Practising English
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Practising English
Listening practice for learners of B1 intermediate and B2 upper-intermediate levels of British English. Learn British English by listening to stories. Original and exciting stories written for learners and students of British English. Practise and prepare for Cambridge: B1 PET Preliminary and FCE Fi...
Episodi recenti
265 episodi
265. A True Champion (B2 Story)
A B2-level short story for you today...
A True Champion
Sofia had always dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player. She trained eve...
264. The Mystery of the Lake (B1 Story)
The Mystery of the Lake
Day after day, Lily walked past the old lake near her village. The elderly people of the village said it was dangerously...
263. If Only We Could Go Back (B2 story)
The audioscript for today's B2 story:
If only we could go back
On Tuesday morning, Alice decided to call in sick, not because she was ill,...
262. The Missing Actor (B1 Story)
The story audioscript for the story. The B1 words are shown in black.
The missing actor
Detective Anna Jones had a long career solving str...
261. The Crown Thief (B2 Story)
B2 story and vocabulary today. Here is the audioscript of the story and the B2 words in bold.
The Crown Thief
Detective Harris was on the...
260. A Frightening Experience at the Airport (B1 Story)
A B1-level podcast today with a story and a test on the B1 words and expressions:
A frightening experience at the airport
Read the audiosc...
259. The Fresh-food Market (B2 story)
This is the B2 podcast for this week.
Aidioscript:
The Fresh-food Market
See audioscript with B1 words highlighted at https://www.pr...
258. The Climbing Accident (B1 Story)
I'm back from my holidays!
Today I'm publishing the first B1 podcast of season 5 - five years helping intermediate students pass Cambridge exams...
257. The Fool on the Hill (B1 story) (last of the summer repeats)
This favourite story for learners of B1 will be the last of the summer episodes before my return for season 5 next week. Enjoy the story!
My NEW...
256. The Cucumber (B1) (summer repeat)
Here are some words that are not B1 and you'll need to understand the story.
Words which are outside the A1 to B1 levels
*Greenhouse - a b...
255. The Green Door (summer repeat) B2 level
This lovely story from the the American writer O'Henry, I completely re-wrote for B2 level.
Here is the vocabulary discussed:
Just around...
254. Tsunami (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 2)
Here is Part two of my popular story, Tsunami for learners of B1 English
My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Lear...
253. Tsunami (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 1)
I am still on holiday during August, so today I bring you a favourite of many listeners - the B1 story of Tsunami! (Part 1). Part 2 next week.
E...
252. Dad (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 2)
While I'm on my summer holiday, here is a repeat of a lovely B1 story - Part 2 of "Dad". I published Part 1 last Wednesday.
The verbs we are stu...
251. Dad (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 1)
I'm on holiday so I'm leaving you with a favourite story of mine "Dad" in 2 parts. This is a repeat of a podcast from September 2023. Next Wednesday,...
250. Victims of Nature B2 (repeat)
Comprehension questions for this B2-level story.
(I'm on holiday at the momento so leave you with a repeat episode.) Enjoy!
1) What reason...
249. The Mushroom Murders (B2 English)
This is about the trial in Australia that finished just last week and is popularly known as "The Mushroom Murders". Today, I'll ask the famous detecti...
248. The Unexpected Visit (animal vocabulary) B2 Story
This is a B2-level recording and story with vocabulary about animal sounds and movement:
Animal words:
warren - where rabbits live togethe...
247. Future Continuous for B1 (and B2) with story
Hello, dear students!
Future continuous for fixed events, which are expected to happen. (This is B1 grammar with interest for B2 students too!)<...
246. There is / are and extended family
Today, I’m going to talk about the family of ‘there is’! At first, that might seem very basic English grammar. Indeed, the phrase ‘there is’ is A1 lev...
245. B1 Linking Words with a story
B1 Linking Words
Linking words join two sentences together. Here are the ones I mention during the podcast:
A Rainy Adventure
Tom wa...
244. The Breath of the Mosquito (complete version) B1 Story
For health reasons, I'm afraid I cannot share a new podcast with you today. I include instead, one of my favourite stories that I wrote for students s...
243. B1 adjectives (short story)
Here are the B1 words we're studying today:
acceptable
accurate
amusing
annoyed
convenient
embarrassed
forbi...
242. FCE Story 2 (B2)
In today's B2 FCE story, you'll be listening to this B2 vocabulary:
heading for Paris
his hands were trembling
both thrilled and t...
241. FCE Story (B2 )
How to write the FCE story (B2 level) for the Cambridge exam. If you're not taking this exam, this episode will be useful for learning how to express...
240. Tudor Conspiracy revisited B1, B2
I apologise for not bringing you a new podcast this week. I leave you with chapter 1 of the Tudor Conspiracy (from an audio book and reader I publishe...
239. The Letter (B1, B2)
These are the words I discuss today. They are linking words, essential for your B1 and B2 writing papers in the Cambridge exam.
Moreover
I...
238. If so, if not, B1 level with dialogue
How to use 'if so' and 'if not' in dialogue.
A conditional clause to refer a previous direct or indirect 'yes-no' question where the answer migh...
237. Candle Burning - B1 short story (complete version)
These are the four comprehension questions to read before you listen to the story.
1) What was the first thing Nigel did when he went into the s...
236. Complex sentences B1, B2 (4 funny jokes)
Structure Summary
Would like / want / ask
I would like you to come to a party on Saturday
Object Clause (noun clause): you to come t...
235. Future Perfect B2 (short story)
LOOKING BACK FROM A POINT IN THE FUTURE - FUTURE PERFECT
I have studied / I have been studying English for/since...
(from the past...
234. B2 Time Adverbs
These are the B2 time adverbs you should learn for the speaking and writing of the Cambridge FCE exam. Listen for them in the podcast, and decide whic...
233. Uses of 'rather' (with dialogue)
'Rather' and its uses
FORM/USE: 'RATHER THAN' + PHRASE
B1
Use a specialist book rather than the Internet. A book is more reliable.
232. Would and used to with short story
Stative verbs
Thoughts and opinions
believe
know
understand
suppose
think
(I would sit and think about her e...
231. B1 Do for emphasis (with dialogue)
Emphasis is used with lots of auxiliary verbs:
- I MUST get to the shop before it closes.
- You SHOULD try and finish the painting today....
230. B2 story The Visitors (complete version)
The Visitors
This is the full version of my story The Visitors recorded in October of last year. The level is B2, but my B1 students are also in...
229. B1 adjectives with hyphens (with dialogue)
Adjectives with hyphen at B1 level
good-looking (only with hyphen) - attractive (for people, often men)
well-known - a lot of people have...
228. The Medical check-up (expressions for emphasis)
- The reason is I like working with people, I have experience of looking after elderly people and I enjoy volunteering work.
- The problem is I...
227. Talking about the Future (with dialogue)
Future Forms in English
I'm not going to talk about future tense and predictions, but other uses of future tense.Going to and present continuous...
226. Get and verbs of movement B1, B2 and story
Now it's interesting that we use get as a verb of motion. Often, when it's difficult to actually move. Have you noticed that we say,
Would you l...