2. University Life - Questions and Answers

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University Life - Questions and Answers

"What high school did you attend?"
 Before we answer this question, keep in mind that a foreigner will not be asked this question.  Usually they will not ask a foreigner because they think that they will not know the high school you mention.  But it is still good to know how to say such things.
 "I went to Lynnwood High."
 "Lynnwood High"
 "I went to a high school in San Francisco."
 "A high school in Olympia."

 "What are you going to major in?"
 "I haven't decided, but I'm leaning towards biology."
 "I'm thinking about majoring in psychology."

 Universities in the States are a little different than others.  You don't choose your major until you are in your 3rd year.  Basically, you apply to get into a major your junior year and if accepted, you have a major.  If you get turned down, you have to find a different major, or spend another semester or year trying to get in.  That's why you see so many people not graduate after 4 years.  The problem is that they do not know what to major in.

 "How many credits are you taking?"
 "I'm taking eighteen credits this quarter."
 "I'm only taking 10 credits this semester."
 "I'm taking 20 credits this semester."

 "What classes are you taking?"
 "I'm taking chemistry 135, math 231, and English 101."
 "This quarter I'm taking Intro to Sociology, Basics of Music Composition, and Spanish 101."

 "What year are you?"
 "I'm a junior."
 "I'm a freshman."
 "I'm a fourth year junior."
 "I'm a fifth year senior."

 If you wonder how you can be a fourth year junior or a fifth year senior, you must understand that the number of credits you have completed represents what level you are.  So a fourth year junior is someone who has been in school for four years, but has the same credits as a junior.












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1. University Life - Meeting New Students

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University Life - Meeting New Students

As you can see, these portions of our lessons are dedicated to school.  There are many things to learn here, so we are going to spend numerous lessons on school.  But don't worry; only a couple will be geared towards classes.  The rest will be about night life, partying, and having a good time.  Before we start learning about topics such as classes and examinations, let's learn some general university phrases.

 The first type of speaking you will have to do is when you meet new people.  During this time, you can engage in idle small talk.  Since you have learned small talk, feel free to use your new skills.  On top of that, let's learn some new phrases that will help you.

 "Where are you from?"
 "What high school did you attend?"
 "What are you going to major in?"
 "What are you majoring in?"
 "How many credits are you taking this semester?"
 "What classes are you taking?"
 "What year are you?"
 "What is an easy class to take?"
 "Where is the best place to hang out?"
 "Are you in the dormitory?"
 "Where do you live?"
 "Why did you decide to come to this school?"
 "What made you choose Berkeley?"

 Many of the answer to these questions are general things you should already know.  But it never hurts to review again, so let's go over how we can answer some of these questions.

 "Where are you from?"
 "I'm from Seattle, Washington."
 "I'm an exchange student from Seoul, Korea."
 "I'm from Dublin, Ohio."
 "I'm from Southern California."










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College Related Topics

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The English Grammar Tenses Collection

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The English Grammar Tenses Collection

The English Grammar Tenses Collection
Welcome to the English Grammar Tenses – The Ultimate Resource!

One of the easiest ways to teach and learn grammar is through stories.

illustrated workbooks


So we at Really Learn English made this huge collection of stories and exercises available for you, completely free of charge.

You can read the stories online, download the story PDF files, print and use them by yourself or with your students, and check the answers using the answer key.

All we ask in return, is that if you find this resource useful, please link to it and share it with your students, colleagues, and anyone else who may benefit from it. You can link to this page from your website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.

Thanks for your support!


What does TENSE Mean?

What does TENSE Mean?
A tense is a form of the verb which shows the time at which an action happens. It comes from the Latin word "tempus", which means "time".
Click here for the full article on what tense is.


Table of Contents

Aspect Time
Present Past Future
Simple Simple Present Simple Past Simple Future
Progressive (Continuous) Present Progressive Past Progressive Future Progressive
Perfect Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect
Progressive + Perfect Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive Future Perfect Progressive
















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How do I register?

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To register for an IELTS test, follow these seven simple steps. You can also download the Information for candidates booklet (PDF, 935KB). IELTS centres have friendly, helpful staff who will help you with the registration process.

