Lesson 1: Welcome! - Get started with A1 English!

Vocabulary
Hello!
Hi!
How are you?
I'm fine, thanks.
Bye!

Here's a tip
We usually greet people with "hi" or "hello".

"Hi" is a bit more casual.

"Bye" is the short form of "goodbye".

You will hear "bye" more often in everyday conversation.

You've completed your first English lesson.

In Lesson 2, we'll learn how to tell someone our name.

Lesson 2: I'm Sara - What's your name?

Vocabulary
What's your name?
My name's Emma.
I'm Anna.
I'm Ali, and you?

Here's a tip
In this lesson, we'll learn how to tell someone our name.

When someone asks "What's your name?" we can reply in two ways:

My name's Alex.
I'm Alex.

In the next part of the lesson, we'll hear a dialogue between two English speakers, Ed and Sara.

1
Dialogue
Ed: Hi! What's your name?
Sara: Hello. I'm Sara, and you?
Ed: My name's Ed. How are you?
Sara: I'm fine, thanks!

Lesson 3: How's it going? - I'm great, thanks!

Vocabulary
How's it going?
I'm good, thanks.
I'm great, thanks!
Not bad, thanks.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll talk about how we are feeling.

"How's it going?" has a similar meaning to "how are you?"

We usually use "how's it going?" with friends.

Many people say "not bad" to mean "quite good".

In this part of the lesson we'll practise the phrases we've just learned.

We've completed three lessons and learned many useful phrases for our first conversations in
English!

In the next lesson, we will practise listening and review everything we've seen so far! ⭐

Review: Introductions - Listening: My name's Rob

Here's a tip
We're going to review everything we've learned so far, and complete a short listening practice.
Let's get started!

On the next screen we'll listen to a conversation between Rob and Alba.

Rob and Alba are university students meeting for the first time in the library.

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Lesson 4: Conversations - How are you?

Here's a tip
Hi, how's it going? In this lesson we'll revise the vocabulary you need to answer this question. In
the last exercise you will have the chance to challenge yourself with a bit of conversation practice!

Throughout the lesson, listen to and repeat the vocabulary you encounter. You can practise your
pronunciation and it will help you remember the words!

On the next screen you'll answer a question about yourself.

1 Say or type your answer

2 Send your answer to other English speakers on Busuu

The more you engage with other English speakers, the more confident you'll become – you can do
this! ⭐

Lesson 5: He's James - Grammar: Subject pronouns, the verb "to be" - singular

Vocabulary
I am – I'm
Hi, I'm Fred.
you are – you're
You're Jennifer, right?
she is – she's
How's Julia? – She's good!
he is – he's
He's James.
it is – it's
It's a bee.

Here's a tip
We've learned how to talk about ourselves with "I'm". In this lesson we'll learn to talk about other
people!

Let's quickly remind ourselves how we use "I'm".

You just heard Fred saying his name using "I'm...", a common short form for "I" (the person
speaking) and "am" (the verb).

As we've already seen, this short form is very common in spoken English. We'll see more short
forms with the verb to be" in this lesson.

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We use "he" to refer to a man, she" for a woman, it" to refer to one animal or object. is". These
words go with the verb "is".

We just saw the words we use for people and the different forms of "to be". Look at the table below,
and let's review these words with a quiz!

Person Verb Short form

I am I'm
you are you're
she is she's
he is he's
it is it's

Let's practise more - in this part of the lesson we will use our keyboard to type and our microphone
to speak!

Let's finish the lesson with some listening practice.

✅ We can now use the verb "to be" to refer to other people

In the next lesson, we will learn how to talk about groups of people.

Lesson 6: We're fine, thanks! - Grammar: Subject pronouns, the verb "to be" - plural

Vocabulary
you are – you're
How are you?
we are – we're
How are you? – We're fine, thanks!
they are – they're
They're Ellie and Jo.

Here's a tip
We’re going to talk about groups of people, using the different forms of “to be”.

Before we begin, let’s review what we already know!

Person Verb Short form

I am I'm
you are you're
she is she's
he is he's

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it is it's

Let's talk about groups of more than one person!

We can ask "How are you?" to one person and to multiple people.

"You" and "are" stay the same.

We use "they are" for a group of people. You might also see "they are" for just one person:
1 We can use "they" when we don't know someone's gender.
2 Some people choose to be "they" instead of "he" or "she".

Now we know all the words we use for people and the different forms of "to be". Look at the table
below - there are only three different forms of "to be".

Let's practise the words we've just learned!

Person Verb "to be" Short form

I am I'm
you are you're
he is he's
she is she's
it is it's
we are we're
they are they're

✅ Words for individual people and groups of people

✅ The verb "to be".
✅ A short reading.

In the next few lessons we will talk about where we come from and what languages we speak.

Lesson 7: I'm American - I'm from ...

Vocabulary
I'm Turkish.
I'm from Turkey.
He's English.
He's from England.
He's American.
He's from the USA.
I'm Russian.
I'm from Russia.
They're Chinese.
They're from China.

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Here's a tip
People from over 100 different countries learn English on Busuu! And you? Where are you from?

This lesson we'll learn how to talk about nationality and which country we are from.

We say "I'm..." + nationality

We say "I'm from" + country

We use "she's", "he's", and "they're" to talk about other people's nationalities.

Nationality Country
I'm Turkish. I'm from Turkey.
He's English. He's from England.

Learners of English often confuse the words for nationality and country.

Notice that words for some nationalities end in "-ish". Use this pattern to help you!

Nationality Country
English England
Turkish Turkey
Polish Poland
Spanish Spain

We've seen nationalities ending in "-ish" (Turkish, Spanish). Some nationalities end in "-an". See
below:

Nationality Country
American the USA
Russian Russia
Brazilian Brazil
Mexican Mexico

Some nationalities end in "-ese".

Nationality Country
Chinese China
Japanese Japan
Portuguese Portugal

We say our nationality with "I'm". We say which country we are from with "I'm from..."

I'm Russian.
I'm from Russia.

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We can tell the difference between nationality US and country by looking at the ending of words.
Many nationalities end in "-ish", "-an" and "-ese". Let's practise!

Nationality Country
English England
Turkish Turkey
Spanish Spain
Polish Poland
American the USA
Russian Russia
Brazilian Brazil
Mexican Mexico
Chinese China
Japanese Japan
Portuguese Portugal

If you haven't seen your nationality or country this lesson, you can look them up. Remember what
we have learned about countries and about nationalities ending in "-ish", "-an" and "-ese"!

In the final part of the lesson we will listen to a dialogue between two people. Let's go!

Dialogue
Sofia: Hi, I'm Sofia. You're Alex, right?
Alex: Hello Sofia, yes I'm Alex. Are you from the USA?
Sofia: Yes, I am! Are you American too?
Alex: No, I'm not American, I'm from Russia!

Lesson 8:Conversations - Introduce yourself to the Busuu community!

Vocabulary
Hi! I'm Sofia. I'm Turkish.
I'm Russian. I'm from Russia.

Here's a tip
We're going to review the phrases we use to tell people our name, nationality and country.

At the end of the lesson, you'll also have the opportunity to answer a question about yourself! ⭐

Throughout the lesson, listen to and repeat the vocabulary you encounter. You can practise your
pronunciation and it will help you remember the words!

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On the next screen you'll answer a question about yourself.

1 Say or type your answer

2 Send your answer to other English speakers on Busuu

The more you engage with other English speakers, the more confident you'll become – you can do
this! ⭐

Lesson 9: He speaks Spanish - Grammar: Present simple regular verbs

Vocabulary
I speak English.
He speaks Spanish.
You speak English well.
We speak Turkish.
They speak Chinese.

Here's a tip
We know how to talk about our nationality US TR BR and which country we are from.

We're now going to explore the languages we speak.

We'll focus on the verb "to speak" and you'll see familiar words like "I", "he" and "they".

The verb "speak" changes after "he":

"I speak" => "he speaks"

Many English verbs only change with "he", "she" and "it". Take a look below:

Person Verb
I, you, we, they speak
he, she, it speaks

Good job so far! ⭐ Let's remind ourselves of the verb "to speak" before we practise. Remember,
for "he", "she" and "it" we need to add "s"!

Person Verb
I, you, we, they speak
he, she, it speaks

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✅ We can now talk about the languages we know using the verb "to speak"!

If you didn't see the language(s) you speak in this lesson, remember to look them up!

Person Verb
I, you, we, they speak
he, she, it speaks

Lesson 10: Ellie doesn't speak Russian - Grammar: Present simple regular verbs -
negative

Vocabulary
I don't speak Spanish.
We don't speak Portuguese.
Ellie doesn't speak Russian.

Here's a tip
✅ We've just learned how to talk about the languages we know.

This lesson, we'll practise the verb "to speak" and learn how to say we don't speak a language.

Person Verb
I, you, we, they speak
he, she, it speaks

To say you don't speak the language, add "don't" before the verb.

I don't speak Russian.

We don't speak Japanese.

With "he", "she", "it" we use "doesn't".

Person Verb
I, you, we, they don't speak
he, she, it doesn't speak

We don't add "-s" to the verb "speak" in the negative.

Person Verb ➕ verb

he, she, it speaks doesn't speak

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Take a look at the table below for positive ➕ and negative ➖ forms of "to speak" in the present
tense.

Pay attention to "he", "she" and "it"!

Person Verb ➕ Verb ➖

I, you, we, they speak don't speak
he, she, it speaks doesn't speak

We're going to hear Jenna talking about herself and her friend, Esma. Listen out for positive ➕ and
negative ➖ forms of "to speak"!

We've learned the verb "to speak" and how to talk about where we are from.

Next, we will review everything we've done so far with some reading. See you there!

Review: Countries and nationalities - Reading comprehension: They're Brazilian

Here's a tip
We're going to start this lesson with a review of everything we've learned over the last few lessons,
and we'll end with our first reading exercise.

Let's get started!

Nationality Country Language

I'm Russian I'm from Russia I speak Russian
She's Turkish She's from Turkey She speaks Turkish

We're going to find out about Marta, Ivan, Carlos and Jose on the next screen. You will also see the
two little words below:

and
but

You've done your first reading lesson!

Let's now listen to the text we just read. You don't have to do anything, just relax and be proud of
what you have achieved this lesson!

In the next few lessons we will learn how to talk about our jobs , our studies and where we live.

London Central: Episode 1 - My name is Leo. I am from Brazil.

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Here's a tip
This 10-part drama follows three young students as they navigate their way through life and love in
London. The idea is to get the gist, not to understand every word. So if you want to learn real
English in a fun and exciting way, this is the show for you! Bring on episode 1...

This episode introduces you to Leo, Anna, Oscar and Janet. While you watch, try to answer this
question: what is the relationship between the three youngsters and Janet?

Lesson 11: Pronunciation: stress and intonation - Pronunciation: Stress and intonation

Vocabulary

Great thanks, and you?

Here's a tip
You have learned some useful English phrases to introduce yourself. Now let’s watch a short video
to see what these phrases sound like in natural conversation.

In English, we modify our voice to change the focus or meaning of what we are saying. This lesson
will focus on two ways of doing this. Use the button above to watch the video again and see if you
can hear examples of these phrases.

Intonation: Changing the pitch of our voice in a sentence.

Hey Dylan↘, how's it going↗?
Stress: Saying words, or parts of words, more deliberately than others.
No, I'm Emily. She's Anna.

In English, we stress the most important words in a sentence. Use the button above to watch the
video again and see if you can hear these examples.

No, I'm Emily. She's Anna.

I'm sorry. What's your name?
No problem. My name is Anna.

Lesson 12: How many dogs are there? - Numbers 1 to 12

Vocabulary

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one
one woman
two
two boys
three
three trees
four
four cards
five
five fingers
six
six eggs
seven
seven days
eight
eight legs
nine
nine balls
ten
ten pins
eleven
eleven players
twelve
twelve months

Here's a tip
Let's learn to count in English! For now, we'll focus on the numbers 1 to 12. We'll look at larger
numbers later in the course.

1 - one 2 - two
3 - three 4 - four
5 - five 6 - six
7 - seven 8 - eight
9 - nine 10 - ten
11 - eleven 12 - twelve

Lesson 13: Plural nouns - Grammar: Plurals

Vocabulary
dog / dogs
There are three dogs: one big dog and two small dogs.
egg / eggs
There are three eggs: one white egg, one brown egg, and one blue egg.

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Here's a tip
You've learned some numbers, and now it's time to learn how to form the plural in English.

In this lesson, you will learn how to form the plural form of most nouns, including some of the
most frequently used irregular plurals. Let's get started!

When we make a noun plural in English, we almost always just add an "s" at the end of the word.

ball → balls
number → numbers
tree → trees

Many plural nouns in English end in "-s", but the sound we make is not usually s. Most of these
words end with a z sound.

balls sounds like ballz

numbers sounds like numberz
trees sounds like treez

Forming English plurals is not always a simple case of adding "s" to the end of a noun. There are a
few exceptions to this rule. Here are two of the most common:

If the noun ends in "-y", we form the plural by removing the "-y" and adding "-ies".
country → countries
family → families
If the noun ends in "-o", we form the plural by adding "-es".
hero → heroes
tomato → tomatoes

There are a few more exceptions to these rules that you will learn as you improve.

There are also some words that have completely irregular plural forms. The five most useful ones
to learn are these:

child → children
woman → women
man → men
person → people
foot → feet

There are some "-o" and "-y" words that don't follow the rules.

If the "-y" word has a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) right before the "y", then the word
behaves like regular nouns (just add "s").
boy → boys
key → keys

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day → days
Some "-o" words (especially words borrowed from Italian) do not add the "e" and behave
like regular nouns.
piano → pianos
studio → studios
casino → casinos

Review - Review

Here's a tip
Welcome to the first consolidation unit of the course. Here, we will focus on expressions we have
already learned. This way you can see the phrases you already know in a different conversational
context and get some more practice.

Dialogue
Sam: Hi there! I'm Sam.
Jodie: Hi Sam. My name's Jodie.
Sam: Nice to meet you, Jodie. How's it going?
Jodie: Good, thanks. How about you?
Sam: Yeah, I'm not bad, thanks.
Jodie: Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
Sam: I'm from England. You?
Jodie: Oh, cool. I'm from the US.

Lesson 14: Do you speak English? - Grammar: The verb "to do"

Here's a tip
To form questions with the verb "to do", we use the structure "do / does" + person + verb. Look
at the examples below.

You come from France. - Do you come from France?

She speaks German. - Does she speak German?
They like coffee. - Do they like coffee?

Lesson 15: Where are you from? - Grammar: Questions

Here's a tip

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In this lesson, we will learn how to form questions with the verb "to be". Look at the examples
below.

Are you from England?

Is he Chinese?

We learned the verb "to be" in a previous lesson. As a reminder, here are its different forms:

Subject pronoun Form of "to be"

I am
you are
he/she/it is
we are
they are

When we form questions that contain the verb “to be”, we simply take the verb and place it at the
beginning of the sentence, like this:

He is happy. - Is he happy?
You are from Spain. - Are you from Spain?
They are French. - Are they French?

Dialogue
Elena: Where are you from, Paul?
Paul: I'm from England! How about you?
Elena: Guess!
Paul: Are you from Spain?
Elena: No!
Paul: Are you from China?
Elena: No... I'm from Brazil!
Paul: Is Lucy from Brazil, too?
Elena: Yes, she is!

Lesson 16: Where do you live? - I live in...

Vocabulary
Where do you live?
I live in...
I live in London.
town
They live in a small town in Spain.
near
He lives in a town near Paris.

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big
I come from a big town.
small
My village is quite small.
busy
New York is a busy city.
quiet
My hometown is very quiet.

Here's a tip
Now let's learn how to talk about where we live. The words we'll learn include:

town
near
big
small
busy
quiet

We use the term "hometown" to talk about the town in which we grew up.

My hometown is Reading. It's near London.

We have three different words for settlements: "village", "town" and "city". The main thing to note
is that a village is smaller than a town, and a town is smaller than a city!

Dialogue
Sara: Where do you live?
Martha: I'm from a small town near Boston. And you?
Sara: I live in Shanghai.
Martha: Is it quiet?
Sara: No! It's a very busy city.

Lesson 17: Prepositions of place - Grammar: Prepositions of place

Vocabulary
in
I live in London.
near
He lives near the airport.
far from
Is your hotel far from the centre?

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next to
My office is next to St Pancras station.
at
We are at the bus stop.

Here's a tip
When we want to talk about where something / someone is located, we can use prepositions of
place.

We’re going to learn a few basic ones in this unit. Have a look at some examples below.

We are at the station.

They live near the city centre.
My hometown is not far from London.

We normally use "in" with towns, cities and countries.

He lives in Liverpool.
Now they live in Brazil.
She is in Australia this week.

We use "at" with a specific or exact location.

I am at the entrance.
He is at his desk.
They are at the restaurant.

Let's have another look at all the prepositions of place we've learned:

in Moscow
near the airport
next to the station
far from the hotel
at the station

Lesson 18: What do you do? - I work in...

Vocabulary
What do you do?
I work in...
I work in a restaurant.
marketing
He works in marketing.

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finance
She works in finance.
teacher
I'm a teacher.
doctor
You're a doctor.
designer
Are you a designer?
student
We're students!
unemployed
He's unemployed.

Here's a tip
In this lesson, we'll learn how to ask someone what job they do and say what jobs we do. We'll
learn things like:

What do you do?

I work in...
restaurant
marketing
doctor

When talking about a place we work in, we say:

"I work in" + "a" + place of work.

I work in a restaurant.
She works in an office.
We work in a shop.

When we are talking about a field of work, we say:

"I work in" + field of work.

He works in marketing.
She works in finance.

As we’ve just seen, when we talk about our place or field of work, we say “I work in…“. However,
when we give our job title we use the verb “to be”, so we say:

I'm a teacher.
You're a doctor.
Are you a designer?

Dialogue

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Oliver: What do you do, Ava?
Ava: I'm a doctor! How about you?
Oliver: I work in a restaurant, but I'm also a student!
Ava: Cool!

Lesson 19: She works in marketing - Grammar: To work, to do, to study

Vocabulary
to study
We study medicine at university.

Here's a tip
In this unit, we're going to take another look at the verbs "to do" and "to work", as well as introduce
the verb "to study". Look at the examples below.

She works in marketing.

Do you work in finance?
I study French at university.

These three verbs all remain the same, except when they are paired with "he/she":

I + do / work / study
you + do / work / study
he / she + does / works / studies
we + do / work / study
they + do / work / study

Now that we have seen the different forms of the verbs "to do", "to work" and "to study", let's have
a go at recognising them in a dialogue. To recap, here are the different forms of the three verbs:

Do you work in marketing?

Does he speak Turkish?
I study Chinese at university.
She studies economics at university.
We work in a restaurant.
He works in an office.

Dialogue
Hannah: What do you do?
Liam: I work in marketing. How about you?
Hannah: I'm a student. I study German.

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Liam: My sister studies German, too!
Hannah: Nice!
Liam: What does your sister do?
Hannah: She works in a restaurant.

Lesson 20: Pronunciation: cat, sad, and - Pronunciation: /æ/

Vocabulary
man, and
/æ/
sad, man, plan, cat, and
plan, plane
sad, said
plan, plane
sad, said
man, men
My cat looks sad today.
We have a new plan.
The man is on the mat.

Here's a tip
We are going to explore a common sound that can be difficult for English learners. Keep going
even if you can't produce the sound at first! We'll prepare you in three stages:

1. Introduction to the sound and video instructions for how to make it

2. Recognising the sound in common English words

3. Producing the sound

We are going to focus on how to pronounce the vowel sound /æ/. This is the vowel sound in words
such as "and" and "man". By the end of this lesson, you will have learned a few of the words
containing this sound!

Here are some examples before we start:

sad, man, plan, cat, and

As we've seen before, spelling and sounds do not always correspond in English. The letter "a"
is not always pronounced as /æ/. The spelling of the whole word can help us work out whether the
word contains the /æ/ sound.

Take a look at the examples we are about to listen to.

20
/æ/ sound: plan, sad
different vowel sound: plane, said

In the second part of this lesson we are going to practise recognising the /æ/ vowel sound ("man",
"and") in different words and phrases.

In the third part of this lesson we are going to practise producing the /æ/ vowel sound like in "and"
and "man". We are going to use some contrasting vowel sounds (for example "plan"/"plane") to
help us focus on the words with the /æ/ vowel sound.

First, let's remind ourselves how to make it!

London Central: Episode 2 - Things to do in London

Here's a tip
In the previous episode, Leo arrived at his new home in London. Next up, it's episode two. While
you watch, try to answer this question: what kind of job does Leo get?

“What do you do?” is short for “what do you do for a living?”

Here are some possible answers: I am...

an accountant
a chef
a cleaner
a gardener
a student
a teacher
a waiter

Review - Review

Here's a tip
In the dialogue, Jodie and Sam are talking about where they live and what they do. When we talk
about things that are generally true, we use the "present simple" tense.

Do you work or study?

I live in Madrid.
My sister studies French.

We’ve already seen and used this tense in previous lessons. To recap, here are some of the different
verbs we have come across:

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to study - He studies French.
to work - I work in marketing.
to speak - We speak English and Spanish.
to live - She lives in Rome.
to be - I am from Brighton.
to come from - You come from the US.

We have also seen some of the different ways that these verbs are constructed and used. For
example, we learned that:

1. We only change verbs in the present simple tense when we pair them with "he/she".

I work in a restaurant.
You work in a restaurant.
She works in a restaurant.
We work in a restaurant.
They work in a restaurant.

2. When we use the verb “to do” to form questions or negative sentences, we leave the main verb in
the sentence in its original form (we don’t add "-s" / "-es").

Do you come from Spain?

Does he live in England?
Do they speak French?

Don't forget, in English, we often join the personal pronoun and verb together to make the short
form. We do this with negatives, too. Have a look at the short forms in the examples below.

I am from England. - I'm from England.

She does not live in Brazil. - She doesn't live in Brazil.
I do not work in finance. - I don't work in finance.

Dialogue
Jodie: So, where are you from in England, Sam?
Sam: Well I come from Brighton, but I live in a small town near Madrid at the moment.
How about you? Where are you from in the US?
Jodie: I'm from New York, but I live in Madrid, in the city centre.
Sam: Nice. What do you do?
Jodie: I'm a student. I study Spanish. Do you work or study?
Sam: Oh my sister studies Spanish, too! I work in the city. I'm a designer.
Jodie: Cool! Do you speak Spanish, too?
Sam: No, I don't speak Spanish. We speak English and French at work.

Lesson 21: Can I book a table? - The bill, please.

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Vocabulary
Can I book a table?
Could we have the menu, please?
Are you ready to order?
Can I have the bill, please?

Here's a tip
We can use "Can / Could I have..?" to ask for anything. Have a look at the examples below.

Can we have the wine list, please?

Can we have a table by the window?
Can I have a jug of water, please?

Lesson 22: Polite requests - Grammar: Can, could, may

Vocabulary
can
Can I book a table for four, please?
could
Could I have some water please?
may
May we order?

Here's a tip
In this unit we will look at the words "can", "could" and "may". We use these words when we ask
for something.

Can you help me?

May I have the bill, please?
Could we have a jug of water, please?

"Could", "can" and "may" remain the same with all personal pronouns.

May / Can / Could I...?

May / Can / Could he/she/it...?
May / Can / Could we/they...?

When we are making requests, “may” relates to permission, while “could” and "can" relate to
possibility. However, in most spoken contexts, you can use all three.

"Can" = polite/informal

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"Could" = more polite/more formal
"May" = most polite/most formal

When we make requests, we always put “can”, “could”, or “may” at the beginning.

Can we order some food, please?

Could they have a table by the window?

Lesson 23: Do you want something to eat? - What's your favourite food?

Vocabulary
food
What's your favourite food?
drink
I need a drink.
bread
Do you want some bread?
water
Could we have some water, please?
milk
Do you take milk in your tea?
fruit
He eats a lot of fruit.
vegetable
Could I have some more vegetables?
cheese
He doesn't like cheese.
meat
She doesn't eat meat.
fish
Do you eat fish?
to eat
Eat your vegetables!
to drink
Do you drink tea or coffee?

Here's a tip
We'll learn the names of some everyday food and drinks. All words are served with useful phrases.
Enjoy! Here's a taster of the phrases we're going to look at:

What's your favourite food?

I need a drink.
Do you drink tea or coffee?

24
In Britain, tea is a popular hot drink. Most people add milk to their tea, and some add sugar as well.

Tom: Tea?
Olivia: Ooh, yes please.
Tom: Milk and sugar?
Olivia: Just milk, please.

Lesson 24: There are three apples - Grammar: Countable and uncountable nouns

Here's a tip
There are two types of noun that we're going to learn: countable and uncountable. As the names
suggest, countable nouns are things that we can count and uncountable nouns are things that we
can't. Let's look at some examples.

Countable: I have two sandwiches for lunch.

Uncountable: He eats pasta for dinner.

Let's focus on countable nouns first. Typically, these nouns are the names of separate objects or
people. They can be counted, so they have a plural form and we can use numbers or "some" with
them. For their singular form, we can use "a" (or "an" before nouns beginning with a vowel).

Singular
Can I have an orange?
Would you like a sandwich?
Plural
I have three sisters.
There are some eggs.

Uncountable nouns are the names of materials, liquids, abstract ideas and other things which do
not have clear boundaries. We see them as masses without clear boundaries, and so we can't count
them and they have no plural form. We don't use numbers or "a / an" with them, but we can use
"some".

Who wants tea?

I want some food.
Do we have pasta?
Can I have some water?

We say "there is / there are" when we want to express the existence or presence of something. We
use:

- "there is (some)" with uncountable nouns,

- "there is a / an" with singular countable nouns,

25
- "there are (some)" with plural countable nouns.

Countable
There is a dog in the garden.
There are four people in my family.
There are (some) eggs in the fridge.
Uncountable
There is (some) coffee in the kitchen.

- Countable nouns (e.g. apples, eggs, people) can be counted. They have a plural form. We can use
"a / an" for singular nouns. We can use numbers or "some" for plural nouns.

- Uncountable nouns (e.g. water, milk, bread) cannot be counted, so they mostly don't have a plural
form. We can use them with or without "some".

- We use "there is / there are" to talk about the existence or presence of something.

- We use "there is" with uncountable nouns and singular countable nouns.

- We use "there are" with plural countable nouns.

There is coffee in the pot.

There is a cake in the kitchen.

Lesson 25: How many...? - Grammar: Quantifiers

Vocabulary
many
I have many apples.
much
Is there much sugar in this cake?
a few
We only need a few eggs.
a little
Do you want a little milk in your coffee?

Here's a tip
We already know a lot about countable and uncountable nouns. Let's have a look at more ways to
talk about them!

Can I have a little sugar in my tea?

Do we have many apples in the house?
How much coffee do you want?

26
I want to buy a few oranges.

Did you notice how we use different words to talk about quantities in English? These are
called quantifiers. Let's look at these again...

I think I have a few apples.

I also need a little sugar.
We don't need much milk or many eggs.
How much butter do we have?

We use "much" and "many" to talk about large amounts, or to ask questions.

You will also see "so much" and "so many" often used for large amounts and "too much" and "too
many" to talk about excessive amounts.

How much sugar do we have?

We have so much sugar!
I can't eat this, there are too many chilli peppers in it.

We use "a few" and "a little" to talk about small amounts. We do not normally use these to ask
questions about how much there is of something.

How many potatoes do we need for dinner?

Only a few potatoes, please.
Can I have a little butter, please?

There are two ways of talking about large quantities that do not depend on countability: "lots of"
and "a lot of". These two phrases can be used instead of "much" or "many" when speaking about
large quantities.

I have many sisters. = I have lots of sisters. = I have a lot of sisters.

You drink so much coffee! = You drink lots of coffee! = You drink a lot
of coffee!

Be careful with "a lot of" and "lots of" - these expressions are often seen as less formal. They are
great to use when speaking, but in writing (especially in formal writing), they will not be
appropriate. Use "many" or "much" for professional writing.

Informal: She has lots of friends.

Formal: She has many friends.

Lesson 26: Pronunciation: sheep or ship - Pronunciation: /i:/ and /ɪ/

Vocabulary

27
she (/i:/), it (/ɪ/)
Can you hear the different vowel sounds in these words?
/i:/
three, we, meal, sheep, field
/ɪ/
six, it, ship, bit
sheep
The word "sheep" contains a long vowel sound /i:/.
heel
The word "heel" contains a long vowel sound /i:/.
seat
The word "seat" contains a long vowel sound /i:/.
ship
The word "ship" contains a short vowel sound /ɪ/.
hill
The word "hill" contains a short vowel sound /ɪ/.
sit
The word "sit" contains a short vowel sound /ɪ/.
heel, hill
sheep, ship
seat, sit
Don't wear heels on a hill.
The sheep are on the ship.
You can sit in this seat.

Here's a tip
We are going to explore some common sounds that can be difficult for English learners to
distinguish. Don't give up if you can't hear the difference at first! We'll prepare you in three stages:

1. Introduction to the sounds and video instructions for how to make them

2. Recognising and distinguishing the sounds

3. Producing the sounds

In English, some vowel sounds are long and some are short. For example, the vowel sound in
"she" is long (/i:/) and the vowel sound in "it" is short (/ɪ/).

Let's focus on the difference between the vowel sounds: /i:/ and /ɪ/.

Long vowel sound /i:/: she, three, we

Short vowel sound /ɪ/: it, six, him

We've just introduced /i:/ - a long vowel sound. We are now going to introduce /ɪ/ - a short vowel
sound. Can you hear the difference?

28
Now that we have introduced the two sounds /i:/ and /ɪ/, we are going to practise distinguishing
them from each other. Don't worry if you can't hear a difference at first - keep practising, and it will
get easier.

The long vowel sound is the same in "seat" as it is in "sheep", even though the spelling is
different.

Now we are going to practise producing the long and short vowel sounds /i:/ and /ɪ/. First, let's
remind ourselves how to make these sounds!

Lesson 27: Can you help me? - I'm trying to find...

Vocabulary
Can you help me?
Excuse me.
Where is the nearest...?
I'm trying to find...
I'm looking for...
I'm looking for the museum.
Yes, I can.
No, I can't.
I'm not sure.

Here's a tip
We are now going to learn how to ask for directions. Look at the examples below.

Q: Excuse me. Can you help me? I'm looking for Grand Central Station.
A: Yes, I can!

Here are the expressions we've just seen:

Can you help me?

Excuse me.
Where is the nearest...?
I'm trying to find...
I'm looking for...

Three common answers to the questions we have just learned are:

Yes, I can.
No, I can't.
I'm not sure.

29
Let's see how these expressions fit together in a dialogue.

Yes, I can.
No, I can't.
I'm not sure.
Can you help me?
Excuse me.
Where is the nearest...?
I'm trying to find...
I'm looking for...

Dialogue
Julian: Excuse me. Can you help me?
Harriet: Hello! Yes, I can.
Julian: I'm looking for the nearest supermarket.
Harriet: The nearest supermarket is next to Grand Central Station.
Julian: Great, thank you! Also, where is the nearest bus stop?
Harriet: I'm not sure, sorry!
Julian: That's okay. Have a nice day!

Lesson 28: In the city - Where's the station?

Vocabulary
supermarket
Where's the nearest supermarket?
cashpoint
Is there a cashpoint near here?
shop
I'm looking for a shop.
pharmacy
The pharmacy is at the station.
hotel
Is your hotel in the centre?
station
I'm trying to find the metro station.

Here's a tip
In this unit, let's learn words that name different places around town.

Have a look at some examples below.

supermarket

30
cashpoint
station

We also frequently say "ATM" for cashpoint.

Have another look at all the words we've just learned:

supermarket
cashpoint = ATM (Automatic Teller Machine)
shop
pharmacy
hotel
station

Dialogue
Peter: Excuse me, can you help me?
Passerby: Sure.
Peter: I'm trying to find the nearest supermarket.
Passerby: Right. Go straight ahead for 3 minutes.
Peter: Thank you. Is it next to the Grand Hotel?
Passerby: No. Actually, it's not far from the metro station.
Peter: Oh, I see. Great.

Lesson 29: The salt is next to the pepper - Grammar: Prepositions of place

Vocabulary
in
Their toys are in the box.
on
There are some apples on the table.
at
I'll meet you at the airport.
by
Hey, I'm here! I've got a table by the window.
next to
The salt is next to the pepper.
between
The spoons are between the knives and forks.
under
The presents are under the tree.

Here's a tip

31
We use prepositions of place to say where people and things are.

The cup is on the table.

My pens are in my pencil case.
The hotel is next to the beach.

We just learned about "in" and "on" - the two most common prepositions of place.

Now let's look at "at". We use both "in" and "at" to describe a position within a larger place, but in
some contexts "in" can be more specific than "at". Compare the following:

Let's meet in the café. (in = inside the café)

Let's meet at the café. (at = doesn't specify whether the meeting point is inside
or outside the café)

Sometimes we use "at" to specify a precise location within a larger place. We also use at in a few
fixed expressions, like "at home".

I'm at the ticket counter.

Do we order drinks at the bar or at our table?
She has lunch at home.
I spend all day at work.

These two prepositions have more or less the same meaning. Read these examples:

He lives in a small house by the river.

He lives in a small house next to the river.

Let's learn two more prepositions of place! We use "between" to describe the position of
something in the middle of two other things. And "under" is the opposite of "on".

Spring is the season between winter and summer.

I put my suitcase under the bed.

Let's review the prepositions of place we've learned:

Their toys are in the box.

There are some apples on the table.
I'll meet you at the airport.
Hey, I'm here! I've got a table by the window.
The salt is next to the pepper.
The spoons are between the knives and forks.
The presents are under the tree.

Now let's try reading a short text that includes all the words we've just learned!

You will also see a few words you might not know yet, these are listed below:

32
hairbrush (a brush for your hair)
desk (a table used for doing work)
backpack (a bag you wear on your back, usually for school)
to tidy (to clean or organise)

Lesson 30: What's your phone number? - More practice with numbers

Vocabulary
zero, one, two
Could I have two coffees, please?
three, four, five
Can I book a table for four, please?
six, seven
Do you have a table for seven?
eight, nine
Can I have eight coffees, please?
What's your phone number?

Here's a tip
We're now going to look at how to give our "phone number". For this, we need to know numbers
from 0 to 9, so let's learn those first.

Now that we have learned these numbers, we can start to string them together to make up
our phone number.

Q: What's your phone number?

A: It's 0713490763.

When giving our phone number, we say each single digit separately (0-9).

Q: What's your phone number Ivan?

A: It's zero (0), seven (7), nine (9), one (1), four (4)...

It's also common to say the "zero" in a telephone number as the letter "o". Listen to the audio on
the next page.

Lesson 31: Pronunciation: for, phone, enough - Pronunciation: /f/

Vocabulary

33
phone, enough
/f/
phone, enough, coffee, for
off, of
Watch out! "Off" contains the /f/ sound but "of" does not.
She's from Finland.
I'm a photographer.
I was coughing all night!
I need to speak to a member of staff.

Here's a tip
We are going to explore a common sound that can be difficult for English learners. Keep going
even if you can't produce the sound at first! We'll prepare you in three stages:

1. Introduction to the sound and video instructions for how to make it

2. Recognising the sound in common English words

3. Producing the sound

The sound /f/ is often represented by the letter "f" (as in "for"). However, it can also be spelled in
other ways, such as "ph" and "gh" (as in "phone" and "enough").

phone, enough, coffee, for

Here are some possible spellings of the /f/ sound and some examples:

f: for, from, first

ff: coffee, off, stuff
ph: phone, photo, physics
gh: enough, laugh, cough

In the second part of this lesson we are going to do some more practice in recognising the /f/ sound
and its many spellings in English.
Here's a reminder of the different spellings of the /f/ sound:

f: for, from, first

ff: coffee, off, stuff
ph: phone, photo, physics
gh: enough, laugh, cough

We are now going to practise our speaking, focusing on the /f/ sound, like in "for". Watch out for
the different spellings we saw earlier in the lesson!

Before we start, let's remind ourselves how to make the sound /f/.

34
Lesson 32: Let's go shopping! - Do you sell...?

Vocabulary
What time do you open?
We open at 10am on weekdays.
Do you sell...?
Do you sell clothes?
I'm looking for a white shirt.
I'll take...
I'll take these shoes.
How much is this?
How much is this dress?
It's...
It's £25.
That comes to...
That comes to £39, please.
closed
We are closed on Sundays.
open
The supermarket is open until 11pm.

Here's a tip
We are now going to learn some expressions that are useful when shopping.

What time do you open?

How much is this?
Do you sell...?

You can also say "Do you have any...?". This expression is similar in meaning to "Do you sell...?".

Do you have any shirts?

Do you have anything cheaper?
Do you have any roses?

To ask about the price you can say "How much is it?" or "How much is this?".

How much is this coat?

When telling you how much you need to pay, the shop assistant might say:

That comes to £30.

That's £95 altogether.
That's $48.50 in total.
That will be $60, please.

35
Here are all the expressions we've just learned:

What time do you open / close?

We are open / closed...
Do you sell...?
I'm looking for...
How much is this / it?
It's...
I'll take...
That comes to ...
That's ... altogether / in total.

Dialogue
Shop assistant: Hello, how may I help you?
Bella: Hi, I'm looking for a dress.
Shop assistant: Right. Follow me. How about this one?
Bella: Great. Do you have it in a different colour?
Shop assistant: Yes, sure. Maybe this one?
Bella: Perfect. How much is it?
Shop assistant: It's £65.
Bella: Wonderful. I'll take it. And this bag as well, please.
Shop assistant: No problem. That comes to £98 in total.

Lesson 33: How much is it? - Prices

Vocabulary
ten, eleven, twelve
We open at 11am on Sundays.
thirteen, fourteen, fifteen
This shirt is £15.
sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen
That's only $19.
twenty, twenty-one
It's £21.
thirty, forty, fifty
It's £45.
sixty, seventy, eighty
That's £60 altogether.
ninety, one hundred
That's £100 altogether, please.

Here's a tip

36
We already know the numbers zero to nine. Now let's learn them all the way up to 100 and use
them to talk about price and age.

Did you notice that we add the ending "-teen" to numbers 13 to 19?

13. thirteen
14. fourteen
15. fifteen
16. sixteen
17. seventeen
18. eighteen
19. nineteen

It’s pretty straightforward to work out the rest of the numbers, as they follow a pattern.

twenty-one
twenty-two
twenty-three
twenty-four
twenty-five

Now we’re going to look at numbers 20 to 100. Notice how with numbers 20 to 90, we add the
ending -ty. However, note how 100 doesn't follow this rule!

20. twenty
30. thirty
40. forty
50. fifty
60. sixty
70. seventy
80. eighty
90. ninety
100. one hundred

Dialogue
Bella: Excuse me, how much is this shirt?
Shop assistant: It's $29.
Bella: Oh, ok. What about this one?
Shop assistant: That shirt is $15.
Bella: Great, thanks. I'll take this one and that hat, please.
Shop assistant: Sure. That'll be $44 altogether, please.

Lesson 34: Demonstrative pronouns - Grammar: This, that, these, those

37
Here's a tip
We use "this", "that", "these" and "those" to talk about specific objects / people. First let's focus on
"this" and "that". "This" refers to something that is nearby, and "that" usually refers to something
that is further away.

How much is this jacket?

I'll take that bag, please.

We use "these" and "those" to refer to groups of objects or people. . "These" refers to things that
are nearby, and "those" refers to things that are further away.

I'll take these shoes, please.

Here's a recap of how we use "this", "that", "these" and "those".

Number of objects / people

Nearby
Further away
1
this
that
More than 1
these
those

"This", "that", "these" and "those" don't always have to come before a person / object in a sentence.
To avoid repetition, they can replace it altogether. In each example below, the second sentence is
much more natural.

