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BBC LEARNING ENGLISH Upper Intermediate Syllabus

The document provides an overview of the syllabus for the BBC Learning English Upper Intermediate course, which covers grammar, vocabulary and drama lessons across 11 units, with each unit focusing on a different grammar point and including video classes and readings.

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Alison Catchpole
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
397 views9 pages

BBC LEARNING ENGLISH Upper Intermediate Syllabus

The document provides an overview of the syllabus for the BBC Learning English Upper Intermediate course, which covers grammar, vocabulary and drama lessons across 11 units, with each unit focusing on a different grammar point and including video classes and readings.

Uploaded by

Alison Catchpole
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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http://www.bbc.co.

uk/learningenglish/english/hygiene/upperintermediate-syllabus

Syllabus: Upper Intermediate


Use this page to find your way around our Upper Intermediate course, or click the links to
go to our other course sitemaps.

 Lower Intermediate course sitemap


 Intermediate course sitemap
 Towards Advanced course sitemap

Upper-Intermediate Course – R=reading, V=video

Grammar Vocabulary Drama

Unit 1 – Go beyond intermediate with our video course


V English Class V News Review
The third conditional James Bond – censor, censorship, V The White Elephant –
ridicule, mockery, make a mockery Episode 1
R Grammar reference Panic!
The third conditional V Lingohack
Syria airstrikes; Iraq; Facebook
founder giveaway – extremists, raids,
pledged

V Stop saying…!
Double contractions

Unit 2 – Reported speech in 90 seconds!


V English Class V News Review
Reported speech Beijing smog – red alert, toxic, V The White Elephant –
engulf, portmanteau word Episode 2
R Grammar reference Quick!
Reported speech V Lingohack
Syrian rebels; Paris warnings; lions
poisoned – ceasefire, ringleader,
allegations

V Stop saying…!
Say and tell

Unit 3 – If or whether?
V English Class V News Review
'If and whether Star Wars – franchise, V The White Elephant –
merchandising, cash cow Episode 3
R Grammar reference Broken
If and whether V Lingohack
Solar superpower; South Africa's
navy; historic hospital demolished –
plant, broke new ground, to renovate

V Stop saying…!
Would you?

1
Unit 4 – 5 ways to use 'would'
V English Class V News Review
5 ways to use would Japan's hunt for whales – fleet, V The White Elephant –
whaling fleet, in the pursuit of Episode 4
R Grammar reference Annoyed
5 ways to use 'would' V Lingohack
US/UK in Afghanistan; cancer;
athletics boss resignation – confront,
reinforces, stepping down

V Stop saying…!
Indirect questions

Unit 5 – Let and allow


V English Class V News Review
'Let' and 'allow' Obama takes on gun crime – V The White Elephant –
background checks, bypass, Episode 5
R Grammar reference executive action Happy
'Let' and 'allow'
V Lingohack
North Korea bomb; Fifa boss ban;
chip makes woman see again –
announcement, suspended, bionic

V Stop saying…!
Let’s go

Unit 6 – Passive voice


V English Class V News Review
Passive voice Reinventing the light – incandescent, V The White Elephant –
comeback, revamp, significantly, Episode 6
R Grammar reference prototype Kindness
Active and passive forms
V Lingohack
Obama's final address; counting
Africa's elephants; Elvis celebration
– vowed, partisan, bold ambition,
census, iconic

V Stop saying…!
Irregular verbs

Unit 7 – Unless
V English Class V News Review
'Unless' China's economic slowdown – pace, V The White Elephant –
growth, slump, shrinking, Episode 7
R Grammar reference depreciation Late!
'Unless'
V Lingohack
New rules for migrants; irregular
heartbeat; Spike Lee Oscars
comment – evenly, condition,
boycott

V Stop saying…!
Answering negative questions

2
Unit 8 – Mixed conditionals
V English Class V News Review V The White Elephant –
Mixed conditionals Beatrix Potter story discovered – Episode 8
published, double life, archive,
R Grammar reference unseen, rediscovered, in a spin Lucky
Mixed conditionals; second and third
conditionals V Lingohack
Migrants and refugees in Europe;
ebola outbreak over; device detects
brain injuries – crossing, sporadic,
spot

V Stop saying…!
Present perfect

Unit 9 – The zero article – in 90 seconds


V English Class V News Review
Zero articles Will Zika affect Rio Olympics? – the V The White Elephant –
spread of, constitutes, endangered, Episode 9
R Grammar reference outbreak, declared, nightmare Secrets
Zero article
V Lingohack
UK's draft EU deal; China's stranded
travellers; groundhog predicts the
weather – hailed, hampering,
backlog, prediction