1. Find your nearest IELTS centre and check the test dates to find options that suit you. Note the deadline for registering for each test date. You can also see the cost of the test at your centre in local currency on the IELTS Worldwide Search
2. Check with your organisation or on the Global Recognition System whether you need to sit an Academic or General Training test.

3. Print out the IELTS Application Form (PDF, 273KB) or ask your test centre for a copy. Read the information for candidates, terms and conditions, complete the form and sign it. Please make sure you have a valid postal address and use the same name as on your passport.

In some centres, candidates may be able to register for the test online. Please refer to the test centre's website for further information.
4. Take a photocopy of your current passport – this must be valid and not expired. (Some centres will accept a national identity card.)

5. If you want your results to be sent automatically to a university or educational institution, include the correct details in the section on the IELTS Application Form (PDF, 273KB).

6. Take your application into your IELTS test centre with your money. If you send it by mail, please talk to your centre about the method of payment.

Once you have registered, the test centre will confirm your IELTS test date, time and venue. Please note the Speaking test can be up to 7 days before or after the test date.

On the test day, you must bring the same passport or national identity card that you entered on the IELTS Application Form.

For more information, see Frequently asked questions.

IELTS test candidates in the USA please register online.












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What is IELTS?

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The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assesses the English language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as the language of communication. IELTS tests are held in over 1,000 locations across the world with tests up to four times a month .


The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular high stakes English-language test for study, work and migration, with more than 2.2 million tests taken each year.

IELTS assesses all of your English skills — reading, writing, listening and speaking — and is designed to reflect real life use of English — at study, at work, and at play.

The IELTS test is developed by some of the world’s leading experts in language assessment. It has an excellent international reputation, and is accepted by over 9,000 organisations worldwide, including schools, universities, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies.

IELTS is the most widely accepted English language test that uses a one-on-one speaking test to assess your English communication skills. This means that you are assessed by having a real-life conversation with a real person. This is the most effective and natural way of testing your English conversation skills.

You can choose from two versions of the test –  IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training – depending on the organisation you are applying to and your plans for the future. Both versions of the test are made up of four parts – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. IELTS results are graded on the unique IELTS 9-band scale.

For more information, see Frequently asked questions or download the Information for candidates booklet (PDF, 790KB).
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29. Intro and General Things Review - Interactive Practice

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General Things Review - Interactive Practice


Click on Listen All and follow along. After becoming comfortable with the entire conversation, become Person A by clicking on the Person A button. You will hear only Person B through the audio file. There will be a silence for you to repeat the sentences of Person A. Do the same for Person B. The speed of the conversation is native speed. Use the pause button if the pause between each sentence is too fast for you. After practicing several times, you will be able to speak as fast as a native.

                                                                       
 1  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "How are you doing?"
 B: "I'm doing great."
 A: "What movies have you seen lately?"
 B: "I saw Forrest Gump the other day."
 A: "What type of movie is that?"
 B: "The movie type is drama."
 A: "I can't believe you are watching movies. The weather is great. You should be outside."
 B: "I hate the hot weather. I'd rather stay indoors with the air conditioner."
 A: "What else do you like to do besides watching movies?"
 B: "I like to play computer games, read books, go shopping, and play pool."
 A: "Out of those what is your favorite?"
 B: "My favorite is to play computer games."
 A: "What is your favorite computer game?"
 B: "My favorite is Diablo. It used to be Star Craft, but it is getting a little old."
 A: "If you like to play so much, when do you ever exercise?"
 B: "Although I hate to exercise, I go jogging at least twice a week."
 A: "That's pretty good. By the way, what are you doing next Saturday?"
 B: "I am going to go to the bookstore."
 A: "I am having a party Saturday night at my house. If you have time, you should come."
 B: "That sounds like fun."
 A: "Great. I'll see you on Saturday."
 B: "Ok. See you later."