Is this bag your bag? - Is this your bag?

Those keys are my keys! - Those are my keys!

Lesson 35: What's the time? - It's 3 o'clock

Vocabulary
What's the time?
o'clock
It's 5 o'clock.
half past
It's half past nine.
quarter past
It's quarter past five.
quarter to

38
It's quarter to six.

Here's a tip
This unit is the first of two units on telling the time. We'll learn things like:

What's the time?

It's four o'clock.
It's half past nine.

In English, we use the 12-hour, or "meridiem", clock. This means that we separate our day into two
twelve-hour sections.

It's twelve o'clock in the morning.

It's twelve o'clock in the afternoon.

The words "to" and "past" indicate whether a time is before or after the hour. Look at the examples
below.

4.25 - It's twenty-five past four.

3.35 - It's twenty-five to four.
8.10 - It's ten past eight.
7.50 - It's ten to eight.

Here's a list of the words and expressions we've just learned:

What time is it?

o'clock
half past
quarter past
quarter to

Lesson 36: Yesterday, today, tomorrow - Talking about time

Vocabulary
day
We are open 7 days a week.
night
What are you doing Friday night?
week
It's my birthday in two weeks!
today
Can I book a table for 2 o'clock today, please?
yesterday

39
His birthday was yesterday.
tomorrow
Are you open tomorrow?
in the morning
It's 6 o'clock in the morning!
in the afternoon
Sorry, the kitchen is closed in the afternoon.
in the evening
What do you do in the evening?

Here's a tip
You've just learned how to give an exact time of day, but there are lots of other helpful words and
phrases we can use to express periods of time. Here are some that we'll learn in this unit.

yesterday
today
morning
evening

If we want to talk specifically about today, we can use the word "this" followed by "morning /
afternoon / evening".

What time do they open this morning?

Can I book a table for this afternoon, please?
What are you doing this evening?

We can use some of these words together to talk about other periods of time in the past and in the
future. Look at the examples below. Can you spot the exception to the rule?

yesterday morning, yesterday afternoon, yesterday evening, last night

tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow evening, tomorrow night

Did you know? In spoken English,"last night" and "yesterday evening" can mean the same thing.
The same applies to "tonight" and "this evening". "Tonight / last night" are slightly more colloquial
than "this evening / yesterday evening".

What did you do last night? = What did you do yesterday evening?
The shop is closed tonight. = The shop is closed this evening.

Lesson 37: I don't work on Tuesdays - Grammar: Prepositions of time

Vocabulary
at

40
My meeting is at 10 a.m. today.
at Christmas
I stay with my family at Christmas.
at the moment
The shop is closed at the moment.
on
I don't work on Tuesdays.
on my birthday
On my birthday we always go to a restaurant.
in
My birthday is in June.

Here's a tip
We're now going to learn about prepositions of time.

They help us give the time at which something happens.

I get up at 6 a.m. every morning.

On my birthday we usually go to a restaurant.
It rains a lot in autumn.

We use the preposition "at" to discuss clock times, holidays and other specific time frames.

at 5 o'clock
at Christmas, at Easter
at the moment

We also say "at breakfast", "at lunch" and "at dinner".

I'm busy at breakfast but I'm free at lunch.

We use the preposition "on" with days of the week or any specific dates.

My birthday is on the 5th of October.

My interview is on Monday at 11 a.m.

We use the preposition "in" with months, seasons, years and longer periods of time.

in the morning / in the afternoon / in the evening

in December / in June
in spring / in summer / in autumn / in winter
in 2006

When we talk about parts of the day, we say "in the morning", "in the afternoon", and "in the
evening". But notice that we say "at night".

41
She studies in the morning.
She works in the afternoon.
She watches TV in the evening.
She sleeps at night.

We also say "in the past" and "in the future".

I'd like to live in London in the future.

Here are some other ways to talk about when something happens. Notice that we don't use
prepositions with these words.

next week
last night
this morning
every day

Review - Review

Here's a tip
Jodie and Sam have just arranged to meet for dinner. Let's follow Jodie on her way to the
restaurant.

The next question is about two-digit numbers. Don't forget, when we write out a two-digit number,
we add a hyphen in between the two parts of the number. Look at the examples below.

forty-seven
ninety-one
twenty-four

Dialogue
Sam: Hey Jodie! How are you?
Jodie: Oh! Hi Sam! I'm good thanks. How about you?
Sam: I'm great. What are you doing tomorrow night?
Jodie: I'm free! Let's go out for dinner.
Sam: Yes, I'd love to. Can we go to Frankie's restaurant?
Jodie: Yeah, that sounds great. What's your number, by the way?
Sam: Oh yes, it's 046...
Jodie: Yeah.
Sam: 534...
Jodie: Yep.
Sam: 909.
Jodie: Cool! See you tomorrow!

42
Jodie: Hi Sam! I'm sorry I'm late!
Sam: Hey! Don't worry! You're only 15 minutes late. How are you?
Jodie: Good, thanks! And hungry! Is this the menu?
Sam: No, that's the wine list! This is the menu.
Jodie: Great, thank you! Are you ready to order?
Sam: Not yet. Do you want something to drink?
Jodie: Yes, please.
Sam: Excuse me, waiter. Could we order some drinks?

Lesson 38: My family - Immediate family members

Vocabulary
mom
My mom's from Brazil.
dad
My dad speaks Turkish and English.
sister
My sister studies Russian.
brother
My brother lives in Mexico.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we are going to talk about our family.

In the UK, "mom" is commonly spelled "mum".

We've learned some words for family members. ✅

In the next lesson, we'll use the verb "to have" to talk more about our family.

Lesson 39: I have two brothers - Grammar: To have

Vocabulary
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
I have two brothers.
He has one sister.
I am an only child.

Here's a tip

43
In this lesson, we'll learn the verb "to have".

We can use "to have" to talk about our family and ask others about theirs!

The verb "to have" changes with "he", "she" and "it":

Person
Verb
I, you, we, they
have
he, she, it
has

If you don't have any brothers or sisters, you are an "only child".

An "only child" can be male or female.

In the next part of the lesson, we'll hear a conversation between Francesca and Michael about their
families. Listen out for the phrases we've just learned!

Dialogue
Francesca: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Michael: Yes! I have two brothers and one sister. And you?
Francesca: I'm an only child. But my mom has four brothers and one sister!
Michael: Wow! She has a big family.

Lesson 40: She has three children - More family members

Vocabulary
a son
We have a son.
a daughter
She has a daughter.
children
We have two children, a son and a daughter.
parents
My parents live in Istanbul.

Here's a tip
In this lesson, we'll learn to describe families in more detail!

First of all, can you remember the family members we've already learned?

44
You might also hear "mother" instead of "mom" and "father" instead of "dad".

These words are quite formal, and we use "mom" and "dad" much more often when talking to and
about our parents.

Now let's practise everything we've learned in this lesson with a little quiz!

In the next few lessons we will learn about possessive adjectives and then read about a family in
Canada.

Lesson 41: Conversations - Talk about your family

Here's a tip
We're now going to review the words we've learned about family members.

At the end of the lesson, you'll have the chance to answer a question about your family!

Throughout the lesson, listen to and repeat the vocabulary you encounter. You can practise your
pronunciation and it will help you remember the words!

On the next screen you'll answer a question about your family.

1 Speak or type your answer

2 Send your answer to other English speakers on Busuu

The more you engage with other English speakers, the more confident you'll become – you can do
this! ⭐

Lesson 42: Possessive adjectives - Grammar: My, your, their

Vocabulary
my mom
I live with my mom.
your sister
I work with your sister.
your dad
Where's your dad?
his brother
He speaks Turkish with his brother.
her sister
Her sister lives in London.
our daughter

45
Our daughter studies English.
their parents
They live with their parents.

Here's a tip
We can already talk about possession. ("I have two brothers.")

In this lesson we'll use possessive adjectives (words like "my") to talk about our family members.

Each person has a possessive adjective. This might help you to remember them!

I my
you your
he his
she her
we our
they their

And now let's practise what we've learned!

I my
you your
he his
she her
we our
they their

We're going to see more possessive adjectives in our next reading lesson!

Review: Layla is from Canada - Reading comprehension: Layla is from Canada

Vocabulary
Montreal and Ottawa are cities in Canada.
Layla's brother works in Ottawa.

Here's a tip
We're going to meet Layla, and find out about her family in Canada.

First, we will do some exercises to help us understand the text!

46
We can show possession by adding 's to a name.

Her brother = Layla's brother.

We're now going to read all about Layla and her family.

On the next screen you can sit back, relax and listen to what you just read. Perhaps you can
understand without reading the text!

Lesson 43: My sister's thirteen years old - Numbers 13 to 19

Vocabulary
How old are you?
I'm eighteen.
I'm fifteen years old.
How old is your sister?
My sister's thirteen years old.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we're going to talk about age using numbers 13 to 19.

To say our age we can use "I'm..." or "I'm ... years old."

They mean the same thing, but you will usually hear "I'm... (eighteen)."

I'm eighteen = I'm eighteen years old.

All numbers from 13 to 19 end in "teen".

13 thirteen
14 fourteen
15 fifteen
16 sixteen
17 seventeen
18 eighteen
19 nineteen

Let's practise talking about age with numbers 13 to 19!

In the next lesson we will continue talking about age, and we'll learn numbers 20 to 100!

47
Lesson 44: I'm thirty-four years old - Numbers 20-100

Vocabulary
I'm twenty years old.
He's thirty.
Our sister's forty.
My mom's fifty years old.
I'm thirty-four.
My dad's a hundred.

Here's a tip
Let's continue talking about age with numbers 20 to 100!

20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 end in "ty".

20 twenty
30 thirty
40 forty
50 fifty
60 sixty
70 seventy
80 eighty
90 ninety

Here's how we make the numbers between 30 and 40. Use the same rule to make numbers from 20
to 99.

31 thirty-one
32 thirty-two
33 thirty-three
34 thirty-four
35 thirty-five
36 thirty-six
37 thirty-seven
38 thirty-eight
39 thirty-nine
40 forty

Let's review the numbers we've just learned.

We can now talk about our age and the ages of our family members using the numbers 1 to 100.

48
Lesson 45: What are you doing? - He's cleaning the bathroom

Vocabulary
What are you doing?
to go to work
I'm going to work. See you later!
to work from home
Tom is working from home today.
to stay at home
He's staying at home today because he's ill.
to cook
We're cooking lunch with some friends.
to clean
He's cleaning the bathroom.
to make dinner
They're making dinner in the kitchen.
to go to bed
I'm tired. I'm going to bed now.

Here's a tip
When we talk about a "house" we are talking about the actual building. However, the word "home"
refers to the place where you live (whether it be a house or a flat) or the place where you come
from like the word "hometown".

I am going home.
I'm staying at home.
London is my home.

Here are a couple of idiomatic expressions you can use with the word "home". Try and use one
when you next speak to a native English speaker!

Make yourself at home.

Home sweet home.
to make a house a home

Dialogue
Mum: Alex??!
Alexander: Yeah???
Mum: Where are you?
Alexander: I'm in my bedroom!
Mum: Okay. Are you going to work today?
Alexander: No, I'm working from home. Why? What are you doing?
Mum: I'm cleaning the bathrooms! If you're staying at home, can you come and help me,
please?

49
Alexander: Yes, of course, but later. I'm working now!

Lesson 46: The present continuous - Grammar: Present continuous

Here's a tip
We're now going to learn how to use the present continuous. We use this tense to talk
about temporary actions and things that are happening at the time of speaking, like in the
examples below.

I'm looking for my wallet.

They're working from home today.

We form the present continuous like this:

form of "to be" + verb + "ing"

He is cooking dinner for his partner.

They are going to the supermarket.

Some verbs normally end in an "e". When we use these verbs in the present continuous, we remove
the "e" before we add the "ing".

Infinitive Present continuous

I leave I am leaving
she lives she is living
it closes it is closing

We form negatives in the present continuous like this:

form of "to be" + "not" + verb + "ing"

I'm not having a great time. Can we go home?

He's not reading a book at the moment.
We're not cooking this evening. We're going out for dinner!

When we form questions in the present continuous, we simply take the verb and place it at the
beginning of the sentence, like this:

He is having the lasagne. - Is he having the lasagne?

They're studying medicine at university. - Are they studying medicine at
university?

Don't forget, when we use verbs that normally end in an "e" in the present continuous, we remove
the "e" before we add the "ing".

50
Dialogue
Hannah: What are you doing today, Lucas?
Lucas: I'm just going to the supermarket. Let's have dinner together later!
Hannah: That sounds great. Do you want to go out for dinner or cook?
Lucas: I'm really enjoying cooking, at the moment. Let's do that. What are you doing?
Hannah: I'm just opening the shop. I should go actually. See you later!

Lesson 47: Where are my keys? - That's my bag!

Vocabulary
phone
She has a new phone.
wallet
Where is my wallet?
bag
Do you have my bag?
keys
I'm looking for my keys.
glasses
Those are cool glasses.
computer
I don't have a computer.
book
I'm reading a really good book.

Here's a tip
"Phone" can refer to any type of phone, whether it's portable or not. When we talk about portable
phones, we say "mobile (phone)" in British English, and "cell (phone)" in American English.

Universal: Where is my phone?

British English: Can I use your mobile?
American English: Can you pass me my cell?

We use "computer" as a general word for all computers, but we also use "laptop" to refer to
portable computers.

Dialogue
Cameron: Are you okay?
Laura: No, I can't find my bag.
Cameron: Oh no! What's in it?
Laura: My wallet and my keys.

51
Cameron: Wait. Is this your bag?
Laura: Oh, yes! Thank you so much!

Review - Review

Vocabulary
Listen to the audio.

Here's a tip
We've learned about so many different things: adjectives and adverbs, possessive adjectives and the
present continuous tense. We've learned lots of new words as well. Let's recap!

Apple crumble is a British dessert which is often served with custard, cream or ice cream.

Dialogue
Charlie: Hi, Sam! How are you?
Sam: I'm ok. It's quiet here today. I'm working from home. How are you? Where is every
one?
Charlie: I'm good. Well, dad is staying at home, but he's busy in the kitchen at the mome
nt.
Sam: Ah, ok. How's mum?
Charlie: She's good! She's reading in the living room.
Sam: What about Daisy? What is she up to?
Charlie: Oh, she's cool. She's studying in her room.
Sam: Very good. What is dad cooking in the kitchen?
Charlie: He is making an apple crumble.
Sam: Mmm... So good.

Lesson 48: What do you do after work? - We get up early on Mondays

Vocabulary
to spend time
She spends a lot of time with her family.
to go to the gym
How often do you go to the gym?
class
He goes to a French class on Thursday.
book club

52
I have my book club on Tuesday night.
to get up early
I get up early on Tuesdays and go to the gym.
to get home late
He gets home late on Wednesdays.
I don't do much...
They don't do much during the week.

Here's a tip
There are lots of different ways of talking about what we do outside work. For now, let's learn a
few different hobbies and routines.

She spends a lot of time with her family.

I have my book club on Tuesday night.
How often do you go to the gym?

Let's review the phrases we just learned before we practise them:

to spend time
to go to the gym
class
book club
to get up early
to get home late
I don't do much...

Lesson 49: How often...? - Grammar: Always, often, sometimes

Vocabulary
always
She always goes to the gym before work.
never
We never get up early on the weekend.
often
I often go running with my brother.
sometimes
You work from home sometimes.
usually
We usually go running on Saturdays.
every
I practise guitar every night.

Here's a tip

53
When we talk about our habits and routines, we can use a word or phrase to describe how
often something happens. These words and phrases are called "frequency adverbs".

She always goes to the gym before work.

We never get up early at the weekend.
I usually go to my book club on Tuesdays.

Here's a recap of the five adverbs of frequency we've learned so far. Read the sentences and think
about whether they indicate a frequent or infrequent action.

I always have a coffee in the morning.

He usually has his German lesson on Fridays.
She often works from home.
We sometimes go running together.
I never get up early at the weekend.

You can use "every" with most other time phrases. Here are some examples. Try and think about
something you do regularly and how you would say that in English.

every day
every Tuesday
every night
every morning
every week
We cannot use "every" with the following words: today, tomorrow, yesterday, tonight,
this morning etc.

One challenge is knowing where to place frequency adverbs in a sentence. Read the following
sentences and pay attention to the position of the words in bold:

I never drink coffee.

You should practise your guitar every day.
Sometimes I get up early and go to the gym.

Generally, we place frequency adverbs like "always", "never" and "often" before the main verb.
But if the main verb is "to be", the frequency adverb comes after the main verb.

He never spends time with his family.

I always drink coffee in the morning.
They are often late for work.

Expressions like "every day" and "every week" can go at the beginning or end of the sentence.

54
"Sometimes" and "usually" are more mobile than other frequency adverbs. We can place them
before the main verb (or after it if the main verb is "to be"), at the start of the sentence or at the end
of the sentence.

Every Friday we have our French class.

I practise guitar every day.
Sometimes he cooks and sometimes I cook.
We eat out sometimes.
He usually has his book club on Mondays.

Lesson 50: Tati's morning routine - Tati's vlog

Vocabulary
First, my alarm goes off at 7am.
...and it's time to get up.
It's time to have a shower.
Next, it is time to get dressed.
At 8 o'clock I go downstairs and have breakfast.
After breakfast, I go back upstairs to tidy my room.

Here's a tip
We're going to meet a student called Tati and find out about her morning routine. ⏰

Before we watch the video, let’s hear some of the phrases Tati uses!

We can say "to have a shower" or "to take a shower".

Both mean the same thing!

We're ready to find out all about Tati's routine. ⏰

Below are the phrases we've seen this lesson. We'll hear them in the video!

First, my alarm goes off at 7am.

...and it's time to get up.
It's time to have a shower.
Next, it is time to get dressed.
At 8 o'clock I go downstairs and have breakfast.
After breakfast, I go back upstairs to tidy my room.
It's time to leave the house and have a good day!

In the next few lessons we will talk more about routines and what we like to do in our spare time!
⭐

55
Lesson 51: Conversations - Tell us about your morning routine!

Here's a tip
We just watched a video about Tati and her morning routine. ⏰

We're now going to review what we learned from Tati's video, and at the end of the lesson you'll
have the chance to answer a question about your morning routine! ⭐

Throughout the lesson, listen to and repeat the vocabulary you encounter. You can practise your
pronunciation and it will help you remember the words!

On the next screen you'll answer a question about yourself.

1 Say or type your answer

2 Send your answer to other English speakers on Busuu

The more you engage with other English speakers, the more confident you'll become – you can do
this! ⭐

Lesson 52: Pronunciation: coat, though, go - Pronunciation: /oʊ/

Vocabulary
go, note (/oʊ/)
/oʊ/
coat, toe, though, go
toes
This word contains the /oʊ/ vowel sound.
coat
This word contains the /oʊ/ vowel sound.
although
This word contains the /oʊ/ vowel sound.
I hope that's not my coat!
I hurt my toe.
Although it's sunny, it's cold.

Here's a tip
We are going to explore a common sound that can be difficult for English learners. Keep going
even if you can't produce the sound at first! We'll prepare you in three stages:

1. Introduction to the sound and video instructions for how to make it

56
2. Recognising the sound in common English words

3. Producing the sound

Let's now focus on how we pronounce the vowel sound /oʊ/. This sound appears in words such as
"coat" and "so". It is a combination of two vowel sounds, which is why it can be tricky to produce.

Let's learn how we produce the sound!

As we've already seen, spelling does not always correspond to sounds in English. The /oʊ/ vowel
sound can be written in various different ways.

It's easy to mix up the /oʊ/ sound in "though" with the vowel sound in words like "thought" and
"taught" which have different pronunciations in both British and American English.

It might seem confusing now, but the more you hear and read English words, the more aware you
will become of these differences!

/oʊ/ sound: although, though

different vowel sounds: thought, taught, through

Now we've seen a few words that contain the /oʊ/ vowel sound, let's practise our ability to
recognise the sound.

Here's a quick reminder of some words we've seen and their various spellings:

/oʊ/ sound:
go, no, coat, although, hope, note, toe

Now we are going to practise producing the /oʊ/ sound. First, let's remind ourselves how to make
it!

Now let's try some longer phrases containing the /oʊ/ vowel sound. Don't let the spellings confuse
you! Listen to the examples to help you.

Lesson 53: What do you like doing? - I love cooking

Vocabulary
What do you like doing?
to read
She likes reading before she goes to bed.
to cook
I love cooking.
to eat out
We like eating out at the weekend.
to play

57
He loves playing the violin.
to watch a movie
We like watching movies on Sundays.

Here's a tip
Let's take a look at how to talk about some of the things we like doing.

What do you like doing?

I love cooking at the weekend.
We like watching old movies together.

Did you notice? In the sentence "She likes reading.", the verbs "to like" and "to read" are next to
each other.

When we combine two verbs like this, we put the first verb in the present simple, and the second
verb in the "-ing" form.

She likes reading.

I like cooking.

To form negatives with phrases like these, we simply add "don't" or "doesn't" before the opinion
verb ("like" or "love").

Don't forget: When we form negatives with the verb "to do", we leave our main verb in its original
form (meaning that we do not add an "s").

I don't like playing the violin.

She doesn't love reading.
We don't like eating out.

Have another look at the words and question we've just seen.

What do you like doing?

reading
cooking
eating out
playing
watching

Dialogue
Mike: Do you like cooking, Natalia?
Natalia: I love cooking, but I prefer eating out at the weekend.
Mike: Yeah, me too. I don't like eating out too often, though, because it's expensive. I real
ly love cooking and watching old movies! Could we cook together sometime?
Natalia: That sounds great.

58
Lesson 54: I like swimming - Grammar: Like, love, hate

Vocabulary
to like
I like playing the piano.
to love
We love listening to music.
to hate
She hates watching horror movies.
to prefer
I prefer cooking in the week.
to enjoy
We enjoy watching old movies together.
to fancy
I fancy cooking lasagne tonight.

Here's a tip
Let's take a look at six verbs that help us when we talk about things we like doing.

to like
to love
to hate
to prefer
to fancy
to enjoy

The verb "to fancy" is used to say that you feel like doing a certain activity at a specific moment in
time.

We use this word all the time in English, so it will really come in handy in conversation!

I fancy studying French next year.

She fancies watching a movie tonight.
I don't fancy cooking tonight. Let's go out to dinner.

To recap, let's take another look at the words we have just learned.

I like…
I love…
I hate…
I prefer…
I fancy…

59
I enjoy…

When we place two verbs together, we use this structure:

main verb + "-ing"

I fancy cooking tonight.

She likes watching movies.
We love eating out.

When we form negatives with phrases like this, the verb "to do" changes to match the pronoun. The
other verb in the sentence (the main verb) remains in its original form. Have a look at the examples
below.

I don't like cooking after work.

He doesn't like playing the violin.

London Central: Episode 4 - What's wrong, Leo?

Here's a tip
In the previous episode, Leo studied English with Georgina, then she gave him a lift to work. Next
it's episode four. While you watch, try to answer this question: what does Leo like about Georgina?

Lesson 55: Do you play any sports? - I play football

Vocabulary
Do you play any sports?
to play football
We sometimes play football together.
to play tennis
How often do you play tennis?
to go swimming
Do you want to go swimming tomorrow?
to go running
I go running in the morning.
to do yoga
She does yoga every Tuesday.
to do karate
My son does karate at school.

Here's a tip
There are three different verbs we can use when talking about sports.

60
We use the verb "to play" for ball sports or competitive games.

Do you play any sports?

Yes, I play football.

We use the verb "to go" for sports that are verbs ending in "-ing".

I'll go swimming tomorrow.

She goes running in the morning.

Finally, we can use the verb "to do" with all other recreational activities or non-team sports.

She does yoga every Tuesday.

My son does karate at school.

Do you remember?

to play + football, tennis

to go + swimming, running
to do + yoga, karate

Dialogue
Nick: What do you usually do after work?
Maria: Every Tuesday I go swimming near the office. Sometimes, I also go running with
a friend and then we usually eat out.
Nick: Cool! Do you play any other sports?
Maria: Well, I love playing football but I'm not very good. Actually, I'm looking for some
one to play with, do you...
Nick: Me? Oh no, sorry! I don't do any sports!

Lesson 56: When are you leaving? - Grammar: What, where, when

Vocabulary
who
Who is coming?
when
When are you leaving?
Where?
Where do you go swimming?
why
Why do you get up early?
what
What are you doing?

61
Here's a tip
You've already learned a few questions such as "What time is it?" and "Where do you live?".

We're now going to have a closer look at 5 words that can help you ask... hundreds of them!

They are very easy to remember as they all start with "wh-"!

Who - to ask about a person / people

When - to ask about a time
Where - to ask about a place
Why - to ask about a reason
What - to ask about a thing / specific information

We have already looked at how to form questions in various different ways.

She is happy. - Is she happy?

You are living in France. Are you living in France?
They play football. - Do they play football?

We can simply add one of the "wh-" words we've just seen to the beginning of a question to ask
about something more specific.

Do they play football?

Where do they play football?
When do they play football?

Lesson 57: Pronunciation: read or lead - Pronunciation: /r/ and /l/

Vocabulary
really, like
Can you hear the different consonants at the start of these words?
/r/
really, run, fries, room
/l/
like, long, flies, love
I have a light for reading.
I really like cooking.
The children have a playroom.
right, light
read, lead
pray, play

Here's a tip

62
We are going to explore some common sounds that can be difficult for English learners to
distinguish. Don't give up if you can't hear the difference at first! We'll prepare you in three stages:

1. Introduction to the sounds and video instructions for how to make them

2. Recognising and distinguishing the sounds

3. Producing the sounds

We are going to compare two consonant sounds, the /r/ sound in the word "really" and the /l/ sound
in the word "like". You already know lots of words that contain these consonants, and by the end of
this lesson it will be much easier for you to recognise and pronounce them!

Take a look at some more examples before we hear them:

/r/ sound: really, run, fries, room

/l/ sound: like, long, flies, love

We've just seen how we produce the /r/ sound in "really", so now we are going to focus on the /l/
sound in "like." Let's learn how to produce it!

In the second part of this lesson we are going to work on distinguishing the /r/ sound as in "really"
and the /l/ sound as in "like". We will discover lots of common English words with these sounds,
and you will start to feel more confident in recognising them!

In the third part of this lesson we are going to practise producing the /r/ sound in "really" and the /l/
sound in "like". Most of these words in this lesson you will have already seen and heard before.

Before we start, let's remind ourselves how to make the sounds.

London Central: Episode 5 - What time is it, Leo?

Here's a tip
In the previous episode, Leo woke up from a bad dream and talked things over with Anna. Now, as
you watch episode five, try to answer this question: where is Leo supposed to go on Thursdays?

"This apple" or "that apple"? "These grapes" or "those grapes"? Pay attention to the number of
items. If there is only one item, use "this" if it's near you and "that" if it's further away. If there are
two or more items, use "these" if they are near you and "those" if they are further away.

NEAR FAR
this (is...) that (is...)
these (are...) those (are...)

63
"What's wrong with you?" The meaning of this question depends on the situation. Sometimes it
means that the speaker thinks you are ill or upset and he/she wants to find out the cause. Therefore,
an answer is expected.

In other contexts, this question is used to express frustration at unreasonable behaviour, and no
answer is expected. When Mr Rowntree asks Leo "what's wrong with you?" he is using it in the
second sense. He is frustrated because Leo has come in to work on the wrong day.

Dialogue
Mr Rowntree: What time is it, Leo?
Leo: It’s quarter to eight.
Mr Rowntree: No, it’s not. It’s a quarter past eight. What date is it, Leo?
Leo: It is Thursday the 22nd of November.
Mr Rowntree: Yes, Leo. It’s Thursday. You work Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday. You
don’t work on Thursday.
Leo: I’m sorry.
Mr Rowntree: What’s wrong with you?

Review - Review

Here's a tip
In the dialogue you heard, Sam and Jodie are talking about their free time. Now we're going to
answer some questions about the dialogue and recap what we've learned in the previous lessons.

Dialogue
Jodie: What do you do after work, Sam?
Sam: Oh, I get up so early and go to bed quite late. I am usually pretty tired in the even
ings, so I don't do much. What about you?
Jodie: Well, I love my cooking classes and I have my piano lesson every Friday. How ab
out weekends?
Sam: At the weekend I go swimming and play football in the park.
Jodie: That sounds lovely!
Sam: Do you do any sports?
Jodie: I hate sports. I like getting up late on Saturdays. I enjoy reading or watching a mo
vie at the weekend.

Lesson 58: How was your day? - It was fine

Vocabulary

64
How was your day?
Hi, how was your day?
It was fine.
How was your day? It was fine.
stressful
My morning was so stressful.
lovely
It was lovely, thank you.
tiring
It was quite tiring.
fun
It was really fun.
productive
My evening was really productive!

Here's a tip
How was your day?

My morning was so stressful.

My evening was really productive!

Let's review the words we just learned before we practise them!

How was your day?

It was fine.
stressful
lovely
tiring
fun
productive

Lesson 59: Past simple - The verb "to be" - Grammar: Past simple - The verb "to be"

Here's a tip
Now we’re going to learn to talk about things that happened in the past. To do that, we need a new
tense: the past simple (the past simple). For now, we’re just going to learn the past simple form of
the verb “to be”.

- How was your day?

- Uff, it was very stressful.

The verb "to be" has two forms in the past simple tense: was and were.

65
Personal pronoun "To be" in the past simple
I was
you were
he / she / it was
we were
they were

To form a question, we change the word order in the sentence by placing the verb "to be" at the
beginning. If there is a question word, we put it before the verb.

What / Why / Where / When / How

was / were

subject (personal pronoun / noun) ...?

Were you late this morning?

How was your evening?

To make the statement negative, we add "not" after "was" or "were". In speech, we usually shorten
it using an apostrophe.

It was not late. = It wasn't late.

He was not busy. = He wasn't busy.
You were not tired. = You weren't tired.

To recap, have a look at all the forms again.

Positive statement Negative statement Question

I was I wasn't Was I ...?
He / She was He / She wasn't Was he / she ...?
It was It wasn't Was it ...?
You were You weren't Were you ...?
We were We weren't Were we ...?
They were They weren't Were they ...?

When we talk about actions in the past we often add time phrases to give more information about
when the action happened.

yesterday
last night / summer / year
ages ago
in 2006

66
Lesson 60: What was the weather like? - The weather was awful!

Vocabulary
nice
It is really nice this morning.
awful
The weather was awful!
sunny
It was really sunny.
rainy
It's often rainy in London.
windy
It was so windy today.
thunderstorm
There was a thunderstorm on Monday.
cold
It was a very cold winter.
hot
It's too hot!

Here's a tip
There's only one topic you really need to master in order to sound like a native... Talking about
the weather is the ultimate ice breaker with British people!

Great news! All the expressions we're about to see use the verb "to be", which you already know.

It's nice, it is very sunny today.

The weather was awful.

Another way to talk about bad weather is with the word "miserable".

Try out the following expression next time you want to complain about the weather!

It's so miserable out there today!

We usually say "it's hot" when the temperature is uncomfortable and "it's warm" when it's
enjoyable.

It's too hot, I can't go outside.

It's warm, let's have lunch in the park.

Dialogue

67
Laura: Oh, the weather is awful today!
Nathan: Oh dear... It was nice this morning.
Laura: Really?
Nathan: Yeah, it was warm and sunny.
Laura: Well, it's rainy and miserable now.
Nathan: Typical British weather! Come on, let's put the kettle on!

Lesson 61: Making comparisons - Grammar: Making comparisons

Vocabulary
Moscow is colder than Rome.
happy, busy, lazy
happier, busier, lazier
big, sad, hot
bigger, sadder, hotter

Here's a tip
These words ("warm", "cold") are called adjectives because they describe something.

We've used them to describe the weather in the previous lesson. Now what about using them
to make comparisons?

To make comparisons, we need to modify the adjective and add "than" right after it.

To modify most one-syllable adjectives, we add -er (or just -r if there's already an "e") at the end.

cold - Moscow is colder than Rome.

nice - Your room is nicer than my room.

1) When an adjective ends in "y" (whatever its length) just remember to change the "y"
to "i" before adding "er".

2) When an adjective ends in a vowel + consonant, we double the final consonant before adding
"er".

happy - happier
big - bigger

For short adjectives:

- add -er + than

- add -ier + than if it ends in "y", and remove the "y"

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- double up the consonant if it ends in "vowel + consonant" and add "er"

warm - warmer than

happy - happier than
big - bigger than

Now what about 2 syllable (or more) adjectives?

Relax! The rule here is extremely simple! The same structure applies for all of them:
"more (adjective) than"

Emma's flat is more modern than Tom's flat.

The book is more interesting than the film.

Two of the most common comparatives are irregulars. This means they don’t follow the normal
pattern.

"Good" becomes "better than".

"Bad" becomes "worse than".

The weather is better here than in Chicago.

It is worse than his other book!

Lesson 62: What are you doing tomorrow? - This weekend I'm…

Vocabulary
to go
I'm going to Florida this weekend.
to leave
My train leaves at 5.
to meet
We're meeting some friends tonight.
to see
Are you seeing that film tonight?
to stay
Are you staying in a hostel in Milan?
to visit
She's visiting her sister in Paris.

Here's a tip
In the dialogue, Mariam and Diego are discussing their plans for the weekend. Here are some of the
verbs they use, as well as some other useful ones:

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to go
to leave
to fly
to meet
to see
to stay
to visit

To recap, here are the words we have just looked at:

to go
to leave
to fly
to meet
to see
to stay
to visit

Dialogue
Diego: Are you free this weekend?
Mariam: No, I'm not. I'm going to Berlin!
Diego: No worries! That sounds cool. What are you doing in Berlin?
Mariam: Just visiting some friends. We're seeing a show on Saturday.
Diego: Nice! When are you leaving?
Mariam: I fly at 8 tomorrow morning.
Diego: Ouch! And when are you back?
Mariam: Sunday night. I'm only staying for the weekend.

Lesson 63: Talking about future events - Grammar: Talking about future events

Here's a tip
Did you know? In English, we can use the present simple or the present continuous to talk
about plans for the future.

Look at the sentences below. They are all talking / asking about future plans.

What are you doing at the weekend?

Tomorrow we're going to the theatre.
I fly on May 1st.

That’s not to say that we don’t have future tenses in English... we do!

70
But it's very common amongst natives to talk about the future using present tenses (even more
common than using a future tense!)

What are you doing at the weekend? - Very natural

There is a very subtle difference between using the present simple and using the present continuous
for future events. Here's a brief summary.

Present continuous: Future plans agreed between friends / family

We are meeting Michael and Angela at the restaurant.
Present simple: Pre-scheduled / pre-organised future events.
My train leaves tomorrow at 3.30.
The meeting is on Monday.

Lesson 1: Hello! - Let's go out. - Get started with A2 English!

Vocabulary
Let's go out on Friday.
Let's meet up this weekend!
Sounds good!
Sorry, I can't.

Here's a tip
You've worked hard on your English so far. In A2 we're going to explore many more topics to help
you master the language!

In this first lesson we'll learn how to make plans with friends.

We say "let's..." when we want to suggest doing something.

It goes before the verb.

Let's go out on Friday.

Let's meet up this weekend!

We've seen four new phrases for suggesting plans!

In the next lesson, we'll organise a date with friends.

Let's go out on Friday.

Let's meet up this weekend!
Sounds good!
Sorry, I can't.

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Lesson 2: What are your plans...? - What are your plans this weekend?

Vocabulary
What are your plans this weekend?
I'm going out with my friends.
Are you free on Friday?
I'm free on Friday.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll continue organising our social lives.

In the next part of the lesson we'll hear more of Sanjay and Laura's conversation, and we'll practise
the phrases we've learned this lesson!

What are your plans this weekend?

I'm going out with my friends.
Are you free on Friday?
I'm free on Friday.

Dialogue
Laura: Hey Sanjay. What are your plans this weekend?
Sanjay: Hi Laura! Well, I'm going out with my brother on Friday, but do you want to me
et up on Saturday?
Laura: Sorry, I can't meet up on Saturday, I have a date! Are you free on Sunday instea
d?
Sanjay: Yes, I'm free on Sunday! Let's meet up and you can tell me all about your date.
Laura: Sounds good!

Lesson 3: Phrasal verbs - Grammar: Phrasal verbs

Vocabulary
Let's eat out tonight.
I'd like to eat in.

Here's a tip
In our first grammar lesson of A2, we're going to learn about phrasal verbs (verbs like "meet up"
and "go out").

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Let's go!

We form phrasal verbs by adding a preposition (words like "up", "in" and "out" ) to a verb (like
"meet" and "go").

to meet up
to go out

Phrasal verbs often have a different meaning from the individual verb and preposition that forms
them. For example:

to eat - have a meal

to eat out - have a meal in a restaurant
to eat in - have a meal at home

We'll now practise the phrasal verbs we've just seen.

The more we listen to the examples, the easier it will be to remember the combinations of verbs and
prepositions! ⭐

to meet up
to go out
to eat out
to eat in

We've explored phrasal verbs and seen lots of new language we can use to organise plans with
friends.

In the next lesson, we'll review everything we've learned so far!

Lesson 4: Conversations - Make some plans!

Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll revise phrasal verbs and the language we can use to make plans.

At the end of the lesson, you'll have the opportunity to answer a question about your plans! ⭐

Throughout the lesson, listen to and repeat the vocabulary you encounter. You can practise your
pronunciation and it will help you remember the words!

On the next screen we'll ask you to write or record a message suggesting plans with friends.

1 Say or type your answer

2 Send your answer to other English speakers on Busuu

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The more you engage with other English speakers, the more confident you'll become – you can do
this! ⭐

Lesson 5: I have one uncle - Extended family

Vocabulary
aunt
My aunt lives in Shanghai.
uncle
I have one uncle.
niece
My niece is my brother's daughter.
nephew
My nephew is my brother's son.
cousin
My cousin's eighteen.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we're going to talk about more family members.

Before we start, let's review the family members we already know.

We use the word "cousin" for both male and female cousins.

Review the family member words below before we do a little quiz!

aunt
uncle
niece
nephew
cousin

In the next lesson we'll learn the words for talking about grandparents!

Lesson 6: My grandparents live in São Paulo - Grandparents and grandchildren

Vocabulary
grandmother

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My grandmother is from Brazil.
grandfather
My grandfather speaks Portuguese.
grandparents
My grandparents live in São Paulo.
granddaughter
My granddaughter is twelve years old.
grandson
We have one grandson.
grandchildren
We have two grandchildren.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we will explore six new words for family members that all start with "grand"!

Some people talk about their grandparents using shorter names such as these below:

grandmother granny, grandma

grandfather grandad, grandpa

We've learned 6 new words for family this lesson!

Next lesson we'll watch a video about a famous chef and her family in Bangladesh.

grandparents grandchildren
grandmother granddaughter
grandfather grandson

Lesson 7: Nadiya's family - Nadiya's family

Vocabulary
Her parents are from Bangladesh, but she grew up in the UK.
"Sometimes I feel like I don't know the Bangladeshi side of me that much."
At the airport her dad picks her up.
"I thought I didn't miss them, it turns out I do."
She goes to see her grandmother. She is very important to Nadiya.
She will meet new people, try new things and learn all about her family's country.

Here's a tip

75
We're going to meet Nadiya, a famous British chef, who is visiting her family in Bangladesh.

Before watching the video, let's study some of the phrases we'll hear.

"To pick up" and "to turn out" are phrasal verbs, like "to meet up" and "to go out".

We're about to meet Nadiya and travel with her to Bangladesh.

