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L’idée de “retourner en classe”, “être à nouveau un élève” ou “apprendre quelque chose de nouveau” ne vous fait peut-être pas rêver et pourtant vous avez toujours voulu parler anglais !
Que ce soit pour votre vie professionnelle ou personnelle, nous sommes convaincue qu’apprendre à communiquer en anglais fera reculer les barrières pour communiquer entre gens de nationalités différentes, mais aussi, vous aidera à briser l’effet plafond de verre qui vous empêche d'évoluer aujourd’hui.

La maîtrise de l’anglais deviendra ainsi le moteur pour réaliser vos rêves et raviver vos ambitions.
Ensemble nous prouverons que vous pouvez le faire et que vous allez le faire.

Venez rejoindre la communauté grandissante #E4F.

Voyez grand, sautez le pas, JUMP avec English 4 French!

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  • #149
    Monday · 8 min

    Episode 22 A1 Prepositions of place

    Episode 22: A1 Prepositions of place Focus: Prepositions of place (in, at, and two ways to use on), plus key relational words (under, next to, between, in front of, behind). Hello, and welcome back to podcasts with English for French. My name is Alison, and today we are looking around our homes, our streets, and our cities to answer one very simple question: "Where is it?" To answer, you need tiny words called prepositions of place. Today, we explore our core three (in, on, at) and five more essential prepositions of place. Let’s put our headphones on and let’s go. The Core Trio (In, At, and the two uses of On) IN = 3D Space, Inside a Container, or Inside a Border Use in when an object or person is inside something with walls, borders, or sides. In the kitchen (inside a room) In my pocket / in my backpack (inside a container) In the box In London / in France (inside a geographic border) Example: "My passport is in my handbag." ON = Surfaces AND Lines! USE #1: Touching a Surface (Flat or Vertical) When an object rests on top of something or hangs against a flat plane: On the table (horizontal surface) On the floor On the wall (vertical surface) USE #2: The "Linear" Idea (Lines, Streets, Roads, Rivers, and Borders) Think of a line on a map. When a place, house, or person is situated along a continuous line, we use ON: On Oxford Street / On Fifth Avenue (along the line of a road) On the river (a town built along a river bank: "A cottage on the Thames") On the coast (along the line where land meets sea: "A city on the south coast") On the way (along a travel route) Example (Surface): "Your phone is on the coffee table." Example (Line): "The hotel is right on Main Street, beside the river." AT = A Specific Target Point or Activity Hub Think of at as a small pinpoint dot on a map, an exact address, or a place where an everyday routine happens. At the bus stop (a pinpoint stop) At the front door (the exact spot where someone knocks) At 42 Baker Street (an exact house number address) At work / at school / at the station (a fixed functional venue) Example: "I am waiting for you at the station entrance." Beyond In, On, and At (Relational Prepositions) What if something is near you, but not inside or on top? You need these five positional tools: UNDER: Directly below. "The cat is sleeping under the bed." NEXT TO / BESIDE: Side-by-side. "The pharmacy is next to the supermarket." BETWEEN: In the space dividing two objects. "The TV is between the window and the bookshelf." IN FRONT OF: Ahead of someone or something. "A big delivery van is parked in front of our house." BEHIND: At the back of someone or something. "My keys fell behind the radiator!" Quick Vocabulary Vault Word Part of Speech Meaning Simple Context Pavement / Sidewalk Noun The path beside a road for walking "Walk on the pavement." Coast Noun The line of land beside the ocean "They live on the coast." Address Noun Specific house number and street "He lives at 12 High Street." Drawer Noun Sliding box in a desk or cupboard "The pens are in the drawer." Riverbank Noun The edge/line of a river "A café on the river." Practice Worksheet Part 1: Written Reading Comprehension Read the paragraph and answer the questions below using complete sentences. Marc is visiting his friend Clara in town today. He is walking on Victoria Road. He stops at the bus stop outside the library because he doesn't know Clara's address. Marc calls Clara on his mobile phone: "Where is your apartment?" Clara answers: "Walk straight along Victoria Road. My apartment building is right on the river, between the blue bridge and the cinema. There is a red car parked in front of the main door. Ring the bell at number 14. I am waiting in the hallway upstairs!" Marc puts his phone in his jacket pocket, walks past the bridge, and spots the red car. Clara drops the entrance key down to him. It lands on the pavement, right next to his boots. Which street is Marc walking on? Where is Clara's apartment building situated in relation to the river? What is parked in front of the building entrance? Where is Clara waiting while Marc walks over? Where does the dropped entrance key land? Part 2: Fill-in-the-Blanks (Gap-Fill) Choose the correct preposition from the box to complete each sentence: in | on | at | under | between | next to | behind Our family house is located right the south coast of Spain. The milk carton is the fridge. Don't leave your dirty plates the floor! The children are sitting their desks at school. The bank is located Queen Street, the pharmacy and the post office. Look the sofa cushions; your missing car keys might be underneath! The cat is scared, so it is hiding the curtains. We will meet you the bus stop at 3:00 PM. Part 3: Multiple Choice Quiz Choose the best option (A, B, or C). Bristol is a famous English city situated the River Avon. A) in B) on C) at The chef keeps all the sharp knives a wooden drawer. A) in B) on C) at "Where is the post office?" — "It is located 24 Market Street." A) on B) in C) at There is a tall tree standing the house and blocking the sunlight. A) between B) in front of C) under Put this poster the wall in the bedroom. A) in B) on C) at 6.The car is stuck in traffic the motorway. A) on B) at C) in 7.Who is standing the door knocking right now? A) on B) at C) under Remember: whether you are walking on a road, sitting in a café, or waiting at the bus stop, prepositions show your listener exactly where you stand. Keep practicing, and see you next time ,with me Alison, at podcasts with English for French. Cheers Answer Key & Reference Guide Part 1: Reading Comprehension Marc is walking on Victoria Road. Clara's apartment building is situated right on the river (linear use of "on"). A red car is parked in front of the entrance door. Clara is waiting in the hallway upstairs. It lands on the pavement, right next to Marc's boots. Part 2: Gap-Fill on (linear idea: along the coastal border) in (inside an appliance) on (flat surface) at (functional activity spot) on (road line) / between (middle of two distinct buildings) under (beneath an object) behind (at the back of) at (specific meeting point) Part 3: Multiple Choice B) on (cities situated on a river or water line) 2. A) in (enclosed inside a container/drawer) 3. C) at (exact house number + street name takes "at") 4. B) in front of (position ahead of the building) 5. B) on (vertical flat surface) 6. A) on (linear road/route) 7. B) at (exact threshold/point where the action happens)

  • #148
    Monday · 8 min

    Episode 21 A1 Prepositions of purpose: for & to

    #21 A1 Prepositions of purpose,”for” and “to” Welcome back to podcasts with English for French.I’m Alison and today we ar looking at one of the grammar notions that non native speakers always make mistakes with: explaining your purpose, using “for” and “to” Have you ever wondered whether to say "I went to the shops to buy milk" or "I went to the shops for buy milk"? If you said to, you're right. Today, we are breaking down the exact rules for to and for so you never hesitate again. In-Depth Guide: Why Do We Do Things? In English, when someone asks "Why are you doing that?", you are explaining your purpose (your reason or goal). The two key words you use are to and for. The golden rule comes down to what kind of word comes next: Use "TO" with an Action (Verb) When your reason is an action, use to + base verb (the infinitive of purpose). "I study every day to pass my exams." "She called to say happy birthday." Common Mistake: Never say "I went to the shop for buy bread." Always: "I went to the shop to buy bread." Use "FOR" with a Thing, Person, or Occasion (Noun) When your reason is a noun (an object, a person, or an event), use for + noun. "I went to the supermarket for some milk." "We bought a gift for our mother." "They are getting ready for the party." Special Case: The Purpose of an Object (Function) When describing what a tool or item is used for in general, English often uses for + verb-ing: "A knife is a tool for cutting food." "This app is great for learning languages." Grammar Chart: "To" vs. "For" in Action Sentence Type Structure Rule Example Sentence Positive (+) Subject + verb + to + base verb Action purpose I exercise to stay healthy. Positive (+) Subject + verb + for + noun Noun purpose I went to the cafe for a coffee. Negative (-) Subject + verb + in order not to + verb Negative purpose He whispered in order not to wake the baby. Negative (-) Subject + verb + not for + noun Excluding purpose This coat is not for summer. Question (?) Why + auxiliary + subject + verb? Asking purpose Why do you use this app? — To practice English. Question (?) What + auxiliary + subject + verb + for? Informal reason What did you go to the supermarket for? — For fruit. Podcast Audio Secret: The Weak Pronunciation In natural, flowing English, native speakers rarely stress these little words: "To" reduces to a quick, unstressed sound: /tə/. In "I went to buy food", it sounds like "went-tuh-buy". "For" reduces to /fər/. In "a gift for you", it sounds like "a gift fer you". Listening for these quick, light vowel sounds will help your listening comprehension tremendously! Reading Practice: Saturday Morning in Town Saturday is a busy day for Lucas. He wakes up early at 7:30 AM to prepare a shopping list. His sister, Helen, is having a birthday party tonight, so Lucas has many things to do. First, Lucas walks to the bakery to collect a large chocolate cake. While waiting, he stops at a small cafe for an espresso and a croissant. Next, he visits the local library. He doesn't go there to borrow books today; he goes to use the colour printer for Helen’s birthday card. At 11:00 AM, Lucas goes to the shopping centre to find a nice present. He has a look in an electronics store and buys a pair of headphones for his sister. Helen loves running, and these headphones are designed for listening to music during workouts. Finally, Lucas goes to the supermarket for drinks, snacks, and ice. On the way back to his car, he bumps into his friend Sam. Sam asks, "Lucas, why do you have so many bags?" Lucas laughs and replies, "I am carrying all this to make my sister's birthday the best ever!" Comprehension Questions Why does Lucas wake up at 7:30 AM on Saturday? Why is Lucas preparing so many things today? What is the reason Lucas visits the bakery? Why does Lucas stop at the small cafe? Why does Lucas go to the library today? What gift does Lucas buy for Helen? What are the headphones designed for? What does Lucas buy at the supermarket? Comprehension Answer Key He wakes up early to prepare a shopping list. For his sister Helen’s birthday party (tonight). To collect a large chocolate cake. For an espresso and a croissant. To use the colour printer (for Elena's birthday card, not to borrow books). He buys a pair of headphones for his sister. They are designed for listening to music during workouts. He buys drinks, snacks, and ice (for the party). Gap Fill Exercise Fill in each blank with either to or for. I am going to the kitchen make a cup of tea. Maria called her doctor an appointment. We sat down on the bench rest our legs. He bought some flowers his mother's anniversary. You need a key open this cupboard. Let's go to the park a picnic this afternoon. She downloaded an application photoshop photos on her smartphone. They saved money every month their summer holiday. Gap Fill Answer Key to (Followed by base verb: make) for (Followed by noun phrase: an appointment) 3. to (Followed by base verb: rest) 4.for (Followed by noun phrase: his mother's anniversary) 5.to (Followed by base verb: open) 6.for (Followed by noun phrase: a picnic) 7.to (Followed by base verb: photoshop) 8.for (Followed by noun phrase: their summer holiday)

  • #147
    Friday · 9 min

    Episode 20 Modals of ability

    #20 A1: Modals Can/can’t,Could/couldn’t Transcript Welcome back to podcasts with English for French .I’m Alison and t we are talking about some of the most useful grammar topics you will ever learn ,modals of ability.How to express things that you can or can’t do in the present and that you could or couldn’t do in the past. Understanding Ability with "Can" and "Could" Whenever you want to introduce yourself, interview for a job, make travel plans, or tell stories about your childhood, you need to talk about ability—the things you know how to do, the skills you have learned, and the challenges you face. In English, we express ability using special helping words called modal auxiliary verbs. The two most common are can (for the present) and could (for the past). What Makes Modal Verbs Special? Unlike regular verbs such as play, work, or like, modal verbs follow three simple rules that make them easy for beginners: They never take an "-s" in the third person: In the Present Simple, you usually say "He works" or "She swims". But with modals, the form stays identical for every subject. Whether you say I, you, he, she, it, we, or they, the word remains can or could. Correct: She can drive. Incorrect: She cans drive. They take the bare infinitive (no "to"): Never put "to" between a modal verb and the main action verb. Correct: We could hear the ocean. Incorrect: We could to hear the ocean. They make negatives and questions without "do" or "does": You never need helper words like do, does, did, or don't. Modals handle negatives and questions on their own. Negative: Add not directly to the modal (can + not = cannot / can't; could + not = couldn't). Question: Invert the modal and the subject ("You can swim" "Can you swim?"). When Do We Use Them? Use "Can" and "Can't" for the Present (Now): Use these to describe your current talents, physical abilities, or things you are free to do right now. "I can speak Spanish fluently." (A learned skill) "He can't join our call today because he is busy." (A present impossibility) Use "Could" and "Couldn't" for the Past (Yesterday, Childhood, Long Ago): Use these to describe general skills you had in the past, or things that were impossible at a specific past moment. "When I was six years old, I could climb tall trees." (A past talent) "We looked everywhere, but we couldn't find the keys last night." (A past failure/inability) Audio Tip: The Pronunciation Trap When listening to native speakers, pay close attention to two subtle sounds: The silent "L": Both could and couldn't drop the letter "L" completely. Say /kʊd/ (sounds like good with a 'k') and /ˈkʊd.ənt/. The rhythm of "Can" vs. "Can't": In everyday speech, positive can is unstressed and spoken quickly: "I can go" sounds like /aɪ kən ɡoʊ/. However, negative can't is stressed, loud, and long: "I can't go" (/kɑːnt/ in British English or /kænt/ in American English). Grammar Chart: Ability in Present & Past Time Form Structure Example Present Positive (+) Subject + can + base verb I can speak English. Present Negative (-) Subject + can't + base verb He can't swim. Present Question (?) Can + subject + base verb? Can you drive a car? Past Positive (+) Subject + could + base verb She could read when she was four. Past Negative (-) Subject + couldn't + base verb We couldn't find the hotel yesterday. Past Question (?) Could + subject + base verb? Could they dance salsa ten years ago? Reading Practice: Grandfather Mateo and Lucas Lucas is twelve years old, and he loves technology. He can play computer games, and he can build websites for his school projects. He can also speak two languages: Spanish and English. But Lucas can't ride a bicycle without balance wheels, and he can't cook anything except toast. Lucas often visits his grandfather, Mateo, who is seventy-five years old. Mateo lives on a farm in the country. Their childhoods were completely different. When Mateo was twelve, computers did not exist in homes, so he couldn't play video games or send emails. But Mateo had many outdoor talents. At ten years old he could ride horses, and he could swim across the river. He could also cook vegetable soup over an open fire for his brothers. Today, Mateo is older. He can't run fast anymore, and he can't ride horses because his back hurts. But yesterday was an exciting afternoon: Lucas taught Mateo how to use a computer! Mateo couldn't understand at first, but after one hour, he could send an email to his grandson. Mateo smiled and said, "Fifty years ago, I couldn't imagine a machine like this, but now I can talk to you anytime!" 8 Comprehension Questions How many languages can Lucas speak? What skills can Lucas do? Name two things Lucas cannot do. Where did Mateo live when he was young? 5.What outdoor activities could Mateo do at ten years old ? 6.Why can't Mateo ride horses now? 7.What device did Lucas teach Mateo to use yesterday? 8.Could Mateo understand the computer immediately? Gap Fill Exercise Complete the sentences using can, can't, could, or couldn't. When my sister was five, she read long books; she only knew the alphabet. Look at that bird! It fly very fast. I finish my homework last night because I had a bad headache. " you speak French?" — "Yes, a little bit." Ten years ago, my grandmother walk 5 kilometers easily, but today she needs a walking stick. Sorry, I hear you right now—the music is too loud! you swim when you were six years old? He drive a car because he is only fourteen years old. Answer Keys: Comprehension He can speak two languages (Spanish and English). He can play computer games and build websites. He can't ride a bicycle (without balance wheels) and he can't cook (except toast). He lived on a farm in the country. He could ride horses, swim across the river, and cook soup over an open fire. Because his back hurts (and he is older / cannot run fast). A computer. No, he couldn't understand it at first (he learned after one hour). Gap Fill Answer Key couldn't (Past negative ability: when she was five) can (Present ability / observation: Look at that bird) couldn't (Past inability: last night) Can (Present general question: asking about ability now) could (Past ability: Ten years ago) can't (Present inability: right now) Could (Past question: when you were six years old) can't (Present inability / rule: he is only fourteen)

