What’s in the CAE (Cambridge Advanced English)  speaking paper? Take an English Level test The Cambridge C1 Advanced Speaking test has four parts and you take it together with another candidate. There are two examiners. One of the examiners conducts the test (asks you questions, gives you the paper with things to talk about, and so on). The other examiner … Read more

Visit us on YouTube Geography Vocabulary Geography is the study of the systems and processes involved in the world’s weather, mountains, seas, lakes, etc. and of the ways in which countries and people organize life within an area Example: We’re studying the geography of India just now in school. cardinal points the four main points of the compass: north, south, east and west … Read more

Do you want to take the Cambridge CAE Exam? Watch this Tutorial Video that shows you exactly what you need to do and how. Visit us on YouTube What does Cambridge English: Advanced involve? Cambridge English: Advanced is at Level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It is accepted by universities, employers and government departments … Read more

Here is some vocabulary to describe different types of film and some people connected with the cinema. Practice these and other Phrases with your online English Teacher at skypeclass.com Types of film, using the word ‘film’: A horror film: A film that scares you A science fiction film (a sci-fi film): A film set in the future, or an imaginary world and time An action … Read more

BBC 6 minute English – Laughing could kill you Podcast download Transcript download Book your next skype English Class In a competition for control between laughter and breathing and speaking, laughter always wins, says a neuroscientist. Neil and Tim discuss the dangers of laughter and teach you some related words. This week’s question: How many times a day does the average … Read more

Do you need to upgrade your phone? Transcript Download Download MP3 recording Book your next Skype English Class Many people are holding onto their old phones longer – instead of rushing out to buy the latest model of phone. What are the advantages or disadvantages of getting the latest model? Rob and Catherine talk about smartphones and teach you new … Read more

Take a Free English Level Test  with us Grammar Imperatives are verbs used to give orders, commands, warning or instructions, and (if you use “please”) to make a request. It is one of the three moods of an English verb (indicative, imperative and subjunctive). For example: Give me that tape, please ‘Don’t forget to make a wish!’ ‘Don’t say it out loud!’ These are … Read more

Drones have become commonplace in the skies above our heads. In certain cases they have been dangerous, but there are many new uses for them that are bringing us benefits too. From delivering parcels to saving lives, drones are taking off. Join our discussion about them and learn some new vocabulary in 6 Minute English. Download the MP3 Download the … Read more

Mor Phrasal Verbs connected with the letter S As you know, native speakers of English tend to use a lot of phrasal verbs (sometimes called prepositional, multi-word verb, verbs) in everyday spoken English. In fact, this is quite frustrating for students who often have learned one-word verbs during their English studies and then are confronted with an English speaking world … Read more

Practice environment vocabulary with Philip your skypeclass Teacher. Words connected with ‘environment’: Watch a Video documentary  about Recycling the environment the natural world, including the air, water and land in or on which people, animals and plants live We need to do more to protect the environment from pollution. environmental relating to the natural world and the effect humans have on it … Read more

Here is some vocabulary to describe some of the different stages of a relationship. Practice your love vocabulary with Philip your Skype Class Teacher. MP3 Download about marriage and relationships from the BBC. Visit us on YouTube Chat up – starting a relationship  to chat (somebody) up to talk to somebody in the hope of starting a romantic or sexual relationship to flirt … Read more

Valentines Day – Read the story Listen to Audio It’s that time of the year when couples show their love for each other by sending cards, flowers and chocolates. But Valentine’s Day is not only about public displays of affection: in recent years it has also become big business. In the UK alone, more than 20 million pounds is spent on flowers, … Read more

Visit us on YouTube Here is some vocabulary related to dentistry and teeth. Watch this old dental advertising video. Practice your dental vocabulary with Philip your skypeclass Teacher People who work in dentistry a dentist a person whose job is treating and looking after people’s teeth a receptionist a person who books appointments, greets patients and looks after the paper … Read more

Visit us on YouTube Describing Temperament – When Tim says ‘I’m all calm and controlled on the surface’ he’s describing his temperament. Temperament is the part of your character that affects your feelings and moods and the way you behave. Read this BBC article about how temperament differs around the world. Practice the following vocabulary with your Skype Class Teacher … Read more

