English is very rich in idioms and expressions of all kinds.
In this topic, we are going to learn about some of the most famous ones and this will help us sound more like a native speaker!
Let´s begin with some funny idioms without getting stressed out!
In the following video from ESL English Academy, Faby talks about idiomatic expessions for every day conversations with friends. Remember: this time they are slang or colloquial expressions, not to be used at work or in a more formal context!
You can also listen to Valen from EngVid, explaining 10 very common expessions in English:
Follow this link to learn some more expressions and idioms from BBC Learning English, the English we speak.
How about learning a great idiom from Shakespeare´s times:
Speaking on the phone is one of the most "tricky" tasks for most people learning English or wanting to improve their English skills.
I this entry I will help you become familiar with some of the most frequent expressions used to talk on the phone, especially in a profesional context, where you need to use appropriate formal language.
Let´s begin by learning some of the most common expressions in this very useful video:
You may also want to remember these top telephone tips that are explained in the following video.
To sump up, these are some of the most important tips:
1) Don´t be direct: use expessions such as "may I", "could I" or "I would like".
2) Practice before you have to make an important call.
3) Be careful when spelling key words.
4) Numbers are important. Make sure you pronounce them correctly.
5) Ask for clarification if you don´t understand.
6) Memorise key expressions.
7) Differentiate formal and informal language.
8) Smile!
Let´s now look at some useful telephone phrases in this video:
We all know about the impact of technology and social media in our lives. But first let´s ask ourselves a few questions:
CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT YOUR MOBILE PHONE?
How often do you look at your mobile phone during the day?
How often do you charge your phone?
How often do you send WhatsApp messages to your friends and people you know?
How long does it take you to look at your mobile phone after you wake up?
Can you think of any other questions you would ask yourself or other people about the use of mobile phones?
Another important question for debate:Should mobile phones be allowed in lessons?
Think of three reasons for and against allowing the use of mobile phones in lessons:
3 Reasons for
3 Reasons against
Let´s now think about internet safety. Watch this video to help you remember some of the risks!!
Some more statistics to discuss:
Let´s now read an article and watch a video to get the most relevant information about how, according to a survey, half of teenagers are addicted to their smartphones: nbcnews
How addicted are you to social networks? do you use Twitter? Want to know more about the "peculiar" use some people make of Twitter?
Connected but alone? Sherry Turkle asks this questions in one of her TED TALKS: As we expect more from technology, do we expect less from each other? Please watch this very intesting talk and discuss the arguments she brings forward:
Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22nd, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.
In our lesson today we are going to discuss environmental issues. To begin with this topic, we are going to read two environmental articles that appeared in a newspaper and are very different :
- "Accidental leak of insecticide at Boxbridge Vale"
- "Council toxic blunder poisons local wildlife"
Compare the language used in both articles and discuss how it is different in each of them.
Please discuss:
- The different words and phrases that were used to discuss the same issue.
- Talk about the purpose of each text.
- What are the most probable audiences for these articles?
Our next activity is to write an article about an environmental issue in our town or village. You may want to write it from the council´s point of view of you may want to play the role of an environmental activist!
Listen to the message in this great song by Michael Jackson and complete the lyrics
Are you up for another TED TALK? If you thought our last TED TALK was interesting, you will love this one by scientist Johan Rockstrom "Let the environment guide our development":
In present times we have quick and easy access to pieces of news everywhere. Very often we notice how different newspapers cover the same story differently depending on who their readers are and what those readers believe.
A TRADITIONAL TALE?
In this lesson you will listen to "The True Story of The Three Little Pigs". But.....is this a traditional tale?
A) In pairs, make a list of what parts of the story are different from the traditional tale and what parts of the story are the same.
B) In this retelling of the traditional tale, the autor changes the point of view of the story:
- How does he do that?
- Do you sympathize with the pigs or the wolf?
- Are you convinced by the wolf´s versión of the story? Does he seem trustworthy? Why? Why not?
Today we are going to learn how to make the perfect cup of tea (according to British people anyway)
The British have drunk tea for 350 years! The first tea came from China and later from India. In the North of England "What´s for tea?" means "What´s for dinner?" This is because people drank tea with their meal. Even today this is a very popular costume.
You need:
A kettle for boiling the water
A teapot big enough for four cups
Three teaspoons of tea or three teabags
Two tea cups, teaspoons and saucers
A jug of cold milk
Watch this video to learn how to make the perfect cup of tea!
Now let´s read this article from The Telegraph to learn more things about tea and the British
"The milk-first school can bring forward some
fairly strong arguments, but I maintain that my own argument is unanswerable.
"This is that, by putting the tea in first and
stirring as one pours, one can exactly regulate the amount of milk whereas one
is liable to put in too much milk if one does it the other way round." -
George Orwell
English afternoon tea etiquette:
The art of making tea sandwiches!
Did you know that a lot of idioms in English contain the word tea?
Try to guess the meaning of some of the most famous ones:
"It is not my cup of tea" "A storm in a teakettle" "A storm in a teacup" "Not for all the tea in China" "It´s a tea party" "Weak tea"
They are all very well explained in this video from BBC Learning:
