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📱 Review Lesson Plan

Social Media & Addiction — Vocabulary + Reading Review

Level:

A2–B1 (Lower Intermediate)

Time:

45–60 minutes

Focus:

Vocabulary review, reading comprehension, speaking confidence

🎯 Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will:

Review and remember key vocabulary

Read a new text connected to the same topic

Answer comprehension questions

Express opinions with more confidence

Reuse vocabulary naturally in speaking

🔥 1. Warm-up Review (5–8 min)

Quick Conversation

Ask:

What do you remember from the last class?

Which apps did we talk about?

Do you think social media can affect mental health?

What vocabulary words do you remember?

🧠 2. Vocabulary Review Game (10–15 min)

Match the word with the meaning

Words

1. addictive

2. lawsuit

3. mental health

4. reshape

5. liable

6. misleading

7. overwhelmed

8. damages

9. punishment

10. struggle

Meanings

a. feeling too much pressure or emotion
b. difficult experiences or problems
c. money paid because of harm
d. changing something completely
e. responsible for something bad
f. information that is not true or confusing
g. very difficult to stop using
h. legal action against someone
i. consequences for bad actions
j. emotional and psychological well-being

👉 Then ask the student to create sentences.

Example:

“TikTok can be addictive.”

“Many teenagers struggle with mental health.”

📖 3. New Reading (Reading Comprehension)

Article:

“Teenagers and Social Media Pressure”

Many teenagers today spend hours using social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Some experts believe these platforms are becoming increasingly addictive, especially for young users.

A recent study showed that teenagers often feel overwhelmed by the pressure to look perfect online. Many compare their lives to influencers and celebrities, which can damage their mental health and self-esteem.

Some parents are now claiming that technology companies should be more responsible for protecting children. They believe these companies use misleading strategies to keep users online longer.

In one case, a 15-year-old boy stopped sleeping well because he spent almost ten hours a day on social media. His parents said the apps reshaped his daily routine, school performance, and emotional health.

However, social media is not always negative. Many people use it to learn new skills, communicate with friends, and express creativity. Experts say the important thing is balance and healthy limits.

✅ 4. Reading Comprehension Questions (10–15 min)

Basic Understanding

1. Why do experts think social media is addictive?

2. How do teenagers feel online?

3. What can damage mental health according to the article?

4. What are parents claiming?

5. How did social media affect the 15-year-old boy?

6. Does the article say social media is always bad?

Critical Thinking Questions

1. Do you agree that social media creates pressure?

2. Should parents control screen time?

3. Why do people compare themselves online?

4. What healthy limits could teenagers have?

5. Can social media also help mental health sometimes?

💬 5. Speaking Practice (10–15 min)

Opinion Questions

Encourage longer answers using:

“I think… because…”

“In my opinion…”

“For example…”

“Sometimes…”

Questions

Which app is the most addictive today?

Is YouTube better than TikTok for mental health?

Should schools teach about social media addiction?

Is social media more dangerous for teenagers or adults?

How many hours online is too much?

⚡ 6. Vocabulary in Context

Ask the student to complete the sentences:

1. Many teenagers feel __________ when they spend too much time online.

2. Some companies use __________ advertisements.

3. Social media can __________ the way people communicate.

4. The company was found __________ for the problem.

5. Anxiety and stress can affect your __________.

(Answers: overwhelmed / misleading / reshape / liable / mental health)

✍️ 7. Optional Writing Homework

Topic:

“How does social media affect young people?”

Write:

8–10 sentences

Include at least 5 vocabulary words from class

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / US Court: YouTube and Meta built addictive platforms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Meta and YouTube have been found legally responsible for creating addictive platforms.

# data[].attributes.body
🥕 Class Theme:

Food Waste – Why Are We Throwing Food Away?

waste

he threw me against the wall/ I had to tell the truth

throw a party/ threw a party.

throw out/ throw out/ threw out last night

throw away/ get rid of something/ eliminate

🎯 Objectives

Talk about food habits and waste

Learn and use key vocabulary in context

Express opinions and give simple explanations

Improve listening prediction and discussion skills

🧊 Warm-up (Personal Connection)

Start naturally:

👉 Do you ever throw food away at home? Why?

yes, sometimes because nobody can eat it, or sometimes the foods gets rotten or I dont feel like eating the food from a day before, I dont like leftovers I prefer fresh food.

I try not to waste food, I eat everything from the fridge.

Follow-up questions:

What food do people waste the most?

i dont know maybe beens and vegetables.

How do you feel when you waste food?

I feel sad when I waste food because there are many people with hunger/famine.

Do you think food waste is a big problem?

yes, because the food waste produce a lot of rubbish/garbage in the planet and that is a big unresolved problem.

🧠 Lead-in (Think & Predict)

Say:

“According to the United Nations, one third of all food produced is wasted.”

👉 Ask:

Does this surprise you?

no, it doesn't. because this continues in this planet this a capitalist world and this hasn't changed, and nobody hasn't done anything to end it/ stop it.

Where do you think most waste happens? (home, supermarkets, restaurant, farms?)

for me is generally at home, supermarket and restaurants, farms. if exist food will exist waste.

❓ Pre-Listening Question (Prediction)

Ask:

👉 Which of these foods can be grown in Britain all year?

a) strawberries

b) kale

c) rhubarb

👉 Student guesses and explains:

I think it’s strawberry because in Britain is a cold weather and can grow easily I guess so.

what is the food that can be grown in Brazil the most?

I think bananas, mangoes, papaya and the most important fruits are grown here the whole year.

📚 Vocabulary Focus (In Context)

Introduce vocabulary through simple examples:

1.

Use-by date

👉 The date until food is safe to eat

Example:

“Check the use-by date before eating the yogurt.”

i always check the use by date of the products in the supermarket.

2.

Eat local, eat seasonal

👉 Eat food from your area and from the current season

“In summer, I try to eat seasonal fruits.”

in summer I try to eat a lot of fish of the current season.

now with the technology we can store/put away food in our freezers

3.

Middleman

👉 A person who buys from farmers and sells to shops

“The middleman makes food more expensive.”

sometimes the middleman asks for higher prices for the supermarkets.

4.

Commissioned

👉 Paid depending on how much you sell

“Salespeople are often commissioned.”

i commissioned my part in the business.

5.

Worst-case scenario

👉 The worst thing that could happen

“The worst-case scenario is getting sick from bad food.”

the worst case scenario now is a third war world.

6.

Blanket (rule/action)

👉 The same rule for everything

“Some supermarkets use blanket rules to throw food away.”

for example supermarkets do not give the leftovers to their employees this is a blanket rule in every supermarket.

🗣️ Controlled Practice

👉 Fill the gaps:

1. I always check the ______ before eating meat.

2. It’s better to ______ because the food is fresher.

3. The ______ buys food from farmers.

4. A ______ rule doesn’t consider differences.

💬 Main Discussion (Guided Conversation)

Part 1: The Problem

👉 Ask:

Why do people throw food away?

Do supermarkets waste food? Why?

Part 2: Understanding the System

Explain simply:

“Sometimes food is thrown away because of rules, appearance, or business decisions.”

👉 Ask:

Is it okay to throw away food that doesn’t look perfect?

Do you trust use-by dates 100%?

Part 3: Real-Life Reflection

👉 Ask:

What do you do with leftover food?

Do you plan your meals or buy too much?

🎭 Speaking Activity: “What Would You Do?”

Give situations:

👉 Situation 1:

You see food at home past the use-by date.

Do you eat it or throw it away?

👉 Situation 2:

A supermarket throws away “ugly” vegetables.

Is this right or wrong?

Encourage:

I think…

In my opinion…

Maybe… but…

🧭 Solutions (Interactive Thinking)

Say:

“Some people are trying to reduce food waste.”

👉 Ask:

What solutions can you suggest?

Help if needed:

Buy less food

Freeze leftovers

Share food

Eat seasonal products

🔄 Mini Debate (Light)

👉 Statement:

“People are responsible for food waste, not companies.”

Student:

Agree or disagree

Give 2 reasons

✍️ Final Reflection

👉 Ask:

What is one thing you can change this week to waste less food?

🏁 Homework (Optional)

Check your fridge at home

Write a short answer:

👉 What food do you usually waste and why?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / United against food waste

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
According to the UN, one third of the food we grow ends up in the rubbish bin - how can we stop this?

# data[].attributes.body
📱 Lesson Plan:

Are Social Media Apps Addictive?

Level: A2–B1 (Lower Intermediate)

Time: 45–60 minutes

Focus: Vocabulary, speaking, simple opinions

Theme: Social media, responsibility, mental health

🎯 Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will:

Understand a simple news story

Learn and use key vocabulary

Express opinions with basic reasons

Talk about social media habits

🔥 1. Warm-up (5–8 min)

Start simple and personal:

Do you use Instagram, YouTube, or WhatsApp?

How many hours do you spend on your phone every day?

Is it easy or difficult to stop using your phone?

👉 Follow-up:

“Do you think social media is addictive?”

📖 2. Reading (Simplified News)

You can read this together:

“Meta and YouTube were found responsible for creating addictive platforms. Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

highlight> owns/owner.

lawsuit/ processo

addictive/ addicted/

received

A woman named Kaley started a lawsuit in the United States. She said social media hurt her mental health. She received $6 million.

Meta said they are trying to make their platforms safer, especially for young people. But in another case, Meta had to pay $375 million because they gave wrong information about child safety.”

✅ 3. Check Understanding (5–10 min)

homework

Ask simple questions:

Who started the lawsuit?

kaley started the lawsuit against meta.

Why did she sue the companies?

she will sue meta for hurting her mental heath.

How much money did she receive?

she received 6 millions but meta had to pay more 375 millions for other cases because they gave wrong information about child safety.

What did Meta say in response?

they said that they are trying to improve the platforms for child safety and young people.

👉 If needed, allow short answers.

💬 4. Vocabulary (10 min)

Teach + practice:

find liable = say someone is responsible
👉 “The company was found liable.”

thais was found liable for Arthur.

addictive = hard to stop
👉 “This game is addictive.”

the cocaine is addictive

mental health = how you feel in your mind
👉 “Social media can affect mental health.”

my mental health isn't good but it will.

reshape = change something
👉 “Technology reshaped our lives.”

i am gonna reshape my future.

having a moment = emotional for a short time
👉 “Sorry, I was having a moment.”

i was dancing yesterday I just was having a moment.

👉 Practice:

Ask the student to make 1 simple sentence for each word.

⚡ 5. Speaking Practice (15–20 min)

Keep questions simple but encourage explanation:

Do you think social media is addictive? Why?

Should companies be responsible for addiction?

Is social media good or bad for mental health?

Do you think $6 million is fair?

👉 Support with structures:

“I think… because…”

“In my opinion…”

“For example…”

💣 6. Mini Discussion (Guided)

Give a simple situation:

“A teenager uses social media 8 hours every day and feels sad.”

Ask:

Who is responsible? (the teenager / the company / parents)

What should change?

👉 Help them build longer answers:

“I think ___ is responsible because ___.”

✍️ 7. Simple Writing Task (Optional / Homework)

Write 5–8 sentences:

“Is social media addictive? Is it dangerous?”

Encourage:

Simple opinions

Basic connectors (and, but, because)

🎯 Extra Support (Important for this level)

extra words>

claiming/

struggles

many people suffer mental struggles in their childhood.

damages

misleading

denial

overwhelmed

punishment

failed

If the student struggles:

Offer choices: “good or bad?”

Accept short answers first → then expand

Reformulate their sentences correctly

Example:

Student: “Social media bad.”

You: “Yes, social media i

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Learning English from the News / US Court: YouTube and Meta built addictive platforms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Meta and YouTube have been found legally responsible for creating addictive platforms.

# data[].attributes.body
🥕 Class Theme:

Food Waste – Why Are We Throwing Food Away?

waste

he threw me against the wall/ I had to tell the truth

throw a party/ threw a party.

throw out/ throw out/ threw out last night

throw away/ get rid of something/ eliminate

🎯 Objectives

Talk about food habits and waste

Learn and use key vocabulary in context

Express opinions and give simple explanations

Improve listening prediction and discussion skills

🧊 Warm-up (Personal Connection)

Start naturally:

👉 Do you ever throw food away at home? Why?

yes, sometimes because nobody can eat it, or sometimes the foods gets rotten or I dont feel like eating the food from a day before, I dont like leftovers I prefer fresh food.

I try not to waste food, I eat everything from the fridge.

Follow-up questions:

What food do people waste the most?

i dont know maybe beens and vegetables.

How do you feel when you waste food?

I feel sad when I waste food because there are many people with hunger/famine.

Do you think food waste is a big problem?

yes, because the food waste produce a lot of rubbish/garbage in the planet and that is a big unresolved problem.

🧠 Lead-in (Think & Predict)

Say:

“According to the United Nations, one third of all food produced is wasted.”

👉 Ask:

Does this surprise you?

no, it doesn't. because this continues in this planet this a capitalist world and this hasn't changed, and nobody hasn't done anything to end it/ stop it.

Where do you think most waste happens? (home, supermarkets, restaurant, farms?)

for me is generally at home, supermarket and restaurants, farms. if exist food will exist waste.

❓ Pre-Listening Question (Prediction)

Ask:

👉 Which of these foods can be grown in Britain all year?

a) strawberries

b) kale

c) rhubarb

👉 Student guesses and explains:

I think it’s strawberry because in Britain is a cold weather and can grow easily I guess so.

what is the food that can be grown in Brazil the most?

I think bananas, mangoes, papaya and the most important fruits are grown here the whole year.

📚 Vocabulary Focus (In Context)

Introduce vocabulary through simple examples:

1.

Use-by date

👉 The date until food is safe to eat

Example:

“Check the use-by date before eating the yogurt.”

i always check the use by date of the products in the supermarket.

2.

Eat local, eat seasonal

👉 Eat food from your area and from the current season

“In summer, I try to eat seasonal fruits.”

in summer I try to eat a lot of fish of the current season.

now with the technology we can store/put away food in our freezers

3.

Middleman

👉 A person who buys from farmers and sells to shops

“The middleman makes food more expensive.”

sometimes the middleman asks for higher prices for the supermarkets.

4.

Commissioned

👉 Paid depending on how much you sell

“Salespeople are often commissioned.”

i commissioned my part in the business.

5.

Worst-case scenario

👉 The worst thing that could happen

“The worst-case scenario is getting sick from bad food.”

the worst case scenario now is a third war world.

6.

Blanket (rule/action)

👉 The same rule for everything

“Some supermarkets use blanket rules to throw food away.”

for example supermarkets do not give the leftovers to their employees this is a blanket rule in every supermarket.

🗣️ Controlled Practice

👉 Fill the gaps:

1. I always check the ______ before eating meat.

2. It’s better to ______ because the food is fresher.

3. The ______ buys food from farmers.

4. A ______ rule doesn’t consider differences.

💬 Main Discussion (Guided Conversation)

Part 1: The Problem

👉 Ask:

Why do people throw food away?

Do supermarkets waste food? Why?

Part 2: Understanding the System

Explain simply:

“Sometimes food is thrown away because of rules, appearance, or business decisions.”

👉 Ask:

Is it okay to throw away food that doesn’t look perfect?

Do you trust use-by dates 100%?

Part 3: Real-Life Reflection

👉 Ask:

What do you do with leftover food?

Do you plan your meals or buy too much?

🎭 Speaking Activity: “What Would You Do?”

