Is Sydney really the “best city in the world”?

Is Sydney really the “best city in the world”?

Recently a marketing company carried out a survey to find out which city people perceived as being the best in the world….. and Sydney came out on top !

While on holiday there Sue caught up with Laura, who’s been living there for the past three and a half years, to see if the city really does live up to the hype.

Listen as they talk about the glorious weather, the job opportunities, the people, the food and the cost of living.

Sue also mentions a popular Australian TV show called Bondi Rescue, so if you want to hear some real Aussie accents click here.

Desert Island Discs Chris

Desert Island Discs Chris

Desert Island Discs is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942.

Each week a guest, called a “castaway” during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings, a book and a luxury item that they would take if they were to be cast away on a desert island, whilst discussing their life and the reasons for their choices.

Here, it’s Chris’ turn to talk about his eight favourite tracks and what they mean to him, so there is a lot of reminiscing about the past and fond memories evoked by music.

Desert Island Discs Susan

Desert Island Discs Susan

Desert Island Discs is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942.

Each week a guest, called a “castaway” during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings, a book and a luxury item that they would take if they were to be cast away on a desert island, whilst discussing their life and the reasons for their choices.

Here, Susan talks about her eight favourite tracks and what they mean to her, so there is a lot of reminiscing about the past and fond memories evoked by music.

5 minute Grammar: Present Perfect Simple

5 minute Grammar: Present Perfect Simple

Welcome to 5 minute grammar

Most learners find the concept of the Present Perfect difficult to grasp. It is a particularly of the English language which takes a bit of time to get used to.

It is formed by the the auxiliary “have” plus the past participle of the verb you want to use.

Listen as we explain the main principles of how to use this tense and the examples we cite.

Before listening, take the time to think about these examples which you’ll hear in the podcast:

I have lived in Toulouse for 30 years (I still live here). Write your own example……………..

I have worked for the company for 30 years (I still work for the same company ). Write your own example…………

For a question: Have you ever been to China? (We are asking about your life experiences up to the present time). Write your own example…..

A possible answer: I have never been to China (I’m talking about my experiences up to the present time).  Write your own example …………

The weather has been warm recently (this is a recent action). Write your own example of a recent action……..

Language is What Makes Humans Unique Now take a moment to think about this example before listening:

I have learned a lot (present perfect simple) since I started (past simple) studying Spanish. Why is this ?

 

 

Go one step further and check your understanding with this quick quiz

Present Perfect Simple Quiz

 

 

How to make your English colorful – use expressions and idioms!

How to make your English colorful – use expressions and idioms!

How colorful is your language ? Do you want to sound like a native speaker ? Well in that case, you better start using expressions and idioms to make your English come alive !

Idioms are a fun part of language learning and apart from giving colour and interest to your conversation they also add humour and flair to your language skills. 

So tune in to this podcast and listen as we test each other with 15 expressions, you’ll hear that some we know well and some we don’t know at all. 

We all have specific expressions to where we live, what are your favorite idioms in your language? Let us know we’d love to hear them.

You can check your comprehension of the podcast with this great quiz.

Expressions Comprehension Quiz

 

You can also build your stock of idioms with this quiz about sporting idioms.

 Go the extra mile and listen to this podcast about expressions which William Shakespeare coined back in the 17th century and we still use today.

Oscar films of 2023

Oscar films of 2023

The Oscars are a lot of Razzle Dazzle, but what about the actual films? Do they live up to all the hype? Were you disappointed by the films or do you think they are really the cream of the crop?

Have you seen any of the films up for best picture? If not, click on the links below to take a look at the trailers.

The Whale                  

 Elvis

The Banshees of Inisherin 

The Fabelmans

Everything, Everywhere, All at once 

Avatar

Listen as Chris, Sue and their guest Craig give their opinions. You can check your comprehension with the quiz below.

 

 

 To build vocabulary practice saying what you like and dislike about a film. Another great way to build grammar confidence is to practice writing a summary of your favorite film.

Oscars 2023 Comprehension Quiz

Which film gets your vote ?
The Whale
0 Vote
Elvis
2 Vote
The Banshees of Inisherin
0 Vote
Everything, Everywhere, All at once
0 Vote
Top Gun
0 Vote
Avatar
1 Vote
The Fabelmans
0 Vote

 

 

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