Below are some of the phrases we'll hear:

Her parents are from Bangladesh, but she grew up in the UK.
"Sometimes I feel like I don't know the Bangladeshi side of me that well."
At the airport her dad picks her up.
"I thought I didn't miss them, it turns out I do!"
Next she goes to see her grandmother. She is very important to Nadiya.
She will meet new people, try new things and learn all about her family's country.

We sometimes use "family" as an adjective when we talk about something related to, or belonging
to a family:

a family meal
a family celebration
family life
the family village

We've learned all about Nadiya's family in the UK and Bangladesh.

In the next lesson you can tell us a little about your family!

Lesson 8: Conversations - Tell us about your family

Here's a tip
In this lesson, we're going to review words for family members.

At the end of the lesson, you'll have the opportunity to answer a question about your family! ⭐

Throughout the lesson, listen to and repeat the vocabulary you encounter. You can practise your
pronunciation and it will help you remember the words!

On the next screen you'll answer a question about yourself.

1 Say or type your answer

2 Send your answer to other English speakers on Busuu

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The more you engage with other English speakers, the more confident you'll become – you can do
this! ⭐

Lesson 9: I drink more coffee than tea - Grammar: Comparatives 2

Vocabulary
more
I drink more coffee than tea.
less
I have less free time this weekend than next weekend.
fewer
He has fewer hats than his brother.

Here's a tip
So far, we have compared the qualities of people and objects, with sentences like "Michael is taller
than Maria" and "I find physics more interesting than biology."

We are now going to compare the quantity of people and objects. Take a look at the example
below:

There are more restaurants than bars in my town.

He has fewer hats than his brother.
I earn less money than my wife.

You probably recognise the structure more ... than .... We use it for these kinds of comparisons too.
Have a look at the examples below.

There are more women than men in my company.

I watch more TV series than films.
I drink more coffee than tea.

Remember that we use "less" with nouns that we can't count, "fewer" with nouns that we can
count, and "more" with both!

less water, less money, less coffee

fewer people, fewer bars, fewer clothes

Even some native speakers get mixed up between "less" and "fewer". Watch out for common
mistakes like this:

There are less men than women in my company.

There are fewer men than women in my company.

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Lesson 10: That's my uncle's car - Grammar: Possessive form of the noun

Vocabulary
uncle's car
That's my uncle's car.
cousin's birthday
It was my cousin's birthday yesterday.
baby's name
"Sophie" is a cute baby's name.
at Johnny's
Shall we meet at Johnny's for lunch?
at the dentist's
I have an appointment at the dentist's at 9 a.m.

Here's a tip
We already learned how to say that something belongs to somebody by using possessive
adjectives (my, his, her, etc). Now let's look at how we express possession between one thing /
person and another. To do this we use a special form of the noun.

Have a look at how we form it below.

noun + apostrophe (') + s

my uncle's car
her cousin's birthday

For plural nouns ending in "s", we simply add an apostrophe after the "s", like this:

parents' evening
girls' school
boys' shoes
Here are some possessive forms of plural nouns that do not end in "s". Can you see
the difference between these and the ones above?
women's watches
men's toilet
children's books

If the singular form of a noun ends in "-y", we still form the possessive by simply adding 's.
We don't change the "-y" to "-ie" like we do in the plural form of the noun. Have a look at the
examples below.

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Possessive - singular Noun - plural Possessive - plural
lady's bag ladies ladies' room
country's flag countries countries' union
baby's name babies babies' sleep

We also use the possessive form of a noun to refer to shops, restaurants, churches and colleges,
using the name or job title of the owner.

I have an appointment at the dentist's at 9 a.m. (dentist's practice)

Shall we meet at Johnny's for lunch? (a restaurant)

Dialogue
Magda: Is that your parents' car?
James: No, actually it's my cousin's.
Magda: No way... that's Caroline's new car?! For goodness' sake. She's only 16!
James: You're telling me. Lucky thing.

Lesson 11: What is he like? - Personality traits

Vocabulary
friendly
My sister is friendly.
fun
He's a really fun guy.
shy
She's very shy when she meets new people.
polite
He's so polite.
kind
You're so kind.
funny
My mom is very funny.
rude
Don't be so rude!
lazy
My dad can be a bit lazy sometimes.

Here's a tip
Let's take a look at how we can describe the people in our lives.

My sister is quite shy.

He's so rude.

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The words "fun" and "funny" are similar and are sometimes confused. Someone who is "fun"
makes you happy to be around them, while someone who is "funny" has a good sense of humour
and makes you laugh.

Rebecca is a lot of fun. We always have a good time together!

Eloy is so funny. He could do stand-up!

To recap, let's take another look at the words we have just learned.

My sister is friendly.
He's a really fun guy.
She's very shy when she meets new people.
He's so polite.
You're so kind.
My mum is really funny.
Don't be so rude!
My dad can be a bit lazy sometimes.

Lesson 12: He's the kindest person in the office - Grammar: Superlatives

Here's a tip
We use the comparative form to compare two nouns. When we are comparing something to a larger
group, we use the superlative form.

Comparative Superlative
My brother is funnier than my My brother is the funniest person
sister. in my family.
She's nicer than him. She's the nicest person in the
office.

There are two different ways of forming the superlative, and the structure we use depends on the
adjective.

Generally, with short adjectives we use "the" + adjective + "-est" ending.

We use "the most" + adjective with long adjectives.

Short: He's the rudest person I know.

Long: My sister is the most confident person I know.

"Fun" and "funny" are two adjectives that are easily confused but don't mean the same thing! Here
is a reminder of their superlative forms:

Our trip to the Eiffel Tower was the most fun part of the holiday.

80
Tom is the funniest person in the office.

When we use superlatives in English, we generally say what we are comparing to. However, in
more informal contexts, we often omit this part. Consider the examples below.

He's the best cook in the house. > He's the best.
We're the laziest in our friendship group. > We're the laziest.
Cleaning is the worst task in the world. > Cleaning's the worst.

Here's a list of some of the words that take each superlative form.

"-est" form "most" form

the nicest the most confident
the funniest the most important
the laziest the most expensive

There are three words that do not behave in the same way as most other adjectives.

good > better > best

bad > worse > worst
far > further / farther > furthest / farthest

London Central: Episode 6 - Oscar, this is a very long list.

Here's a tip
In the previous episode, Leo overslept and thought he was late for work - but it was his day off!
Next up it's episode six. While you watch, think about these questions: what does Oscar find in
Leo's bedroom? How does this discovery make Oscar feel?

People often put a “kiss”, represented by the letter x, at the end of letters, emails and text messages
to friends and family. Text messages are commonly known as “texts” in English.

Good luck with the rest of the quiz! Love from Busuu x

Review - Review

Vocabulary

Here's a tip
Two friends, Tom and Sofia, are discussing their plans for the weekend.

81
Let's practise some of the things we've learned over the past few lessons by listening to their
conversation.

Great job!

Next, let's listen and read along to the dialogue one more time, before we practise our language
some more!

Dialogue
Tom: Let's meet up at the weekend. Are you free?
Sofia: That sounds great. I'm busy on Sunday, but free on Saturday. Shall we do lunch?
Tom: Yes, perfect. My cousin is visiting from Paris. Can she join us? I think you'll like h
er!
Sofia: Oh, yes of course. What's she like?
Tom: She's really friendly and polite.
Sofia: Great. She sounds fun. My cousin is really rude, so I'm glad she's not like her...
Tom: Haha, me too! OK, well, let me know what time suits you. Maybe we can even gra
b a drink afterwards.

Lesson 13: Where did you grow up? - My life

Vocabulary
to be born
Maisy was born in Austin, Texas in 1953.
to grow up
I grew up in Jamaica.
to start
I started my first job when I was 16.
to finish
I finished school in 2000.
to move
We moved to Bermuda to be closer to my grandparents.
to get
I got a car when I was 17.
to become
I became a teacher in 2007.

Here's a tip
It's always great to be able to talk about your own life with other people. Now we're going to learn
how to say:

- where you were born and where you grew up

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- where and when you started and finished school / a job

- where you moved to

Before we move on, let's have another look at the words we've learned:

to be born
to grow up
to start
to finish
to move
to get
to become

Lesson 14: Past simple - regular - Grammar: Past simple 1

Here's a tip
We are now going to take a look at our first past tense, the past simple, which is the tense we use
to talk about completed actions in the past. We've already seen the past simple in questions like,
"How was your day?", but let's now take a look at how we recognise and build it.

We moved to Brazil in 2013.

I worked in France for a year.
My day was pretty relaxing.

We often use the past simple with expressions of time.

I finished my degree last year.

I called my mum on Monday.

We generally form the past simple with regular verbs by adding the ending "-ed". However, if the
verb already ends in "-e", we just add "-d" and, if the verb ends in "-y", we remove it and add
"-ied".

to start to move to study

I started I moved I studied
you started you moved you studied
he / she started he / she moved he / she studied
we started we moved we studied
they started they moved they studied

To recap, let's take a look at the regular verbs we've just seen! We'll add to this list throughout the
course.

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to want
to walk
to start
to finish
to move
to study
to call
to work

Lesson 15: Pronunciation: called, started, studied - Pronunciation: Past simple "-ed"

Vocabulary
called, started, studied
study, studied
work, worked
start, started
My parents moved house last week.
I decided to book a trip.
He finished his book.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we are going to focus on pronouncing past simple regular verbs.

First, we will remind ourselves what verbs in the past simple sound like and
their pronunciation rules. Then, we will practise speaking!

play - played
want - wanted

We are going to focus on how we pronounce regular verbs that end in "-ed" in the past simple.
We'll practise with some words you've seen before, and by the end of this lesson you will feel more
confident in using them!

Present simple Past simple

call, start, study called, started, studied

The “-ed” at the end of regular verbs is pronounced in different ways. However, it never sounds
like the "-ed" in "bed".

called sounds like calld

moved sounds like movd
studied sounds like studeed

84
If a verb ends in a /t/ or /d/ sound, we can hear the past simple ending more clearly. However, the
emphasis is always on the first part of the verb!

Compare the verbs below:

call -> called (sounds like calld)

want -> wanted (we can hear "-ed" when spoken out loud).
start -> started (we can hear "-ed" when spoken out loud).

We are now going to practise our pronunciation of regular past simple verbs. First, let's recap some
of the rules with a short quiz!

Now we're going to practise saying some of the verbs we've seen before. Let's begin by
comparing present simple and past simple forms, and then we will move on to some longer phrases.
Good luck!

Lesson 16: How did you meet? - Talking about relationships

Vocabulary
couple
They make a nice couple.
to know someone
How do you know each other? - We met at a book group.
to date
She dated him for a few months.
to get together
We got together around Christmas.
to meet
We met at university.
to split up
They split up because he had an affair.
to break up
He's really upset because he broke up with his girlfriend.
to get married
They got married last spring.
to get divorced
They got divorced two years ago.

Here's a tip
People talk about their relationships all the time. In this lesson, we're going to learn some simple
ways of talking about a relationship and its different milestones.

They make a nice couple.

We're getting married!

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When did they get together?

When we say that two people make "a nice couple", we either mean that they look very good
together, or that they have a good relationship. We can also say that two people are "good
together".

Joe and Colette are really good together. They make such a nice couple.

Some of the verbs we're using in this unit do not behave like regular verbs in the past simple tense.
That's because they are irregular. See how many you can remember as you go along. We're going to
look at these in more detail next.

They met at their last job.

We got together about a year ago.
I knew her at university.

"To split up" and "to break up" mean exactly the same thing. In British English, we tend to use "to
split up" more when referring to married couples.

Are Lea and Dani still together? - No, they broke up.
Did you hear? Lucas and Laura split up!

There are a few different ways of using the words "marry" and "divorce", or different variants of
them. Here are some other ways you might use them.

Shane married Elliot last summer.

Chandler and Courtney got a divorce.

Not everyone's relationships are as turbulent as Sevan and Holly's friends'. It's hard to keep up with
some people! In the following exercises, we're going to listen to sections of their dialogue and
answer a few questions.

Dialogue
Sevan: Billy and Sophia broke up last night!
Holly: What!? No! That's so sad. They made such a nice couple.
Sevan: I know. Billy's really upset.
Holly: Also did you know that Rachel and Brice got together?
Sevan: No way!! When!?
Holly: Last night!
Sevan: Are you serious!? That's amazing.
Holly: What about you? How was your night?
Sevan: My night was good! I met a girl and got her number!
Holly: Good for you! So when are you getting married!?

Lesson 17: Past simple - irregular - Grammar: Past simple 2

86
Here's a tip
Let's now take a look at some verbs that are irregular in the past simple tense. Irregular verbs have
no standard ending, meaning that we have to learn each one individually. Have a look at the
examples below.

She went to university in Holland.

He was at work yesterday.
We left at around 2 p.m.

In general, irregular verbs in the past simple do not change based on the person in the sentence.
However, the verb "to be" does change. Here's a recap of how to form the verb "to be" in the past
simple.

She was asleep this morning.

Were you happy with the decision?
We were so relaxed on holiday.

Here are the past simple forms of some common irregular verbs:

to go - went
to be - was
to have - had
to meet - met
to leave - left
to get - got
to read - read

Lesson 18: I was upset when we broke up - Grammar: Time linkers

Vocabulary
before
Before I met my wife, I dated Carol.
when
When we split up, I was really upset.
while
Mike and Emma got married while I was in Italy.
after
After I broke up with Sally, we became friends.
then
Then, Manuelle and Christelle came over.
as soon as
As soon as he finished school, he started a job.
finally

87
Finally, after 10 years of marriage they got divorced.
in the end
They broke up in the end.

Here's a tip
Imagine you are telling someone about your life or you are simply chatting with your colleagues
about your weekend. In either case, you will need to link your ideas to sequence them. Read the
short story below and pay attention to the words in bold.

Before I met my wife, I dated Carol. I was really upset when we split up.
But after a while, we became good friends. Then, my wife and I got together around
Christmas. We got married as soon as we finished university, and finally, we
bought a house in Bristol.

We need these linkers to show the order in which events happen. They will help you to start,
continue and finish your story. Have a look at some of them below.

before
when / while / as
after / then
as soon as
finally / in the end

The connecting word "as" is similar in meaning to "while".

As I was walking home, I saw my old friend Ruby.

To continue your story, you can also say "so".

So, after that, we never talked again.

Now let's have another look at all the words we've learned before we practise some more:

before
when / while / as
after / then
as soon as
finally / in the end

Lesson 19: Where did you go to school? - I went to school in...

Vocabulary
to go to school

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I went to school in Berlin.
to go to university
He's going to university in Holland.
to be at school
I was at school with your brother!
to learn
Where did you learn Italian?
to take
She took French at university.
to fail
He failed one of his final exams.
to pass
I passed my driving test in 2018.

Here's a tip
Where did you go to school? Did you go to university? What did you study? Now we’re going to
learn how to answer all of these questions and more. Let’s go!

I went to school in Berlin.

Where did you learn Italian?
I failed Linguistics, but I passed Maths.

It’s also very common to use “to be at school / university”, when we want to talk about the period
of time we spent somewhere. In some contexts it means the same as “to go to school / university”.
Have a look below to see a few examples.

I went to university when I was 19. / I was at university when I was 19.
You went to school together. / You were at school together.
She went to school in Hamburg. / She was at school in Hamburg.

You can also "learn about something" or you can "learn (how) to do something".

to learn about something: I learned a lot about marketing at my last job.

to learn (how) to do something: I'm learning how to play the guitar.

Have another look at all the words we've learned:

to be at school / university
to go to school / university
to learn computer science
to learn about marketing
to learn (how) to drive
to take an exam / a test
to fail an exam / a test
to pass an exam / a test

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Dialogue
Noah: How are your exams going, Ashley?
Ashley: I’m almost done! I sat English and Maths last week, so now I just have Biology a
nd Chemistry.
Noah: Cool! Did you pass English and Maths?
Ashley: I passed Maths. I don’t know about English yet. I think I failed…
Noah: Ah ok. What are your plans after you finish school?
Ashley: I think I am going to university in Boston.
Noah: That’s great! What are you studying?
Ashley: I want to study Natural Science, so I can learn about molecular biology.

Lesson 20: Past simple questions and negation - Grammar: Past simple 3

Vocabulary
He did not study French at university.
Did you pass your exam?
When did they finish school?

Here's a tip
So far we've learned how to form basic sentences in the past simple using regular and irregular
verbs. Now, let's take a look at forming negative sentences and questions in the past simple. Have
a look at the examples below and see if you can work out what they mean.

He did not study French at university.

Did you pass your exam?
When did we finish school?

To form negative sentences in the past simple we need the words "did" and "not". We use this
structure: person / thing + "did" + "not" + verb (base form).

Remember: We do not use the past simple form of the main verb in the sentence. We
keep the base form.
I did not take chemistry at school.
He did not learn how to swim.

We use shortened forms in the past simple, too. "Did not" often becomes "didn't", especially in
spoken language.

He did not pass his exam.

He didn't pass his exam.

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We need the word "did" when forming questions in the past simple, too. The structure we use is as
follows: "did" + person + verb (base form).

Did you pass?

Did they learn to swim when they were children?
Did we take our exams in March?

We can also add a wh-question word / phrase at the beginning of the sentence to ask different kinds
of questions. Have a look at the examples below.

Where did you learn how to speak French?

When did they finish school?
What subject did she study at university?

Lesson 21: Pronunciation: sip or zip - Pronunciation: /s/ and /z/

Vocabulary
smile, zero
Can you hear the different consonants at the start of these words?
/s/
school, rice, place, grass
/z/
zombie, rise, lazy, eyes
students
This word has two instances of "s". They are both pronounced as /s/.
schools
This word has two instances of "s". We pronounce the first one like the "s" in "smile" (/s
/), and the second one like the "s" in "days" (/z/).
sip, zip
ice, eyes
lacy, lazy
son, zone
place, plays

Here's a tip
We are going to explore some common sounds that can be difficult for English learners to
distinguish. Don't give up if you can't hear the difference at first! We'll prepare you in three stages:

1. Introduction to the sounds and video instructions for how to make them

2. Recognising and distinguishing the sounds

3. Producing the sounds

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We are going to compare two consonants, /s/ in "smile" and /z/ in "zero". It is important to
remember that /s/ and /z/ are sounds and do not always correspond to the English letters "s" and
"z".

We are going to explore lots of words that contain these sounds, many of which you will know
already. By the end of this lesson, it will be much easier for you to recognise and pronounce them!

/s/ - school, rice, grass

/z/ - zombie, nose, days

As we've seen, the /s/ sound appears in words with various different spellings. In the second part of
the lesson we will look at the different combinations that can represent both /s/ and /z/.

For now, we are going to explore the sound /z/ and discover some words that contain this sound.

In the second part of this lesson we are going to practise our ability to distinguish the /s/ and /z/
sounds. Before we start let's remind ourselves of some of the spelling and sound combinations
we've seen so far:

Common spelling for /s/ sound

schools, rice, grass,science
Common spelling for /z/ sound
zombie, nose, days, buzz

When we form plurals, we often add an "s" to the word. However, that "s" usually has a /z/ sound.

As you progress in the course and complete the other pronunciation units, it will become easier for
you to spot which words follow this rule.

/z/ sound in the plural

smiles, schools, zebras, zombies, eyes, days

Now we are going to practise producing the /s/ and /z/ sounds. First, let's remind ourselves how to
make it!

Lesson 22: I got a job! - I worked as a…

Vocabulary
to be at
I was at my last job for 5 years.
to work as
He worked as a waiter in a hotel.
to quit
Why did you quit your job?
to earn

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She didn't earn enough at her previous job.
to get a job as
I got a job as a teaching assistant in the local school.
to leave
I left my previous company to go travelling.
company
What's the name of the company you were working for last year?

Here's a tip
We're now going to look at how we can talk about our past jobs. We'll learn things like:

I was at my last job for 5 years.

Why did you quit your job?
I left my previous company to go travelling.

To recap, here are the words and expressions we've just seen:

to be at
to work as
to quit
to earn
to get a job as
to leave
company

Dialogue
Regina: Why did you leave your last company?
Axel: Well, I was at my last job for 11 years. I needed a change, so I quit to go travellin
g.
Regina: That's so interesting.
Axel: How about you?
Regina: I quit my job because I didn't earn enough there. My current salary is much better,
but I worked at my last job for a long time, almost 10 years, and I miss the people ther
e.
Axel: I get what you mean.

Lesson 23: Mara went out for dinner - Grammar: Past simple recap

Vocabulary
Mara and Ben are catching up.

93
Here's a tip
We've recently learned the "past simple" tense. It's used quite frequently, so let's recap the main
points and practise it some more to make sure you're confident recognising and using it.

I studied French at school.

She left early.
He didn't cook dinner.
Did you move house?

Before we practise some more, let's quickly summarise the points we've learned so far.

We form the past simple of regular verbs by adding "-ed", "-d" or "-ied".
We have to memorise the past simple form of irregular verbs as we go.
We form negative sentences in the past simple with the structure: person / thing
+ "did" + "not" + verb (base form).
For questions in the past simple, we follow the structure: "did" + person + verb
(base form)

Review - Review

Vocabulary
Listen carefully.

Here's a tip
Now let's review the last few lessons. We'll listen to a dialogue on the following screen. Listen to it
closely and often as you need, then we answer some questions about it.

Great job!

Next, let's listen and read along to the dialogue one more time, before we practise our language
some more!

Dialogue
Elena: Thank you for coming in, Paul told me you would be perfect for the job!
Mark: Thank you! Paul is great. How do you know him?
Elena: We were married actually, but after we got divorced we became good friends.
Mark: Oh, that's good to hear.
Elena: So, tell me a little about yourself.
Mark: Well, I grew up in England, even though I was born in Portugal. As soon as I fini
shed school, I went back there for university.

94
Elena: Oh I love Portugal. What did you study?
Mark: I studied communications. When I finished I got a job in marketing at a big compa
ny but I didn't enjoy it there. I quit after less than two years.
Elena: My last job was also at a large company, I didn't like it either. Your CV looks rea
lly great, I'm going to look at it with my colleagues and let you know!
Mark: Thank you so much!

London Central: Episode 7 - The recipe is a classic.

Here's a tip
In the previous episode, Leo and Oscar cleaned the house from top to bottom. Now it's time for
episode seven. While you watch, try to find the answer to this question: how long does the cake
take to bake?

If you're unsure about verbs of necessity, you need to read this! The forms "have (got) to", "need
to" and "must" essentially mean the same thing, though "must" can sometimes be a bit more formal.

You have to whisk the eggs.

I need to weigh the sugar.
You must grate the carrots.

Lesson 24: He's at his desk - She's in a meeting

Vocabulary
to have a meeting
I have a meeting first thing tomorrow morning.
to be at his desk / to be at her desk
She's not at her desk at the moment.
to ask someone to do something
Did you ask Enrico to help you?
to call
Could you call me tomorrow?
to email
I emailed him but he never replied.
to work from home
May I work from home on Thursday afternoon?
to be off sick
He's off sick with the flu.
to book time off
We decided to book some time off work.
to have a chat
Shall we have a chat about it later?

Here's a tip

95
People talk about work a lot! Now we’re going to learn some useful words and phrases for talking
about an average day at work. Here’s a taster of the things we’ll learn to say.

I have a meeting first thing tomorrow morning.

May I work from home on Thursday afternoon?
I emailed him but he never replied.

We can also say "to be in a meeting". Compare the two examples below.

She is in a meeting from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

They are having a meeting at the moment.

We can also say "to give someone a call" and "to send someone an email".

Please, give him a call tomorrow morning.

Sure. I'll send an email to update you.

Have another look at all the expressions we've learned:

to have a meeting / to be in a meeting

to be at his / her desk
to ask someone to do something
to call / to give someone a call
to email / to send an email
to work from home
to be off sick
to book time off
to have a chat

Dialogue
Nick: Is Jonah here?
Nancy: Ummm… yes, but I think he has a meeting.
Nick: Oh, ok. I’m going home now, but I wanted to have a chat with him.
Nancy: I see. Everything ok?
Nick: Well, I need to book some time off. Family stuff…
Nancy: Oh, right. You could send him an email.
Nick: Maybe… actually, could you ask him to give me a call later?
Nancy: Yeah, sure!

Lesson 25: Could I ask you something? - Asking and giving permission

Vocabulary

96
Do you mind if... ?
Do you mind if I work from home on Monday?
Is it OK if... ?
Is it OK if I leave at five today?
Can I... ?
Can I use your phone?
Could I... ?
Could I ask you something?
May I... ?
May I have another drink, please?
Sure
Sure, no problem!
Go ahead
Go ahead! I don't mind.
Of course
Of course you can work from home.
Sorry, ...
Sorry, dad, I can't talk right now.

Here's a tip
In this unit, we'll learn some different ways of asking for permission, as well as a few ways of
giving permission. This sort of language is very useful in an office environment, but it also comes
in handy in other social situations, such as at a friend's house, a dinner party or in a restaurant.
Remember that "you" in English can be formal or informal, so the phrases in this unit can all be
used in both formal and informal situations.

A lot of the phrases in this unit are synonymous. There are lots of ways of asking for and giving
permission in English.

Do you mind if I use your bathroom?

Is it OK if I use your bathroom?

There are different ways of asking for permission. You can use the words "can", "may" and "could"
to make polite requests. In general, "can" is slightly more informal than "could" and "may". Don't
forget to add "please", which will make your request more polite.

Is it OK if I leave at 5 today?
Do you mind if I join you?
Can you tell me where the post office is?
Could I work from home tomorrow?
May I have a glass of water, please?

Let's now have a look at some typical responses to requests. We can use them all in most situations,
whether formal or casual.

Sure!
No problem.

97
Go ahead!
Of course.
Sorry, ...

Lesson 26: I was revising for my exam - Today, we were discussing…

Vocabulary
to have lots of work
She has lots of work at the moment.
to have an exam
I have two exams tomorrow!
to revise
We were revising for the language test on Friday.
to have a class
We had a few classes together last year.
to understand
Did you understand the article?
to discuss
Today, we were discussing Shakespeare.

Here's a tip
When we are learning or studying, we spend time discussing, reviewing and making sure we
understand different topics. The words and phrases that we use in these contexts are what we are
now going to focus on. So, we'll look at how to say things like:

Did you understand the article?

Today, we were discussing George Orwell.
She has lots of work at the moment.

In English, we have many different words and expressions relating to having a lot of work. Some
colloquial expressions we can say when we have lots of work are:

I'm up to my eyeballs in work right now!

I'm drowning in emails at the moment!

To recap, here are the words and expressions we've just seen:

to have lots of work

to have an exam
to revise
to have a class
to understand
to discuss

98
Dialogue
Catherine: Hey, Paul! How are you?
Paul: Hi. I'm good, a little tired, though. I was revising for most of last week. I'm drowni
ng in exams right now! What are you up to today?
Catherine: Oh no! Well, good luck for your exams. I'm meeting Clara for lunch. Do you
remember her? We all had a class together last year.
Paul: Thank you! Yeah, I remember her! I like her, she's really friendly.
Catherine: Yeah, she's great. Do you fancy joining us for lunch?
Paul: I can't, sorry! I have lots of work to do. Next time!

Lesson 27: The past continuous - Grammar: Past continuous

Here's a tip
We use the past continuous tense to talk about actions that were in progress in the past.

He was using that computer yesterday.

I was talking to you.
She was revising for her exams.

Another use of the past continuous is to talk about what was happening around a certain time.

What were you doing this time last year?

This time last year I was living in Spain with my parents.

Finally, we can use the past continuous for actions that were in progress in the past, which were
interrupted by another action (usually in the past simple).

You were living in London when you met your husband.

I was showering when you called me.

We form the past continuous with two parts: the past simple form of the verb "to be" (was / were),
followed by the -ing form of the main verb.

I was working on Sunday.

You were using the phone.
He was living in France.
We were having a meeting.
They were cooking dinner.

All verbs in this tense follow the same pattern as the present continuous. The only difference is that
the verb "to be" is in the past and not the present.

Present continuous: They are living together.

99
Past continuous: They were living together.

To form negative sentences in the past continuous tense, we insert the word "not" after "was /
were" and before the -ing verb. We can also use shortened forms in the past continuous.

I was not talking to you. = I wasn't talking to you.

They were not living together. = They weren't living together.

To form questions in the past continuous tense, all we have to do is swap "was / were" with the
person / thing doing the action. We can also add a wh-question word to the beginning to ask
different kinds of questions.

Were they living together?

Where was Eva studying last night?
Who was using the bathroom for ages last night?

Lesson 28: What are your thoughts? - I wanted to talk to you about…

Vocabulary
Well…
Well, I think so.
The reason I asked…
The reason I asked is because I want to go there next year.
As I was saying…
Anyway...
I'll let you get on.
Talk to you later.
I'd better go. Nice to see you.

Here's a tip
In this unit we're going to learn some phrases and expressions that we use in different social
situations. You'll find them really useful to engage in everyday conversations with English
speakers!

I was wondering...
Anyway...
I'll let you get on.
Talk to you later.

In English, there are many words we can use as fillers in a conversation, for when we want to
introduce a comment or even when we'd like to pause to consider our next words. Let's have a look
at some of them:

100
So, how did the exam go?
Well, I went for a run in the morning.
Right, give me a call if you need me.
OK, let's go.

"As I was saying..." and "anyway..." can be used similarly. We use them when we want to
continue with what we were saying after an interruption.

As I was saying, we finally booked the tickets.

Anyway, I'll be away next week.

We can also say "I won't keep you" or "I won't keep you any longer" as a polite way of ending a
conversation.

Anyway, I won’t keep you.

Well, I won't keep you any longer. See you soon!

Let's have another look at the expressions we've learned.

Well...
I was wondering...
The reason I asked...
As I was saying...
Anyway...
I'll let you get on.
Talk to you later.
I'd better go. Nice to see you.

Dialogue
Patrick: So, how was your holiday, Olivia?
Olivia: Amazing, Brazil is a great country.
Patrick: I'd love to go there! I was wondering, how much did your flights cost?
Olivia: They weren't as expensive as I thought. I got a very good deal.
Patrick: The reason I asked is because I want to go there next year.
Olivia: You should definitely go. As I was saying, it's a great country, there are so many
things to see...
Patrick: I'll put it on my list then. Right, I'll let you get on. Nice to see you!
Olivia: Talk to you later, Patrick.

Lesson 29: Sorry, I didn't catch that - Could you say that again?

Vocabulary
Could you say that again?

101
What did you say?
Sorry, I didn't catch that.
Sorry? / Excuse me?
What do you mean?
Could you speak a little louder?
I'm not sure I follow.

Here's a tip
There will always be times when we need to ask someone to repeat something, whether it’s because
we didn’t hear what they said, or because we need to ask for clarification. So that we’re prepared to
do just that, we’re going to learn some useful phrases for asking for repetition or clarification.

Could you say that again?

What do you mean?
I'm not sure I follow.

As you can see, we use all these phrases to ask for clarification or repetition. You can also simply
say:

Sorry?
Excuse me?
Pardon?

Have another look at all the expressions we've learned.

Could you say that again?

What did you say?
Sorry, I didn't catch that.
Sorry? / Excuse me? / Pardon?
What do you mean?
Could you speak a little louder?
I'm not sure I follow.

Dialogue
Alyssa: Carter, did you hear me?
Carter: Sorry? What did you say?
Alyssa: I said “Are you ready to leave in half an hour?”
Carter: In half an hour!? What do you mean? What time does Samira’s barbecue start, aga
in?
Alyssa: 5.
Carter: I’m not sure I follow… Why do we need to leave at 4?
Alyssa: Because we need to go to the shop on the way, to pick up some things for the ba
rbecue.
Carter: Oh right! OK I’ll get ready.

102
Lesson 30: Navigating a meeting - I'll take notes

Vocabulary
to take notes
I took some notes from the meeting.
to be in charge of something
Who was in charge of the shop yesterday?
I wanted to talk to you about...
I wanted to talk to you about next weekend.
What are your thoughts?
I think that...
I think that we need some extra staff.
We're running out of time.
Do you have anything to add?
Any questions?
Shall we move on?
To sum up...
To sum up, everyone is responsible for keeping the kitchen clean.

Here's a tip
Whether we're having a meeting at work or organising something with our friends, being able to
navigate a conversation is essential.

Here are some of the expressions we're going to learn:

to be in charge of something
In my opinion...
Shall we move on?
To sum up...

Instead of "I think", we can also use "In my opinion". It is a slightly more formal and polite way of
expressing how we feel about something.

In my opinion, the first draft was better.

I think the third option works well, too.

To suggest a change of subject we can also say "What's next?".

Let's have another look at all the words we've learned before we practise some more:

to take notes
to be in charge of something
I wanted to talk to you about...

103
What are your thoughts?
I think that...
In my opinion, ...
We're running out of time.
Do you have anything to add?
Any questions?
Shall we move on?
What's next?
To sum up...

London Central: Episode 8 - How much food do you have?

Here's a tip
In the previous episode of London Central, Janet helped Leo bake a cake for his picnic with
Georgina. On the next screen, you'll watch episode eight. While watching, try to find out which
animals Georgina finds "cute".

When talking about quantities, remember that we use "many" with countable nouns and "much"
with uncountable nouns.

How many books do you have?

Many people live in this city.
How much milk is there in the fridge?
I don't have much money.

In Britain people say "crisps", but in America people say "potato chips" or just "chips". To make
things even more confusing, British people also use the word "chips" - to mean french fries! Check
out these examples of British English:

Don't eat crisps in the cinema - they're too noisy!

Would you like tomato ketchup with your chips?

Dialogue
Leo: How many would you like?
Georgina: One, please.
Leo: How much juice would you like?
Georgina: That’s enough, thank you... How much food do you have in that basket?
Leo: Lots! Erm, there’s more of those crisps if you’d like.
Georgina: No, thank you. I can’t eat any more.
Leo: Um, how about this carrot cake?
Georgina: Maybe later?

104
Review - Review

Vocabulary
Listen to the dialogue.
Listen carefully.

Here's a tip
Let's review what we've learned. We're going to listen to two different audios and then answer
some questions.

Here's the dialogue again.

Jeffrey: Where is Tania today?

Lisa: She's off sick.
Jeffrey: Oh! I thought I saw her earlier. She was talking with the kitchen staff.
Lisa: Yeah, she went home at lunch time.
Jeffrey: Oh right. I need to have a chat with her.
Lisa: Yeah, me too. I want to book some time off next month.
Jeffrey: Oh really? You could give her a call or email her. She might answer.
Lisa: Yeah, good idea. I'll call her. Anyway, I'd better go. See you later.

Hey Susan, it's Hannah. I wanted to talk with you about our holiday. I was having a chat with my
boss today, and I asked for two weeks off, but he said it isn't possible because there are people on
holiday and I'm in charge of the restaurant. So, I was wondering: could we just have a weekend
away instead? What are your thoughts? Talk to you later!

Lesson 31: What's for dinner? - Dinner's ready!

Vocabulary
dinner
What's for dinner?
to be ready
Dinner's ready!
hungry
Are you hungry?
Help yourself.
Help yourself. There's plenty of everything.
delicious
This is absolutely delicious.
seconds

105
There's more. Do you want seconds?
dessert
Leave room for dessert.
Would you like a top-up?

Here's a tip
Food is a great way of experiencing different countries and new cultures. Let's have a look at some
phrases that you might come across at the dinner table.

What's for dinner?

Are you hungry?
Help yourself.
Would you like a top-up?

At the dinner table, "help yourself" means that we can start putting food on our plates and we do
not have to wait for anyone to serve us. We can also say "dig in" (literally: dig in), which is more
informal.

Dig in before it gets cold!

Just help yourself. There's plenty of everything.

Let's review the phrases we just learned before we practice them:

What's for dinner?

Dinner's ready!
Are you hungry?
Help yourself.
This is absolutely delicious.
There's more. Do you want seconds?
Leave room for dessert.
Would you like a top-up?

Lesson 32: Could you peel the potatoes? - Peel, chop, grill

Vocabulary
to wash
Shall I wash the carrots?
to chop
Do you want me to chop the onions?
to peel
Could you peel the potatoes?
to stir
Stir the sauce until smooth.

106
to prepare
I prepared the vegetables earlier.
to fry
Fry the mushrooms with the onions.
to bake
We baked her a cake for her birthday.
to boil
Could you boil the kettle?
to roast
I roasted the chicken for about 2 hours.
to grill
Shall we fry or grill the sausages?

Here's a tip
We've already learned some vocabulary around having dinner, now let's look at some verbs we may
need when preparing it! In this unit, we will learn things like:

to wash
to fry
to grill

The verb "to prepare" is often shortened to "to prep". Look at some examples below.

I prepped everything that needs to be chopped.

On Sundays I prep all my meals for the week.

In the UK you may often hear the word "roast" referring to "Sunday roast". A Sunday roast
typically includes a roast meat, potatoes, vegetables, gravy, and a Yorkshire pudding.

Dialogue
Mónica: Okay, so I've prepped all the vegetables: they're washed and chopped.
Mark: Thank you! I'll start with cooking those. Shall I peel the oranges for dessert?
Mónica: That's alright. Maybe I could bake a cake instead. What do you think?
Mark: If you have the time, why not! I will start roasting the courgette and onions. Shoul
d I stir in some red pepper flakes?
Mónica: Sure. So, we have to boil the pasta, fry the meatballs, and grill the aubergine. Ma
ybe I don't have time to bake!
Mark: Don't worry, I think our friends will be happy with it! We will get it done!

Lesson 33: Phrasal verbs - word order - Grammar: Phrasal verbs 2

Vocabulary

107
to heat up
She's heating up the soup.
to cool down
It's too hot! It needs to cool down.
to clean up
We've already cleaned up the kitchen.
to wash up
She washed up yesterday. It's your turn today.
to chop up
He chopped up the onion for the pie.
to get out
Shall we get out the good cutlery tonight?
to put away
I'll wash the plates if you put them away.

Here's a tip
We already know that a phrasal verb is formed of a 'base' verb, followed by another short word.
This often changes the meaning of the original verb. In this unit we'll learn a few more phrasal
verbs, which are associated with preparing dinner. Here are a few of them:

to heat up: She's heating up the soup.

to cool down: It's too hot! It needs to cool down.
to wash up: She washed up yesterday. It's your turn today.
to clean up: We've already cleaned up the kitchen.

We only ever use “to wash up" in a cleaning context, in the sense of washing the dishes / cutlery /
pots after a meal.

We can also use the -ing form of the verb as a noun ("the washing up") and it is quite common to
say, for example, "He's done the washing up".

Could you wash up tonight?

He's done the washing up.

Have another look at all the phrasal verbs we've learned.

to heat up: She's heating up the soup.

to cool down: It's too hot! It needs to cool down.
to clean up: We've already cleaned up the kitchen.
to wash up: She washed up yesterday. It's your turn today.
to chop up: He chopped up the onion for the pie.
to get out: Shall we get out the good cutlery tonight?
to put away: I'll wash the plates if you put them away.

Until now, we have seen sentences in which the two words which form a phrasal verb are right next
to each other. But with some phrasal verbs, we can separate their two components, by placing them

108
either side of the object in a sentence. In the two examples, the phrasal verb is "heat up" and the
object is "the soup". Both variations are correct.

Can you heat up the soup?

Can you heat the soup up?

You should know that this doesn't work all the time with all phrasal verbs. The only three in this
lesson that can do this are "to put away", "to get out" and "to heat up".

Don't worry about learning all the rules for different phrasal verbs. You'll encounter more and more
phrasal verbs throughout the course and get a feel for what works.

Lesson 34: Pronunciation: he, have, how - Pronunciation: /h/

Vocabulary
have, how (/h/)
/h/
how, ahead, have, her, he
how
The /h/ sound is at the start of this word.
hungry
The /h/ sound is at the start of this word.
behind
The /h/ sound is in the middle of this word.
How are you?
I'm hungry.
The dog is behind the cat.
He lives five hours from Chicago.

