 'I'm brilliant. Give me a job!' But here you're giving specific reasons, you're saying 'this happened, it happened by this much and that was a result of my actions'. You're... you're giving evidence as to why you would be good at a job.

Phil
Yes and it gives the hiring manager an idea of what kind of difference you could make to their organisation.

Pippa
And these phrases and examples would work the same in a conversation with your manager like an appraisal, which is where you talk about the work that you've done and talk about your goals for the future.

So we've got lots of ways to talk about our strengths. But when's the best time to do it? When we're in a job interview or an appraisal, sometimes it's not clear what the best answers are, Phil.

Phil
Yes and so other questions that you might be asked could be things like how did you feel about... a particular situation. Or maybe it's they've asked you about a mistake and they're asking you how did you feel about that? or how did you react to it? And it's not really asking about your feelings, it's asking what you've learnt from that situation, how you developed.

Pippa
Yeah. So what people want to know when they're asking these kinds of questions is how you might react in the future. So if you came across the same problem in the job today, you know, how might you be different, what have you learned. And often people ask about mistakes and that can be quite stressful because you don't really want to say 'I did this thing wrong', but yes, it is an opportunity to talk about how you've learned something.

Phil
In fact, a lot of these questions, you're basically telling a story about yourself, but a story that shows why you're really good for this job.

Pippa
Yeah and it's kind of the same even when you're already in a job, you're talking with your manager, you're reviewing your work. It's really about being able to tell the right kind of story about things that you've done and what you want to achieve in the future.

Voicenote clips
I find it really painful to say 'Oh, yeah, I'm really good at this' or 'I did a really good job that.' I even find it embarrassing and painful to be told that, even if somebody thinks that I have done a good job.

I had one instance where I was asked to introduce myself and talk about my work experience in a meeting and so I did that and my boss said that actually, I was being very modest about my achievements in a particular area and I, as a response, made it seem very negative. I said, 'Oh, no, no. It's this. It's this. Oh, this is really bad. This is really bad' when there was no need for that.

Pippa
Yeah so it's a balance between being modest and being able to boast or talk about your achievements to sell yourself. It could be different in different companies and different cultures, as we always say, but in a job interview probably you don't want to be too modest, you want to be able to sell yourself!

Phil
Well, that's the end of this episode of Office English.

Pippa
And the end of the series.

Phil
We'll be back soon with more programmes to help you with your business English. But for now, we'd love to hear from you. Have you enjoyed this series? Are there any situations at work where you would like help with your English?

Pippa
Perhaps you would like more tips on applying for and getting a job in English. Or maybe you'd like to hear from some successful entrepreneurs. Email us your suggestions and questions to learning.english@bbc.co.uk and we will do our best to cover your problem in a future episode.

Phil
And remember, there's loads more ways to improve your English with BBC Learning English. You can check out another of our podcasts, 6 Minute English, or head to our website for courses and activities: bbclearningenglish.com

Pippa
Thanks for listening to Office English. Bye for now!

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BBC Learning English - Office English / Selling yourself

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Learn how to talk about your achievements

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 36 / Activity 1

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When do we use if and when do we use whether?

Let's take a look.

The simple rule is that with conditional sentences we use if, and when we have two options, we use whether.
If I get hungry, I'll have a snack. But I don't know whether to have an apple or a biscuit.
When asking an indirect yes/ no question, we can use either if or whether - both are correct.
Do you know if the apples are fresh? Do you know whether the biscuits are any good?
Whether is maybe a little bit more formal, but with both questions there are only two possible answers - yes or no.

Why don't you try now!

Write us a question or a sentence using if or whether in the comments to practise.

We love hearing from you.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 36 / Activity 1

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Learn when use ‘if’ and when to use ‘whether’

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 35 / Activity 1

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James

Hi everyone, James here.

We're going to take a look at some quick and easy ways to agree with other people's opinions.

If someone says something positive that you agree with, you can say so do I or so am I.

You can also say me too!

However, when somebody says something negative with the word not for example, we use the word neither or neither. Neither do I, or Neither am I.
I don't go to the cinema very often. I'm not very well at the moment.
Neither am I.
Neither do I.
We can also just say me neither!

So, to agree with something positive, you use the word so, but to agree with something negative, we use neither or neither.

Thanks for joining us, everybody.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 35 / Activity 1

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James Hi everyone, James here. We're going to take a look at some quick and easy ways to agree with other people's opinions. If someone says something positive that you agree with, you can say so do I or so am I. You can also say me too!

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 3 / Session 8 / Activity 1

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can mean lots of things and be used in lots of different contexts! Let's look at some common uses.

Meaning number one. Through can mean from one side or end of something to the other. This is about place or a physical space.

We pushed through the crowd to get to the front.

Meaning number two. Through can mean from the beginning to the end of a period. This is about time.

We sang and danced through the whole concert.

Meaning number three. Through can be similar in meaning to 'using' .

We were lucky to get last-minute tickets through a friend.

And meaning number four. Through can also mean 'finished' or 'completed'.

We were exhausted but happy when the concert was through!

And we, too, are through with this lesson.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 3 / Session 8 / Activity 1

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Sam Through can mean lots of things and be used in lots of different contexts! Let’s look at some common uses.

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 class 3 : write the expressions from this episode.

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 class 3 : write the expressions from this episode.

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summary: the phrases used during a negotiation are part of this podcast.

i prepared myself to negotiate, i prepare a plan for negotiating.

i negotiate for my clients, specially couples about their goods

Phrases for negotiation:

how is to negotiate in your country? is it easy or difficult?

in general is difficult because in Brazil the people normally mix the feelings/ sentiments and they don't get to separate their emotions of themselves and objective goals.

how do you negotiate?

before starting the negotiation i think about the best strategy and i talk about it with my client for getting the best results.

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Image: Getty

Introduction

It can be stressful to make sure you get the best price for something. Do you know how to open a negotiation? How can we be firm and professional in a negotiation? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about negotiating at work.

TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is a transcript of a spoken conversation and is not a word-for-word script.

Phil
Sometimes at work, we need to be able to negotiate.

Voicenote clips
I guess the important thing is to be sure of what you actually want. So you don't wanna come away feeling that you've negotiated badly.

I find negotiating very awkward because my main instinct is to be polite and kind. So I find it quite difficult to be direct in what I want.

Pippa
Today on Office English, we're talking about the language of negotiating.

Phil
Hello and welcome to Office English from BBC Learning English. I'm Phil.

Pippa
And I'm Pippa. And in this podcast we discuss the business English that you can use to do well at work.

Phil
Today, we're talking about negotiations. This means discussions which we use to get what we want. So, for example, if we wanted to buy a car, we might negotiate with the sales person to get the best price.

Pippa
OK, so do you ever negotiate at work, Phil.

Phil
Sometimes, yes, particularly when there's someone who we might need to do some work for us and we have to make sure that we get a good price for the department.

Pippa
Yeah, so we tend to negotiate at work even if it's not a big part of our job. So, if you're a salesperson or you're dealing with customers a lot, you might have to negotiate all the time at work. But even if you don't, you might need to negotiate now and then when you're asking for a price for something.

Or even in your own role, so if you're asking for something from your boss or if you're starting a new job, you need to talk about how much you're going to get paid, what your hours would be, you'd been negotiating with them about that. And the way that people negotiate, especially in business deals between different companies, differs around the world and depending on the situation.

But today, we'll talk about some phrases for negotiating that are familiar in the UK context.

Phil
So, first up, how do we start a negotiation, Pippa?

Pippa
So, in Britain, there's usually some politeness or small talk, and we talked about small talk in a previous episode. But once you've kind of said hello, had a chat with the person, then you might say something like Right! let's talk about the price or let's get down to business is a nice phrase.

Pippa
Yeah, and in some contexts you wouldn't need to have the chit chat part at the beginning. You might just go straight in and say 'OK, we're talking about this product and we need to talk about the price of it' and you don't need to have the small talk. But in the UK we tend to do that.

And then probably what you want to do is make your opening offer. So you might say I'm looking for... ten pounds for this or I think my work is worth... four hundred pounds, for instance.

Phil
Yes and of course, because it's a negotiation, you're probably going to ask for more than what you'd actually accept.

OK, so we've started the negotiation. But how do we try and persuade the other person to give us what we want? Are there any phrases that we can use, Phil?

Phil
Yeah so, if you want somebody to increase the amount they'll pay you for something, then you could say something like we've got to cover our costs and cover your costs means that you need to earn enough to pay for what it would cost to do something.

Pippa
Yes, you're using 'we' so you're sort of negotiating on behalf of the company rather than on behalf of yourself. And both of these phrases we've got to cover our costs and we have to be realistic about the budget are still kind of friendly. So it's not actually an argument when you're negotiating, it's more of a discussion.

Phil
Ok and we've talked a lot about negotiating with someone from another company, but actually sometimes you have to negotiate with people in your company and in fact, sometimes you have to negotiate with your boss, particularly about how much you get paid. So you might want to use phrases like Well, other people in my position earn... this much or I've taken on lots of responsibility without more pay.

Pippa
Yes, and it's probably useful to say that it will depend on your company as to whether there is an opportunity to talk about your pay and to negotiate it. Some companies don't like that, some do, it really depends. But yes, giving evidence for why you want more money would be a useful thing to do.

Phil
Right, so we have some ways to try and persuade the other person in a negotiation. Let's imagine that after haggling for a while, we're ready to accept the price or offer. How do we end a negotiation?

Pippa
Well, we could be quite informal and we could say OK, we can go with five pounds. So we can go with means we'll accept that amount. Or you could be more formal, you could say something like I'm happy to accept five pounds, thank you very much. And then one thing that I think is useful is to try and sort of maintain the business relationship. So you've not just gone there to get the best price possible, but you also want to kind of continue a working relationship with the person. So you could say something like I look forward to working with you or it was great doing business with you. What do you think about that, Phil?

Phil
Yes, I think this is quite nice because negotiations can sometimes get a little bit tense. So it's quite good to bring everything back to a kind of friendly tone at the end.

Pippa
Negotiations can be difficult, especially if we're not used to persuading other people to do something. Let's hear again from our BBC Learning English colleagues.

Voicenote clips
I guess the important thing is to be sure of what you actually want. So you don't want to come away feeling that you've negotiated badly.

I find negotiating very awkward because my main instinct is to be polite and kind. So I find it quite difficult to be direct in what I want.

Phil
Yeah, I think it's different, isn't it. I mean, if you do it all the time as part of your job, if you're a salesperson or you're involved in things like that then I guess it's a lot easier, you get used to it. But in a lot of jobs we don't do a lot of negotiating.

Pippa
Yeah and that's why I think we're nervous to do it. But as we said, if you try and remain friendly and try and kind of make the conversation less of an argument and more of a discussion then that's a good way to kind of try and get your, your opinion across. And one thing that is really important that we haven't talked about is it's good to be clear with yourself about what you want before you start the negotiation, what you would be willing to accept as a high or low point. Otherwise, you could get carried away and pay far too much or accept far too little for something. So yeah, think before about what are you wanting to get out of a negotiation, so that you don't kind of go in and end up with something you didn't want.

Phil
That's it for this episode of Office English. Remember, you can find courses and activities to help you with your English at work on our website, bbclearningenglish.com

Pippa
Next time, we're talking about how to talk about your achievements at work and sell yourself.

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BBC Learning English - Office English / Negotiating

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how to avoid conflicts at work and use the right sentences;

We don't always agree with people at work. But we still need to get the job done.  In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about how to stay polite and professional at work when conflict arises.

sentences to remember about the podcast:

my feeling is that we need to

i think you have a good point but in this instance...

maybe i think we can think different because

i understood your mind but maybe can be better to...

i acknowledged your point of view but i think is better...

cultural behavior from companies abroad. is brazil different when disagree with companies abroad? write your point of view.

Their culture differ between companies made in Brazil than companies from others countries are so clean and clear, so people of Brazil have more difficulty for separating a profesional and personal life, and is normally they mix a lot of feelings about a decision, when it really exists only a work problem.

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Image: Getty

Introduction

We don't always agree with people at work. But we still need to get the job done. In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about how to stay polite and professional at work when conflict arises.

TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is a transcript of a spoken conversation and is not a word-for-word script.

Pippa
Sometimes at work we disagree with our colleagues.

Voicenote clips
I definitely think that everyone's ideas are worth something and it's definitely worth disagreeing with your peers.

Generally, I don't like confrontation and sometimes I worry if I disagree with someone, they might think I'm criticising them as a person.

There's this idea that people with authority always have things right, you know, impostor syndrome.

Phil
Today on Office English, we're talking about how you can keep things professional when disagreements happen at work.

Pippa
Hello and welcome to Office English from BBC Learning English, your podcast guide to the language of the office. In each episode, we talk about business English that will help you succeed in your career. I'm Pippa.

Phil
And I'm Phil. And in this episode we're talking about disagreements at work. Of course we never disagree, do we Pippa?

