Feedback/News: Hasselback potatoes come from Sweden, not from South Africa as we said in the last episode. Thank you to Enrique (Colombia) for his comment that Craig’s Spanish is improving. Gramática: For, During and While A question on Facebook from David Blanco Vargas from Sevilla How to use during During is a preposition which is used…
Some / any. money vocabulary, ‘to get around’, advice on presentations in English – AIRC12
HAPPY NEW YEAR! – The first podcast of 2014 Did Reza make and keep his New Year’s resolution to learn something new? Feedback, news and questions: Craig went to Laos for Christmas, and Reza learnt how to make “hasselback potatoes”. We are still waiting for a recipe for dulce de leche. Thanks to Emilse (Argentina) and…
1st and 2nd conditional, Pronunciation: word stress in numbers, ‘to put up’ – AIRC11
What did you get for Christmas? Did Reza get a scarf, a pair of gloves, some socks and a wallet from his mum? Has Craig got his bathroom finished yet? Gramática: 1st and 2nd conditional. If you study hard, you will learn a lot of English (1st conditional – If + present simple + will)…
Other, another, others, Christmas vocabulary, syllable stress, ‘to wrap up’ – AIRC10
Merry Christmas! What are you doing for Christmas this year? Reza’s going to Belfast to spend Christmas with his family. Craig is really looking forward to Christmas. Reza’s still waiting for a dulce de leche recipe. He will send you his mum’s recipe for cranberry sauce. A question from Mara from Valencia: “What’s the difference between…
Verb collocations, work vocabulary, Pronunciation: /i/ and /i:/, ‘to take up’- AIRC9
News: Craig now has half of his bathroom finished, but he doesn’t have a shower or a sink yet. Reza is going to Ireland soon to visit his mum. A question from Jóse in Madrid, Spain“¿Cómo puedo preguntar sobre el tiempo en inglés?” – The weather/La clima – What’s the weather like? What’s the ______ like?…
Could / couldn’t, collocations with ‘have’, pronunciation: consonants and vowels, phrasal verb ‘to set up’ – AIRC8
Gramática: could and couldn’t I could swim when I was young. (habilidad en el pasado) – podia nadar Tomorrow we could swim in the sea. (condicional) – podríamos nadar Craig can’t play a musical instrument (now) Craig couldn’t play a musical instrument when he was younger (past) Craig, could / can I ask you a question? (permission)…
Can /can’t, clothes vocabulary, phrasal verb ‘to set off’ – AIRC7
Let’s get cracking! = ¡Vamos a empezar! Gramática: Can / can’t Can I ask you a question? You can speak Spanish. Reza can speak a bit of Valencian. Can you play any musical instruments? – Yes, I can. Can, like could, should, would, may etc son modal verbs (verbos modales). El can se puede emplear…
Used to, be used to, get used to, Pronunciation: /j/, sport vocabulary, phrasal verb ‘come out’ – AIRC6
Gramática: Used to / be used to / get used to Craig used to live in London. he used to go out with friends, he used to drink a lot of beer. He used to go to record shops and book shops. He used to buy clothes. He used to watch a lot of TV…
Past simple / present perfect, Pronunciación: consonant clusters, expressions with ‘come’, phrasal verb ‘put off’- AIRC5
Gramática: El ‘past simple’ y el ‘present perfect’ I’ve been to Bilbao (present perfect) – Cuando hablas de tu vida hasta ahora. When did you go? (past simple) – Para hablar de las cosas en el pasado. – Craig went to Bilbao four or five years ago. (past simple) Have you been to Cuba? (present perfect)…
Present perfect, phrasal verb ‘get off’, pronunciation /s/ and /je/ – AIRC4
Gramática: Present Perfect “What have you done today so far?” – Craig’s had three or four cups of coffee. “I’ve had breakfast” “How long have you been working on this video?” (present perfect continuous) You haven’t finished yet. He has been working on his video for two weeks. Have you ever been to Disneyland? –…