Give situations:

👉 Situation 1:

You see food at home past the use-by date.

Do you eat it or throw it away?

👉 Situation 2:

A supermarket throws away “ugly” vegetables.

Is this right or wrong?

Encourage:

I think…

In my opinion…

Maybe… but…

🧭 Solutions (Interactive Thinking)

Say:

“Some people are trying to reduce food waste.”

👉 Ask:

What solutions can you suggest?

Help if needed:

Buy less food

Freeze leftovers

Share food

Eat seasonal products

🔄 Mini Debate (Light)

👉 Statement:

“People are responsible for food waste, not companies.”

Student:

Agree or disagree

Give 2 reasons

✍️ Final Reflection

👉 Ask:

What is one thing you can change this week to waste less food?

🏁 Homework (Optional)

Check your fridge at home

Write a short answer:

👉 What food do you usually waste and why?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / United against food waste

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
According to the UN, one third of the food we grow ends up in the rubbish bin - how can we stop this?

# data[].attributes.body
🧑‍🏫 Class Title: Talking about waste!

Level: Basic (A1–A2)
Focus: Vocabulary + Sentence Order
Grammar Target: Present Simple
Skills: Speaking, Listening, Writing
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes

1️⃣ WARM-UP (5–10 min) – Let’s Talk Trash ♻️

Ask slowly and clearly:

Do you recycle bottles or paper?

Do you use plastic bags or cups every day?

Show or describe items like a plastic bottle, a trash can, or a recycling bin. Ask:
“What is this?” “What do you do with it?”

Support them with sentence starters:

2️⃣ VOCABULARY INTRO (10–15 min) – Learn 5 Useful Words

Introduce the words one by one. Use a clear example and a simple question for each:

1. Waste – “We waste food when we throw it away.”
Ask: Do you waste food?

2. Recycle – “We recycle paper and bottles to use them again.”
Ask: What do you recycle?

3. Single-use plastic – “A straw or plastic spoon used one time.”
Ask: Do you use plastic cups or forks?

4. Rely on – “I rely on my phone. I need it every day.”
Ask: What do you rely on?

5. Cut back on / Cut down on – “I want to use less plastic. I want to cut down on plastic bags.” ( to reduce- to eliminate)
Ask: What do you want to cut down on?

Help them repeat the sentences and then create one of their own. For example:

“I recycle paper.”
“I want to cut back on sugar.”

3️⃣ SENTENCE ORDER PRACTICE (10–15 min) – Fix the Sentence!

Tell the student that words in English need to be in the right order.
Give them jumbled sentences. Have them fix the order.

Examples:

"always / I / plastic / use"
Student corrects: "

"we / never / food / waste"
Correct version: "

"cut back on / bags / I / plastic"
Correct: "

Practice a few more. Encourage them to make 2 new sentences using the vocabulary.

4️⃣ PRACTICE ACTIVITY (5–10 min) – True or False for Me 🗣️

Say some sentences using the new words. The student must say if it's true or false for them.

Examples:

"I use single-use plastic every day."

"I recycle plastic bottles."

"I want to cut down on waste."

"I rely on my phone a lot."

The student answers:

Yes, that’s true!

No, that’s not true.

Not every day.

You can make it fun by exaggerating and letting them correct you.

5️⃣ PRODUCTION TASK (10–15 min) – My Life and Plastic

Now it’s time for them to speak more freely, using everything they’ve learned.

Ask them to answer simple questions:

What do you waste at home?

What do you recycle?

Do you use single-use plastics?

What do you rely on every day?

What do you want to cut down on?

Support them with sentence starters like:

I waste...

I recycle...

I want to cut down on...

I rely on...

Optional writing task (if they can):
Ask them to write 3–4 short sentences using the new words.

🏠 HOMEWORK

Ask your student to look around their house and choose 3 objects. For each one, they should decide:

Is it waste? Yes, it waste.| It's not waste.| It's not waste.

Can you recycle it? No, i can't recycle.| Yes, i can recycle.| Yes, i can reclycle making a beautiful decoration.

Is it single-use plastic? No. it is a letover food.|Yes is a single-use-plastic.| No it is a glass.

Ask them to write 3 short sentences for next class:

“This is a plastic cup. It is single-use.”

“I recycle this bottle.”

“I want to waste less food.”

I hate food waste.

I usually recicly all the plastic in my house.

Using straws is a terrible for our planet .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
(Photo: Getty)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

Neil and Beth have a real conversation in easy English about rubbish and recycling Learn to talk about the things you use and the ways you try to reduce waste.

Vocabulary

waste
something that you no longer need, or use without needing to

recycle
collect rubbish in order to make materials that can be used again

single-use plastic
plastic materials that are used once and then thrown away, such as food wrappers

rely on
need in order to function

Transcript

Neil
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English. In this podcast, we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Neil.

Beth
And I'm Beth. Did you know you can watch a video of this podcast on our website? Go to bbclearningenglish.com.

Neil
Hi Beth, how are you today?

Beth
I'm very good, thank you. Neil, how are you?

Neil
I'm very good. What are we talking about?

Beth
Well, today we are talking about waste. So that's what we call things that we don't want any more, like rubbish or things that we've used, and we now don't need them. So, for example, after I've eaten some crisps as a snack, the, the packet is rubbish, it's waste.

Beth
I think so. I mean, at home we recycle. We can recycle glass, plastic, metal, card. All the usual things that we recycle here in the UK. What about you?

Neil
Yeah, I do what I'm supposed to do. So we have a separate bin for different things. For plastic and for glass and for paper and for food.

Neil
When I was a kid, everything went in the same bin.

Neil
Yeah. And now that seems really crazy and really bad.

Beth
Yeah, I would think so. Yeah. Something that I do as well in, is when I'm in a supermarket, I try to not buy fruit and veg that's wrapped in plastic. I'll always try and buy the individual products like apples on their own. Or, you know, a courgette. You don't need a courgette that's wrapped in plastic.

Beth
Yeah, I know that is true.

Neil
You know what people do these days, which is great that they didn't used to do. Carry reusable water bottles.

Neil
Almost everybody carries a bottle. And just a few years ago, people bought plastic bottles of, of water all the time.

Beth
Yeah, I remember when I was teaching in a classroom and I'd sometimes have students. They would come to London from all over the world, and every day they would go to a supermarket and buy a plastic bottle. And I used to, I used to say sometimes, you know 'why, buy a reusable one' and then you're not using this plastic all the time.

Beth
Yeah. So we have to try and avoid single-use plastics. What about water? So water waste. I really like having a bath just to relax, but sometimes I feel really guilty about it because it's using up quite a lot of water.

Neil
Yeah, I prefer showers, which is good because they use less water.

So, Beth, is there anything that you are planning to do to cut down further on the waste that you create?

Let's recap the vocabulary we heard in this conversation. We had waste. Waste is things that are unwanted like rubbish, and we can also describe something as a waste when someone uses something they don't need to, or they throw something away after not using it. So for example, when my kids don't finish their dinner, that's a waste.

Neil
We heard recycle which means to collect rubbish in order to make materials that can be used again. We can also describe something as recyclable. It means it can be recycled. It can be used again.

Beth
And we heard some common phrasal verbs that we use when talking about the environment. So we had to rely on which means need something in order to function. For example, we rely on plastic a lot in our daily lives.

Neil
We can also say cut down on which means to reduce something. And we also hear cut back on. So for example I want to cut back on s ingle-use plastic.

Beth
That's it for this episode of Real Easy English. If you want to learn more phrasal verbs about the environment, then Georgie has made a whole video on this. You'll find the link in the notes below.

Neil
And next time on Real Easy English, we'll be talking about confidence. See you then.

Now try this...

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

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn to talk about rubbish and recycling

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

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn to talk about your technology habits

# data[].attributes.body
🎯 Lesson Title: Talking About Social Media Habits

Level: Intermediate

Skill Focus: Listening 👂 | Vocabulary 💬 | Speaking 🗣️

Topic: Social media use and future plans to change habits

🧊 Warm-up (5–7 min)

Ask students:

1. How often do you use social media every day?

well, I frequently use social media I would say a lot, every day.

2. What social media apps do you use most?

let me think, WhatsApp is one and I read emails and I use instagram.

3. Do you think you spend too much time online?

I would say yes, I guess it is almost 6 hours or maybe more it is a lot...

4. Would you like to change your social media habits?

of course, yes I would like to but I am very addicted to it.

Encourage full sentences using adverbs of frequency: “I usually use Instagram at night.”

nowadays I am thinking to put timing on my social media so, I can concentrate in other things I would say concentrate on actual world, reality and sports and also lifestyle.

verbs>minimize / decrease/ increase.

🎧 Listening: Real Conversation – Neil & Georgie (10–12 min)

🎙️ Context:

Neil and Georgie are two native speakers having a relaxed chat about how much they use social media and whether they plan to change.

(You can use the BBC Learning English: Real Easy English episode or I can give you a rewritten script below)

📜 Script (Shortened for Class Use):

Neil: I use social media every day. Probably a few hours. I scroll in the morning and at night.

Georgie: Same here. I definitely use it too much.

Neil: I used to take breaks sometimes. Maybe I should do that again.

Georgie: Yeah, I want to cut down. I want to spend more time catching up with friends face-to-face.

Neil: That’s a good idea. Maybe we should make a no-phone rule when we meet!

🧠 Vocabulary Focus (7–10 min)

✨ Key Words:

1. Maybe – talvez

2. Probably – provavelmente

3. Definitely – com certeza

4. Catch up with (someone) – colocar o papo em dia com alguém

Practice Sentences:

Maybe I’ll delete Instagram for a week.

I’ll probably keep using TikTok—it’s hard to stop.

I definitely spend too much time online.

I want to catch up with my cousin this weekend.

💬 Speaking Practice – Social Media Habits (10–15 min)

👯‍♂️ Pair Activity:

Ask each other:

1. How often do you use social media?

2. What apps do you use the most?

3. Do you think you should change anything?

4. Do you still catch up with your friends in real life?

5. Maybe…? Probably…? Definitely…? (Use these words when answering.)

✔ Encourage them to use used to, e.g. “I used to spend 5 hours a day, now I try to limit it.”

✍️ Writing (Homework or Class - 10 min) homework

Prompt:

Write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences) about your social media habits. Use:

at least two adverbs: maybe / probably / definitely

one phrase: catch up with

Example:

I probably use social media too much. I check Instagram and WhatsApp many times a day. I definitely need a break. Maybe I’ll take two days offline next weekend. I want to catch up with my friends in person.

\

🎯 Wrap-up / Exit Ticket:

Have each student finish the sentence:

“In the future, I will probably…”

“I definitely want to…”

“Maybe I should…”

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(Image: Getty)

Introduction

Neil and Georgie have a real conversation in easy English about their social media habits. Learn to talk about how much you use social media and whether you plan to change.

Vocabulary
maybe
used to talk about something that is not certain
probably
used to talk about something that is most likely
definitely
used to talk about something that is certain
catch up with
talk to someone you haven't seen for a long time

Transcript

Neil
Hello. You're listening to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

Georgie
And I'm Georgie. In this podcast, we talk in easy English about a different topic each week to help improve your English skills.

Neil
If you want to read a long, you can visit our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Neil
Hi, Georgie, how are you?

Georgie
I'm pretty good, thanks. How are you?

Neil
I'm very well thank you.

Georgie
What are we talking about today, Neil?

Neil
Today we're talking about social media and how much we use it.

Georgie
Well, I use social media all the time, so I have lots of things to say.

Neil
Great! OK, Georgie, so you said you use social media a lot. Why do you like it?

Georgie
Well, the reason I like it is actually the reason I dislike it as well. I use it when I'm bored. It's... it can be very entertaining, especially TikTok, for example, yeah, the videos I watch are very fun and entertaining. I like that about it, but it's also something I hate because it can be very addictive and you can waste a lot of time watching TikTok videos.

Neil, do you watch TikTok videos?

Neil
I try not to, to be honest, because I'm too old.

Georgie
You're never too old for TikTok videos!

Neil
But I always think I'm using it too much. Do you think you use social media too much, Georgie?

Neil
OK, Georgie, you used the word definitely. Tell us more about definitely.

Georgie
Yes, well definitely means that something is certainly the case. If you definitely do something there is no doubt that you did it. You certainly did it.

Neil
Yeah. So what do you use social media for? You said you watch videos, but anything else?

Georgie
The main reason I think is to stay in touch with my friends. This was definitely true when I lived in Spain. It was a good way for me to see what my friends in England were doing. I also posted things myself, so it was a way to show everyone else what I was doing as well.

Neil, what do you use social media for?

Neil
So, Georgie, you said you think you use your phone too much for social media. Do you have any plans to use your phone less?

Georgie
I would love to use my phone less. But if I'm being realistic, I think I will probably continue using my phone in the same way. It's just too difficult to reduce the screen time, it's so addictive. But maybe in the future, I will put those limits that your phone can put to help me reduce my screen time.

Neil
Georgie, you used words like maybe and probably and we use these when we're not sure or not certain if we are going to do something.

Georgie
Yes. So maybe I will use my phone less, maybe I will continue using my phone in the same way. Probably, I will continue using my phone in the same way.

Georgie
Yes, Neil. I think you're right. Let's quickly recap the words and phrases we learned during the conversation.

Neil
Thanks for listening to Real Easy English. Remember, you can find more programmes to help you with your English at bbclearningenglish.com.

Next time, we'll talk about journeys and how we get to work.

Georgie
See you, then. Bye.

Now try this...

Learn more about using maybe, probably and definitely here.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about social media

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Learn how to talk about your social media habits

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🎥 “Do we expect too much from our brains?”

🔗 Watch here

This class helps the student understand key vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and talk about their own life with short, clear sentences.

🧠 Class Plan – Brain Overload!

Level: Very Basic (A1–A2)

Length: 45–60 minutes

Main Goals:

Understand the idea of brain overload

Learn and use 5–6 key words and expressions

Practice short speaking with personal examples

🟡 1. Warm-up (5–10 min)

Ask simple questions:

Are you busy every day?

yeah i am busy every day.

Do you use your phone a lot? WHY?

yes i use my phone a lot because of my job and i am addicted to it.

Do you feel tired sometimes?

i feel tired/ exhausted/ sometimes but not on the weekends.

🎯 Help student answer using:

“Yes, I’m (very/so/much/fucking/danm/too/really )busy.” verb to be

“I (always/sometimes/rarely/usually/never) use my phone every day.” ( adverbs of frequency)

“Yes, I feel tired/ annoyed/ hungry/thirsty/

🔤 2. Key Vocabulary (10–15 min)

Teach and repeat these words/phrases with examples and gestures:

Brain – “My brain is tired/confused/blank.”

Tired – “I’m tired/ demotivated/sad/ not encouraged today.”

Too much – “I have too much money/ happiness / a lot of work/love for my husband/

Busy – “I’m busy in the morning/ in the afternoon/in the evening .” in the night ( at night)

Phone – “I use my phone every day.”

Think – “I think a lot/ much.”

🗣 Repeat words out loud. Use real objects or pictures if possible. Ask yes/no or short answer questions:

“Are you tired now?”

“Do you think too much?”

📺 3. Watch the Video (2 times)

First time:

Let the student watch and listen. Ask:

“Is she busy?” (Yes)

“Does she use her brain a lot?” (Yes)

Second time:

Help student repeat 2–3 short sentences from the video:

“I use my brain a lot.”

“I’m very busy.”

“I don’t stop.”