Pippa
No, we never disagree. We never have a crossed word. But different opinions at work, aren't always a bad thing, Phil. Sometimes you want different perspectives on a problem. Sometimes you want to hear what other people have to say, even if you don't agree. The problem I guess comes when a disagreement gets in the way of the work getting done.

Phil
Today we're going to talk about how to express your opinion, disagree politely and if necessary, complain about a colleague at work, all while staying professional of course.

Pippa
And it's important to say that we're speaking from a British cultural context. So in Britain, we like to think of ourselves as quite polite. We're quite indirect when it comes to conflict. So we don't like to say straight to somebody's face that we disagree with them or that we think that their idea is rubbish. So that's what we have to think about when we're having this discussion, Phil.

Phil
Yes as always, do think about the context in which you work. Think about how direct people are comfortable being with each other.

Phil
So, Pippa. Let's imagine there's a decision that needs to be made at work and we have a strong opinion about it. How do we share that opinion?

Pippa
So we could say something like my feeling is we need to... So that's quite polite. You're not saying, 'We must do this'. You're making it clear what your opinion is but you're saying, my feeling is that we need to... do something like this.

Phil
Yes, this is a very common way of saying it. Yeah it's that idea of this is what I think but of course other people might think different things. You're allowing the possibility that someone else might have a different opinion. It's not the same as just saying 'we have to do this, we need to do this', it's saying, 'This is what I think. But you might think differently'.

Phil
This definitely sounds like something a manager will say when they're trying to bring a meeting back on topic or a discussion back. They'll say, 'Well look, these are the priorities. Whatever you suggest needs to do this, this and this. So why don't we try this'.

Phil
Yes, but again as... as before you're acknowledging that there are other opinions.

Pippa
OK, so we have given our opinion, but let's imagine that we have a colleague who is trying to persuade everybody to make a decision that we think is a terrible idea. What would we do then, Phil?

Phil
OK so this first one I think we often say something like Hmm, I'm not sure about that, I think... So we're not just saying 'I think that idea is terrible'. We're saying that you've got doubts about it, you're saying that your opinion is that you think there might be a problem with this approach.

Pippa
I couldn't say, Phil. Yes, I like this because you're being quite direct about disagreeing with someone, you're saying I have to disagree with you. But you're saying I'm sorry and you're saying I have to disagree. So it sort of makes it more professional. It's less of a personal disagreement because you have to disagree, you don't want to disagree. It's more of a matter of principle.

Phil
So we have some good options for disagreeing. But what if the person we disagree with becomes unprofessional and prevents the work from getting done? Is there anything we can do here, Pippa?

Pippa
So it depends. If you have a colleague who keeps getting in the way of things or ignores the decisions being made by the company, you could consider complaining to someone more senior, so your boss or your manager. You'll have to think really carefully about whether it's a good idea. This will depend on the seriousness of what's happened and also the kind of company that you work in. It might be a better idea just to talk to the person directly, but sometimes you just aren't getting anywhere, it's a really big issue and it's causing problems for your work and for the company, so you have to complain.

If you're gonna complain, you might use a phrase like I'm finding it difficult to work effectively because... What do you think of that, Phil?

Phil
Well, it's a very common way of saying this and the reason that it works is because the focus is on you, on why your work is difficult, rather than the focus being directly on the other person's behaviour. Although, obviously, you are going to mention that. But it, kind of, it tries to reduce the conflict by pointing out the consequences of what the other person is doing.

Phil
Yes I think, by focusing on the consequences, it reduces the possibility of it just becoming too personal. You're just saying, 'Look, it's about our customers or it's about the work that we need to do'. And that's where the focus needs to be really.

Pippa
Yeah, and not everybody gets on as well as we do Phil so, you know, sometimes you'll have to work with people you don't get on with, but it is really about whether or not you can do the work. And if the work can't get done, then you probably need to look at what the problem is and how you can solve it.

Phil
Hopefully, with these phrases, you can keep disagreements professional and avoid having to complain. But conflict at work is difficult, as we heard from our BBC Learning English colleagues at the start of the podcast.

Voicenote clips
Generally, I don't like confrontation and sometimes I worry if I disagree with someone they might think I'm criticising them as a person.

There's this idea that people with authority always have things right, you know, impostor syndrome.

Phil
Yes, it can be difficult with impostor syndrome, because there's two sides to this. You get people who are not very confident, but they are competent, and that's usually when people have impostor syndrome. But you also get the opposite, you get some people who are really confident, but maybe they're not so good at their job. And if you're the person who's not that confident, it can be really difficult to stand up against another colleague who's really confident, even though you think they're doing everything wrong.

So, again, as we've said, it's about reading the situation, trying to be confident in your opinions if you think they're gonna make the company better, make the work better, but also recognising when it's a good idea not to voice an opinion.

Phil
Yes. And actually that's a really important skill. Look at the place where you work, look at how people deal with conflict. Are they very direct in criticising each other? Or are they a lot more indirect, do they try and not get very personal with it or perhaps go through third people? Have a look at it and see what the context is where you work.

Pippa
That's it for this episode of Office English. Remember, you can find more programmes and activities to help you with your English at work on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

Phil
Next time, we'll be talking about the language of negotiating at work.

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BBC Learning English - Office English / Conflict

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 1 / Session 19 / Activity 1

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Five uses of 'get'

Buy / obtain
Get can mean buy or obtain.

I got myself a new phone last weekend.

I need to get some new clothes.

I got day off with my granfather's funeral.

Receive
Get can mean receive.

I just got a message.

I got a bike for my birthday!

I am getting so many messages with RIP (rest in peace).

Become
Get with an adjective can mean become.

I'm getting annoyed.

It's got quite hot in here suddenly.

My granny got kind of a hero.

Understand
Get can mean understand.

I don't get this joke.

I don't often meet people who get this type of movie.

I got her explanation about the new medicine.

Arrive
Get can mean arrive.

I need to get home early so I'm off!

What time will you get here?

I hope that I can get on time for the meeting.

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Hi, I'm Sian from BBC Learning English. Today, I'm going to give you five uses of the verb . So you get five lessons for the price of one!

Number one - get can mean buy or obtain. I got myself a new phone last weekend.

Number two - get can mean receive. I just got a message.

Number three - get with an adjective can mean become. Ugh! So many messages! I'm getting really annoyed!

Number four - get can also mean understand. Hang on someone's just sent me a joke... I don't get it! 'In tents!' I get it!

Number five - get can also mean arrive. I need to get home early so I'm off!