  • #146
    Friday · 8 min

    Episode 19 A1 Likes and dislikes

    #19 A1: Likes and dislikes Welcome back to Podcasts with English for French. I’m Alison, and today we are talking about how to express what you like, don’t like, or have neutral feelings about.There will be exercises at the end with an answer key. If you already know like, love, and hate, it is time to add more colour to your conversations. Today, we look at exciting preference verbs like adore, fancy, dislike, can't stand, and the very British don't mind—all in the Present Simple! In everyday English conversation, we often talk about our preferences of food, music, sports and it’s great to be able to use different verbs than like, don’t like etc. Grammar Chart: Advanced Preference Verbs Category Subject Verb / Phrase Meaning / Feeling Example Sentence Positive (+) I / You / We / They adore / fancy Love intensely / Want or like I adore Italian ice cream. Positive (+) He / She / It adores / fancies Love intensely / Want or like She fancies a cup of tea. Neutral I / You / We / They don’t mind It is okay; no problem We don’t mind cold weather. Neutral He / She / It doesn’t mind It is okay; no problem He doesn’t mind waiting. Negative (-) I / You / We / They dislike / can’t stand Don't like / Hate strongly They dislike crowded trains. Negative (-) He / She / It dislikes / can’t stand Don't like / Hate strongly Paul can’t stand traffic. Question (?) Do + you / they fancy / mind...? Asking about wants/comfort Do you fancy a pizza tonight? Question (?) Does + he / she adore / dislike...? Inquiring about preferences Does she dislike noisy places? Meaning & Usage Guide Here is the "Preference Scale" from top favorite to absolute zero: Adore Stronger than like. Similar to love, but often used for things that make you feel warm, happy, or fond. Grammar rule: Add -s for he/she/it ("My sister adores kittens."). Fancy A common British English verb meaning would like, want, or be attracted to an idea. Spelling rule: Ends in a consonant + y, so for he/she/it, change y to -ies (fancy fancies). Example: "Do you fancy going for a walk?" / "He fancies a slice of cake." Don't Mind The middle ground. It means you neither love it nor hate it—it is completely fine. Grammar rule: Use don't mind with I/you/we/they, and doesn't mind with he/she/it. Example: "I don't mind the rain, but my brother doesn't mind the cold." Dislike A slightly more formal, polite alternative to don't like. Grammar rule: Since dislike is already a standard verb, do not add don't. Just add -s for he/she/it. Correct: "He dislikes loud music." (Avoid: "He doesn't dislikes...") Can't Stand An idiom meaning to hate something so much that it is unbearable. Grammar rule: Can't stand never changes form! No -s is added, even for he/she/it. Example: "I can't stand delays." / "She can't stand dirty dishes." Reading Practice: Flatmates at Dinner Sophie and Dan are planning their Friday night dinner, but their tastes are quite different. "Do you fancy a takeaway tonight, Dan?" asks Sophie. "I really fancy Thai food." Dan makes a face. "I dislike spicy food, Sophie. Curries are too hot for me, and I can't stand chili peppers! What about an Italian place?" Sophie smiles. "I adore Italian pasta! Fresh tagliatelle is my favorite meal in the world. But what about dessert? Do you fancy some ice cream afterwards?" "I don't mind ice cream but I prefer tiramisu," Dan answers. "My sister Emma is coming too. She doesn't mind pasta, but she can't stand loud restaurants. Let's book a quiet table." "Perfect," says Sophie. "Emma adores cozy little bistros. I'll make a reservation right now!" Comprehension Questions What type of food does Sophie fancy for dinner? Why does Dan dislike curry? Which dish does Sophie adore? How does Dan feel about gelato? What kind of atmosphere can Emma not stand? Practice Activity: Gap Fill Fill in each blank with the correct verb form from the box: adores | can't stand | fancies | doesn't mind | dislike | fancy | don't mind | adore Clara .....mornings; she smiles the moment her alarm rings! Do you ...going to the cinema this evening? I ....waking up early, but my husband absolutely it—he refuses to get out of bed before 9:00 AM! Mark and Liam ....doing chores; they always clean their flat together without complaints. My mother ...sweet tea; she always drinks it completely plain. He ...having a cup of coffee right now because he feels quite sleepy. I.... small dogs; they are so sweet and playful! Answer key Comprehension questions:answer key Sophie fancies Thai food (and also adores Italian pasta). Because it is too spicy/hot for him (he can't stand chili peppers). She adores Italian pasta (fresh tagliatelle). He doesn't mind it (it is okay, but he prefers tiramisu). She can't stand loud restaurants. Gap fill exercise answers adores (Clara = she, takes singular -s) fancy (Question with Do you) don't mind (I takes neutral don't mind) / can't stand (Expresses strong hatred; stays unchanged for he) 4.don't mind (Mark and Liam = they) 5.dislikes (My mother = she, adds -s) 6.fancies (He takes -ies) 7.adore (I takes base form)

  • #145
    November 2 · 6 min

    Episode 18 A1: Connecting words podcast

    #18 A1:Connecting words Basic Conjunctions (and, but, or, because, so) Words That Stick Together Hello, and welcome back to another podcast with English for French, I'm Alison, and today we are looking at connecting words, words that allow you to make longer more complete phrases. Imagine building a house with bricks. If you put bricks on top of each other without cement, the wall falls down! In English, words are like bricks, and conjunctions are our cement—our sentence glue. Instead of speaking like a robot: "I like coffee. I like tea. I don't like milk." Sentence glue lets you sound natural: "I like coffee and tea, but I don't like milk." Today, we will master the five most important connecting words you need every single day: and, but, or, because, and so. Let's jump in! The Big Five: Meaning and Uses AND (Adding Information +) Use and to join two similar ideas or add items together. Example: I bought apples and bananas. Example: She lives in London and works in a library. BUT (Contrasting Ideas ≠) Use but when you have a surprise, a problem, or opposite ideas (positive + negative). Example: I want to go to the beach, but it is raining. Example: He speaks English, but he doesn't speak Spanish. OR (Choices and Alternatives ?) Use or when you have an option between two or more things. Example: Do you prefer tea or coffee? Example: We can take the bus or walk. BECAUSE (Giving the Reason 💡) Use because to answer the question Why?. It explains why something happens. Example: I am going to bed because I am tired. Example: She didn't come to class because she was sick. SO (Showing the Result ➡️) Use so to show the consequence or result of an action. (Hint: Think of so as the sister of because. "Cause Result") Example: It was raining, so I took an umbrella. Example: He woke up late, so he missed the bus. Quick Reference Guide Conjunction Job / Purpose Symbol / Clue Example Sentence and Adds ideas together + (Plus) I study English and practice every day. but Shows contrast or surprise (Opposite) He loves cars, but he cannot drive. or Gives options or choices ? (Alternative) Would you like water or juice? because Gives a reason (Why?) because (Reason) We stayed inside because it was cold. so Shows a result (Consequence) (Result) I was hungry, so I made a sandwich. Practice 1: Multiple Choice Quiz Choose the correct connecting word (A, B, or C) for each sentence. I like swimming, I don't like running. Beacuse but so 2.Do you want to eat at home, do you want to go to a restaurant? or so and 3.Emma was sick yesterday, she stayed in bed. but because so 4.He went to the supermarket bought some bread, milk, and eggs. or and so 5.I study every day .I want to pass my English exam. because but or 6.My shoes are very old, they are still comfortable. so and but Practice 2: Gap-Fill Story with Word Bank Complete the short story below by choosing the correct connector from the word bank. Use each word once. Word Bank and | but | or | because | so Yesterday was Saturday. Anna wanted to relax, (1) she had a lot of housework to do. First, she cleaned the kitchen (2) washed her clothes. Around 1:00 PM, she felt very hungry, (3) she decided to make lunch. She looked in the fridge to see if she had pasta (4) rice. She chose pasta (5) it was quick to cook. After lunch, she finally sat on the sofa and read a good book. Combine each pair of sentences into one using the best connecting word: and, but, so, or because. Practice 3 I wanted to call you. / My phone battery was dead. Combined: 2.David was feeling tired. / He went to sleep early. Combined: 3.She put on her winter coat. / It was very cold outside. Combined: 4.Lisa bought some fresh vegetables. / She cooked a delicious soup. Combined: 5.He likes watching action films. / He does not like horror movies. Combined: That’s all from me, Alison at English for French. I hope you enjoyed this podcast ,and that you will practice or listen to more podcasts, because that is how you can improve, so that English will become easy. See you soon at E4F Cheers . Answer Key Practice 1: Multiple Choice B) but (Opposite feelings: likes swimming /doesn't like running) A) or (A choice between eating at home or at a restaurant) C) so (Sick was the situation /staying in bed was the result) B) and (Adding actions together) A) because (Explaining the reason why he studies) 6.C) but (Contrasting an old shoe with being comfortable) Practice 2: Gap-Fill Story but (She wanted to relax, but she had housework) and (Joining two household chores together) so (She was hungry, so she decided to make lunch) or (Checking options: pasta or rice) because (Giving the reason: it was quick to cook) Practice 3: I wanted to call you, but my phone battery was dead. (Shows a contrast or problem that stopped the action.) 2.David was feeling tired, so he went to sleep early. (Shows the result/consequence of being tired.) 3.She put on her winter coat because it was very cold outside. (Explains the reason why she put on the coat.) 4.Lisa bought some fresh vegetables and cooked a delicious soup. (Adds two related actions together.) 5.He likes watching action films, but he does not like horror movies. (Contrasts two opposing preferences: likes vs. does not like.)

  • #143
    November 2 · 9 min

    Episode 17 A1: Past simple negatives and questions

    Podcast transcript #17 A1: Past simple negatives and questions Hello, and welcome back to English for French podcasts.I’m alison and today we are looking at the past simple in negative and question phrases. You will see that with the help of an auxiliary , verbs are easy to conjugate in English. Here we go. Today, we are travelling back in time. We are talking about the Past Simple. You already know that to talk about yesterday, last week and past finished time ,in positive sentences we change verbs: walk becomes walked and go becomes went. But what happens when you want to say NO? Or when you want to ask a QUESTION? Here is the secret: you do not need to change the main action verb. Instead, you use a l helper verb,or auxiliary, DID. The Negative Form: "I did not/didn’t..." To say something did not happen in the past, use this formula: Subject + did not (didn't) + Base Verb/(Infinitive) Important Rule: Once you use didn't, your main verb stays in its simple, normal form, and the auxiliary DID/DIDN’T is the same for all pronouns( I,You,He, etc) Do not add -ed, and do not use the past form. Correct: I didn't sleep well last night. Incorrect: I didn't slept well last night. Correct: She didn't buy the shoes. Incorrect: She didn't bought the shoes. Yes/No Questions: "Did you...?" When asking a question about the past that needs a Yes or No answer, start with Did: Did + Subject + Base Verb (Infinitive) Question: Did you call me? Short answers: Yes, I did. No, I didn't. Notice again: the verb call stays in its base form because Did does all the past-tense work! Verbs are lazy in English, auxiliaries are the hard workers "Wh-" Information Questions: "Where did you go?" If you want more information (using What, Where, When, Why, Who), put the question word first: Question Word + did+ Subject + Base Verb Where did you go yesterday? What did she eat for breakfast? When did they arrive at the station? Mixed Verbs: Regular & Irregular in Action Here is how regular and irregular verbs look side-by-side in positive, negative, and question forms: Base Verb Positive (+) Negative (-) Question (?) play We played tennis. We didn't play tennis. Did we play tennis? go He went home. He didn't go home. Did he go home? watch I watched a film. I didn't watch a film. Did you watch a film? see They saw a cat. They didn't see a cat. Did they see a cat? cook She cooked dinner. She didn't cook dinner. Did she cook dinner? have You had lunch. You didn't have lunch. Did you have lunch? clean He cleaned his car. He didn't clean his car. Did he clean his car? buy I bought coffee. I didn't buy coffee. Did you buy coffee? Story: "The Mystery of the Missing Sunday" Read the story below. Look for the words didn't and did. Last Sunday, Marc woke up at 10:00 AM. He looked at his phone, but he didn't see any messages from his friend, Sam. "That is strange," Marc thought. "We planned to meet at 9:30 AM." Marc didn't eat breakfast. He put on his coat and walked to Sam’s apartment. He knocked on the door, but nobody answered. He didn't hear any music inside. Marc called Sam's number. Sam answered with a sleepy voice: "Hello?" "Did you forget our plan?" asked Marc. "What plan?" asked Sam. "Did we plan something for Saturday?" "Today is not Saturday, Sam! It is Sunday!" Marc laughed. Sam was silent for a moment. "Oh no! My alarm clock didn't ring this morning. What time is it?" "Did you sleep until now?" Marc asked. "Yes, I did," Sam said. "I am sorry! I didn't check the day." Sam opened the door in his pajamas. They didn't go to the park because it started to rain, but they made pancakes and watched a comedy movie together. Practice 1: Reading Comprehension Answer these 8 questions based on the story "The Mystery of the Missing Sunday": What time did Marc wake up on Sunday? Did Marc see any messages from Sam on his phone? Did Marc eat breakfast before leaving his home? What did Marc hear when he knocked on Sam's door? Which day did Sam think it was? Why didn't Sam wake up early? Did the two friends go to the park? Why or why not? What did Marco and Sam do at the end of the story? Practice 2: Gap-Fill Exercise Complete the sentences using the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple negative or question form. I was not hungry, so I (not / eat) the sandwich. (watch) the football game on TV yesterday? Clara was very tired, but she (not / sleep) well. Where they (go) for their summer holiday? Mark (not / buy) the red shirt because it was too expensive. (call) you yesterday evening? We (not / visit) the museum because it was closed. Why she (leave) the party so early? Practice 3: Transform each of the following 5 sentences into: (-) Negative (using didn't + base verb) (?) Yes/No Question (starting with Did + subject + base verb...?) Sentences to Transform Sarah drank a cup of coffee this morning. (-)(? They visited their grandparents last weekend.(-) (?) Tom wrote an email to his teacher.(-)(?) We played football in the park yesterday.(-)(?) She found her keys under the sofa.(-)(?) Answer Key Practice 1: Reading Comprehension Marc woke up at 10:00 AM. No, he didn't. He didn't see any messages from Sam. No, he didn't. He didn't eat breakfast. He didn't hear anything (he didn't hear any music). Sam thought it was Saturday. He didn't wake up early because his alarm clock didn't ring. No, they didn't go to the park because it started to rain. They made pancakes and watched a comedy movie together. Practice 2: Gap-Fill didn't eat (or did not eat) Did you watch didn't sleep (or did not sleep) did they go didn't buy (or did not buy) Did he call didn't visit (or did not visit) did she leave 9.(-) Sarah didn't drink a cup of coffee this morning. (?) Did Sarah drink a cup of coffee this morning? 10.(-) They didn't visit their grandparents last weekend. (?) Did they visit their grandparents last weekend? 11. (-) Tom didn't write an email to his teacher. (?) Did Tom write an email to his teacher? 12.(-) We didn't play football in the park yesterday. (?) Did we play football in the park yesterday? (or: Did you play...?) 13.(-) She didn't find her keys under the sofa. (?) Did she find her keys under the sofa?