✅ Encourage repeating with good pronunciation.

💬 4. Speaking Practice (10–15 min)

Ask personal yes/no or multiple choice questions. Support with gestures or examples.

“Do you feel tired in the morning or night?”

“What do you do a lot? Think, work, talk?”

“Do you like to rest? What do you do to rest?”

🎯 Practice these full answers:

“I feel tired in the morning.”

“I think a lot at work.”

“I like to rest and listen to music.”

🎨 5. Activity – My Brain Day! (10 min)

Draw (or describe) what the student does in one day. Example:

Morning – work

Afternoon – class

Evening – phone and TV

Ask:

“Do you think a lot in the morning?”

“Is your brain busy at night?”

Help them build a sentence:

“My brain is busy in the afternoon.”

🏁 6. Wrap-Up (5 min)

Ask:

“Is your brain busy today?”

“What will you do to rest today?”

Review the words:

brain, tired, too much, busy, phone, think

📚 Optional Homework

📝 Student writes or records (with help):

“I feel tired when I…”

“My brain is busy when I…”

“I like to rest by…”

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about your brain

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Learn to talk about your mind and memory

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🧑‍🏫

Lesson Plan: Talking About Mistakes and Regrets

🎯 Objective:

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

Understand and use simple expressions with “used to” and “would”

Talk about mistakes and regrets

Use vocabulary like mistake, by mistake, regret, and learn from your mistakes in conversation

🟣

1. Warm-up (5 mins)

Topic: Talking about small accidents or mistakes

Ask:

Did you ever commit a mistake by mistake? 😅

i have many mistakes.

yes i did, i committed many mistakes in my life some of them i regret and some of them i learned with.

Did you ever forget something important, like your phone or keys?

yes i did. i forgot these important things very often.

Do you think it’s OK to make mistakes?

i think so, i think that is very demotivational to make mistakes. but if you are clever and smart you can learn from those mistakes.

Let the student respond in simple sentences. Help them build or correct if needed.

🟠

2. Vocabulary Review (10 mins)

Introduce or review the key words through questions and examples:

1. Mistake – something wrong that you do
👉 What’s a small mistake people make every day?

2. By mistake – accidentally
👉 Have you ever sent a message to the wrong person by mistake?

1. Regret – feel bad about something you did
👉 Is there something you regret?

1. Learn from your mistakes – remember and not repeat a mistake
👉 Why is it good to learn from your mistakes?

✔️ Use examples from the transcript to support meaning. No charts, just natural examples.

🔵

3. Listening Practice (15–20 mins)

🎧 Play the podcast episode OR read selected parts aloud (you can be Neil, let the student be Beth, or vice versa).

➡️ After each section, ask:

What happened?

Was it a small or big mistake?

Did they regret it?

What did they learn from the mistakes?

You can focus on these key parts:

Beth’s suitcase mistake

Neil’s job decision

Neil’s piano lessons regret

✅ Comprehension Questions (use simple English):

1. What did Beth do by mistake?

2. Did she get her suitcase back?

3. Why did Neil want to leave his job?

4. What happened when Neil changed his mind?

5. What does Neil regret from his childhood?

🟢

4. Grammar Practice: “Used to” and “Would” (10 mins)

Give the student simple prompts to respond using used to or would:

🗣️ Complete the sentences or answer:

I used to…

When I was a child, I would always…

I didn’t use to…

I would often make mistakes when I…

Let the student give short answers. Correct gently, model clearly.

🟡

5. Speaking Practice (10 mins)

Ask the student to respond to these prompts:

1. Tell me about a mistake you made.
→ What happened?
→ Was it big or small?
→ Did you regret it?

2. What is something you used to do, but now you don’t?

3. What is something you would often do when you were a child?

🧩 Optional Game: “True or False – Mistake Edition”

You say 2 things: one real mistake you made and one fake. The student guesses which is true. Then the student tries with their own examples.

✍️ Homework Suggestion

Writing prompt:

Write about a small mistake you made. What happened? Did you learn something? Use “used to,” “would,” and at least 3 of today’s vocabulary words.

✅ Wrap-Up (2 mins)

Ask:

What new words did you learn today?

Do you think making mistakes is good? Why?

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about mistakes

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Learn to talk about when things go wrong

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🧑‍🏫 Class Plan: Talking About Favourite Teachers (Basic Level)

🎯 Objective:

Students will learn how to talk about a teacher who inspired them, using easy English and key vocabulary.

🗣️ Warm-Up (5 min)

Ask your student:

Do you remember your favourite teacher at school?

i had few teacher. mr. ramirez . mrs. barbosa ms. barbosa

What subject did mrs. barbosa teach you?

mrs. barbosa taught me dance.

Why did you like her?

she thought (think) in advanced for the futue, she was funny, she was maybe a little crazy but i loved her.

Use visuals or mime if needed to support understanding.

🎧 Listening: Neil and Beth Talk (10 min)

Option A: Use a short dialogue you record or read yourself.
Option B: Create a simple dialogue like this:

Beth: I really liked my music teacher. She inspired me.
Neil: That’s great! What did she do?
Beth: She was very kind and wise. She helped us learn, and we had fun.
Neil: I had a teacher like that, too. He respected the students.
Beth: That’s nice. A good teacher puts in a lot of effort.

Task:
Ask the student to listen and answer:

1. Who did Beth like?

2. What was her teacher like?

3. What did Neil say about his teacher?

🧠 Vocabulary Focus (10 min)

Write or show these on the screen:

WordMeaningExample Sentenceinspiremake someone feel they can do somethingMy teacher inspired me to play the piano.wisesomeone who makes good decisionsShe is wise and gives good advice.respectlike someone and treat them wellI respect my English teacher a lot.put inadd effort to do something wellHe put in a lot of effort to help us learn.

Practice:

Match words with definitions.

Make a sentence together for each word.

Ask the student: Do you know someone who is wise? (Support answers.)

💬 Speaking Practice (10–15 min)

Ask the student:

1. Did a teacher inspire you?

2. Was your teacher wise? Kind?

3. Did they put in effort to help the class?

4. Do you respect them?

Support with sentence frames:

"My ___ teacher inspired me because..."

"He/She was very ___ and helped me to ___."

🧩 Grammar Focus (Optional - Simple Past)

Use some of the student’s sentences to show:

“She helped me.”

“He inspired me.”

“They put in a lot of effort.”

✍️ Homework (optional)

Ask the student to write 3–5 short sentences about a teacher they liked.
Example:

My math teacher inspired me.
She was very kind.
She helped me a lot.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about teachers

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Learn to talk about your favourite teachers

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🧸✨

English Class: Childhood Memories

CHILD = CHILDREN = CHILDHOOD

I have beautiful childhood memories in my country, i used to play on the street, my favorite game was hide and seek and my mother used to prepare nice meals after i played on the street.

🎯 Goal of the Lesson:

Talk about what you were like when you were younger and how your life has changed.

🟣 1. Warm-Up (5–7 min)

Start with a fun conversation to get the student thinking about the past.

Ask:

Did you have a happy childhood?yes i did, i had a very happy childhood in the countryside of bahia.

What was your favorite toy?

i used to play with my dolls but just a little. i played soccer, i jumped on trees, and i went fishing in the river. i was the only child at home.

What games did you play when you were little?

Tip: Show pictures of old toys, kids playing, or cartoons to activate memory.

toys/ dolls/ hot wheels/ lego /safari video games.

🟢 2. Vocabulary (10 min)

Teach three new words in context. Speak slowly, give examples, and ask the student to repeat:

1. Childhood – the time when you were a child.
“My childhood was fun. I played outside every day.”

2. Memory – something you remember from the past.
“One memory I have is riding my first bike.”

3. Brings back memories – when something makes you think of the past.
“This song brings back memories of school.”

Practice Tip: Say a sentence and ask, “Does that bring back memories for you?”

what does it bring back memories for you?

i think i have a good memory about my father taking me to the school. and i remembet that my mother always prepared delicious cakes and juices, so everytime i eat a cake specially chocolate, that brings back beautiful memories.

i have good memories that brings back many games in my childhood, and i have many memories with my family, i had a beautiful childhood in the countryside.

🔵 3. Listening Practice (7–10 min)

Activity: Listen to a real conversation (Neil and Beth talking about their childhood).

Before listening, say:

“Let’s listen to two people talking about their childhoods. What do you think they will say?”

i think they will say that they liked games like me and they had beautiful childhood.

While listening: Ask the student to write or remember 2 or 3 things they hear.

Examples:

Did they play outside?

Neil used to play on the street, and Beth used to play in her garden.

past habit = used to

simple past = ed - ied / played - cleaned /studied /

Did they have pets?

they didn´t have pets.

What did they remember?

neil remembers he used to play on the street and beth moved house many times.

You can pause the audio to ask questions or repeat for understanding.

🟠 4. Grammar Focus (10 min)

Explain grammar in a simple way and model it.

Past Simple – for facts from the past:

“I lived in Canada.”

“I played with my friends.”

Used to – for repeated things you did in the past (but not now):

“I used to watch cartoons every Saturday.”

Would / ’d – for repeated actions in stories:

“I’d make up songs with my sister.”

“We would play in the park every day.”

i remember that i used to be a very shy child when i was in school, i remember that my teacher would call me to participate more in the games in the classroom, and my classmates would motivate me to participate more but i was afraid to make mistakes and they would laugh on me.

i remember i played the guitar and i sang with my friends in portugues and english my friends and i wouldn´t speak the language but we would sing the songs anyways.

Practice: Ask the student to make 2 or 3 sentences using each one, or turn your own sentences into a game:

“I say: I used to play soccer. You say one about you!”

🟡 5. Speaking Practice (10–15 min)

Now it’s time for the student to use what they’ve learned. Ask:

Did you use to watch cartoons? ( past habit)

yes, i used to watch cartoons at home.

What food did you love as a child?

i loved to eat and my favorite food was hot dogs.

Did you live in a house or apartment?

i lived in a house and in an apartment

Who did you play with?

i used to play with my brother, cousins and my friends.

What was your favorite game?

i used to play catch the ball with my friends.

Optional activity: “Back in Time” Game

You pretend you’re 8 years old. The student does too. Ask each other questions:

“What did you use to do when you were little?”

“I used to ride my bike. What about you?”

🟤 6. Wrap-Up and Homework (5 min)

Quick Review:

“Tell me one thing you used to do.”

“Tell me one memory you have from your childhood.”

Homework Idea:

Ask the student to write 4 or 5 short sentences about their childhood:

Two with past simple (I played…, I had…)

Two with used to

One with would

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about childhood

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Learn to talk about when you were younger

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🎯 Lesson Plan: How We Talk – Basic English

Level: Basic (A1–A2)
Topic: Ways to Communicate
Time: 45–60 minutes
Focus: Vocabulary, speaking, listening

🧠 1. Warm-up (5–10 minutes)

Use images or flashcards of: DEVICES AND NEW SYSTEM
📞 Phone | 💬 Text | 📧 Email | 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 In person | 📱 Social Media

Ask the student:

What is this? (phone, email, etc.)

Do you use Social media? why?

well , i use social media when i need to know the world even though is a crap.

crappy thing

Who do you talk to on the phone most of the time?

on the phone i talk the most with my husband and my mother, but on social media i talk to everybody.

my husband posted a pic on facebook.

do you prefer to talk to people on the phone or in person?

it depends on the person, but i usually prefer to talk to people on the phone with the person.

📚 2. Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Teach these key words with pictures and examples:

communicate – to talk or write to someone

in person – face-to-face

prefer – like something more

phone, text, email, social media, message

📝 Activity: Match the word to the picture or draw lines.

🎧 3. Listening (10–15 minutes)

Play a short part of the podcast (you can pause often or just play the beginning).
💬 Ask simple questions:

Who is talking? Neil and Georgie are talking about communication

Do they like phones?

Georgie doesn´t like to talk on the phone if you don´t arrange the call.

Neil likes to talk in person with friends he thinks is fun.

What does Georgie prefer?

she prefers social media and instant messages but she doesn´t write letters like before people used to write...

Support with transcript as needed.

✏️ 4. Grammar Focus: Superlatives (10 minutes)

Explain:
We use superlatives to say “the most” or “the best.”

Examples:

Texting is the easiest.

Meeting in person is the most fun.

Email is the best for work.

📝 Practice: Fill in the blanks

1. I think calling is the ________ way. (best / most fun / easiest)

2. Texting is the ________ for me.

3. I like email. It’s the ________ way to send a message.

🗣️ 5. Speaking Practice (10 minutes)

Use sentence starters:

I like to talk by _____.

I prefer _____.

The best way is _____.

I don’t like _____.

👥 Practice short dialogues:
A: How do you talk to your friends?
B: I send texts. It's easy!

🏁 6. Wrap-up (5 minutes)

Ask:

What’s your favorite way to communicate?

What new word did you learn today?

Optional homework:
Draw 3 pictures and write a sentence for each:

I like _____.

I don’t like _____.

_____ is the easiest.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about communication

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Learn to talk about phones, email and talking

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Not very healthy - but very convenient.So, tonight Catherine takeaway. Good. Now those examples were about future possibilities - Catherine's dinner tonight - but we can also use I think Jackie likes chicken - but she I don't know where Shaheen is. He Right, so that's present and future possibilities. Now, we can also... Oops, sorry - wrong studio!Who was that?I'm not sure. She Or, she Yes, well, anyway, as I was about to say, we often use And we're talking about I The short form of ...and some people shorten Now, we promised you a word of warning...... and here it is. The negative of Yes. Imagine you're in an airport. Your plane is due to take off in an hour from now, but the weather is getting worse - you're getting worried. You might say this:If the weather gets worse, our plane Now that's all fine, but if you say: We impossible situation in the past, not an uncertain situation in the future. So you can't useYes. Stick with Now, for questions, you can use So you can say Sophie, I think we could be ready for our quiz. Number one. Which is the correct answer to the question: Where are you going on holiday? Is it a) I may to go to Spain or b) I may go to Spain.That's right. Number two. Which is correct? The traffic is getting worse, so a) I may not be home on time or b) I could not be home on time.And the last one. Which sounds more natural? a) Might we have to go now or b) Do you
may have chicken; she May, may, might and might prefer fish. could be at work.(someone knocks at the door) ...er, hello?

may be from IT. might be the new presenter. may, may, might not cook chicken curry. might not is may not to
could is

could couldn't take off - you're talking about an
might not or might, Might Catherine have chicken curry for dinner? But it sounds more natural to say

Do you think Catherine might have chicken curry for dinner?
may and could, but a top tip to make your English sound more natural is to use the phrase may not if you want to play it safe here.

take off late. We might not take off at all!

couldn't, but be very careful with couldn't when you're talking about future possibility or future uncertainty. Neil, give us an example mayn't, but that's unusual too.
mightn't, but this is not so usual.

might and could. Now, for negatives, we use might not or
might and could to make guesses.

could with an infinitive to talk about present possibilities, like this:

might and could with an infinitive show all three options are future
might have steak: she could get a
think we might have to go now?

It's b) Do you think we might have to go now?Well done if you got those right and yes, we do have to go now. There's more about this on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.

Bye.

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BBC Learning English - Course: lower intermediate / Unit 16 / Session 2 / Activity 3

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Not very healthy - but very convenient.So, tonight Catherine takeaway. Good. Now those examples were about future possibilities - Catherine's dinner tonight - but we can also use I think Jackie likes chicken - but she I don't know where Shaheen is. He Right, so that's present and future possibilities.