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 1 / Session 19 / Activity 1

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Hi, I'm Sian from BBC Learning English. Today, I'm going to give you five uses of the verb . So you get five lessons for the price of one! Number one - get can mean buy or obtain. I got myself a new phone last weekend. Number two - get can mean receive.

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BBC Learning English - Office English / Negotiating

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It can be stressful to make sure you get the best price for something. Do you know how to open a negotiation? How can we be firm and professional in a negotiation? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about

negotiating at work.

is it easy or difficult to negotiate?

sometimes is difficult but it depends on the situation, but i consider myself very flexible.

are you a good negotiator at home?

depends on the tasks, sometimes my opinion is important but exist other situation where my wife's opinion is very important and we try to balance our decision.

Podcast summary:

what are they talking?

context exploration:

I guess the important thing is to be sure of what you actually want. So you don't want to come away feeling that you've negotiated badly.

I find negotiating very awkward because my main instinct is to be polite and kind. So I find it quite difficult to be direct in what I want.

Phrases for negotiation:

Let's talk about the price

Let's get down to business

I'm looking for ... ten pounds for this.

I think my work is worth .. four hundred pounds.

We're talking about this product and we need to talk about the price.

What sort of price would you be willing to pay for this?

Say what your first offer.

That's too expensive

But we can pay this

We've got to cover our costs

I'd love to offer that. But we have to be realistic about our budget.

Well, other people in my position earn...

I've taken on lots of responsibility without more pay.

We can go with five pounds.

I'm happy to accept five pounds.

I look forward to working with you.

It was great doing business with you.

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Image: Getty

Introduction

It can be stressful to make sure you get the best price for something. Do you know how to open a negotiation? How can we be firm and professional in a negotiation? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about negotiating at work.

TRANSCRIPT

Note: This is a transcript of a spoken conversation and is not a word-for-word script.

Phil
Sometimes at work, we need to be able to negotiate.

Voicenote clips
I guess the important thing is to be sure of what you actually want. So you don't wanna come away feeling that you've negotiated badly.

I find negotiating very awkward because my main instinct is to be polite and kind. So I find it quite difficult to be direct in what I want.

Pippa
Today on Office English, we're talking about the language of negotiating.

Phil
Hello and welcome to Office English from BBC Learning English. I'm Phil.

Pippa
And I'm Pippa. And in this podcast we discuss the business English that you can use to do well at work.

Phil
Today, we're talking about negotiations. This means discussions which we use to get what we want. So, for example, if we wanted to buy a car, we might negotiate with the sales person to get the best price.

Pippa
OK, so do you ever negotiate at work, Phil.

Phil
Sometimes, yes, particularly when there's someone who we might need to do some work for us and we have to make sure that we get a good price for the department.

Pippa
Yeah, so we tend to negotiate at work even if it's not a big part of our job. So, if you're a salesperson or you're dealing with customers a lot, you might have to negotiate all the time at work. But even if you don't, you might need to negotiate now and then when you're asking for a price for something.

Or even in your own role, so if you're asking for something from your boss or if you're starting a new job, you need to talk about how much you're going to get paid, what your hours would be, you'd been negotiating with them about that. And the way that people negotiate, especially in business deals between different companies, differs around the world and depending on the situation.

But today, we'll talk about some phrases for negotiating that are familiar in the UK context.

Phil
So, first up, how do we start a negotiation, Pippa?

Pippa
So, in Britain, there's usually some politeness or small talk, and we talked about small talk in a previous episode. But once you've kind of said hello, had a chat with the person, then you might say something like Right! let's talk about the price or let's get down to business is a nice phrase.

Pippa
Yeah, and in some contexts you wouldn't need to have the chit chat part at the beginning. You might just go straight in and say 'OK, we're talking about this product and we need to talk about the price of it' and you don't need to have the small talk. But in the UK we tend to do that.

And then probably what you want to do is make your opening offer. So you might say I'm looking for... ten pounds for this or I think my work is worth... four hundred pounds, for instance.

Phil
Yes and of course, because it's a negotiation, you're probably going to ask for more than what you'd actually accept.

OK, so we've started the negotiation. But how do we try and persuade the other person to give us what we want? Are there any phrases that we can use, Phil?

Phil
Yeah so, if you want somebody to increase the amount they'll pay you for something, then you could say something like we've got to cover our costs and cover your costs means that you need to earn enough to pay for what it would cost to do something.

Pippa
Yes, you're using 'we' so you're sort of negotiating on behalf of the company rather than on behalf of yourself. And both of these phrases we've got to cover our costs and we have to be realistic about the budget are still kind of friendly. So it's not actually an argument when you're negotiating, it's more of a discussion.

Phil
Ok and we've talked a lot about negotiating with someone from another company, but actually sometimes you have to negotiate with people in your company and in fact, sometimes you have to negotiate with your boss, particularly about how much you get paid. So you might want to use phrases like Well, other people in my position earn... this much or I've taken on lots of responsibility without more pay.

Pippa
Yes, and it's probably useful to say that it will depend on your company as to whether there is an opportunity to talk about your pay and to negotiate it. Some companies don't like that, some do, it really depends. But yes, giving evidence for why you want more money would be a useful thing to do.

Phil
Right, so we have some ways to try and persuade the other person in a negotiation. Let's imagine that after haggling for a while, we're ready to accept the price or offer. How do we end a negotiation?

Pippa
Well, we could be quite informal and we could say OK, we can go with five pounds. So we can go with means we'll accept that amount. Or you could be more formal, you could say something like I'm happy to accept five pounds, thank you very much. And then one thing that I think is useful is to try and sort of maintain the business relationship. So you've not just gone there to get the best price possible, but you also want to kind of continue a working relationship with the person. So you could say something like I look forward to working with you or it was great doing business with you. What do you think about that, Phil?

Phil
Yes, I think this is quite nice because negotiations can sometimes get a little bit tense. So it's quite good to bring everything back to a kind of friendly tone at the end.

Pippa
Negotiations can be difficult, especially if we're not used to persuading other people to do something. Let's hear again from our BBC Learning English colleagues.

Voicenote clips
I guess the important thing is to be sure of what you actually want. So you don't want to come away feeling that you've negotiated badly.

I find negotiating very awkward because my main instinct is to be polite and kind. So I find it quite difficult to be direct in what I want.

Phil
Yeah, I think it's different, isn't it. I mean, if you do it all the time as part of your job, if you're a salesperson or you're involved in things like that then I guess it's a lot easier, you get used to it. But in a lot of jobs we don't do a lot of negotiating.

