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...

Then check your answers here:

Learn the passive voice - Part 3 - Asking questions in the passive voice - Learn English on YouTube

For advanced learners, watch part 1: 


Still confused? ... hmmm maybe you need more examples and a test to check your understanding!
Did you take the test? Well now check your answers!



When do I use A / An / The? - Learn English on YouTube

Definite Articles and Indefinite articles! SoOOOOoooo confusing! 
Well... not after this lesson! ;)

This is a video we made for our amazing students!
The video contains violence towards fairies

Colombianos y Britanicos... Romantic English vocabulary - Learn English on YouTube

A lesson for our Colombian friends, and some romantic English vocabulary for our lovely students!
We love you all! xxxxxxx <3 xxxxxxx

Learn English prepositions - Think OF/ABOUT - Learn English on YouTube

What's the difference between think of and think about?

Think about it... I'm sure you'll find the answer somewhere... 

Shaving vocabulary - Learn English on YouTube

Real men grow beards! ...Well... actually smelly university students grow them too. 

How to use "Gotta" - Learn English on YouTube

How can I use gotta????????

Well, you gotta watch this video to find out!

Difference between myself and my own - Learn English on YouTube

What's the difference between "Myself" and "my own"?

Difference between You're welcome and My pleasure - Learn English on YouTube

What's the difference between "My pleasure", and "You're welcome"?

Enjoy the lesson and share with your friends! 

You don't have to thank us, you're very welcome!

Difference between ED and ING - Learn English on YouTube

Are you interestED in English? Or do you find it very borING? 
Also, what's the difference between ed and ing endings to verbs?

Learn the passive voice - Part 1 - Form and reasons for using the passive - Learn English on YouTube

Are you confident with the passive voice? Take this class, take the test at the end....


...Then check your answers here!

Fear vocabulary! - Learn English on YouTube

Are you scared? Terrified? ....What's the difference?

English prepositions - Prepositions with time - Learn English on YouTube

Learn how to use prepositions in English with time!

Difference between during and while - Learn English on YouTube

Learn this while you're deciding what to eat for dinner. Don't watch it during work though.

Food Idioms - Learn English on YouTube

Hungry? Me too! I could eat a horse!

Formal English - Learn English on YouTube

Need to improve your formal communication for the office? Watch and learn!

43 Things British people know to be true


Here's a funny link to a lot of the quirks of being British.
Sure America has it's Jerry Springer, but we have Jeremy Kyle!
Rule Britannia.


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

Friday 1 March 2013

The difference between "make" and "do" - Learn English on YouTube

Confused about when to use "make" and when to use "do"?! This lesson will teach you the correct way to use both.