Episódios

  • 248. The Unexpected Visit (animal vocabulary) B2 Story
    Jul 8 2025

    This is a B2-level recording and story with vocabulary about animal sounds and movement:

    Animal words:

    warren - where rabbits live together in the ground

    roar - sound like a lion makes

    thunder - sound like large animals running past

    scream - high pitched sound that sounds angry or scared

    hop - to jump (in humans - on one leg)

    poke your head out - look out briefly from somewhere

    twitching - quick movements like a rabbits nose or ears

    crouch - when somebody or an animal moves their body down, or down flat to the ground

    beast - an animal

    whine - high pitched sound like a car engine when going fast, a dog 'crying'.

    slip back in - move quickly into a place

    hum - sound similar to that the bees make

    B2 words:

    beyond - further away than

    generation - referring to people or animals, the sons, then sons of sons etc.

    mutter - talk quietly

    unfamiliar - something you have not seen before

    tremble - shake, often with fear

    whistle - sound made with lips, often with a tune

    uneasy - a little frightened

    giggle - a laugh like a little girl's

    glance - look quickly

    to fade - sound getting quieter

    To read the Transcript of the story, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-248.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

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    19 minutos
  • 247. Future Continuous for B1 (and B2) with story
    Jul 1 2025

    Hello, dear students!

    Future continuous for fixed events, which are expected to happen. (This is B1 grammar with interest for B2 students too!)

    will + be + verb+ing

    I'll be giving a talk at that time, but I could see you afterwards for a coffee.
    This time next week I'll be flying into paradise
    I'll be seeing you soon, then. Yes. Holidays finish next week.

    Not about making decisions but sth decided anyway
    Shall I take you into town?
    Don't bother
    No bother. I'll be going to the shops anyway.

    Polite - not to influence people's decision about plans
    Will you be staying the weekend?
    Yes, if that's OK with you.
    Of course, we'd be delighted to have you stay with us.
    Compare;
    Are you going to stay the weekend?
    (Come on! Tell me! I want to know now!)

    Note often with non-ing verbs like want.
    Will you be wanting breakfast tomorrow?
    Yes, please!

    Say what people are doing now.
    Don't call now. They'll be having lunch at this time.

    Well, the managers will be deciding who leaves and who doesn't.
    I'm just hoping I won't lose my job.

    For transcript of story, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-247.htm

    For more help on Future Continuous, also listen to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-25.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    20 minutos
  • 246. There is / are and extended family
    Jun 22 2025

    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 level. However, at B1 and even B2 level, I must admit there are few students who talk about this family. Why? Because it’s not a structure that has a literal word for word translation in many other languages.

    Anyway, let’s meet some of the family first of all. I can’t name all of them because it’s a very extended family tree. But here are some you might often meet while reading or listening to native English speakers.

    There is, there are, there was, there were, there has been, there had been, there will be, there won’t be, there can be, there can’t be, there may be, there could be, there might be, there must be, there would be, there should be…

    Read the transcript: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-246.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

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    14 minutos
  • 245. B1 Linking Words with a story
    Jun 15 2025

    B1 Linking Words

    Linking words join two sentences together. Here are the ones I mention during the podcast:

    A Rainy Adventure

    Tom wanted to go hiking. The sky looked grey but he didn’t mind – no problem

    With linker: Tom wanted to go hiking, although the sky looked grey.

    He packed his bag. He wanted to be ready the moment his friend Anna called.

    With linker: He packed his bag in order to be ready as soon as his friend Anna called.

    Anna wasn’t sure if they should go or not. The weather looked bad.

    With linker: Anna wasn’t sure whether they should go or not because of the weather.

    It was raining. So what? They decided to try. They wore boots and jackets. They didn’t wear their normal clothes.

    With linker: Despite the rain, they decided to try. They wore boots and jackets instead of their usual clothes.

    The rain was heavy. The trail was wet and muddy. If they walked slowly it would be safe. If they walked fast they might risk falling.. They chose to go slow.

    With linker: Due to the heavy rain, the trail was wet and muddy. They could either walk slowly and be safe, or go fast and risk falling. They chose to go slow.

    They reached the top. The rain stopped. The view was beautiful! They took photos and ate lunch.

    With linker: Once they reached the top, the rain stopped. The view was beautiful! They took photos and ate lunch.

    They were tired. They sat down and rested. They hoped the weather didn’t get worse. They wanted to stay longer.

    With linker: Since they were tired, they sat down to rest. Unless the weather got worse, they planned to stay longer.

    In the end, they were happy they went, the rain at the start wasn’t a problem. It was a fun day full of adventure.

    With linker: In the end, they were happy they went, despite the rain at the start. It was a fun day full of adventure.

    See the full transcript of the second story at my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-245.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

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    17 minutos
  • 244. The Breath of the Mosquito (complete version) B1 Story
    Jun 9 2025

    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 studying for B1 English level: The Breath of the Mosquito as a complete version.

    This extract will help you understand what the story is about...

    'If… if something went back in time and existed in the past, something or somebody who was not there before, he/she/it would change time in the present. Things would not be the same when he or she returned. It would take just a moment, the tiniest movement in the past would have the effect like a stone thrown into a pond. The circles of effect would move out, growing and growing
    for ever and changing the world as they go.'

    'But, Emil,' interrupted his friend. 'I was only there for a minute or so.'

    'Mathew, a minute is a long, long time. Listen to me, even the breath of a mosquito 33 million years ago would change the world and events in history as we know them today. Just one breath of a mosquito. Imagine how incredibly small that would be.'

    Has time changed in the present? If so, in what ways?

    Enjoy the story!


    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

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    37 minutos
  • 243. B1 adjectives (short story)
    Jun 1 2025

    Here are the B1 words we're studying today:

    acceptable

    accurate

    amusing

    annoyed

    convenient

    embarrassed

    forbidden

    grateful

    hopeless

    miserable

    To see the transcript of the story:

    https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-243.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    21 minutos
  • 242. FCE Story 2 (B2)
    May 25 2025

    In today's B2 FCE story, you'll be listening to this B2 vocabulary:

    heading for Paris
    his hands were trembling
    both thrilled and terrified him
    doubting every shot
    gazing out of the window
    an old woman wiped her eyes.
    the crowd clapped enthusiastically
    as he nervously walked up
    his anxiety forgotten

    To read an annotated version of the full story audioscript go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-242.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    20 minutos
  • 241. FCE Story (B2 )
    May 18 2025

    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 yourself at B2 level in written prose.

    You can see the transcript at https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-241.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    24 minutos