Don Quixote was riding his old, thin horse named Rocinante. He believed he was a brave knight searching for adventure...

My B1-level extract from Cervantes' Don Quixote.

The B1 words we'll study are:

1. Set off

• Definition: To start a journey, usually to go to work or a business meeting.
• Examples:
  • I set off for the office at 7 a.m. every day to miss the morning traffic.

2. Ahead

• Definition: In the future, or earlier than planned.
• Examples:
  • We have a very busy week ahead of us at the factory.

3. Shake one's head

• Definition: To move your head from side to side to mean 'no'.
• Examples:
  • I asked my boss for a pay rise, but she just shook her head.

4. Absolutely certain

• Definition: Completely sure about something.
• Examples:
  • Are you absolutely certain that you saved the report on the computer?

5. At the top of one's voice

• Definition: As loudly as possible.
• Examples:
  • The factory is so noisy that the workers have to shout at the top of their voices to speak to each other.

6. Refuse to admit

• Definition: To say firmly that you will not accept that you are wrong about something at work.
• Examples:
  • The shop assistant made a mistake with the money, but he refused to admit it.

7. Wish

• Definition: To want a situation to be different from how it is right now.
• Examples:
  • I wish I had a better job with a higher salary.

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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

We are going to practise the use of the auxiliary verb 'do' for emphasis.

In this first section, we are going to practise using DO, DOES, or DID WHEN WE WANT TO EMPHASISE AN ACTION. We use this to make a statement stronger or to show strong feelings about something.

For more explanation on DO, DOES and DID for emphasis, see my podcast:

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-231.htm

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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

Today, we are going to practise the use of NEITHER / NOR.

Example:
I don't speak French. I don't speak German.
Answer: I speak neither French nor German.

I also have another full podcast on neither and nor:

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-108.htm

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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

B2-level extract from James Joyce's Araby (a short story from the book "The Dubliners". You can see the full transcript here:

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-334.htm

Music by;
1) Irish traditional background music - Misty County Fiddle
Michael-Vault (Pixabay)
2) The Piper's Twilight
MissyWhimsyArt (Pixabay)

The B2 language we'll study is:
1. At ease

Definition: Feeling relaxed and comfortable, without worry or stress.

Example 1: I never feel completely at ease when driving on a busy motorway in heavy rain.

2. Pull up (car)

Definition: To slow down and stop a vehicle.

Example 1: The taxi had to pull up at the traffic lights just as they turned red.

3. Virtually (nearly all)

Definition: Almost entirely or nearly all of a group or thing.

Example 1: Virtually all the flights from London were delayed because of the thick fog.

4. Make out (a sound)

Definition: To manage to hear or understand a noise that is faint or unclear.

Example 1: The engine was so loud that I could not make out the driving instructor's directions.

5. Tone of voice

Definition: The way someone speaks that expresses their mood or feelings.

Example 1: The ticket inspector had a very polite tone of voice when checking our rail passes.

6. Drives one mad

Definition: To make someone feel extremely annoyed or frustrated.

Example 1: Sitting in long traffic jams every morning on the way to work drives me mad.

7. Make a fool of

Definition: To do something that makes someone look silly or stupid in public.

Example 1: I made a fool of myself by getting on the wrong bus and travelling the wrong way.

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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

Today, in this B1 practice, we are going to practise repeated comparatives, including two comparatives in a sentence, and use 'so much' as an intensifier.

For more help on modifiers with comparatives, see my webpage:

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

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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

Today, we are going to practise some key words that will help you to raise your level from B1 to B2. We are going to practise the use of 'enough', 'rather a', and 'by far'.

For more B2-level grammar exercises, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar-exercises/index.htm

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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

This is my last chapter of the B1-level Treasure Island story.

You can read the transcript here: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-333.htm

These are the B1 phrases we will study:

1. All day long

Definition: For the whole day, from morning until night.

Example 1: My grandparents stayed in the garden all day long to watch the children play.

2. Do your best

Definition: To try as hard as you can to do something well.

Example 1: My mum always tells me to do my best at school, even if the homework is hard.

3. Give somebody a hand

Definition: To help a family member or friend with a job.

Example 1: Can you give your sister a hand with cleaning her bedroom?

4. To approve

Definition: To agree with a choice or think that a family member's plan is a good idea.

Example 1: My parents approved of my brother's new girlfriend because she is very polite.

5. Surrounded

Definition: To have people, like your relatives, all around you on every side.

Example 1: At his 80th birthday party, grandad smiled because he was surrounded by all his grandchildren.

6. Hear from

Definition: To get a message, phone call, or news from someone you care about.

Example 1: We were very excited to hear from my cousin while she was travelling in Australia.

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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

Practise of Present Perfect Continuous, still, yet, already and for and since.

You will hear two short sentences describing an action that started in the past and is still happening now. Last week, we practised the use of "for" and "since" with present perfect simple. However, when we use action verbs like "to move", "to work", "to study", we often prefer present perfect continuos....

Here are some help pages from my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/english-grammar/present-perfect-continuous.htm

Present perfect: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-162.htm

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

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