Conakry Online English Language School

Sian Lovegrove
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This is a podcast for intermediate to upper intermediate English language learners in Guinea, West Africa. Courses one and two are for intermediate students and courses three and four are for a higher level. The story throughout the four modules is one of Terry who leaves China to study for his masters degree in the UK. He meets people, new friends, shopkeepers, police, ticket sellers, he goes on holiday to France, his family visit from China and he has lots of interactions with people.   Each conversation is short and only one or two target vocabulary in each set so the learner will understand most of what’s said but will find a few new pieces of language there.   It was important for us, creating this course that we use modern day English throughout. This means idioms and language people actually use in day to day settings, not textbook English which is outdated.   Features ·     common conversations ·     modern language ·     colloquialisms ·     idiomatic language ·     full transcripts ·     new vocabulary ·     108 useful conversations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. EPISODE 1

    Basic Greetings 1. Greeting a stranger

    Basic Greetings1. Greeting a stranger  Terry has moved into his new flat and as he is leaving to go to college, he meets a woman who is carrying grocery bags into the building. She is a lot older than him and is wearing quite old-fashioned clothes. He needs to show her respect when he speaks to her. How does Dawn introduce herself?   Terry: Good morning   Dawn: Good morning   Terry: Do you live here too?   Dawn: Yes, I live at number four.   Terry: Oh, that’s next to my flat.   Dawn: Really! Well I’m sure we’ll meet each other often. I’m Dawn Lewis by the way.   Terry: I’m Terry. It’s lovely to meet you.   Dawn: It’s nice to meet you too.       When you’re talking to an older person, you need to use quite formal language until you are friends with them. Use Mr or Mrs and their surname if you know it.   Formal ways of greeting a stranger include ·     Hello ·     Good morning ·     Good afternoon ·     Good evening (Good night is only for saying goodbye at night) ·     How do you do (very formal) ·     Pleased to meet you (formal)     Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Basic Greetings 2. Greeting an older person/someone in authority

    Basic Greetings2. Greeting an older person/someone in authority  Terry met Dawn Lewis last week and now he sees her again, this time leaving the house to walk to the bus stop. He thinks she really needs to buy some new clothes and tidy up her hair. Terry is a nice guy so he decides to talk to her. Listen to how he addresses her.   Terry: Good afternoon Mrs Lewis   Dawn: Hello Terry, how are you.   Terry: Very well thank you.   Dawn: Are you comfortable in the flat?   Terry: Yes, thank you. It’s a very quiet area.   Dawn: Yes, it’s very peaceful around here.   Terry: I’m on my way to college now.   Dawn: OK, well, have a nice day Terry.   Terry: You too Mrs Lewis.   Dawn: Please call me Dawn   Terry: Alright. See you soon Dawn.       Terry calls Dawn, ‘Mrs Lewis’ until she invites him to become less formal. You must wait for your neighbour or boss or other person in a position of authority to invite you to use their first name. Do not use it automatically as this might show disrespect.   Ways of saying you are going somewhere ·     I’m on my way to college ·     I’m off to college now ·     I’m going to college ·     I’m leaving for college     Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Basic Greetings 3. Greeting an old friend

    Basic Greetings3. Greeting an old friend  Sian and Terry have bumped into each other at a Christmas party. They used to go to school together but have not seen each other for ages. Sian is a cheerful person, who likes to go out to pubs and restaurants and sometimes has parties at her house. She wants to know what Terry is doing now. Terry is quite excited. Listen and find out why.   Sian: How are you doing Terry?   Terry: I'm made up.   Sian: Really! Why’s that?   Terry: I’ve started a new college.   Sian: What so good about it?   Terry: I’m top of my class!   Sian: Wow that’s brilliant!   Terry: Yeah, I’m doing well.   Sian: That’s great.   Terry: Well, good luck with staying at the top.   Sian: Thanks a lot.       I’m made up = Modern slang for I’m really excited/happy   There are many ways of saying hello to an old friend. ·     Hey! Long time no see = colloquial (informal) way of speaking ·     Hi, ·     How’s things going? ·     What’s new? ·     What’s been going on in your life?   Ways of expressing excitement at someone’s good news. ·     Wow! ·     That’s exciting/fantastic/brilliant ·     Really? ·     I’m so pleased for you. Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Talking about the weather 4. Looks like rain

    Talking about the weather4. Looks like rain  Terry sometimes sees his neighbour Dawn, as he is leaving his house. Dawn likes to talk to Terry but all she ever talks about is the weather. Terry thinks that it’s the only thing she can actually talk about. Does she have any interests other than the weather Terry wonders! What are the different opinions of Terry and Dawn about what the weather will be like today?   Terry: The sky looks dark today.   Dawn: Yeah, it looks like rain.   Terry: Do you think so?   Dawn: Yes, I can feel it in the air?   Terry: The forecast was for sun all day.   Dawn: I know but you wait and see.   Terry: Yes, you’re usually right!   Dawn: Yes I am aren’t I!     Talking about the weather ·     Looks like rain = it looks as if it is about to rain ·     Do you think so? = are you sure? ·     Can feel it in the air = sense the rain is on the way ·     Wait and see = be patient and you see I am correct ·     The weather forecast = to forecast (v) and a forecast (n), to predict the future.   Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    Talking about the weather 5. Drizzle