Pippa
Yeah and that's why I think we're nervous to do it. But as we said, if you try and remain friendly and try and kind of make the conversation less of an argument and more of a discussion then that's a good way to kind of try and get your, your opinion across. And one thing that is really important that we haven't talked about is it's good to be clear with yourself about what you want before you start the negotiation, what you would be willing to accept as a high or low point. Otherwise, you could get carried away and pay far too much or accept far too little for something. So yeah, think before about what are you wanting to get out of a negotiation, so that you don't kind of go in and end up with something you didn't want.

Phil
That's it for this episode of Office English. Remember, you can find courses and activities to help you with your English at work on our website, bbclearningenglish.com

Pippa
Next time, we're talking about how to talk about your achievements at work and sell yourself.

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BBC Learning English - Office English / Negotiating

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Vocabulary

be in your forties (fifties, sixties etc)
the decade, or period of ten years, in your life when you are aged between 40 and 49

phenomena
facts or events, especially which are unusual or significant, that exist and can be observed and talked about

lingers
continues to exist longer than usual or expected

to father
to make a woman pregnant who then gives birth to a child

pat (someone) on the back
(idiom) used to describe giving someone praise, congratulations or encouragement

God forbid!
a way of saying that you hope something will not happen

summary:

Some situation for people to have babies in a normal period of time and people have different behaviors and can have babies when they want but it's about the money and the energy they have. There's a gender problem with men and women.

ARGUMENTATION:

write about women that don't want to have children, write about some reasons and leave your opinion as well.

I respect, but i can't understand this option, because to have children is the best experience that person can have during the life. If you considere the process of the life, the women need the support for caring when they are old, it's normal. Is important to considere too that society needs to keep the growth, it's only possible with persons.

.

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BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / Too old to have a baby?

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There's a lot of hype around magnesium and its ability to alleviate anxiety and depression.

In our new series: Health Decoded, science journalist Melissa Hogenboom explores whether magnesium has a positive impact on mental health.
Produced by Griesham Taan & Melissa Hogenboom

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There's a lot of hype around magnesium and its ability to alleviate anxiety and depression.

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Billions of people around the world rely on a little cup of coffee to get them through the day. But have you ever stopped to think what it does to your body? We take a deep dive into your coffee cup, to see what the caffeinated drink does to the human body and what happens if you have one too many espressos. We also take a short trip down to memory lane, from bean to cup, to see how it went from humble beginnings in Ethiopia, to a worldwide billion-dollar industry.

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Billions of people rely on a cup of coffee to get them through the day. But what does it do to the human body?

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 23 / Activity 1

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 23 / Activity 1

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BBC Learning English - Course: One Minute English Gujarati / Unit 1 / Session 4 / Activity 1

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કોઈ ચોક્કસ પરિસ્થિતિમાં તમને શું ગમશે તે જાણાવવા માટે 'would rather' નો ઉપયોગ કરીશું. 'Would rather' નો ઉપયોગ કરતી વખતે સામાન્ય રીતે બે કે તેથી વધારે વિચારો રજુ કરવામાં આવે છે. વિરોધાભાસી વિચારોને રજૂ કરવા માટે 'than' અથવા 'rather than' નો ઉપયોગ કરવામાં આવે છે.
I would rather drink juice than drink water.
I would rather listen to music than watch TV.
Positive form: સકારાત્મક
I would rather stay in bed than go for a run in the morning
He'd rather sit in front of the TV than go for a run!

ould rather + verb
'Would' is often contracted to I'd, you'd, he'd , she'd, we'd and they'd.

Negative form: નકારાત્મક

The negative form of 'would rather' is 'rather not'. This is not used as much as the positive form. We don't introduce contrasting ideas when using negative forms.

I'd rather not visit your family this weekend.
Would you rather go the café or the bar?
Would you rather live in America or live in Asia?
We can also use 'would rather not' as a short answer.

Question form: પ્રશ્નવાચક

We change the word order to make a question. We use would you rather to offer a choice.

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BBC Learning English - Course: One Minute English Gujarati / Unit 1 / Session 4 / Activity 1

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કોઈ ચોક્કસ પરિસ્થિતિમાં તમને શું ગમશે તે જાણાવવા માટે 'would rather' નો ઉપયોગ કરીશું. 'Would rather' નો ઉપયોગ કરતી વખતે સામાન્ય રીતે બે કે તેથી વધારે વિચારો રજુ કરવામાં આવે છે. વિરોધાભાસી વિચારોને રજૂ કરવા માટે 'than' અથવા 'rather than' નો ઉપયોગ કરવામાં આવે છે. I would rather drink juice than drink water.

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We inhale a credit card's worth of microplastics each week

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Word related to environment:

microplastic/ lungs/ tissue/ inhale/ exhale/cheaper/functional/descartable/

Word bank:

worth = valor/ valer a pena

this house is worth 3 million dollars

we inhale worth a credit card every week.

Write footnotes about the video:

how important and aggressive is the impact of the organism.

it explains the situation go human when they need to live around plastic

bad situation for humans for avoiding plastic

they found tiny plastic inside the lungs

they recommend to reduce plastic but it is difficult.

Final thought:  Do you think that the government could control the use of plastic for their citizens? or you think it depends on every human being to reduce its plastic?

I believe that the government don't have conditions for changing alone this situation, so for me it can happen when the society and its social development consciousness about the consumption and their impacts.

would you reduce your plastic at home?

i think that for me to reduce the plastic would be to buy products that are packed with plastic. i think the people need to change their consciousness and after the market and later the process of capitalism.

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Microplastics or tiny plastic particles are everywhere. Now a new study has found them where they've never been seen before, sitting deep inside human lungs. But what does it mean for our health?

Video by Next Stop Stories Executive Producer: Camelia Sadeghzadeh

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We inhale a credit card's worth of microplastics each week

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A new study has found microplastics where they've never been seen before, sitting deep inside human lungs.

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How to make better New Year's resolutions

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 Class 1 conversation & Written discourse 

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 Class 1 conversation & Written discourse 

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vocabulary: income/profits/real state/ pretend/ i intend/

Introduce the main idea of the video:

What makes SMART Acronyms relevant to your understanding? specific, measurable, attainable, relevant & timely. when can you use this tool?

Normaly, the companies use this tools for building the estrategic plan for geting treir goals and for realaizing how are you at activities when compared with other companies.

What goals do you have now that you think can be Smart? Write about it.

In the present I have a profectional goals, that is build a new source of profit. On my personal life, a pretend do a surgery on my foot on july.

Word bank:

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New year, new you, but perhaps you've broken one or two of your News Year's resolution already? If so, you're not alone, because on average 80% of resolutions fail. So, how can we get better at making and sticking to our goals?