Here's a tip
We are going to explore a common sound that can be difficult for English learners. Keep going
even if you can't produce the sound at first! We'll prepare you in three stages:

1. Introduction to the sound and video instructions for how to make it

2. Recognising the sound in common English words

3. Producing the sound

We've seen the letter "h" in a few English words so far, but now we are going to focus on
the sound /h/, which appears at the start or in the middle of some common English words.

Look at the examples below and say them out loud to yourself before we begin!

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/h/ sound at the start of a word:
have, he, how
/h/ sound in the middle of a word:
ahead, perhaps, somehow

Watch out for some English words that begin with the letter "h" but do not have the /h/ sound when
spoken out loud.

Silent "h" at the start of a word:

hour, honest, honour

The letter "h" also appears in words such as "with", "which", "English" and "thought". However, if
you say these words out loud you will not hear the /h/ sound.

We've started to explore the /h/ sound and the letter "h". Now we are going to become more
familiar with the /h/ sound and where it appears in English words.

Now we are going to practise producing the /h/ sound. First, let's remind ourselves how to make it!

Let's try some longer sentences containing the /h/ sound, and see if we can identify the words
that don't contain the /h/ sound!

Lesson 35: I've done the dishes! - It's your turn to wash up!

Vocabulary
to do the laundry
Have you done the laundry?
to make the bed
I've already made the beds.
to take out the rubbish
You still haven't taken out the rubbish!
to vacuum
Did he vacuum under the bed?
to do the housework
It's your turn to do the housework!
to do the washing up
I've done most of the washing up.
to feed
Has anyone fed the cat?
to fix
Have you fixed the shower yet?

Here's a tip

110
In this unit we are going to learn some phrases about chores and activities we do around the house.
We will learn phrases like:

We need to do the housework.

Can you help me do the laundry?
We need to fix the washing machine.

When we do laundry, we can also say that we are "doing the washing" or that we "put a wash on".
In the US you may hear people say that they "put a load in". All of them mean the same thing!

In the US, we are more likely to hear the word "trash" instead of "rubbish". We may also say "to
take out the recycling" if we are talking about separated rubbish.

You may hear some different words when it comes to cleaning the floor. If you hear "to sweep",
that means cleaning the floor with a broom. If you hear "to mop", it means cleaning the floor with a
wet soapy mop.

Lesson 36: The present perfect - Grammar: Present perfect

Here's a tip
Now let's look at the present perfect tense. Don't be fooled by its name! This is still a past tense,
and in this unit you'll learn how and when to use it. In some languages, there is no difference
between the past simple and the present perfect, but in English, we use both and it's important to
understand the difference between them.

Past simple: I made the dinner.

Past continuous: I was making the dinner.
Present perfect: I have made the dinner.

We can use the present perfect tense to talk about completed actions in the past, which still have
some kind of connection with or impact on the present. Look at the two examples below. Each
of them make us think about the past and the present at the same time.

I have done the dishes. = The dishes are clean now.

He has laid the table. = The plates are on the table now.

We'll see a few uses of the present perfect tense in this lesson, but we'll look more closely at when
to use it later. For now, let's focus on recognising it and forming it. Recognising it is fairly easy: it
contains the verb "to have", followed by the main verb. As we have seen before, we can use a
shortened form of the verb "to have".

He has gone shopping. = He's gone shopping.

They have made dinner for us. = They've made dinner for us.

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As we now know, we form the present perfect tense with two verbs: the verb "to have", followed
by a past participle (a form of the main verb). The verb "to have" changes depending on who is
doing the action, but the past participle stays the same.

I have tidied the lounge.

You have done the dishes.
He has gone to the shops.
We have made dinner.
They have finished their homework.

The past participle is not always the same as the past simple form of a verb. There are some
patterns in how we form them, but in practice it's best to simply learn and memorise each one. Here
are the past simple forms and past participles of a few useful verbs for you to compare.

Verb Past simple form Past participle

to make made made
to do did done
to cook cooked cooked
to tidy tidied tidied
to take took taken
to be was been
to go went gone
to have had had

The present perfect structure is to have + past participle.

I have (verb "to have") done (past participle) the dishes.

He has (verb "to have") cooked (past participle) dinner for me.

To form a negative sentence in the present perfect, we add the word "not" after the verb "to have".
To form a question, we swap the person / thing who has done the action with the verb "to have".
We can also add a wh-question word / phrase to the beginning to ask different kinds of question.

Positive sentence: You have bought the groceries for dinner.

Negative sentence: You have not bought the groceries for dinner. / You
haven't bought groceries for dinner.
Question: Have you bought the groceries for dinner?
Question: Where have you been? I was looking for you.

Lesson 37: I've made dinner for us - Grammar: To do vs. to make

Vocabulary
to do

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Have you done your homework?
to make
I've made dinner for us.

Here's a tip
These verbs are fairly similar in meaning. Many languages use the same verb for both, and so they
are often confused. However, in English, they are not synonyms. Let's take a look at how they
differ in meaning. Don't forget to look at the examples, they will help you understand when to use
"to do" and when to use "to make".

to do the laundry
to make a cup of coffee

We generally use the verb "to do" when talking about jobs, work and other, more general,
everyday tasks.

I'd love to do your job!

Have you done your homework?
You did the dishes last night, so it's my turn.

We also use "to do" for more general activities. That is to say, when we are not being very specific
about exactly what it is that we are doing, we use "to do".

Let's do something.
What did you do last weekend?

As well as talking about everyday and general activities, there are lots of other expressions that
only use "to do". Here are some of the most common ones:

to do your best
to do a good job
to do well
to do exercise
to do your hair
to do someone a favour

We mainly use "to make" when talking about things that we construct or create, and when we are
talking about meals and drinks that we prepare (however, sometimes we can also use "to do"
colloquially when talking about food).

She made a new shirt from some old fabric.

Let's make a cake.
I made a cup of tea.
What are you doing for dinner?

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There are also lots of expressions that we can only use with "to make". Here are some common
ones:

to make a complaint
to make a mistake
to make a joke
to make a mess
to make a difference

Lesson 38: Do you have a table for four? - Can we see the specials?

Vocabulary
a reservation
Do you have a reservation?
booked
We're fully booked.
option
Do you have any vegan options?
specials
Would you like to see the specials?
starter
Are you having a starter?
main
And for the main course?
dessert
Would you like a dessert?
to tip
How much shall we tip?
I'm allergic to...
I'm allergic to peanuts.

Here's a tip
If you have specific dietary requirements you may ask for an option that can suit you. Below are
some common ones:

Do you have any vegetarian options?

Do you have any gluten-free options?
Do you have any dairy-free options?

Some restaurants may serve a "set menu". In these menus you either have a smaller choice of three
or four dishes, or you don't choose the dishes at all, as the restaurant chef has already decided them
for you!

114
In some countries you are expected to tip your waiters a certain percentage at the end of your meal.
In other places a service charge may be added to your check. We can use the word "tip" as both a
verb and a noun. See the examples below!

Did you tip the waiter?

Is this enough of a tip?
Shall we leave a tip?

Dialogue
Holly: I'm glad we reserved a table, the place seems totally booked!
Tom: The specials look really nice!
Holly: They do, but I'm afraid they don't have a gluten-free option.
Tom: If you say you're allergic to it, I'm sure they can sort it out!
Holly: That's true. Do you want to share the mozzarella as a starter?
Tom: Yes! I'm having the chicken as a main.
Holly: And then we can share dessert like always!

Lesson 39: Is there any bread left? - Grammar: Some, any

Here's a tip
"Some" and "any" are two very common and useful words. We use them to talk about quantities
when it's not important or not easy to say exactly how much we refer to.

Could I get some bread, please?

Is there any bread left?

We use "some" and "any" in similar situations, so it can be difficult to know when to use which. So
first, let's take a look at "any", compare it to "some" and then practise both in context.

We use "any" to suggest an undefined amount of something. We often use it in questions and
negative sentences. Have a look at some examples!

I don't want any potatoes, thanks.

Do you have any food allergies?
You can pick any restaurant you like.

We usually use "any" with plural or uncountable nouns when we don't care about
the exact amount or the specific type of something. What's more important is to find out if
something's there at all. Have a look at an example.

Anna: Are there any free tables tonight?

Waiter: Sure! Would you like one near the window?
Anna: It doesn't matter, any is fine!

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We can also use "any" to respond to questions. It helps us to say that we don't mind the specifics of
something (e.g. which film we're going to watch).

Mark: Which film would you like to see?

Emma: Any!

- We use "any" to ask if there is an undefined quantity of something.

- We use it when we want to say that we don't mind about the specifics.

- We mainly use "any" in negative sentences or questions where we are asking about the presence
of something.

Do you have any gluten-free starters?

You can pick any table you like.
She didn't get any sleep last night.
I don't have any time to help.

We also use the word "some" to talk about an undefined quantity of something. In contrast to "any",
we use it when we expect the presence of something.

There are some free tables outside.

Can I get some bread, please?
I'm buying some groceries.

"Any" and "some" both refer to undefined quantities. We use them when the exact number of
something isn't important.

Let's recap the main differences.

Generally, we use "any" in negative contexts (e.g. when we know / expect that something's not
there).

We say "some" in positive contexts (e.g. when we know / expect that something is there).

Situation: We've eaten a few slices of bread, and we think the bread might be finished.
We ask: "Is there any bread left?"
Situation: We've just received the starters and want some bread. We ask: "Could I
have some bread, please?"

We would use "any" to say that we don't want something and we'd use "some" to say that
we do want something.

I don't want any starters.

I would like some starters.

Here are some common phrases with "any" and "some" that we use a lot:

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I didn't get any sleep last night.
Any luck?
I need some help.

Lesson 40: That was delicious! - How was your meal?

Vocabulary
delicious
That was delicious.
sweet
I fancy something sweet now.
salty
Everything was too salty.
spicy
Can you handle spicy food?
bland
It was alright, but quite bland.
dry
The chicken was a bit dry.
greasy
It was great, but very greasy.
light
I only want something light.

Here's a tip
There are many ways to say that food is "delicious". You may hear the words "tasty" and
"yummy". All of them have similar meanings!

We can use the words "light" and "heavy" not only to describe the weight of something, but also to
talk about types of meals. Something light may be a salad or fruit. Something heavy may be a roast,
or pasta.

Let’s just have a light lunch, because we’re having a big dinner tonight.
I don’t want anything too heavy. I’m not that hungry.

Dialogue
Alicia: Michael, do you want to go to the new restaurant down the road for lunch?
Michael: Yes, I hear the food is delicious!
Alicia: I hear they have some nice greasy burgers!
Michael: Oh good! I don't fancy that today, but I'm sure they have something light.
Alicia: Definitely! I just need something tasty this time... Catherine and I went for lunch to
gether last week and had the worst meal, everything was bland and dry.

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Michael: Oh, I'm sorry.
Alicia: That's ok, we made up by having some sweet and salty popcorn at the office.

Lesson 41: Who ate my dessert? - Grammar: Questions in the past tenses

Here's a tip
Now that we know how to use a few past tenses in English, let’s practise forming questions. Here
we’ll get comfortable with asking questions about things that happened in the past. Below you'll
find a quick reminder of the question words we might use.

Who - to ask about a person / people

When - to ask about a time
Where - to ask about a place
Why - to ask about a reason
What - to ask about a thing / specific information
How - to ask about manner, condition or quality

Here's a quick reminder on how to ask questions in the past simple and past continuous.

Questions in the past simple

Question word (optional) + "did" + person / thing + verb ...?
Question word (optional) + "was / were" + person / thing ...?
Questions in the past continuous
Question word (optional) + "was / were" + person / thing + -ing form of the
verb ...?

You've probably come across the question word "how" when asking how somebody is
feeling ("How are you?"), about somebody's age ("How old are you?") or about the price of
something ("How much is it?"). Have a look at the examples below to see some questions we can
ask using "how" + different adjectives and adverbs.

How ...? - to ask what an event or experience was like

How old ...? - to ask about age
How long ...? - to ask about time
How much ...? - to ask about the price or amount of something
How many ...? - to ask about quantity
How often ...? - to ask about frequency
How far ...? - to ask about distance

The question word “who” sometimes behaves differently from the others. That’s because it can
play different roles in a sentence. Sometimes, it replaces the person performing the action. In these
cases, “who” goes before the verb and the rest of the question has the same structure as a positive
sentence.

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Who was eating my dessert?
Who ate my dessert?

Now let's practise asking questions in the present perfect. To form a question in this tense, we also
need to change the word order. Have a look at the structure below and some examples.

Statement: I have just finished my breakfast.

Question: Have you just finished breakfast?
Statement: She has been away for the whole week.
Question: How long has she been away for?

To recap, have another look at how to form questions in different past tenses:

Past Simple: What did you do yesterday? Who came for dinner?
Past Continuous: What were you doing yesterday evening?
Present Perfect: What have you done?

Lesson 42: Did you book online? - Listening comprehension: Eating out

Vocabulary
Listen carefully.
Listen carefully.
Listen carefully.

Here's a tip
At this level in the course we'd like to challenge your listening comprehension skills. This will
help you in real-life situations you might encounter.

Harriet: I've booked a table for four, under the name "Edwards".

Waiter: Sure, let me check. Did you book online?

Harriet: I think I called.

Waiter: Ah, I've found you. "Edwards", table for four. Follow me, please! Have you eaten here
before?

Harriet: My friends have been here before, but it's my first time.

Waiter: Okay, so, here's our menu. Our specials are on the first page, followed by the starters and
mains. The drinks are at the back. I can bring you a dessert menu later, if you want dessert. Please
let me know if you have any questions!

Harriet: Perfect, thank you! Do you have any vegetarian options?

119
Waiter: Yes! You can find vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options clearly labelled on the menu.

Harriet: Shall we order some starters to share?

Alex: Sure! I think the edamame sounds good. It’s not too heavy.

Harriet: Yummy! Let's get that and some kimchi?

Alex: Perfect! As a main, I feel like having something light... Maybe I'll try the noodles with a
sweet and sour dressing.

Harriet: Look, that dish contains peanuts. You're allergic to nuts, right?

Alex: Oh yeah, you're right! I didn't read the description properly, thank you! I'll get the soup
instead.

Harriet: How was the chicken curry you ate here last time?

Alex: It was delicious except for the meat. The chicken was a bit dry and the sauce wasn't spicy
enough for me.

Harriet: OK, so it wasn't too greasy?

Alex: No, it wasn't at all! You're vegan though, right?

Harriet: Yes! So I'll have the curry with tofu instead of chicken. Let's order, I'm hungry!

Harriet: How was everything?

Alex: The soup was absolutely delicious! Full of flavour, not bland at all! I really enjoyed it. How
was the curry?

Harriet: It was a bit salty but not too spicy, and the tofu was really yummy. I didn't finish it
because the portion was so big.

Alex: I also thought the service here was quite good. Is the service charge included in the bill or do
we need to tip?

Harriet: I'm not sure actually, but I was very happy with our waiter. Whenever he topped up our
drinks he was asking if we were enjoying ourselves.

Alex: Yeah, he was very attentive.

London Central: Episode 9 - Tomorrow is your first exam

Here's a tip

120
Last time on London Central, Leo and Georgina's outing ended with a kiss on the cheek. Now it's
time for episode nine. While you watch, try to find the answer to this question: how are Leo and his
friends going to celebrate after the exam?

How are you? There are lots of different ways to say this in English. Here are a few of the most
common phrases, and a couple of casual expressions:

How are you?

How's it going?
How are you doing?
How are things?
What's up? informal
'Sup? (short for "what's up?") very informal

These three expressions have a similar meaning: "alone", "by yourself" and "on your own". Check
out the following examples:

He goes running alone.

She lives by herself.
I went travelling on my own.

Dialogue
Oscar: Do you see Georgina very often?
Leo: She helps me study twice a week. She helps Anna as well.
Oscar: Hmm. Do you study at her house?
Leo: No. Why are you asking?
Oscar: You should study on your own more often.

Review - Review

Vocabulary
Listen to the dialogue.
Listen to the dialogue.

Here's a tip
Sophia, Leo and Maria are housemates. On the next screen, we'll listen to Sophia and Leo’s
conversation, and afterwards, answer some questions about the dialogue.

Maria and Leo are going out for dinner. Let's listen to what they talk about at the restaurant!

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Lesson 43: I found this cool new place - It's just down the road

Vocabulary
a suburb
He's found a nice house in a suburb of New York.
a neighbour
Have you met your neighbours?
safe
Apparently, the area's very safe.
dangerous
Be careful walking alone at night. It can be dangerous.
crowded
There are so many people living here; it’s a bit crowded.
peaceful
It's so peaceful here. It makes a nice change from the city.
around the corner
The pharmacy is just around the corner.
up the road / down the road
There is a bus stop just up the road.

Here's a tip
Let’s learn how to talk in detail about the area we live in.

He's found a nice house in the suburbs.

It's so peaceful here. It makes a nice change from the city.
The pharmacy is just around the corner.

When we show someone around our area or explain approximately where something is, we can use
these expressions. They don’t literally mean what they say. They more-or-less mean “nearby”.

The pharmacy is just around the corner.

There's a bus stop just up the road.

Here’s a quick recap of all the words and expressions we’ve learned. Have one more look before
we practise some more.

spot / place
suburb
neighbour / neighbourhood
local gym / supermarket / shop
dangerous / safe area
crowded / peaceful area
around the corner
up the road / down the road

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Lesson 44: What do you recommend? - Can you recommend...?

Vocabulary
to come across
I've come across a few nice bakeries here.
to find
I found a nice little deli round the corner.
to recommend
My neighbour recommended it to me.
to discover
I discovered a beautiful little square in the old town.
to try
Have you tried that new restaurant yet?
to avoid
You should avoid the canal at night.

Here's a tip
Let's take a look at some verbs that are useful when we visit a new neighbourhood or city. We'll
learn how to ask for and understand recommendations and tips with words like these:

to recommend
to discover
to avoid

Sometimes we come across something by chance; sometimes an especially nice place is not
very-well known. We can call these places "finds" or "hidden gems". Have a look below for some
examples.

What a great find!

Dunbar's Close Garden is one of Edinburgh's hidden gems.

When we give recommendations or advice to someone, we often use the expression "it's worth a
try".

I've only heard good things about the cafe, I guess it's worth a try.
She's not sure if filing a complaint helps, but thinks it is worth a try.

As we've just seen, we can advise someone to avoid a certain place or thing:

"avoid" + (the / a) noun

But we can also talk about avoiding certain actions. To do this, we just add the -ing form of the
verb right after the word "avoid":

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"avoid" + -ing form

Have a look at some examples.

You should avoid taking the metro.

I avoided eating out for a while to save money.
He avoids walking down the canal at night.

The same works for recommending certain actions. To do this, we just add the -ing form of the
verb right after the word "recommend":

"recommend" + -ing form

Have a look at some examples.

I recommend walking through the old town.

She recommends booking a table.
You recommended hiking to the top of the mountain.

Lesson 45: Prepositions of place and movement - Grammar: Prepositions of place and
movement

Vocabulary
beside
I often sit beside the river and read a book.
opposite
There's an ATM opposite the station.
on the other side of
The hotel is on the other side of the river.
around
The city centre is too busy. It's faster if we drive around it.
through
We can't walk through the park after 9pm.
past
Keep going past the supermarket, the bank is on your left.
on the way to
Do we go past an ATM on the way to the restaurant?
along
She often walks home along the river.
across
I have to walk across town to get to work.
into
He's gone into the bank.

Here's a tip

124
Let's take a look at some useful prepositions to talk about place and movement.

First, let's recap some of the prepositions of place you may have already seen:

on: I left the keys on the table.

at: She's at the station now.
in: I left my bag in the car.
outside: Leave your dirty shoes outside the house.
behind: There is parking behind the supermarket.
in front of: There's a square in front of the cathedral.
next to: I parked my car next to yours.
between: We live between two shops.

We can also say "by". This has a similar meaning to "beside", and in a lot of cases, the two are
interchangeable.

Can we have a table by the window?

Can we have a table beside the window?

Now let's look at some prepositions of movement. These make us think less about a location and
more about a route or a direction.

Let's go to the beach!

I usually run along the river.
She's just gone across the street.
You can't go through the park after 9pm.

In spoken English, it's common to say "in" instead of "into".

Get in the car!

I jumped in the pool.
Shall we go in the sea?

There are some cases where we can say "inside", but not "in" and vice versa. Don't worry about the
rules for now. Here are some examples which can take one but not the other.

I left my towel inside.

I live in a small town.

Here's a recap of the new prepositions we have just learned.

beside
opposite
on the other side of
around
through
past

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on the way to
along
across
into
inside

Lesson 46: Did you buy anything nice? - You look nice.

Vocabulary
to look nice
Those trousers look really nice on you.
to go with something
to fit
They don't fit me.
to suit
fashionable
Ripped jeans are very fashionable at the moment.
smart
You're looking smart today!
to be made of
What is this jacket made of?
expensive
I like it, but it is a bit too expensive.
reasonable
That's a reasonable price for those shoes.

Here's a tip
When we are shopping for clothes or talking about style, we use lots of words and expressions to
give our opinion. We’re now going to learn some useful things we can say when talking about
clothes.

Those trousers look very nice on you.

They go well with my new trainers.
Red doesn't suit her. She looks better in blue.

You can use different adjectives after the verb “to look” to give an opinion on someone’s clothes.

You look great in those trousers.

This hat looks weird on me.

We can also say that something is "a good fit", if something is of the right size or shape. "To fit"
and "to be a good fit" are similar in meaning. Have a look at the two examples below.

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This blouse fits you.
These shoes are a good fit.

If something "suits" someone, it means it is right for that person. It makes the person look good or
looks good on that person.

Veronica: Does this jacket suit me?

Theo: Yeah! It looks great on you.

Have another quick look at the words we've learned.

to look good
to look strange
to match, to look good next to something
to be the right size and shape
to be right for someone / something

Now let's learn a few words that will help you to talk about style and fashion. For example, clothes
can be...

in fashion or on trend
not formal
stylish and neat
cost a lot of money
acceptable or not too high in price

"Smart casual" is a dress code that we often use for social occasions and some workplaces. It
means neat and stylish, but not too formal!

The party dress code is smart casual.

We use "to be made of" when we talk about the fabric of our clothes.

Some common fabrics are leather, cotton, wool and polyester.

Marie: What's your blazer made of, Louise?

Louise: I think it's made of wool.

To recap, let's listen to the dialogue again and practise some more!

Dialogue
Ava: Logan, why are you looking so smart today?
Logan: I’m going out with a friend tonight.
Ava: Very nice! I like your blazer. What is it made of?
Logan: No idea. I just bought it because it goes well with my jeans.
Ava: That type of blazer is very fashionable, too.

127
Logan: Yeah. Do you think it’s a good fit? I wasn’t sure.
Ava: Definitely. It really suits you.

Lesson 47: Do you need a different size? - Can I try this on?

Vocabulary
to try on
Can I try these on, please?
size
Do you need a different size?
to think about something
I'll think about it, if that's ok.
to come back
I might come back later.
to collect
I'm here to collect an order.
to return
I need to return these items, please.
refund
Can I have a refund?
to exchange
Can I exchange this skirt, please?

Here's a tip
Going shopping is much easier when you know how to ask for a different size or a refund. Let's
have a look at some words that might help you with that! Here are some of the expressions we'll
learn.

Can I try these on, please?

I need to return these items.
Can I have a refund?

In terms of sentence order, we can put the item that we want to try on after or in the middle of the
phrasal verb "to try on". Have a look below to see an example.

Can I try this dress on?

Can I try on this dress?

We can say "I'll think about it" or "I might come back later" if we're not entirely sure yet if we want
to buy something.

Shop assistant: So, were the trousers a good fit? Do you like them?
John: I'm not sure, I'll think about it, if that's ok.
Shop assistant: Of course! Should I put them aside for you?

128
John: That would be great, I might come back later.

We can also use the verb "to refund" to describe the process of giving a refund to someone. Have a
look below to see both the noun and the verb in context.

I'll refund the purchase price for you.

I'll give you a refund for this.

Dialogue
Romy: Excuse me, could I try these shoes on, please?
Sales Assistant: Sure! What size do you need?
Romy: I need a size 6, please.
Sales Assistant: There you go. What do you think?
Romy: They fit, but I'm not sure if they go with my dress. I'm going to a wedding, so th
ey might be too casual. I need to think about it, if that's ok?
Sales Assistant: Of course! You can also try them on at home and return or exchange the
m if you don't like them.
Romy: That sounds great! I might come back later and collect them. Could you put them
aside for me?
Sales Assistant: Certainly. See you later!

Lesson 48: I spent a lot of money yesterday - Grammar: More irregular verbs in the past
simple

Vocabulary
to spend
I spent a lot of money yesterday.
to find
We found a new restaurant in town.
to buy
My sister bought lots of clothes from a new shop in town.
to think
I thought the film was very good.
to come
My daughter came home very late last night.
to take
I took a taxi.
to wear
She wore a lovely dress to the party.

Here's a tip

129
Claire is spending a few days in London with her boyfriend. She sends her friend a message to tell
her how it's going. You'll notice she uses the past simple, with some irregular verbs.

Hey Lauren, London is a great city! On Friday night we decided to go to a new restaurant.
I thought (to think) it was quite expensive and we spent (to spend) a lot of
money! Yesterday I went shopping and found (to find) a nice dress for your birthday
party. David didn't go with me, he took (to take) a taxi and came (to come) to
the hotel. Hope everything is good with you. Speak to you soon!

Irregular verbs don't have a standard form in English, so we have to learn them individually. Don't
worry though, we'll practice with different exercises so by the end of this unit you'll feel like a pro!

She spent too much money on lunch.

He found a nice place to live.

To recap, let's take a look at the irregular verbs we've just seen!

to spend - spent
to buy - bought
to think - thought
to come - came
to find - found
to take - took
to wear - wore

Lesson 49: What are you doing at the weekend? - Do you have any plans?

Vocabulary
to plan to do something
I was planning to visit my friends in Liverpool.
to spend time
Why don't we spend time with the family?
to leave time for
Let's leave time for watching the football.
to have a barbecue
We're going to have a barbecue if the weather is nice.
to go away for the weekend
Are you going away for the weekend?
to go to a party
He's going to a party on Saturday.
to have tickets for something
I have tickets for a comedy show this weekend.

Here's a tip

130
We've just listened to a dialogue between two friends who are talking about their weekend plans.
Now we'll learn some useful expressions to ask and talk about ours and others' plans, so you
can tell your friends all the fun things you're up to and ask them to join you! Here's an example of a
conversation you will be able to have after finishing this unit:

Do you have any plans?

I have tickets for a comedy show this weekend.
That's cool! We're going to have a barbecue if the weather is nice.

Let's have a recap of the useful sentences we have learned. Can you ask or talk about your plans or
your friends' plans? Give it a go in the next exercise!

Do you have any plans?

to plan to do something
to spend time
to leave time for
to have a barbecue
to go away for the weekend
to go to a party
to have tickets for something

Dialogue
Tamsin: Friday, at last! Do you have any plans for the weekend?
Tom: I have a barbecue on Saturday and on Sunday I am going to spend some time with
the family. We might go to the pub for a Sunday roast. Quiet weekend, really. How about
you?
Tamsin: I’m going away for the weekend. I have tickets for a festival in Paris.
Tom: So jealous! I love festivals but I always forget to buy tickets until it’s too late. Whe
n are you going?
Tamsin: I’m travelling tomorrow. Tonight I’m going to a party. Do you want to come? It’l
l be cool!
Tom: I don’t know, I finish work quite late today.
Tamsin: I’m starting to think you don’t like spending time with me! Haha. No, I’m joking.
I still like you.

Lesson 50: It's starting to rain! - Grammar: Verb combinations

Here's a tip
We already know that sometimes we can use two verbs next to each other, and we've mostly seen
one structure for doing this: verb + verb in ing-form (e.g. "I like singing."). Now we're going to
learn another structure. Have a look at the examples below.

I don't want to spend too much time cooking.

131
Ah! I forgot to tell you!
It's starting to rain!

As you may have noticed, the structure that we're practicing in this unit is verb + "to" + verb (or
verb + infinitive).

We planned to go for dinner tonight..

Did you decide to stay at home?
Oh no. I forgot to buy milk.

Some verbs take "to" + verb and some take that verb in "-ing" form; some take either! We'll
cover the rules in more detail in a few lessons. Here are some verbs which can take the "verb + to +
verb" structure.

to want to do something
to mean to do something
to be supposed to do something
to decide to do something
to plan to do something
to start to do something
to begin to do something
to continue to do something
to forget to do something
to remember to do something
to try to do something

Lesson 51: Future plans - Grammar: Future

Vocabulary
Listen to the audio.

Here's a tip
Let's talk about future plans! We're going to learn two slightly different ways to form the future
tense using "will" and "to be + going to".

Have a look at some examples below.

We are going to be late.

I'm busy now, I'll call you later.
I think she will get the job.

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The first structure for forming the future tense is "will" + verb. Both "will" and the verb in the
sentence do not change; the verb is always in its base form. However, we often shorten "will" to
"'ll" and attach it to the end of personal pronouns like "I, you, he, she, it, we and they". Here are
some examples.

We don't know what we're doing later but I'll text you.
I think she'll love the present.
The waiter will have your table ready in a couple of minutes.

The structure for forming a question with "will" is will + (person/subject) + verb. If we use a
question word, it goes to the beginning of the sentence.

For negatives, it's "will" + "not" + verb. We often shorten "will" + "not" to "won't". In both
negative sentences and questions, remember, the verb still does not change its form.

Question: Will Martha come with us to the party?

With question word: When will you come with me to a festival?
Negative: She won't need a lift to the party.

Let's see when we use "will" to talk about the future:

when we decide to do something now (spontaneous decision): I'll pay for the drinks.
when we make an offer, a promise or a threat: I'll stay later next time.
when we think or believe something about the future: It's a fancy hotel. I think our
room will be nice.

The other structure that we'll learn is to be + "going to" + verb. In this structure, "to be" is in the
present tense and it changes depending on the person who's going to perform the action. The main
verb does not change. Here are some examples.

We're going to buy tickets for the concert.

He's not going to come to Dan's party on Saturday.
Are you going to call your friend?

To form questions with "going to", we use this structure: to be + (person/subject) + "going to" +
verb. If we use a question word, it goes at the beginning: question word+ to be (person/subject)+
"going to" + verb. Here are some examples.

Is she going to have dinner with us?

Where is she going to move to?

To form negative sentences with "going to" we add "not" after the verb "to be", like this: to be +
"not" + "going to" + verb. We can shorten the word "not" in a couple of different ways.

They're not going to have dinner with us. OR They aren't going to have dinner
with us.

133
He is too lazy! He's not going to cycle home. OR He is too lazy! He isn't going
to cycle home.

We use "be+ going to":

to talk about plans and intentions: I'm going to study 10 minutes a day.
when we can see that something is going to happen: The bus is late, we're not going
to be on time.

As you might have noticed "will" and "be + going to" are quite similar and in practise many people
use them interchangeably. In the table below there's a summary of when we normally use each
future form:

will be + going to
to talk about a spontaneous to talk about a planned activity: I
decision: I will try the masala am going to have lunch with Ed later.
curry. It looks delicious!
when we think or believe something when we know something is likely to
about the future: I think my team happen: Yes, another goal! My team
will win. is going to win this game.
to make an offer, a promise or a to talk about intentions: I'm going
threat: I'll clean the dishes after to learn English and move to London!
dinner.

Lesson 52: Every once in a while... - I have three coffees a day

Vocabulary
to phone family
You should phone your family.
to have a shower
How many times a day do you have a shower?
to set an alarm
I set my alarm for 7 a.m. on weekdays.
to watch the news
Did you watch the news last night?
to put the children to bed
We put the children to bed at 8pm.
to take the kids to school
My husband takes the kids to school.
to have ... coffees a day
I normally have three coffees a day.
to make lunch
Do you make your lunch the night before?
to walk the dog

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My sister walks the dog every day.

Here's a tip
Let's have a look in this unit at how we can describe some of our habits and routines.

I normally have three coffees a day.

I set my alarm for 7 a.m. on weekdays.
I catch up with my boss once a week.
We put the children to bed at 8 p.m.

"Shower" can also be a verb. In some cases it's more common to say "to shower" instead of "to
have a shower", especially when we're talking about how often we do it.

When did you last have a shower?

I shower twice a day.

If we haven't had time to do something lately, like watching the news, we can say we need to
"catch up on the news" to learn about recent events. We can also "catch up on something" else,
like reading or working, to explain that we need to carry on doing something we haven't finished
yet.

We can also "catch up with someone" if we haven't seen them in a while, to find out what they
have been doing lately.

He reads the newspaper on Sundays to catch up on the news.

I need to catch up on work.
I catch up with my boss once a week.

We can also say "to take the dog for a walk" instead, with the same meaning. Let's have a look at
the following examples:

I walk the dog three times a day.

Who wants to take the dog for a walk?

Here’s a quick recap of all the words and expressions we’ve learned.

to phone family
to have a shower
to watch the news
to set an alarm
to put the children to bed
to take the kids to school
to have ... coffees a day
to walk the dog

135
Dialogue
Lucy: Did you watch the news last night?
Geoff: No, I didn't. I usually read the newspaper on Sundays to catch up on the news. I
went to bed at 10 p.m. last night. I was very tired.
Lucy: That's so early!
Geoff: Yes, but I get up early. I normally set the alarm for 6 a.m., and then I take the do
g for a walk.
Lucy: My husband always walks the dog. I make breakfast and then we take the children t
o school.
Geoff: I don't eat breakfast because I never have time. I only have a coffee in the mornin
g.
Lucy: Do you take your lunch to work?
Geoff: Yes, I always make my lunch the night before.
Lucy: You're so organised! Well, I'd better go. I'll catch up with you later.

Lesson 53: I phone my dad every other day - Grammar: How often...?

Vocabulary
every other day
I phone my dad every other day.
every now and then
They still get together for dinner every now and then.
once a day
It's only rained once or twice this month.
every once in a while
We still see each other every once in a while.
all the time
He has been late twice this month. It happens all the time.

Here's a tip
When we talk about our routines and our free time, we can use different words to say how
often things happen. We learned some of them earlier in the course.

always
usually
often
sometimes
never

Let's now learn some longer and more interesting phrases that can also help us to say how often
something happens.

136
every other day
every now and then
once a day / twice a week / three times a month
every once in a while
all the time

So we say "once a day" (lit: one time per day / X), "twice a day" (lit: two times per day / X), "three
times a day", "four times a day", etc. Have a look at some more examples below.

once a week
twice a month
five times a year

In a sentence, these phrases can usually go at the beginning or at the end.

Every other day, I phone my parents.

He makes breakfast every once in a while.
It happens all the time.

We put "all the time" at the end of the sentence.

He thinks about her all the time.

London Central: Episode 10 - I have to go to my exam

Here's a tip
In the previous episode of London Central, Leo and Anna were studying hard before their big exam.
Now it's time for episode ten - the season finale! While you watch, try to find the answer to this
question: what does Leo remember during the exam?

We use "there is some..." with uncountable nouns, and we use "there are some..." with countable
nouns in their plural form. We use "any" in questions and negative statements. Check out these
examples:

Uncountable noun
There is some milk.
There isn't any milk.
Is there any milk?
Countable noun, plural
There are some bananas.
There aren't any bananas.
Are there any bananas?

Review - Review

137
Dialogue
Julia: We've moved to a new suburb. It's so peaceful. We found a great house next to the
school and right opposite a park!
Simon: I can't believe you're living in the suburbs now! I will come and see you one day
on the way home from work.
Julia: You should! It's great. We discovered some great restaurants just down the road fro
m us. We went yesterday and sat outside. It was lovely.
Simon: So nice. Yeah, I took a bus through the city the other day, and I thought, "Maybe
I should move too!"
Julia: Yes! We can be neighbours! Then we can find all the good local spots together.
Simon: Ah I wish. It sounds great. Plus the city is getting so crowded and dangerous.
Julia: Well, I think I saw a "to let" sign on a flat across the street from our house.
Simon: Oh cool! I'll think about it. Thanks.

Lesson 54: We're going on holiday - Pack the sunscreen!

Vocabulary
to go on holiday
If the weather is nice we'll go on holiday this summer.
to book
I just booked a holiday to Antigua.
flight
I changed my flight and I'm leaving tomorrow.
to take
Where can we take the bus to the airport?
package
If we book a package holiday it will be cheaper.
pack
Have you packed the sun cream?

Here's a tip
Everyone loves going on holiday! In this unit we’ll learn some useful vocabulary we can use when
planning a holiday.

Are you going on holiday?

Where are you going?
You should start packing!

To talk about how we get to a place we can say: to take a / the... or to travel by... Let's see some
useful examples.

138
I like taking the train.
I like travelling by train.

Let's review the phrases we just learned before we practise them:

to go on holiday
to book
flight
to take
package
pack

Lesson 55: First conditional - Grammar: First conditional

Here's a tip
Conditional sentences are very useful and common in many languages. A conditional sentence has
two parts: a condition using "if", and a result that will occur if the condition is met. Let's have a
look at an example: "If the weather is nice, we'll go to the beach."

The condition clause or if-clause in bold expresses a condition: "If the weather
is nice..."
The result clause or main clause in bold tells us the result if the condition is
met: "we'll go to the beach"

There are a few different structures of conditional sentences. For now let's focus on one that we call
the "first conditional". We use the first conditional type when we know that it's possible and
likely that the condition will be fulfilled. In the first conditional, the if-clause is in the present
simple, and the main clause is in the future simple .

If-clause / condition (present Main clause / result (future simple

simple) "will")
If I'm free, I'll go with you to the party.
If you don't hurry up, we'll miss the train.
If I cancel tonight, will the hotel charge me?
If I'm busy, I won't go to the concert.

We can switch the order of the if-clause (condition) and the main clause (result). Notice that we
only use a comma when the if clause goes first. Have a look at the sentence below.

If it rains, we won't do a barbeque.

We won't do a barbeque if it rains.

Listen to the dialogue on the next screen and try to spot all the first conditional sentences.

139
In this unit we have focused on the first type of conditional, which expresses that a condition is
likely to happen. In the dialogue we saw another type of conditional structure, which we call the
"zero conditional". We form this with the simple present tense in both clauses, and it usually
expresses a general fact or gives an instruction:

If he asks, don't tell him about our plans.

If you don't water the plants, they die.

Dialogue
John: Hi Ada, the guys and I are planning to go on a short getaway this bank holiday. If
the weather is nice, we'll go to the beach. Do you have any plans?
Ada: That sounds great! I'll definitely come if I'm free.
John: Great! If you let me know soon, I'll book.
Ada: If you cancel, will we have to pay anything?
John: We won't have to pay anything if we cancel before Tuesday.
Ada: Brilliant! Is Peter coming too?
John: Peter? Um, we don't get along well. If he asks, don't tell him about our plans.

Lesson 56: It hasn't rained since last week - Grammar: Time expressions

Vocabulary
ago
I went on holiday a couple of weeks ago.
during
We went for a walk during the day.
for
He worked at the shop for three years.
since
It hasn't rained since last week.
until
We were on holiday until the end of September.
before
We arrived at the airport two hours before the flight.
after
She went to the gym after breakfast.
while
Someone came while you were out.

Here's a tip
Julia went on holiday a couple of weeks ago. She wrote an email to her friend to tell him how
everything went. Let's have a look at her email. Notice how she uses different expressions to talk
about time.

140
How's everything? I haven't heard from you since last month. I'm back from my holiday.
I went to Sicily with my sister a couple of weeks ago, and we loved it! We arrived
on Saturday and stayed at my friend's house for three days. Then, we rented an
apartment next to the beach and stayed there until Sunday. It's so hot there during
summer! I think I'd prefer spring or autumn - it's cooler.