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🌟 Lesson Plan: Talking About Weekend Plans (Basic Level – Grammar Review)

🎯 Objective:

The student will review and use key grammar structures to talk about weekend plans using:

Present Continuous with going to (certain plans)

Might / May + base verb (uncertain plans)

.

🕐 Total Time: 60 minutes

1. 👋 Warm-Up (5–7 min)

Activity: Weekend Brainstorm
Ask the student:

What do you usually do on the weekend?

I listen to music, i like many brasilian singers and international as well, and i wacth movies i like action movies, i watched a good movie last weekend.

Do you see friends or family?

actually, i don´t see my friends and family regularly/ frequently . But i see them once in a while. however i see my mother frequently.

Write down common answers: watch TV, visit family, cook, clean, rest, go to the park, study, go shopping

2. 📖 Listening/Reading Activity (10–12 min)

Input: Georgie and Neil’s Conversation:

Summary:

so, Neil is playing cricket with his sons and he loves to play with his kids and Georgie is rarely visiting her parents, she always stays in the countryside and she is looking forward to seeing her dog.

Option A – Listening (if available):
Play the conversation and ask:

What do Georgie and Neil plan to do?

Which plans are certain or uncertain?

for Neil he is certain that he is going to spend the weekend with his kids, he might see his friends, he might eat food in a restaurant, and hi might walk or have a drink with his friends on the weekend.

For georgie, she is very certain that she is going to see her parents, and she is going to miss her dog in the countryside but she is looking forward to seeing her dog at her parents house.

going to = future (very certain) gonna = only in speaking and is very informal.

might/ may these are modal verbs and express remotely and 30 to 50 percent probability in your speaking.

Option B – Reading:
Give a short script or dialogue. Have the student underline:

✅ Certain plans (“going to”)

❓ Uncertain plans (“might” / “may”)

👉 Discuss:

"I'm going to visit my parents this weekend." ( i am very certain)
"We might/may go for a drink." ( i am not certain to do it )

3. 💬 Vocabulary Focus (5 min)

Word of the day: looking forward to

Definition: to be happy or excited about something in the future

Example: “I’m looking forward to enjoying the weekend!”

i´m looking forward to seeing you next meeting!

Mini-Practice:
“What are you looking forward to this week, adriana?”
→ “I’m looking forward to buying a new dress because i am going to dance on friday night.

4. 🧠 Grammar Focus (10–12 min)

a) Present Continuous with Going to

Example: I’m going to visit my cousin.

Form: be + going to + base verb

i´m going to see my dog and i´m going to take him to the vet. i might take him to the vet.

i´m not going to see my dog.

📝 Practice:

Complete the sentence:
“On Saturday, I’m going to ______.”

Make it negative:
“I’m not going to work this weekend.”

b) Might / May for Uncertain Plans

Example: I might go to the park. / We may see a movie.

Form: might/may + base verb

📝 Practice:

Choose the best option:

“She (go / might go) to the gym on Sunday.”

Short answers:

“Might you go shopping this weekend?” → “Yes, I might.”

5. 🎙️ Speaking Practice: Interview a Friend (10–15 min)

🔄 Weekend Plan Interview

Instructions:

Student asks YOU the questions first

Then answers the same questions about their weekend

📄 Questions:

1. What are you going to do on Saturday?

I´m going to stay with my mother on Saturday.

I´m not going to go out. I'm going to talk about the party with my husband - vi que é... I´m going to talk about my husband´s party.

2. I might go to a friend´s birthday on Saturday, but actually, I am looking forward to resting at home.

3. Are you going to cook or eat out?

on Saturday I may eat out. I may take spend time visiting different people.

4. Are you going to visit your family?

I´m not going to visit my family on Saturday. I´m going to see my family on Thursday.

5. What might you do if the weather is bad? I´m going to rest in my bed. I might cook a cake too. Pedro is following a strict diet.

6. Are you looking forward to anything?

i am looking forward to spending time with my dogs.

✅ Encourage full answers:

“I’m going to visit my grandmother on Saturday. I might watch a movie in the evening. I’m looking forward to relaxing!”

📝 Optional: Use a simple planner to write plans:

DayCertain (going to)Uncertain (might/may)SaturdaySunday

6. ✍️ Writing Practice (10 min)

Write a short paragraph about this weekend:

Use 2 sentences with “going to” ( futuro) + INFINITIVE

I´M GOING TO GO TO THE SHOPPING MALL AND BUY A GIFT FOR MY MOM, BECAUSE ON SUNDAY IS MOTHER´S DAY.

Use 2 sentences with “might” or “may” ( 30 AND 50 % PROBABILITY)

I MIGHT SPEND THE WEEKEND AT HOME

I MAY VISIT A FRIEND ON SUNDAY

I AM VISITING A FRIEND ON SUNDAY.

Include 1 sentence with “looking forward to”

✍️ Example:

“This weekend, I’m going to clean my room. I’m going to have lunch with my brother. I might go to the cinema. I may call my friend. I’m looking forward to relaxing!”

7. ✅ Wrap-Up & Feedback (3–5 min)

Review any mistakes gently and give praise

Ask final questions:

“What are you going to do this weekend?”

“What might you do?”

🧠 Homework (Optional)

Write 4–6 sentences about your weekend using the same structure:

2 with “going to”

2 with “might” or “may”

1 with “looking forward to”

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(Image: Getty)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

Georgie and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about their weekends. Learn to talk about your plans and how certain they are.

Vocabulary

looking forward to
be pleased or excited that something is going to happen

Grammar tip:
Use present continuous with going to to talk about plans that are certain

I'm going to visit my parents this weekend.

Use might or may with the present simple to talk about plans that are uncertain

I might meet my friend for a meal. We may go for a drink.

Transcript

Georgie
Hello, I'm Georgie.

Neil
And I'm Neil. Welcome to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English.

Georgie
Every week, we have a real conversation in easy English to help you learn.

Neil
You can find the vocabulary from this episode and a text version to read along on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Georgie
How are you, Neil?

Neil
I'm well, thank you, Georgie. How are you?

Georgie
I am pretty good, too, thank you. I'm very excited for the weekend.

Neil
Oh, really? Well, today we're talking all about the weekend. We're going to talk about what we plan to do at the weekend.

Georgie
Great! Let's start.

Neil
So, Georgie, do you have any weekend plans?

Georgie
Yes, I do have plans. I'm going to visit my parents at the weekend. So I'm gonna get the train to my home town. What about you?

Georgie
Nice, which sports?

Neil
Cricket in the summer and football as well.

Georgie
Nice. So that's what you usually do?

Neil
That's what I usually do. I usually spend most of the weekend taking my kids to sport.

Neil
Actually, I really do. I really do like it. It's fun to watch them trying their hardest.

Georgie
Ah nice! Is there anything else you'd like to do this weekend?

Neil
Well, I might meet up with a friend and we might go for some food or maybe just a drink or we might go for a walk or something.

Neil
And how about you, Georgie? What do you plan to do when you get home?

Georgie
Well, we have a lunch on Saturday. And we live in the countryside, so we'll probably go for a walk with the dogs and we're likely to go to the pub as well.

Neil
Is this a typical weekend for you?

Georgie
It's not because I don't usually go home to see my parents. Most weekends I stay in London. I meet some friends.

Yeah. So this is not a typical weekend, but it's nice to visit my parents.

Georgie
I'm really looking forward to spending time in the countryside. When I'm in London, I really miss the peace and quiet. And I miss my dog. So I'm looking forward to seeing my dog.

Neil
And it's good to get some fresh air.

Georgie
Yes, exactly, exactly.

Georgie
Yes, I'm sure he is.

So, Neil, I have quite clear plans. I know what I'm going to do this weekend. And to talk about plans like that we usually use be going to or the present continuous so I said, I'm going to visit my parents at the weekend. And sometimes we shorten going to to gonna when we're speaking quickly.

Neil
Yeah, now your plans are certain. Mine are not so certain. So I used might and may. I said I might meet my friend. I may go for a meal or I may go for a drink. It means I'm not completely sure.

Georgie
Well, Neil, I'm sure whatever you do this weekend, you'll have a nice time.

OK, let's look at the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.

Neil
We learned might, which we use to talk about possible plans. I might meet my friend.

Georgie
Going to which we used to talk about future plans that are a little bit more certain. So I'm going to visit my parents this weekend.

Neil
If you can't wait, you can find lots of courses, programmes and activities on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Now try this...
Learn how to use may and might to talk about the weather

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about weekend plans

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Learn to talk about what you'll do at the weekend

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🕒 Duration: 60 minutes

👩‍🏫 Level: Basic (A1–A2)

1. 🧠 Warm-up (10 minutes)

Ask:

What time do you usually get up?

i usually get up at 8 am.

What do you do first in the morning?

i drink my medicine ( my pills) after this i brush my teeth and i have breakfast.

Do you eat breakfast or skip breakfast?

actually, i usually eat breakfast.. i have eggs, bread, coffee and milk, and toast, butter and fruits.

Do you like mornings?

yes i do, because i can do many things in the morning like studying english and preparing my lesson for the university.

Write some of their answers on the screen/paper to come back to later.

2. 🗣️ Vocabulary Introduction (10 minutes)

Teach and practice the following words:

get up 🛌 levantar

sleep in 💤 dormir mais um pouco

oversleep ⏰ passar da hora de acordar

morning person ☀️ pessoa da manha

skip (breakfast) 🚫🍳 pular o cafe

👉 Use visuals or mime the actions. Ask:

Do you sometimes sleep in on the weekend?

Have you ever overslept?

3. 🎧 Listening (15 minutes)

Listening Task: BBC Easy English Podcast - Morning Routines

1st Listen – General Comprehension Ask:

Who are the speakers?

What do they talk about?

2nd Listen – Specific Information Give the student a simple true/false or multiple choice worksheet, e.g.:

Georgie is a morning person. (T/F)

Neil always skips breakfast. (T/F)

Georgie had a Pilates workout today. (T/F)

📝 Optionally, provide a simplified transcript.

4. 💬 Speaking Practice (15 minutes)

Mini interview: Student asks and answers:

What time do you usually get up?

Do you eat breakfast? What do you eat?

Do you ever skip breakfast?

Do you ever oversleep?

Are you a morning person?

You can add a partner roleplay if more than one student:
“Hi, I’m Neil. What about you?”

5. 🔁 Grammar Recap (5 minutes)

Revisit "may" and "might" for soft predictions:

I might sleep in tomorrow.

I may skip breakfast if I’m not hungry.

Ask the student to make a few "may/might" predictions about their next morning:

I might have coffee.

I may go running.

I might oversleep.

6. 🎯 Homework (Optional)

Worksheet Ideas:

Match the vocabulary words with definitions.

Fill in the blanks with “get up / oversleep / skip / sleep in / morning person”.

Write 4–5 sentences about your own morning routine.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about mornings

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Learn to talk about what you do in the mornings

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📚 Basic English Grammar Checklist (A1–A2)

🟡 1. Verb To Be (am, is, are)

Affirmative, negative, and questions
👉 I am happy. / She isn’t tired. / Are you at home?

I am Adriana ; i am not 36 years old, i am from brazil, i am from salvador, i am 1.75 tall, i am a professor in a university.

am i adriana? am i from salvador?

she´s an architect/ she´s not (isn´t) an architect. Is she an architect?

🔵 2. Subject Pronouns & Object Pronouns

I, you, he, she, it, we, they, you

me, you, him, her, it, us, them
👉 She loves him. / They help us. Madona loves her kids, she really loves them.

we love you

🔴 3. Possessive Adjectives & Pronouns

my, your, his, her, its, our, their

mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
👉 This is her book. / That bag is mine. My red car is on the street.

i have a car, that red car is mine.

that red car is theirs/ their car is at the garage

this is our house/ this house is ours!

🟢 4. Simple Present

Regular verbs and common irregulars

Affirmative, negative, questions
👉 He plays football. / She doesn’t like coffee. / Do you study English?

Usage: habits, routines, facts

Third person ‘s’

🟣 5. Adverbs of Frequency

always, usually, sometimes, rarely, never
👉 I usually wake up at 7. / She never eats meat.

🟡 6. There is / There are

Singular and plural, affirmative, negative, questions
👉 There is a cat in my living room. / There are two apples in my refrigerator / Is there a bus? excuse me, is there a brazilian restaurant around here? yes, there is (isn´t) one on madson street.

there are 3 resturants on madson street; there aren´t any brazilian restaurant around here.

🔵 7. Articles: a / an / the / (zero article)

Use of a/an with singular nouns

The for specific things

Zero article for general ideas
👉 I have a cat. / The cat is sleeping. / Cats are cute.

i have a friend that is an actress.

🔴 8. Plurals (Regular and Irregular)

apples, boxes,child- children,man- men
👉 One child, two children. One box, two boxes. there is a man watching tv in my living room.

🟢 9. Prepositions of Place & Time

in, on, at (places and times)

under, next to, behind, in front of
👉 The book is on the table. / I work at 9 a.m.

i live in a beautiful city;

i live on the train station/ on manuel dias street/ i live on the second floor. i am at the beach/ i am on the beach/ i am in the beach. i am at the bank/ i am in the bank/ i am on a chair in the bank. i work in/at/ on UFBA. Where at ufba sector do you work? i work in the school dance department( field- area- sector)

🟣 10. Demonstratives/

this, that, these, those
👉 This is my phone. / Those are your shoes.

🟡 11. Present Continuous

be + verb-ing i am teaching english

Actions happening now or temporary actions
👉 I’m studying English. / She’s working today.

what are you doing? i am talking with my professor in english now.

near future - you can use simple

i am visiting a friend tomorrow.

🔵 12. Can / Can’t (Ability & Permission)

👉 I can swim. / She can’t drive. / Can I open the window?

🔴 13. Like / Love / Hate + Verb-ing

👉 I like reading. / He loves cooking.

i like reading books / i like to read books

comer vegetais todos os dias faz bem para sua saude

eating vegetables every day is good for your health.

i eat vegetables every day

i am eating vegetables every day

reading books are essential in my life.

i use my computer for sending emails.

after talking with you. i will start working.

stop talking with me!

🟢 14. Simple Past (Regular and Irregular Verbs)

Verb + -ed and common irregular verbs

Affirmative, negative, questions
👉 She walked to school. / They didn’t go. / Did you watch the movie?

🟣 15. Past of Verb to Be (was/were)

👉 I was tired. / They were happy. / Were you at the party?

🟡 16. Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Much / many / a lot of / some / any
👉 How much water? / Do you have any apples?

🔵 17. Comparatives and Superlatives

small → smaller → the smallest

good → better → the best
👉 This city is bigger. / She is the best student.

🔴 18. Future with “Going to”

Plans and intentions
👉 I’m going to travel next week.

🟢 19. Modals: Should / Must (Advice and Obligation)

👉 You should study. / You must wear a helmet.

🟣 20. First Conditional (Introductory)

If + present simple → will
👉 If it rains, I’ll stay home.

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🌟 Lesson Plan: Talking About Weekend Plans (Basic Level – Grammar Review)

🎯 Objective:

The student will review and use key grammar structures to talk about weekend plans using:

Present Continuous with going to (certain plans)

Might / May + base verb (uncertain plans)

Yes, I`m going to your party at night. What time are you free? I am in a break in at work at 8 o clock. ( i leave work at 8 oclock).

