Learn British English: March 2013

Saturday, 30 March 2013

Was your English class like this?

Was your English teacher boring? Just be happy (or maybe jealous!) your class wasn't like this!

Thursday, 28 March 2013

Phrasal Verb - Go Under

Phrasal Verb - Go Under = A business fails (Inseparable) (Intransitive)

Examples:

"We tried to start a coffee shop to compete with Starbucks, but we went under."
________________________
"If we don't start making a profit soon, the business is going to go under."

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

The worst of British accents!

How can we call ourselves a blog of Britisisms if we didn't explore the whole range of British accents? In our best of British list, they pretty much all came from london or close by! So here, we include the worst of British accents, a list of cringe-inducing, brain numbing, IQ reducing, rather-listen-to-my-parents-having-sex, horrendous accents.

The Mancunian accent (Manchester)
Having been brought up in England and being subjected to this rotten piss in audio form being played over and over and over and over again in the 90s, like Wonderwall (should've been named Caterwaul), Don't look back in Anger, and other terrible droney songs. Oasis appeared to be everywhere, and maybe it's this never-ending repetition that instilled in me my disdain for this accent. This may be my least favourite accent of all time, and these two pricks certainly aren't any help to the image of Manchester!

Brummie (Birmingham)
If there was ever an accent which could accurately reflect the quality of life in that area, well, the Birmingham accent would definitely match that! You feel bored and depressed just listening to this accent! HOWEVER, the prince of darkness, Ozzy Osbourne also has this accent, and who doesn't love Ozzy!? so, maybe all is forgiven...

Essex (East London.. Yes.. London!)
Definitely not everyone with this accent sounds stupid, but this accent can certainly make you sound like you just stepped off the special bus! Especially if you really HAVE stepped off the special bus, like these guys from TOWIE...

Scouse (Liverpool)

With a mild Liverpool accent, one might be forgiven and actually sound endearing (The Beatles!) However I'm here to show you how terrible this accent can sound, and ugh...

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

The Best of British accents!

Let's be honest, there's no better accent than British! If you don't have a British accent, prepare to be very jealous, or prepare to practice impersonating their voices for the next few days!

First up, Dame Judy Dench. What movie was she in where she plays the serious looking older British woman? Oh that's right... all of them! But we do love her!

Next up, Jeremy Irons, you know him as the voice of 'Scar' in The Lion King!

Hugh Laurie (Dr. House) ... Yes.. He's British!

Alan Rickman (Severus Snape in Harry Potter, Hans Gruber in Die Hard)

Perhaps more funny than admirable, Brian Blessed has a huge, booming voice which does not seem to have a volume limit!

The polemic figure of the late Christopher Hitchens, Whether you agreed with him on his politics or not, his diction could make you feel very intellectually inferior indeed.

Are there any others you'd like to include to this list?

'Scar' from the Lion King and the proper way to speak English, anyone?

Jeremy Irons (the voice of 'Scar' in Lion King) singing a song about the correct way to speak English

Monday, 25 March 2013

Facts about London Underground

Did you know that?

Want to know more about more about The infamous tube system?

Click on the link below:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/27-extraordinary-facts-about-the-london-underground

2nd Conditional Practice!

Phrasal Verb - Creep Out

Phrasal verb - "Creep Out" - Make someone feel uncomfortable
(Separable) (Transitive)

Examples:

This clown creeps me out!
_______________
I'm creeped out by clowns!
_______________
Can you stop talking to me please? You're creeping me out!

I used to, Get used to, I'm used to - Learn English on YouTube

I always notice students have problems with this grammar, What's the difference between "I used to", "I'm used to", and "I get used to"?

Take the test at the end....

....And then check your answers here!

Past Continuous and Past Simple - Learn English on YouTube

At every level, students make mistakes with this grammar, past continuous and past simple and when to use them. Watch this and then take the test at the end...