We use "ago" to say when a past event happened. It always goes after an expression of time, and
the verb in the sentence is in the past simple because it refers to a finished period of time.

We went on holiday two weeks ago.

I finished university five years ago.
They saw him a while ago.

We use "for", followed by a period of time, to say for how long something goes on.

We use "during" to say when something happens.

I went on holiday for a week.

We visited many museums during the holidays.

We use "since" to refer to the starting point of actions or situations. We normally use it with
the present perfect, but depending on where we are in the world, we might hear some using it with
the past simple.

I've lived here since 1995.

I've been awake since 5.30am.

We use "until" to say when something continues up to a specific time.

We can also use "till" instead of "until". They both have the same meaning, but "till" is more
informal and only really used in spoken language.

I'm in London till Sunday.

The shops are open until 8pm on Thursdays.

Here’s a quick recap of all the words and expressions we’ve learned. Have one more look before
we practise some more.

since last month

a couple of weeks ago
for three days
until Sunday

You're doing great! Let's have a look at some other useful time expressions we frequently use in
English.

We arrived at the airport two hours before the flight.

141
She went to the gym after breakfast.
Someone came while you were out.

We use "before" to talk about an action that happened earlier than another one, and "after" to
describe an action that happened at a later time. We can be more vague and not specify exactly
when something is happening by saying "earlier" and "later" at the end of the sentence. Let's have
a look at these examples:

I'll do the shopping after work.

I'll do the shopping later.
I spoke to him before the meeting.
I spoke to him earlier.

We can also use "a while" to refer to a period of time (usually a fairly short time). Let's have a look
at the following expressions.

in a while: I'll call you in a while.

for a while: I haven't seen you for a while.
a while ago: We visited him a while ago.

Lesson 57: Where are you staying? - We're staying in a hotel

Vocabulary
Listen to the audio.
to stay at
We stayed at some really cool hostels while we were travelling through Europe.
to stay for
How long are you staying for?
to get a room
Could we get a double room, please?
to make a reservation
We made a reservation online under the name "Baker".
to check in
We can check in after 2pm.
to check out
We have to check out before 12 midday.
fully-booked
I tried to book a villa, but they were fully-booked.
Listen to the audio.
Now listen to Helena and her boyfriend talking about their future holiday plans.

Here's a tip

142
Let's learn some handy words and phrases for when booking holiday accommodation. We'll follow
the story of a couple going on holiday. Listen carefully to the audios and use the transcriptions to
help you.

In the audio, Helena tells her boyfriend about a great place she has seen online. Here's the transcript
of their conversation. Pay special attention to the words in bold.

Viktor, look! I found the perfect place to stay in! It's a five-star hotel on
the top of a mountain. We can look at the stars at night - so romantic!
It looks great! Why don't you reserve a room?
Ok, I'm making a reservation now: check in is April 29th, check out is the
next day at 11am.
I hope breakfast is included: the views from the restaurant must be stunning!

We can say "to stay at a hotel / hostel, etc." or "to stay in a hotel / hostel, etc." and they're both
correct. The only difference in some contexts is that we use "in" to imply that we are inside the
hotel, and we can use "at" even when we are outside / near the hotel.

Where are you? - I'm at the hotel waiting for you!

Where are you? - I'm in the hotel taking a nap.

As we just saw, we can say "to make a reservation", or we can just use the verb "to reserve". Have
a look at the following examples.

I have reserved a three-bed room in a cosy hotel.

I have made a reservation for a three-bed room in a cosy hotel.

Cheap, handy hostel? 5-star hotel? Luxury villa? Cosy bed and breakfast? Campsite under the stars?
Where are you going to stay? Here's a short list of the different types of accommodation we might
stay in.

Hotel, 5-star hotel: I can't believe we got a room in a luxury 5-star hotel!
Hostel: We'll check in at the hostel at 12.
Bed and breakfast (B&B, for short): This B&B has the best fry up in Edinburgh!
Campsite: This campsite has great facilities.

Remember Helena and her boyfriend, who were booking a room in a hotel? Let's listen to Helena
telling her friend Bea what happened next!

Here's a recap of the expressions we've learned in this unit:

to stay in / at
to stay for
to get / to reserve a room
fully-booked
to make a reservation
to check in

143
to check out

And here are the types of accommodations we've learned:

hotel, 5-star hotel

hostel
campsite
bed and breakfast (B&B)

Lesson 58: When is your next trip? - Present tense for future use

Vocabulary
Listen to the audio.
Listen to the audio.
Listen to the audio.

Here's a tip
We have already learned that we can use present tenses to talk about things in the future. Now we
will focus on listening to these in action! Listen carefully to the audios and as many times as you
need. At the end of the activity you will see the written translation!

Lisa: Justin and I are going on holiday to Italy next month, and I am looking forward to it!

Max: That sounds lovely, where are you staying?

Lisa: We booked a lovely boutique hotel by the beach! Then we are travelling down the coast.

Max: You two really deserve this trip, you work so hard!

Lisa: Thank you! We fly out on the 15th, maybe we can go for a coffee before we leave.

I am taking some time off this summer and planning a getaway. I'm packing a small bag and going
on an adventure! I am so excited, I'm reserving hostel rooms already!

(translation)

Trevor: I'm really looking forward to our trip. When do we get in?

Anja: We arrive at 10 p.m. if our flights aren't delayed.

Trevor: Hopefully there are no problems when we check in to the hotel.

Anja: I doubt it. They know our flight arrives late.

144
Trevor: Next year we are taking a cruise, that will be even more relaxing!

Lesson 59: Have you planned what you're doing? - Let's explore!

Vocabulary
to relax
It's great to get away and relax.
to try the cuisine
The best part of any holiday is trying the cuisine.
to hire
We'd like to hire a car for the weekend.
to explore
Would you like to explore the town a bit?
to go surfing
He prefers going surfing in the morning.
to go kayaking
Should we go kayaking tomorrow?
to go snorkelling
Ian and Ash went snorkelling in California.
to go skiing
I'd love to go skiing in Japan.
to go hiking
My family and I go hiking in Scotland every summer.

Here's a tip
Let's get ready by learning some vocabulary for some of the things we might do on holidays.

The best part of a holiday is trying the cuisine.

Would you like to explore the town a bit?
It's great to get away and relax.

Some people like "to go souvenir shopping" when they're on holiday. Common "souvenirs" that we
might buy are "fridge magnets" and "postcards".

Do you want to go souvenir shopping later?

Being active on your vacation can be just as relaxing as tanning on the beach. Let's have a look at
some fun activities.

to go kayaking
to go surfing
to go snorkelling

145
There are many more activities we can do in or on water. Have a look below to learn some extra
vocabulary.

to go sailing
to go scuba diving
to go wakeboarding

Another activity we can do in the mountains is "climbing".

This word doesn't always refer to the sport, though. We can also use it in other contexts like "to
climb stairs", for example.

I went climbing near Québec last year.

She climbed the stairs as fast as she could.

Dialogue
Ian: What shall we do? I'd love to explore the old town.
Ash: Me too! Then we could go for lunch and try some of the local cuisine.
Ian: Perfect!
Ash: Do you want to hire bikes and go to the beach this afternoon to relax?
Ian: Yes, I really want to go snorkelling, too! You could go surfing.
Ash: I actually prefer surfing in the morning when it's not so busy. So I can just come wi
th you.
Ian: OK great! I was thinking, maybe we could take scuba diving lessons later this week?
Ash: Yes! Sounds amazing. I already love this holiday.

Lesson 60: I enjoyed reading this book - Grammar: More verb combinations

Here's a tip
Sometimes in a sentence, one verb follows another. In English we have different rules when it
comes to using two verbs together, but have no fear! We've seen lots of these already in the
course, and we'll recap everything now so you feel like an expert.

I want to buy a house.

I like living here.

The first type of verb combination is verb + verb in -ing form. We can use any tense for the first
verb, but the second one needs to be in the "-ing" form after certain verbs.

These are some of the most common verbs that can be followed by "-ing":

Verb Example
like Do you like swimming?

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love I've always loved baking.
enjoy We enjoy spending time with our
children.
hate He hates doing his homework.
finish I finished preparing for the
meeting.
stop They've stopped calling her.

The other type of verb combination we've seen is verb + to + verb. Again, we can use the first verb
in any tense, but the second never changes its form after certain verbs. Let's have a look at some
common verbs that can be followed by "to" + verb.

Verb Example
decide We decided to buy a new car.
learn I learned to drive last year.
to promise They promised to call me today.
need I need to go to the supermarket.
to want Rachel doesn't want to come to
the party.
hope We hope to be on time.

There are some verbs that we can use with either "-ing" or "to + verb", with no change in
meaning, like "to begin", "to start" or "to continue".

With "to hate", "to like" and "to love", there is a small difference in meaning, but don't worry for
now, we'll learn it later in the course.

It started raining. - It started to rain.

They continued working on the project - They continued to work on the project.

We often use the verb "go" followed by another verb in the "-ing" form to talk about sports and
activities.

Let's go dancing.
I went skiing last weekend.

Modal verbs, like "can", "should", "will" or "would" are followed directly by another
verb without "to". In this case the second verb never changes its form.

We can go to the party together.

You should arrive a bit earlier.

Lesson 61: Would you like...? - Grammar: I'd like to...

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Vocabulary
Would you like...?
Would you like to get away for the weekend?
I'd like to...
I'd like to get away and relax.
He'd love to...
He'd love to go kayaking in Canada.
She'd rather...
She'd rather hire a car than cycle.
They'd prefer to...
They'd prefer to take a train.

Here's a tip
When we want to invite someone to do something, we can use the word "would" to make the
question sound more polite. Have a look below to compare two examples. We're going to have a
more detailed look at how to use "would" to invite people to things and to express our willingness
to do something.

Casual: Do you want to go out for dinner?

Polite: Would you like to go out for dinner?
Casual: I want something to drink.
Polite: I'd like something to drink.

"Would" doesn't change its form, no matter what person or tense we use it with. In questions, we
use it like a wh-question word at the beginning of the sentence.

Would you like some juice?

Would they like to go out tonight?

We always need to use "to" + "verb" after "Would you like...?" or "would like..." when we are
talking about something we would like to do.

We can reply to the question "Would you like...?" in different ways. Have a look at some possible
answers below. Notice that we often use the shortened form of "would" ("'d").

I'd like to...

I'd love to...
I'd rather...
I'd prefer to...

While "rather" is followed directly by the basic form of the verb, we need to add "to" between
"prefer" and the verb. Have a look below.

I would rather book a hotel.

I would prefer to book a hotel.

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To form negative sentences we put "not" after "rather" and "prefer".

I'd rather not go out tonight.

He'd prefer not to stay late.

In all other cases, we put "not" right after "would". We can also use shortened forms in various
ways, as you can see below.

She wouldn't like to go to the concert.

She'd not like to go to the concert.

Have another look at how we can use "would" in questions and answers when inviting someone to
do something or replying to an invitation.

Would you like to make a reservation?

I'd like a glass of water.
I'd love to have lunch together.
I wouldn't like to meet with him again.
I'd prefer not to go climbing.
I'd rather hire a car.

Dialogue
Ethan: Would you like to stay at home or go out tonight?
Elisa: I'd rather stay at home. I'm pretty tired today. What about you? Would you rather st
ay in or go out?
Ethan: I'd love to go out but we can stay in if you'd like.
Elisa: It's ok, I'd rather not cook so we could go out for dinner. Where would you like to
go?
Ethan: I'd prefer to go somewhere close to here.
Elisa: I wouldn't like to stay out too late, so that's fine with me.

Lesson 62: How was the journey? - How did you get there?

Vocabulary
to go travelling
I'd love to go travelling through South America.
car
Where can I park my car?
to drive
Who wants to drive?
coach
The coach takes a lot longer than the train.
flight
Our flight departs at 9.45.

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taxi
We'll take a taxi from the airport to the hotel.
ferry
The ferry goes once every hour.
bike
Most people own a bike in Holland.
to cycle
How long does it take to cycle there?

Here's a tip
We usually say "to go travelling" when we talk about travelling around visiting different places
over a period of time like a few months or so.

We use the verb "to travel" to refer to the journey to a certain place. We usually say "to travel to"
+ place.

Have a look at the examples below to see the difference.

Next year I want to go travelling again.

When I travelled to New Orleans, I met a nice group of people.

We call the person driving "the driver" and often call the car journey "the drive". We can also use
the latter to describe how far away something is. Have a look below for some examples.

It's a 2-hour drive to Edinburgh.

How was the drive?
The driver took us to the airport.

We use "flight" to talk about journeys on a plane. "Plane" only means the actual aircraft.

How was your flight?

The plane was really busy so I couldn't sleep.

While we can use "bus" in most cases, we usually say "coach" when we refer to longer, pre-booked
journeys. They're usually more comfortably equipped and have space for luggage.

She took the bus to the cinema.

She took a coach to Liverpool.

We say "to take a coach / taxi / bus" (not "to drive", unless we're actually driving ourselves).

I took the coach to the airport.

We took a taxi to the hotel.
My sister drove me to the airport.

In spoken language, "bike" is a shorter, more common alternative for "bicycle". Both are correct in
any context and they mean the same thing, but most people will say "bike".

150
Lesson 63: This train is expected at 14.55 - Final call!

Vocabulary
platform
The next train at platform 3 is the service to Manchester.
gate
Passengers for Munich, please go to gate 9.
final call
Final call for passengers travelling to London Heathrow.
delayed
The service to Los Angeles is delayed by 30 minutes.
cancelled
The 12.45 service to London St. Pancras has been cancelled, due to strikes.
We are sorry to announce...
We are sorry to announce that the service to Toronto has been cancelled.
expected at
This train is expected at 14.55.
We are sorry for any inconvenience.
to depart
Flight 4476 to Miami will depart from gate 47.
to arrive
What time does our train arrive in Paris?

Here's a tip
In more colloquial situations, it is more common to use the verb "to leave" (translation) instead of
"to depart". We hear "to depart" more often in formal contexts like announcements. Look at the
examples below.

We are leaving at 7:45 tomorrow morning.

My train leaves in an hour.

Before we move on, let's have another look at the words we've learned:

platform
gate
final call
delayed
cancelled
expected at
to depart
to arrive

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Now we will listen to some of these words in contexts where we may encounter them. We'll listen
closely and then answer some questions.

Review - Review

Vocabulary

Here's a tip
Let's review the last few lessons about holidays and travel. On the following screen is a dialogue -
listen to it carefully and as many times as you need to. Then move onto the quiz!

It's time to try using the language from this review in a few different contexts. Here we go!

Dialogue
Jon: Are you going travelling before you start university?
Katie: Yeah, I've booked a trip around Europe.
Jon: That sounds fun. Where are you going?
Katie: I’m flying to Paris first, then I’m taking a train to Geneva, and after that I’m going
to travel around Italy for a while.
Jon: Nice! Have you planned what you’re doing in Paris?
Katie: If the weather’s nice, I’ll go up the Eiffel Tower. I’d like to go to some museums
too.
Jon: Have you booked anywhere to stay yet?
Katie: Not yet. I'm probably going to book a hostel or B&B through a travel site.
Jon: You know, your cousin Amy is living in Paris at the moment. You could stay at her
place, perhaps.
Katie: Good idea! I’ll ask her. Maybe we could go shopping on the Champs-Élysées togeth
er too!

Lesson 64: We're having a party! - Are you coming to my party?

Vocabulary
Are you joining us...?
Are you joining us for dinner tomorrow?
Can you make it to...?
Can you make it to my party on Friday?
Yes! I'm in.
Do we have enough...?
Do we have enough ice or should we buy some more?
Do we need any more...?
Do we need any more food?

152
to have someone over
I have some friends over at mine tonight.
to bring
Would you like me to bring anything?

Here's a tip
Everybody loves a good party! In this unit we're going to learn useful expressions to invite people
to different events, as well as how to reply to an invitation. Let's get ready for the party!

Are you joining us for dinner tomorrow?

Can you make it to my party on Friday?
Would you like me to bring anything?
Do we need any more food?

If we ask "Can you make it?", it means we are asking someone if they are able to attend a particular
event. "To make it somewhere" also means to get to a place in time for something. If we're not able
to attend an event we've been invited to, we say "I can't make it".

I just made it in time for the meeting.

Can you make it to my party on Saturday night?
I can't make it on Saturday.

If we receive an invitation to a dinner party, a wedding, or any other kind of event, it might include
the initials RSVP. They stand for the French phrase "répondez, s'il vous plaît", which literally
means "respond, please". If someone sends us an invitation that requires an RSVP we should let
them know whether we can make it to their event or not.

RSVP by 20th October.

Another way of rejecting an invitation to an event is to say "I already have something on". But if
we'd love to go we can also say "Yes! Count me in!".

Can you make it to my birthday party this weekend?

Yes! Count me in!
I'm sorry but I already have something on.

It's very common to say "at mine", meaning "at my place", or "at yours", meaning "at your place".

Should we have dinner at yours?

We're having dinner at mine.

Well done! Let's get the party started! But first, let's have another look at all the expressions we've
learned in this unit.

Are you joining us...?

Can you make it to...?

153
I have other plans.
Yes! I'm in
Do we have enough...?
Do we need any more...?
to have someone over
Would you like me to bring anything?

Dialogue
Ethan: Are you joining Donna and me for dinner tonight?
Sylvia: I'm sorry, but I can't. I have some friends over at mine tonight.
Ethan: Oh, that's a shame! Can you make it to our BBQ on Saturday?
Sylvia: Yes! Count me in! I'm really excited for that!
Ethan: It's going to be lots of fun. We have lots of people coming.
Sylvia: Would you like me to bring anything?
Ethan: No, I think we have enough food and drink.
Sylvia: OK, let me know if you need anything else!

Lesson 65: Quantities - Grammar: Much, many, enough

Here's a tip
In English, there are two different types of nouns: countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Countable nouns can be counted (e.g. people, rooms or restaurants). Uncountable nouns don't have
clear boundaries, which is why we can't count them (e.g. flour or water). Have a look below for a
reminder.

Countable: Can we get a table for tomorrow?

Uncountable: Can I have some water?

Let's look at how we talk and ask about different quantities of countable and uncountable nouns.

How many people did you invite?

I think we have enough food.
Marcus made too much pasta.

We can ask about quantities with "how many" for countable nouns and "how much"
for uncountable nouns. Here are some examples.

How many pizzas should we order?

How much juice would you like?

We can use the word "enough" for both countable and uncountable nouns.

154
Do we have enough food for the party?
Do we have enough plates for everyone?

We use "too much" with uncountable nouns and "too many" with countable nouns to express that
there's more of something than we need. Here are some examples.

I think he's used too much salt.

There are too many people in the kitchen.

Here are some common expressions we use "too much" with:

When we get an amazing gift: "Oh you shouldn't have, this is too much!"
When we don't really like something: "I don't like this music too much."

Lesson 66: I have a headache - Are you feeling okay?

Vocabulary
Are you feeling okay?
Are you sick?
to have a sore...
I've had a sore throat since yesterday.
to have a temperature
He has a high temperature. We should take him to the doctor's.
to have a headache
Do you have any painkillers? I have a headache.
to feel sick
Do you feel sick?
to suffer
He's really suffering with this cold.
to pick up a bug
I think I've picked up a bug. I don't feel great.
to get over
It took you ages to get over that cold.

Here's a tip
When we're in a different country, it's helpful to be able to tell someone that we're not feeling well,
so it's important to be prepared with some common phrases. We're now going to learn some ways
to talk about different health issues. We'll learn phrases like:

I have a headache.
I have a sore throat.
Do you feel sick?

There are many different ways to ask how someone's doing. Have a look at some of them below:

155
Are you ok?
Are you tired?
Are you feeling sick?
How are you feeling?

If someone has a high temperature they may also say "I have a fever".

I can't come, my son has a fever.

There are many ways that we can say that we are feeling unwell. Have a look at some them below:

I feel dizzy.
I feel tired.
I don't feel well.

Dialogue
Margaret: Peter are you feeling ok? You look tired.
Peter: Hmm not really, I think I've picked up a bug.
Margaret: Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. What exactly is wrong?
Peter: I have a headache and a sore throat. This morning I felt very dizzy!
Margaret: Do you have a temperature?
Peter: No, I don't think so, but I haven't suffered like this in a long time!
Margaret: Well, I hope you get over it quickly. But don't worry about the housework toda
y, I can do it.
Peter: Thank you Margaret, I appreciate it!

Lesson 67: Modals of obligation - Grammar: Expressing obligation and necessity

Vocabulary
should
You should get some rest.
must
I must schedule an appointment for my check-up.
to have to
She has to hand in her sick note within three days.

Here's a tip
When we follow someone's advice, a general rule or a law, there is often some sense of obligation
implied.

Words like "should", "have to" and "must" help us express various levels of obligation connected
to our actions. Let's take a look!

156
You should eat more vitamins.
I must tell my boss that I picked up a bug.
You have to work at 10am.

"Should", "have to" and "must" belong to a group of words called modal verbs. These go right in
front of the main verb in a sentence and they give more meaning to the verb.

The modal verb "have to" changes according to the person doing the action, the main verb remains
in its original form.

person + modal verb + main verb (original from) + rest of sentence.

She has to go to a conference.

I should call my supervisor.
We must get to the party on time.

We use "should" to give advice to someone. It is much stronger than a simple suggestion or
recommendation, as you can see below. We use it to express that we think there is basically no
better option.

Weaker suggestion: You could ask your manager for some time off.
Stronger suggestion: You should ask your manager for some time off.

We use "must" to say that it is necessary or very important that something happens.

We can also use it to recommend something ("You must try this new restaurant!" X) or to make
assumptions ("You must be so tired!" X).

We usually use "to have to" when the obligation comes from someone else, e.g. when we follow an
order or a rule, but you'll also hear it with a meaning similar to "must".

She has to give a presentation tomorrow.

She has to buy a gift for Sarah.

Instead of saying "should" we can give a slightly weaker suggestion by saying "I suggest (that)".
It's a polite way of suggesting what you think someone should do.

I suggest that you visit a doctor.

My manager suggested that I work from home today.

"To need to" has a similar meaning to "have to" or "must". We can use it to explain a rule, give
advice or express our plans, as you can see below.

You need to hand in your sick note within three days.

He needs to pick up some groceries after work.
I need to find a replacement for my shift on Sunday.

157
Remember that the context and meaning of the words we've just learned can be quite similar.
There's no rigid rule that tells us when to use "have to" and when to use "must", for example, so no
need to be confused when people use some of them interchangeably.

Lesson 68: Feel better! - Get some rest!

Vocabulary
to get rest
Get plenty of rest. You're probably exhausted.
to eat well
Are you eating well and getting enough vitamins?
to avoid
You should avoid dairy for a week.
to help
Sleep will help you get better.
to see a doctor
I think you should see a doctor.
to make an appointment
Why don't you make an appointment to see a doctor?
to have a checkup
I had a checkup this morning at the doctor's.
to give a prescription
The doctor gave me a prescription.
to take medicine
Don't forget to take your medicine.

Here's a tip
It's never fun when you're feeling unwell. Let's learn some expressions to use when giving and
receiving advice about our health.

Get plenty of rest. You're probably exhausted.

Are you eating well and getting enough vitamins?
You should avoid dairy for a week.

There are different words we can use with "to get rest". We can use "some", "plenty of" or
"enough" rest.

Are you getting enough rest?

You'll feel better if you get some rest.
Make sure you get plenty of rest.

Saying "to keep away from something" is another way of saying "to avoid something". We can use
either a noun or an "- ing" verb after these.

158
Julie should avoid red meat.
She should also avoid doing too much exercise.
Nico is on a diet. He should keep away from sugar.
He should keep away from eating sweets.

If you've been feeling unwell for a long time and nothing really helps, you'd better see a doctor.

I think you should see a doctor.

Why don't you make an appointment to see a doctor?
I had a check up this morning at the doctor's.
The doctor gave me a prescription.
You should take some medicine.

Dialogue
Sierra: How are you feeling?
Brooklyn: Exhausted! I didn't sleep again last night.
Sierra: Oh no. Get plenty of rest today. Are you eating well?
Brooklyn: I think I ate too much meat yesterday evening.
Sierra: I see. You should avoid eating heavy food before bed.
Brooklyn: You're right. I need to try to keep away from meat for a few days.
Sierra: Good idea. Maybe you should see a doctor, too. When was your last checkup?
Brooklyn: I can't remember. Ages ago. I'll make an appointment.
Sierra: Good. He might give you a prescription for some sleeping pills.

Lesson 69: The Imperative - Grammar: Giving instructions (imperatives)

Vocabulary
Sit down! Dinner is ready.
There's a car coming, watch out!
Get plenty of rest.
Please give up your seat for elderly people.

Here's a tip
There are many occasions when we tell someone to do something, and we can do so in many
different ways. Here we'll learn how to do it using imperatives. Have a look at the examples below.

Close the door.

Get some rest.
Look out!
Please come in.

159
We use imperatives to give orders, commands, instructions, advice and warnings, as well as to
make requests by adding "please". To form an imperative, we simply use the base form of the
verb.

order: Stand up! (to stand)

warning: Watch out! (to watch)
advice: Drink plenty of water. (to drink)
request: Please open the window. (to open)

We try and use the imperative carefully in English, as it is a very direct form. We can use words
such as "just" or "please" to make an imperative sound less direct. Have a look at the examples
below.

Just wait a minute.

Please be quiet.

We often come across imperatives in instruction manuals and recipes, as they are an easy way of
giving clear instructions. Look at the examples below.

Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.

Bake for 35 - 40 mins.

To form a negative imperative, we add "do" + "not" before the verb. The full form "do not", is
more formal and it makes the instruction sound stricter or more powerful. In speaking, we usually
say "don’t".

Do not do that again!

Don't worry. He'll be alright.

If we want to include ourselves in the imperative statement, rather than just giving an order to
another person, we use "let's" before the verb.

Let's move on.

Let's have dinner.
The negative of "let's" is "let's not".
Let's not argue.
Let's not go to that restaurant again.
We use the imperative to give orders, instructions and advice, and to make requests.
Imperative forms can sound quite direct, so we can add "please" to sound more polite.
We use the base form of the verb.
We add "don't" before the verb to make it negative.
We add "let's" before the verb to include ourselves.

Lesson 69: The Imperative - Grammar: Giving instructions (imperatives)

160
Vocabulary
Sit down! Dinner is ready.
There's a car coming, watch out!
Get plenty of rest.
Please give up your seat for elderly people.

Here's a tip
There are many occasions when we tell someone to do something, and we can do so in many
different ways. Here we'll learn how to do it using imperatives. Have a look at the examples below.

Close the door.

Get some rest.
Look out!
Please come in.

We use imperatives to give orders, commands, instructions, advice and warnings, as well as to
make requests by adding "please". To form an imperative, we simply use the base form of the
verb.

order: Stand up! (to stand)

warning: Watch out! (to watch)
advice: Drink plenty of water. (to drink)
request: Please open the window. (to open)

We try and use the imperative carefully in English, as it is a very direct form. We can use words
such as "just" or "please" to make an imperative sound less direct. Have a look at the examples
below.

Just wait a minute.

Please be quiet.

We often come across imperatives in instruction manuals and recipes, as they are an easy way of
giving clear instructions. Look at the examples below.

Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.

Bake for 35 - 40 mins.

To form a negative imperative, we add "do" + "not" before the verb. The full form "do not", is
more formal and it makes the instruction sound stricter or more powerful. In speaking, we usually
say "don’t".

Do not do that again!

Don't worry. He'll be alright.

161
If we want to include ourselves in the imperative statement, rather than just giving an order to
another person, we use "let's" before the verb.

Let's move on.

Let's have dinner.
The negative of "let's" is "let's not".
Let's not argue.
Let's not go to that restaurant again.
We use the imperative to give orders, instructions and advice, and to make requests.
Imperative forms can sound quite direct, so we can add "please" to sound more polite.
We use the base form of the verb.
We add "don't" before the verb to make it negative.
We add "let's" before the verb to include ourselves.

Lesson 70: Maybe you should try yoga - Making suggestions

Vocabulary
Have you thought about...
Have you thought about quitting smoking?
Have you tried...
Have you tried talking to your manager about it?
Why don't you...
Why don't you cut back on sugar?
Maybe you should...
Maybe you should try yoga.

Here's a tip
We often make suggestions in all kinds of everyday conversations. So let's take a look at some
phrases that will be helpful when suggesting something to a friend.

Have you thought about changing your diet?

Why don't you cut back on caffeine?
Maybe you should try yoga.

Dialogue
Laura: Are you okay? You look tired.
Nick: Yeah, I have not been feeling well recently. I'm pretty run down. Work has been ve
ry stressful and I don't have any time for myself.
Laura: Oh no. Maybe you should take some time off. Or have you thought about working
fewer hours?

162
Nick: I can't, we have so many new people at work and I need to train them and do my
own job at the same time.
Laura: Hm, that sounds exhausting. Why don't you speak to your manager?
Nick: I have, she's trying to help with my workload.
Laura: That's a good start! Also, have you tried yoga or running? It helps me relax.
Nick: That's a great idea, thanks Laura!

Lesson 1: Hello! - Get started with B1 English!

Vocabulary
getaway
We're planning a romantic getaway to the south of France.

Here's a tip
You are starting your journey to improve your English in our B1 Intermediate course!

In this lesson we will preview some vocabulary that you’ll see in the course. If you’re new to
Busuu you’ll learn how our exercises work too!

That was a flashcard of a word you will see early in the B1 course. We use flashcards to present
you with new words and phrases.

Now let's look at a few other exercises. These will review some vocabulary that you'll see in your
early B1 lessons. For these exercises, you only need to select the correct answer. You will:

answer a true or false question

answer a multiple choice question
complete a sentence with one word

Nicely done!

To complete the next two exercises, select the correct word(s). (There may be more than 1!) You
will:

select all the words that match the instruction

complete a sentence with the missing word(s)

Good job!

Next, you will be asked to create a sentence. You will:

order some words to build a correct sentence

In the next exercise you can drag and drop the options to answer the question. You will:

163
Match the words with their definitions.

Now, we're going to ask you to write something yourself!

You're going to see two types of exercise where you will need to:

select some letters in the correct order to spell a tricky part of a word
use your keyboard to type the missing word(s) to complete the sentence

You will also find a few more exercises in the course that we haven't seen in this lesson, so as you
study B1 look for:

- speech recognition exercises to practise speaking

- longer reading texts

- dialogues where you can see the new language in context

- conversation exercises for using your new language to share with our global community

Now you're ready to go and start your B1 learning journey!

If you got any questions wrong during this lesson, don't worry, you will see them again in the next
few screens.

Remember, you can always click the lightbulb icon in the corner to see the tips from the
lesson. Try it now!

Lesson 2: I'm going on vacation! - When's your next holiday?

Vocabulary
can't wait to
I can't wait to go to South America next month!
can't wait for
I bet you can't wait for your holiday.
to get away
I can't wait to get away for a couple of weeks.
getaway
We're planning a romantic getaway to the south of France.
city break
We enjoyed our city break, but we both prefer the outdoors.
beach holiday
We might go on a beach holiday this winter, for some winter sun.
laid-back
I think I may want a more laid-back holiday this time.
to find your way around

164
It's really easy to find your way around.
to get in contact with someone
I'm going to get in contact with our host and ask her what time the bus leaves.

Here's a tip
Most people love planning trips and telling their friends where they're going to go next and what
they'll do there. In this lesson we'll talk about planning different types of holidays.

Fun fact before we start: in the UK, we say "holiday", whereas in the USA, it's "vacation".

I can't wait to get away for a couple of weeks.

We're looking forward to our city trip, even though we both prefer the outdoors.

We can use "can't wait to" and "can't wait for" when we are excited for something to happen in the
future. The only difference between the two is that we follow "can't wait to" with a verb and "can't
wait for" with a noun.

I can't wait to go to South America next month!

I bet you can't wait for your holiday.

"To get away" also has a noun form: "a getaway". This is a particular type of phrasal verb, which
can become a phrasal noun. There are a fair few of these in English. Here are some other useful
ones:

to meet up - a meetup
to mix up - a mix-up
to look about - a lookabout

Here are some useful words and phrases for describing types of holiday:

Active holidays are great if you enjoy the outdoors.

We're going all-inclusive when we go to Egypt.
budget
active
mini break

It's also very common to say "to get in touch with someone". It means the same as "to get in contact
with someone" and the two are interchangeable. We can also simply say "to call someone" or "to
email someone" to be more specific.

Could you get in touch with the airline to ask about baggage allowance?
I'll email the hotel to ask about checkin times.
Are you going to call the taxi company to ask if they found your purse?

Lesson 3: Priya's Getaway - I'm planning a trip.

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Here's a tip
You are going to listen to two friends, Priya and Dean, have a conversation about a trip. What sort
of trip does Priya want?

Now you will listen to Priya plan the specifics of her holiday with her friend Juliana. Does Priya
know what she will do in Bariloche?

Juliana says on vacation, but earlier Dean said on holiday. This is because of regional differences
in English. People whose English is more influenced by British English tend to say "on holiday"
while people whose English is influenced more by American English will say "on vacation". These
two phrases mean the same thing.

Many Canadians go on vacation to Florida.

People from Hong Kong often go on holiday to Singapore.

Dialogue
Dean: Hey Priya, how are you?
Priya: Good, thanks!
Dean: Really? You look distracted.
Priya: Oh, I'm looking at this email with budget flights to South America.
Dean: Oh cool, do you want to go on a holiday?
Priya: Yeah, I had a hard time at work the last two months, so I think I'm going to get a
way and relax a bit.
Dean: That sounds good, what sort of trip do you want? Are you going to lie in the sun
at an all-inclusive beach resort?
Priya: No, nothing like that. I think I will go somewhere less touristy. I want to avoid pe
ople! Maybe I'll go somewhere I can walk around and enjoy the scenery and just get awa
y from it all.
Dean: Do you think you will go to a city then - to walk around and go to museums, park
s, things like that?
Priya: Hmmm, no, that's still too many people for what I want. Maybe somewhere smaller,
and close to nature. I'm thinking I'll go to a smaller city that is near some nature trails o
r hiking paths. What do you think of the options on this email?
Dean: Hmmmm, let's see.... Asuncion, Bariloche ... Bogota and Buenos Aires are going to
be too big ... oh, what about Lima? I hear that's a nice city, and you could go hiking in t
he Andes and see the old Incan ruins, Machu Picchu, from there!
Priya: That sounds nice, but no. Look at this map, Lima is the capital city so it'll probabl
y be really crowded, and anyway it's pretty far from Machu Picchu. I'm going to see Mac
hu Picchu one day, but I want to avoid tourist hotspots for this trip. I wonder where some
of these other cities are on the map.
Dean: Yeah, I never heard of Bariloche before.
Priya: I think it's pronounced Bariloche in Spanish. Oh look it's here in southern Argentin
a!
Dean: Can you zoom in a little? It doesn't look like there's much there.
Priya: Yes, look, there's a small city next to a lake in the mountains. Oh, this looks perfe
ct!

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Dean: Yeah, wow, look at those pictures. That looks gorgeous.
Priya: And look, there's a chocolate museum in the town. That's all I need, I'm going to g
o there!
Dean: Wow, yeah, maybe I'll join you!
Priya: Yeah, maybe.
Juliana: Hey Priya!
Priya: Oh, hi Juliana!
Juliana: Dean told me you are going to Argentina, that's amazing!
Priya: Yes, I need a break, and this town looks incredible. Wait, you're from Brazil aren't
you? Have you been to Bariloche?
Juliana: I love Bariloche, my family used to go skiing there. Lots of Brazilians go on vac
ation in Argentina.
Priya: Really? Tell me everything! I looked at lots of travel websites, but I'm still not sure
what to do. I am going to decide when I get there.
Juliana: Ooh, exciting! How long will you be there?
Priya: I'm going for just over a week. My flight leaves Friday night, and I am going to fl
y home on the following Sunday.
Juliana: That's great! I'll pick you up from the airport when you get back if you want! W
ell, the mountains are beautiful. Are you going to go skiing, or hiking around?
Priya: Definitely hiking, that's the one thing I know for sure I'm going to do. I want to g
o on a hike through Paso de las Nubes. Do you think I should book a tour, or go alone?
Juliana: Definitely book a tour! It will take you two days to do that hike, so you'll need
someone to organise it for you.
Priya: Oh wow, ok, I'll book those tickets tonight then! What else is there to do there?
Juliana: Well, I know that you can go kayaking on the lake, go horseback riding, take a b
oat cruise on the lakes, and I think there is a zipline park.
Priya: Well, I'm terrified of horses, so I won't be doing that! Kayaking sounds like it migh
t be fun if the weather is nice, I'll think about it. I love ziplines though, it feels like flyin
g. I will look for that park for sure.
Juliana: It sounds like you'll be quite active!
Priya: Yeah, but the boat cruise also sounds good. I'll book tickets on one of those. I'm g
oing to want a day of rest after hiking I think.
Juliana: Definitely, I'm so jealous! You're going to take lots of photos to show me, right?
Priya: I will, thanks so much for your help!
Juliana: Of course! Have fun!

Lesson 4: Conversations - Are you planning a trip?

Here's a tip
In this lesson, we'll review some of the language we've seen recently. You'll also have the chance
to answer a question about your holiday plans. Let's go!

On the next screen you will answer a question about your holiday plans.

Type or record your answer and then send it to the Busuu Community where other English
speakers will give you feedback.

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You can do it! ⭐

Lesson 5: Future forms - Grammar: future forms

Here's a tip
As you know, we use will and be going to when talking about the future. Here's a quick recap on
how to use them:

will + verb
I will send you a postcard.
This trip won't be cheap. (In informal contexts, "will not" becomes "won't")
What time will the museum open?
be going to + verb
I'm going to go to Argentina next month.
She's not going to visit Peru this time.
What are you going to do?

We can use either will or be going to in most contexts. Choosing one or the other doesn't usually
affect meaning, but if you want to sound more fluent you should be aware of these points:

1. For prior plans, or events that are just about to happen, use be going to.
2. For quick decisions you make while speaking, use will.
3. For predictions, you can use either will or be going to - it doesn't matter!

These examples show how we use will and be going to:

Prior plan: I am going to fly home on Sunday.

Quick decision: Great, I will pick you up from the airport.
About to happen: I should say goodbye now. My phone is going to run out of battery.
Prediction: Take care! I'm sure you will have a great time. / Take care! I'm sure
you are going to have a great time.

Don't worry if you mix up will and be going to - people will still understand you. The important
thing is knowing how the two forms fit into sentences - for example, using the correct form of "be".
Let's practise!

This table summarises what we've just learned:

will quick decisions

be going to prior plans; events that are about
to happen
will or be going to predictions

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When we have confirmed plans, we often use the present continuous instead of be going to.
Check out the following examples:

I am going to go on a trip tomorrow. → I am going on a trip tomorrow.

They are going to move house soon. → They are moving house soon.
He's not going to join us for dinner. → He's not joining us for dinner.

We have seen three ways to talk about the future. Check out the summary below, then continue
practising!

will
I will book the tickets tonight.
be going to
I'm going to book the tickets tonight.
present continuous
I'm booking the tickets tonight.

In informal situations, going to is often pronounced as gonna. It's safe to use gonna in casual
conversations or text messages with friends, but it should be avoided in formal writing!

I'm going to miss you! → I'm gonna miss you!

She's going to try the local food. → She's gonna try the local food.

Lesson 6: How was your trip? - It was unforgettable!