No, I am not buying the T shirt for you, i am buying red shoes and a blue hat.

i might visit my friend at the hospital today. (30 % probability)

i may go to the supermarket around 3 pm. ( 50 % probability.

i´m going to take all the promotions at the supermarket. ( 100 % certain)

i am going to buy a car ( 100 %)

i am going to my parent´s house. ( present continuous)

i am visiting a friend today; i am buying a new car.

Vocabulary: looking forward to

my son vitor has a girlfriend and they are together for a long time, i am looking forward to have my grandson.

🕐 Total Time: 60 minutes

1. 👋 Warm-Up (5–7 min)

Activity: Weekend Brainstorm
Ask the student:

What do you usually do on the weekend?

i usually stay at home, i drink a glass of wine with my husband but i drink more than my husband , sometimes i drink with my sons. but my sons lately they are not drinking alcohol. They are preparing for a marathon.

Do you see friends or family?

i rarely see my family and friend, i invite my mother to come home and sometimes i pay a visit.

Write down common answers: watch TV, visit family, cook, clean, rest, go to the park, study, go shopping

2. 📖 Listening/Reading Activity (10–12 min)

Input: Georgie and Neil’s Conversation

Option A – Listening (if available):
Play the conversation and ask:

What do Georgie and Neil plan to do?

Which plans are certain or uncertain?

Option B – Reading:
Give a short script or dialogue. Have the student underline:

✅ Certain plans (“going to”)

❓ Uncertain plans (“might” / “may”)

👉 Discuss:

"I'm going to visit my parents this weekend."
"We might go for a drink."

3. 💬 Vocabulary Focus (5 min)

Word of the day: looking forward to

Definition: to be happy or excited about something in the future

Example: “I’m looking forward to the weekend!”

Mini-Practice:
“What are you looking forward to this week?”
→ “I’m looking forward to _sleep because i am tired______.”

4. 🧠 Grammar Focus (10–12 min)

a) Present Continuous with Going to

Example: I’m going to visit my cousin.

Form: be + going to + base verb

📝 Practice:

Complete the sentence:
“On Saturday, I’m going to ______.”

Make it negative:
“I’m not going to work this weekend.”

b) Might / May for Uncertain Plans

Example: I might go to the park. / We may see a movie.

Form: might/may + base verb

📝 Practice:

Choose the best option:

“She (go / might go) to the gym on Sunday.”

Short answers:

“Might you go shopping this weekend?” → “Yes, I might.”

5. 🎙️ Speaking Practice: Interview a Friend (10–15 min)

🔄 Weekend Plan Interview

Instructions:

Student asks YOU the questions first

Then answers the same questions about their weekend

📄 Questions:

1. What are you going to do on Saturday?

2. Are you going to cook or eat out?

3. Are you going to visit your family?

4. What might you do if the weather is bad?

5. Are you looking forward to anything?

✅ Encourage full answers:

“I’m going to visit my grandmother on Saturday. I might watch a movie in the evening. I’m looking forward to relaxing!”

📝 Optional: Use a simple planner to write plans:

DayCertain (going to)Uncertain (might/may)SaturdaySunday

6. ✍️ Writing Practice (10 min)

Write a short paragraph about this weekend:

Use 2 sentences with “going to”

Use 2 sentences with “might” or “may”

Include 1 sentence with “looking forward to”

✍️ Example:

“This weekend, I’m going to clean my room. I’m going to have lunch with my brother. I might go to the cinema. I may call my friend. I’m looking forward to relaxing!”

7. ✅ Wrap-Up & Feedback (3–5 min)

Review any mistakes gently and give praise

Ask final questions:

“What are you going to do this weekend?”

“What might you do?”

🧠 Homework (Optional)

Write 4–6 sentences about your weekend using the same structure:

2 with “going to”

2 with “might” or “may”

1 with “looking forward to”

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(Image: Getty)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

Georgie and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about their weekends. Learn to talk about your plans and how certain they are.

Vocabulary

looking forward to
be pleased or excited that something is going to happen

Grammar tip:
Use present continuous with going to to talk about plans that are certain

I'm going to visit my parents this weekend.

Use might or may with the present simple to talk about plans that are uncertain

I might meet my friend for a meal. We may go for a drink.

Transcript

Georgie
Hello, I'm Georgie.

Neil
And I'm Neil. Welcome to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English.

Georgie
Every week, we have a real conversation in easy English to help you learn.

Neil
You can find the vocabulary from this episode and a text version to read along on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Georgie
How are you, Neil?

Neil
I'm well, thank you, Georgie. How are you?

Georgie
I am pretty good, too, thank you. I'm very excited for the weekend.

Neil
Oh, really? Well, today we're talking all about the weekend. We're going to talk about what we plan to do at the weekend.

Georgie
Great! Let's start.

Neil
So, Georgie, do you have any weekend plans?

Georgie
Yes, I do have plans. I'm going to visit my parents at the weekend. So I'm gonna get the train to my home town. What about you?

Georgie
Nice, which sports?

Neil
Cricket in the summer and football as well.

Georgie
Nice. So that's what you usually do?

Neil
That's what I usually do. I usually spend most of the weekend taking my kids to sport.

Neil
Actually, I really do. I really do like it. It's fun to watch them trying their hardest.

Georgie
Ah nice! Is there anything else you'd like to do this weekend?

Neil
Well, I might meet up with a friend and we might go for some food or maybe just a drink or we might go for a walk or something.

Neil
And how about you, Georgie? What do you plan to do when you get home?

Georgie
Well, we have a lunch on Saturday. And we live in the countryside, so we'll probably go for a walk with the dogs and we're likely to go to the pub as well.

Neil
Is this a typical weekend for you?

Georgie
It's not because I don't usually go home to see my parents. Most weekends I stay in London. I meet some friends.

Yeah. So this is not a typical weekend, but it's nice to visit my parents.

Georgie
I'm really looking forward to spending time in the countryside. When I'm in London, I really miss the peace and quiet. And I miss my dog. So I'm looking forward to seeing my dog.

Neil
And it's good to get some fresh air.

Georgie
Yes, exactly, exactly.

Georgie
Yes, I'm sure he is.

So, Neil, I have quite clear plans. I know what I'm going to do this weekend. And to talk about plans like that we usually use be going to or the present continuous so I said, I'm going to visit my parents at the weekend. And sometimes we shorten going to to gonna when we're speaking quickly.

Neil
Yeah, now your plans are certain. Mine are not so certain. So I used might and may. I said I might meet my friend. I may go for a meal or I may go for a drink. It means I'm not completely sure.

Georgie
Well, Neil, I'm sure whatever you do this weekend, you'll have a nice time.

OK, let's look at the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.

Neil
We learned might, which we use to talk about possible plans. I might meet my friend.

Georgie
Going to which we used to talk about future plans that are a little bit more certain. So I'm going to visit my parents this weekend.

Neil
If you can't wait, you can find lots of courses, programmes and activities on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Now try this...
Learn how to use may and might to talk about the weather

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

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn to talk about what you'll do at the weekend

# data[].attributes.body
Iam not run in the park with my friends in the evening

They are not arrive now but I hope them. Our kinds are my life.

I might to see the romantic movie on the Madson Street

We may eat in your house tomorrow

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Georgie teaches you some phrasal verbs that can be used to talk about travel.

Phrasal verbs mentioned

look forward to (something)
anticipate something good or exciting happening in the future

He's really looking forward to his summer holiday by the beach.

My parents are really looking forward to their book club event this weekend.

get away
escape from your usual responsibilities and go on holiday

I'm feeling burnt out. I'd love to get away for a few days and spend time in the countryside.

We've had a hard year. Let's get away at some point in the winter months.

pick (someone) up
collect someone and take them to another location, usually in a vehicle like a car

The taxi picked the woman up from her house and took her to the airport.

The bus picks us up every morning and takes us to school.

hurry up
go faster

Hurry up! We're going to miss our flight!

We really need to hurry up if we want to catch the train.

get in/out
enter/exit a vehicle with a small space (car, taxi, truck, lorry, van, helicopter), and immediately sit down

I got in the car and then started driving.

Once they arrived, they got out the taxi and walked into the airport.

get on/off
enter/exit a vehical standing on your feet (bus, plane, train, tram, boat)

We're at our stop - let's get off the bus.

After she got on the bus, she realised it was the wrong one.

set off
Begin your journey

Grandpa set off at 6am to make sure he arrived at the airport early for his flight.

Once we had prepared the picnic food, we set off towards the park.

check in
Register your arrival at the airport, at a hotel, or some kind of facility.

After checking in at the hotel reception, she gave them the room key.

Before going through airport security, you have to check in at the airline's desk.

take off (plane)
leaves the runway

The plane took off smoothly and then we were in the air.

You have to put your phone in airplane mode while the plane takes off.

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 travel

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Georgie's looking forward to teaching you these phrasal verbs for travel...

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about home towns

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn to talk about the place where you live

# data[].attributes.body
What subject at school did you like it more?

i did like arts and it was my passion from the beginning.

Do you think the method of education was different to actual teaching?

i think the method at schools are really complicated specially in public schools.

summary:

in this podcast, they talk about when they studied at schools. They talked about their favorite subjects, English and maths and they talked about words like qualification, be a nerd, quite, very and really.

Grammar input:

Intensifiers: very/ really/ quite/ pretty/ fucking/dam/ too/ so/

They modify nouns and adjectives to make more emphasis.

1. i am fucking tired

2. i didn't really like maths

3. i did like arts mom! - i did like school!

4. i did study!

I went to Jhon f Kennedy school and I liked quite the subjects of mathematics, language, chemistry, physics, algebra, and reading comprehension.

I remember a fucking good friend at school her name was Marina Pilar and she taught me mathematics and helped me in exams, she always helped me to cheat on her exam.

I went to Teresa delicieux and to another school called novel,my favorite subject was art and history. i remember a very fucking good friend, and i was a nice student, very committed student ,during the high school was different.

Word bank :

took = take

degree= formacao

until then

whereas

predictable

cheat = copiar

subjects = materias

most = mais

least= menos

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(Image: Getty)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Introduction

Beth and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about school. Learn to talk about your favourite subjects.

Vocabulary

quite
a little bit

nerd
an informal word for someone who does well at school

qualifications
a record that you have completed an exam or course

Transcript

Beth
Hello. This is Real Easy English, the podcast where we have conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Beth.

Neil
And I'm Neil. Remember, you can find all the vocabulary for this episode and a text version on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Beth
How are you today, Neil?

Beth
I'm good, thank you. What is the topic of our conversation today?

Neil
Well, I took all of the normal exams we do in the UK: GCSEs and then A Levels. These are school exams. And then university degrees. How about you?

Beth
Yeah, I am the same. I went to school in the UK and did all the same exams probably that you did. Did you like school?

Beth
Yeah, I think I'm the same.

Neil
What were your favourite subjects, Beth?

Beth
I really liked English, which sounds quite predictable because now English is part of my job. But I also quite liked textiles, which was a subject all about how to make clothes, and I made a hat. So it was quite a practical subject, and I enjoyed that.

Neil
Do you still wear the hat?

Beth
I do not. It was not a good hat.

What was your favourite subject?

Neil
I also liked English, but I think my favourite subject was history.

Beth
What about your least favourite subject?

Neil
That's easy! Maths. I hate maths.

Beth
You still hate maths?

So, in this conversation about school we used words like quite, very and really. Quite good means a little bit good. Very good and really good mean a lot.

Beth
So, for example, Neil I quite like history, but you really like history. You liked it a lot at school, whereas I liked it a bit.

So, did you not like maths because you weren't very good at it?

Neil
Yes, I think I was really bad at maths, and I didn't like it because I found it very hard. How about you?

Beth
I quite liked maths. I don't think there was a subject that I didn't really like.

Beth
Well, a nerd is an informal word for somebody who is very good at school. So, was I a nerd? Well, I did enjoy school, and I worked hard.

And one time my friend and I asked our teacher why we hadn't been given full marks for a presentation and then she said, "Oh, I'll just give you full marks". I think that was probably quite nerdy thing to do. So maybe!

Beth
Let's look at the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.

We had qualification, a record that you have completed an exam or a course.

Beth
Very and really are both used to mean a lot. So, for example, I'm very good at maths.

Beth
Thanks. And thanks for listening to Real Easy English. We'll be back next week to talk about our weekend plans.

Neil
Until then, you can find more programmes to improve your English on our website. Why not try some of our dramas and stories? Visit bbclearningenglish.com

Now try this...

Very, really and quite can all be used as adverbs and adjectives - learn some more interesting adverbs and adjectives here

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about school

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Learn to talk about your favourite subjects

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Let’s talk about pets:

Word bank:

Grammar:

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(Image: Getty)

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Introduction

Georgie and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about pets. Learn to talk about the animals you own or will own in the future.

Vocabulary

ever
at any time

never
not at any time

man's best friend
a common expression to describe dogs

purring
the noise a cat makes when it's happy

Transcript

Neil
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

Georgie
And I'm Georgie. In this podcast we have real conversations in easy English about a different topic each week.

Neil
And you can read along with the podcast using the script on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Georgie
Hi, Neil. How are things?

Neil
Very good, thank you. How are you, Georgie?

Georgie
Yes, I'm pretty good thank you as well. So, Neil, what are we talking about today?

Neil
We are talking about animals. We'll be talking about pets.

Georgie
OK, Neil. So do you have any pets?

Neil
No, I don't have any pets. But I know you do, Georgie.

Georgie
Yes, I do. I have a black dog called Rafi.

Neil
Rafi? Did you choose the name?

Georgie
Partly, but it was a decision we made as a family.

Neil
Did you have pets as a child?

Georgie
Yes, I did. We used to have cats actually, we started with cats and then we got a dog and then we also had hamsters. What about you, Neil? Did you have pets?

Neil
No, we didn't have pets when I was young. Oh, I did have a goldfish called Gilbert. But then later on when I was a teenager, my parents got a cat and a dog.

Georgie
Wow! Did you have a good relationship with Gilbert?

Georgie
That's OK. I mean, they're not for everyone. What was your cat like?

Neil
Yeah. Purring is the noise that cats make. Not miaow. Miaow is[makes miaow noise]. Purring is [makes purring noise]. And the cat made that noise and made me feel calm.

Neil
So, Georgie, what was your first dog like?

Neil
No, absolutely not. I think I would be scared of an exotic pet.

Georgie
Yeah. They just seem dangerous.

Neil
Let's recap the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.

We had ever, which means at any time. And you asked me Georgie, will I ever get a dog?

Neil
That's it for this episode of Real Easy English. You can find more programmes and courses to improve your English at bbclearningenglish.com

Georgie
In the next episode, we'll talk all about schools.

Neil
See you then, goodbye.

Now try this...
Learn how to use the present perfect tense to ask and answer questions.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about pets

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SUMMARY:

NIGHTMARES
QUITE A LOT
EALIER
DREAMS
SNORES

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(Image: Getty)

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Introduction

Beth and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about sleep. Learn to talk about your sleep habits and dreams.

Vocabulary

nightmare
a bad or scary dream

exhausted
very tired

Grammar Tip:
Use past simple + past continuous to describe dreams

I dreamt that I couldn't find my family and I was running around looking for them.

Transcript

Neil
And you're listening to Real Easy English, the podcast where we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn.

Beth
To read along with this podcast, you can find a text version on our website. Visit bbclearningenglish.com.

Neil
How are things, Beth?

Beth
I'm very well, thank you, Neil. How are you?

Neil
Oh, I'm a little tired. I didn't sleep very well last night. And today's episode is all about sleep. We'll be talking about our sleep habits, and also our dreams.