V Stop saying…!
Pronouncing the 'th' sound

Unit 10 – The indefinite article – in 90 seconds


V English Class V News Review
Indefinite articles with singular countable Violence on the streets of Hong V The White Elephant –
nouns Kong – batons, clashes, street Episode 10
vendors, warning shots, crackdown Angry
R Grammar reference
Definite and indefinite articles V Lingohack
Trump and Sanders win; Zuma in
court; horses don't like long faces –
outsider, refurbishing, adapting

V Stop saying…!
Pronouncing unstressed words /
schwa

Unit 11 – The. That's right – the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds


V English Class V News Review
The definite article Swift's war of words – album, lavish, V The White Elephant –
artist, sweep, diss, all over the place Episode 11
R Grammar reference Success
Definite, indefinite and zero articles V Lingohack

US-Cuba flights; Australia drug bust;


male cosmetic surgery – restoring,
seized, went under the knife

3
V Stop saying…!

Vowel to vowel linking

Unit 12 – The continuous passive


V English Class V News Review
Continuous passive Dry Dehli – restored, cut off, canal, V The White Elephant –
vulnerable, grapple, unrest Episode 12
R Grammar reference Shock!
Continuous passive voice forms V Lingohack
Republicans against Guantanamo
closure; plastic found in Mars bars;
gorilla born in zoo – have come out,
recalling, caesarean

V Stop saying…!
Not being direct

Unit 13 – Future perfect


V English Class V News Review
The future perfect Calais migrants forced to leave – V The White Elephant –
demolition, dismantle, makeshift, Episode 13
R Grammar reference evict, braced for, bulldozer Resilience
The future perfect
(will + have + past participle) V Lingohack
Super Tuesday Trump and Clinton;
Zika threat to US; back from space –
dominated, warning, manned

V Stop saying…!
The future perfect

Unit 14 – Need + verb-ing


V English Class V News Review
Need + verb-ing Shrapova's failed drug test – V The White Elephant –
outcome, tested positive, let her fans Episode 14
R Grammar reference down, suspend, let down, tarnishing Clever
Need + verb-ing
V Lingohack
EU-Turkey plan; Indonesia's three
minutes of darkness; fifth Beatle dies
– violate, solar eclipse, influential,
accomplishments

V Stop saying…!
The disappearing ‘t’

Unit 15 – Have something done


V English Class V News Review
Have something done Bangladesh's missing millions – V The White Elephant –
central bank, audacious, breached, Episode 15
R Grammar reference heist, cyber, hush up Sad
Have something done
V Lingohack
Ethiopia drought; hope for MS
patients; French anger at new

4
spelling – triggered, remarkable,
outrage

V Stop saying…!

Irregular verbs - revision

Unit 16 – Wish
V English Class V News Review
The verb 'wish' Unlocking the Apple – unlock, V The White Elephant –
postponement, manufacturer, row, Episode 16
R Grammar reference hack, back down Calm!
Verb forms that follow 'wish
V Lingohack
Begium in mourning; Zika virus;
online 'fitness challenge' – mourning,
odious, abnormally, unrealistic

V Stop saying…!
I wish…

Unit 17 – Word stress


V English Class V News Review
Participle clauses Great Barrier Reef damage – reef, V The White Elephant –
episodes, coral bleaching, devastate, Episode 17
R Grammar reference aerial, in the grip of Timing
Participle clauses
V Lingohack
Driverless cars; cleaning up Dehli's
air; south Africa’s power crisis –
driverless, choking, toxic,
abundance, predominantly

V Stop saying…!
Stress in long words

Unit 18 – Different ways of saying 'if'


V English Class V News Review
Different ways of saying 'if' Panama tax leaks – at the heart of, V The White Elephant –
leak, blacklisted, sanctions, links, Episode 18
R Grammar reference bombshell Excellence
Ways of saying 'if'
V Lingohack
Fifa president; Sydney railway; dog
gets medal – prominent, prompted,
honoured

V Stop saying…!
Compound words

Unit 19 – Passive reporting structures


V English Class V News Review
Passive reporting structures Brazil's president on the edge – V The White Elephant –
impeachment, stormy, coup, back, Episode 19
R Grammar reference hurdle Love
Passive reporting structures
5
V Lingohack
Hawking backs space travel project;
Russia celebrates cosmonaut;
wallaby becomes internet star –
ambitious, exceptional, triumph, the
height of, winning hearts

V Stop saying…!
Transitive and intransitive verbs

Unit 20 – The subjunctive


V English Class V News Review
The subjunctive Ancient arch triumphs in London – V The White Elephant –
replica, behind, recreate, unveil, on Episode 20
R Grammar reference display Failure
The subjunctive
V Lingohack
Diabetes increase warning; world
heritage sites under threat; UK
stamps celebrate Queen at 90 – to
date, precious, released