  • #142
    October 30 · 9 min

    Episode 16 A1 Past simple positive

    #16 A1 Past simple positive: A Day at the Office 💼🎙️ Welcome back to English for French podcasts! I’m Alison, and today we are going to talk about the past simple in positive sentences. Grab your headphones, grab a cup of tea , and get ready. Here we go. Today, we step inside the workplace to master the Past Simple (Positive). Every verb in today's reading story comes directly from our reference table, making it easy to spot and practice each one. When Do We Actually Use the Past Simple ? Today, we are answering an essential question: When do we choose the Past Simple? Many learners get confused and ask: "Can I use it for something that happened five minutes ago, or only for ten years ago?" Here is the secret: Distance in time does not matter. Finished time matters. We use the Past Simple whenever an action started and completely finished in the past. It is locked in history. There are three key situations where you must use it: STRUCTURE Subject+ Verb in past simple form + Object 1. With Specific Finished Time Markers Whenever your sentence names a time period that is completely over, reach for the Past Simple. Listen for these common "time stamps": Yesterday ("Yesterday, I sent five reports.") Last... (last night, last week, last month, last year) ...ago (two hours ago, ten minutes ago, three days ago) In + past year / date (in 2021, on Monday morning) If the clock or calendar has moved on, the door is shut. The action is done. 2. Chronological Stories and Daily Routines When you describe your day step-by-step—like a movie scene—you string together Past Simple verbs: "I arrived at the office, called my manager, wrote an email, and drank a coffee." Action 1 finishes, then Action 2 happens, then Action 3 happens. Each one is a completed block. 3. Past Habits and Past States We also use it for things that were true for a period in your past life, but are no longer true today: "Five years ago, I worked in a bank." (Now I work somewhere else.) "When I was an intern, I was very nervous." How the Verbs Behave: Regular vs. Irregular To tell your story, you need the right tools. In English, verbs split into two teams: Regular Verbs (The Rule Followers): Add -ed (or just -d if the verb already ends in e): call -called | start- started | print -printed Irregular Verbs (The Rule Breakers): These change form completely. You must memorize them like friends' names: write - wrote | send -sent | have -had Here is your desk reference of 15 essential verbs. Every bold verb in our story below is in this table! Base Verb Past Simple Form Verb Type Example Sentence arrive arrived Regular Lucas arrived at the office very early. make made Irregular We made a checklist of all our tasks. have had Irregular We had a quick team meeting before lunch. start started Regular The meeting started at 9:00 AM sharp. speak spoke Irregular Jane spoke to her team about the project. write wrote Irregular I wrote four urgent emails to our clients. send sent Irregular She sent the budget report to the director. call called Regular The manager called a client on the phone. meet met Irregular Jane met a colleague in the cafeteria. eat ate Irregular They ate a sandwich for lunch yesterday. drink drank Irregular John drank cold water with his lunch. print printed Regular The assistant printed thirty contracts. finish finished Regular The team finished all tasks on time. leave left Irregular Everyone left the building at 5:45 PM. be was / were Irregular Jane was very tired after work. That’s all from me, Alison, at podcasts with English for French. I hope the past simple is clearer for you now. The secret is to practice, so, I have added a text comprehension and a gap-fill exercise below. The most important thing is to use the past simple, keep a diary, write the things you did yesterday, last week, or when you were young. Have fun. Cheers. Reading Comprehension: Jane’s Busy Day at the Office Read the short workplace text below. All highlighted past verbs can be found in the table above!Yesterday was a very busy Tuesday for Jane. She arrived at the office at 8:15 AM and made a cup of tea. At 9:00 AM, she had a project meeting. The meeting started on time, and Jane spoke to her team about the new plan. After the meeting, she wrote four urgent emails and sent the budget report to her director. She also called a client on the phone to confirm an order. At 1:00 PM, Jane met her colleague Lucas in the cafeteria. She ate a sandwich and drank a glass of cold water.In the afternoon, Jane printed thirty contracts for the legal department. She finished all her tasks before the end of the day and left the office at 5:45 PM. She was tired, but she was very pleased with her work. Comprehension Questions What time did Jane arrive at the office? What did Jane do after she arrived? Who did Jane speak to during the morning meeting? Who did Jane meet in the cafeteria for lunch? How many contracts did Jane print in the afternoon? How did Jane feel when she left the office? Gap-Fill Practice: Complete the Sentences Fill in each blank with the correct Past Simple form of the verb in brackets ( ). Mr. Taylor ________ (start) the presentation at 10:00 AM. I ________ (write) an email to my manager about my holiday dates. The secretary ________ (print) thirty documents for the team. We ________ (leave) the office btogether at 5:45 PM. She ________ (speak) to the client on the phone for twenty minutes. The employees ________ (eat) lunch in the canteen yesterday. Last night, our team ________ (finish) the report on time. He ________ (send) the mail to the director two hours ago. Answer Key Comprehension Answers: She arrived at the office at 8:15 AM. She made a cup of tea. She spoke to her team about the new plan. She met her colleague Lucas in the cafeteria. She printed thirty contracts. She was tired, but she was very pleased with her work. Gap-Fill Answers: started wrote printed left spoke ate finished sent

  • #141
    October 29 · 8 min

    Episode 15 A1: Adjectives ending in -ed or -ing

    Episode 15: A1 –ed or –ing adjectives "Are You Bored or Boring?" Hello and welcome back to English for French podcasts! I’m Alison, and today, we are learning about two very common adjective endings: -ed and -ing. We will also learn how to pronounce -ed correctly, look at voiced and voiceless sounds, read an easy story about a boy named Tom, and finish with plenty of practice. Here we go. The Main Meaning: -ed vs -ing Both endings make adjectives (words that describe things or people), but they do two completely different jobs: -ed describes a feeling: It tells us how a person or animal feels inside. "I am tired." (This is my feeling.) "Tom is bored." (This is Tom's emotion.) -ing describes the cause: It describes the thing, person, or situation that creates that feeling. "Running for an hour is tiring." (Running causes the feeling of tiredness.) "The lesson is boring." (The lesson makes people feel bored.) Pronunciation Guide: How to Say the "-ed" Ending Many learners try to pronounce the letters "e-d" as an extra syllable every time (like saying tir-ed or bor-ed). In English, we do not do this! There are three different ways to pronounce the -ed ending: ───> /t/ (after voiceless sounds) Final sound of ┼ ───> /d/ (after voiced sounds & vowels) the base word ───> /ɪd/ (only after /t/ or /d/ sounds) What are "Voiced" and "Voiceless" sounds? Put your hand gently on the front of your throat (on your vocal cords): Voiceless sounds (No vibration): Your vocal cords do not vibrate. You only push air through your mouth. Examples: /p/, /k/, /s/, /f/, /ʃ/ (sh), /tʃ/ (ch). Test it: Say "sss" like a snake. Touch your throat—there is no vibration! Voiced sounds (Vibration): Your vocal cords vibrate! Examples: /b/, /g/, /v/, /z/, /m/, /n/, /l/, /r/. Test it: Say "zzz" like a bee. Touch your throat—you will feel a strong buzz! All vowel sounds are voiced: Every vowel sound in English (a, e, i, o, u, diphthongs like eye, oh, ee) makes your vocal cords vibrate. The Three Pronunciation Rules Rule 1: The /t/ sound (Whisper sound) If the base word ends in a voiceless sound, the -ed is pronounced as /t/. Do not add an extra syllable. shock -shocked (say: shock-t — 1 syllable) relax -relaxed (say: re-lax-t — 2 syllables) Rule 2: The /d/ sound (Buzzing sound) If the base word ends in a voiced consonant OR any vowel sound, the -ed is pronounced as /d/. Do not add an extra syllable. After voiced consonants: Concern- concerned (say: con-cern-d — 2 syllables) overwhelm - overwhelmed (say: o-ver-whelm-d — 3 syllables) After vowel sounds: tire - tired (ends in vowel sound) say: ty-rd — 1 syllable) bore - bored (ends in vowel sound say): bord — 1 syllable) annoy -annoyed (ends in vowel sound ) say: a-noy-d — 2 syllables) worry -worried (ends in vowel sound )say: wuh-reed — 2 syllables) Rule 3: The /ɪd/ sound (Extra syllable) We only add an extra syllable when the base word already ends in a /t/ or /d/ sound. We do this because it is impossible to say two "t" or "d" sounds together without a vowel between them. interest - interested (ends in t )say: inter-estid — 3 syllables) excite - excited (ends in t ) say: ex-ci-tid — 3 syllables) crowd -crowded (ends in d ) say: crow-did — 2 syllables) Remember –ed adjectives describe how someone feels, -ing adjectives describe the thing causing an effect on someone or something. That’s all for today at podcasts with me, Alison, at English for French. You can find the text and comprehension questions, some exercises and the answer key below. See you soon. Cheers. Reading Text: Tom's Long Day Tom wakes up at seven o'clock on Saturday morning. Today is a special day! He is going to the zoo with his family. Tom is very excited because he loves animals. They arrive at the zoo at nine o'clock. The zoo is very big. First, they see the monkeys. The monkeys jump from tree to tree and eat bananas. They are very funny and interesting. Tom watches them for one hour. Next, they go into a dark house to see big spiders and snakes. Tom does not like spiders. The spiders are frightening. Tom runs to his dad. Tom is frightened and holds his father's hand. At one o'clock, it begins to rain. They go into a small cinema at the zoo. The cinema shows a long film about rocks and dirt. The film has no animals. The film is slow and very boring. Tom's little sister falls asleep. Tom does not want to watch the film. He is bored. At five o'clock, the family walks back to the car. They walked all day. Walking for eight hours is very tiring. In the car, Tom closes his eyes. He is very tired, but he had a good day. Comprehension Questions Answer each question using simple, full sentences: Where does Tom go on Saturday morning? Why is Tom excited? What do the monkeys do? Are the monkeys boring or interesting? Why is Tom frightened in the dark house? What happens at one o'clock? What is the film about? Does Tom like the film? Why does Tom's sister fall asleep? How does Tom feel at the end of the day in the car? Gap-Fill Exercise Choose the correct adjective from the brackets for each sentence: I ran for thirty minutes. Now I am very ________. (tired / tiring) This English book is not fun. It is very ________. (bored / boring) We are going to the beach tomorrow! I am so ________! (excited / exciting) Big dogs can be ________ for small children. (frightened / frightening) The students do not understand the maths question. They are ________. (confused / confusing) The long walk up the mountain was very ________. (tired / tiring) I have nothing to do today. I am so ________. (bored / boring) The film was very ________, so everyone laughed and clapped. (excited / exciting) The dark forest is ________ at night. (frightened / frightening) Maria likes history. She is ________ in old cities. (interested / interesting) The teacher speaks very fast. The lesson is ________. (confused / confusing) It was a long day at school. The children are ________. (tired / tiring) Museums are often quiet and ________ to visit. (interested / interesting) The baby hears thunder and feels ________. (frightened / frightening) This bus ride takes five hours. It is very ________. (bored / boring) Answer Key Comprehension Answers He goes to the zoo. He is excited because he loves animals. They jump from tree to tree and eat bananas. They are interesting (and funny). He is frightened because he sees big spiders and snakes. At one o'clock, it begins to rain. The film is about rocks and dirt. No, he does not like it (he is bored). She falls asleep because the film is boring. He feels very tired. Gap-Fill Answers tired (person's feeling — pronounced /d/ after vowel sound) boring (the book causes the feeling) excited (person's feeling — pronounced /ɪd/ with an extra syllable) frightening (the dogs cause fear) confused (students' feeling — pronounced /d/ after voiced /z/) tiring (the walk causes tiredness) bored (person's feeling — pronounced /d/ after vowel sound) exciting (the film causes excitement) frightening (the forest causes fear) interested (person's feeling — pronounced /ɪd/ with an extra syllable) confusing (the lesson causes confusion) tired (children's feeling — pronounced /d/ after vowel sound) interesting (museums cause interest) frightened (baby's feeling — pronounced /d/ after voiced /n/) boring (the bus ride causes boredom)

  • #140
    October 28 · 19 min

    Episode 1:Cultural Interactions ,England

    Episode 1: England: Business and everyday etiquette Welcome back to podcasts with English for French.I’m Alison and today we are looking at etiquette in Britain particularlyEngland ,and the things to avoid and the ‘rules’ to follow , particularly in a business situation. Grab a cuppa ( term used only for tea, an abbreviation of a cup of tea , never for coffee), pop on your headphones, and mentally prepare to stand in an orderly queue. Today, heading straight into England: a compact, known for its rainy climate, endlessly fascinating corner of the world where people apologize to doors they accidentally walk into, yet managed to conquer global airwaves, invent half the sports the world plays, and speak in roughly fifty entirely different accents within a thirty-mile radius. A Nation of Accents: Five Miles Down the Road, a Whole New Language Forget the Hollywood cliché that everyone in England sounds like a BBC newsreader or Mary Poppins. The English linguistic map is astonishingly hyper-local. Drive just 30 minutes in any direction, and the vowels shift, the rhythms warp, and entirely new slang turns up on street signs and pub menus. In London alone, you move from old-school East End Cockney (home of rhyming slang, where "apples and pears" means stairs) to Multicultural London English (MLE), an energetic blend influenced by Caribbean, African, and South Asian diasporas.Then you have the accent of the City or square mile , the hub of businesses in London , known for its Received Pronunciation, clearly enunciated vowels often considered”posh”, this is the accent of most journalists, politicians and high-class business people. Travel up north and the landscape changes completely: Liverpool boasts the throatier, musical lilt of Scouse; Manchester gives you the swaggering, flat vowels of Mancunian; and Newcastle welcomes you with the fast, sing-song dialect of Geordie, where "bairn" means child and "howay" means pretty much anything you need it to mean. Toss in the warm, rolling "r"s of the West Country (often dubbed pirate talk) and the blunt, flat-voweled warmth of Yorkshire, and you realize there is no single "English accent"—just hundreds of micro-dialects tied proudly to local postal codes. Crowns & Commons: How Politics and Royalty Actually Work If you've ever wondered who steers this ship, England operates within the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy combined with a parliamentary democracy. The Monarch (The Crown): The reigning monarch serves as the formal head of state. The royal family holds grand ceremonial weight, historic palaces, and gilded horse-drawn carriages, but politically, the monarch reigns without ruling. By centuries-old constitutional convention, the monarch is not even allowed to step inside the elected House of Commons. The Prime Minister & Parliament: Day-to-day lawmaking sits inside the Palace of Westminster. The Prime Minister (head of government) and elected Members of Parliament (MPs) jam into green leather benches, trading barbs across a red dispatch line and shouting "Hear, hear!"(announcing the person’s agreement to the speaker). Bills clear parliamentary debates, pass through both Commons and Lords, and receive formal "Royal Assent"—a customary final sign-off. Everyday Etiquette & Cultural Faux Pas British social interaction relies heavily on non-intrusiveness, understatement, and unspoken spatial codes. Queue jumping: The single quickest way to cause genuine public outrage. Always look for the end of the line, even if it looks informal or dispersed. Never attempt to push ahead. Escalator etiquette (especially the London Underground): Always stand on the right, walk on the left. Blocking the left side with bags or your body will draw sharp sighs or immediate reprimands. Overly personal small talk: Asking strangers or recent acquaintances how much money they earn, what their home cost, or how they voted in elections is considered intrusive. Safe openers: delays on the train, unpredictable weather, or travel logistics. Taking compliments literally: Effusive self-praise or accepting praise too proudly triggers discomfort. The standard response to a compliment is self-deprecation or deflecting credit ("Oh, it was mostly luck," or "I got this suit on sale, actually"). Being overly loud in transit: Speaking on speakerphone or talking loudly in train carriages (particularly designated "Quiet Coaches") is heavily frowned upon. Business English "No-Nos" & Decoding Subtext In British business contexts, confrontation is rarely explicit. Direct disagreement is cushioned with polite phrases that mean the exact opposite of their literal wording. What Is Said What It Actually Means Recommended Response "With the greatest respect..." "You are completely wrong." Concede ground or clarify your reasoning gently. "That's a very brave / interesting proposal." "That idea is reckless or unworkable." Ask: "What specific risks do you see here?" "I hear what you say." "I disagree and do not intend to discuss it further." Pivot to a compromise rather than repeating the point. "Perhaps we could consider..." "Do this instead." Treat it as a direct instruction, not an optional thought. "Not bad at all / Quite good." "Exceptional work." (British understatement) Say "Thank you, glad it hit the mark." Linguistic Traps to Avoid: Aggressive hard-sell jargon: Phrases like "Let's crush the competition," "Winners close fast," or demanding an immediate "yes or no" sign-off will breed distrust. Absolute certainty: Phrases like "This is guaranteed to double your revenue" sound false. Frame projections cautiously: "The data suggests potential upside in that area." Blunt negation: Avoid flatly answering "No" or "You're wrong." Reframe with: "I'm not quite sure that aligns with..." or "A potential hiccup there might be..." Meeting Etiquette & Dynamics Punctuality: Arrive 5 minutes early. Arriving late is considered disrespectful of everyone's schedule; arriving 20 minutes early puts awkward pressure on your host. If delayed by transport, text or email immediately with an updated ETA( estimated time of arrival). The Greeting: A firm, brief handshake with direct eye contact remains standard across both formal and casual sectors. Hugs or cheek kisses are strictly for established social friendships, never initial business encounters. Meeting Flow: Expect 3 to 5 minutes of low-stakes rapport-building before touching the agenda. Jumping into slide one within ten seconds of sitting down feels robotic and transactional. Humour and Banter: Self-effacing wit and deadpan irony are common tools used to diffuse workplace tension. Do not mistake humour for a lack of seriousness or competence. Business Dining & Food Protocol Table Manners: Continental style is expected: fork in the left hand (tines facing down), knife in the right. Rest utensils parallel on the plate when finished. The "Pub Round" Rule: If business drinks occur at a traditional pub, table service is rare—orders are placed directly at the bar. Crucially, the group drinks in rounds. If four colleagues are drinking, one person buys a pint for all four, then the next person buys the next round. Leaving before buying your turn, or skipping out when it is your round, leaves a lasting negative impression. Paying the Bill at Dinner: If you extended the dinner invitation, arrange discreetly with the server beforehand to take your card. Clamorous arguments over the bill at the table are uncomfortable. If you are a guest, offer to contribute once; if the host insists on paying, accept gracefully with sincere thanks. Dietary Preferences: State allergies or dietary requirements in advance when an agenda or dinner is being arranged. British restaurants cater extensively to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets, but springing complex restrictions on a fixed-menu host at the venue is awkward. Navigating Sports & Cultural References The Sporting Heart: We Invented It (and Usually Lose at It) England has a hilarious habit of codifying the world’s most popular sports, sharing the rules with everyone else, and then spending generations watching other nations beat them at their own games.Sports provide common ground for informal networking, but missteps happen quickly. Football : Passion runs deep, regional allegiances are fierce, and rivalries are personal. Do not pretend to support a club unless you actually follow them; you will be quizzed on details. A safe framing is neutral curiosity: "How do you think [Team] will do this weekend?" Rugby, Cricket, and Tennis: Rugby and cricket carry distinct cultural norms. Test cricket is often referenced in business idioms ("a sticky wicket" = a tricky situation; "a safe pair of hands" = reliable; "bowled a googly" = caught off-guard).The Classics (Wimbledon & Royal Ascot): Every summer brings strawberries and cream on the grass courts of Wimbledon, alongside the eccentric millinery and horse racing of Royal Ascot. Horses play a big part in England’s vulture, animals in general are treated as members of the family and are sacred to their guardians( we don’t use the word owner for animals !) The "UK" vs. "England" Distinction: Never use "England" as a synonym for "Britain" or the "United Kingdom." Calling a contact from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland "English" is offensive. In England, stick to referencing the specific city, county, or the country accurately. The Soundtrack of the World: Musical Culture & Britpop For a small island, England punches comically above its weight on the global charts: The British Invasion (1960s): Four mop-topped lads from Liverpool walked out of the Cavern Club into Abbey Road, and the world lost its collective mind. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Kinks redefined popular songwriting. Punk & Anarchy (1970s): When social tensions spiked, England fired back with safety-pin attitude, torn denim, and raw three-chord fury courtesy of the Sex Pistols and The Clash. 80s New Wave & Madchester: David Bowie set the stage for gender-blurring glam, Queen commanded stadiums, and Northern industrial towns spawned Joy Division, New Order, and The Smiths. 90s Britpop & Girl Power: Oasis and Blur waged an all-out tabloid war for the UK #1 single spot, while the Spice Girls stomped across international stadiums in platform trainers and Union Jack minidresses. Modern Street Sounds & Arena Fillers: The UK underground pioneered Grime, UK Garage, and Jungle (featuring innovators like Dizzee Rascal and Skepta), running alongside global powerhouses like Adele, Dua Lipa, and Ed Sheeran. To finish up, here are some fun facts you may not know about England in particular. Quirky Customs & Fun Facts You Won't Believe Are Real Queue Etiquette is Sacred: Jumping a line in England is treated as a severe moral failure. No one will tackle you, but you will endure a symphony of exasperated sighs and aggressive, rhythmic tutting. Extreme Cheese Chasing: Every spring at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, competitors hurl themselves down a near-vertical cliff chasing an 8-pound rolling wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. Minor injuries are virtually guaranteed. No Passport for the Sovereign: British passports are issued under the authority of the reigning monarch, meaning the King travels without one. Royal Swans: By ancestral law dating back to the 12th century, the Crown maintains prerogative ownership over all unmarked, wild mute swans swimming in open waters across the realm. Never Far from the Coast: Anywhere you stand on the English map, you are never more than about 70 miles (113 km) from the open sea. Whether travelling for business or pleasure, remember,Britain is a land of apologies, British humour, often difficult to understand for non natives, based on witty repartee and self deprecation,and polite behaviour. Generally speaking, the British are warm, friendly and welcoming.The British population is made up of a huge number of different cultures and religions, tolerance is the keyword in these countries. I hope you have enjoyed this podcast.Rule Britannia! See you all soon at podcasts with English For french Cheers