 
 2    
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Hello?"
 B: "Hi Steve. This is Mike. What are you doing?"
 A: "Oh, hi. I was just watching TV."
 B: "There's nothing to watch right now."
 A: "I know. I was watching a re-run. I have nothing to do and I was bored."
 B: "Me too. Let's get together and do something."
 A: "I'd like to, but I have to meet my parents in an hour for dinner. How about tomorrow?"
 B: "Yeah. Let's plan something tomorrow."
 A: "Did you hear the weather forecast for tomorrow?"
 B: "I think it is going to be the same as today. Clear and sunny."
 A: "That's great. We can do something outdoors then."
 B: "Are there any special events going on tomorrow?"
 A: "Yeah. I think there's a live outdoor concert by the river tomorrow."
 B: "Oh yeah. I heard about that too. Let's go check it out."
 A: "Do you know what time it starts?"
 B: "It starts at one PM."
 A: "Let's meet for lunch at eleven thirty and afterwards, we can head over there."
 B: "Perfect. I'll see you in front of the apartment at eleven thirty."

 
 3  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Steve. Is that you?"
 B: "Yeah. What's going on?"
 A: "Not much. What a surprise to see you here."
 B: "Yeah. It's been a couple of months since I saw you."
 A: "What have you been up to?"
 B: "I just started working out."
 A: "Really? Where do you work out at?"
 B: "I joined the Samsung Health Club last month."
 A: "What do you mostly do during your workout?"
 B: "I concentrate mostly on my legs, chest, arms and stomach."
 A: "I should start exercising more."
 B: "It's hard work while exercising, but it is a great feeling when I get done."
 A: "I have a running machine at home. I used to use it, but I already got sick of it."
 B: "Exercising at home is hard. The environment is not suited for exercising."
 A: "If I want to exercise, I will need to join a gym."
 B: "I have a couple of guest passes. You want to check out my health club."
 A: "That's a good idea. Let's go over the weekend."
 B: "Great. I'll call you Saturday morning."
 A: "Aright. I'll talk to you later."
 B: "Ok. Bye."

 
 4  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "The weather is terrible."
 B: "Yeah. It's been raining a lot these days."
 A: "I have been watching a lot of videos at home because of the constant rain."
 B: "Have you heard when it's supposed to get better?"
 A: "I saw the weather report, and it's going to rain for the next eight days."
 B: "That sucks so much. What are we going to do?"
 A: "I'm getting pretty bored. We should do something despite the rain."
 B: "I'm with you. What do you have in mind?"
 A: "I haven't been to the Mall in a long time. Let's go."
 B: "That sounds good. They have a movie theatre there, so if we get bored, we can watch a movie."
 A: "Great. I'll stop by your place now."
 B: "Ok. Don't forget to bring your umbrella. The rain can start up again anytime."














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28. Intro and General Things Review

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Intro and General Things Review

This review section is going to incorporate every lesson we had so far.

 We are not learning anything new here, but the sentences and topics will be selected randomly from previous lessons.  If you feel you have done poorly after the first grouping of questions, please stop and go through the lessons you failed to answer.  The only way you will completely master English is through persistence, hard work, and repetition.  You are judging yourself, so be honest.  The rule of thumb is that if you cannot answer a question relatively quickly, you need more practice.
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27. Exercise Gym - Interactive Practice

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Exercise Gym - Interactive Practice

Click on Listen All and follow along. After becoming comfortable with the entire conversation, become Person A by clicking on the Person A button. You will hear only Person B through the audio file. There will be a silence for you to repeat the sentences of Person A. Do the same for Person B. The speed of the conversation is native speed. Use the pause button if the pause between each sentence is too fast for you. After practicing several times, you will be able to speak as fast as a native.

                                                       
 1  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "What do you do besides work and watching TV?"
 B: "When I have some time, I like to exercise."
 A: "Do you go jogging or do you go to a health club?"
 B: "I joined Samsung Health Club a couple of months ago."
 A: "How do you exercise?"
 B: "I usually spend 30 minutes on the bicycle for the cardio, and then I lift weights for about 45 minutes."
 A: "How often do you go?"
 B: "I want to go four times a week, but I'm too lazy. Last week, I only went to workout once."

 
 2    
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Hey Jimmy. Let's go workout later today."
 B: "Sure. What time do you want to go?"
 A: "How about at 3:30."
 B: "That sounds good. Today we work on Legs and forearm."
 A: "Hey. I just played basketball earlier, so my legs are a little sore. Let's work out on arms and stomach today."
 B: "I'm on a weekly schedule. You're messing everything up."
 A: "C'mon. We're only switching two days. You can do legs on Friday."
 B: "Aright. I'll meet you at the gym at 3:30 then."