Beth
Lovely. So, Neil, you said that you didn't sleep well last night. So that's not so lovely. Does that happen very often?

Neil
It happens all the time, Beth! I don't sleep very well.

Beth
Oh, dear. How many hours do you sleep at night, Neil?

Neil
I think probably six and a half hours.

Neil
Ah, you are exhausted. What does exhausted mean, Beth?

Beth
It means that you are really tired.

Beth
What time do you usually go to bed, Neil?

Neil
About 11. I go to bed about 11.

Beth
I usually go earlier, but about ten o'clock.

Neil
And do you have dreams? Do you dream often?

Neil
Can you tell us about a strange dream that you've had?

Beth
Yeah, I had a weird dream a couple of nights ago.

I was at my auntie's house in the kitchen and then suddenly the floor was very wet and there were three robbers that were going to come and open the front door. So I had to run across the wet kitchen and lock the front door.

It was a bit scary and weird.

Neil
Yeah. That sounds like a really scary dream.

Neil
Yeah. It was just a normal, happy dream by the end.

Well, I noticed there that you used the past simple and the past continuous to describe your dream. You said I was running around which is the past continuous and then you said I found them, which was the past simple. And this is really common language that we use when we're describing things in the past like dreams.

So, we've talked about how long we sleep for and we've talked about dreams and nightmares. But I have a big question for you, Neil. Do you snore?

Neil
[makes a snoring noise]

Neil
That is snoring. Do I snore? I don't think I do. But my wife says that I do.

Neil
No, I've never heard myself snore!

Let's have a look at the language we learned in this conversation.

Beth
And we learnt a way to talk about dreams using the past simple and the past continuous. For example, you dreamt that you were running around trying to find your family and then you found them.

Thanks for listening to Real Easy English. If you liked this, there are lots more programmes to help you with your English on our website. Like English in a Minute, where we explain one language tip in 60 seconds. Visit bbclearningenglish.com

Beth
Next time, we'll talk about our favourite films.

Neil
See you then, goodbye!

Now try this...
More on using the past simple and past continuous

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about sleep

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USES OF PRESENT SIMPLE

PRESENT meaning:
When something happens regularly. Habits and routines.
Useful vocabulary for habits and routines: never, rarely, sometimes, often, usually, always, every ____, once/twice, three times a day/month/year, at the weekend, in the morning/afternoon/evening.
For something that is true now. For something that is always true, or a fact.
FUTURE meaning:

When something is scheduled.
Useful vocabulary for schedules: at ____ (time), next Monday, next week/month/year/season, this afternoon/evening, tonight, tomorrow, tomorrow morning.
In a first conditional.
PAST meaning:
When telling a story (usually we use past tenses, but occasionally we use present tenses).

So, I'm at the park. There's a kid on the slide. He falls off and hits his head. I call an ambulance.
When you're summarising books, films, series, plays etc.

In the first Harry Potter book, Harry goes to Hogwarts school and makes friends with Ron and Hermione. They learn how to do magic and fight with You-Know-Who.

STRUCTURE

For positive sentences, use the main verb but add an ' s' for he, she and it.

For negative sentences, put ' don't' before the main verb for I, you, we and they, and ' doesn't' before the main verb for he, she and it. ' Don't' and 'doesn't' are a contracted form of the auxiliary verb 'do/does' plus 'not'.

To ask yes/no questions, add 'do' or 'does' before the pronoun.

To ask for more information, add the 'who, what, where, why, how, when' question words before 'do'.

To do

Practise by using the worksheet on this page, and watch other videos.

NEXT

Try some of our other grammar programmes

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BBC Learning English - Tenses with Georgie / Present simple

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Learn the uses and structure of the present simple

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What's your favourite film - MOVIES or your favorite tv series? - SPEAKING

i think my favorite series is now Vis a vis. this is a Spanish production and i love to watch the suspense and the creativity of the plot. ( Eduardo)

I think my favorite series recently is the last session of the fraud. this is a series on Prime video. For series i like k -drama and Korean series.

DID YOU WATCH?

SUMMARY:

Vocabulary

plot
what happens in a film, book or TV programme

character
a person in a story

stream
watch a film or TV programme on the internet

Grammar Tip:
Use present simple to describe what happens in a film, TV programme or story

Harry Potter is about a boy who discovers he is a wizard and goes to a special school called Hogwarts.

HOMEWORK:

WRITE THE PLOT OF ANY SERIES OR FILM THAT YOU LIKE USING THE SIMPLE PRESENT BUT AFTER THAT MAKE A RECORDING VIDEO TO POST ON THE PADLET.

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(Image: Getty)

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Introduction

Neil and Georgie have a real conversation in easy English about their favourite films and TV shows. Learn to talk about what happens in your favourite film.

Vocabulary

plot
what happens in a film, book or TV programme

character
a person in a story

stream
watch a film or TV programme on the internet

Harry Potter is about a boy who discovers he is a wizard and goes to a special school called Hogwarts.

Transcript

Georgie
Welcome to Real Easy English, the podcast where we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Georgie.

Neil
And I'm Neil. To read along with this podcast, visit our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Georgie
How are you today, Neil?

Neil
I'm very well, Georgie. How are you?

Georgie
I'm pretty good, thank you, as well.

Neil
So, Georgie, what are we talking about in today's episode?

Georgie
Today's episode is all about films and television. We'll talk about our favourite movies and shows.

Neil
Great, let's get started.

Georgie
OK, Neil. So, what kinds of films do you like?

Neil
I like foreign films, films that are not in English, because I like stories from other countries. What about you?

Georgie
I like two kinds of films. One type of film I really like is films that you can learn from, and the other type of film is films that you can escape from reality. So usually quite silly films or fantasy films.

Neil
OK. Do you have a favourite film?

Georgie
Yes, I do. I really love the Harry Potter series.

Neil
So, Georgie, can you tell us about your favourite film, the Harry Potter film you mentioned?

Georgie
Yes. So you want to know about the plot, which is what happens in the film. So Harry Potter is all about a boy who discovers that he is a wizard. That is someone who does magic. And he goes to a school for magic called Hogwarts and he meets his best friends Ron and Hermione who are other characters in the film. And he spends a lot of his time trying to escape a dark wizard called Voldemort and it's very dangerous. It's a great film!

Georgie
Yes. Very evil characters and also really nice characters.

Neil
So, Georgie, you talked a lot about your favourite film Harry Potter. And the grammar you used to describe the film was present simple. So, for example, you said the film is about a boy who discovers that he is a wizard and he goes to a school, a special school for wizards, and he makes friends with Ron and Hermione. All present simple.

Georgie
Yes, that's right. We use the present simple to describe the plot of a story like a book or a film. We also use the present simple to tell stories sometimes, things that happened to us in the past, which is interesting.

What about you? What's your favourite film?

Neil
Well. I think my favourite film is from when I was a kid, and it's Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

Georgie
Wow. I haven't seen that.

Neil
It's very old, but it's got Indiana Jones, and he was my hero when I was a kid.

Georgie
Why was he your hero?

Neil
Because it was... he's all about action and adventure and catching bad guys.

Georgie
Oh interesting! See I'm not a big fan of action and adventure.

Neil
So, Georgie, do you watch lots of movies?

Georgie
I actually don't, because I have quite a short attention span. I actually prefer to watch TV or series. What about you?

Neil
Yeah, again, I think there's so much choice these days, sometimes actually I watch nothing because I don't know what to choose. But sometimes, I really get into a TV series and, yeah, watch it all very quickly and talk about it a lot.

Georgie
That's called binge watching. How do you watch these series?

Georgie
So, you just used the word stream. You stream TV shows and movies and that means watching films or TV using the internet. You can watch things whenever you want when you stream things.

Neil
OK. Let's look again at the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.

Georgie
For example, Harry Potter goes to a magic school called Hogwarts and meets two best friends.

Neil
Thanks for listening to Real Easy English. You can find more easy conversation on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Georgie
Next time, we'll be talking about pets.

Now try this...
Georgie explains the present simple and how to use it

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about films

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Learn to talk about what happens in your favourite film

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BBC Learning English - Stories for Children / Milly and the Rainbow

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Milly finds a rainbow at the bottom of her garden. What happens when Milly tries to touch the rainbow?

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USES OF THE ZERO CONDITIONAL
To talk about scientific facts. To talk about general or personal truths.

If I don't get a good night's sleep, I can't concentrate very well the next day.

I feel a bit stressed out if I don't play the guitar when I get home from work.

To talk about rules and laws.

If you don't buy a train ticket and get caught, you get a fine.

If we film videos in the wrong part of the building, they tell us to move.

STRUCTURE

Example: If I sleep badly, I am grumpy in the morning.

Condition (if-clause): present simple

Result (main clause): present simple

You can change the order of the sentence and the meaning stays the same:

If I sleep badly, I am grumpy in the morning.

or

I am grumpy in the morning if I sleep badly.

To do

Practise by using the worksheet and try some of our other grammar programmes

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BBC Learning English - Conditionals with Georgie / Zero conditional

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Learn to talk about facts using the zero conditional

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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.

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Free worksheet
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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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Neil and Georgie demonstrate some phrasal verbs that can be used to talk about friendships and relationships in general.

Phrasal verbs mentioned

get on (with someone)
like someone and have a friendly relationship with them

My sister and I really get on. We have a lot of fun together!

Arturo gets on with his colleagues. They have similar personalities.

fall out (with someone)
stop being friends with someone after an argument

Mia and Nathan fell out after Mia lied and didn't apologise.

Jake fell out with his roommate about household responsibilities.

run into (someone)
meet someone unexpectedly

Fatima ran into her neighbour at the supermarket.

Two childhood friends ran into each other in a London coffee shop.

hear from (someone)
receive communication from someone, e.g. via phone, email or letter

I was thrilled to hear from my long-lost friend after years of being out of touch.

Do you know how Uncle Jim is? I haven't heard from him in a while.

make up (with someone)
become friends with someone again after having an argument

It took time, but eventually the siblings made up and repaired their relationship.

We're all waiting for you and Charlie to make up. It would be a shame to lose the friendship.

hang out (with someone)
spend time relaxing or socialising with someone

At the weekend, my friends and I hang out at the local coffee shop.

I love hanging out with my younger cousins - they're so funny!

catch up (with someone)
talk to someone about what's been happening in your lives since the last time you spoke

Family reunions are a great time to catch up with relatives you don't see often.

I caught up with Lina last week - so much has happened since I last saw her!

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 more Phrasal verbswith Georgie, and try some of our other grammar programmes.

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

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Learn some phrasal verbs to talk about friendships and relationships between people in general

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Talk about the best holiday destination?

For me, the best holiday is at any city in Europe, or south America or Africa

I think the best holiday is in Brazil

if i had to travel on holidays/ on vacation would be Thailand.

for me the best holiday is at any place.

SUMMARY OF THE PODCAST:

They are talking about vacation= holidays. Neil likes Japan city and the Japanese food and Georgie visited Edinburgh and she likes the buildings, the nature and the parks.

in this episode we learn the word combination for staying near home in your vacation = STAYCATION.

Activity: many people in Spain are complaining about over tourism is a massive tourism and they are losing their homes and they cannot afford to pay rentals and also the groceries in the supermarket due to many tourists and digital nomads are visiting or staying in the cities.

what do you think the government should do and what residents could do to avoid this problem?

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(Image: Getty)

Introduction

Neil and Georgie have a real conversation in easy English about holidays. Learn to talk about the places you want to travel to.

Vocabulary
destination
a place we are going to or would like to go to
should
used to give advice or talk about things that are a good idea to do
could
used to talk about things that are possible
staycation
a holiday at or near home

Transcript

Georgie
Hello! Welcome to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English. I'm Georgie.

Neil
And I'm Neil. And in this podcast, we have real conversations in easy English to help you improve your English. Remember you can read what we're saying on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Neil
How are you today, Georgie?

Georgie
I'm pretty good, Neil, thank you. I'm happy that it's Friday.

Neil
I like two different kinds of holidays. I like interesting cities... interesting old cities, like European cities. But I also like mountains and countryside and those kind of places like in South America.

Georgie
Yes, I also have two different types of holidays that I like. If I want to relax, I usually want to be in the sun by the beach, but I also love to see new and interesting places, places that you can't see in your own country.

Neil, where's your favourite place you've ever been to?

Neil
Oh, well, I really, really liked Japan when I visited Japan.

Georgie
Mmm that sounds so good, and I love food!
Ok so, you said I should try some Japanese restaurants. What is this word should? What does it mean?

Neil
It means I think it's a good idea for you to do that. That's my advice to you.

Georgie
Ok so it's kind of like a recommendation in this case?

Neil
Yeah. So when you go to Japan, you should eat sushi. When you go to Japan, you should visit Kyoto to see Zen gardens.

So how about you, Georgie? What's... what's the best place you've ever been on holiday?

Georgie
I really love Edinburgh in Scotland. I love it because it's very green. The city is very close to nature and it's very beautiful. The buildings are really beautiful.

Georgie
Well, in August, for example, you could go to the Fringe Festival, which is a comedy and arts festival. So you could see some shows. Or you could go for a walk in the national parks outside of the city. Or you could go to see some of the museums they have. There's lots of things you could do.

Georgie
Yes, and that's different from should, because when I say you should do something, it means that it's a good idea or I'm giving you advice. But could, I'm just giving you some options, things that are possible for you to do.

Neil
Now, we don't always go to another country on holiday or even a different city, do we?

Georgie
No, now it's actually quite popular to go on holiday inside your own country and we have a word for this, don't we Neil?

Neil
Yes, we do. It combines two words. The word stay and the word vacation. Put them together and you have staycation. And a staycation is a holiday at, actually in, your house or near your house.

Now the problem with holidays is they are expensive. We probably need to save up money if we want to travel to all these places, apart from the staycation.

Let's recap the language we learned during the conversation.

Neil
That's it for this episode of Real Easy English. Visit our website for more activities and courses to help you with your English: bbclearningenglish.com

Georgie
Next time. We'll be talking about work and jobs.

Neil
See you then, goodbye.

Now try this...

Learn more about could and talking about things that are possible here.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about holidays

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Learn how to talk about the places you want to travel to

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Let's learn the verb . If you identify something or someone, it means you notice it or them and can say who or what they are.

I identified the person in the photo as my neighbour.
There was a flavour in the soup that I just couldn't identify.

If you identify with someone, or a group of people, then you feel that you have something in common with them.

I identify with teachers. They have a difficult job!

If you identify as something, it means that you would label yourself in that way.

I identify as a hard worker - I'm proud of what I do.

Identify is about recognition. It can be about recognising people and things, you can identify with a situation you recognise, and if you identify as something, it's how you see yourself.

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 3 / Session 84 / Activity 1

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Let's learn the verb . If you identify something or someone, it means you notice it or them and can say who or what they are. I identified the person in the photo as my neighbour.There was a flavour in the soup that I just couldn't identify.

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Let's learn claim. It's both a noun and a verb. It can mean 'to say something is true', and we often use it when we're not sure if someone really is telling the truth.

He claims he did the assignment, but I haven't seen it.
Her claim is that she didn't get the message, but I definitely sent it.

Phil
We also use it to mean asking for or taking something that you are allowed to have, we often use this with money.

After the accident she claimed money from her insurance company.
The funding claim for our project has been accepted.

Especially as a verb, we use claim to talk about winning or achieving things.

He claimed the prize by winning the race.