  • #139
    October 12 · 11 min

    Episode 3: B1/2 Past simple vs Past continuous

    #3 B1/2 Past simple vs Past continuous Welcome back to podcasts at English for French, with me, Alison. In today’s episode, we’re looking into two major tenses of English storytelling: the Past Simple and the Past Continuous. If you’ve ever found yourself asking, "Do I say 'I was walking' or 'I walked'?" or wondered where words like when, while, and as fit into the puzzle, this episode is made for you. Past Simple vs. Past Continuous: The Foundations The Past Simple Think of the Past Simple as a snapshot or a completed event in history. We use it for actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past. Structure: Regular verbs end in -ed (walked, played); irregular verbs take their own past forms (went, ate, bought). Negation/Questions: Use did / didn't + base form of the verb ("Did you see?" / "I didn't see"). Key Use Case: Main actions, finished events, or chronological steps in a story. Example: "I woke up, grabbed my coffee, and left the house." The Past Continuous Think of the Past Continuous as a video recording in progress. It describes background activities, temporary situations, or ongoing actions taking place at a specific moment in the past. Structure: was / were + verb-ing ("I was waiting", "They were talking"). Negation/Questions: Use wasn't / weren't + verb-ing ("Were you sleeping?" / "She wasn't listening"). Key Use Case: Setting the scene or showing an action interrupted by another event. Example: "At 8:00 AM, rain was falling softly outside." Direct Comparison Feature Past Simple Past Continuous Action Type Completed action / Snapshot Ongoing action / Background activity Duration Short or viewed as a whole unit Extended over a period of time Function in Stories Moves the narrative forward (main events) Sets the mood or describes background context Formula Verb + -ed / Irregular past was / were + Verb-ing Example "The alarm rang at 7 AM." "I was dreaming about space travel." Connecting the Tenses: When, While, and As When we combine ongoing background actions with sudden events, time connectors act as glue. When Usually followed by the Past Simple (the shorter, interrupting action). Pattern: Past Continuous + when + Past Simple Example: "I was studying for my exam when the phone rang." While Usually followed by the Past Continuous (the longer, ongoing action). Pattern: Past Simple + while + Past Continuous Example: "The phone rang while I was studying for my exam." As Functions similarly to while, but often emphasizes two actions happening simultaneously or at the exact moment of progression. Pattern: As + Past Continuous, Past Simple Example: "As I was walking through the park, I noticed a strange blue bird." Using the Tenses in Narratives In storytelling, the Past Continuous creates the atmosphere, while the Past Simple delivers the action: "The wind was howling through the trees and rain was pounding against the glass (background scene). Suddenly, Sarah dropped her keys (main action). While she was searching for them on the wet pavement (ongoing action), a mysterious light appeared in the distance (interruption)." In English grammar, verbs are divided into two main categories: action (dynamic) verbs and state (stative) verbs. Understanding this distinction is the key to knowing which verbs can—and cannot—be used in the Past Continuous tense. Action Verbs vs. State Verbs Action (Dynamic) Verbs Action verbs describe physical activities, processes, or events that have a clear beginning and end. Because these actions happen over time and can be seen or measured, they can be used in both the Past Simple and the Past Continuous. Examples: run, eat, write, build, drive, speak, paint. Past Simple: "She wrote an email." (Completed action) Past Continuous: "She was writing an email when I called." (Action in progress) State (Stative) Verbs State verbs describe conditions, states of mind, emotions, relationships, or senses that are static or unchanging. They do not involve a physical action or a process happening moment-by-moment. Core Rule: Pure state verbs are generally not used in continuous tenses (including the Past Continuous). Instead, we use the Past Simple to express past states. Incorrect: "I was wanting a coffee." Correct: "I wanted a coffee." Categories of Common State Verbs Here is a guide to the main groups of verbs that stay in the Past Simple: Category Verbs Examples Emotions & Feelings like, love, hate, prefer, want, wish, dislike "She wanted to leave early." (Not: was wanting) Mental States & Thoughts know, understand, remember, forget, believe, mean, think (opinion) "I knew the answer right away." (Not: was knowing) Possession & Relationships have (own), possess, belong, own, contain, depend "They owned a small cottage." (Not: were owning) Senses & Perception see, hear, smell, taste, feel, seem, appear "The house seemed quiet." (Not: was seeming) Measurements & States cost, weigh, measure, consist of, fit, need "The ticket cost $20." (Not: was costing) The "Dual-Meaning" Verbs: Action vs. State Some verbs can act as either state or action verbs depending on their meaning in the sentence. When they express a physical action or process, they can be used in the Past Continuous. Have State (Possession): "He had a green car." (Not: was having) Action (Experience / Consumption): "He was having lunch when the bell rang." Think State (Opinion / Belief): "I thought the movie was great." (Not: was thinking) Action (Mental process / Consideration): "I was thinking about moving to Spain." See State (Perception / Understanding): "I saw what you meant." (Not: was seeing) Action (Meeting / Dating): "She was seeing a doctor about her back pain." Taste / Smell State (Quality of something): "The soup tasted delicious." (Not: was tasting) Action (Physical act of tasting): "The chef was tasting the sauce." Summary Tip for B1/B2 Learners If a verb describes something happening in the brain (thoughts, feelings), a relationship (ownership), or a permanent property (cost, weight), stick to the Past Simple. If it's something you can record on a video camera (moving, eating, working), you can safely use the Past Continuous. That’s all for today’s episode of Podcasts at English for French, with me, Alison. I hope you enjoyed this episode and remember the key to learning is to practice. So, try writing your own short story to check how you use the past simple and continuous to talk about an event in the past.You will find exercises and their answers at the end of this podcast.Cheers. Grammar Exercises Exercise A: 8-Question Gap-Fill Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets (Past Simple or Past Continuous). I ____________ (read) an interesting article when the power suddenly went out. While we ____________ (drive) down the coast, it started to pour with rain. As the conductor ____________ (raise) his arms, the audience went dead silent. What ____________ (you / do) at 9:00 PM last night when I called you? She lost her purse while she ____________ (shop) at the street market. The dog barked loudly, running across the yard, and ____________ (jump) over the fence. As I ____________ (walk) out the door, the mail carrier handed me a package. They ____________ (not / hear) the doorbell because the TV was playing too loudly. Exercise B: Comprehension Text Gap-Fill & Questions Read the narrative below and fill in gaps 1–6 with the correct verb form (Past Simple or Past Continuous). Then answer the questions that follow. The Night on Oak Street Last Tuesday, Mark had a evening he will never forget. At 10:00 PM, he 1. ____________ (walk) back to his apartment. The streets were quiet, and a cold fog 2. ____________ (roll) over the city. 3. ____________ he was crossing the street, he 4. ____________ (notice) a strange red envelope lying under a street lamp. He picked it up carefully. While he 5. ____________ (examine) the sealed wax mark on the back, a loud scream 6. ____________ (echo) from the dark alley behind him. Text Comprehension Questions: Which continuous action was happening to the weather as Mark walked home? What specific event interrupted Mark while he was looking at the sealed wax mark? Which time connector (when, while, or as) introduces the moment Mark spotted the envelope? Answer Key Exercise A Answer Key was reading (interrupted long action) were driving (action in progress with "while") raised (short completed action) were you doing (question about an action in progress at a specific time) was shopping (ongoing action during which something was lost) jumped (sequence of completed actions) was walking (background action with "as") didn't hear (completed past state/result) Exercise B Answer Key Text Gap-Fill: was walking was rolling As (or While) noticed was examining echoed Text Comprehension Answers: Cold fog was rolling over the city. A loud scream echoed from the dark alley behind him. As (or While).

  • #138
    October 9 · 12 min

    Episode 2 B1/2 Prefixes and suffixes

    #2 B1/2 Prefixes and suffixes Welcome back to Podcasts with English for French, with me, Alison. Today we’re taking a look into one of the most effective strategies for B2 learners to expand their vocabulary rapidly: Word Formation through Prefixes and Suffixes. The Origins: Where Do English Word Building Blocks Come From? To truly master English word building, it helps to understand where these affixes (prefixes and suffixes ) originate. Modern English is a hybrid language, but its affixes come primarily from two major sources: Old English (Germanic Roots): These are native English building blocks like un-, mis-, -ful, and -less. They tend to attach to everyday core words (e.g., un-happy, help-ful). Latin and Ancient Greek: Over 60% of English vocabulary—and up to 80% of academic and professional English—comes from Latin and Greek. Affixes like inter- (between), sub- (under), trans- (across), and -tion (action/state) entered English via French and Latin during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, which is why many words are transparent in French and English, the origin or etymology is the same. Greek and Latin building blocks form much of English vocabulary, as they do in French. How Knowing Etymology and Affixes Transforms Your Learning Instant Decoding (Passive Vocabulary): When reading an article or listening to a podcast, you don't need a dictionary every time you see an unfamiliar word. If you know that trans- means across and -national relates to nations, you can instantly deduce that transnational means operating across border boundaries. Grammatical Flexibility (Active Vocabulary): Suffixes tell your brain the exact grammatical slot a word fills in a sentence. Recognizing that –ize/ise forms verbs while -ity forms abstract nouns allows you to adapt your thoughts fluently without halting your conversation. Exam Success exams test word transformation explicitly, whether Toeic, IELTS, Cambridge or Cloe. Knowing how Latin-based roots combine with prefixes and suffixes gives you a systematic approach to answering these questions correctly. Expanded B2 Prefixes & Suffixes Reference Table Here is an expanded set of high-frequency B1/2 prefixes and suffixes including their linguistic origin, functional meaning, base words, and transformed examples. Type Affix Origin Meaning / Function Examples Base Word Préfix un- / in- / dis- Germanic / Latin Opposite, negative unhappy, incorrect, disagree happy, correct, agree Prefix mis- Germanic Badly, wrongly misunderstand, mislead understand, lead Prefix re- Latin Again, back reconsider, rewrite consider, write Prefix over- / under- Germanic Too much / Not enough overcooked, underestimated cooked, estimated Prefix inter- Latin Between, among international, interactive national, active Prefix sub- Latin Under, below subconscious, standard → substandard conscious, standard Prefix trans- Latin Across, beyond transform, transport form, port Suffix -able / -ible Latin Able to be (Adjective) readable, flexible read, flex Suffix -ment / -tion Latin Action / State (Noun) development, hesitation develop, hesitate Suffix -ful / -less Germanic Full of / Without (Adjective) careful, careless care Suffix -ly Germanic Manner / Way (Adverb) efficiently, fortunately efficient, fortunate Suffix -ize (-ise) Greek To make / cause to become (Verb) modernize, prioritize modern, priority Suffix -ity Latin State / Quality of (Noun) creativity, flexibility creative, flexible Suffix -ous Latin Full of / Possessing (Adjective) ambitious, hazardous ambition, hazard It is also important to understand the different stress we put on syllables in words (which syllable carries the tonic accent). There are rules for this, and here are just some examples of how different affixes can move the tonic accent in a word. PhotOgraphy not PhotoGRAPHy DemOcracy not DemoCRAcy! Word Stress & The Origins of Affixes Germanic Affixes (Unstressed): Native English prefixes like un- and suffixes like -ful, -less, and -ness almost never change the stress of the base word. Example: CARE / CARE-ful /ˈkɛər.fəl/ Latin/Greek Affixes (Stress-Shifting): Many Latinate suffixes like -tion, -ity, and -ic pull the stress toward the syllable right before them. Example: E-ffi-cient /ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/ E-ffi-CIEN-cy /ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/ Master Reference Table with Tonic Accents Syllables Word IPA Pronunciation Tonic Accent Position Base Word 2 Syllables RE-write /riːˈraɪt/ 1st Syllable write /raɪt/ 2 Syllables CARE-less /ˈkɛər.ləs/ 1st Syllable care /kɛər/ 2 Syllables MIS-lead /mɪsˈliːd/ 2nd Syllable lead /liːd/ 3 Syllables un-HAP-py /ʌnˈhæp.i/ 2nd Syllable happy /ˈhæp.i/ 3 Syllables dis-a-GREE /ˌdɪs.əˈɡriː/ 3rd Syllable agree /əˈɡriː/ 3 Syllables FLEX-i-ble /ˈflɛk.sə.bəl/ 1st Syllable flex /flɛks/ 3 Syllables MO-dern-ize /ˈmɒd.ər.naɪz/ 1st Syllable modern /ˈmɒd.ərn/ 4 Syllables un-CER-tain-ty /ʌnˈsɜːr.tən.ti/ 2nd Syllable certain /ˈsɜːr.tən/ 4 Syllables e-ffi-CIEN-cy /ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/ 3rd Syllable efficient /ɪˈfɪʃ.ənt/ 3 Syllables in-ter-ACT /ˌɪn.tərˈækt/ 3nd Syllable act /ækt/ 3 Syllables sub-STAN-dard /sʌbˈstæn.dərd/ 2nd Syllable standard /ˈstæn.dərd/ That’s all for today, now it’s your turn to practice. I have given you some exercises below and the answer key can be found at the end of the transcript. I hope you enjoyed this podcast and that it will help you decipher some interesting vocabulary,and use it. Thanks for listening to English for French podcasts with me, Alison. Cheers. Exercise 1: Reading Comprehension Read the short podcast story below and pay attention to how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of the words. The Career Pivot When Sarah decided to leave her corporate job, her colleagues thought she was making an unwise decision. She had worked at the firm for a decade, moving up from a junior assistant to a senior project manager. However, she found the work increasingly unsatisfying. Despite the financial uncertainty, Sarah remained optimistic. She enrolled in an intensive coding bootcamp. At first, the complex algorithms seemed almost comprehensible only to experts, and she frequently misunderstood basic concepts. There were moments of frustration, but she refused to give up. After six months of continuous improvement, Sarah landed her first role as a software developer. She now works remotely for a green energy startup. Her former coworkers, who once viewed her career change as unrealistic, now frequently ask her for career advice. Comprehension Questions Why did Sarah's colleagues initially question her decision? What difficulty did Sarah face during the coding bootcamp? What is Sarah's current employment situation? Exercise 2: Gap-Fill (Word Formation) Complete each sentence by transforming the word given in capital letters at the end of the line using an appropriate prefix, suffix, or both. Playing sports on a regular basis is extremely ____________ for your health. (BENEFIT) I apologize for arriving late; I completely ____________ the time of our meeting. (JUDGE) The company has announced plans to invest in new software to improve workplace ____________. (EFFICIENT) Taking an umbrella was a wise decision as the weather turned out to be completely ____________. (PREDICTABLE) His complete ____________ to follow basic safety procedures led to an avoidable accident. (REFUSE) It is completely ____________ to expect team members to work extra hours without extra pay. (REASONABLE) Modern smartphones have radically transformed how we ____________ with one another. (ACT) After years of hard work, she finally achieved financial ____________. (DEPEND) Answer Key & Explanations Exercise 1: Reading Comprehension Answer: They thought it was an unwise decision because she had worked there for ten years and held a senior position. Answer: She found the complex algorithms difficult and frequently misunderstood basic concepts at first. Answer: She works remotely as a software developer for a green energy startup. Exercise 2: Gap-Fill beneficial (Adjective) — Root: benefit. Add Latin suffix -ial to create an adjective describing health benefits. misjudged (Past Verb) — Root: judge. Add Germanic prefix mis- (wrongly) and suffix -ed for past simple. efficiency (Noun) — Root: efficient. Change ending to -cy (Latin origin) to form an abstract noun describing workplace productivity. unpredictable (Adjective) — Root: predict. Add Germanic prefix un- (not) and Latin suffix -able (capable of being). refusal (Noun) — Root: refuse. Add suffix -al to form a noun indicating the act of refusing. unreasonable (Adjective) — Root: reason. Add prefix un- (negative) and suffix -able to form an adjective meaning not fair or sensible. interact (Verb) — Root: act. Add Latin prefix inter- (between/together) to mean communicating or working together. independence (Noun) — Root: depend. Add prefix in- (not) and suffix -ence to form a noun meaning freedom from external control.