English Suffixes Take an English Level Test Words like excitement, performance and difference have suffixes that turn verbs and adjectives into nouns. Listen to Finn and Catherine talk about the suffixes -ment, -ence and -ance in this 6 Minute Vocabulary. Nouns ending in –ment: enjoyment the process of enjoying something (feeling pleasure in something) replacement someone or something that replaces … Read more

Idioms use language metaphorically rather than literally. When Tim told Khalid there was ‘no point crying over spilt milk‘ he was making a joke because he was using the idiom metaphorically and literally. Usually we only use idioms metaphorically. This idiom  means ‘don’t get upset about something in the past that you can’t change’. The literal meaning is ‘don’t cry when you spill some milk’. Idioms … Read more

Complaining in English Listen to BBC Podcast Dan and Alice talk about complaining in English, and how British people may be getting better at it. This week’s question: According to the Wall Street Journal, what was the cause of most airline complaints in the US in 2010? Was it: a) Delayed or cancelled flights b) Rude staff c) Lost luggage … Read more

IELTS Videos The following videos show exactly what is expected of you in the IELTS speaking test Video One – Band score 8.5 Video Two – Band score 6   The IELTS speaking test is the number one test for students who want to study or work in the UK. The format of the test is in 3 parts as detailed … Read more

English articles A/an and the English articles – Today we are exploring how to use these 3 types of articles in English.  Remember you can always practice these articles with Philip your skypeclass Teacher. You might like to visit the Cambridge English for further info. A/an and the: meaning A/an and the are articles. They are a type of determiner and they go before a noun. A/an before a … Read more

Podcast Robots The Rise of Machines Download MP3 recording here Download PDF Script here Practice new words with your Skypeclass English Teacher Are robots and artificial intelligence taking over from humans? Dan and Neil discuss the rise of the machines An American company has said its ambition is to achieve an AI that can beat humans at any intellectual task. … Read more

Phrasal verbs, or multi-word verbs, are verbs that are combined with one or two particles (a preposition or adverb), for example, ‘up’ or ‘down’, to make verbs with new meanings. Visit the BBC for more info on Phrasal Verbs. These new meanings are usually non-literal. For example, to pick means to select or choose (she picked him for her team), but to pick on someone means to … Read more

Indirect questions Take an English Level Test There are two main ways of asking questions – directly and indirectly. Both have the same meaning but we use indirect questions when we want to be more polite, more formal or less confrontational. We can ask a direct question – Where is Brighton Pier? Or to be more formal or polite, we can ask an indirect question – I wonder if you could tell … Read more

Visit us on YouTube Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and animals must have water to survive. … Apart from drinking it to survive, people have many other uses for water. Learn new words below to help you understand more about water and practice new words with your skypeclass Teacher Philip. The National Geographic has a great article about our … Read more

Can Could – We use can, could and may to ask for permission. We use can and may, but not could, to give permission. May is less common: Compare. asking for permission. formal/polite? giving permission. formal/polite? Can I ask you a question? informal. Yes, you can. Yes, you may. Yes, you could. informal. Could I use your phone? Practice can or could with … Read more

English Tenses English Tenses -The tense of a verb tells you when a person did something or when something existed or happened. In English, there are three main tenses: the present, the past, and the future. You can practice the following tenses with your skypeclass Teacher. The present The present tense (e.g. I am, she works, we swim, they believe) is also called the present simple or simple present. It’s … Read more

Ethical Coffee Listen to podcast Would you pay more for coffee if you knew it was doing some good? Dan and Catherine discuss the pros and cons of ethically produced coffee. It’s one of the most popular drinks on the planet and something many people have for breakfast. Coffee is a widely exported product. However, how much of that money … Read more

How to greet someone in English There are all sorts of different ways to greet people. Today, we learn some of the most popular and useful expressions for greeting friends or other people in relaxed situations. Remember you can practice these greetings with Philip – your Skype English Teacher. You also like to visit the following wiki how page that … Read more