 
 3  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Damn Scott. You got big."
 B: "Yeah, I've been working out a lot."
 A: "How long have you been lifting weights?"
 B: "For a year and a half."
 A: "Yeah. Last time I saw you, it was like 2 years ago."
 B: "Has it been that long?"
 A: "How often do you go to the gym?"
 B: "I usually go every other day for about 3 hours."
 A: "That's a lot."
 B: "Yeah, I used to work out for an hour a day 4 times a week, and I saw no results. This is what you have to do to get noticeable results."
 A: "I don't think I have the discipline for that."
 B: "Just think of it as a hobby. Then it's actually fun."
 




















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26. Exercise Gym - Other Methods

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Exercise Gym - Other Methods

Other ways to work out in a health club

 Many people lift weights in the health club, but many people also go to lose weight using machines such as the treadmill and bicycle machines.

 Here are some things you can say in a conversation if you fall into this category.

 "When I go to the health club, I usually spend 30 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the bicycle, and finally 10 minutes on the step master."

 "There is no place to run in the city, so I have to do my running on the treadmill."
 "It always rains around here so I like to exercise in the gym."
 "I usually use the treadmill, but I try to work on the nautilus machines at least twice a week."

 "My wife exercises four times a week."
 "My husband can't last 10 minutes on the step machine."









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25. Exercise Gym - Questions and Answers

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Exercise Gym - Questions and Answers

Here are some questions you can ask.

 "Where do you work out?"
 "What club do you work out at?"
 "When do you usually work out?"
 "How often do you work out?"
 "How many hours do you work out in a day?"

 To ask how they work out or what their routine is, you can ask:

 "When you bench, how many reps and sets do you do?"

 Reps are repetition.  In weight lifting terminology, this means how many times they lift in one set.

 "Do you do low reps with heavy weights, or many reps with light weight."
 "How many sets do you do when you work out your arms?"

 If you are the person being asked these questions, here are ways you can answer:

 "I work out at 24 Hour Fitness"
 "I work out at Bally's"
 "I work out at Samsung Health Club"

 "I started lifting weights about 2 years ago."
 "I have been lifting weights for about 2 years now."
 "I just started 9 months ago."

 "I usually work out 2 hours a day 4 times a week."
 "I work out everyday for an hour."
 "I go to the gym 3 times a week."
 "I go in every other day."

 "I can bench press 220 pounds."
 "I squat 400 pounds."
 "I curl 90 pounds."

 "I'm trying to gain bulk so I'm doing low reps with heavy weights."
 "I'm trying to get ripped, so I'm doing a lot of repetitions."

 Ripped means to get lines to show up in the muscles.  It's called ripped because when you rip a piece of paper, you see a line in the paper where the tear is.  So a person is ripped when you can see lines on his body due to muscles.
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24. Exercise Gym - Lifting Weights

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Exercise Gym - Lifting Weights

Popular types of exercising are conducted in the gym or health club.  When I refer to a gym, I am implying a health club.  Two common types of exercising in the gym are working out / lifting weights, or using machines such as treadmills, bicycle machines, step machines, etc.  It's common for guys to get together and talk about lifting weights.  Likewise, girls get together and discuss the best methods to lose weight.  In this lesson, we are going to lay the ground work on talking about exercising in the gym.

 Lifting weights

 Professional weight lifters are called body builders.  But since the number of body builders are not significant, we are going to concentrate more on regular weight lifting.

 I don't lift weights, but when I see a friend who is noticeably bigger due to lifting weights, these are the types of things I say.

 "Have you been lifting?"

 You do not need to say lifting weights.  When you say lifting, it's understood that you are talking about weights.

 "You got big man."
 "How long have you been lifting?"

 Other terminologies for lifting weights are:

 Pumping Iron
 Pressing Iron
 Pressing Weights
 Working Out
 Weight Training
 Hitting the Gym















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23. Exercise - Interactive Practice

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Exercise - Interactive Practice

Click on Listen All and follow along. After becoming comfortable with the entire conversation, become Person A by clicking on the Person A button. You will hear only Person B through the audio file. There will be a silence for you to repeat the sentences of Person A. Do the same for Person B. The speed of the conversation is native speed. Use the pause button if the pause between each sentence is too fast for you. After practicing several times, you will be able to speak as fast as a native.