  • #137
    October 5 · 9 min

    Episode 6 A2: Past simple vs Past continuous

    #6 A2 Past Simple & Continuous Hi, and welcome back to English for French podcasts with me, Alison. Today we are looking at the difference between using the Past simple vs. Past Continuous. When you tell a story, Past Continuous builds the background scene (the atmosphere and ongoing actions), while Past Simple captures the main events that move the story forward! These tense aspects work in all notions of time. Read the following explanation to understand. The idea is the same for the aspects, whether they are present, past, or future, even if today we are concentrating on the past tenses. Time and Aspect: • Time: Both tenses happen entirely in the past. They describe events that started and finished before now. • Aspect (Simple vs. Continuous): o Simple Aspect: Focuses on completed events, whole actions, or sequences of events. o Continuous Aspect: Focuses on duration, ongoing processes, or background activities at a specific moment. 1. Interrupted Action (Continuous + Simple): A long action in progress is interrupted by a short event. I was sleeping when the alarm rang. 2. Parallel Actions (Continuous + Continuous): Two ongoing actions happening at the exact same time. While Dad was cooking, Mum was working in the garden. 3. Sequential Actions (Simple + Simple): Actions that happen one after another. He woke up, grabbed his keys, and ran out the door. Auxiliary Verbs: How to Form Positive, Negative & Question Forms Understanding auxiliary verbs is the key to building these tenses correctly without making common mistakes: • Past Simple: Uses no auxiliary verb in positive sentences (just regular -ed or irregular 2nd forms), but requires the auxiliary verb "did" / "did not" (didn't) for all negatives and questions. When you use "did," the main verb returns to its base form, with no conjugation of the verb, only the auxiliary. • Past Continuous: Always uses the auxiliary verb was / were (past form of to be) across positive, negative, and question forms, followed by verb + -ing. Quick Verb Structure Reference Tense Sentence Type Auxiliary Verb Main Verb Form Example Past Simple Past Continuous Positive None Past form (-ed / Irregular) They played tennis. Negative did not (didn't) Base verb They didn't play tennis. Question Did ... ? Base verb Did they play tennis? Positive was / were Verb + -ing She was reading a book. Negative was not / were not Verb + -ing She wasn't reading a book. Question Was / Were ... ? Verb + -ing Was she reading a book? 💡 Quick Rules for Adding "-ing" (Past Continuous) • Most verbs: Add -ing ,talk.... talking • Verbs ending in silent -e: Drop the -e. Write...writing. • Short CVC verbs (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant): Double the final consonant swim ..swimming, stop ...stopping. 🎧 Reading Comprehension: "The Unexpected Storm" Read the story carefully. Pay attention to how both tenses interact within the same sentences through interrupted actions, parallel actions, and sequential events. Yesterday at 4:00 PM, a busy street in downtown Bristol was full of activity. While light rain was falling from the dark clouds, people were walking quickly with their umbrellas up. At the local café, Mark was drinking a warm coffee while his colleague Sarah was typing an email on her laptop. Outside on the pavement, two children were playing in the puddles while their mother was talking on the phone. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through the street and knocked over a display sign outside a bookshop. While Mark was watching the wind blew leaves across the street, a passing cyclist swerved to avoid the sign and lost his balance. The cyclist didn't fall off his bike, but he dropped his bag, and papers flew everywhere! Instantly, Sarah stopped typing, stood up from her chair, and ran outside to help. While she was collecting the scattered papers from the wet ground, Mark held the cyclist's bike. The mother, who was still holding her umbrella, offered the man a tissue to clean his hands. The cyclist smiled, thanked everyone for their help, and continued his journey home. Written Comprehension Questions Answer the following questions in full sentences: 1. What were people doing while light rain was falling at 4:00 PM? 2. What parallel actions were Mark and Sarah doing inside the café? 3. What happened while the children were playing in the puddles? 4. Did the cyclist fall off his bike when he swerved? 5. What was Sarah doing when Mark held the cyclist’s bike? 6. List three consecutive (sequential) actions Sarah took when the accident happened. ✍️ Practice Exercises Exercise 1: Gap-Fill Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets (Past Simple or Past Continuous): 1. While I ___________________ (cook) dinner, my sister ___________________ (set) the table. (Parallel action) 2. They ___________________ (not watch) the movie when the power ___________________ (go) out. 3. What ___________________ you ___________________ (do) when the fire alarm ___________________ (ring)? 4.I ___________________ (not hear) my phone because I ___________________ (listen) to loud music. 5. While Tom ___________________ (walk) in the park, he ___________________ (lose) his wallet and ___________________ (not notice) it until later. 6.She ___________________ (open) her bag, ___________________ (take) out her keys,and ___________________ (unlock) the front door. Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Tense Circle or select the correct form of the verb: 1. While I (shopped / was shopping) for groceries, I (met / was meeting) an old school friend. 2. What (did you do / were you doing) at 8:00 AM yesterday morning? 3. The children (didn't listen / weren't listening) while the guide (explained / was explaining) the rules. 4. I (dropped / was dropping) my cup while I (carried / was carrying) the tray into the dining room. 5. While Mum (drove / was driving) to work, Dad (prepared / was preparing) breakfast for everyone. 6. He (woke up / was waking up), (had / was having) a quick coffee, and (left / was leaving) for work. 7. (Did you see / Were you seeing) the lightning while you (walked / were walking) home last night? 8. I (didn't answer / wasn't answering) your call because I (had / was having) a job interview. 9. As we (sat / were sitting) on the beach, the sun (set / was setting) behind the hills. 10. Sam (tripped / was tripping) and (fell / was falling) while he (ran / was running) for the train. 11. While the birds (sang / were singing) in the garden, Lucy (read / was reading) her morning paper. 12. Why (did they leave / were they leaving) the party early yesterday evening? That’s all for today from me, Alison, at English for French podcasts. I hope you enjoyed this episode and that you find it easier to choose which tense to use, simple or continuous. Kep practicing Cheers🔑 Answer Key Comprehension Answers 1. While light rain was falling, people were walking quickly with their umbrellas up. 2.While Mark was drinking a coffee, Sarah was typing an email on her laptop. 3.While the children were playing, a strong gust of wind blew through the street and knocked over a sign. 4.No, the cyclist didn't fall off his bike, but he dropped his bag. 5.Sarah was collecting the scattered papers from the wet ground while Mark held the bike. 6.Sarah stopped typing, stood up from her chair, and ran outside to help. Exercise 1 Answers 1. was cooking / was setting 2.were not watching (or weren't watching) / went 3.were ... doing / rang 4.didn't hear / was listening 5.was walking / lost / didn't notice 6.opened / took / unlocked Exercise 2 Answers 1. was shopping / met 2. were you doing 3. weren't listening / was explaining 4. dropped / was carrying 5. was driving / was preparing 6. woke up / had / left 7. Did you see / were walking 8. didn't answer / was having 9. were sitting / was setting (or set) 10. tripped / fell / was running 11. were singing / was reading 12. did they leave

  • #136
    October 5 · 8 min

    Episode 5 A2: Past continuous

    #5 A2 Past Continuous Podcast transcript Hi, and welcome back to English for French podcasts with me, Alison. Today, we are looking at a past tense that helps you paint a dynamic picture when telling stories: the Past Continuous. Have you ever wondered how to describe an action that was happening right in the middle of a specific moment in the past? That’s exactly what this tense is for! How to Build It: Structure The Past Continuous is formed using two simple elements: the auxiliary, to be and the verb form Base verb + ing. Subject+was / were+Verb-ing Was: I, he, she, it Were: you, we, they Examples Positive: I was reading a book at 8 PM yesterday. Negative: They were not (weren't) watching TV when I called. Question: Were you sleeping when the phone rang? Spelling Rules for Verb + -ing Before starting the exercises, review how to spell verbs with -ing: Rule Base Form Verb + -ing Example Most Verbs: Add -ing work, listen, watch working, listening, watching I was listening to music. Verbs ending in -e: Drop the -e, add -ing write, make, drive writing, making, driving She was writing a letter. Short Verbs ending in CVC (Consonant + Vowel + Consonant): Double the final letter, add -ing run, stop, swim running, stopping, swimming He was running for the bus. There are a few exceptions to this rule , of course ,e.g. “open becomes opening” Aspect and Time: How Does It Work? To master this tense, let's break down its two key components: time and aspect. Time (Past): The action happened entirely before now. It has no direct connection to the present moment. Finished time. Aspect (Continuous / Progressive) : The action was in progress (ongoing, temporary, or unfinished) at a specific past moment. Key Uses An Action in Progress at a Specific Time: At 10 AM this morning, Sarah was cooking breakfast. (She started before 10 AM and finished after 10 AM, but the action still finished in the past.) Interrupted Actions (Past Continuous + Past Simple): We were walking in the park when it started to rain. (The long, continuous action was interrupted by a short, completed action.) Parallel Past Actions: While Mark was studying, his sister was listening to music. (Two ongoing actions happening at the exact same time.) Past Simple vs. Past Continuous Here is a quick cheat sheet to help you compare the two tenses: Feature Past Simple Past Continuous Action Type Completed / Short action Ongoing / In-progress action Focus Result or finished event Background activity or duration Example I called Tom at 5 PM. I was calling Tom when the battery died. Common Signal Words Yesterday, in 2020, suddenly At [time], while, as, all evening 🎧 Listening & Reading Comprehension: "The Mysterious Noise" Read the story below and notice how the Past Continuous sets the background scene while the Past Simple moves the plot forward. Yesterday evening at 7:00 PM, the Miller family was spending time at home. It was raining outside, and a cold wind was blowing through the trees. Mr. Miller was reading a newspaper in the living room, while Mrs. Miller was preparing dinner in the kitchen. Their son, Leo, was doing his homework in his bedroom, and their dog, Max, was sleeping on the rug. Suddenly, a strange sound interrupted the quiet evening. Someone was knocking softly on the back door. Mr. Miller stopped reading and walked to the kitchen. Mrs. Miller was holding a wooden spoon and looking at the door with surprise. When Mr. Miller opened the door, nobody was there! Only a small, wet kitten was sitting on the porch, meowing for food. Reading Comprehension Questions Answer the following questions using full sentences: What was the weather like at 7:00 PM yesterday evening? What was Mrs. Miller doing when Mr. Miller was reading the newspaper? 3. Where was Max sleeping? 4.What interrupted the quiet evening? 5. What was on the porch when Mr. Miller opened the door? ✍️ Practice Exercises Exercise 1: Gap-Fill Fill in the blanks with the correct Past Continuous form of the verb in brackets: At 9 PM last night, I _______________ (watch) a movie. 2.They _______________ (not play) football because it was raining. 3.What _______________ you _______________ (do) when I texted you? 4. While Lucy _______________ (cook), her children _______________ (clean) their room. 5.Sam dropped his keys while he _______________ (run) for the bus. Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Tense Choose whether to use the Past Simple or Past Continuous: I (walked / was walking) down the street when I (saw / was seeing) an old friend. 2. While we (had / were having) a picnic, it (started / was starting) to rain. 3. She (turned off / was turning off) the light and went to sleep. 4. While the teacher (explained / was explaining) the rule, the bell (rang / was ringing). 5. They (lost / were losing) their keys while they (walked / were walking) in the park. 6. When I (arrived / was arriving) at the party, everyone (danced / was dancing). 7. I (sliced / was slicing) bread when I accidentally (cut / was cutting) my finger. 8. The phone (rang / was ringing) three times while I (took / was taking) a shower. 9. What (did you do / were you doing) at 8:00 AM this morning? 10. She (fell / was falling) asleep while she (read / was reading) a book. That’s all for today, with me, Alison at English for French. I hope you enjoyed this podcast and that you now fully understand the past continuous. Keep practicing. The answers to the exercises can be found below on this transcript Cheers 🔑 Answer Key Reading Comprehension Answers It was raining outside and a cold wind was blowing through the trees. 2. Mrs. Miller was preparing dinner in the kitchen while Mr. Miller was reading the newspaper. 3. Max was sleeping on the rug in the bedroom with Leo. 4. A strange sound—someone knocking softly on the back door—interrupted the quiet evening. 5. A small, wet kitten was sitting on the porch when Mr. Miller opened the door. Exercise 1 Answers 1.was watching 2.were not playing (or weren't playing) 3.were ... doing 4.was cooking ... were cleaning 5.was running Exercise 2 Answers 1.was walking / saw 2.were having / started 3.turned off 4.was explaining / rang (Long action interrupted by a short event) 5.lost / were walking (Short event happened during an ongoing action) 6.arrived / was dancing (Arrived at a completed moment while an action was in progress) 7.was slicing / cut (Ongoing action interrupted by a quick accident) 8.rang / was taking (Short event interrupting an ongoing action) 9.were you doing (Focusing on an action in progress at a specific past time) 10.fell / was reading (Short event happening in the middle of a continuous activity)