V Stop saying…!
British and American English
pronunciation

Unit 21 – When and if


V English Class V News Review
'When' and 'if' Chernobyl remembered – meltdown, V The White Elephant –
reactor, radioactive, swathe, vigils, Episode 21
R Grammar reference fallout, on Clean
'When' and 'if'
V Lingohack
Hillsborough inquest; Big ben stops
chiming for repairs; gorilla surprise
at Prague Zoo – catastrophically, fall
silent, scaffolding, glimpse, delivery

V Stop saying…!
Not finishing conditional sentences

Unit 22 – Inversion
V English Class V News Review
Inversion Leicester City win the Premier V The White Elephant –
League – squad, outsiders, Episode 22
R Grammar reference bookmakers, fairytale, nuts, bonkers, Disaster
Inversion a one-off

V Lingohack
Trump knocks out Cruz; antibiotics
overprescribed; escalator behaviour
trial – presumptive, inappropriately,
long-standing

V Stop saying…!
Adjective or adverb

6
Unit 23 – Phrasal verbs
V English Class V News Review
Phrasal verbs Plants facing extinction – species, V The White Elephant –
sprawling, habitats, at risk of, kill off Episode 23
R Grammar reference Sleepy
Multi-word verbs / Phrasal verbs type 1, 2, V Lingohack
3, 4 Obama visit to Hiroshima; Canada
wildlife aftermath; NASA discovers
new planets – highly symbolic,
obliterated, inflicted, exoplanets

V Stop saying…!
More phrasals

Unit 24 – The future


V English Class V News Review
Seven ways to talk about the future Wild bee numbers decline – V The White Elephant –
abundant, an abundance of, boom, Episode 24
R Grammar reference biofuels, decline, on the decline, Honesty
Future forms – will, present continuous, bedwindle
going to, future continuous, future perfect,
present simple, be + to + infinitive V Lingohack
Sri Lanka mudslide; art rescued from
sea; football heroes’ welcome –
missing, submerged, rapturous

V Stop saying…!
Different futures

Unit 25 – Modals in the past


V English Class V News Review
Modal verbs in the past Flying fox bats invade – declared an V The White Elephant –
emergency, besieged, relocate, state Episode 25
R Grammar reference of emergency, plague, bat’s insane Brave
Modal verbs – might, may, could, must,
can’t V Lingohack
EU money for Greece; Russian
athletes' doping; friendly robots –
bailout funds, samples, collaborative

V Stop saying…!
The 'dark L'

Unit 26 – Narrative tenses


V English Class V News Review
Narrative tenses – 'used to', past perfect, Threat from new superbug - resistant, V The White Elephant –
past perfect continuous, past continuous antibiotics, strain, superbug, Episode 26
nightmare, drug-proof Sick
R Grammar reference
Narrative tenses – past simple, past V Lingohack
continuous, past perfect Worker unrest in France; world's
longest rail tunnel; an unusual race –
bitter stand-off, the heart of, thriving

V Stop saying…!
Alternatives to 'and'

7
Unit 27 – Phrasal verb myths
V English Class V News Review
More phrasal verbs – take out, pick up, Muhammad's funeral plans – V The White Elephant –
make up, give away, bring up heavyweight, nomination, Episode 27
pallbearers, memorial, a biopic, an Fashion
R Grammar reference autobiography
Multi-word verbs/Phrasal verbs type 1, 2,
3, 4 V Lingohack
Clinton historic moment; Chelsea
doctor dismissal; surfing in Australia

V Stop saying…!
Phrasal verbs: informal, formal or
neutral?

Unit 28 – Conditionals review


V English Class V News Review
Conditionals – zero, first, second, third Remembering Orlando's victims – V The White Elephant –
and mixed conditionals vigils, to honour, tributes, gather, a Episode 28
gathering, moving Empathy
R Grammar reference
Conditionals review V Lingohack
French police warn against football
violence; alligator drags boy into
water; Tate modern extension opens
– on high alert, paddling, range

V Stop saying…!
Do native English speakers make
mistakes?

Unit 29 – Used to – review


V English Class V News Review V The White Elephant –
'Used to' review Floppy disks control US weapons – Episode 29
arsenal, upgrade, deterrent, phase Competition
R Grammar reference out, nukes, ancient
'Used to'
V Lingohack
A dangerous route to Europe; safety
concerns in Mumbai; bad news for
British school pupils – cracks down,
merciless, infrastructure, think tank

V Stop saying…!

Past habits without 'used to'

Unit 30 – Linking words of contrast


V English Class V News Review
Linking words of contrast – Brexit: What next for the UK and the V The White Elephant –
though/although/even though, despite/in EU? – face, triggers, mechanism, Episode 30
spite of rule out, divorce, unleash Hope

R Grammar reference V Lingohack


Linking words of contrast Bomb in Turkey; Cameron meets EU
leaders; Hockney's latest exhibition –

8
propaganda, urged, distinguished

V Stop saying…!
Climbing to advanced level

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