                                     
 1  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Hey Michael. Where are you going?"
 B: "No where special. I was just taking a walk."
 A: "What for?"
 B: "To get a little exercise. I'm so out of shape."
 A: "Hey, I play basketball with a bunch of friends twice a week. It's great exercise and it's fun too. Why don't you come out and play with us?"
 B: "That sounds great. Give me a call next time you guys play."

 
 2    
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "All I do all day is work and watch TV. I really should start thinking about my health."
 B: "I never thought about that, but you're right. What do you think we should do?"
 A: "For starters, we should start doing more outdoor activities. That way we'll get some exercise."
 B: "I was thinking about taking tennis lessons. I always have an hour to spare in the afternoon. What do you think about that?"
 A: "That's not a bad idea. How much is it?"
 B: "I heard it is only about one hundred twenty dollars a month for 8 lessons."
 A: "Playing tennis twice a week will be a good start. Count me in."
 







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22. Exercise - US Culture

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Exercise - US Culture



Having lived in the United States and Korea, I realized one big thing immediately.

 In Korea, I have to do a lot of walking.  When I went to school or to work, I had to leave my house, walk to the bus stop or the subway which takes about 10-15 minutes, get off at my destination, and walk the rest of the way, which is another 15 minutes.  Total time walking is about 25 minutes.  This translates to 50 minutes a day round trip, and about 3-4 kilometers everyday.  I didn't even know it, but I was exercising.

 In America, everyone has a car.  While going to work here, I literally walk about 7 minutes a day.  That's a total distance of 300 meters.  The reason is because I only have to walk to my car.  I drive to work, and then I walk from the parking lot to my office.  So, I realized I was gaining weight without having changed anything except the walking I wasn't doing.

 I suppose that is why in America there is a big hype about exercising and losing weight.  If you don't want to, you don't have to walk anywhere or exercise at all.  In Korea, walking is part of the daily routine.  So although you don't need to know this lesson as much as other lessons, it will still help when talking to foreigners about this subject.  Let's continue with the lesson by doing the practice.

 In the next exercise lesson, we will learn about speaking English in relation to working out in the gym















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21. Exercise - Walking Jogging and More

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Exercise - Walking Jogging and More

Walking:
 "Every morning right when I get up, I like to take a thirty minute walk."
 "I like to take walks with my dog."
 "Golf is a healthy sport because of all the walking it requires."
 "I heard from some doctors that walking is the healthiest form of exercise."
 "There's a trail by my house that is a perfect 20 minute walk."
 "We usually go to a nearby lake and walk around it."

 Jogging:
 "Every night, I go to an elementary school across from my house and jog a few laps around the playground."
 "I go jogging in the morning when the air is still fresh."
 "Some people find jogging stressful, but I find it as a way to relieve some of my stress."
 "It feels so good after jogging for half an hour."
 "I usually jog on a treadmill because it's convenient."

 Sports:  We will have another more comprehensive lesson on sports in a different lesson.
 "I usually play a lot of basketball"
 "I get enough exercise from soccer."
 "I like to play sports because it is a good form of exercise and allows me to have fun all at the same time."
 "Although bowling is a sport, I don't consider it a form of exercise."
 "I play volleyball a couple hours a day."
 "I practice baseball with my school team everyday."
 "I'm in my high school's track and field team.  I'm a long distance runner."
 "I don't play soccer because it requires too much running."
 "Running constantly is a hard thing to do."

 Others:
 "Aerobics is an excellent form of exercise."
 "I use a video at home to do my aerobic sessions."
 "I like to do aerobics because it targets specific areas."
 "I get my exercise from rowing.  I'm on the junior varsity crew team."
 "I ride my bicycle to work every day."
 "I take the stairs because it gives me a little bit of a work out."
 "I go to the local park and ride my rollerblades."




























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20. Exercise - Questions

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Exercise - Questions

There are various types of exercise.  Some people might think walking is exercise, and some other people will think weight lifting is exercise.  In the next couple of lessons, we will take a closer look at various types of exercise.

 Exercising can be done in many different ways.  Here is a small list to get us started:

 Walking
 Jogging
 Running
 Sports
 Aerobics
 Rowing (boat)
 Commuting to work
 Etc.