  • #135
    September 30 · 16 min

    Episode 1: B1/B2 Tense review

    Episode 1: B1/2 Tense review Podcast Episode & Master Guide: The Secret Code of English Grammar — Master the 4 Aspects Welcome back to English for French podcasts.I’m Alison, and today let’s talk about time travel—English grammar style.I love the English tenses , if you get the idea of aspects, then the conjugations become easy. Don’t forget for every aspect, one auxiliary ,which we conjugate depending on when the action happened )and one, invariable verb form. If you’ve been studying English for a while, you’ve probably seen the classic 3x4 grid— Past, Present, Future crossed with Simple, Continuous, Perfect, and Perfect Continuous. Twelve tenses in total. And usually, middle-school textbooks force you to memorize them by starting with Time: What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today? What will you do tomorrow? Let’s change this outdated way of thinking about tenses in English Forget about time for a second. Time is easy! Clock and calendar time—Past, Present, Future—is simple. You already know if something happened yesterday or is happening tomorrow. The real secret to sounding natural in English—the reason native speakers choose one form over another—isn't time at all. It's ASPECT. Aspect is the lens through which the speaker views the action. Time tells you WHEN something happens, but Aspect tells you HOW THE SPEAKER FEELS ABOUT THE ACTION. Is it a complete fact? Is it temporary? Is it connected to something else? Is it a long, exhausting process? Once you understand the 4 main Aspects, you don't need to memorize 12 separate rules—you just need to learn 4 concepts and multiply them across past, present, and future. Remember, we don’t conjugate tenses; we conjugate auxiliaries and verbs, have a form or each aspect which is invariable depending on the aspect. Let's break them down, one category at a time.1. The Simple Aspect — The "Fact & Box" Aspect Let’s start with the base layer: The Simple Aspect. If the Simple Aspect had a motto, it would be: "It is what it is." When you use Simple, you treat an action as a single, complete block or fact, habit, permanent situation, or general truth. You are taking the action, putting it inside a neat little box, and presenting it to your listener as a whole unit. You don't care about its inner mechanics, whether it was long or short, or if it's still unfolding. It's just a statement of reality. Let's look at how this plays out across our three time zones: • Present Simple: "I live in Madrid" or "Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius." o Formula: Subject + Base Verb (+ s/es/ies for he/she/it) o Why choose Simple? Because you view this as a permanent state, a routine, or a general truth. It’s a solid fact in your life right now. • Past Simple: "I lived in Madrid in 2018." or "I woke up at 7 AM today." o Formula: Subject + Past Form of Verb (V2) (1 word to learn per verb, no conjugation) o Why choose Simple? Clean, crisp, and finished. The action started, ended, wrapped in a boxand stayed in 2018. • Future Simple: "I will live in Madrid one day" or "I am going to call you later." o Formula : Subject + will + Base Verb (or am/is/are going to + Base Verb) o Why choose Simple ? You state the future action as a simple prediction, promise, or decision— (will if spontaneous, to be going to if a planned action!)a single event on your timeline. The Golden Takeaway: Choose the Simple Aspect when you want to report facts, permanent truths, routines, or completed events without focusing on the duration or the process. 2. The Continuous Aspect — The "Unfinished & In Progress" Aspect Next up is The Continuous Aspect (sometimes called the Progressive Aspect). If Simple is a neat box or photo idea, Continuous is a movie camera. When you use Continuous, you are zooming in and watching the action play out frame-by-frame.Why do we choose Continuous? Two main reasons: Duration/Progress and Temporariness. You choose Continuous when you want to emphasize that an action is incomplete, temporary, or actively happening around a specific focus point. Let's see it in action across time : • Present Continuous: "I am recording this podcast right now." or "She is living in Madrid for three months." o Formula : Subject + am/is/are + Verb(-ing) o Why choose Continuous instead of Simple ? Notice the contrast! "I live in Madrid" sounds permanent. "I am living in Madrid" tells the listener: "This is temporary. It’s an ongoing process right now, but it won't last forever." • Past Continuous: "At 8 PM last night, I was sleeping when my alarm went off." o Formula : Subject + was/were + Verb(-ing) o Why choose Continuous? You place your listener right inside the middle of the scene. It acts like background music in a movie before a sudden event (Past Simple) interrupts it. • Future Continuous: "This time tomorrow, I will be lying on a beach in Mallorca." o Formula : Subject + will be + Verb(-ing) o Why choose Continuous? This tense is all about visualization. It lets you paint a vivid picture of a future scene actively unfolding at a specific moment. The Golden Takeaway: Choose the Continuous Aspect when the action is temporary, incomplete, or in progress at a specific moment. 3. The Perfect Simple Aspect — The "Bridge & Connection" Aspect Now we arrive at the one that causes the most headaches: The Perfect Aspect. Here is the secret: Perfect always means CONNECTION. Specifically, Perfect bridges two points in time. It looks back from or to a reference point to an earlier action that still matters. When you choose Perfect Simple, you care about the RESULT or the COMPLETION of that earlier action at your reference point or the fact that an action started in the past is still true today. Let's look at the three reference points :• Present Perfect Simple : "I have lost my keys." or "I have visited Japan three times." o Formula : Subject + has/have + Past Participle (V3) o Why choose Perfect instead of Past Simple? The golden rule? No specific past time allowed. If you say "I lost my keys in 2020," that’s Past Simple—it's in the past box. But "I have lost my keys" links the past event to the PRESENT moment (Result: You still don't have them now). Present Perfect is all about experience and connection to now. o “I have worked at English for French for 6 years” This indicates an action that started six years ago but the action is still true today, I still work at English for French • Past Perfect Simple : "When I arrived at the station, the train had already left." o Formula : Subject + had + Past Participle (V3) o Why choose Past Perfect? This is the "past before the past. You have two points in the past: your arrival and the train leaving. Past Perfect marks the one that happened first to keep your timeline crystal clear.past perfect is useful when we want to make the chronological order clear. • Future Perfect Simple: "By December, I will have finished writing my book." o Formula : Subject + will have + Past Participle (V3) o Why choose Future Perfect ? Think of this as setting a deadline. You stand in the future, turn around, and look back at a goal that is 100% completed by then. The Golden Takeaway: Choose Perfect Simple when you want to highlight the result, achievement, or completion of an action relative to a later moment in time. It’s still a simple aspect, the fact is important not the duration. 4. The Perfect Continuous Aspect — The "Journey & Duration" Aspect Finally, let's combine the bridge concept with the movie camera concept to get The Perfect Continuous Aspect. Remember : • Perfect = Connection between two time points. • Continuous = In progress, duration, or process. When you put them together, you get an aspect that focuses on HOW LONG an action has been going on up to a reference point, or the PHYSICAL SIDE EFFECTS of that long process. Let's compare across time. • Present Perfect Continuous: "I have been speaking for five minutes" or "Sorry, I'm sweaty; I have been running." o Formula : Subject + has/have been + Verb(-ing) o Why choose Perfect Continuous? It links the past start time to right now. Unlike Perfect Simple (which focuses on the result—e.g., "I have run 10 kilometers"), Perfect Continuous emphasizes the unbroken effort, process, or direct physical evidence of the activity. • Past Perfect Continuous: "We had been waiting for two hours before the bus finally arrived." o Formula : Subject + had been + Verb(-ing) o Why choose Past Perfect Continuous? This combines duration with background history to explain cause and effect in past stories—like why you were tired, wet, or frustrated back then. • Future Perfect Continuous: "By 2030, I will have been working at this company for ten years." o Formula : Subject + will have been + Verb(-ing) o Why choose Future Perfect Continuous? This is your "anniversary tense." You project yourself to a future milestone to measure the total ongoing duration. The Golden Takeaway: Choose Perfect Continuous when you want to emphasize duration, ongoing effort, or the visible effects of a recent activity up to a specific checkpoint. The Master Tense Matrix Here is how all 12 tenses connect using the verb "to work": Aspect Core Meaning / Why We Choose It/ Past Present Future Simple Fact, routine, permanent state, complete box I worked I work I will work Continuous Temporary, in progress, frame-by-frame scene I was working I am working I will be working Perfect Simple Connection to a point in time; focus on result I had worked I have worked I will have worked Perfect Continuous Connection to a point in time ; focus on duration/effort I had been working I have been working I will have been working That’s all from me, Alison, at podcasts with English for French. I hope you enjoyed it and keep practicing. .There are some exercises below in the transcript to help you practice and remember when something happens is the same as in French, past, present, or future, but in English, how it happens is what defines your choice of tense. See you soon. Cheers Practice & Assessment Suite (B1/B2 Level) Section 1: Text Comprehension Instructions: Read the short text below and answer the 5 comprehension questions that follow. Text: The Unexpected Journey of Sarah Vance Sarah Vance is an architect who currently lives in Chicago, but if you look at her recent schedule, you wouldn't believe it. For the past six months, she has been working on an eco-friendly skyscraper project in Seattle. Because of this, she has been travelling back and forth across the country almost every week. Yesterday at 3:00 PM, while her colleagues were attending a routine budget meeting in Chicago, Sarah was flying through a thunderstorm over the Midwest. By the time her plane finally landed in Seattle, her team had already sent her three urgent updates regarding the construction site. "I am completely exhausted," Sarah told her assistant when she arrived. "I have been running on three hours of sleep since Tuesday." Despite the stress, Sarah remains committed. By November, she will have completed her work on the foundation phase, and she hopes that by this time next year, she will be designing a new green urban park in Canada .Questions: 1. . What is the difference in perspective between where Sarah lives and where she has been working recently? 2. Why does the writer use the Past Continuous (were attending / was flying) to describe yesterday at 3:00 PM? 3. What event happened before Sarah's plane landed in Seattle? Which grammatical aspect shows this? 4. What present effect is Sarah experiencing as a result of her recent activities, and which tense expresses this? 5. Looking toward the future, what milestone will Sarah have achieved by November ? Section 2: Gap-Fill Exercise (10 Questions) Instructions: Complete the sentences below by putting the verb in brackets into the correct tense and aspect (B1/B2 Level). 1. Please don't call me between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM tomorrow. I _______________ (have) an important lunch meeting with a new client. 2. Mary was furious last night because she _______________ (wait) for the bus for over 45 minutes before it finally arrived. 3. Look at those dark clouds! It _______________ (start) raining any minute now. 4.How long _______________ you _______________ (learn) English at this school? You speak very fluently! 5. When we reached the cinema, we realized we were late—the movie _______________ (already / start). 6. My father _______________ (work) for the same engineering firm for thirty years before he retired last year. 7. Right now, our team _______________ (try) to fix a major bug in the software system. 8. By the time you return from your holiday, I _______________ (clean) the entire house from top to bottom. 9. I _______________ (never / visit) South America, but I am planning to go next winter. 10. At 10:00 AM yesterday morning, I _______________ (sit) in a job interview while my friend was waiting outside .Section 3: Multiple Choice Exercise (10 Questions) Instructions: Choose the correct option (A, B, C, or D) that best completes the sentence based on the required aspect. 1. . "Why are your hands covered in paint?" — "Because I __________ the kitchen walls all morning." a. A) painted b. B) have been painting c. C) had painted d. D) am painting 2. By this time next month, my sister __________ from university with a degree in marine biology. a. A) graduates b. B) will be graduating c. C) will have graduated d. D) has graduated 3. I couldn't open the front door because I __________ my keys at the office earlier that evening. a. A) left b. B) have left c. C) had left d. D) was leaving 4. David normally __________ public transport to work, but this week he is taking the car because of the train strike. a. A) is taking b. B) takes c. C) has taken d. D) took 5."Can we meet at 6:00 PM?" — "No, I __________ dinner with my family at that time." a. A) will have had b. B) have had c. C) will be having d. D) had been having 6.We were walking along the coastal path when suddenly it __________ to rain heavily. a. A) was starting b. B) started c. C) had started d. D) has started 7. She feels much more confident now because she __________ three practice presentations this week. a. A) has done b. B) has been doing c. C) was doing d. D) had done 8. By 2030, Dr. Smith __________ research into renewable energy sources for over two decades. a. A) will conduct b. B) is conducting c. C) will have been conducting d. D) has been conducting 9. While the director __________ the main report, his assistant was preparing the financial slides. a. A) wrote b. B) was writing c. C) has written d. D) had been writing 10. I __________ on this report all afternoon, and I still haven't finished section three! a. A) work b. B) was working c. C) have been working d. D) am working Answer Keys & Explanations Section 1: Text Comprehension Answer Key 1. Permanent vs. Temporary/Ongoing: "Lives" (Present Simple) indicates her permanent home/fact, whereas "has been working" (Present Perfect Continuous) highlights a temporary, ongoing project and repeated travel over alimited 6-month period. 2. In-Progress Scene / Simultaneity: The Past Continuous is used to set the scene frame-by-frame, showing actions that were actively in progress at a specific past moment (3:00 PM yesterday). 3. Earlier Action / Past Perfect Simple: Her team had sent three updates before her plane landed ("had already sent"). The Perfect Aspect creates the bridge showing completion before a later past reference point. 4. Physical Effect of Duration: She is exhausted because she "has been running on three hours of sleep." The Present Perfect Continuous connects past ongoing exertion to present physical tiredness. 5.Future Completion Milestone: She will have completed the foundation phase ("will have completed" - Future Perfect Simple). Section 2: Gap-Fill Answer Key 1. will be having (Future Continuous - planned action in progress at a specific future time) 2. had been waiting (Past Perfect Continuous - duration of action leading up to a specific past moment) 3. is going to start / will start (Future Simple - prediction based on present evidence) 4. have ... been learning (Present Perfect Continuous - ongoing action starting in the past and continuing now) 5. had already started (Past Perfect Simple - action completed prior to another past action) 6. had worked / had been working (Past Perfect / Past Perfect Continuous - action completed prior to a past reference point: retirement) 7. 8. is trying (Present Continuous - action in progress right now) will have cleaned (Future Perfect Simple - action that will be completed prior to a future deadline) 9. have never visited (Present Perfect Simple - life experience up to the present without a specific time) 10. was sitting (Past Continuous - action in progress at a specific past moment) Section 3: Multiple Choice Answer Key 1. B) have been painting — Present Perfect Continuous expresses the recent ongoing activity that explains present physical evidence (paint on hands). 2. C) will have graduated — Future Perfect Simple expresses an action completed prior to a specific point in the future ("by this time next month"). 3. C) had left — Past Perfect Simple shows an action that occurred prior to another past event (trying to open the door). 4. B) takes — Present Simple expresses a regular routine or habit. 5. C) will be having — Future Continuous expresses an action that will be actively in progress at a specific time in the future (6:00 PM). 6. B) started — Past Simple expresses a single completed event interrupting an ongoing background action (walking). 7. A) has done — Present Perfect Simple focuses on the completion/result of actions (3 presentations) connected to the present. 8. C) will have been conducting — Future Perfect Continuous emphasizes the continuous duration up to a specific future milestone (by 2030). 9. B) was writing — Past Continuous shows two parallel actions occurring simultaneously in the past. 10. C) have been working — Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the continuous, unfinished effort starting in the past and continuing up to now.

  • #134
    September 24 · 11 min

    Episode 4: A2 Past simple

    #4 A2 Past simple Podcast transcript Hello, and welcome back to podcasts at English for French with me, Alison.Today we are looking at the past simple tense, often considered difficult by French students, it is actually very simple as we don’t conjugate the verb just put it in its past form (it doesn’t matter if the verb is regular or irregular, you only have one word to learn per verb, or conjugate the auxiliary if in a negative or question). This is one of the most important tenses in English. You use it every day to tell stories, talk about your weekend, or describe events that are finished. As it is a verb tense in the simple aspect , we use it tyo talk about habits in the past, past events and facts and past permanent situations, the same reasons we use the present simple in the present. By the end of this episode, you will know: When to use the Past Simple. How to form regular and common irregular verbs. How to pronounce the tricky " -ed" endings correctly. So, grab a notebook, sit back, and let's get started! When Do We Use the Past Simple? First, let’s answer a simple question: When do we use the Past Simple? We use the Past Simple for actions or situations that started and finished in the past. The time is completed., finished time. It is over. To help us know we are talking about the past, we often use specific time expressions,such as: • Yesterday • Last night / Last week / Last year • Two days ago / Three months ago • In 2020 Listen to these sentences: • "I visited my grandmother yesterday." • "They watched a movie last night." • "She moved to London three years ago." Notice how all these actions are totally finished.Building Sentences: Positive, Negative, and Questions Making positive sentences in the Past Simple is straightforward because the verb form stays the same for all subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they). For negative sentences, we use the auxiliary did not (or the contraction didn't) plus the base form of the verb( no conjugation): • "I didn't watch TV last night." (Not: I didn't watched) For questions, we start with Did, followed by the subject and the base form no conjugation): • "Did you call your friend yesterday?" Part 2: Regular vs. Irregular Verbs Now let's look at how we form verbs in the past. In English, verbs belong to two groups: Regular and Irregular, this is not important as you just have one word to learn to conjugate any verb in the past , whether regular or irregular Regular Verbs For regular verbs, the rule is simple: just add -ed or –ied ( if the verb finishes in a consonant +y) to the end of the base verb! • walk becomes walked • cook becomes cooked • clean becomes cleaned • carry becomes carried If the verb already ends in -e, just add -d: • like becomes liked • live becomes lived Irregular Verbs Irregular verbs do not follow the "-ed" rule. But don't worry—you already know many of them because they are very common and again just one word to remember. Here are five essential irregular verbs to remember: go becomes went ("I went to the store.") have becomes had ("We had breakfast at 8 AM.") see becomes saw ("He saw a bird.") Eat becomes ate ("They ate pizza.") buy becomes bought ("She bought a new coat.") Part 3: Pronouncing "-ed" Endings Now, let's talk about pronunciation. This is where many students make mistakes, but there is a clear trick! When we add -ed to a regular verb, it can be pronounced in three different ways: /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/. Let's practice each sound together. 1. The /t/ Sound If the base verb ends in an unvoiced sound like /p/, /k/, /s/, /f/, or /ʃ/ (the "sh" sound), the "-ed" sounds like a sharp "T". Repeat after me ! • work becomes worked /wɜːkt/ (Repeat: worked) • help becomes helped /helpt/ (Repeat: helped) • wash becomes washed /wɒʃt/ (Repeat: washed) 2. The /d/ Sound If the base verb ends in a voiced sound (like /v/, /b/, /m/, /n/, or any vowel sound), the "-ed" sounds like a soft "D". • play becomes played /pleɪd/ (Repeat: played) • clean becomes cleaned /kliːnd/ (Repeat: cleaned) • love becomes loved /lʌvd/ (Repeat: loved) 3. The /ɪd/ Sound (Extra Syllable!) This is the most important rule: We ONLY add an extra syllable pronounced as "id" when the base verb ends in the letter T or D. • want becomes wanted /ˈwɒn.tɪd/ (Repeat: want-ed) • need becomes needed /ˈniː.dɪd/ (Repeat: need-ed) • visit becomes visited /ˈvɪz.ɪ.tɪd/ (Repeat: vis-it-ed) NOTE :Never say "work-ed" or "play-ed"! Only add that extra syllable for words ending in T or D endings. Let's do a quick recap of today's lesson: • Use Past Simple for finished actions at a specific time in the past. • Regular verbs end in -ed; irregular verbs change form completely. • Only pronounce "-ed" as an extra syllable "/id/" after T or D sounds! That’s all for today's episode! Make sure to complete the exercises below to test what you learned today. The answer key is at the end. I hope you enjoyed this podcast with me, Alison, at English for French. Don't forget to practice by keeping a diary and writing sentences in the tenses you learn, to talk about yourselves . Have fun, see you soon. Cheers Exercise 1: Gap-Fill Practice Complete the sentences by putting the verb in brackets into the correct Past Simple form (regular or irregular). 1. Yesterday, Maria ___________ (walk) to the park and met her friend. 2.We ___________ (not / go) to the cinema last Saturday because we were tired. 3.___________ you ___________ (enjoy) the concert last night? 4. Tom ___________ (buy) a new pair of shoes two days ago. 5. They ___________ (visit) their grandparents in Spain last summer. 6. I ___________ (eat) a delicious pasta dish for lunch. 7. She ___________ (not / watch) the news yesterday evening. 8. What time ___________ he ___________ (arrive) at the office? Exercise 2: Text Comprehension Read the short story below and answer the comprehension questions. Story: Marcus's Busy Saturday Last Saturday, Marcus woke up early at 7:00 AM. First, he cooked a big breakfast with eggs and toast. After breakfast, he cleaned his apartment and washed his clothes. At 1:00 PM, Marcus went to the central library to borrow some books. On his way home, he saw his friend Sarah. They decided to sit at a café nearby, where they drank coffee and talked for two hours. In the evening, Marcus cooked dinner, watched a comedy movie, and went to bed early. He really enjoyed his productive day! Questions: 1. What time did Marcus wake up on Saturday? 2.What did Marcus do immediately after breakfast? 3.Where did Marcus go at 1:00 PM? 4.Who did Marcus meet on his way home? 5.How long did Marcus and Sarah talk at the café? Exercise 3: Pronunciation Classification Sort the following regular past verbs into the correct column based on how their " -ed" ending is pronounced: cooked, needed, played, started, talked, lived, watched, invited /t/ (e.g., worked) /d/ (e.g.,cleaned). /ɪd/ (e.g.,wanted) Answer Key Exercise 1: Gap-Fill 1. walked 2. didn't go (or did not go) 3. Did ... enjoy 4. bought 5. visited 6. ate 7. didn't watch (or did not watch) 8. did ... arrive Exercise 2: Text Comprehension 1. 2. 3. Marcus woke up at 7:00 AM. He cleaned his apartment and washed his clothes. He went to the central library.4. He met his friend Sarah. 5. They talked for two hours. Exercise 3: Pronunciation Classification • /t/ sound: cooked, talked, watched • /d/ sound: played, lived • /ɪd/ sound: needed, started, invited