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How to make better New Year's resolutions

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Have you 'broken' any News Year's resolutions yet? If so, you're not alone - on average 80% of resolutions fail.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 35 / Activity 1

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James

Hi everyone, James here.

We're going to take a look at some quick and easy ways to agree with other people's opinions.

If someone says something positive that you agree with, you can say so do I or so am I.

You can also say me too!

However, when somebody says something negative with the word not for example, we use the word neither or neither. Neither do I, or Neither am I.
I don't go to the cinema very often. I'm not very well at the moment.
Neither am I.
Neither do I.
We can also just say me neither!

So, to agree with something positive, you use the word so, but to agree with something negative, we use neither or neither.

Thanks for joining us, everybody.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 35 / Activity 1

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James Hi everyone, James here. We're going to take a look at some quick and easy ways to agree with other people's opinions. If someone says something positive that you agree with, you can say so do I or so am I. You can also say me too!

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 36 / Activity 1

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When do we use if and when do we use whether?

Let's take a look.

The simple rule is that with conditional sentences we use if, and when we have two options, we use whether.
If I get hungry, I'll have a snack. But I don't know whether to have an apple or a biscuit.
When asking an indirect yes/ no question, we can use either if or whether - both are correct.
Do you know if the apples are fresh? Do you know whether the biscuits are any good?
Whether is maybe a little bit more formal, but with both questions there are only two possible answers - yes or no.

Why don't you try now!

Write us a question or a sentence using if or whether in the comments to practise.

We love hearing from you.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 2 / Session 36 / Activity 1

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Learn when use ‘if’ and when to use ‘whether’

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 3 / Session 8 / Activity 1

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can mean lots of things and be used in lots of different contexts! Let's look at some common uses.

Meaning number one. Through can mean from one side or end of something to the other. This is about place or a physical space.

We pushed through the crowd to get to the front.

Meaning number two. Through can mean from the beginning to the end of a period. This is about time.

We sang and danced through the whole concert.

Meaning number three. Through can be similar in meaning to 'using' .

We were lucky to get last-minute tickets through a friend.

And meaning number four. Through can also mean 'finished' or 'completed'.

We were exhausted but happy when the concert was through!

And we, too, are through with this lesson.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 3 / Session 8 / Activity 1

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Sam Through can mean lots of things and be used in lots of different contexts! Let’s look at some common uses.

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BBC Learning English - Course: Upper-intermediate / Unit 1 / Grammar Reference

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1) The third conditional

We use the third conditional to talk about imagined past events: things that might have happened in the past, but didn't happen.

If I'd known it was your birthday, I'd have bought you a present.
If the taxi had arrived on time, he wouldn't have missed the plane.

A conditional sentence has two parts. In the third conditional, the if part is the imaginary situation in the past, and the main part is what could have happened (but didn't happen) as a result. We make the third conditional with if + past perfect, and would have + past participle.

If I'd known it was your birthday... (This is the imaginary situation in the past)

I'd have bought you a present. (This is the imaginary result of the situation in the past)

The two parts can come in any order. When we write, we put a comma between the if part and the result part. You don't use a comma when the result part comes first.

If I'd known it was your birthday I'd have bought you a present.

I'd have bought you a present if I'd known it was your birthday.

If the taxi had arrived on time, Jack wouldn't have missed the plane.

Jack wouldn't have missed the plane if the taxi had arrived on time.

We use the past perfect in the if part to show the situation is imaginary and didn't actually happen. The result part of the sentence tells us the imaginary result of this situation.

there had been any snow, we'd have gone skiing. (There wasn't any snow; we didn't go skiing.)

it hadn't been raining, we'd have had a picnic.(It was raining; we didn't have a picnic.)

Form

Positive
If you'd asked me to marry you, I'd have said no.
We'd have been in trouble if we'd missed the last train.

Negative
She wouldn't have become ill if she'd taken the medicine.
It would have been better if they hadn't come to the party.
If you hadn't been so friendly, I wouldn't have talked to you.

Question
What would they have done if they'd lost their jobs? him the truth, how would he have felt?

Short answer
In short answers, you use would/wouldn't. / No, I wouldn't.
Take note: past continuous

We can use the past continuous in the if part of the sentence.
If he'd been driving more carefully, he wouldn't have had an accident.
I wouldn't have met my girlfriend if I'd been living abroad.
Take note: modals

We can use other modal verbs in the result part, for example might. Might shows we are less certain than when we use will.
We might have been happier if we'd bought the other house.
If he hadn't got up so late, might not have missed the train.

Take note: 'I wish ...'and 'If only ...'
If only I'd stayed in bed this morning.
We use I wish or If only with the past perfect when we are sorry about something that happened in the past, and we imagine doing things differently.
I wish I'd stayed in bed this morning. (I'm having a bad day today.)

I wish I'd picked the other horse! (My horse didn't win the race.)

Spoken English

In the third conditional, we usually use a short form of had and had not when we speak: I had = I'd, I had not = I hadn't. We also use a short form of would and would not: I would = I'd, he would = he'd, I would not = I wouldn't, etc.

We'd have been unhappy if we'd lost the game.

We wouldn't have been happy if we hadn't won the game.

The third conditional is sometimes confusing because I'd can mean both I had and I would - so listen carefully! And remember that I'd in the if part is I had, and I'd in the result part is I would.

2) Double contractions

In spoken English, people often use contractions like this: I will becomes I'll and you would becomes you'd. Double contractions are when we shorten three words, like this:

I would have -> I'd've

could not have -> couldn't've

might not have -> mightn't've

must not have -> mustn't've

cannot have -> can't've

you would have -> you'd've

he would have -> he'd've

she would have -> she'd've

we would have -> we'd've

they would have -> they'd've

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BBC Learning English - Course: Upper-intermediate / Unit 1 / Grammar Reference

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We use the third conditional to talk about imagined past events: things that might have happened in the past, but didn't happen. If I'd known it was your birthday, I'd have bought you a present. If the taxi had arrived on time, he wouldn't have missed the plane.

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 19 / Activity 1

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torrential/ strong rain/torrent/ adj;exaggeration/

displaced; when a place was disorganized/messy/in disaster/people need to run away.

misplaced; to put something in a wrong place.

wreak havoc

cause a disaster/a chaos

the pandemic wreaked havoc in big companies

Key words and phrases

torrential

heavy rain

The storm brought torrential rain, causing widespread damage.

You’ll need to bring your umbrella – the rain is torrential out there!

On life sometimes we live torrential moments like for example losing your dog.

displaced

moved from original position/ deslocado/ removido

The earthquake displaced thousands of people from their homes.