    Talking about the weather5. Drizzle  It’s the winter now and Terry is fed up of the British weather. It’s Saturday morning and Terry’s chatting to Dawn on the landing by the door to their flats. Dawn still has only one subject of conversation – the weather – and thanks to his frequent chats with Dawn, Terry is also getting pretty good at talking about the weather! Is the rain going to be a problem or not? Listen and find out.   Terry: I was hoping for a nice day today.   Dawn: Me too but you know how it is in the winter.   Terry: Yes, it rains almost every day.   Dawn: It’s only drizzle though.   Terry: That’s true but it lasts all day.   Dawn: Do you have an umbrella?   Terry: Yes I do.   Dawn: So you’ll be fine.   Terry: As long as it stays as drizzle.     Drizzle = light rain, a fine mist, moisture in the air. You know how it is = I’m sure you are familiar with this As long as… = provided that…   Do you have an umbrella Have you got an umbrella Brolly = colloquial for umbrella   Drizzle ·     Fine mist ·     Spitting ·     Sprinkling ·     Mizzle   Other weather Snow ·     A flurry of snow ·     A big dump of snow ·     A sprinkling of snow ·     Snow drifts ·     Sleet (snow and rain mixed)     Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    Offering help 6. Carrying bags

    Offering help6. Carrying bags  Terry is at the railway station and is walking over the bridge to the platform. He’s on the way to Birmingham for the weekend to see some friends. What does he see in front of him? It’s a very pretty girl struggling with her huge bag. Although Terry is not very tall, he is quite strong, and he runs towards the girl to offer some help. Listen to the conversation and find out where the pretty girl is travelling to.     Terry: Excuse me. Would you like some help with your bag?   Sarah: Oh yes, thank a lot.   Terry: Gosh, this is very heavy isn’t it.   Sarah: Yes, sorry!   Terry: That’s OK. Here we are, now we’re on the platform.   Sarah: Thanks again for helping me.   Terry: You’re welcome.   Sarah: And just in time, here comes my train.   Terry: You’re going to Birmingham!   Sarah: Yes I am.   Terry: Me too!     Here you go, here you are = something you say to the other person when you have finished doing something for them. Normally after hearing this, we say Thank you.   Ways you can offer someone help ·     Let me help you ·     Would you like some help ·     I can help you if you like ·     Let me give you a hand   Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    Introductions 7. Introducing yourself

    Introductions7. Introducing yourself  Here we take a look at how we can ask a stranger their name when you meet them for the first time. This is quite an awkward situation because people are generally quite shy about walking up to a stranger and asking their name. Listen carefully to the dialogue and see if you can hear the word which means ‘me too’.      Terry: Hello there.   Julie: Hello.   Terry: I’m Terry. Terry Jarvis.   Julie: I’m Julie.   Terry: Julie what?   Julie: Julie Ellison   Terry: It’s good to meet you Julie.   Julie: Likewise.   Terry: Do you live near here   Julie: Yes, quite close.   Terry: Me too.     Depending on the formality of the situation, you may want to give your first name and surname or just your first name.   Likewise = means ‘me too’ in this situation.   Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    Introductions 8. Exchanging names (2)

    Introductions8. Exchanging names (2)  There is a different way of asking for someone’s name if you have been chatting to them for a while. It starts with an apology. In English it is quite polite to say sorry a lot in conversations. The British are famous for apologising when they’ve done nothing wrong. Can you spot the apology in this dialogue?   Terry: I can’t believe we’re on the same course   Julie: I’ve never seen you in class.   Terry: Yeah, I don’t often go to class.   Julie: That’s why then!   Terry: I’m sorry I don’t know your name   Julie: I’m Julie.   Terry: Hi Julie, I’m Terry   Julie: Hi Terry. I’m sure we’ll see each other around.   Terry: Yes I’m sure we’ll bump into each other.   Julie: Perhaps in class   Terry: Yeah, maybe I should start going to class.     I’m sorry I don’t know your name – is a polite way of asking someone’s name when you’ve been chatting for a few minutes. Often you start talking to someone without asking their name first and then need to ask it later in the conversation. Another way of saying the same is ·     I’m afraid I don’t know your name ·     I’m Terry by the way (will usually make the other person say their name)     Written and produced by Sian Lovegrove Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 min
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About

This is a podcast for intermediate to upper intermediate English language learners in Guinea, West Africa. Courses one and two are for intermediate students and courses three and four are for a higher level. The story throughout the four modules is one of Terry who leaves China to study for his masters degree in the UK. He meets people, new friends, shopkeepers, police, ticket sellers, he goes on holiday to France, his family visit from China and he has lots of interactions with people.   Each conversation is short and only one or two target vocabulary in each set so the learner will understand most of what’s said but will find a few new pieces of language there.   It was important for us, creating this course that we use modern day English throughout. This means idioms and language people actually use in day to day settings, not textbook English which is outdated.   Features ·     common conversations ·     modern language ·     colloquialisms ·     idiomatic language ·     full transcripts ·     new vocabulary ·     108 useful conversations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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