  • #133
    September 16 · 8 min

    Episode 3: A2 Countable , Uncountable nouns

    #3 A2 Countable and Uncountable nouns Hi and welcome back to Podcasts at English for French. I’m Alison, and today we are looking at nouns. We’re diving into countable and uncountable nouns, advanced containers, the foundational and tricky rules of some/any, and the subtle traps of little and few. Grab your notebook, listen carefully, and at the end there are some exercises to check you have understood. The answer key is included so that you can check your work. The Foundations – Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns To use quantifiers correctly, we must first separate our universe into two types of nouns: Countable Nouns: Objects or entities you can count individually using numbers. They possess a singular and plural form (one idea, two ideas; a laptop, three laptops). Uncountable Nouns: Substances, abstract concepts, or collective categories that cannot be counted as standalone physical items. They never take a plural "s". The Trap: Watch out for words that sound like they should be countable. In English, words like advice, information, furniture, luggage, weather, and equipment are strictly uncountable. You cannot say "an advice" or "three furnitures." Containers and Partitive Expressions Because uncountable nouns lack physical borders, we use container and partitive phrases to measure and quantify them. Liquid & Gas: A bottle of water, a carton of milk, a tank of gas, a drop of oil. Solid & Food: A loaf of bread, a bar of chocolate, a slice of cheese, a grain of rice, a clove of garlic. Abstract & General: A piece of advice, an item of clothing, a sheet of paper, an act of kindness. Some and Any (Basic Rules & Exceptions) Most learners learn the golden rule early: use some in affirmative sentences and any in negative sentences and questions. But at an A2+ level, we need to look closer: The Golden Rule: Affirmative: "I have some free time today." Negative: "I don't have any free time today." Standard Question: "Do you have any free time today?" The Exception 1: Offers and Requests. When you are offering something or politely requesting something in a question, you use some instead of any because you expect or hope for a "yes" answer. Example: "Would you like some coffee?" or "Could you give me some assistance?" The Exception 2: "It doesn't matter which one." You can use any in affirmative sentences when it means choice or freedom. Example: "You can borrow any book from my shelf; they are all great." Much, Many, and Plenty When talking about large quantities, placement and noun type dictate your choice: Many pairs exclusively with countable nouns (many challenges, many errors). Much pairs exclusively with uncountable nouns (much effort, much traffic). Note: Native speakers rarely use "much" in positive statements; they reserve it for questions and negatives, using "a lot of" or "plenty of" for positives. A lot of / Lots of / Plenty of: These are versatile options that work with both countable and uncountable nouns in positive sentences. Example : I have a lot of work to do.Fortunately I have plenty of time in which to do it. Little vs. Few (Nuance and Attitude), No and none Finally, let's master small quantities: Countable (Few / A few): A few = A small, positive amount (sufficient). "I have a few dollars, so I can buy a snack." Few = Almost none, a negative feeling (insufficient). "I have few friends who share this hobby." Uncountable (Little / A little): A little = A small, positive amount (sufficient). "I speak a little French; I can manage." Little = Almost none, a negative feeling (insufficient). "There is little hope of fixing this broken screen. No and none No acts like an adjective; it is always followed directly by a noun to mean "not any " (Example: "I have no time to waste.") None acts like a pronoun; it stands alone without a noun, often used as an answer or followed by "of." (Example: "How much juice is left? None.") Example Paragraph We went to the grocery store to buy snacks for the party, but no cookies were left on the shelves. We checked all the aisles, but there were none available anywhere. So, all you need to do is practice. Find an object, idea, or substance, and decide if it is countable or uncountable. Then, so as to memorise it, put it in a sentence. I have very little time left in this podcast, but I have given you lots of information; you need some practice. I hope you enjoyed this podcast with me, Alison, at English for French podcasts. See you soon. Cheers Practice Exercises Exercise 1: Advanced Identification & Transformation Identify if the underlined word is Countable (C) or Uncountable (U), then fix the sentence if it uses a forbidden plural form. The teacher gave me three valuable advices for my writing. 2.We need to pack all our luggage into the trunk. 3.She bought two new furnitures for her apartment. 4.Can you give me a paper to write this down? Exercise 2: Masterclass Gapfill (Some vs. Any , No or None ) Fill in the blanks using some or any, keeping exceptions for offers, requests, and "any-choice" sentences in mind. If you need ________ help with your project, just let me know. 2.Would you like ________ more juice, or are you finished? 3.You can pick ________ color you like for your bedroom wall; they're all on sale. 4.I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find ________ evidence of a break-in. 5.Could I borrow ________ money for the bus ticket, please? 6.There is ________ milk left in the fridge, so we need to go buy a carton. 7.How many tickets are left for the concert? I checked online, and there are ________. Exercise 3: Quantifier Challenge Fill in the blanks with the best fit: much, many, a few, a little, few, little. We have very ________ time before the deadline, so we must work quickly and efficiently. 2.How ________ ingredients do we need to bake this complex cake? 3.I wanted to buy a new jacket, but there were ________ sizes left in my favorite color. 4.We baked a dozen cookies, but after the party, there were ________ left. 5.Unfortunately, there were very ________ people who understood the lecture, so the professor had to explain it again. 6.He has made ________ progress with his guitar playing; he can already play two songs! 7.There isn't ________ point in arguing about this decision now; it's already final. Part 3: Answer Key & Breakdown Exercise 1: U (Incorrect: change advices to pieces of advice). U (Correct: luggage has no plural form). U (Incorrect: change furnitures to pieces of furniture). C (Correct here as a single sheet of paper, though "a sheet of paper" is more precise). Exercise 2: any (standard conditional sentence). some (polite offer). any (meaning "it doesn't matter which one"). any (negative sentence). some (polite request). no (followed directly by the noun milk) none (stands alone as a pronoun answer) Exercise 3: little (uncountable, negative connotation: not enough time). many (countable noun: ingredients). no (It is followed directly by the noun sizes). none (It stands alone at the end of the sentence as a pronoun). few (countable, negative connotation: almost nobody understood). a little (uncountable, positive connotation: some progress has been made). much (uncountable, used in a negative sentence).

  • #132
    September 10 · 10 min

    Episode 2: A2 Adjectives and adverbs

    #2 A2-Adjectives and adverbs Podcast transcript Hi, welcome back to English for French podcasts.I’m Alison and today, we’re taking a look at two categories of words that make your English sound vibrant, precise, and expressive: adjectives and adverbs. Whether you’re writing an email or telling a story to a friend, knowing how to use these correctly will immediately boost your speaking and writing skills at the A2 level. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the core rules, key spelling changes, tricky irregular exceptions, and special sense verbs. Then, we’ll analyze a short reading text together, answer comprehension questions, and work through four full practice exercises. Here we go! Part 1: The Basic Rules Let's start with the fundamental difference between these two word types. Adjectives describe nouns—that means people, places, or things. They answer questions like What kind?, Which one?, or How many? • Example: "She is a careful driver." (Careful describes the noun, driver.) • Example: "They live in a large house." (Large describes the noun, house.) Adverbs, on the other hand, describe verbs (actions), adjectives, or other adverbs. They tell us how, when, where, or in what manner an action happens. To form a regularadverb, you simply add -ly to the base adjective. • Example: "She drives carefully." (Carefully tells us how she drives.) • Example: "The choir sang softly." (Softly describes how they sang.) Here is how common adjectives transform into regular adverbs: Adjective Adverb Example Sentence Quick Quickly He walked quickly to catch the bus. Slow Slowly The traffic moved slowly in the morning. Beautiful-Beautifully She paints beautifully. Quiet-Quietly The children played quietly in the room. Part 2: Essential Spelling Transformations While adding -ly is the general rule, there are three important spelling transformations you need to memorize when changing an adjective to an adverb: 1. Adjectives ending in consonant + -y: Change the -y to -i before adding -ly. a. Happy - Happily ("The children played happily.") b. Easy - Easily ("He passed the test easily.") 2. Adjectives ending in -le: Drop the -e and add -y. a. Terrible - Terribly ("I am terribly sorry.") b. Simple - Simply ("She explained the problem simply.") 3. Adjectives ending in -ic: Add -ically. a. Automatic -Automatically ("The door shuts automatically.") b. Specific - Specifically ("I bought this specifically for you.") Part 3: Crucial Exceptions & Special Rules Now for the part that trips up many English learners—the exceptions! 1. Irregular Forms Some adverbs do not use -ly at all: • Good (adj) -Well (adv): "He is a good cook," but "He cooks well." • Fast (adj) -Fast (adv): "That is a fast car," and "He drives fast." (Never write "fastly"!) • Hard (adj) -Hard (adv): "It was a hard test," and "She studied hard."• Late (adj) - Late (adv): "The train is late," and "He arrived late." Note: Be careful with hardly and lately! They are completely different words: • Hardly means almost not ("I could hardly hear the speaker"). • Lately means recently ("Have you seen any good movies lately?"). 2. Words Ending in -ly That Are Adjectives Some words naturally end in -ly but are actually adjectives, not adverbs! • Friendly, lovely, lonely, silly, ugly. • To use these as adverbs, use the phrase in a ... way/manner: "He spoke to me in a friendly way." 3. Sense Verbs (State Verbs) Verbs related to the senses—such as look, feel, smell, taste, sound, seem, and be— take adjectives, not adverbs, when they describe the condition of the subject! • Correct: "The pizza smells delicious." (Not "deliciously") • Correct: "This sweater feels soft." (Not "softly") Part 4: Reading Passage & Comprehension Let me read a short story to show you how these words function in real context. Pay close attention to how adjectives modify nouns and adverbs modify verbs! Maya's Productive Saturday Maya is an organized architect who wakes up early every Saturday morning. She loves her neighborhood because it is usually quiet in the morning. Today, she walked briskly to her favorite local bakery. The bakery always smells wonderful and serves delicious pastry items. Maya greeted the baker warmly and ordered a fresh croissant. The baker smiled kindly and handed her the bag.Maya sat near the window and worked hard on her new building designs. She drew the plans carefully and double-checked every dimension precisely. Her supervisor reviewed the finished work later that afternoon and said, "You did a good job on this design, Maya! You plan your projects very well." Maya felt happy and headed home with a sense of pride. Reading Comprehension Questions 1. How does Maya walk to the bakery, and why is this word an adverb? 2. Which sense verb in the text is followed directly by an adjective instead of an adverb? 3. Find three irregular or non-ly adverbs used in the story. Part 5: Comprehensive Exercises Exercise 1: Adjective or Adverb? Choose the correct option in parentheses. 1. My father drives extremely (careful / carefully) when it rains. 2. The hot soup tastes (delicious / deliciously) on a cold day. 3. Susan played (good / well) in the tennis match yesterday. 4. It was a very (hard / hardly) exam, but we worked (hard / hardly) to pass it. 5. They walked (quiet / quietly) out of the meeting room. 6. The weather turned (sudden / suddenly) cold last night. 7. He speaks English (fluent / fluently) because he lived in Canada. 8. That music sounds too (loud / loudly); please turn it down. Exercise 2: Spelling Practice (Forming Adverbs) Convert the adjective in brackets into the correct adverb form. 1. She solved the difficult equation ____________ (easy).2. The children played ____________ (happy) in the garden all afternoon. 3. The security system activates ____________ (automatic) at midnight. 4. He apologized ____________ (terrible) for breaking the vase. 5. The opera singer performed ____________ (beautiful) last night. Exercise 3: Error Correction Find and correct the single error in each sentence. 1. She runs very fastly when she competes in sprints. 2. The birthday cake tastes so sweetly! 3. Our football team played good in the second half. 4. He drove dangerous down the wet highway. 5. I was late, so I walked quick to the bus station. Exercise 4: Gap-Fill Exercise Fill in the gaps using the correct adjective or adverb form of the words in the box: [good, bad, heavy, late, smooth] 1. It rained ____________ all night, causing minor flooding on the road. 2. The airplane landed ____________ on the runway despite strong crosswinds. 3. You shouldn't eat that milk product; it smells ____________. 4. She arrived ____________ for the conference and missed the keynote speaker. 5. He plays the violin very ____________ after ten years of practice. That’s all for now from me, Alison, at Podcasts with English for French. The answer key is at the end of this transcript. Practice using these adverbs and adjectives in your English, add colour to your descriptions, and have fun. See you soon. Cheers Answer Key Reading Comprehension: 1. She walks briskly. It is an adverb because it modifies the action verb walked (describes how she walked). 2. The verb smells ("smells wonderful"). 3. Early, hard, and well. Exercise 1: 1. carefully 2. delicious 3. well 4. hard, hard 5. quietly 6. suddenly 7. fluently 8. loud Exercise 2: 1. easily 2. happily 3. automatically 4. terribly 5. beautifully Exercise 3: 1. fastly -fast ("She runs very fast...") 2. sweetly - sweet ("The birthday cake tastes so sweet!") 3. good -well ("Our team played well...") 4. dangerous -dangerously ("He drove dangerously...") 5. Quick-quickly ("...so I walked quickly...") Exercise 4: 1. heavily 2. smoothly 3. bad 4. late 5. well