The displaced families had to find temporary shelter when the floods destroyed their homes.

When rains in salvador some people are displaced because is very dangerous the neighborhoods.

wreak havoc

cause chaos

The hurricane wreaked havoc along the coastline, destroying homes and flooding streets.

The train delays and cancellations wreaked havoc on many people’s morning commutes.

the covid19 wreaked havoc in the health system.

prejudice/ forget/humans do not learn the lesson/

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 19 / Activity 1

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BBC Learning English - Course: Upper-intermediate / Unit 25 / Session 1 / Activity 1

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Hi guys. Dan for BBC Learning English. As you can see, I'm not at all happy about this situation. Something's gone missing. Now, this week, we're gonna talk about modals with a past meaning. And as usual, we're going to do the whole thing in 90 seconds. Excuse me.

So, as you know, English has modal verbs. There are nine of them in total. Examples are: must; can't; may; might and could. Now, these verbs are normally followed by the infinitive. And they're special because they don't change their form for person or to show time. They have a present meaning. But, when we want to use them with a past meaning, we use the modal verb + have + the past participle. In this case, Rob must have eaten my cake.

Now, Rob must have eaten my cake is a measure of confidence. It means that I am extremely confident that Rob did this at some time in the past. When we change the modal verb, we change the level of confidence. For example, Rob can't have eaten my cake. This means I think this is impossible. But I know he did it.

Let's make it less certain. Rob may have eaten my cake. This means it's possible. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. I'm not sure. And the same for might. Rob might have eaten my cake. Finally, at the lowest level of confidence, meaning this is possible but I'm not %100 sure at all: Rob could have eaten my cake. But that's not true because Rob must have eaten my cake. Rob always eats my cake. I suppose it's my fault.

The last set of modal verbs that we can talk about is should. When we make a mistake in the past. This is called hindsight. So, maybe I shouldn't have left it... (alarm) I should have been a bit quicker... Maybe I shouldn't have left it in the fridge. Maybe I should have put my cake at my desk. But Rob - come on man. Anyway guys. Modal verbs in the past. It's modal + have + the past participle. Don't forget. I've got to go and sort Rob out. See you next time OK? (Roars)

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BBC Learning English - Course: Upper-intermediate / Unit 25 / Session 1 / Activity 1

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Hi guys. Dan for BBC Learning English. As you can see, I'm not at all happy about this situation. Something's gone missing. Now, this week, we're gonna talk about modals with a past meaning. And as usual, we're going to do the whole thing in 90 seconds. Excuse me.

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 17 / Activity 1

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Key words and phrases

poised

ready for action

• The cat was poised to jump on the mouse.

• The company is poised to announce massive job cuts.

Sometimes we need to poise changes on our lives.

declares war on

tries to defeat

• The school governors declared war on vaping among students.

• The government has said it’s declaring war on unemployment.

We need to declare war on poverty and famine.

sort of

in a way; kind of

• It’s sort of spring, but it’s still really cold.

• I sort of want to go to this party, but there are also people I want to avoid.

I sort of like to reading more, but I don't have time.

A city council has declared war on pizza and ice cream because local residents have complained about the noise on the street late at night. this is probably because of the increase of visitors in the country.

what do you think the government and the visitors must do to keep pizza and ice cream available? use modals when necessary.

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 17 / Activity 1

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 16 / Activity 1

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Why is still smoking a controversial topic?

word banks:

outcry/scupper/sabotage/wreck plans/bananas/crackers/bonkers/

About the news:

backlash
strong rejection of an idea
• There was a backlash from parents when the school started charging for books.
• Expect a backlash when you announce longer waiting hours.

When politics try banning smoking some people manifest their backlash.

derail
prevent a plan happening
• The striking workers derailed the government's plans for pay cuts.
• The pandemic derailed everyone's holiday plans for two years.

The goals of the plans are derailed for the cigaretts market.

nuts
crazy
• Trying to teach dogs to speak English is nuts.
• She suggested climbing Mount Everest after just one week of training, which was nuts.

For me, suggesting the restriction is nuts because it causes the ilegal consumption.

Written assignment: do you think that here in Brazil this banning smoking can be possible?

In Brazil or anywhere i beleave than a better soluction is not banning the smoking because it have a relationship with the habbits their people, so the habbits cant changes for law. I beleave than a best solutions is controll the consummers with new tax and proibiticion smoking on some places.

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NEWS REVIEW PODCAST NOW AVAILABLE - SUBSCRIBE HERE

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Did you like that? Why not try these?

(Images via Getty Images)

The story

Buying cigarettes is to become illegal for anyone born after 2009 - for their whole life.

Lawmakers in the UK have approved a government plan to create a smoke-free generation.

The law will make the sale of tobacco products, but not the act of smoking, illegal.

Tobacco use is the UK's single biggest preventable cause of death, killing 80,000 people every year.
Key words and phrases
strong rejection of an idea
* There was a backlash from parents when the school started charging for books.
* Expect a backlash when you announce longer waiting hours.

prevent a plan happening
* The striking workers derailed the government's plans for pay cuts.
* The pandemic derailed everyone's holiday plans for two years.

nuts
crazy
* Trying to teach dogs to speak English is nuts.
* She suggested climbing Mount Everest after just one week of training, which was nuts.
To do
Try our quiz to test yourself on today's language.

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 16 / Activity 1

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(Images via Getty Images) Buying cigarettes is to become illegal for anyone born after 2009 - for their whole life. Lawmakers in the UK have approved a government plan to create a smoke-free generation. The law will make the sale of tobacco products, but not the act of smoking, illegal.

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / What is a phrasal verb?

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Phrasal verbs mentioned
chicken out
decide not to do something because you are scared

Mark said he’d go sky diving but chickened out at the last minute.

freak out
lose emotional control (from shock, excitement, fear etc.)

Ellie’s freaking out because she’s doing a presentation for 100 people tomorrow.

get into (something)
start

Everyone’s here at the meeting now so let’s get into it.

wake up
open your eyes and stop sleeping

I don’t want to wake up early tomorrow. I want to feel fully rested.

put (something) on
get dressed into an item of clothing

Fernanda needs to put on the silver dress before she walks on the runway.

pick (something) up
grab and lift something

Please, pick up your clothes from the floor. It’s a mess in here!

turn (something) on/off
start or give power to something electrical or mechanical

The bath is ready now, so you can turn off the tap.

stand up
rise to your feet

Here, take my seat. I’ll stand up.

look after (someone or something)
to take care of someone or something

I’ll look after you when you come home from hospital. I’ll make you meals and help you shower.

come back
return

Daniel’s been travelling for a year, but he’s coming back next week.