Vocabulary
amazing
The food in the hotel restaurant was amazing!
disappointing
The water pressure in the villa was really disappointing.
inviting
The photos on the website made the hostel look very inviting.
helpful
The staff in the hostel laundry service were so helpful!
unforgettable
The sunset at the beach was unforgettable.
once-in-a-lifetime
This was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
the highlight
Our kind host was the highlight of the trip for me.
luxurious
The hotel in Chiang Mai was very luxurious.
horrible
The air conditioning didn't work all week, it was horrible!
jaw-dropping

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The view from the hotel room was jaw-dropping!
nothing special
The location of the restaurant was nice but the food was nothing special.
to do something justice
The beach was beautiful - the photos really don't do it justice!
to leave much to be desired
The tiny kitchen left much to be desired.

Here's a tip
If you recently returned from a trip, you are likely to have a few stories to share! We are going to
focus on describing positive and negative experiences when travelling. Take a look at the
examples:

The view from the hotel was amazing.

The air conditioning didn't work, it was horrible!

Some of the phrases you have just learned are quite complex. Here's a quick recap:

Positive review
"It was great, the website doesn't do it justice." - Something is better than
it appears in photos or online.
Negative review
"The tiny kitchen left much to be desired." - It was not satisfactory.

So far we have seen a variety of phrases to describe our travels. Let's have a quick look at them
again before we practise using them.

Positive reviews Negative reviews

The photos don't do it justice. The food was nothing special.
It was The tiny kitchen left much to be
a once-in-a-lifetime trip. desired.
It was The tour was disappointing.
an unforgettable experience.

Lesson 7: Past simple review - Grammar: Past simple review

Here's a tip
We studied the "past simple" in A2, learning about regular and irregular verbs, negative forms and
questions. Now we're in B1, we'll take a closer look at the "past simple", looking at pronunciation,
irregular forms and common errors. Let's go!

170
First, a quick review. We use the "past simple" to talk about a completed action in the past. The
action can be recent or from a long time ago, something that happened once or repeatedly, and it
doesn't matter how long the action lasted.

Regular verbs in the past simple have the ending -ed [walk → walked, move → moved, study →
studied]. With irregular verbs, you have to learn the "past simple" forms one by one [go → went,
take → took, make → made].

She walked to school yesterday.

He moved house last year.
What did you do last night? I studied English.
We went to the seaside every summer when we were kids.
I took lots of photos on that trip.
I didn't make you a birthday cake this year - I made cookies instead.

Have you noticed that some verbs have two "past simple" forms? Both forms are correct. The forms
ending in -t are especially common in British English.

Verb Past Simple

burn burned OR burnt
dream dreamed OR dreamt
learn learned OR learnt
smell smelled OR smelt
spell spelled OR spelt

Now test your knowledge of the "past simple" with a quiz! Before you start, check out the
conjugation table below:

Verb | Past simple

be → was / were
bring → brought
buy → bought
drink → drank
go → went
lead → led
learn → learned OR learnt
let → let
like → liked
put → put
take → took

Lesson 8: Leave us a review! - Leave us a review!

Here's a tip

171
In this unit, you are going to read three different reviews left on travel sites about places to stay on
vacation. These reviews are taken from popular travel booking websites and represent the type of
language you are likely to find online.

We can use the word "when" to connect two related events. Let's look at how the writer did it in
this review:

When you flushed the toilet the shower became boiling hot.
Our bathroom was not clean when we arrived
In the morning when we went to get breakfast, they had no more food!

There are two useful phrases based on the word "all" used in this text. "All that said," is a useful
way to transition from a negative tone to a positive one. "All in all," is a nice way to begin a
summary at the end of a review.

All that said, the price was good for the area and we were only a 10-15 minute walk
from the beach.
All in all, the value of the hostel is great, but if you're looking for the usual
hotel comforts then this place is not for you.

The three texts in this lesson show a normal pattern for reviews. Usually negative reviews are short
and just list problems, and usually people who write positive reviews like to add more detail. This
is not a perfect rule, but it can be a helpful place to start.

If you need to write something in English, it can be helpful to look at a few examples to understand
the patterns people follow to help you find the right style to use.

Lesson 9: I'm moving abroad - I need to find an apartment!

Vocabulary
to open a bank account
I want to open a bank account.
to fill out forms
Please fill out these forms.
identification
You must provide two types of identification.
to rent an apartment
I will rent an apartment in Seville during my year abroad.
to pay rent
I pay rent on the first day of the month.
to sign
You must sign a tenancy agreement before you receive the keys.
to get a phone contract
I will get a phone contract when I arrive in Colombia.
to look up

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I will look up the meaning of the word.
embassy
I need to find the embassy.
routine
I have to find a new routine.

Here's a tip
Have you recently moved to a new country? When you arrive in a new place you often have a lot of
things to organise. Let's explore some of them now!

to rent an apartment
to open a bank account

We can also use the verb "to complete" when we talk about filling out forms.

Please fill out this form.

Please complete this form.

When opening a new bank account you may be asked to provide identification.

Please provide at least two different types of identification, such as a passport

or identity card.

Who are the people involved when you rent an apartment?

tenant landlord
the person who pays to live in the the person who owns the apartment
apartment
a tenant "rents" the apartment a landlord "lets" their apartment

We say "rent an apartment" when you live in an apartment you do not own. Rent is also the name
of the fee a tenant pays their landlord.

I paid rent at the end of the month.

My sister pays rent weekly.

We use the verb "to sign" with various documents, such as contracts.

I signed my employment contract yesterday.

You must sign your bank card before you use it.

When you move to a new place, you might have to find a new gym, supermarket or language
classes. Day-to-day activities like this form part of a "routine."

I've just moved to Istanbul, so I have a new routine.

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Lesson 10: Questions in the past simple - Grammar: Questions in the past simple

Here's a tip
Let's continue our review of the "past simple" with a recap of question forms. Look at these
sentences to review what you learned in A2:

Statement: He went to the gym.

Yes / no question: Did he go to the gym?
Wh- question: Why did he go to the gym?

We use the following structure to form a question in the "past simple":

(Wh- question word +) "did" + subject + verb (+ extra information)

Remember, the most common wh- question words

are: when, which, what, who, where, why and how.

Did you go there?

When did you go there?
Why did you go there?
Who did you go there with?

When the main verb is "to be", we use the following structure to form a question in the "past
simple":

(Wh- question word +) "was" or "were" + subject (+ extra information)

you she
Were you there? Was she there?
When were you there? When was she there?
Why were you there? Why was she there?
Who were you there with? Who was she there with?

We've studied the structure of questions in the "past simple". Here are the main patterns to
remember:

✅ Did you go there?

✅ When did you go there?
❌ When did you went there?
✅ Were you there?
✅ When were you there?
❌ When did you be there?
❌ When was you there?

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So far, we've practised using the "past simple" to talk about completed actions in the past. We also
use the "past simple" as a more polite alternative to the "present simple". Let's see some examples:

Present simple: Do you need any help? (casual)

Past simple: Did you need any help? (polite)
Present simple: Do you have a reservation? (casual)
Past simple: Did you have a reservation? (polite)

Lesson 11: Getting a phone contract - Getting a phone contract

Here's a tip
Ken, a student in Sydney, wants a new mobile phone contract. On the next screen, you will listen to
his conversation with Sam, a shop assistant. First, let's preview some of the words and phrases you
will hear:

data
unlimited
a SIM / a SIM card
a contract
a deal
a plan
Bear with me a sec.
to stream
How does this plan sound to you?
to go for something
to take down

Ken says "mobile phone". People whose English is influenced by British English tend to say
"mobile phone" or just "mobile", while in areas where US English is more influential people
generally say "cell phone" or "cell". But as landlines become less common, speakers of English
everywhere often simply refer to their mobile as a "phone".

Call me on my cell.
Have you seen my mobile anywhere?
She bought a new phone last week.

Now you will listen to Sam take Ken's customer details. Before listening, check that you
understand the following words and phrases:

No worries.
by the way
student ID
You're good to go.
Your account is all set up.
...if that's ok

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Good stuff.

Sam, the shop assistant, asks Ken lots of questions in the "past simple". We often use the past tense
to be polite.

Present simple: Do you want to pay now or next week? (casual)

Past simple: Did you want to pay now or next week? (polite)
Present simple: Do you have any other questions? (casual)
Past simple: Did you have any other questions? (polite)

Dialogue
Sam: Hi there, how's it going? Let me know if you need help with anything.
Ken: Hey, actually I'm looking to get a new mobile phone contract.
Sam: Right, let me show you some of our plans. Actually, we're doing this great offer at t
he moment. For $85 per month you get this brand new smartphone with 50GB of data, un
limited calls and texts, plus 1,000 international minutes.
Ken: Hmm... Is that a one-year contract?
Sam: It's a two-year contract, but...
Ken: Okay... Well, I have my own phone which is still pretty good. To be honest, I'm loo
king to get a SIM-only deal. Do you do contracts with just a SIM card?
Sam: Sure, we have a range of different SIM-only contracts. I'll just get the info. Bear wit
h me a sec... Okay, so this plan is quite popular. It costs $10 a month and for that you g
et 1GB of data plus 600 minutes of calls and 1,000 texts. But as you can see, we have di
fferent plans to suit different needs. What do you mainly use your phone for? Calls, texts,
data?
Ken: I don't make calls so much. I just send texts, and I use a lot of data. I stream lots
of videos, music...that kind of thing.
Sam: Right, so how does this plan sound to you? You get 25GB of data and unlimited tex
ts and minutes, all for only $40 a month.
Ken: 25 gig? That might not be enough data for me...
Sam: No worries. How about this plan? It comes with 50GB of data, unlimited texts and c
alls, plus 1,200 international minutes - and that costs just $50 a month.
Ken: How long is the contract?
Sam: It's a monthly contract, and you can cancel any time.
Ken: Yeah, that sounds good. I'll go for that one.
Sam: Great! Now if you come with me to the counter, I just need to take down your deta
ils.
Sam: This will only take a couple of minutes. I just need to check, did you want to keep
your existing phone number or would you like a new one?
Ken: I need a new one, please.
Sam: Sure, no worries. Please enter your name, email address and home address here for
me.
Ken: Thanks... Here you go. By the way, do you do a student discount?
Sam: Yes, we do. Did you have any student ID? You can get $5 off your bill for the firs
t six months.
Ken: Yeah, I've got it somewhere. Here it is.
Sam: Thanks. Right, that's all the information I needed. Your account is all set up. I'll just
install your new SIM card for you now - bear with me a sec. Right, you're good to go.

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Ken: Thanks!
Sam: You're welcome! Was there anything else you needed help with today?
Ken: Erm... Oh yeah. There was one other thing actually. Do you do repairs? I've got my
girlfriend's phone here. She dropped it the other day and the screen broke.
Sam: Let me see... Yeah, this is fairly common, unfortunately. We can fix it. Did she have
a care plan with us?
Ken: Yes, I printed a copy. Here you go.
Sam: Thanks. Yep, this plan covers accidental damage. Great - so that'll be $45 and it'll b
e ready for pickup in a week. Did you want to pay now or next week?
Ken: Next week if that's ok.
Sam: Yeah, that's absolutely fine. Did you have any other questions?
Ken: No, that's everything thanks.
Sam: Good stuff. Thank you for coming in today. Have a great day!
Ken: Thanks, you too.

Lesson 12: Working in English - I'm picking up the UK accent

Vocabulary
Chenxi is from China. He lives and works in the UK. At work, he only speaks English.

Here's a tip
We're going to hear Chenxi from China

Read the start of three sentences Chenxi is going to say. How do you think he will finish each one?

Well, I never feel completely comfortable speaking English at work because...

The most valuable advice I could give is...
I don't think anyone "owns" the English language, because...

Dialogue
Chenxi: I would say at work I definitely speak more English with native English speakers
because most of the team members in my team they are British…, um…, but overall, livin
g here in the UK I definitely feel I speak English more with non-native English speakers
because it’s a diverse city, with people from all over the world.
Chenxi: Well, I never feel completely comfortable speaking English at work because, if I h
ad a choice, I would rather speak in Chinese.
Chenxi: I feel I have an American accent because that’s most movies I watched, um.. are
American movies. But living here in the UK for a while I definitely feel that I’m picking
up the UK accent, a little bit.
Chenxi: The most valuable advice I could gave… I could give… is that, um… to love the
language you are learning, no matter it’s English or another language. You need to discov
er first why you love this language and why you wanna learn it. If you are just learning i

177
t for no reason or if you are just learning it for a test it might be difficult for you to... y
ou know... keep motivated.
Chenxi: I don’t think anyone owns the English language, because unlike other languages w
hich are, um… only spoken in a very small portion of the, the world, English is spoken
widely around the world so it’s really hard to define who are the owners of English um…
yeah, no one owns English, really.

Lesson 13: Who owns English? - Who owns English?

Vocabulary
Sophie is from France, but she lives and works in the UK. At work, she speaks English a
nd sometimes a little French.

Here's a tip
We're going to hear Sophie from France

Sophie is going to answer the following five questions. What do you think she will say?

1. At work, who do you speak English with the most?

2. How long did it take you to feel comfortable speaking English at work?
3. Are you proud of your English?
4. How do you feel about your accent?
5. Who do you think "owns" the English language?

Dialogue
Sophie: Most people I talk to at work are actually not British but English is our common
language to communicate, and… yeah, they are from Spain, or Brazil… A bit of everywhe
re in the world, but not many of them are British or American or even Canadian.
Sophie: So, I can’t remember exactly when I felt fully confident speaking English at work,
but I do remember at first being very scared during interviews. Basically I was scared pe
ople wouldn’t understand me, but very quickly I realised that people understood me perfect
ly and that my accent wasn’t a problem at all.
Sophie: I think that, um… I can say that I’m proud of my English. I’m quite proud that,
um… I know quite a few colloquialisms and, um… that I can use them, er… when they s
hould be used, and it makes me feel part of, er… yeah, part of Britishness actually.
Sophie: So, for a very long time I was quite annoyed, er…, at my accent because I was r
eally, really working hard on it to… to try to have a perfect, er… British accent. And… b
ut then I will go into shops and very, very quickly people would be “oh wow you are Fr
ench” and I was so annoyed and so upset. But then I… I realised what really mattered wa
s to be understood and… I am being more than understood actually. I communicate well a
nd… no one is actually asking me to repeat twice because they can’t understand me, and
everybody says that French accent is charming. I am not sure about that, but, er… I’ll tak

178
e it and I guess that I just, now, I embrace it because it’s just part of, er… who I am an
d there’s clearly not much I can do about it and… that’s ok.
Sophie: Anyone and everyone owns English these days because… as soon as there is a ne
w concept, or there is a new word someone invents, no matter where the person is from,
so… English is owned by anyone speaking English, basically, for me.

Lesson 14: Things are different where I'm from - Describing places

Vocabulary
lively
There are many lively areas in the old town.
cosmopolitan
Berlin has a cosmopolitan feel.
traditional
In Spain it's traditional to have a late dinner.
historic
When you visit historic places like churches, you're expected to wear appropriate clothes.
picturesque
Peru is famous for its picturesque views.
noisy
Her window faced a noisy street in a touristy area.
crowded
We've never seen a city as crowded as Tokyo.
polluted
I would never have thought that Paris was one of the most polluted cities in Europe.

Here's a tip
Let's have a look at some words we can use to talk about places we've visited or moved to. Make
sure to focus on the example phrases to learn some expressions that we can use to describe a
country's or region's culture.

It's traditional to...

The region is famous for...

The example phrases we've seen are a good way of describing a place in greater detail. Have a look
below to see these phrases again on their own:

It's traditional to...

You're expected to...
The city has a ... feel.
The region is famous for...
I've never seen something as ... as ...
I would never have thought that...

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Lesson 15: Comparing places - Grammar: Comparatives

Vocabulary
noisier than
The restaurant is noisier today than it was yesterday.
as many as
James brought as many bags as Juliana.

Here's a tip
We use comparative adjectives to talk about differences between two or more things.

In this unit we will practise forming sentences with comparatives, and use them to talk about our
travels. Let's have a look at some examples.

a train is faster than a bus

the beach is more crowded than the museum.

We form comparatives in two different ways:

1. one-syllable adjective + "-er" ending + "than"

2. "more/less" + adjective of 2 or more syllables + "than"

1. Mexico City is warmer than Toronto.

2. The hotel in Chicago was less luxurious than the hotel in Moscow.

Adjectives ending in "-y" change their ending to "-ier" in a comparison.

When an adjective ends in a vowel + a consonant, we double that consonant before adding "-er".

happy - happier
big - bigger

There are some irregular comparative adjectives:

good - "better"
bad - "worse"
Food in Italy is better than food in the U.K.

We can use "more / less ... than" to compare nouns to each other. We use "fewer" instead of "less"
when the noun is countable.

There are more bicycles in Amsterdam than in Warsaw.

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There are fewer people in St Petersburg than in Moscow.
There is less snow in Snowdonia than in the Alps.

To say that two things are equal in some way, we say that something is "as" + adjective + "as"
something else.

When we talk about equal quantities, we say "as many" + noun + "as". Let's look at some
examples:

Istanbul is as crowded as London.

There are as many museums in Athens as in Rome.

Lesson 16: Japanese high school life - Japanese high school life

Vocabulary
Hey everyone! My name is Sophie, I'm originally from Germany.

Here's a tip
We're going to meet Sophie, a German student who spent six months in Japan.

Sophie's going to tell us her four favourite things about her Japanese high school.

First, we'll watch the video and answer some questions. Then, we will focus more on some of the
expressions Sophie says.

Next we'll look at some of the expressions that Sophie uses in her video in more detail.

The expression "the very first" means the same as "the first", but is often used for emphasis.

Sophie uses the phrase "to go for" to say that the rule against wearing shoes inside applies
to multiple places.

So that doesn't only go for houses in Japan, it also goes for a lot of public
buildings, like schools.

The word "basically" is quite common in spoken English, and we often use it when explaining
something.

We use "to go hand-in-hand with" when two things are related - like shoes and a school uniform!

Lesson 17: I have a job interview tomorrow! - Job hunting

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Vocabulary
to look for a job
James told me you are looking for a job in Sweden, are you moving there?
a job advert
I was looking online yesterday and I found a really interesting advert.
to apply
I have to apply before midnight, otherwise it's too late.
to send an application
When you send an application, you need to include a summary of your experience and qu
alifications.

Here's a tip
Are you looking for a job? We're going to explore the process of finding a job and learn some
useful expressions to talk about your job search.

You will often hear expressions like "job hunting", "job seeking" or "job searching", which all
mean "looking for a job".

Job seeking is exhausting.

Good luck with job hunting.

A job advert describes a vacant role or position in a company. We can use these two words
interchangeably when we are talking about a job.

You need a degree in foreign languages to apply for this position.

We have three applicants for that role.

In the UK a summary of your experience and qualifications is called a "CV". In the US it is called a
"résumé".

Dialogue
Sonia: Did you know Nina sent an application to the UN? Apparently she wants to work t
here as an interpreter.
Alexander: Yes, she told me! I really think they will offer her the job, she has a great res
ume!
Sonia: Yeah, I hope so, that would be amazing!
Alexander: And she told me you are looking for a job in Sweden. Do you want to move
there?
Sonia: Yeah, I want to move in May. Actually, I was looking online yesterday and I foun
d a really interesting advert!
Alexander: Cool! Have you applied yet?
Sonia: No, I need to update my CV first, and I have to apply before midnight tonight, oth
erwise it's too late.
Alexander: Well, good luck with your job hunting, I hope you get the job!

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Sonia: Thank you!

Lesson 18: We offered him the job - The interview

Vocabulary
to make a good impression
I hope I made a good impression in my interview!
a candidate
We offered him the job. He was definitely the best candidate.
skills and qualifications
Laura's skills and qualifications are perfect for this role.
experience
You need to have at least three years' experience to apply for this job.
a good fit
Simon doesn't think she would be a good fit for the position.
to accept
Robert is going to accept the job offer today.
to decline
I declined the job offer because the salary wasn't very good.

Here's a tip
Before getting a job you usually have "an interview". In this unit, we’ll learn some useful phrases
that you might hear or say in a job interview.

Sometimes we use “interview” as a noun and sometimes we use it as a verb. Take a look at the
examples:

I have an interview tomorrow at 10am. (noun)

My manager interviewed three candidates for the role. (verb)

Next, we’ll look at some questions that you may hear in an interview. If you want to practise, you
should think of your answer to each interview question as you complete the exercises!

What would you say are your strengths, and what are your weaknesses?
Can you provide any references?

After the interview and at the end of the job hunting process, you will hopefully receive a "job
offer"! You will see this expression in the following noun and verb forms:

My dad received a job offer yesterday - he's really happy! (noun)

I think they are going to offer him the job today. (verb)

Dialogue

183
Interviewer: What would you say are your strengths, and what are your weaknesses?
Eric: I am very organised and driven. Sometimes I can get a little impatient, but I am wor
king on that.
Interviewer: Ok, thank you. We read on your CV that you worked for the company Lea
Mobile. Can you provide any references?
Eric: Yes, of course. I will send you the details of my manager, Tom.
Interviewer: That would be great, thank you. So, Eric, why do you think you are the right
candidate for this role?
Eric: I think I'm a good fit for the company, as I have worked in similar environments be
fore, and I have a strong passion and drive for what I do.
Interviewer: Thank you, Eric. We believe you are a good candidate and your skills and ex
perience are relevant to the role. We will let you know by the end of the week.
Eric: Ok, thank you very much. I look forward to hearing from you.

Review - Review

Here's a tip
Let's review the last few lessons! We're going to take another look at the vocabulary and grammar
that we have just covered.

First we're going to concentrate on the previous dialogue, so go back and have another listen if you
need to!

Dialogue
Ana: Hey Felipe, how's it going?
Felipe: Oh hey Ana! I'm great thanks!
Ana: You've got a nice tan there, did you just go on vacation?
Felipe: Yes, my partner and I went on a romantic getaway to Hawaii for a week. We got
back yesterday.
Ana: Oh wow! I'm going to go to Hawaii for a friend's wedding in a few weeks. Where
did you go, and what did you do there?
Felipe: We found a budget flight to Honolulu on Oahu, but we wanted to get away from t
he crowded beaches near there, so we went up to the North Shore and stayed in this smal
l beach town.
Ana: That sounds lovely! Did you enjoy your hotel?
Felipe: Yeah, we booked a vacation rental property there - the house we rented was nice.
Nothing too fancy, but comfortable and near the beach.
Ana: Did you do any surfing? I think I am going to try that when I go.
Felipe: Yeah, that was the highlight of the trip - we both took surfing lessons on our first
day and rented surfboards for the week. It was really fun.
Ana: Was it hard to rent the boards?
Felipe: No, they asked for us to leave behind some identification, but it didn't require a co
ntract or anything. I'll give you the information for the company if you want. They have o
ffices in lots of cities.

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Ana: Wow, that sounds much easier than I expected. That would be great, thanks!

The Economist - Good to go: restitution of art

Here's a tip
We've designed these lessons in cooperation with The Economist newspaper to challenge your
reading skills with current real-life texts.

You're about to read an article from The Economist newspaper about African art that was
wrongfully taken to Europe during the era of colonialism. Before you start, have a look at the
words below and make sure you understand their meanings.

era
at hand
to advocate
treasure
country of origin
art historian
economist
colonies
consent
ripples
restructuring
amassed
to rule over something

You're about to read an article from The Economist newspaper about African art that was
wrongfully taken to Europe during the era of colonialism. Before you start, have a look at the
words below and make sure you understand their meanings.

an era (a long time period)

at hand (nearby, coming soon)
to advocate (arguing to defend someone)
a treasure (something very valuable)
a country of origin (where something is from)
an art historian (an expert on the history of art)
an economist (an expert on trade, industry and money)
a colony (a country controlled by another country)
consent (permission to do something)
ripples (small waves caused by a change)
to restructure (to organise or arrange again)
to amass (to collect a large amount)
to rule over (to govern, to control)

185
The advice will cause ripples beyond France.

In English, "advice" and "advise" are easy to confuse. "Advice" is a noun, it's the opinion someone
offers you about what you should do. "Advise" is the verb, the action of giving someone advice.
Have a look at the examples below to see the difference!

Harriet gives great advice.

She advised me that I should exercise more.

The World in English - Japan's snow monkeys

Here's a tip
This video from The New York Times looks at a group of monkeys living in the mountains of
Nagano, Japan. Check out the following words from the video and make sure you understand them.
Then, as you watch the clip, consider why the monkeys love bathing. Is it just to keep warm?

primate
hot spring
investigate
behaviour (UK) / behavior (US)
hot tub
habit
bathe / soak
attraction
assumption
stress
generation

This video from The New York Times looks at a group of monkeys living in the mountains of
Nagano, Japan. Check out the following words from the video and make sure you understand them.
Then, as you watch the clip, consider why the monkeys love bathing. Is it just to keep warm?

a primate (a type of animal like monkeys, gorillas, or apes)

a hot spring (a body of water that is naturally hot)
to investigate (to try and discover the truth about something)
behaviour (the way you act around people)
a hot tub (a jacuzzi or hot bath)
a habit (an action that you often do)
to bathe / to soak (to sit in a bath of water)
an attraction (something that tourists visit)
an assumption (something you think is true without any proof)
stress (feelings of worry or anxiety)
generation (a group of people who all share about the same age)

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Lesson 19: The world's biggest sporting events - Popular sports, teams and sporting
events

Vocabulary
cricket
Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world with over 2.5 billion fans, but it is
not an Olympic event.
the World Cup
Pelé is the most successful player in the history of the World Cup - he lifted the trophy t
hree times.
the Premier League
The Premier League is the highest level of the English football league system.
the Tour de France
The world's biggest cycling race, the Tour de France, was first held in 1903.
the Super Bowl
American football's showpiece event, the Super Bowl, is usually the most-watched televisio
n broadcast of the year in the US.
Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.

Here's a tip
Even if you don't follow any sports, you probably agree that sport has the power to bring people
together and deliver moments of real excitement. Here we look at some of the world's most popular
sports, teams and sporting events. We will cover:

the Olympics - various sports

the World Cup - football [UK] / soccer [US]
the Tour de France - cycling
the Super Bowl - American football
Wimbledon - tennis

Here are two useful phrases: “to be into something” and “to get into something”. You are into
tennis means you like tennis or are interested in it. You are getting into tennis means you are
starting to like tennis or becoming interested in it. We often strengthen these phrases with the word
“really”. Check out these examples:

He is really into cricket at the moment.

I am not really into sports, to be honest.
She got into cycling during the Olympics.
I can't really get into boxing - it's too violent.

We previously learned about the verbs we use with different sports. We use play for sports with a
ball or similar object, go for sports ending in -ing, and do for martial arts and other recreational
activites, as these examples show:

187
My brother plays football on Sundays.
We're going cycling next weekend.
My daughter does taekwondo after school.

We've been learning about popular sports, teams and sporting events. Now test your knowledge of
sports (and English!) with this fun quiz.

When we talk about a team in English, we have to choose whether to use a singular or plural verb
form.

This depends on whether you see the team as a single unit ("the team is playing") or as a group of
several people ("the team are playing").

Both forms are correct - "is" is more common in US English, while "are" is more common in UK
English. Besides "team", other examples of collective nouns include: "family", "government" and
"public".

UK English US English
Manchester United are winning. Manchester United is winning.
My family are visiting me. My family is visiting me.
The government are listening to The government is listening to
our concerns. our concerns.

Lesson 20: Superlatives - Grammar: Superlatives

Here's a tip
We've recently seen a lot of superlatives, so now is a good time to review and explore this topic.
As we learned in A2, we use superlatives to describe the person or thing that is number 1 or first in
a given category. Check out these examples:

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa.

The Nile is the longest river on Earth.
Football is the most popular sport in the world.

Simply put, we add “-(e)st” to short words, and use “most” before long words. There are
exceptions to this basic rule, which we will look at later.

Short words Long words

old → the oldest beautiful → the most beautiful
tall → the tallest interesting →
the most interesting
large → the largest expensive → the most expensive

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If the word ends in "-y", we change the "-y" to "i" and add "-est". And if the word is, or ends with,
a consonant-vowel-consonant cluster, we add an extra consonant.

happy → the happiest

easy → the easiest
hot → the hottest
thin → the thinnest

Before the superlative, we often use "the". But we can also use a word like "my", "your", "her" and
so on, as these examples show:

What is your earliest memory?

This photo is my most important possession.
I'm a big Bowie fan - I think "Hunky Dory" is his best album.

We can use the word "second" to describe the person or thing that is number 2 in a category. For
example:

K2 is the second highest peak in the Himalayas.

The Amazon is the second longest river in the world.
Baseball is the second most popular sport in the USA.

Remember the basic rule: we use "-est" with short words, and we use "most" with long words.
Next up, we'll look at the exceptions to this basic rule. But first, let's wrap up this section with a
little geography quiz...

You probably remember that "good", "bad" and "far" don't follow the pattern we've just reviewed.
Here's a recap:

good the best

bad the worst
far the furthest / the farthest

There is a group of words that can take either "-est" or "most" in the superlative. These words all
have two syllables (beats), for example "gentle". Below are some of the most common words in
this group, one of which is the word "common"!

common the commonest / the most common

cruel the cruelest / the most cruel
gentle the gentlest / the most gentle
handsome the handsomest / the most handsome
likely the likeliest / the most likely
narrow the narrowest / the most narrow
polite the politest / the most polite
simple the simplest / the most simple
stupid the stupidest / the most stupid

189
What do we say when a person or thing is not number 1, but is in the top 10 or perhaps the top 100?
We have a couple of options, as shown below. Notice that the person or thing must be in the plural
form:

He is one of the best footballers in the world right now.

He is among the best footballers in the world right now.

Lesson 21: Mixed past tenses - Grammar: Mixed past tenses

Here's a tip
You've seen these two verb forms before: the past continuous ("was/were playing", "was/were
going") and the past simple ("played", "went"). Now we will practise using them together to
describe moments when two actions occurred at the same time, for example:

I was sleeping when the phone rang.

Our daughters got into kendo while we were living in Japan.

The combination of past continuous and past simple has a couple of different functions. For
instance, we use the past continuous to describe a longer event which was in progress for some
time, and we use the past simple to describe a shorter action that interrupted it. To connect the two
parts of the sentence, we use words like "when", "while" and "as". Here are some examples:

I was sleeping when the phone rang.

She called me while I was having dinner.
As I was driving home, I saw my old boss.

We also use the past continuous to talk about temporary actions and situations. In contrast, we use
the past simple to talk about completed actions or processes. Have a look at these examples:

Our daughters got into kendo while we were living in Japan.

I met him when I was working in Lagos.

Now let's practise what we've just learned. Remember: we use the past continuous for an event
which was in progress for some time, or a temporary situation. And we use the past simple for an
action that interrupts that event or coincides with that situation. Here we go...

Lesson 22: I'm working on my fitness! - Let's get fit!

Vocabulary
to get in shape
I want to get back in shape before my beach holiday.
to join a gym

190
If I want to get fit, I should probably join a gym.
to get a membership
I'd like to get a gym membership for one month, just to try it out.
to sign up for a class
You need to sign up for this yoga class at least 24 hours in advance.
a personal trainer
My gym's personal trainer helped me set a workout plan.
a challenge
Running a marathon is a major challenge.
to lift weights
My fitness goal is to lift weights until I can lift 100kg.
to do cardio
I need to do cardio to keep my heart healthy, but I hate running and cycling. Luckily I lo
ve to dance.
to train for an event
I'm training for the Brisbane marathon this year.
to be sore
I'm so sore after my workout, I'm going to rest today!

Here's a tip
Let's talk about health and fitness!

We are going to explore some language for talking about fitness routines, and prepare you to talk
about getting in shape - even if you never actually go to the gym.

Dialogue
Ken: Hey Natalia, you're looking great! Have you been working out?
Natalia: Oh, hi Ken! Thank you! Yes, I joined a gym a few months ago and have been g
etting back in shape. I signed up to run a race with my colleagues, and we're all training
together.
Ken: That's great, which gym are you going to?
Natalia: I got a membership to the new gym near my office, it's really nice. I have a mee
ting with a personal trainer every two weeks to look at my workout plan and set goals.
Ken: Wow, that's great. Are you mostly doing cardio to prepare for the race?
Natalia: Yes, mostly it's a lot of running, but I'm also lifting weights once a week to deve
lop my back muscles.
Ken: Good for you! Aren't you sore from this much training?
Natalia: No, it was a challenge when I started, but now it's much easier. I'm really enjoyin
g this new routine.

Lesson 23: Please sponsor me! - Reading: Please sponsor me!

Here's a tip

191
Have you ever taken part in a charity sports event?

We are going to read an email from Charlotte, who is running a 5km race for charity. She is writing
to her family and friends to ask for their support. Look out for some of the fitness vocabulary we
have seen recently!

You will also see some new words in the text associated with charity. Let's take a closer look
before we start:

"to raise money for" - to collect donations for a charity

"cause" - the reason for entering the charity event
"to sponsor" - when you support someone by giving donations to their cause

Charlotte uses emotive language because she is talking about something that is very important to
her.

This cause is very close to my heart.

It really means the world to me.
Any amount will be greatly appreciated!

Charlotte is training for an event, and she has goals she wants to achieve. Notice how she talks
about them:

I want to reach my target of £250

I aim to complete the event in 30 minutes.

Charlotte talks about her actions and their outcomes in her emails. We will see more of this
construction later on.

If you donate, the money will pay for clothes and food at the shelter.
If I work hard, I will succeed.

We are now going to see how Charlotte's race went in another short email. Did she manage to reach
the targets she set herself?

Charlotte uses the phrase "I can't tell you how grateful I am" to show her gratitude. In cases like
this we use "I can't tell you" to emphasise a strong feeling.

I can't tell you how angry I am right now.

I don't know how to thank you.
I have no words to describe how I feel.

Lesson 24: Cause and effect language - Grammar: Cause and effect language

Here's a tip

192
How is your fitness plan going? We are now going to use cause and effect language to talk about
our progress.

Notice the bold words in these examples - what do they introduce?

Leo is in shape as a result of his pilates classes.

Since joining the gym, I have lost weight.

We use particular words and phrases to express cause and effect. These words and phrases can go at
the start or middle of the sentence and show that two clauses are connected.

Cause
"because", "since" - introduce the cause of something.
I am sore (effect) because I worked out too much yesterday (cause).
Effect
"so", "therefore" - introduce the effect of something.
I recently got a membership (cause), so I can sign up for classes (effect).

We can also use the following construction to introduce causes:

XX + noun phrase.

Emily is more flexible as a result of her yoga classes.

Due to the weather, I will train in the gym.
Because of my membership, I can sign up for as many classes as I want!

We use first conditional to talk about hypothetical actions and their results.

Let's recap the form:

"if" + present tense (cause) + simple future (effect).

If I train hard, I will finish my fitness plan.

I will get a membership if I like the gym.

We use different language to introduce causes and effects of our actions.

Introducing a cause since, because, as a result of,

because of, due to
Introducing an effect so, therefore

Lesson 25: What do you do to relax? - Make time for yourself.

Vocabulary

193
to be overwhelmed
I have a lot of work at the moment. I am very overwhelmed!
to unwind
I usually unwind by reading a book.
to have a lot on
I have a lot on at the moment, so I can't come to the party.
to make time for
At the weekend I like to make time for myself.
to put pressure on oneself
My brother puts a lot of pressure on himself to succeed at university.
me time
I have been really busy lately, I need some me time!
to take yoga classes
I take yoga classes in the evening because they help me sleep.
to take part in group therapy
I take part in group therapy once a month.
to join a walking club
I joined a walking club so I could get away from the city at the weekend!

Here's a tip
Do you have a busy schedule? Do you find yourself struggling to balance work, your social life,
language classes, and the gym? If so you aren't alone, and you certainly aren't the only person
feeling stressed.

We are going to talk about describing our state of mind, and also share the ways we try to manage
our emotional wellbeing.

We use the verb "to unwind" to talk about relaxing, particularly after a busy period. You often
unwind by doing a calming activity.

I like to unwind in front of the TV before bed.

We use phrases such as "me time" or "alone time" to talk about time we spend focusing on
ourselves. It's important to do this when we are feeling overwhelmed!

We are now going to see how some people spend their "me time" and manage their stress.

There are many ways people can choose to spend their "me time." Below are a few more examples.
Notice the verbs we use with these activities.

to take cooking classes

to join a book club
to take part in volunteer projects

Dialogue
Sean : Hey Alice! How's it going?

194
Alice: Oh hi Sean, I'm ok. I'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment - I have a lot on at univ
ersity.
Sean : Oh dear, I know how you feel. Remember, you do need to make time for yourself.
Are you still taking yoga classes?
Alice: No, I'm not. I want to join a book club though.
Sean : Reading is a great way to unwind! Would you like to take part in any volunteer pr
ojects? At the moment I am helping at the local hospital once a week after lectures. I kno
w it's not exactly alone time but it's good to do something different.
Alice: That sounds good actually! I'd like to find out more.

Lesson 26: Present perfect continuous - Grammar: Present perfect continuous

Here's a tip
Do you remember? We use continuous tenses to talk about actions that continue for a certain period
of time, and perfect tenses to talk about actions that are completed. Let's look at a tense which
combines features of both of them: the present perfect continuous.

I have been doing yoga to relax.

He has been struggling at work.

There are two uses of the present perfect continuous. We can use it to either express that an
action began at a certain point in the past and is still happening, or we can use it to speak about
something that's been happening recently.

They've been speaking for an hour.

They've been working out a lot.

Here's how we form the present perfect continuous:

"have / has" + "been" + present participle of the verb

He has been doing yoga for three months.

I have been struggling with my workload.

We often use the present perfect continuous with a specific duration to clarify how long an action
has continued up till now.

He's been going to the gym since January.

They've been training for that marathon for six months.
I've been listening to the radio for the last hour.

We form negative sentences by putting "not" before "been".

I have not been spending enough alone time.

They have not been sleeping well.

195
To ask a question in the present perfect continuous, "have / has" swaps position with
the person doing the action. Have a look below to see an example.

He has been doing yoga all day.

Has he been doing yoga all day?

Lesson 27: Let's talk mental health! - Radio One: Let's talk mental health!

Here's a tip
You're going to listen to a radio show on emotional wellbeing. What approaches to improving
mental wellbeing does the host discuss with her callers? Prepare by looking at some of the
expressions you're going to hear.

mental health
to have trouble falling asleep
It's not up to us.
I've been in your position before.

Before we move on to listen to the next caller, have a look below and make sure you understand the
meanings of the words and expressions.

to struggle with mental health issues

to develop depression
anxiety
to doubt yourself
to be patient with yourself

Lesson 28: Level up! - Gamers unite

Vocabulary
a controller
The buttons on our controllers were sticky, so we got a new pair.
a game console
You can play games on your smartphone, tablet, computer, or using a video game console.
a headset
I like to use my headset to talk to the other players in the game - it avoids having to typ
e messages.
multiplayer
I remember a racing game from when I was young, it was always so much fun to play in
multiplayer mode with my family.

196
to cheat
My brother loves to cheat when we play racing games, but I usually win anyway.
bandwidth
The video sequences of this game need a lot of bandwidth, my internet speed isn't good e
nough.
graphics
Have you seen the graphics in the new puzzle game? The backgrounds look like they were
handpainted.
to lag
The new racing game has amazing graphics and is very exciting, but on my internet conne
ction it always lags.
a raid / to raid
We're on a raid to steal their treasure. / We're raiding their treasure chest.
a level / to level up
I just reached the final boss level. / You might want to level up your character before fig
hting the final boss.

Here's a tip
You've recently seen language for different ways people spend their free time. Increasingly many
people relax and enjoy themselves playing video games. In this section we'll look at language
related to video games and digital leisure in general.