  • #131
    September 4 · 11 min

    Episode 1: A2 Present simple vs continuous

    #1 A2 Present simple vs Present continuous The Story of Time — How to Talk About Your Life Hi and welcome back to podcasts with English for French! I’m Alison, and today, we are we are going to be revising both present simple and present continuous and comparing their use in the English language . Until now, you might have learned that the Present Simple is just for things you always do, and the Present Continuous is just for what is happening right now. Well, we are going to go further with that today. English speakers use these two tenses to express lots of different actions and time notions —from permanent truths and background facts to temporary life chapters and changing trends. If you want your English to sound natural, flexible, and detailed, this podcast is for you. Here we go. Part 1: Present Simple The Present Simple isn't just about your morning routine. It can be used to talk about anything that is stable, permanent, or governed by a timetable. • 1. Permanent States & Facts: Things that don't change often or are laws of nature. o Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. o She lives in Paris and works for a bank. (This is her permanent life situation). • 2. Scheduled Events & Timetables: We actually use the Present Simple to talk about official future schedules! o The train leaves at 8:00 AM tomorrow. o The film starts in twenty minutes. • 3. Expanded Adverbs of Frequency & Range: Beyond just always and never, use these precise frequency expressions: o Frequency Phrases: once a week, twice a month, every three days, on weekdays. o Adverbs: frequently, regularly, occasionally, from time to time. Word Order Check:• I go to the gym twice a week. (Phrases go at the end of the sentence) • I frequently read news online. (Single adverbs go before the main verb) Part 2: Present Continuous The Present Continuous is more than just what is happening now. It can be used to talk about temporary life periods, gradual changes, and future personal plans. • 1. Temporary Chapters (Around Now): Things happening in this phase of your life, even if you aren't doing them this second. o I'm reading a fantastic book by Stephen King. (Not while driving, but during this period of my life). o He is studying engineering at university. (A 4-year temporary period). • 2. Changing Trends & Progress: Situations that are developing or evolving over time. o Housing prices are going up quickly. o My English is getting better every day. • 3. Fixed Personal Plans (The Near Future): Definite arrangements you have made with other people. o I’m meeting Sarah for dinner tonight. (It's booked and agreed). • 4. Time Expressions Beyond "Now": o these days, nowadays, this semester, currently, this year. Examples: • Nowadays, more people are working from home. (Trend) • I am taking a photography course this semester. (Temporary chapter) Part 3: Deep Comparison — Changing the Tense Changes the Meaning Notice how changing the tense completely transforms what you tell the listener: Sentence Tense What it really means I live in London. I am living in London. He works hard. He is working hard. Present Simple London is my permanent home. Present Continuous I'm here temporarily (e.g., for a 6-month job contract). Present Simple :He is a hard-working person (personality trait). Present Continuous :He has a big deadline or project right now. The bus leaves at 9:00. Present Simple Official timetable schedule. I am leaving at 9:00. Present Continuous :My personal plan for this morning. Part 4: Special Exceptions 1. The Stative vs. Action Shift Some verbs change meaning entirely depending on whether they are Simple or Continuous! • Think: o I think it's a good idea. (Opinion = Stative / Present Simple) o I am thinking about moving to Spain. (Mental process happening now = Continuous) • Have: o She has two dogs. (Possession = Stative / Present Simple) o She is having lunch. (Action/Eating = Continuous) 2. Expressing Annoying Habits with "Always" Here is a native speaker secret! When you combine always with the Present Continuous, it means an action happens repeatedly and annoys you: • He is always leaving his dirty socks on the floor! • They are always complaining about the weather! Understanding these nuances turns basic English into natural, expressive speech. Time to put these dynamic uses into practice with our text and exercises below!The answer key is at the end of this transcript. Text Comprehension Read about David's current life changes and answer the questions below. David's Career Pivot David is a high school teacher in Manchester. He usually teaches history to teenagers, and he works from Monday to Friday. He loves history because he believes that understanding the past helps people make better decisions today. Currently, however, David is taking a sabbatical year. These days, he is studying software development at a local college. He wants to change his career path because technology is growing so fast across the globe. His daily routine is very different this semester. Instead of grading papers in the evening, he is learning how to code in Python. His programming skills are improving week byweek, though he occasionally finds the material difficult. Next Monday, he is meeting a career counselor to discuss job opportunities in tech. Questions: 1. What is David's permanent job, and what are his normal work days? 2. Why is he studying software development these days? 3. What general trend is mentioned regarding technology? 4. Is David's meeting with the career counselor next Monday a routine or a personal plan? 5. Identify one sentence from the text that describes a gradual change or progress. Practice Exercises Exercise 1: Contextual Choice Choose the correct verb form based on whether the situation is permanent, scheduled, temporary, or a developing trend. 1. The sun ____________ (rise) in the east and sets in the west. 2. Nowadays, climate change ____________ (become) a major concern for young people. 3. The train to Edinburgh ____________ (depart) at 08:15 every morning from Platform 4. 4. I usually drive to work, but my car is broken, so I ____________ (take) the bus this week. 5. What time ____________ you ____________ (meet) Alex tonight? Exercise 2: Stative vs. Dynamic Verbs Complete the sentences using either the Present Simple or Present Continuous of the verb in brackets. 1. I ____________ (think) this dress looks great on you! 2. Shh! Don't disturb him; he ____________ (think) about a complex problem. 3. My uncle ____________ (have) three houses in the countryside. 4. We ____________ (have) a great time at the party right now. Exercise 3: Advanced Gap Fill & Adverb Placement Insert the adverb in brackets into the correct place and use the correct tense. 1. (always / complain) My roommate __________________ about the noise, and it really drives me crazy! 2. (occasionally / visit) We __________________ our grandparents on Sunday afternoons. 3.(currently / search) Sarah __________________ for a new apartment near her office. 4. (rarely / rain) It __________________ in this desert region during the summer months. That’s all for today, with me, Alison, at English for French podcasts. I hope you enjoyed listening. Keep practicing and have fun. Cheers Text Comprehension Answers 1. He is a high school history teacher, and he normally works from Monday to Friday. 2. Because technology is growing fast across the globe, and he wants to change his career path. 3. "Technology is growing so fast across the globe." 4. It is a fixed personal plan in the near future (expressed with Present Continuous). 5. "His programming skills are improving week by week." Exercise 1 Answers 1. rises (Permanent scientific fact) 2. is becoming (Developing trend) 3. departs (Official timetable schedule) 4. am taking (Temporary situation) 5. are / meeting (Fixed future plan) Exercise 2 Answers 1. think (Opinion / Stative) 2. is thinking (Mental action in progress) 3. has (Possession / Stative) 4.are having (Experiencing / Dynamic action) Exercise 3 Answers 1. is always complaining (Annoying repeated habit) 2. occasionally visit (Routine / Frequency) 3. is currently searching (Action in progress around now) 4. rarely rains (General truth / Low frequency)

  • #130
    September 3 · 9 min

    Episode 14: A1 Countable /Uncountable nouns

    #14 A1 Countable, Uncountable nouns (some and any) Welcome back to podcasts with English for French. I’m Alison , and today we are looking at a topic that every beginner needs when talking about food, shopping, and everyday items: Countable and Uncountable Nouns. By the end of this podcast, you will know how to order food, talk about your kitchen, and use words like a, an, some, and any with confidence! Part 1: Countable Nouns Countable nouns are individual items that you can count using numbers: 1, 2, 3, or more. • Singular: Use a or an before one item. o a apple (starts with a consonant sound? Use a, e.g., a banana, a book). o an apple (starts with a vowel sound? Use an, e.g., an apple, an egg). • Plural: Add -s or -es to the end when you have two or more. o One apple → two apples o One sandwich → three sandwichesPart 2: Uncountable Nouns Uncountable nouns are things you cannot count individually with numbers. They are usually liquids, tiny grains, concepts, or foods that come in whole masses. • Common categories: o Liquids: water, milk, coffee, juice o Grains/Powders: rice, sugar, salt, flour o Mass foods: cheese, butter, bread, meat o Concepts: money, time, music, information • Golden Rule: Never put a/an or a number directly before an uncountable noun, and do not add -s. o Say: water (NOT a water or two waters). o To count them, use containers or units: a glass of water, a loaf of bread, a cup of coffee.Part 3: Using "Some" and "Any" When you don't need an exact number, use some and any: Context Positive (+) Countable Nouns (Plural) I have some apples. Uncountable Nouns I have some milk. Negative (-) I don't have any apples. I don't have any milk. Question (?) Do you have any apples? Do you have any milk? Reading Text: Preparing for a Party Read this short story to see these nouns in action: Today is Saturday, and Mark is preparing for a dinner party. He makes a shopping list. He needs an onion, three tomatoes, and a bottle of olive oil. In his fridge, there is some cheese, but there isn't any butter. He also wants to buy some rice and a bag of sugar. He checks his wallet to see if he has any money. Luckily, there are some coins and two banknotes in his bag. Now he is ready to go to the supermarket! Practice Exercises Exercise A: Countable or Uncountable? Decide if each noun is Countable (C) or Uncountable (U). 1. Banana → _____ 2. Milk → _____ 3. Money → _____ 4. Chair → _____ 5. Rice → _____ Exercise B: Gap-Fill Exercise Complete the sentences with a, an, some, or any. 1. Would you like _____ cup of tea? 2. I don't have _____ sugar for my coffee. 3. Can I have _____ apple from the basket? 4. We need to buy _____ vegetables for dinner.5. Is there _____ orange juice left in the fridge? Master English Containers & Shopping Dialogues (A1 Level) Part 1: Container Expressions & Quantifiers Because uncountable nouns (like water, bread, cheese) cannot be counted directly with numbers (you cannot say "two waters" or "three breads"), we use container words or measurement units to make them countable! Common Container Phrases for Uncountable Nouns Container / Unit Used with... Example A bottle of.. Liquids .. a bottle of water, a bottle of wine A cup / glass of ....Hot / Cold drinks... a cup of coffee, a glass of milk A loaf of (plural: loaves)... Bread ....a loaf of bread, two loaves of bread A slice of ...Cut portions... a slice of cheese, a slice of pizza A bag of ...Grains / Powders ...a bag of flour, a bag of rice A piece of...General items /Food... a piece of cake, a piece of news A carton of ...Dairy / Juices... a carton of milk, a carton of juice A can of ...Soda / Canned food ...a can of soup, a can of cola Part 2: Roleplay Dialogue — At the Grocery Store Characters: • Seller: Working at a local grocery stand. • Customer: Buying ingredients for dinner. Setting: A local neighborhood market stand. Seller: Hello! How can I help you today? Customer: Good morning! I’m looking for some ingredients to make dinner. Seller: Great! What do you need? Customer: First, do you have any fresh tomatoes? Seller: Yes, we do! How many would you like? Customer: I’d like four tomatoes, please. Also, is there any cheese available? Seller: Yes, there is some delicious cheddar cheese. Customer: Perfect. Can I get a slice of cheese and a loaf of fresh bread? Seller: Of course. Anything else? Do you need any drinks? Customer: Yes, please. I'll take a bottle of water and a carton of orange juice. Is there a banana left? Seller: Yes, there is one banana right here! Customer: Wonderful. That is all. How much is it? Seller: That will be $12, please. Thank you! Part 3: Exercises & Practice Exercise 1: Match the Food to the Correct Container Match the items on the left with the correct phrase on the right. 1. Coffee a. A slice of 2. Bread b. A bottle of 3. Pizza c. A cup of 4. Rice d. A loaf of 5. Olive Oil e. A bag of Exercise 2: Gap-Fill Exercise Fill in the blanks with the correct container word: bottle, carton, slice, loaf, piece. 1. Could I have a _________ of cake with my afternoon tea? 2. Don't forget to buy a _________ of milk for breakfast tomorrow. 3. She bought a fresh _________ of bread from the bakery. 4. He drank a whole _________ of water after running. 5. Would you like a _________ of cheese on your burger? Exercise 3: Dialogue Practice Questions Answer the questions based on the dialogue above in complete sentences: 1. How many tomatoes does the customer buy? 2. Does the customer buy a carton of milk or orange juice? 3. What container word is used for bread in the store? That’s all for today from me, Alison, at Podcasts with English for French. Keep practicing Cheers Answer Key countables/uncountables Exercise A: 1. Countable (C) 2. Uncountable (U) 3. Uncountable (U) 4. Countable (C) 5. Uncountable (U) Exercise B: 1. a (Singular countable noun starting with a consonant) 2. any (Negative sentence with an uncountable noun) 3. an (Singular countable noun starting with a vowel) 4. some (Positive sentence with plural countable nouns)5. any (Question form with an uncountable noun) Answer Key containers Exercise 1 1 c (A cup of coffee) 2 d (A loaf of bread) 3 a (A slice of pizza) 4 e (A bag of rice) 5 b (A bottle of olive oil) Exercise 2 1. piece (or slice) 2. carton 3. loaf 4. bottle 5. slice Exercise 3 1. The customer buys four tomatoes. 2. The customer buys a carton of orange juice. 3. The word used is "a loaf of" bread.

  • #129
    September 3 · 7 min

    Episode 13: A1 There is/There are

    Podcast transcript #13 A1- There is , There are and the determiners this/that/these/those Welcome back to podcasts with English for French, I’m Alison and today we are looking at two fundamental tools every English learner needs: There is / There are and the determiners This, That, These, and Those. By the end of this podcast, you will know exactly how to point things out, describe your room, and speak with confidence! Part 1: "There is" and "There are" We use There is and There are to say that something exists in a specific place. 1. There is (Singular & Uncountable) Use There is (or the shortcut There's) when talking about one person, animal, or thing, or something you cannot count (like water or sugar). • There is a cat on the sofa. • There is an apple in the bag. • There is some water in the glass. 2. There are (Plural) Use There are when talking about two or more people, animals, or things. • There are two cats on the sofa. • There are five books on the desk. 3. Negatives and Questions • Negative: Add not. o There is not (There isn't) a car outside. o There are not (There aren't) any chairs here. • Question: Swap the order! o Is there a supermarket near here? o Are there any students in the classroom?Part 2: Demonstratives (This, That, These, Those) These four words help us point at specific things based on two rules: Distance (Near vs. Far) and Number (Singular vs. Plural). 1. Near You (In your hands or close by) • This (Singular): Used for one thing close to you. o Example: This is my phone. (I am holding it). • These (Plural): Used for two or more things close to you. o Example: These are my keys. (They are in my hand). 2. Far From You (Across the room or down the street) • That (Singular): Used for one thing further away. o Example: That is a high mountain over there. • Those (Plural): Used for two or more things further away. o Example: Those are beautiful birds in the sky. Quick Reference Chart Singular (1) Plural (2+) Existence There is / There's There are These Near (Close) This book books Far (Away) That book Those books Reading Text: Welcome to My Apartment Read this short text to see how all these rules work together. The answer key to all exercises can be found at the end of this transcript. Hello everyone! Welcome to my apartment. There is a large living room with a big window. This chair next to me is very comfortable, but that sofa across the room is old. Look at the shelf over there—those are my favorite souvenirs from my travels. On the table here, there are three notebooks and a cup of tea. This tea is delicious! Is there a TV in the room? No, there isn't, but there is a large bookcase filled with classic books. Practice Exercises Exercise A: Fill in the Gaps (There is / There are) Complete each sentence with There is or There are. 1. __________ a computer on the desk. 2.__________ four chairs around the dining table. 3.__________ some milk in the fridge. 4.__________ two dogs playing in the garden. 5.__________ a pencil on your notebook? (Question form) Exercise B: Choose the Correct Determiner (This / That / These / Those) Select the best word for each sentence. 1. Take __________ cup of coffee here; it’s hot! (This / That) 2.Look at __________ airplane high in the sky! (This / That) 3.I love __________ shoes on my feet right now. (these / those) 4.Who are __________ people standing over by the door? (these / those) 5.__________ is my best friend, Sarah, standing next to me. (This / That° There is now going to be a dialogue in a seperate recording ;check out the uses of there is /are and this/that, these/those. Keep practicing by, for example, describing a room in your house. That’s all for now from me, Alison , at English for French podcasts Cheers − Characters: − Anna: Moving into a new apartment. − Ben: A friend helping her unpack and set up. − Setting: Inside Anna’s new living room surrounded by boxes. − Dialogue: − Anna: Thanks for helping me unpack, Ben! − Ben: No problem! Wow, there are a lot of boxes in this room. Where do we start? − Anna: Let's start with this box here on the floor. There is a clock inside. Can you put it over there on the wall? − Ben: Sure! Is that clock on the wall high enough? − Anna: Perfect, thanks! Now, look at these books in my hands. Where should I put them?− Ben: There is a small bookshelf next to the window. You can put them there. − Anna: Great idea. Oh, look out the window! Those flowers in the garden are so pretty. − Ben: They really are! By the way, is there a kettle in the kitchen? I'd love some tea. − Anna: Yes, there is! And there are some mugs on the table. This mug right here is for you. − Ben: Perfect. Let's take a break! Practice Tips for A1 Speaking 6. Act it out: Practice with a partner, swapping roles (Anna and Ben). 7.Use real objects: Point to actual items nearby when saying this, that, these, and those to build physical memory. 8.Focus on contractions: Try saying "There's" instead of "There is" during the second read-through to sound more natural. Answer Key Exercise A: 1. There is 2. There are 3. There is 4. There are 5. Is there Exercise B: 1. This 2. That 3. these 4. those 5. This

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