 Here are some questions.

 "Do you exercise at all?"
 "Do you work out?"
 "What type of exercising do you do?"
 "Where is a good place to exercise?"
 "Why don't you exercise?"
 "Where do you usually jog?"
 "How long do you take a walk for?"
 "How often do you jog?"
 "Where do you do aerobics?"
 "How long do you usually run for everyday?"











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19. Hobby - Interactive Practice

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Hobby - Interactive Practice

Click on Listen All and follow along. After becoming comfortable with the entire conversation, become Person A by clicking on the Person A button. You will hear only Person B through the audio file. There will be a silence for you to repeat the sentences of Person A. Do the same for Person B. The speed of the conversation is native speed. Use the pause button if the pause between each sentence is too fast for you. After practicing several times, you will be able to speak as fast as a native.

                                     
 1  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Hey Bob. Whatcha you doing?"
 B: "I'm at home painting."
 A: "I didn't know you paint. What type of painting is it?"
 B: "I enjoy oil painting. I learned it in one of my extra classes in college."
 A: "That sounds so interesting. I wish I learned a hobby."
 B: "Hobbies are never too late to learn. They offer a variety of classes at the local community college. You should look into it."
 A: "I think I will. Thanks for the info."

 
 2    
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Hey Joanne. What are you up to?"
 B: "I'm just watching some television."
 A: "I'm so bored. I don't know what I'm going to do today and it is only ten in the morning."
 B: "Me too. Do you think we are boring people?"
 A: "I don't think we are boring. It's just that we don't have any hobbies."
 B: "That's right. What do you think we should do as a hobby?"
 A: "That all depends on what you like to do. For example, I like to doodle on the notepad, so I'm thinking about doing some real drawings."
 B: "I like to play the piano for fun."
 A: "Yeah. That can be a good hobby."
 B: "Hobbies are great. I'm going to make a list of all the things I like to do."
 A: "That's a great idea. I'm going to do the same."











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18. Hobby - Various Q&A

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Hobby - Various Q&A

"If you had all the money in the world, what would you do?"
 "I would probably find some hobbies and join an organization that works for a good cause."

 "You just stay home most of the week.  Don't you ever get bored?"
 "A lot of my hobbies are things I do by myself such as oil painting, sculpting, and drawing.  So actually, I have a lot to do with not enough time."

 "I'm so bored.  I have nothing to do."
 "Maybe you should start thinking about some hobbies."

 "Is studying considered a hobby?"
 "Studying is usually associated with school and work, so it's not usually considered a hobby.  But if it's not for these purposes, then I guess it can be a hobby.  That's just my opinion though."

 "What do you do in your spare time?"
 "I do a lot of writing, so I write every chance I get."

 Like many topics in English, a conversation will go towards the content of the conversation.  So let's review with longer dialogs in practice.











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17. Hobby - Questions and Answers

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Hobby - Questions and Answers

Hobbies are a hot topic anytime.  Similar to favorite things, hobbies are favorite things that you do.  This is a small section so let's get started.

 Questions you can ask:

 "What are your hobbies?"
 "What do you do in your spare time?"
 "What do you like to do?"
 "What do you like to do for fun?"
 "If you had extra time, what would you do with it?"

 There is not much else you can say.  Remember that we can create many different sentences, but we want to use what is most common in spoken English.  So we need to stay with the most common words.

 Answering questions:

 "My hobbies consist of golfing, reading novels, and watching movies."
 "I like to play computer games in my free time."
 "If I'm not working, then I'm busy chatting with people on the Internet."
 "During my spare time, I like to cook."
 "I like to read magazines."
 "In the summer I play golf, and in the winter, I go skiing."
 "I love every type of sports."

 Making statements:

 "I need to find a hobby.  I have nothing to do all day."
 "Maybe you wouldn't be so lonely if you had a hobby."
 "Hobbies are great because it allows you to do what you enjoy."
 "Although I have many hobbies, I wish I had more time to do more."
 "I love to go snowboarding.  It's exhilarating."
 "I would go skiing more often, but it takes such a long time to go up to the mountains."
 "I wish golfing wasn't so expensive.  I would golf almost everyday if I could afford it."