In English, it is possible to make a verb (action) out of most nouns (things). Some of these are quite
standard and common such as "a walk"→ "to walk" while others are more informal and part of
modern slang like "an adult" → "to adult". Language about new technologies use this pattern very
regularly and we'll look at a few examples here.

Nouns (Things) Verbs (Actions)

I need to send an email. I emailed her yesterday.
Did you receive a text? You shouldn't text while
driving.
Quickly add a bookmark from the Remember to bookmark that page.
menu.
I made a friend today. I unfriended him last week.
I just got a high score. I just scored 4,587 points!

Dialogue
Owen: Mom! Stop it!
Katie: What do you mean "stop it"? I just won. Isn't the point of the game to win?
Owen: Yes, but you must be cheating! How were you going so much faster than me?
Katie: I must have picked up more coins - don't they make you go faster?
Owen: Do they? I guess that might explain it. But how were you throwing fire at me?
Katie: I picked up a special flower I think. That might be how I levelled up. Didn't you k
now that?
Owen: I don't know, I usually just push all the buttons on the controller.

197
Katie: Hmmm, you might want to try a new strategy.
Andrew: Hey Amy, have you played that new game I gave you yet?
Amy: Yeah, wow the graphics are so good! You can see every piece of grass moving in t
he wind!
Andrew: Oh, yeah, though it uses so much bandwidth that my console lags when I enter a
new area. It takes the game a few seconds to load the new scenes. At least I think it's
my console, it might be the version of the game I have.
Amy: That's a shame, you might have an older system than I do. Did it come with a head
set in the box like mine?
Andrew: No, I bought my headset afterwards.
Amy: Ah, it must be an older version then. Well, you can come play at mine whenever y
ou want. I haven't tried the multiplayer mode yet. We can do a raid together!
Andrew: I'm in!

Lesson 29: Modals of probability - Grammar: Modals of probability

Here's a tip
We're going to talk about probability and possibility using modal verbs:

We use "must" when we are certain that something is true.

We use "can't" when we are certain that something is not true.

The modal goes before the main verb in the sentence.

This must be the new version of the game, I've never seen it before.
Surely I can't lose with this score!

We use "might", "may" and "could" when we are less certain that something is true, but we still
think it is a possibility.

We use "may not" and "might not" to express this in the negative.

I may buy the latest version of the game, but I need to see the price first.
I might not be online tonight, I have lots of work to do.

We often use modals of probability with continuous verbs. The modal goes before the verb "to be".

You must be joking!

I can't be losing, I was doing so well.

We can also use modals to say how certain we are about past events.

modal + "have" + past participle

Who won the game yesterday?

198
It can't have been Liam, he had very few points.
Jess could have won, she had a high score when I left.

When using modals to talk about the past, we sometimes use contracted forms. These only occur
in spoken language and are very informal.

might have - might've

could have - could've

We use modals to show how certain we are about something.

More certain Less certain

must might, may, could
can't might not, may not

Review - Review

Vocabulary
Devorah and Yuvan discuss the wifi connection in their flat.
Amita and Adrian are catching up about sports.

Here's a tip
Let's revise what we've learned in the past few lessons. We'll review some of the vocabulary we've
come across and practise the most important grammar points. Let's get started!

The Economist - Gamers of the world, unite: eSports

Here's a tip
You're about to read an article from The Economist newspaper about a video gaming venue that
opened in Texas in November 2018. Before you start, have a look at the words below and make
sure you understand their meanings.

gamers, gaming
amid
strobe lights
competitive
booming
tune in
streaming service

199
to stage
to lure
to nurture
avid
tournament
sponsor
maladjusted
console

In the article, we learn that gamers play together while listening to "thundering music". As you
might've guessed, "thundering" describes music as loud as "thunder".

The video-gamers will gather to watch each other compete amid strobe lights, LED
screens and thundering music.

"Most people still think of gamers as maladjusted teens who hole up for hours in the dark,
alone but for their consoles."

As you can see in this sentence, we often use the word "but (for)" to say "except (for)". Have a look
below for more examples.

I liked everything but the fish.

The fridge was empty, but for half a carton of milk.

The World in English - Man on an edge

Here's a tip
Fearless, passionate and skillful. What are we describing? Window cleaners, of course! Watch to
find out about the tricks of the trade and the everyday challenges. Here are some useful words and
phrases for you to look out for.

window cleaner
to put someone down
equipment
height
to take advantage of something
anchor
to lose your balance
to hug
to lean back
to drop
to hold something tightly
knee replacement

200
to take someone seriously
ammonia
squeegee
to cramp

"To take something for granted" means to not respect / appreciate something.

We never want to take our equipment for granted.

Brent talks about some of the effects that window cleaning has on the body, using the term "wear
and tear" to describe natural damage caused over time. He says that for window cleaners, this is
normally worst in the knees.

The most wear and tear for window cleaners is in the knees.

Lesson 30: We're planning a party - Let's celebrate!

Vocabulary
a special occasion
What's the occasion?
to set a date
Once we've set the date, we'll send out invitations.
a venue
I'm trying to find the right venue for my birthday party.
an invitation
She sent out the invitations well in advance.
Is the dress code smart or casual?
If the dress code is formal, I'll wear my new suit.
to bring a plus one
Let me know if you want to bring a plus one.
a seating plan
They created a seating plan to mix the guests up.
catering
A friend has organised our catering.
to propose a toast
Rob is proposing a toast.

Here's a tip
When we're preparing for a family event, a wedding anniversary or a birthday, there is a lot to keep
in mind. Let's have a look at some useful expressions around planning and attending a party.

"To invite" (X) is the verb we use to talk about the action of sending or offering an invitation.
You'll also hear "an invite", which is more casual than "an invitation".

201
Has he invited Sarah too?
She says she hasn't received an invite yet.

When we get invited to an event, whether it's by formal invitation or on social media, we're often
asked to "RSVP". These letters stand for the French phrase "répondez s'il vous plaît", which
literally means "please respond" (X). Hosts often ask guests to RSVP so they know how many
people will attend.

Please RSVP by 15 March.

Have you RSVP'd yet?

When we finish a toast or clink glasses, we usually say "Cheers!".

Lesson 31: First conditional review - Grammar: First conditional review

Here's a tip
The first conditional introduces a possible situation and its consequence. We often use the first
conditional to talk about events that could occur in the present or future, and what will happen as a
result of those events.

Let's revise the form:

"If" + present simple (possible situation), future simple (consequence).

If we don't set a date (possible situation), none of the guests will be available.
(consequence)
We won't be able to go (consequence) if we don't RSVP soon! (possible situation)

There are some variations in the way we form the first conditional.

Instead of "if" we can use "when".

Instead of "will" we can use "might / may / could" with the infinitive.

Take a look at the examples below:

We'll be able to create the seating chart when we have a guest list.
If there's a DJ, people might dance.

Dialogue
Tyler: Hey Vanessa! We need to hurry up and organise this party. If we don't set a date s
oon, none of the guests will be available! Dad won't be happy if his family can't come.

202
Vanessa: Hi Tyler, I agree! There's a lot to organise. We said we should eat outside, but
what will we do if it rains?
Tyler: Hmm. If it rains we'll use the gazebo that Mom and Dad keep in the garage! I hop
e it doesn't have any holes in it, it is very old...
Vanessa: Good plan! I've been thinking about entertainment as well… If there's a DJ, peop
le might dance. What do you think?
Tyler: I'm not sure. I'll talk to Mom, and if she thinks it's a good idea, I'll look for a loc
al DJ.
Vanessa: And what about food? This is why we need to send the invitations! We'll be abl
e to create the seating plan when we know who is coming.
Tyler: Ok, let's set a date for the party and hope that people RSVP quickly!

Lesson 32: Second conditional - Grammar: Second conditional

Here's a tip
We've just revised possible situations and their consequences using the first conditional.

Now we're going to talk about hypothetical situations and their consequences using the second
conditional! We use this construction to talk about situations that are unlikely or imaginary, and
what would happen if those situations were true.

Take a look at some examples below:

If I wasn't busy this weekend, I would come to your graduation.

I would buy some new shoes, if I had enough money this month.

The second conditional has two parts:

"If" and the past simple introduce a hypothetical situation.

"Would" and the infinitive introduce the consequence of that hypothetical situation.

Either part can go first in the sentence.

If I had time (hypothetical situation), I would buy an outfit for the party
(consequence).
You would enjoy the party (consequence) if you knew more people (hypothetical
situation).

We often use the contracted form of "would" ('d) when forming the second conditional.

If I didn't have a full car, I'd drive you to the party.

If Omar had time, he'd cut his hair before the wedding.

We can use the second conditional construction to ask polite questions:

203
Would it be alright if I brought a plus one?

We form the second conditional with: "if" + past simple and "would" + infinitive. We use it to talk
about hypothetical situations and their consequences.

Let's imagine a world where we had more time for ourselves, and more money to spend on things
other than rent - what would we do?

When introducing a hypothetical situation we use "were", especially when we use the second
conditional to give advice or make suggestions. Occasionally, you may see "was" in its place.

If the week were 8 days long, Adam would visit his parents more often.
If I were you, I'd wear a suit.

Lesson 33: Going to a festival - Have a really great time!

Vocabulary
a wristband
First, you show your ticket to get your wristband, then you show your wristband to get int
o the festival.
camping
If you're planning on camping at the festival, don't pitch your tent near the toilets - the s
mell and slamming doors will give you sleepless nights!
glamping
Glamping - a blend of "glamorous" and "camping" - is a bit like traditional camping, but
more luxurious.
a headliner
The organisers have just announced the headliners for next year's festival.
a VIP / a very important person
We're paying extra to get the VIP treatment: backstage passes, glamping and - best of all
- hot showers!
a genre
Some festivals specialise in one musical genre, while others have a bit of everything: stadi
um rock, laid-back hip-hop, DJs, you name it.
sunscreen
Sunscreen protects your skin from the sun's rays. Some people call it suncream or suntan l
otion.
wellies
Wellington boots, or wellies for short, are called galoshes in the USA. They are also know
n as rain boots and gum boots in some areas.
a food truck
The food at this festival is awesome! Have you tried the falafel truck near the acoustic sta
ge?

Here's a tip

204
Open-air music events have boomed in popularity in recent years. Some of the most popular are
Glastonbury in England, Coachella in America, and Fuji Rock in Japan. If you're one of the
millions of people soon heading off for a weekend of music and camping, check out these words
and phrases before you go!

Imagine you're going to Glastonbury Festival in England. You want to have a really great time, but
what do you need to take with you? What should you do while you're there? Let's get the advice
and views of experienced festival-goers! Try to choose the correct answers as we go...

Lesson 34: Intensifiers - Grammar: Intensifiers

Vocabulary
absolutely
I am absolutely delighted to win this award, but I couldn't have done it without the help o
f my co-workers.
completely
The festival was completely different from what I expected. There was so much to see and
do!
extremely
Although they didn't reach the final this time, I'm extremely proud of this group of player
s.
highly
Take these painkillers twice a day. They're highly effective, so you should feel better in a
few days.
incredibly
In many countries, weddings can be incredibly expensive.
totally
Don't worry if you feel stressed sometimes, that's totally normal.

Here's a tip
We use intensifiers - words like "very" and "really" - to strengthen other words. As the following
examples show, we put intensifiers before adjectives:

The people here are very friendly.

The test was so difficult.
We had a really great time at Glastonbury.

Now we've eased into the topic, let's look at some more advanced intensifiers. Using these words
will add colour and variety to your speech, boosting your English communication skills!

absolutely
completely
extremely
highly

205
incredibly
totally

We use "very" with adjectives like "big". We don't usually use "very" with stronger adjectives like
"enormous" (which means "very big"). With strong adjectives like "enormous", we use intensifiers
like "really", "absolutely", "completely" and so on.

✅ very big, very small, very good, very bad

❌ very enormous, very tiny, very great, very awful
✅ absolutely enormous, absolutely tiny, really great, completely awful

The words we've just learned cannot be used interchangeably. Some intensifiers pair only with
particular adjectives. To help you become more familiar with these pairings, the upcoming screens
will guide you through some common examples.

✅ She is a highly skilled worker.

❌ He is a highly nice person.
✅ He is an incredibly nice person.

Lesson 35: Top tips for the Fringe Festival - Reading: Top tips for the Fringe Festival

Here's a tip
You are going to read a guide for attending a major festival in Scotland. Before you start, have a
look at the words and phrases below that you will find in the text.

the arts (music, theatre, dance, etc.)

a big name (a famous person)
a DJ set (a group of songs played by a DJ)
energetic (full of energy)
to miss out (to not join an activity)
to be packed with (to be full of)
spectacles (shows or performances)
to take place (to happen)
unpredictable (surprising or hard to predict)
a venue (an event location)

Many texts use paragraphs with headers to organise information into small chunks. When reading a
longer text in a foreign language it is often helpful to read the headings first, especially when you
know what information you're looking for. Try using this strategy for the next few questions.

Lesson 36: We're having a dinner party - We're having a dinner party

206
Vocabulary
to have people over
I'm having a few people over tonight to watch the football.
to host a dinner party
We hosted a dinner party at our new house last week, it was great!
to throw a party
I want to throw a birthday party for my sister.
a housewarming
Are you going to have a housewarming when you move into your new home?
a board game night
We usually host a board game night once a month for our school friends.
a house party
Our neighbours had a house party last night, it was quite loud!
to get together
I'm getting together with my old school friends tonight.
a get-together
Sarah had a get-together at her house last week.

Here's a tip
We have recently explored big events such as weddings and festivals. Now let's talk about how we
socialise with our closest friends. Here are some examples of the phrases we will see:

We should host a dinner party to catch up with everyone.

I'm having a boardgames night, please come!

We use different verbs with different social occasions.

You can use "to have" or "to host" with any of the events in this section.

You can use "to throw" only when talking about a type of party.

Luke is having a board game night tomorrow.

David hosted his sister's birthday party.
They are throwing a dinner party to celebrate the new flat.

Some verbs in English can become nouns.

personal pronoun
Noun
to get together
a get-together
to get away
a getaway
to catch up
a catch-up

207
Housemates James and Amelia are organising an event with a group of close friends. In this next
section we will follow them as they organise the event via texts and voice messages. Look out for
the phrases we just learned!

to organise an event
I am organising a party for my girlfriend's graduation.

BYOB is an expression that stands for "bring your own booze". "Booze" is a word we use for
alcohol. For some parties, the host might ask you to bring your own alcoholic drinks, to avoid
spending a lot of money on their event!

We say "I can make it" when we are able to attend events. The negative is "I can't make it".

Amy says she can't make it to the dinner party, unfortunately.

I will let you know soon if I can make it to the concert.

Lesson 37: Complex question tags - Grammar: Question tags

Here's a tip
Question tags are short questions that we add to the end of a statement, to check if something is
true or to invite people to agree with us. Have a look below to see what they look like.

Amelia's a great cook, isn’t she?

You can't do Thursday, can you?
University feels like a very long time ago now, doesn't it?

Forming question tags is straight forward: when there's an auxiliary verb ("to have" / "to be") or
a modal verb ("must" / "can / "will") in the main part of the sentence, we repeat it in the question
tag together with the person we address.

She has planned lots of parties before, hasn't she?

James can bring a plus one, can't he?

If the verb in the main part of the sentence is positive, the question tag has to be negative. In turn, if
the verb in the main part is negative, the question tag has to be positive.

He is a great host, isn't he?

He's not a great host, is he?

When there's no auxiliary or modal verb in a sentence, we use the verb "to do" for the question tag,
as you can see below.

You work near the shopping centre, don't you?

She never hosts dinner parties, does she?
We forgot to invite Pablo, didn't we?

208
When you talk about yourself using "I am" in the main part of the sentence, the question tag
becomes "aren't I", as you can see below.

I am a great cook, aren't I?

When we don't shorten a negative question tag, the word order changes, as you can see below.

They went to the party, didn't they?

They went to the party, did they not?

Lesson 38: It's nice to get together! - Listening: It's nice to get together!

Here's a tip
It’s Saturday night, and the guests have arrived for James and Amelia's dinner party. We’re going
to listen to the group's dinner table conversation with some background noise. Let's use this extra
challenge to strengthen our listening skills!

Before we start, take a look at the words and phrases below and make sure you know what they
mean.

it's been ages

it has been a long time
to feel like, look like, sound like
to catch up
veggie

As you know, we use verbs with "like" to describe similarities. However, we also use verbs with
"like" to express our own theories and uncertain conclusions about something.

We use "looks like" when our theories or conclusions are based on something we can see.

We use "sounds like" when our theories or conclusions are based on something someone has said.

We use "feels like" to express our personal opinion or feelings about something.

It looks like I’m sitting next to you this evening.

That sounds like fun.
University feels like a very long time ago now!

Charlie: Hi Kate! It looks like I’m sitting next to you this evening. It’s been ages, how are you
doing?

Kate: Yeah, I’m fine thanks Charlie. Yeah I know, it has been a really long time, hasn’t it? Are you
still in the same job?

209
Charlie: Yes I am! I’ve really been enjoying work recently. I have a new team, and my new boss is
really nice. I have the opportunity to work on lots of different projects. You work near the Bull
Ring shopping centre too, don’t you? I think I walk past your office on my way to work most days.

Kate: Really? We should go for lunch some time! It’s really good that you're enjoying work so
much. (With mouth full) Mm oh my gosh this food is amazing! Amelia's a great cook, isn’t she? I
wish I could cook like her - I never host dinner parties because I'm scared I'll burn anything I put in
the oven! How are the veggie dishes, Nadia?

Nadia: Yeah, the food is great, and it’s very kind of Amelia to make so many good vegetarian
options.

Charlie: Definitely! It’s really nice to get together again. University feels like a very long time ago
now, doesn't it?

Nadia: I know what you mean. It’s good to organise events like this so we can catch up.

At the end of the meal Amelia wants to make a speech to the small group. Listen out for these
words:

last minute
to suppose
group chat

We know that a "plus one" is one extra guest at a party. When we talk about multiple extra guests,
we tend to say "plus ones".

Plus ones are welcome!

We can't invite any plus ones because we don't have enough space at ours.

Amelia: I just wanted to say thank you all for coming. We decided to host this dinner party quite
last minute, so it’s a miracle you could all come!

Kate: The food is delicious by the way! The sweet potatoes in particular are amazing, aren’t they
Nadia?

Nadia: Yes! Cheers to the sweet potatoes

All: Cheers!

Amelia: Aw, you’re all very kind. I wish we could all see each other more often, but the weekends
just aren’t long enough, are they?

Charlie: Before we leave tonight, we should organise the next get-together. Who wants to host?
I’m living with my parents at the moment, and I don’t suppose anyone wants to have a party with
them around, do they?

James: I’m sure your dad throws a good house party, Charlie!

210
Kate: My boyfriend wants to have a housewarming for our new flat, so why don’t you all come
along to that? I think it will be on the 24th May, but you can let me know later if you can make it or
not. Plus ones are welcome!

Amelia: Thanks Kate, that sounds like fun. If you put the details on the group chat, we can organise
it as soon as possible!

Review - Review

Here's a tip
We’re going to take another look at the vocabulary and grammar that we have just covered in the
last few lessons.

Let’s start by concentrating on the dialogue we’ve just heard. Go back and have another listen if
you need to!

Dialogue
Elliott: Hey Zoe! It was nice to see you at Elisa's housewarming last week. You said you
were going to the Isle of Wight Festival, didn't you? I'm going, but I haven't got my ticke
ts yet.
Zoe: Hi Elliott - yes I am! I bought my tickets yesterday. If I were you, I'd get your tick
ets soon - if you don't order them this week, they'll get more expensive.
Elliott: I know... I need to get together with my friends to plan the trip.
Zoe: I'm sure it will be fine! Have you seen pictures of the venue yet? It looks totally aw
esome!
Elliott: Yeah! It's absolutely enormous isn't it? Do you know who the headliners are?
Zoe: The headliners are being announced tomorrow. I can't wait - I want to pack my bag
now!
Elliott: Me too! Is there a dress code for this type of event? I've never been to a festival
before...
Zoe: Nope. People usually wear whatever they want. But don't forget your wellies - last ye
ar it rained all weekend and there was a lot of mud!
Elliott: Thanks a lot Zoe, I'll text you when I finally get my wristband. I'll see you at Lia
m's dinner party tomorrow night!
Zoe: Yes, see you there!

The World in English - House tour with Aerin Lauder

Here's a tip
In this video, Aerin Lauder shows us around her apartment in Upper East Side Manhattan. Here are
some useful words which will help you when watching. See if you can spot them!

211
apartment
favourite piece
library
bought
sneakers
box
I have taken that idea and run with it.
gift
famous painting
dining room
portrait
dressing room
No boys allowed.
heirloom
clean

Instead of "apartment", we could also say "flat". Both are correct, but "apartment" is more common
in American English, and "flat" is more common in British English. Can you hear the following
example in the video?

I've lived in this apartment for 18 years and not a lot has changed.

Lesson 39: What is your favourite food? - Ingredients

Vocabulary
lettuce
The lettuce was very fresh and crunchy.
tomato
We could make tomato sauce for the pasta.
cucumber
I'd like a quarter kilo of cucumbers.
onion
How much is a bag of onions?
garlic
I need a clove of garlic to make the lunch.
potato
Can you give me two kilos of potatoes?
banana
Make sure the bananas are ripe before you eat one.
apple
They prefer green apples.
strawberry
Strawberries and cream are delicious.

Dialogue

212
Greengrocer: Good morning. What can I get for you?
Helen: I'm going to a picnic later and need some fruit. What have you got that's tasty?
Greengrocer: Well, we've got some lovely cherries, just in today. And some tasty peaches.
Helen: OK, a kilo of each please. And I'd better get some apples too. Not everyone likes
cherries and peaches.
Greengrocer: No problem. Two kilos? Also, we've got some fresh orange juice if you'd lik
e. It's cold too.
Helen: That'd be nice. They say it's going to be hot today. A perfect day for a picnic.
Greengrocer: Yes, it sure is. That'll be 6.50 in total, please.
Helen: Here you go. Thanks a lot for your help. Bye.

Lesson 40: Bake the bread - Cooking at home

Vocabulary
the recipe
This recipe is very easy to prepare.
the ingredients
Buy the necessary ingredients.
to cut
Cut the carrots and the asparagus.
to boil
Boil the potatoes.
to bake
Bake the bread.
to heat
Heat the sauce.
to fry
Fry the potatoes and the onion.
to stir
Stir for 15 minutes.

Lesson 41: Probability - Grammar: Probability

Here's a tip
With will and won't we can show that things are more or less probable by using adverbials
like definitely, probably and maybe.

Definitely has the strongest meaning and shows that we are sure about what we're saying.

It definitely won't rain tomorrow.

Probably shows that we think something is likely, but is less sure than 'definitely'

213
It probably won't rain tomorrow.

Maybe is used to say that we are less sure about something.

Maybe it will rain tomorrow.

We use the verbs may and might to say that there is a possibility that something will happen.
They are less sure than using 'will' and 'won't'

It might be a fun party. It will be a fun party.

The adverbs probably and definitely usually come after will but before won't:

We will probably visit them this year. She'll definitely leave soon. They probably
won't arrive on time. We definitely won't go there again.

The adverb maybe usually comes at the beginning of a clause:

Maybe we'll go out later.

We don't usually use the adverbs 'probably', 'definitely' and 'maybe' with the verbs may and might:

We might go out later. not* We probably might go...

Lesson 42: I'm reading a good book - I like to read books.

Vocabulary
poetry
I write poetry in my free time.
fiction
I prefer reading fiction to non-fiction.
non-fiction
I prefer non-fiction. Learning about places and people is interesting to me.
autobiography
I am reading an autobiography at the moment.
author
My favourite author has written over 60 books.
plot
The plot is the events that happen in a story.
sequel
The sequel is being released next month, I can't wait!
ebook
I usually buy ebooks instead of paperbacks nowadays.

Dialogue

214
Robert: Hi Jane. I've just finished my book. Do you have something I could borrow?
Jane: Yes, I've got loads of books. What kind of thing do you want? What book did you
just finish?
Robert: The one I read was actually non-fiction, a diary of a traveller many years ago. Bu
t I like lots of things really.
Jane: Well, I have an autobiography by another traveller. He's Spanish but grew up in Afri
ca in the 50s.
Robert: That sounds perfect. I really like books that give me a sense of adventure and hel
p me learn about a particular place or time.
Jane: Actually, this one is also good because it contains lots of traditional African stories a
nd poetry that the author heard or read as he grew up.
Robert: That sounds really interesting. Thanks for letting me borrow it. What are you readi
ng at the moment?
Jane: I've just started a novel by a Russian author. It is set in the early 80s and the main
character is a very intelligent young woman. It's really good.

Lesson 43: Future continuous - Grammar: Future continuous

Here's a tip
We use the Future Continuous tense to talk about actions that will (or won't) be happening at a
specific time in the future. We often use time expressions in the future:

I'll be relaxing by the pool this time next week. We won't be using the meeting
room at 4 o'clock tomorrow.

The Future Continuous tense is used to talk about actions in progress at a point in the future:

At 5 o'clock I'll be talking to the new manager.

The Future Continuous tense is also used to talk about future arrangements and plans that will
be happening at a time in the future:

We'll be driving all through the night.

To make the Future Continuous tense we use will + be + -ing form of the verb. 'Will' is often
contracted when used with pronouns:

I'll be working late tonight. He'll be having a party on the 23rd.

To make negative sentences in the Future Continuous Tense we use will + not, this is usually
contracted to won't.

I won't be using the computer tonight.

To make questions we put the subject between 'will' and 'be'.

215
Will you be using the computer tonight?

Lesson 44: Third conditional - Grammar: Third conditional

Here's a tip
If we want to talk about an unreal or hypothetical situation in the past and the imagined result of
this situation, we can use the Third Conditional.

If they'd played better, they would have won the match.

We often (but not always) use the Third Conditional to express some regret about a past
situation or behaviour and the imagined result if things had been different.

If I had worked harder, I would have got a promotion.

We can use could have and might have to express possibility and ability related to unreal
situations in the past.

I could have been... (ability) I might have been... (possibility)

We form the Third Conditional with if + Past Perfect tense, Would have + Past Participle.

If I'd worked harder, I would have passed the exam.

The main clause and the conditional clause can be either way around in the sentence.

If I'd seen him, I would have said hello. I would have said hello if I'd seen him.

'Would' can be replaced by 'could' or 'might' to express ability or possibility.

I might have got the job if I had arrived on time for the interview.

We can make negative conditionals by adding 'not' to either or both of the clauses. This is often
contracted:

had + not = hadn't

would + not = wouldn't

I wouldn't have got wet if I hadn't forgoten my umbrella.

Lesson 45: Let's book a holiday! - At the travel agency

216
Vocabulary
go on holiday
This year we want to go on holiday in September.
package holiday
If you want an all-inclusive holiday, choose one of our package holidays.
cruise
To enjoy a romantic trip, I advise you to take a cruise in the Greek Islands.
resort
To forget your stress, it's good for you to go to a resort.
adventure holiday
If you like a lot of excitement, I suggest an adventure holiday.
city break
Paris is a very popular destination for city breaks.
sightseeing
Spain's full of historical monuments, it's perfect for sightseeing.
booking
You need to make a booking quickly because the offer ends soon!

Dialogue
Laura: Where do you fancy going on holiday this year?
Carl: I'm not sure to be honest. Why don't we have a look at a brochure?
Laura: I've got one here but it's mainly for city breaks.
Carl: A city break is too short, I'd like to go on a cruise!
Laura: You know I don't like cruises, how about a normal package holiday? I need to rela
x.
Carl: Me too, I've been working very hard recently.
Laura: There are some very beautiful resorts in Greece.
Carl: Yes they look nice. Don't forget we'll need to take out travel insurance if we go abr
oad. Imagine if we lost our suitcase!

Lesson 46: I would like to make a complaint - My worst holidays ever

Vocabulary
cancelled flight
They've cancelled my flight to Argentina!
delayed flight
I'm late, because my flight was delayed.
lose your suitcase
Maria had to buy clothes, because they lost her suitcase.
badly located
The hotel was very badly located, it was far from the city.
there's no hot water
Excuse me, there's no hot water in my room.

217
dirty room
A four-star hotel and the room is dirty!
overcrowded
The hotel was overcrowded, there were too many people staying there.
unhelpful staff
complaint
I would like to make a complaint.

Dialogue
Paul: Hello, I'd like to make a complaint about a recent stay at your hotel.
Hotel receptionist: Sorry you've had a bad experience, what was the problem?
Paul: First of all, the staff were very unhelpful when we first arrived.
Hotel receptionist: I understand that you were late arriving to the hotel. Is that right?
Paul: Yes but only because our flight was delayed! And we lost our suitcase!
Hotel receptionist: OK, I will speak to the manager about that for you.
Paul: Also, we had a dirty room and there was no hot water for 3 days.
Hotel receptionist: We have now fixed the problem and we would like to compensate you
for this problem by offering you a free night at the hotel.

Lesson 47: Past perfect - Grammar: Past perfect

Here's a tip
To look backwards from a past event and link it to another event further in the past we can
use the Past Perfect tense.

My friend had called before, so they knew we were coming.

We can link past events with linking words (e.g with 'then', 'before', 'after that' etc.) or we can use
the past perfect tense. This tense tells us which action happened first and shows a connection
between two past actions.

I had heated the oven so it was already hot. We finished the food before all the guests
had arrived.

The Past Perfect tense is formed with had + past participle. The earlier action takes the Past
Perfect tense and the later action is usually in Past Simple tense:

They had bought the drinks (first action), when we got there. (later action)

The auxiliary verb had is often contracted when used with pronouns and in negative sentences:

She had been = She'd been We had not seen = We hadn't seen

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Lesson 48: We used to be friends - Grammar: Verb patterns II

Here's a tip
We use used to + infinitive and would + infinitive to talk about repeated actions and habits in
the past.

We used to go to the South of France on holiday. When we lived near the sea she would
swim every evening.

We only use 'would' after the situation has been established with Past Simple or 'used to'.

I used to live in a village in France. I would cycle to work every day.

Used to shows a contrast between past and present situations:

I used to walk to work. = but I don't any more. We didn't use to get on very well.
= but we get on well now.

We can use used to to talk about past states that are different to the present.

We used to live by the sea.

would is only used to talk about repeated actions, not states.

We would go swimming every evening after work.

In positive sentences we use 'used to'. For negatives and questions we use the auxiliary verb 'did'
with 'use to'.

The pronunciation for 'used to' and 'use to' is the same. For negative uses of 'would' we use 'would
not' or 'wouldn't'.

I used to live in Spain. I didn't use to do much exercise. I would go there

early in the morning. There wouldn't be anyone else in the pool.

Note: be/get used to shows familiarity with something.

My new job was hard, but I've got used to it now. = now I am more familiar with the
job.

Lesson 49: How are you feeling? - Positive feelings

Vocabulary

219
proud
They're very proud of their son.
determined
She was determined to swim to the other side and she did.
confident
I am confident about my ability.
enthusiastic
She is a very enthusiastic person. Always so positive about things.
ambitious
He's no longer arrogant, but he's very ambitious.
comfortable
If I had taken my jacket, I would have been more comfortable at the campsite.
excited
We are so excited to hear you're moving to Australia!

Dialogue
William: We've finally completed the project! Don't you feel proud?
Catherine: Yes, I do, but I feel more relaxed than anything else.
William: Me too, it was hard work. Hopefully the boss will be satisfied now as well.
Catherine: I hope so! I sometimes get the impression she thinks we are not capable but I
think she's confident about this project.
William: I feel determined to work hard with the next project now.
Catherine: Yes but we need to remember that it won't be easy!
William: I know, but I'm excited!
Catherine: Let's go out and celebrate our success.

Lesson 50: I'm disappointed - Negative feelings

Vocabulary
upset
disappointed
She was very disappointed with her exam results.
exhausted
He seems to be exhausted all of the time now.
anxious
They spent an anxious week waiting for the test results.
jealous
Maria felt guilty for being so jealous of her sister.
terrified
I have been terrified of the dark since I saw that film.
offended
Some people were offended by the content of the book.

Dialogue

220
Peter: Why aren't you and Charlie speaking to each other?
Sophie: He says that he feels hurt by what I said to him. What do you think I should do?
Peter: What did you say? does he have any reasons to be upset?
Sophie: I said that he hasn't been doing a good job recently, but I was only joking!
Peter: That wasn't a good idea! he's been terrified of losing his job lately! The boss keeps
saying he needs to work harder!
Sophie: I didn't realise. If I had known, I wouldn't have said anything that might upset hi
m.
Peter: Maybe it would be a good idea to go and apologise to him.
Sophie: You've got a point, he's probably really anxious now...

Lesson 51: Tag questions - Grammar: Tag questions

Here's a tip
The questions below are tag questions. Question tags get added to a statement for two reasons:

1. To find out information we are not sure about

2. When we know the answer, and want keep the conversation going

Tag questions are common in spoken English.

You've been to Spain, haven't you? She looks so happy, doesn't she?

When we are using tag questions to continue the conversation (i.e. we know the answer), we
use falling intonation on the tag.

When we don't know the answer, we use rising intonation on the question tag.

Positive statements have a negative tag, negative statements have a positive tag:

You love him, don't you? You don't love him, do you?

In the tag we use the auxiliary verb and a pronoun:

The food is great, isn't it? not* The food is great, isn't the food?

In answers to tag questions we usually use just the auxiliary verb with the pronoun. We don't use
the contracted form with positive answers.:

A: You're not coming, are you? B: No, I'm not. / Yes, I am not* Yes, I'm.

The Economist - Too much of a good thing: tourism

221
Here's a tip
You're about to read an article from The Economist newspaper about the development of tourism in
Japan. Before you start, have a look at the words below and make sure you understand their
meanings.

on pace to
amid
fatigue
unfamiliar
influx
foreigners
three-fold
to trumpet
congested
to moan
horde
gaijin - Japanese "gaikokujin", meaning "foreigner"
backlash
survey
to rub along
to turn the tide

"To rub along" is another way of saying "to get along", which means to co-exist peacefully.

Local governments try to discover ways tourists and residents can rub along.
Japan's government is doing everything in their power to help residents and
tourists get along.

Lesson 52: I want to live on the coast - A bit of geography

Vocabulary
ocean
The Pacific Ocean is between America and Asia.
river
The River Nile passes through Egypt.
lake
Loch Ness lake is in the north of Scotland.
waterfall
The Niagara Falls are famous waterfalls between the United States and Canada.
island
Mykonos is a Greek island.
desert

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The Sahara desert is the largest in the world.
mountain
The Rocky Mountains are in the United States.
forest
Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest.
coast
New York is a state located on the Atlantic coast.
cliff
The cliffs of Moher are in the west of Ireland.

Dialogue
Maria: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
Alexander: I would live in Canada. There are so many nice mountains there.
Maria: That's where that famous waterfall is as well... What's it called?
Alexander: Niagara falls! It's so beautiful!
Maria: If you like mountains you should check out the hills and valleys in Switzerland.
Alexander: Good idea, there are plenty of nice rivers and lakes in that area too.
Maria: If it weren't for the distance to the ocean, I'd move there in a shot!
Alexander: Definitely! Let's go next summer!

Lesson 53: The forest - The forest

Vocabulary
bush
A bush is a small plant that grows around trees.
woodland
A woodland is an area with trees that has little shade.
log
The path was blocked by a very large log.
moss
Moss grows in damp shady locations.
rainforest
The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon.
foliage
That tree has very beautiful foliage.
fern
Fern is a very common plant in many forest areas.
dew
We only see dew on plants in the mornings.
tree felling
Tree felling licenses are required in all European countries.

Dialogue

223
William: I can't get enough of woodland walks!
Sarah: It's so sunny, everything is so bright!
William: I think it's on account of the dew.
Sarah: It's beautiful... Oh, careful not to trip up on that log!
William: Forget the log, it's the moss I'm slipping on! I should've worn trainers!
Sarah: You'd be better off with boots!... When are we going to see some wildlife?!
William: I know, I wish we were in a tropical rainforest instead of here!
Sarah: With all the tree felling going on, they said that much of the rainforest will be era
dicated within the next few decades.

Lesson 54: Relative clauses - Grammar: Relative clauses I

Here's a tip
We can use relative clauses to give information about people, things and events. We introduce
relative clauses with the relative pronouns who, which, that and whose.

The man who painted your house was very professional. The company which I used
to work for has just been sold.

We can give information about a noun with adjectives and adjectival phrases without using a
relative clause:

I like blue cars. I like cars with lots of space.

Relative clauses include a verb and give information about the noun:

I like cars that are blue. I like cars which have lots of space.

We can use 'who' or 'that' for people:

The lady who / that owns the business.

We use 'that' or 'which' for things:

The car that / which I bought.

We use 'whose' for possessives:

This is the man whose art I was telling you about. (i.e. The man's art)

Sometimes the relative pronoun can be omitted, as in sentence 2. This happens when the pronoun
is not the subject of the relative clause:

The lady (that) I live with. - 'I' is the subject of the relative clause, and 'that'
is optional.

224
When the pronoun is the subject of the relative clause we must use it:

I love books that make me think. - 'that' is needed as it is the subject of the relative
clause.

Lesson 55: It's tradition! - My culture

Vocabulary
tradition
Spain is a country with many different traditions.
customs
You have to get used to the different customs when you move to a foreign country.
heritage
The European Heritage Network tends to focus on cultural heritage.
diversity
It is necessary to be aware of the cultural diversity that exists in a country.
multiculturalism
Australia has embraced multiculturalism. There are many people from different cultures livi
ng there.
typical cuisine
The typical cuisine of Tuscany is generally very healthy and varied.
native language
The native language of Denmark is Danish but most people speak perfect English.
influence
Religion often has a huge influence on culture.

Dialogue
Paul: Olivia! Funny to see you at a Madrid festival! You don't live here anymore, do you?
It's great to see you in traditional dress!
Olivia: That's right, I'm just here for a holiday and felt like dressing up for the festival! A
nd you told me last year that you were about to move to London, right?
Paul: That's right, I'm living there now. I love it, there's so much diversity.
Olivia: I visited last year, I noticed there were lots of influences from other cultures.
Paul: Yes, they really celebrate multiculturalism.
Olivia: I hear there are over 50 ethnic groups living there.
Paul: The only thing is, there isn't really a typical cuisine to rave about.
Olivia: Let's not believe the stereotypes, the British food is very tasty!

Lesson 56: The USA has many national parks - Monuments

Vocabulary

225
tower
The Leaning Tower of Pisa.
castle
The castle attracts thousands of tourists a year
library
The British Library is in central London.
monument
The Taj Mahal is one of the world's most famous monuments.
museum
I'm looking for the museum.
National Park
The USA has many national parks.
market
Lots of cities have interesting street markets.
zoo
San Diego Zoo is committed to animal conservation.
aquarium
You can see lots of sea life in the Sydney aquarium.

Dialogue
James: We need to book our holiday Anna. And we still haven't decided where to go.
Anna: I thought we'd decided to go on a bit of a tour. I really want to see some culture
and famous monuments for a change this year.
James: OK, we could go on a city break. I love cities that have lots of galleries and mus
eums to visit.
Anna: That's a great idea. Maybe we can find a place where there are some nice walks w
e can go on.
James: Yes, or maybe a national park or big castles in the countryside.
Anna: It all sounds really great. But where can we find all these things?
James: Hmm, I'm not sure. Maybe we should go to a travel agent and ask for some advic
e.
Anna: I'm free at the weekend, let's go on Saturday morning and get it booked.

Lesson 57: Passives - Grammar: Passives

Here's a tip
We can use the Passive Voice to focus the sentence on the action, rather than who carried it out, the
'doer'. We often use the passive voice when the doer is unknown, vague or obvious.

The concert has been cancelled due to illness. The festival was started in the early
1990s.