So, we claim things are true, and claim the things that we're allowed to have or that we've achieved. We're not just claiming we can help your English - we know it's true!

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BBC Learning English - Course: English In A Minute / Unit 3 / Session 81 / Activity 1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Let's learn claim. It's both a noun and a verb. It can mean 'to say something is true', and we often use it when we're not sure if someone really is telling the truth. He claims he did the assignment, but I haven't seen it.Her claim is that she didn't get the message, but I definitely sent it.

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Are you a person that read or watch the news?

. i never read and watch the news because i don't have time and the news are tragic!

Do you think that nowadays the news are chaotic?

In my opinion the news are talking about crimes, drugs and i would like to know about if Trump lost his ear.

is your family always watching the news? reading the newspapers? or listening to the radio the news?

my family always watch the news on tv or on the internet. and some of them listen to podcast on cellphone.

Podcast summary:

they talk about if they watch the news everyday, they speak about the difference use of the news and the information that is too much or sad and bad news .

new words:

Vocabulary

follow the news

be interested in the news

are you following the news about IZA the singer?

are you following my stories on instagram?

too

more than is needed of something

i have too much peace in my heart

too much = uncountable

too many = countable

i have too many dogs at home

enough= sufficient

the time of day when lots of people are going to work or

school

i read enough in the newspaper about Iza.

already

before now

i already ate my lunch

i already visited argentina

written assignment: Write about the influence to watch more the news on the internet than reading the newspaper, what things have changed positively or negatively?

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(Image: Getty)

Introduction

Beth and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about the news. Learn to talk about how much you read the news.

Vocabulary
follow the news
be interested in the news
too
more than is needed of something
enough
the time of day when lots of people are going to work or school
already
before now

Transcript

Beth
Hello. You're listening to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English. I'm Beth.

Neil
And I'm Neil. This is the podcast where we have real conversations in easy English for you to listen along and learn.

Beth
As always, you can find a text version of this episode to read along on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Neil
So, Beth, how are you this week?

Beth
I'm very good, thank you. How are you, Neil?

Neil
I'm very well, thank you. What are we talking about today?

Neil
Yes, and you can also follow sports, can't you? So if you like a particular, for example, football team, you might check your phone a lot to find out the score, to follow and see how they're doing.

Neil
Yes, I think it's difficult not to follow the news. First thing in the morning, I look on my phone to see if anything big has happened overnight, and then I check a lot during the day just to see what's happening. So I do follow the news. How about you?

Beth
Yes, definitely. So, why do you like to follow the news, even though it can be too sad?

Neil
That's a very good question. I think it's a bit of a habit. It's a bit addictive and I think we sometimes feel like we need to know what's happening, even if we have actually no control over what is happening.

Beth
Yeah, I completely agree because even though I get notifications and I read the news, I sometimes feel like I still don't know enough about what's going on because there's so much information out there, and so many different ways to get the news that it's not enough to just read one article. There's so much information that you want to understand.

Neil
So, Beth, we work at the BBC.

Neil
It's a news organisation. Have your news habits changed since you started working at the BBC?

Neil
Well, I used to be a journalist at the BBC. So probably I used to pay more attention or follow the news more than I do now because now I make these programmes about English.

Beth
Maybe it's good that you don't follow the news as much as you did, because it's not always good.

Neil
It's not. It's often bad news.

OK, let's recap the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.

Neil
We used too, and too means more than is needed of something, so I watch too much news.

Beth
Yes, I said that before I worked at the BBC, I already followed quite a bit of news.

And I can't believe it is already the end of this episode and it's the end of the series!

Neil
Yes, that's sad news! So we will be back with more easy English podcasts for you. But for now, you can find lots more activities and courses to help with your English on our website: bbclearningenglish.com

Beth
Thank you for listening. See you soon.

Now try this...

Learn more about using too and enough here.

And if you like to follow the news, try News Review, where you can learn English from news headlines.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about the news

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Writing

Now, write your own complete sentences using the following phrasal verbs. The prompts in italics are optional.

1. sleep in, e.g. Do you like sleeping in? Why/why not?__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

2. work out, e.g. Do you like working out? Why/why not?__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

3. pick (something) out, e.g. When was the last time you picked out a special gift for someone?__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

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Georgie teaches you some phrasal verbs related to the morning routine.

Phrasal verbs mentioned

go off
start making a noise (alarms)

I knew the cookies in the oven were ready when the timer went off.

wake up
open your eyes and stop sleeping

The smell of freshly brewed coffee is a great way to wake up.

sleep in
continue sleeping after the time you usually wake up

After a long week of work, Sarah allowed herself to sleep in on Saturday morning.

get up
stand up after being in bed

My daughter got up at 5 am because she was so excited about her birthday.

put (something) on
dress yourself in something

He quickly put on his running shoes and headed out for a morning jog.

work out
train the body through exercise

I try to work out at the gym at least three times a week.

pick (something) out
choose (something) carefully

Can you help me pick out a gift for my sister's birthday?

get dressed
put on your clothes

I turned up to an online meeting in pyjamas because I forgot to get dressed.

work on (something)
spend time learning, studying or doing something

The team decided to work on the project collaboratively to achieve better results
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 more Phrasal verbswith Georgie, and try some of our other grammar programmes.

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for your morning routine

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Do you like sleeping in or are you more of an early riser?

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What's your favorite food?

my favorite is cozido, pasta and caruru.

Do you cook?

lately, i don't cook

who is a good cook at home?

i think i am a good cook and my husband is as well and my sister in law is a good cook, my son Vitor is a good cook.

What are they talking about in the podcast?

They are talking about cooking food and their favorite food, Neil likes fish, and Beth likes fish and seafood as well, but Neil generally eats fish more than Beth. Beth sometimes eats fish only for occasions like birthdays or memorable times. Beth said that she hates and can't stand baked beens.

what do you love and hate to eat?

i love to eat pizza and i can't stand/ hate bowels ( vísceras) and rare food. but i like very much spicy food i am like a bird.

Vocabulary

often = frequentemente

used to talk about something we do a lot

how often = com que frequência?

usually, normally and generally

used to talk about a habit or something we do a lot

actually = na verdaderamente

nowadays/ currently= atualmente.

disgusting = desagradável/ horrível

lately = ultimamente

sometimes

used to talk about things we do, but not often

never

used to talk about things we don't do

hate = odeio

can't stand = nao suporto

try to uses the adverbs of frequency describing your routine when cooking.

i actually cook sometimes at home, but last food i prepared was a shrimp salty cake and my taste is very nice and delicious. I can't stand rare roast meat , i generally when i go to the restaurant i order my meat very well done and i know this is disgusting for the cooks.

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(Image: Getty)

Introduction

Neil and Beth have a real conversation in easy English about their favourite foods. Learn to talk about your favourite foods and how often you eat them

Vocabulary
often
used to talk about something we do a lot

usually, normally and generally

used to talk about a habit or something we do a lot
sometimes
used to talk about things we do, but not often
never
used to talk about things we don't do

Transcript

Beth
Welcome to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English. I'm Beth.

Neil
And I'm Neil. In this podcast, we have a real conversation in easy English.

Beth
If you want to read along, you can visit our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Hi, Neil.

Beth
I'm very good, thank you. How are you?

Beth
Good, good. What are we talking about today?

Beth
What an amazing topic. I have so much to say about food. But you said how often. What do we mean by how often we eat something?

Beth
So, Neil, what is your favourite food?

Neil
Well, that's a really difficult question. But I really like fish.

Beth
Ah, me too! I was going to say that! But actually, I really love seafood. So, I think I'd say any kind of dish with seafood in it I absolutely love.

Beth
Well, not very often, actually. I have it when I go on holiday and I have it in restaurants sometimes, but I don't really cook seafood at home. What about you? How often do you have fish?

Neil
Oh, probably a few times a week.

Neil
Maybe, yeah. Yeah. We eat a lot of fish.

Neil
Yeah, OK. So what is your least favourite food?

Beth
Ooh... I absolutely hate baked beans!

Neil
You hate baked beans!?

Beth
I think they're disgusting! I can't even... the smell of them even makes me feel a bit sick.

Beth
So we've talked about the foods that we really like and the foods we don't like. But in a general week, what do you normally cook?

Neil
So, Beth. You generally eat rice and pasta dishes. What does that mean? Generally?

Beth
Well, we use generally and usually and normally for habits or things that we do a lot. So, for example, if I generally cook pasta or rice, that means maybe five times out of the seven in a week, I would say.

Beth
Yeah, sometimes might be two or three times a week. I guess it depends on what you're talking about. But for example, with me I sometimes cook fish. Like I said I have it maybe twice a week. So I would say that's sometimes.

Neil
Beth, you said you hate baked beans. So do you ever eat baked beans?

Beth
Never. No, I can't stand them. So I never, ever have baked beans.

I can't believe you don't like baked beans. Beans on toast is a classic!

Beth
It is. But, no. Not for me. Let's quickly recap the vocabulary we learnt during the conversation.

We learnt often which means we do something a lot. And we learnt how often, which we use to ask someone how many times they do something.

Neil
Usually, normally, and generally, which are all ways to talk about things we do a lot.

Neil
Thanks for listening to Real Easy English. Visit our website for more activities and courses to help you with your English: bbclearningenglish.com.

Beth
Next week, we'll talk about our friends.

Neil
See you then, goodbye.

Now try this...

Learn more about adverbs of frequency here.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about food

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Learn how to talk about your favourite foods

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Grammar exploration: WOULD - USED TO

about my routine:

i normally wake up at 6 am and i start giving my english classes at 8 am or 9 am.

i like to prepare my breakfast before i have classes, so i am very energized to dictate my classes.

after classes at midday, i usually prepare my healthy lunch, it takes me like 1 hour to prepare and eat my lunch.

i normally take naps after lunch for 45 minutes and after i start giving classes again. i always finish at 9 pm at night.

Vocabulary

routine

the time and way we usually do something

my routine is crazy every day.

used to and would

used to talk about habits in the past

hangry

hungry and angry at the same time

brunch

eating breakfast and lunch at the same time

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(Image: Getty)

Introduction

Neil and Beth have a real conversation in easy English about their meal times. Learn to talk about your routines and when you usually eat.

Vocabulary
routine
the time and way we usually do something

used to talk about habits in the past
hangry
hungry and angry at the same time
brunch
eating breakfast and lunch at the same time

Transcript

Beth
Welcome to Real Easy English, the podcast where we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Beth.

Neil
And I'm Neil. If you want to read along with this podcast, you can find a full transcript on our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Beth
How are you today, Neil?

Neil
I'm very well, thank you, Beth. How about you?

Neil
So what topic are we talking about in this episode?

Beth
Well, they are similar, but a habit is something we do regularly. So, for example. I eat an apple and a banana most days.

Beth
OK, you said you have your breakfast at six am every day. What do you usually have to eat?

Neil
Well, usually I have something simple. A bowl of cereal, some toast with marmalade.

How about you, Beth?

Beth
I usually have porridge.

Neil
And what about lunch? What time do you have lunch, usually?

Beth
I normally have lunch at about one o'clock. What about you?

Neil
Yeah, the same. I don't like it at 12. That's too early. But by two, I'm getting a little bit hungry and angry at the same time.

Beth
That's true. Now you've just reminded me of another word which is brunch. Now, that's a combination of the words breakfast and lunch. Do you ever have brunch, Neil?

Beth
Yeah. When I was at university, I used to have brunch pretty much every day. So I would meet up with my friends and we would go to a cafe and we would have brunch.

Neil
Beth, you said that you used to have brunch at university. Used to - what's that mean?

Now, another way of talking about past habits is to use would. So if you remember, I said I would message my friends and we would have brunch. So used to and would are both used to talk about past habits.

Neil
Do you ever miss a meal?

Neil
I don't like to miss meals because, like I said, I get hangry. But I guess I also used to miss breakfast when I was a teenager and I needed to sleep for a huge amount of time every night and get up really late.

Beth
Yeah, I think it's quite normal and quite interesting how your habits change as you get older. For example, missing meals and that sort of thing.

Neil
Right, let's recap the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.

Neil
We heard used to which we use to talk about a habit in the past and would, which we can also use to talk about past habits.

Beth
Thanks for joining us on Real Easy English. Visit our website for more activities and courses to help you with your English.

Neil
In the next episode we'll be talking more about our hobbies.

Now try this...

Learn more about using used to for habits in the past here.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about routines

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talking about jobs:

1. what do you do?

2. what do you like the most about your job?

3. what do you do when you are not working?

4. do you have many colleagues at work?

answers:

1. i AM A TEACHER, I TEACH MANY THINGS LIKE DANCING,SEMIOTICA SYSTEM AND NEUROSCIENCE.

2. when i get with my students and they talk about funny things, i love that!

3. when i am not working, i drink a beer, wine and chat with people! i love it!

4. yes i have many, but they are not my friends they are only my colleagues from work.

career

the jobs we have over time

1.

for

used to talk about a length of time

1.

since

used to talk about the time when something started

1.

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(Image: Getty)

Introduction

Neil and Beth have a real conversation in easy English about their jobs. Learn to talk about your career and how long you have worked somewhere.

Vocabulary
career
the jobs we have over time
for
used to talk about a length of time
since
used to talk about the time when something started

Transcript

Neil
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English. In this podcast we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Neil.

Beth
And I'm Beth. Remember, you can find a script for this episode to read along on our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Neil
Hello, Beth. How are you?

Beth
I'm very well, Neil. How are you?

Beth
Good. What are we talking about in this episode, Neil?

Beth
OK, and also with career, it's a word we use to talk about the type of work we do. So you might have a career in teaching or a career in TV, for example.

So, Neil. I know you work here at BBC Learning English, of course. But have you had any other jobs?

Neil
Oh, yes. I've had lots of other jobs. Before I worked at the BBC, I was a teacher, an English teacher. And before that I had lots of jobs when I was a student.

Neil
Twenty years. More than 20 years.

Beth
Oh wow! OK, so when you were a student and you had jobs, that was quite a long time ago.

Neil
It was ages ago, Beth! Before the internet was invented.

Beth
OK. And what jobs did you do when you were a student?

Neil
So when I was a student I worked in a hotel. I worked in restaurants as a waiter. I worked in a fish and chip shop.

And how about you, Beth. When did you start working at the BBC?

Beth
I have worked here for around three years. So I've been here since 2021. But I've been working in London for six years, 'cause I've been here since 2018.

Neil
So, Beth, you said that you have worked at the BBC since 2021. Since... What does it mean when we use since?

Beth
Well, we use since followed by a date or a point in time and we use it to talk about when something started. But also it's something that is still true. So I have been here since 2021 and I still work here now. So it's still true.

Neil
Yeah, and that's different to for, isn't it? When you say I've worked here for twenty years. We're talking about the length of time.

Beth
Exactly. And that can be something that is still true. For example, you've worked here for twenty years and you still work here now, but it also could be something in the past. So, for example, you said you worked in a fish and chip shop for a summer. And that summer has a length of time, it has a start and an end.

Neil
So what is the funniest thing that's ever happened at work, Beth?

Beth
Well, when I was a teenager, I worked at a farm and sometimes the goats would escape. So I had to run after baby goats and I would have to pick them up and put them back. But I got a little cuddle with a baby goat. So it was funny, but it was also very nice.

Neil
Ah, that's a nice thing to do in your job!

Right, let's recap the words we've learnt today. We had career which means the jobs we've had over time.