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16. Favorite - Interactive Practice

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Favorite - Interactive Practice

Click on Listen All and follow along. After becoming comfortable with the entire conversation, become Person A by clicking on the Person A button. You will hear only Person B through the audio file. There will be a silence for you to repeat the sentences of Person A. Do the same for Person B. The speed of the conversation is native speed. Use the pause button if the pause between each sentence is too fast for you. After practicing several times, you will be able to speak as fast as a native.

                                                       
 1  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "What are you doing tomorrow?"
 B: "I'm going to stay home and watch the video."
 A: "What are you going to watch?"
 B: "I rented Last of the Mohican. Have you seen it?"
 A: "That was one of my favorite movies. You will not be disappointed."

 
 2    
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "What's your favorite food?"
 B: "I like Chinese food the most."
 A: "Have you been to the Chinese restaurant on 44th street."
 B: "No I haven't. Is it any good?"
 A: "It's my favorite Chinese restaurant. I believe you will like it."
 B: "That sounds great. Let's go."

 
 3  
 Listen All  |    Person A  |    Person B  
 A: "Hey Jack. How were your classes this semester?"
 B: "They were not too bad. I really dig/liked my poli-science class."
 A: "Would you consider it your favorite class?"
 B: "I don't know if I would call it my favorite, but it ranks up there."
 A: "What class was your favorite then?"
 B: "I took a business communication class last year and it was terrific."
 A: "I never took that yet. If that was your favorite, I think I will check it out."












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15. Favorite - Answering Questions

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Favorite - Answering Questions

To answer these types of questions, it is very easy.  All you have to do is change 'your' to 'my', repeat the last portion of the question and add your answer.  We'll practice a couple of times.

 "What is your favorite show?"
 "My favorite show is Smurfs."

 "What is your favorite movie?"
 "My favorite movie is Matrix."

 "What is your favorite dessert?"
 "My favorite dessert is cheesecake."

 "Who is your favorite singer?"
 "My favorite singer is Josh Groban."

 "Who is your favorite athlete?"
 "My favorite athlete is Tiger Woods."

 "Who was your favorite elementary teacher?"
 "My favorite elementary teacher was Mrs. Smouse."

 Different ways to ask about favorite things

 You don't necessarily have to use the word favorite.  Favorite basically means what you like the most.  So, you can ask favorite questions without the word favorite.

 "What do you like to eat the most?"
 "My favorite food is ice cream."

 "What is a childhood memory that stands out?"
 "My favorite childhood memory is a time I went fishing with my dad."

 "Which professor do you like the most?"
 "My favorite professor is Professor Kim."

 Likewise, you can answer questions without using the word favorite.

 "What is your favorite baseball team?"
 "I like Seattle Mariners the most."

 "What is your favorite type of food?"
 "I love Italian food... especially pasta.  They are so good."

 "Who is your favorite music group?"
 "I really enjoy listening to Depeche Mode."












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14. Favorite - What's your Favorite

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Favorite - What's your Favorite

The word favorite is used a lot in spoken English.  It is very common to talk about your favorite things with your friends or acquaintances.  Topics can range from favorite movies, favorite TV shows, favorite food, favorite cars, etc.  Since there are so many favorite things in the world, you should pay close attention to this lesson.

 Asking questions is the most common way to use the word favorite:

 "Who is your favorite singer?"
 "Who is your favorite person?"
 "Who is your favorite athlete?"
 "Who was your favorite ex-girlfriend?"
 "Who was your favorite elementary teacher?"

 Are you following me?  It's very easy.  Just change the word at the end and you can make dozens of sentences.

 "What is your favorite show?"
 "What is your favorite movie?"
 "What is your favorite dessert?"
 "What is your favorite program?"
 "What is your favorite class?"
 "What is your favorite game?"
 "What was the title of your favorite song?"
 "What was the name of your favorite sit-com?"

 We used 'who' and 'what' in our sentences.  It's possible to use 'where', 'how', and 'when', but the most common is 'what' and 'who'.

 I'll provide a couple of sentences for the other words.

 "Where is your favorite vacation spot?"
 "When is your favorite time of day?"
 "How is your favorite noodles cooked?"