The Passive Voice is often used to avoid saying who carried out the action. But if we want to
include that information we can use by... after the passive sentence:

226
The window was broken by a falling tree.

Passive sentences are formed with be + Past Participle. The tense is shown by the form of be. Past
tense Passive uses 'be' in the past form (was/were), future passive uses 'be' in the future form (will
be), etc.

Dinner was being served as we walked in. The centre will be opened on Saturday.

With the Passive Voice, the action is done to the subject of the sentence. This is the opposite to
active sentences, where the subject performs the action:

Active: Someone stole the car. Passive: The car was stolen.

Lesson 1: Dig in! - Describing new cuisines - Get started with B2 English!

Vocabulary
Oh my god! These donuts are delicious.
Wow! These donuts are delicious!
Wow! These cookies taste gross!
Oh my god! These cookies taste gross!
I'm gonna try Ethiopian food for the first time.
I really wanna master French cuisine.
I kinda like Indian food, but only if it's not too spicy.

Here's a tip
We’re going to help you understand and take part in real conversations. In these lessons you’ll see
people, not actors, talking about real life topics, so you can learn how to sound fluent and natural.

We're going to watch a video about a chef, Kristen Kish. French food, but in this video she is
going to try some Korean food for the first time. Before we watch, here are some words from the
video that you need to know.

adopted (adj) - when a child is legally taken care of by parents who aren't their
biological parents
melted (adj) - when a high heat is used to break a solid into a liquid
crushed (adj) - when pressure is used to break something up into smaller pieces
to master (v) - to be able to do something perfectly
to dig in (v) - to begin eating

Danielle and Kristen use two useful phrases to react to the taste of hodduk (Korean donuts).
"Wow!" and "Oh my god!" are very common phrases in informal speech. They can be used to
express positive or negative reactions to food - it all depends on the speaker's tone of voice!

227
Oh my god! These donuts are delicious!
Oh my god! These cookies taste gross!
Wow! I didn't know Korean food was so good!
Wow! That restaurant was pretty terrible!

You've finished the first part of the lesson. In the next part, we'll take a closer look at some of the
informal language in the video.

Confident English speakers often blend words together. Three common examples of this are:

going + to = gonna

want + to = wanna

kind + of = kinda

I'm gonna try Ethiopian food for the first time.

I really wanna master French cuisine.
I kinda like Indian food, but only if it's not too spicy.

If you listen carefully, you'll hear the word "like" used a lot in conversation. "Like" is often used in
a similar way to "well..." or "er..." and doesn't actually mean anything in this context. Here are
some examples:

Inside the filling is, like, melted brown sugar, cinnamon and crushed walnuts.
I, like, didn't wanna be rude, so I ate the sushi, even though like I really hate
it.
Do you, like, melt the sugar, or just heat it a little bit?

You've learned some really common words and phrases to help you sound natural in everyday
conversation.

Finally, let's watch the video again to see how much we've learned! Listen out for these phrases:

Inside the filling is, like, melted brown sugar, cinnamon and crushed walnuts.
But I wanna see people make it. But I wanna see their… their passion, the love
for it.
How do you eat this? Just kinda dig in?

Lesson 2: Have you tasted this before? - Talking about tasting foods

Vocabulary
Have you cooked Korean food before?
Have you cooked Korean food before? I haven't, ever.

228
Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll continue exploring the world of Korean cooking with Kristen.

We're going to focus on using the present perfect to describe our culinary experiences!

We often talk about past experiences using the present perfect and "ever" (at any time).

We use "ever" in questions and negative statements.

Have you ever tried hodduk?

I haven't ever tried hodduk.

We also use "never" and the present perfect to talk about experiences.

We use "never" in positive statements:

Have you ever tried hodduk?

No, I've never tried hodduk.

You might sometimes hear people use "ever" and "never" to emphasise a good or bad experience.

Good experience ➕
Bad experience ➖
Wow! I've never tasted anything like this! It's fantastic.
Oh my god! I've never tasted anything like this! It's awful.
Oh my god! This is the best meal I've ever eaten.
Wow! This is the worst meal I've ever eaten.

In the next part of the lesson we'll listen to a conversation between Mahmed and Julia about the
best - and worst - food they've ever eaten!

Dialogue
Mahmed: Have you tried Indonesian cooking before?
Julia: I haven't - this is the first Indonesian dish I've ever tried.
Mahmed: Wow, I've never tasted anything like this before. It's incredible. What do you thi
nk?
Julia: Oh my god! I'm not sure I like it...
Mahmed: It's totally unique, that's for sure. What's the best food you've ever tasted?
Julia: Umm. I've tried Singapore noodles, they were fantastic! But this is quite different. H
ow about the worst dish you've ever tried?
Mahmed: Oh I'm not sure! I've never eaten anything really awful. Oh, except for sushi!
Julia: Oh my god, you don't like sushi?! I love sushi! Hmm, I think THIS might be the
worst food I've ever tasted, it's really not for me!

229
Lesson 3: Real authentic kimchi - Reacting to descriptions

Vocabulary
culinary
Got a friend of mine who is a Korean culinary ambassador and great cook.
a staple
Kimchi is a staple in Korean cooking.
authentic
This is real authentic-style kimchi.
to turn out
The kimchi has turned out really well.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll watch another video about Korean food, and this time we'll find out about
Danielle's surprise for Kristen the chef. ⭐

But first, let's explore some words we'll hear in the video!

"To turn out" is a phrasal verb that can have a few different meanings:

The kimchi has turned out well. = The kimchi has been prepared successfully.
I turned out the light. = I switched off the light.
He turned out his pockets. = He took everything out of his pockets.

We've seen some new words to help us understand the video in the next part of the lesson.

When someone is speaking to us, we might say "okay" or "yeah" to show we are listening and
interested in what they have to say.

We've heard people react to situations positively - and negatively - with the phrases "Oh my god!"
and "Wow!"

Sometimes, it's not obvious what people are thinking. Let's take another look at Kristen's reaction
to the kimchi.

We've heard Kristen and Danielle blend words together ("wanna" for "want to", "gonna" for
"going to"). Another example of this is: gimme for "give me".

Finally, let's now watch the video again, this time with subtitles. Here's what you've learned in this
lesson:

New vocabulary: culinary, staple, authentic, to turn out, delicious, gimme

Words to show engagement: yeah, okay, oh yeah?

230
Lesson 4: Language recap - Review of recent lessons

Here's a tip
We're now going to review some of the language we've studied so far.

First we'll listen to a conversation between friends Li and Raj - let's go!

In this half of the lesson we'll practise building sentences with some of the new language we've
learned.

You've finished your first B2 review lesson - next time, you will have the opportunity to answer
some questions about your culinary experiences.

Lesson 5: Practice - Writing and speaking

Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll discuss the importance of food in different cultures.

You'll also have the opportunity to answer a question about food in your culture! ⭐

Just like Alex your country.

Type or record your answer, and then send it to the Busuu community where other English
speakers will give you feedback on your answers.

You can do it! ⭐

Lesson 6: London lockdown - Living in uncertain times

Vocabulary
I'm feeling a little weird.
I feel weird.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we're going to watch a video made by Ben, a Canadian vlogger.

231
Ben is in London during the Covid-19 outbreak. He's going to tell us about his experiences living
under lockdown in the city.

a vlogger - someone who makes short films online about their thoughts and ideas
Covid-19 outbreak - the global coronavirus pandemic 2020
lockdown - a period of time when people had to stay inside to stop the disease
spreading

Most people in the US and Canada say "stores". In the UK the word "shops" is more common.

We're now going to focus on some of the language in the video, and explore ways we
can express complex feelings.

We can use the present continuous ("I'm feeling") or the present simple ("I feel") to talk about
our feelings.

They mean the same thing, but we might use "I'm feeling" to emphasise our emotions in this exact
moment or in this period of time.

I'm feeling a little weird right now.

I feel a little weird.

We sometimes ask "(are) you okay?" instead of "how are you?" when we think someone
is not okay.

Are you okay?

No, I'm feeling weird.

In the next lesson we will watch the next part of Ben's vlog and explore more ways to express
feelings.

Lesson 7: Discomfort can be scary - Describing challenging feelings

Vocabulary
uncertain (adj)
We are living in uncertain times.
uncertainty (n)
All this uncertainty makes us very uncomfortable.
uncomfortable (adj)
All this confusion and uncertainty makes us very uncomfortable.
discomfort (n)
That discomfort can be scary.
lonely (adj)
He feels lonely.
loneliness (n)

232
If your emotion is loneliness, maybe you’re missing a friend.
frustrated (adj)
A friend of mine was feeling frustrated.
frustrating (adj)
This situation is really frustrating.
frustration (n)
It can be hard to express our frustration.

Here's a tip
Last lesson we met vlogger Ben, and watched the first part of his video about lockdown in London.

We're now going to watch the whole video and study some language for expressing emotions.

As you watch the video, try and identify the adjectives (words like "uncomfortable")
and nouns (words like "confusion") that Ben uses to talk about feelings.

Ben uses many words that have both adjective forms and noun forms.

Let's take a closer look.

adjective noun
uncertain uncertainty
uncomfortable discomfort
lonely loneliness

Some words have two adjective forms, one that we use to describe how we feel ("she's frustrated"),
and another that we use to describe things or situations ("lockdown is frustrating").

noun "I feel..." (adj) "the situation is..."

(adj)
frustration frustrated frustrating
confusion confused confusing
isolation isolated isolating

We're going to read a message Ben has received from Claudia, a fan of his vlogs. Look out for
some words we saw earlier!

In this lesson we've seen some useful words for expressing emotions. Next time we'll look closely
at some verbs that appear in Ben's video.

Lesson 8: My friend was feeling frustrated - Using multiple tenses

Here's a tip

233
We're going to focus on the different tenses Ben uses to describe the situation and his thoughts.

In the first part of the lesson we'll review some tenses and their uses.

Past simple:
"I went to the store yesterday."
an event in the past
Present perfect:
"She's realised that she wants a new job."
an event in the past that still applies to the present
Present continuous:
"Everybody is feeling a little weird."
something happening right now
Past continuous:
"A friend of mine was feeling frustrated."
something that was happening for some time in the past
Present perfect continuous:
"I've been using this opportunity..."
something that started happening in the past and continued to the present

We're going to watch Ben's video again - listen for different tenses.

How many can you hear?

In the next part of the lesson we will practise building sentences with the tenses we've seen.

You've completed another lesson!

Next time we'll review everything we've seen recently.

Lesson 9: Language recap - Review of recent lessons

Here's a tip
We just heard Lucas talking to his friend Amara about his frustration at work.

In this lesson we're going to review language for expressing difficult emotions.

We don't use adverbs of frequency (words like "often" and "always") with the present continuous
("I'm feeling...") but we put them before the verb in the present simple ("I often feel...")

I often feel quite uncomfortable.

I always call my friends.
❌ I often am feeling quite uncomfortable.

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You've finished this review lesson. In the next lesson, we'll discuss our own experiences in tough
times. See you then!

Dialogue
Amara: Hey Lucas, what's up? Are you okay?
Lucas: Not really. There's a lot of uncertainty at work right now, and I've been feeling rea
lly frustrated.
Amara: Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. What's going on?
Lucas: Well, it's mainly my role. I'm quite confused about what's expected of me, and no
one seems to have any answers. It's been kinda weird really.
Amara: You could talk to your manager? Then perhaps you can express your frustration.
Lucas: Yeah, I should do that. I often feel quite uncomfortable when talking about my feel
ings at work.
Amara: I know it can be hard. I was feeling terrible at work for some time last year, but
I found that talking about it really helped. Definitely go to your manager.
Lucas: I will do, thanks Amara.

Lesson 10: Practice - Writing and speaking

Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll meet Lucy, Max and Carlos, who are writing about their experiences during the
first few months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

You'll also have the chance to talk about your experience!

Like Lucy, Max and Carlos, you will now answer a question about your (or a friend's)
experience during the pandemic.

Type or record your answer, and then send it to the Busuu community where other English
speakers will give you feedback on your answers.

You can do it! ⭐

Lesson 11: Creating everyday happiness - Reading about the concept of "hygge"

Vocabulary
cosiness
Burning candles creates a feeling of cosiness.
indulgence
Hygge involves a bit of indulgence.
warmth

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Creating warmth is a big part of hygge.
gratitude
I feel a sense of gratitude when I am with my friends.

Here's a tip
Have you ever heard of the Danish concept of hygge? hygge has no direct translation, but it is the
idea of comfort, contentment and feeling cosy.

In this lesson we are going to learn some words associated with hygge before we read a text.

Candles are associated with hygge and this feeling of cosiness, as they create a warm atmosphere.

"Indulgence" is when you allow yourself to have something enjoyable, especially when it is not
good for you. For example, cake!

Cake is my favourite indulgence!

In the next part of the lesson we're going to read all about hygge.

In the text, you will see the nouns we've just learned, and their adjective forms.

Noun Adjective
cosiness cosy
warmth warm
gratitude grateful
indulgence indulgent

You've completed the lesson, and learned some nouns and adjectives associated with hygge!

In the next lesson we'll focus on the passive.

Lesson 13: The passive - Using the passive in different tenses

Here's a tip
We're going to focus on the passive voice this lesson. We'll review its use, and practise forming it
in different tenses. Here's a little reminder before we start:

We eat the cake. (active)

The cake is eaten. (passive)

We use the passive when we want to focus on who receives the action, not who does the action.

We often see the passive in academic or scientific writing.

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 know the Danes for their happiness. (active - focus on who ["people"] does an
action ["to know"])
are known for their happiness. (passive - focus on who ["the Danes"] receives
an action ["to be known"])

We use the verb "to be" plus the past participle of the verb.

Hygge is practised all over the world.

We change the tense of "to be" depending on whether we're talking about the past, the present or
the future.

In this lesson, we will practise the following tenses:

Tense Active Passive

Present simple "People all over the "Hygge is
world practise hygge." practised all over
the world."
Present perfect "He has written many "Many books have been
books about hygge." written about hygge."
Past simple "She invited them to a "They were
dinner party." invited to a dinner
party."

Next, we'll read the text on hygge again, and this time notice the passive forms in bold. We'll then
practise forming the passive. See you shortly!

We've practised the passive voice in some different tenses! ⭐

You can practise more passive forms in the Grammar Review.

Lesson 14: I feel super inspired! - Navigating informal speech

Vocabulary
Work is, you know, going well.
Apart from that, everything's okay.
That's the thing, I don't have time!
To be honest, I've been feeling quite low.
I suppose a holiday would be good for me.

Here's a tip
Let's find out what Sophie has been doing recently! Before we watch the second part of the video,
we'll study some of the phrases we'll hear Sophie say.

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Look at the phrases below - have you heard them or used them before?

...you know...
Apart from that...
That's the thing!
To be honest...
I suppose...

"You know" often does not add any meaning to a sentence. We sometimes use it like "um" or "uh"
when we are thinking of what to say next.

You might hear people saying "that's the thing!" before introducing a problem.

I'd love to lose weight but I am too busy at work.

That's the thing! I don't have time to work out every day.

We use "I suppose" to show that we agree with something, but that we have doubts about it.

Come to the party! It will be fun.

Yeah, I suppose so.

We're going to find out what Sophie has been doing recently. Listen for the phrases we've just
explored.

...you know...
Apart from that...
That's the thing!
To be honest...
I suppose...

We've now caught up with both Adriano and Sophie! In the next lesson we'll look at the greetings
and expressions the two friends use to start their chat and to keep it going.

Lesson 15: Same old, same old! - Catching up with a friend

Vocabulary
Long time no see!
What’s been happening on your end?
Great to hear that!

Here's a tip

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Recently, we met friends Adriano and Sophie.

In this lesson, we'll watch just three short clips of their conversation, and focus on the language
they use at certain moments. As you watch, think about:

- How they greet each other

- How they keep the conversation going

- How they end the conversation

You might hear people say "I feel like..." to talk about something they believe to be true (but aren't
certain of).

How long has it been since we last saw each other?

Hmm, I feel like it's been a few weeks.
When's Jack's birthday?
I'm not sure, but I feel like it's in May.

Adriano asks Sophie "What's been happening on your end?" which means "What's been
happening in your life?"

We can also say "...on my end", "...on their end" and so on.

What's been happening on your end?

Everything's good on my end.

We can say "great to hear (that)!" if someone has told you some positive news, and "great
to see (that)!", when we can see evidence of something good. However, the expressions are often
used interchangeably.

It’s great to hear that you like your new job!

It’s good to see all the work you've been doing.

We've focused on ways people start, finish and keep a conversation going. ✅

We're going to hear these expressions one last time before the end of the lesson.

to start a conversation: "I feel like it's been ages!" "Long time, no see!"
to keep the conversation going: "What about you?" "What's been happening on your
end?"
to finish a conversation: "Great to see that!" "I'll let you go then."

Dialogue
Sophie: Hey how are you? I feel like it's been ages, I think, since the last time I talked t
o you?
Adriano: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, nice to see you again! Long time no see, huh?

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Sophie: How are you? How are things?
Adriano: Lots, lots of good stuff... And what about you? What’s been happening on your
end?
Sophie: Uh I would say same old, same old, but no, work is, you know, is going well...
Adriano: ...that’s good, well, good, good, good...great to see that and great to hear that...pe
rfect then, alright then I’ll let you go then, I've got some things to pick up on I’ve got a
quite a busy day.

Lesson 16: Language recap - Review of recent lessons

Here's a tip
In this review lesson we're going to focus on the language we've studied recently.

First, we'll read an email from Joseph to his mom.

In the next part of the lesson we'll listen to a short conversation between two friends, Viktor and
Cathy, and continue building sentences with the expressions we've learned.

Another review lesson completed. ✅

Next, it's your turn to update a friend on what you've been doing!

Lesson 17: Practice - Writing and speaking

Here's a tip
In this lesson we'll find out what Mattias and Carrie have been doing recently.

On the last screen, you'll have the opportunity to write or record a message about what's been
happening on your end!

On the next screen, type or record a message that you would send to a friend or a family member.

Then, send it to the Busuu Community where other English speakers will give you feedback.

You can do it! ⭐

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Lesson 18: A gritty past - Describing urban spaces

Vocabulary
gentrified
The neighbourhood of Queen Street West has been gentrified in the last few years.
sketchy
We say an area is "sketchy" when it is unsafe.
gritty
We use "gritty" to describe something with somewhat unpleasant features.
an artist's hub
Queen Street West is an artist's hub.

Here's a tip
We're going to learn about Queen Street West, a neighbourhood in Toronto, Canada.

First, we'll explore some new language, and then we'll watch a video. Let's get started!

We often say that an area has been gentrified when people invest in new shops, restaurants and
housing there.

A gentrified area will usually be more expensive than it was before.

We use the word "hub" to talk about a place with a lot of activity.

An "artist's hub" financial hub" is where lots of banks are situated.

Queen Street West is an artist's hub.

Singapore is a notable financial hub.

We're going to watch a video featuring shop owners in Queen West Street, Toronto. Listen for the
words we've seen in their descriptions of the area!

gentrified (adj) - changed and become more expensive

sketchy (adj) - unsafe
gritty (adj) - with somewhat unpleasant features
an artist's hub (n) - a place where lots of artists live and work

In the video we heard that "you get..." can be another way to say "there is/there are".

"You get clothing stores you don't find other places in the city." = "There
are clothing stores you don't find other places in the city."

The shop owners use phrasal verbs "move in" and "go up" to describe the changing
neighbourhood.

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A lot of stores are moving in - A lot of stores are arriving in the area.
All the new condos...going up across the street. - New condos (apartments) are
being built.

We've learned some ways to describe urban areas and how they change.

Next time we will work on expressing our opinions on these changes.

Lesson 19: It's the place to be! - Giving your opinion

Vocabulary
I would say in the last 10 to 5 years it’s really developed.
If you're anti-mall, this area is perfect for you.
We're big fans of the neighbourhood's unique flavour.
My neighbourhood is very busy, but I like it that way.

Here's a tip
Last lesson we met some residents of Queen Street West in Toronto.

Now, we're going to focus on the language they used to express their thoughts and
opinions about their neighbourhood.

We can give our thoughts on something using "I would say..." or the shorter version, "I'd say...".

I would say in the last 10 to 5 years it’s really developed.

I'd say Queen Street West has been gentrified quite a bit.

We've seen some ways to express opinions. In the next part of the lesson we'll practise using the
language we've seen so far:

I'd say...
I'm anti...
I'm a fan of...
I like it that way.

Let's listen to some friends discussing their opinions on their neighbourhood.

In the next lesson we will focus on some language used to describe the transformation of an
area.

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Lesson 20: The neighbourhood is changing drastically - Detailing change and contrast

Here's a tip
We've learned how Queen Street West has changed in recent years.

We're now going to focus on how we can describe change.

We often use "would" and "wouldn't" to talk about our habits in the past.

This used to be a street that I wouldn't even go to.

I would walk my dog on Queen Street West every day when I lived there.

We use the present perfect ("Queen Street West has changed") to talk about changes that
happened in the past and still apply in the present.

The phrasal verb "to follow suit" means to do the same as someone else.

We opened a shop on Queen Street West, and other people have followed suit.
= After we opened up a shop on Queen Street West, other people also opened shops on
Queen Street West.

We use "still" with the present simple to indicate that something is true today that was also true in
the past.

There's still a bit of that sketchiness.

On the next screen we'll watch the video again. Look out for the tenses describing change:

Past simple
"The neighbourhood was sketchy."
past events and facts
Past simple with "would"/"wouldn't"
"I wouldn't go there."
past habits
Present perfect
"The area has developed a lot."
changes that happened in the past and are true today
Present continuous
"New stores are moving in."
ongoing changes
Present simple with "still"
"There's still a bit of that sketchiness."
something is true today, which was also true in the past

In the next part of the lesson we'll build sentences using these tenses!

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You've finished another lesson!

Lesson 21: Language recap - Review of recent lessons

Here's a tip
In this review lesson we are going to read about a neighbourhood in Warsaw, Poland. urban
change.

Before we start, take a look at the phrase below.

an up-and-coming neighbourhood

We're now going to listen to Warsaw residents, Ewa and Jakub, talk about Praga. What do they
think about the changing neighbourhood?

Dialogue
Jakub: I was reading about Praga recently. Apparently it's changing drastically. You get ba
rs there you don't find in the centre of Warsaw. Have you been?
Ewa: Yeah, my aunt lives in Praga. She's really not a fan of all the students coming to th
e area. She says it's become too busy.
Jakub: I'd say that gentrification is a good thing. I've heard that the neighbourhood used to
be quite dangerous.
Ewa: Yes, but the change is difficult for the people who live there. Some of the old factor
ies have become clubs and so it is very busy at night.
Jakub: The way I see it, it's great that businesses move into old neighbourhoods to create
more jobs.
Ewa: Maybe. But the residents might like their neighbourhood the way it is.

Lesson 22: Practice - Writing and speaking

Here's a tip
In this lesson you will have the chance to tell the Busuu Community what you think about
changes in your neighbourhood.

First, we will find out about the experiences of Adriana in Brazil and Jack in England.

On the next screen, type or record your thoughts about changes to your neighbourhood (or a
neighbourhood you know well).

Then, send it to the Busuu Community where other English speakers will give you feedback.

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You can do it! ⭐

Lesson 23: Future perfect - Using the future perfect

Vocabulary
By this time next year, I'll have completed my studies.
My boyfriend will have met my entire family by Christmas.

Here's a tip
Now we're going to learn how to use the future perfect to talk about actions that will be completed
between now and a certain point in the future. ("I will have finished my book by 9pm.")

First, let's review some other ways we can talk about the future.

Future simple
"I'll start my new book next week."
A plan for the future.
Present continuous
"I'm cooking dinner this evening."
A plan for the near future.
Future continuous
"At 9pm tomorrow I'll be driving to the station."
Something that will be happening at a certain point in the future.

Let's now look at some examples of the future perfect tense.

We use the future perfect to talk about an action that is expected or planned to happen before a
certain point in the future.

By this time next year, I'll have completed my studies.

I will finish my studies before this time next year.
My boyfriend will have met my entire family by Christmas.
My boyfriend will meet my entire family before Christmas.

We form it using "will have" (➕) or "won't have" (➖) + past participle. We also need to indicate
a specific time ("by next year", "by tomorrow" etc).

I hope that by this time next year, I will have bought a car.
They won't have finished the project by next Monday.

We'll practise forming the future perfect in the next part of the lesson. See you soon!

245
Here's a reminder of when we use the future perfect.

By this time next week I will have moved house.

I will move house at some point before this time next week.
The new apartments won't have gone up by October.
The new apartments won't go up at some point before October.

You can practise more of the future perfect in the Grammar Review!

Next lesson, we'll do some reading.

Lesson 24: My future self - Talking about your future

Vocabulary
Do you have set plans for the future, or do you take life as it comes?

Here's a tip
In this reading lesson we're going to talk about our "future self". We'll explore how the plans and
decisions we make in the present will affect our lives in the future.

First, we'll complete some exercises that will help us understand the reading.

In the next part of the lesson we will read about different people's attitudes to making decisions for
the future.

On the next screen we will read a text about the "future self".

As you read, notice the words in bold. These are all words associated with change, and we will
focus on them in the next part of the lesson!

a transformation (n) - a complete change of character or appearance, often an

improvement
to alter (v) - to make a small change to something
to evolve (v) - to develop gradually
to adapt (v) - to change in order to suit different conditions
to unfold (v) - to happen or develop (a situation)

In the next lesson, we will listen to two friends talk about the future and their process for making
decisions. You will then have the chance to answer a question about yourself! ⭐

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Lesson 25: By this time next year... - Writing and speaking

Here's a tip
On the next screen, you'll be able to answer a question about your future, and whether you plan
ahead or wait to see how life unfolds.

Type or record your answer, and then send it to the Busuu Community where other English
speakers will give you feedback on your answers.

You can do it! ⭐

Dialogue
Ceyda: Simon, do you have a life plan? Do you ever think about what you'll have achieve
d by the time you retire?
Simon: Umm, no not really. Sure, I have ideas about what I'd like to be doing in 5 or 10
years' time, but none of my plans are fixed. I can adapt depending on what happens. Wh
at about you?
Ceyda: Yeah, I have an idea of how I want my life to evolve, in both work and my pers
onal life. For example, I hope that by September I will have changed jobs, and so I'm pla
nning that now.
Simon: That makes sense. And what about your personal life?
Ceyda: Ideally, I will have got married by the time I'm 35. But I know it's not that realist
ic to make goals around romance!
Simon: Perhaps not, but it's good to envision the life you want. Then you can alter things
now to help you achieve it.
Ceyda: True. So, you don't have a set plan?
Simon: No, I'm happy to see life unfold and change my plans if I need to. I don't look th
at far ahead, really. However, I hope that by the end of my life I will have travelled to e
very country!
Ceyda: Haha, I like that plan!

Lesson 26: Future perfect continuous - Using the future perfect continuous

Vocabulary
By 9pm I will have been working for 2 hours.

Here's a tip
In the last few lessons we've learned how to talk about the future.

Now we are going to explore the future perfect continuous to describe future actions in more
detail. ("By 9pm I will have been working for 2 hours.")

247
We use the future perfect to talk about actions that will be completed before a specific time in the
future.

We use the future perfect continuous to focus on the duration of an action before a specific time
in the future.

Future perfect
"I will have finished work by 9pm."
I will finish work before 9pm.
Future perfect continuous
"By 9pm I will have been working for 2 hours."
9pm will mark 2 hours since I started working.

It's made up of 4 words:

1. "will" / "won't" ("will not")

2. "have"

3. "been"

4. gerund (verb + "ing")

In June, I will have been living in Istanbul for 6 months.

We need to specify a point in the future and the duration of the action.

In June, I will have been living in Istanbul for 6 months.

We use the future perfect continuous to focus on the duration of an action before a specific time
in the future.

"On Saturday, my parents will have been staying with us for 2 weeks."
Saturday will mark 2 weeks since my parents arrived.
"In June I will have been living in Istanbul for 6 months."
June will mark 6 months since I started living in Istanbul.

We are about to hear a conversation between Ali and Emma about Ali's life in Shanghai.

You can practise more of the future perfect continuous in the Grammar Review.

In the next lesson, we will watch a video and discuss films and TV.

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Lesson 27: It's a must watch! - Recommending films and TV shows

Vocabulary
to binge (on)
I actually binged on a few films last weekend.
I'll give you a highlight of the film without spoiling too much.
Is it a must watch?
It's got a good storyline actually.

Here's a tip
In this lesson we will meet Adriano and Sophie again and watch a video of them discussing films
and TV.

First, we will study some phrases that will help us to understand the video.

Our friends Adriano and Sophie use the word "film", which is common for speakers of British
English.

"Movie" is more common for speakers of American English.

We use "to binge on..." when we do an activity excessively.

"To binge on..." is often associated with consuming things quickly, such
as films, food and alcohol.

I often binge on chocolate when I'm watching TV.

When someone says that a film is a "must watch", it means that in their opinion it's a very good
film.

We're about to watch a video where Adriano tells Sophie about a film, which he says is a "must
watch".

to binge on films - to watch lots of films in a short time

a highlight - a particularly good part of the film
to spoil a film - to tell someone the story of the film before they watch it
a must watch - a film you think is very good and would recommend
a storyline - what happens in the film

In the next lesson we will continue our theme of films but also focus on some grammar
in narrative tenses.

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Lesson 28: Narrative tenses - Combining different tenses to tell stories

Vocabulary
I was walking down the street when I saw my brother. He had been to the supermarket.

Here's a tip
We are going to focus on combining different tenses in order to describe a sequence of events.

We'll start by looking at how we describe events in films in the present, then how we describe past
events.

When we tell an anecdote or describe the events in a book or film, we often use the present
simple ("he plays") and the present continuous ("he is driving", "he is listening") to make the action
seem more engaging or dramatic.

Pete Davidson plays a puzzled character in the film.

He's driving and listening to rap music.

Now, let's look at the narrative tenses we use to tell stories in the past. These tenses are often used
to describe events in books.

Past simple
"It started to rain."
a main event in the past
Past continuous
"I was making lunch when it started to rain."
an event that happened at the same time as the main event in the past
Past perfect
"I had been for a run when it started to rain."
an event that occurred before the main event in the past
Present simple & continuous
"He's got rap music on, he's listening to it really loud."
describing events in films
Past simple
"It started to rain."
a main event in the past
Past continuous
"I was making lunch when it started to rain."
an event that happened at the same time as the main event in the past
Past perfect
"I had been for a run when it started to rain."
an event that occurred before the main event in the past

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You can practise more of these narrative tenses in the Grammar Review!

In the next lesson we will meet Adriano and Sophie again for another video.

Lesson 29: The atmosphere is very eerie - Describing what you like about a film

Here's a tip
In this lesson we are going to watch a video of Adriano and Sophie discussing horror films and
series. Take a look at the words below to help you understand the video:

slow-paced (adj) - when the story (in a film or book) takes a while to develop
eerie (adj) - strange, creepy
gory (adj) - involving violence and blood
a jump scare (n) - a sudden frightening moment
a slasher film (n) - a very violent type of film
out of the blue (adv) - completely unexpected

We use a little horizontal sign called a hyphen ("-") to combine an adjective and verb when they
come before a noun.

If they come after the noun, there is no hyphen.

I hate slow-paced horror movies.

This film is slow paced.
She thinks it's a well-made series.
She thinks that the series is well made.

If something happens "out of the blue", it happens very unexpectedly.

This originally came from the phrase "like a bolt out of the blue", meaning that on a blue-sky day
you wouldn't expect a lightning bolt! ⚡

The idea for the film came to me out of the blue!

= The idea for the film came unexpectedly.

We're now going to look at how Sophie and Adriano express what they like and don't like in horror
films.

Listen out for the words we've just learned!

slow-paced (adj) - when the story (in a film or book) takes a while to develop
eerie (adj) - strange, creepy
gory (adj) - involving violence and blood
a jump scare (n) - a sudden frightening moment

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a slasher film (n) - a very violent type of film
out of the blue (adv) - completely unexpected

We've explored horror films and series. Next time we will read some film reviews and think about
writing our own.

Lesson 30: Sophie's review - Reading a TV review

Here's a tip
We're going to read Sophie's review of the horror series she's been watching recently.

Before we do this, we will review some of the language we've studied in the last few lessons. Let's
go!

Sophie has written a review about the horror series she recently watched and posted it on her blog.

In the next part of the lesson we will read her review - see you shortly!

When talking about films or series you've seen, we often include three elements:

the storyline
"the storyline follows..." / "the film is about..."
a highlight
"for me, the highlight was..."
our opinion
"I enjoyed..." / "I'm the kind of person who likes..."

In the next lesson, we will have the chance to write our own review about a film or series we've
recently binged on!

Lesson 31: Practice - Writing a review

Here's a tip
In this lesson we will see some more examples of reviews for films and TV series.

At the end of the lesson you will have the chance to tell the Busuu Community about a film or TV
series you've recently binged on!

On the next screen, you'll be asked to review a film or TV series you've recently watched. Below
are some writing tips!

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Type or record your answer, then, send it to the Busuu Community where other English speakers
will give you feedback. You can do it! ⭐

the storyline
"the storyline follows..." / "the film is about..."
a highlight
"for me, the highlight was..."
our opinion
"I enjoyed/disliked..."

The Economist - Thorny case: fruit sabotage in Australia

Here's a tip
You're about to read an article from The Economist newspaper about contaminated strawberries
grown and sold in Australia. Before you start, have a look at the words below and make sure you
understand their meanings.

(sewing) needle
inexplicable
unfortunate
copycat
to contaminate
punnet
to prompt
hoax
spite
revenge
to allege
furore
a more punitive law
food tampering

"Fifty year old My Ut Trinh was a supervisor at one of the affected farms and waged a pointed
campaign 'motivated by spite or revenge', the Crown alleges."

"The Crown" is a term we use to refer to the functions of government, specifically in

constitutional monarchies like the UK or Commonwealth countries like Australia that are
theoretically still ruled by a queen or king. So when we read "the Crown" we understand it to mean
"the state".

We saw the word "offence" in the article. As you may know, British and American English not
only sound different but also have slightly different spellings for some words. The Economist is a
British newspaper so we saw the British spelling of "offence" in the article.

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In American English, you would see "offense".

Lesson 32: Making deductions - Grammar: Making deductions II

Here's a tip
We can make deductions about the past by using must have and can't have. We do this when we
have some evidence (in the present or past) that allows us to make a deduction about events of the
past.

Derrick must have gone out, his car isn't here. My friend can't have been hungry,
he didn't finish his dinner.

We use could have, may have and might have when we are less certain about our deduction.

She can't have... (more certain she didn't) She must have... (more certain she did)
She may have / might have / could have... (less certain)

We use the past participle form of the main verb after 'can't have', 'must have' etc.

'Can't have' is the opposite of 'must have'. We don't generally use 'mustn't have' for deduction.

I can't have been listening, I don't remember anything. We must have been tired, we
went straight to sleep.

The World in English - Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Here's a tip
In this video from The New York Times, Rian Johnson – director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi –
discusses the making of an exciting battle scene. Some of the vocabulary is quite challenging, so
before you start, read the words below and make sure you understand them. While you watch the
video, listen out for the different film-making techniques that Johnson used. What effect do they
have?

directed
battle
rickety / wobbling / falling apart
ILM (Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm’s special effects and animation studio)
editor
montage
relatable
pan

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wide-angle lenses
layout
landscape

If you are a hardcore Star Wars fan, you may already be familiar with the vocabulary used in this
video. If not, here are some words you won't find in a standard dictionary:

Crait - an uninhabited planet with red soil covered in a layer of white salt, it
has become a haven for Resistance forces.
Ski speeders - these Resistance craft have an open canopy and use a stabilizer to
keep balance.

Lesson 33: Advertising - Advertising

Vocabulary
target market
The target market is made up of consumers whose needs can be met by the firm.
survey
The purpose of the survey is to find out what the target public's habits are.
slogan
They have created a short, original, striking slogan.
logo
They are working on a very original logo.
sponsor
His company is going to sponsor the Formula 1 final.
advertising agency
The advertising agency is proposing ideas for the logo.
promote
The company are sponsoring the event to promote their new product.
marketing department
The marketing department is going to launch an advertising campaign.
advertising campaign
They are going to design the advertising campaign.
product launch
They are going to organise a party for the product launch.

Dialogue
Paul: Our target market is people between the ages of 18 and 30.
Margaret: Right. What is our advertising campaign going to consist of?
Paul: Well, we are going to advertise on social networking sites, as well as sponsor amate
ur sporting events.
Margaret: Terrific idea! Sponsorship might not be the cheapest option but people that alrea
dy do sport are going to be much more likely to want to use our facilities.
Paul: That's right. Now we just have to think of a good slogan.

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Margaret: Well, I've actually carried out a small survey and I think I've found the perfect
one!
Paul: Excellent! What is it?
Margaret: Well, let me show you the results of the survey first! Hopefully it will make pe
ople want to get fit!

The World in English - Are you on Facebook?

Here's a tip
Most of us know that Facebook has some information about us. But do you know just how much?
Watch the video to find out what Facebook knows and how they use it. Here are some interesting
words and phrases to look out for while you watch.

to assume
data
profile
to classify
interaction
location tracking
to tend to do something
to target ads
transaction
controversial
to determine
to switch

Lesson 34: At the hairdresser's - At the hairdresser's

Vocabulary
haircut
I'd just like a simple haircut, please.
wash and blow-dry
I get a wash and blow-dry every Saturday morning.
hairdresser
Ask the hairdresser about a new hairstyle.
hairdryer
My hairdresser uses a very good hairdryer.
conditioner
Use conditioner to disentangle long hair.
length
Shoulder length hair is very versatile.
appointment

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I've got an appointment at the hairdresser's tomorrow at 10 o'clock.

Dialogue
Helen: Sorry I'm late for my appointment John, I got held up at work.
John: Don't worry, I was running late anyway. What would you like today, just a wash an
d blow-dry?
Helen: Well, I was thinking about something more special than usual. It's my birthday this
weekend and my friends and I are going out to a restaurant.
John: Ah, happy birthday, Helen! What kind of hairstyle were you thinking of?
Helen: Well, I wanted to ask for your opinion really. You said last time I had quite thin
hair. Is there something we can do to make it look thicker?
John: Yes, sure we can. I have some special conditioner that will give your hair a bit mor
e volume.
Helen: OK, great. And what about cutting it a bit shorter, into a bob maybe? How would
that look?
John: Yes, we can definitely do that. It'll look lovely.

Lesson 35: Past perfect continuous - Grammar: Past perfect continuous

Here's a tip
We use the Past Perfect Continuous tense to talk about events leading up to a time or event in
the past. It is used to look backwards from a time in the past.

We'd been working hard all day and needed a cup of tea.

We often use the Past Perfect Continuous tense to focus on the length of the action. We can use
time expressions with for and since:

She'd been waiting for three hours / for ages / since that morning / since 7 a.m.

To form the Past Perfect Continuous we use had + been + -ing form of the verb:

I had been waiting... / I'd been waiting...

For negative sentences we add 'not' after 'had':

I hadn't been waiting...

For questions we put the subject after 'had':

Had you been waiting...?

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The Economist - The price of life: health outcomes

Here's a tip
You're about to read an article from The Economist newspaper about the OECD's annual report on
health problems of its member countries. Before you start, have a look at the words below and
make sure you understand their meanings.

OECD - The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

life expectancy
mental-health
circulatory disease
cancer
bright spot
mortality rates
heart diseases
stroke
health-care
GDP - gross domestic product
inequality
gulf
obese
peer
correlation
causation

We say "peer" or "peer group" to talk about a person with similar characteristics to another
specified person. These characteristics can be anything from age and gender, to educational
background or occupation.

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