BBC 6 Minute English Podcast Download Is Man Flue Real For a while now, the expression ‘man flu’ has been controversial. Many men say their illness is real, while many women say they are just being weak. But why is it that some men seem to suffer, or complain, more when they get sick than women? A recently published study may … Read more

English advice on when to use  the following English terms. Remember! you can always practice this grammar tip with Philip your Skypeclass English Teacher Someone, anyone, no one, everyone Someone, anyone, no one, everyone mean the same as somebody, anybody, nobody, everybody. They all mean one person, no person or all people: Is there someone at the door? No, there’s … Read more

Present Forms We can use the present simple to talk about habits (things that we do regularly), facts (things that are always true) or states (facts that are true for a long time). We can use the present continuous to talk about an activity that’s happening now, (or around now) or to talk about planned future arrangements. Present Simple Habits: We give Helen the rent every month. She sends the cheque to the landlord. Facts: The … Read more

Here are some pairs of verbs you might sometimes find confusing. See and watch, hear and listen to: In these pairs of verbs it’s important to know if we are intentionally doing something or if it is just happening without us trying to do anything. We use ‘see‘ and ‘hear‘ for sights and sounds that come to our eyes and ears, without us trying to see or hear them. For example, … Read more

English Podcast – Should schoolchildren have jobs ? For some, it’s a way of learning valuable lessons about with world of work and earning a bit of money; for others it’s a distraction from the important business of education. Schoolchildren in part-time work is something which divides opinion. It used to be normal in the UK but the trend is … Read more

Types of Hotels Take an English Level Test budget hotel economical or cheap hotel that is usually part of a chain (or group) of hotels; one that’s cheaper than a business hotel or a 5-star hotel The flights were so expensive we decided to save some money on accommodation. She didn’t like how basic the rooms were, but the budget hotel was … Read more

Below you will find a selection of important vocabulary connected with kichen equipemnt and tools in English. Utensils and Equipment a knife a basic, hand-held tool for cutting food a peeler a hand-held tool specially designed for removing the skin from vegetables such as potatoes a spatula a thin tool – sometimes made of wood – which is used to … Read more

Linking Words and Phrases Linking words and phrases are used to show a relationships between ideas. They can be used to join 2 or more sentences or clauses (a clause is a group of words which contains a subject and a verb). Linking words/phrases can be used to add ideas together, contrast them, or show the reason for something. Practice your use of linking words with … Read more

Meaning: slap in the face. A sharp rebuke or rebuff, as in Being criticized in front of my staff was a real slap in the face, or We thought it quite a slap in the face when they returned our letter unopened. The figurative use of this term, which can also refer to a literal blow, dates from the late … Read more

Pedestrianisation Norwich was the first city in the UK to ban cars from parts of the city centre. Planners wanted to protect pedestrians from cars and to reduce pollution in its old and narrow streets. That was 50 years ago. There’s a fresh interest in keeping cars out of cities now for the same reasons. Rob and Neil talk about … Read more

Visit us on YouTube We can use these words with or without ‘Christmas’ before them:  A lot of Christmas vocabulary can be used with or without the word ‘Christmas’ in front of it. For example we can talk about ‘Christmas crackers’ or just ‘crackers’: a cracker (n): a small paper tube which is pulled from each end by two people at … Read more

Conjunctions We can join two sentences or clauses together using conjunctions (or linking words). We can use conjunctions to add ideas together, contrast them, show the order that things happened in or show the reason why things happened. Conjunctions – adding and I’m missing my mum’s cooking and I don’t know how to cook the way she does. They like … Read more

Coffee – How different are cafes of the 21st century from the very first coffee houses? Cafes have become free wifi hotspots. Has the internet replaced the lively debate and intellectual discussions that used to be their main feature in the past? Rob and Catherine discuss this over a coffee and teach you new vocabulary listen to their bbc podcast. … Read more

Sugar – Today’s Podcast Do you really know how much of the sweet stuff you eat? Neil and Rob talk about sugar and teach you some tempting new vocabulary. Download the BBC MP3  Podcast This week’s question – Do we need sugar ? If a food contains 5% total sugars per 100g, is it… a) high in sugar b) low … Read more