 It's not common, because even though it is grammatically incorrect, you can ask the same question with 'what'

 "What is your favorite vacation spot?"
 "What is your favorite time of day?"

 Nobody is really going to notice and it's not a big deal.  After this lesson is over, I suggest practicing with 'what' and 'who', but don't bother with the others.  It's not as important.


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13. Movie Discussion - Example Dialog

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Movie Discussion - Example Dialog

As of this writing, the latest movie I saw was The Last Samurai.  After the movie, I had a meal with a couple of people.  We had a good discussion due to this movie.  It is difficult to specifically teach what you will need to know about movie conversations because every movie will require different words and sentences.  The only thing I can do here is to give ideas and couple of examples about movie conversations.  So this is not really going to be a practice section, but a chance to hear a real conversation from a movie.  You can click on each individual sentence, or you can click on the link provided below to hear a real life conversation.

 Listen to the conversation

 A:  "Did you like the movie?"
 B:  "It was better than I thought."
 C:  "I liked it."
 A:  "The movie didn't have many cheesy or stupid scenes."
 B:  "Yeah.  I'm glad that they didn't have any love scenes.  Sometimes a love scene destroys a good movie."
 C:  "I thought the scene where the girl was washing her hair and Tom Cruise came to say good bye was stupid.  Why did they have that there?  It didn't make sense."
 B:  "I agree.  They didn't need that scene."
 A:  "I don't see the harm in that scene.  They didn't do anything or show anything.  What's the big deal?"
 C:  "When you are talking about good movies versus great movies, each and every scene counts."
 A:  "That's true."
 B:  "But besides those one or two scenes, the movie was great."
 A:  "I liked everything about it.  I really liked the samurai that was beating up Cruise in the beginning of the movie.  The guy second in command.  He was cool too."
 B:  "Every movie has a guy like him.  They try to make him awesome even though they don't say much."
 C:  "I don't understand why Tom Cruise went back to that village.  If he was the only survivor, wouldn't that make everyone suspicious about where his loyalty lies?"
 A:  "It was clear in the movie that he loved the place and the samurais.  Clearly everyone knows that he isn't a traitor.  I would have done the same thing in his position."
 B:  "I think so too."
 C:  "But isn't it suspicious that he is the only survivor."
 A:  "Well, all the samurais were looking for a death in battle.  Cruise wasn't."
 C:  "But only the boss received the satisfaction of being killed with the sword.  Nobody else did."
 A:  "True."
 B:  "What are we going to order?"
 C:  "I am going to have a chicken burger because of the Mad Cow disease."
 A:  "Me too."
 B:  "I'm just having a soup and salad."


















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12. Movie Discussion - Describing a Movie

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Movie Discussion - Describing a Movie

Didn't understand:

 "Do you remember the scene when Mary walked into the dining room?  Why was she carrying a knife?  She didn't use it and the cameras focused on it."
 "I can't understand why she betrayed him.  The whole movie concentrated on her trust and loyalty.  It just doesn't make sense."

 Good Scene:

 "I love the scene when Russell Crowe showed his face to the emperor after the first gladiator fight."
 "What did you think about the last fight scene between Neo and Agent Smith in the rain?"
 "The courtroom scene between Jodie Foster and Richard Gere was absolutely amazing."

 Great Movie:

 "That was such a cool movie.  It was the best movie I've seen in a long time."
 "Anytime I see a great movie I tend to look at my watch often.  That's because I don't want the movie to end."
 "The movie was great.  I liked everything about it.  I'm definitely going to buy the dvd."

 Situational questions:

 "What would you have done?  Would you have taken the million dollars and give up your wife for a night?"
 "Would you choose money and fame, or family and stability?"

 Some movies are known to be 'based on a true story.'  These types of movies are very interesting because they actually happened.  The only reason they are not considered to be a non-fiction movie is because the director or writer will add some scenes that didn't happen, or change some facts around so the movie is more appealing to the masses.

 A conversation can start from movies such as Schindler's List.  When coming out of a theatre, I heard a couple talk briefly about this.

 "What did you think about the movie?"
 "I thought it was great.  It was very powerful."
 "How much of it do you think was true?"
 "I learned about Germany and World War II in one of my classes, and this movie showed everything I learned from class."
 "Wow.  It's amazing that these things have happened in our history."






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