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What are phrasal verbs and how do they work? Georgie gives you the answers.

Phrasal verbs mentioned

chicken out
decide not to do something because you are scared

Mark said he'd go sky diving but chickened out at the last minute.

freak out
lose emotional control (from shock, excitement, fear etc.)

Ellie's freaking out because she's doing a presentation for 100 people tomorrow.

get into (something)
start

Everyone's here at the meeting now so let's get into it.

wake up
open your eyes and stop sleeping

I don't want to wake up early tomorrow. I want to feel fully rested.

put (something) on
get dressed into an item of clothing

Fernanda needs to put on the silver dress before she walks on the runway.

pick (something) up
grab and lift something

Please, pick up your clothes from the floor. It's a mess in here!

turn (something) on/off
start or give power to something electrical or mechanical

The bath is ready now, so you can turn off the tap.

stand up
rise to your feet

Here, take my seat. I'll stand up.

look after (someone or something)
to take care of someone or something

I'll look after you when you come home from hospital. I'll make you meals and help you shower.

come back
return

Daniel's been travelling for a year, but he's coming back next week.
TOP TIPS!

If you see the word 'something', it usually means the verb requires an object.

If 'something' is in the middle of the phrasal verb, it means that it can be separated by the object (but doesn't have to be).

If 'something' is at the end of the phrasal verb, it means it cannot be separated.

To do
Practise by using the worksheet on this page.
NEXT
Watch Tenses with Georgie, and try some of our other grammar programmes.

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / What is a phrasal verb?

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Why are phrasal verbs so difficult to learn?

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BBC Learning English - Tenses with Georgie / Present perfect continuous

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Learn the uses and structure of the present perfect continuous

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 15 / Activity 1

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Whats your point of view to the title?

Word bank:

shower/ countryside/ wear a suit/ judge/ smart clothes/leisure clothes/ lawyer/complicated/ they judge you if you don't fit properly/conservative/ clients expect to see a lawyer/ wearing a suit makes a cliente feel more certain that you are a good lawyer/sweating/ beyond that /humidity/ it worsens the situation/ you walk in brasil/ sweat/ the worst/ventilation/

Extra examples:

Key words and phrases

usher in
show where to go
• We ushered in the New Year with a huge party.
• The working from home policy ushered in a new era for the company.

ushering in

ex: every time i am ushering in to my son what to do and learn how to discover the world.

on borrowed time
lasting longer than expected
• We're all on borrowed time. Climate change will make the planet unliveable eventually.
• My dog wasn't expected to live longer than 13 years. He's living on borrowed time.

ex: the life is very fast, so you shouldn't borrow time with bad people.

caps / a cap = boné
completes
• The London concert capped the band's year-long world tour.
• The last week of June capped the end of the exam period for the students.

ex: before starting a new cycle is important to cap the past cycle.

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NEWS REVIEW PODCAST NOW AVAILABLE - SUBSCRIBE HERE

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Did you like that? Why not try these?

(Images via Getty Images)

The story

Last month was the world's warmest March on record.

The past ten months have all broken heat records with above-average temperatures across the globe, including in Africa and Antarctica.

Because of climate change, scientists say hotter weather is now expected, but it's becoming harder to make predictions about future temperatures.
Key words and phrases
usher in
show where to go
* We ushered in the New Year with a huge party.
* The working from home policy ushered in a new era for the company.

on borrowed time
lasting longer than expected
* We're all on borrowed time. Climate change will make the planet unliveable eventually.
* My dog wasn't expected to live longer than 13 years. He's living on borrowed time.

caps
completes
* The London concert capped the band's year-long world tour.
* The last week of June capped the end of the exam period for the students.
To do
Try our quiz to test yourself on today's language.

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 15 / Activity 1

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(Images via Getty Images) Last month was the world's warmest March on record. The past ten months have all broken heat records with above-average temperatures across the globe, including in Africa and Antarctica. Because of climate change, scientists say hotter weather is now expected, but it's becoming harder to make predictions about future temperatures.

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😊🎤 Bad singing can be painful! Do you know the answer to this question? 😱
(image: Getty)

Question
You need _______ to sing!

1) learn

2) learning

3) to learn
Need a clue?
Try this page on using gerunds and infinitives after verbs

Have you tried?
(the answer to the quiz is below these image links)

Quiz Answer
The correct answer is 3). We need to use 'to learn' after 'need'. Well done if you got that right! 👏👏👏

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BBC Learning English - Quizzes / Gerunds and infinitives

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 35 / Activity 1

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warm up: i think laughing is good because it is related to happiness and this feeling is pretty much convenient for good health. ( Analysis of the sentence)

the life is laughing for me ( present continuous)

laughing makes people live longer. gerund

working too much makes people be tired and it is related to burnout.

walking early to do physical activities is a good action for people .

Video content: what are they talking about in the video?

in summary the video talks about happy life and how can cause good influence for a happy life. also the impact of laughing, people can live longer and can have less problems with heart diseases.

Key words and phrases

having a laugh

enjoying yourself or making a joke ( i am joking with you/ i am kidding)

Come out tonight! We'll have a laugh!

Are you serious or just having a laugh?

my boss is a joker. literally we are always having a laugh!

it's better to keep a good laugh to be happier.

literally

using the real meaning of a word

We received literally thousands of applications.

Excitement is building as we are literally seconds away from kick-off.

i was literally speaking english with thousands of people.

i don't understand how people can literally cheer up for Bahia team.

first-of-its-kind

different to anything before

This is the world's oldest car – it's the first of its kind.

The film was the first of its kind. No-one had made one like that before.

the walkman was very useful in the 90's at that time it was the first of its kind.

every thing that is first of its kind will be superior in the future.

Grammar input:

gerunds and infinitives
https://www.bbc.com/learningenglish/tigrinya/course/towards-advanced/unit-9/tab/grammar#:~:text=Gerunds%20are%20the%20%2Ding%20form,enjoy%20talking%20with%20my%20father.

(for/ about/ after/ while/when/)

cuando comecar o video voce pode tomar nota.

when beginning the video you can take notes

i use my computer for registering all the names in the system.

thank you for coming!

i am laughing at your face!

homework: can you write about any device or a thing that we don't use anymore because of the new tendencies of technology and can be described as first of its kind?

makes

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BBC Learning English - Course: News Review / Unit 1 / Session 35 / Activity 1

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Laughter can make your heart stronger, according to new research. Beth and Phil talk about the language in the headlines about this story.