That's it for this episode of Real Easy English. If you enjoyed this podcast, you can find more activities and courses to help you with your English on our website: bbclearningenglish.com.

Beth
Next time, we'll be talking about our habits and daily routines.

Neil
See you then, goodbye.

Now try this...

Learn more about using since and for here.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about jobs

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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 need to get new shoes.

i didn't get congratulations from my students.

Receive
Get can mean receive.

I just got a message.

I got a bike for my birthday!

i got many kisses on the weekend.

Become
Get with an adjective can mean become.

I'm getting annoyed.

It's got quite hot in here suddenly.

i am getting funny with my english

Vitor is getting slim because he is working out a lot!

Vitor got more handsome

Understand
Get can mean understand.

I don't get this joke.

I don't often meet people who get this type of movie.

Arrive
Get can mean arrive.

I need to get home early so I'm off!

What time will you get here?

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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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USES OF PAST SIMPLE
A common use is to talk about one completed action at a specific time in the past.

I went to Germany last summer.

She met her best friend in 2007.

I finished reading my book last night.

I saw some dolphins two weeks ago in the sea.

Useful vocabulary for past completed actions at a specific time: this morning, yesterday, last night/week/month/year, two weeks ago, in (year)
Something that happened multiple times in the past (similar to 'used to').

My sister and I went to school by bus every day.

They ate a lot of local food while on holiday.

You had guitar lessons every Thursday when you were little.

He watched that movie whenever he was sad.

Something that was true for a period of time in the past.

Mum worked in finance when she was younger.

I really enjoyed university life.

My grandfather owned a bakery before he retired.

We lived in a small town growing up.

For a sequence of events.

He woke up, had breakfast and then left for work.

The team practised, had a strategy meeting, and then played the match.

Useful vocabulary for sequences: first, then, after that, later, following this, finally
It can be used with the past continuous to interrupt an action.

I was cooking when my phone rang.

She was studying when a storm started outside.

The teacher walked into the room as the students were chatting.

Useful vocabulary for when the past simple interrupts an action: while, when, as, suddenly
STRUCTURE
For positive sentences, add 'ed' to the main verb for regular verbs.

For negative sentences, add 'didn't' before the main verb in its basic form.

To ask questions, add 'did' at the beginning.

To ask for more information, add the 'who, what, where, why, how, when' question words at the beginning.
Irregular verbs
Irregular verbs are... irregular. They don't follow the rules and you just have to learn them. However, some do fall into categories which can make them easier to remember, like these:

spoke, broke, chose, froze, woke up

began, drank, rang, sang, sank

blew, grew, knew, threw, flew
To do
Practise by using the worksheet on this page, and watch other Tenses with Georgie videos.
NEXT
Try some of our other grammar programmes

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BBC Learning English - Tenses with Georgie / Past simple

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Learn the uses and structure of the past simple

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BBC Learning English - Prepositions with Georgie / Prepositions of movement

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Do you know how to use 'through' and 'across'?

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BBC Learning English - Prepositions with Georgie / Prepositions of place

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Prepositions of place

To talk about where things are, we have words like in, on, under, next to, behind, in front of, between, above

Some are quite unambiguous (they usually have one clear meaning):

In

On

Under

Next to

Behind

In front of

Between

Above

Others are more complicated. Why do we say ‘in Germany’, but ‘at' the airport’?
The answer is not simple. Sometimes we can separate the uses like this:

Use ‘in’ for larger, more general spaces

The dogs are in the park.

My cousin lives in Germany.

My house is in the countryside.

I wouldn’t like to live in space.

Use ‘at’ for places that have quite specific activities

We met at a party.

They are at the supermarket.

The children are at school.

They’ve arrived at the airport.

But then there are some strange examples:

‘in the shopping centre’ but ‘at the supermarket’

‘in the house’ but ‘at home’

‘in the office’ but ‘at work’

So, how can we remember them?!

TOP TIPS!

When you learn new place words, don't learn them by themselves, learn them in chunks e.g. in the supermarket, at home, in Asia, at work

Expose yourself to English as much as you can, so you get used to the combinations e.g. listen to podcasts, watch videos, read

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To talk about where things are, we have words like in, on, under, next to, behind, in front of, between, above
Some are quite unambiguous (they usually have one clear meaning):
Others are more complicated. Why do we say 'in Germany', but 'at' the airport'?
The answer is not simple. Sometimes we can separate the uses like this:
Use 'in' for larger, more general spaces

The dogs are in the park.

My cousin lives in Germany.

My house is in the countryside.

I wouldn't like to live in space.

Use 'at' for places that have quite specific activities But then there are some strange examples:

'in the shopping centre' but 'at the supermarket'

'in the house' but 'at home'

'in the office' but 'at work'

So, how can we remember them?!
TOP TIPS!

When you learn new place words, don't learn them by themselves, learn them in chunks e.g. in the supermarket, at home, in Asia, at work

Expose yourself to English as much as you can, so you get used to the combinations e.g. listen to podcasts, watch videos, read

To do
Practise by using the worksheet on this page, and watch other Prepositions with Georgie videos.
NEXT
Try some of our other grammar programmes

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BBC Learning English - Prepositions with Georgie / Prepositions of place

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Do you learn English in the school or at school?

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BBC Learning English - Course: lower intermediate / Unit 2 / Session 2 / Activity 3

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simple present= actions in the present, permanent actions - scientific results -habits and routines.

ex: everyday i prepare my coffee before class.

i think that…

if you put water in the heat, it boils

negatives: don't ( do not ) / doesn't ( does not)

i/ we/ you/ they = do not / don't

i don't speak chinese but i speak italian

they speak portuguese and english

we speak English but we don't speak mandarin.

Most of Brazilians (THEY) do not speak english.

doesn't = does not

he/ she/ it = doesn't / does not

he doesn't work everyday

she doesn't cook at home

Boby( it) plays all day it doesn't eat!

affirmatives s ( she/ he/ it)

maria cooks at home everyday

i cook everyday / i don't cook everyday

he cooks everyday / he doesn't cook everyday.

she cooks on Fridays/ she doesn't cook on Fridays.

INTERROTIVES

DO THEY SPEAK ENGLISH?

DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?

DO WE SPEAK ENGLISH?

DOES HE SPEAK ENGLISH?

DOES IT SPEAK ENGLIH?

DOES VITOR SPEAK SPANISH?

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

ACTIONS IN PROGRESS AT THE MOMENT OF SPEAKING.

I AM SPEAKING ENGLISH NOW

YOU'RE SPEAKING ENGLISH NOW

WE'RE SPEAKING

THEY'RE SPEAKING

I AM COOKING / I AM TALKING WITH YOU

I'M GOING TO SPEAK ENGLIH NOW

( FUTURO)

I'M GOING TO COOK

I'M GOING TO READ A BOOK

I'M GOING TO DRINK A CUP OF COFFEE

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Sophie
Hello. Welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Sophie.

Neil
And me, Neil. Hello.

Today we're talking about the present simple tense...

...and the present continuous tense. Coming up in today's programme:

Sophie
We'll take a look at positives, negatives, and question forms...

Neil
We'll find out when to use each tense...

Sophie
We'll hear some short forms...

Neil
And we'll have a quiz to test what we've learnt.

Sophie
But first: the present simple tense. We use it to talk about things that happen regularly. Here's Finn with an example:

Finn
John checks his email every morning.

Thanks Finn. So the verb to check is in the present simple - John checks - because he checks his email regularly - every morning.

We make the present simple with a subject plus a base verb - I check, you go, we live, they wear.

For he, she and it, add an s to the verb. Can you demonstrate please Finn?

Finn
I always wear a coat in the winter. My brother wears a jacket.

Neil
Now we also use the present simple to talk about facts and permanent situations. So we can say...

To make the present simple negative, use don't or doesn't. And there's no s on the end of the verb. Finn?

Finn
I don't work in the modelling industry. My brother doesn't like fashion.

Finn
Do your friends live in London? Does John check his email in the morning?
STING
So that's present simple. Now: let's look at the present continuous tense. [SFX: phone rings] Ooh just a minute, let me get that... [to caller] Hello? Sorry, I'm working at the moment. Can I call you back? Sorry about that everyone...

Sophie
[bemused] No problem...

Sophie
Aha! A clever demonstration!

That's right - I said I'm working at the moment, because it's an activity that's happening now. I can say I work at the BBC in the present simple because my job is a permanent situation. But right now at this moment I'm doing the activity of working, so I use present continuous to say I'm working at the moment.

Sophie
Right. As well as activities, we use the present continuous tense for temporary situations like this:

Finn
My parents are staying with me this week. I'm sleeping on the sofa.

Finn
I'm checking my email at the moment. Emily's wearing a pink hat today. They're eating dinner now.

And did you hear those short forms? The words I am are shortened to I'm...

And they are sounds like they're. We'll have short forms in just a moment.

IDENT
You're listening to BBC Learning English.

Neil
And today we're talking about the present simple tense...

Sophie
... and the present continuous.

Finn
I'm not wearing a raincoat because it isn't raining.

Sophie
And here are those short forms again:

Neil
I am not becomes...

Neil
Is not ...

Finn
I'm not wearing shoes. He isn't working today. You aren't watching television.
[SFX: someone tapping keys on keyboard]
Sophie
Umm Neil, are you sending an email?

Neil
Errr - yes... [slightly bewildered] What are we doing? Are we talking about questions?

Sophie
Yes, we are.

Neil
Ooh, sorry - Back to the programme!

Sophie
And of course, we both asked present continuous yes/no questions.

And to make them, you just change the word order. Instead of sending an email, it's sending an email?

It's fine to put question words like why or what at the start of the question.

Finn
What are we doing? Why are you sending an email?

Neil
So that's present continuous questions.

And one more: this time, make a present continuous question starting with why. Simon is learning Japanese.

Sophie
And that's the end of the quiz - well done if you got them all right.

Neil
And that's also the end of the programme - but there's more about these tenses on our website at bbclearningenglish.com.

Sophie
Join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.

All
Bye.

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BBC Learning English - Course: lower intermediate / Unit 2 / Session 2 / Activity 3

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Sophie Hello. Welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Sophie. Neil And me, Neil. Hello. Today we're talking about the present simple tense... ...and the present continuous tense. Coming up in today's programme: Sophie We'll take a look at positives, negatives, and question forms... Neil We'll find out when to use each tense...

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cousin- step father - step brother - step mother -mother in law - father in law - siblings - nephew - nice - uncle - aunt -gandmother - grandfather - youngest- oldest- tiny - smaller-

verbs:

get on well with ( se dar bem com alguem)

ex: i really get on well with my mother in law.

compare

family can't compare. they are unique in all aspects.

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about family

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make a list of the new words and expressions to talk about your family.

get well on with

i get well on with alvaro's family.

siblings

i have 3 siblings

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BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about family

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1. in

2. goes off

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for your morning routine

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Georgie teaches you some phrasal verbs related to the morning routine.

Phrasal verbs mentioned

go off
start making a noise (alarms)

I knew the cookies in the oven were ready when the timer went off.

wake up
open your eyes and stop sleeping

The smell of freshly brewed coffee is a great way to wake up.

sleep in
continue sleeping after the time you usually wake up

After a long week of work, Sarah allowed herself to sleep in on Saturday morning.

get up
stand up after being in bed

My daughter got up at 5 am because she was so excited about her birthday.

put (something) on
dress yourself in something

He quickly put on his running shoes and headed out for a morning jog.

work out
train the body through exercise

I try to work out at the gym at least three times a week.

pick (something) out
choose (something) carefully

Can you help me pick out a gift for my sister's birthday?

get dressed
put on your clothes

I turned up to an online meeting in pyjamas because I forgot to get dressed.

work on (something)
spend time learning, studying or doing something

The team decided to work on the project collaboratively to achieve better results
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 more Phrasal verbswith Georgie, and try some of our other grammar programmes.

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BBC Learning English - Phrasal verbs with Georgie / Phrasal verbs for your morning routine

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Do you like sleeping in or are you more of an early riser?

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Tense is the form of a verb which tells you when something happened. Look at the verb 'talk' for example.

If you say 'I talk', you are either telling us a fact or talking about your routine.

If you say 'I talked', you are telling us about a finished action in the past.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a basic timeline, you have the past, present and future. At each of these points in time, there are four different verb structures: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous.

Technically, there are only two grammatical tenses in English: present and past. To talk about the future, we actually use the present tense. However, it can be useful to separate the verb structures into 12, like this:

1. Present simple e.g. I walk

2. Present continuous e.g. I am walking

3. Present perfect e.g. I have walked

4. Present perfect continuous e.g. I have been walking

5. Past simple e.g. I walked

6. Past continuous e.g. I was walking

7. Past perfect e.g. I had walked

8. Past perfect continuous e.g. I had been walking

9. Future simple e.g. I will walk

10. Future continuous e.g. I will be walking

11. Future perfect e.g. I will have walked

12. Future perfect continuous e.g. I will have been walking

In the other videos in this series, you will learn about each of the 12 structures: how they are used and how they are formed.

To do

Practise by using the worksheet on this page, and continue to the next videos.

NEXT

Try some of our other grammar programmes

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BBC Learning English - Tenses with Georgie / Tenses: What are they?

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Georgie introduces you to the English tenses

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USES OF PRESENT SIMPLE

PRESENT meaning:
When something happens regularly. Habits and routines.
Useful vocabulary for habits and routines: never, rarely, sometimes, often, usually, always, every ____, once/twice, three times a day/month/year, at the weekend, in the morning/afternoon/evening.
For something that is true now. For something that is always true, or a fact.
FUTURE meaning:

When something is scheduled.
Useful vocabulary for schedules: at ____ (time), next Monday, next week/month/year/season, this afternoon/evening, tonight, tomorrow, tomorrow morning.
In a first conditional.
PAST meaning:
When telling a story (usually we use past tenses, but occasionally we use present tenses).

So, I'm at the park. There's a kid on the slide. He falls off and hits his head. I call an ambulance.
When you're summarising books, films, series, plays etc.

In the first Harry Potter book, Harry goes to Hogwarts school and makes friends with Ron and Hermione. They learn how to do magic and fight with You-Know-Who.

STRUCTURE

For positive sentences, use the main verb but add an ' s' for he, she and it.

For negative sentences, put ' don't' before the main verb for I, you, we and they, and ' doesn't' before the main verb for he, she and it. ' Don't' and 'doesn't' are a contracted form of the auxiliary verb 'do/does' plus 'not'.

To ask yes/no questions, add 'do' or 'does' before the pronoun.

To ask for more information, add the 'who, what, where, why, how, when' question words before 'do'.

To do

Practise by using the worksheet on this page, and watch other videos.

NEXT

Try some of our other grammar programmes

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BBC Learning English - Tenses with Georgie / Present simple

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Learn the uses and structure of the present simple

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BBC Learning English - Tenses with Georgie / Present continuous

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Learn the uses and structure of the present continuous

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🤓 Grammar challenge: 🧐 What's wrong with this sentence? ✍️
⁣(image: Getty)

Question
Spot the error

She gave me some informations about the city.

Need a clue?Try this page on uncountable nouns.

Have you tried?
(the answer to the quiz is below these image links)

Quiz Answer
👏 Well done everyone! 'Information' is an uncountable noun, so it is never plural. 😊 The correct sentence is 'She gave me some information about the city.' You can use the word 'piece' to add a number to this sentence. For example you could say 'She gave me three pieces of information.'

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BBC Learning English - Quizzes / What's the error?