Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Coffee shop chat

11th June 2020

As always, I use these exercise to introduce idioms and expressions, as well as demonstrating how adverbs and adjectives can be used in everyday conversation.

Speaking practice:

Old Compass Cafe Saigon - Vietnamese cuisine, wine, cafe, events

Pat Well, I’m exhausted. I need a damn fine cup of coffee and a big piece of pie.

Sam There’s a Highlands over the road, or we can go to Coffee Bean or Milano.

Pat I’d prefer Tran Nguyen but it costs an arm and a leg. Highlands is also incredibly expensive.

Sam But great quality and superb cakes. Come on, I’m starving, I need coffee now !

Pat OK, hold your horses hahaha. After we can meet up with Thay Paul.

Sam Sounds good. Now … shall we have chocolate cake or fruit cake … ?

costs an arm and a leg = very expensive

hold your horses = please be patient and wait

Inside Highlands

Sam Hi, I’ll have a large cappuccino, please. What do you fancy ?

Pat Tough decision. I’m going for the cheesecake and a slice of blueberry pie.

Sam Oh, me too. Big slice, no, only joking, I have to watch my weight.

Pat I think you look great. Lets also get some chocolate cake and we can share.

Sam Brilliant. Oh, did I show you my recent photos ? Here, on my phone.

Pat Let me see … oh, so funny. Who’s that ? The man next to Niall ?

Sam That’s Jimmy, he’s in Niall’s band. He plays drums and drinks like a fish !

Pat And that’s you, a selfie. You look adorable. Butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth !

VietnamCupid on Twitter: "Selfie tip of the week: Know your angles… " — A very sweet young lady – butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth

drinks like a fish = drinks a lot of alcohol

Butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth ! = looks very sweet and nice … but can be very naughty

Drinking Too Much of This Kind of Beer Might Be Giving You Man ... — Don’t invite him to your party – he drinks like a fish !

Speaking practice: Adverbs of probability

definitely / probably / possibly / unlikely / definitely not !

Toni What are you doing tonight ?

Anna Not sure. I’ll probably go home and watch TV

Toni Sounds boring. Do you want to see a film ?

Anna Let me think … possibly. Where will we go ?

Toni Lotte Cinema. We will definitely get tickets on a Thursday night.

Anna Great idea. I’ll ask John but it’s unlikely he’ll be free

Toni Cool ! Then we’ll (we will) meet at 6.30. Don’t be late.

Anna Me ? Definitely not ! I’ll call you if I’m late.

How to start exciting conversations with women in girl random chat

Gil & Zoe are on a coffee break

This has many new words and expressions for you to learn and practice.

Gil Who’s that in the photo ? The tall bald guy ?

Zoe That’s Peter. He works in IT. I get him to fix my laptop when it crashes.

Gil Have you seen our IT guy ? He’s so arrogant, and very bossy.

Zoe Really ? In what way is he bossy ? Give me an example.

Gil Well, he shouts at everyone and tells them how to use their computers.

Zoe A real computer geek. I bet he has no friends. Do you like Peter ?

Gil He seems nice, honest and reliable. Will he be at the party later ?

Zoe If he’s free. His office is just over the road. Maybe he’ll play piano for you.

Gil Cool, I adore music. Karaoke, however, is not my cup of tea. Will there be karaoke?

Zoe Oh, I hope not. Anyway, how was your day ? Another fun happen ?

Gil In my job ? No way, same thing day in, day out. Total boredom, in a nutshell.

Zoe Oh, poor you. I hope you will find a better job … and very soon.

Geek GIFs | Tenor — Peter, the tall bald computer guy

Left wing politics should be kept out of schools, say right wing ... — Arrogant and bossy IT computer geek

Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Short scenarios

10th June 2020

Some more dialogue scenes to practise using grammar, phrasal verbs, idioms and expressions

To practise question words and the past tense.

what / where /why / when / who / which / how

Dialogue: Catching up

How To Talk To Friends And Loved Ones About Health And Weight ...

Jane & Tina are catching up

Jane What did you do last night ? Who did you meet ?

Tina I went out with friends. We saw a movie. How about you ?

Jane I just stayed at home and did chores. Which cinema did you go to ?

Tina At Diamond Plaza. We bought popcorn which we ate before the film began.

Jane You must have been very hungry ! Was the film good ?

Tina Yeah, really exciting. The tickets were incredibly cheap too.

Jane How much were they ?

Tina Only 333 000 VND (three hundred and thirty-three thousand Dong).

Jane is intrigued and curious about the price

Jane Why so cheap ?

Tina Because my husband won a competition.

Jane Which competition ? Where was it ?

Tina An online one. Do you want to drink coffee tonight ?

Jane Of course ! When ? What time do you knock off work ?

Tina About 10 … we have been very busy, lots of work.

Jane Me too. I worked until midnight last week. I was exhausted.

Tina I saw you. You looked terrible !

Jane Thank you !

Knock off = phrasal verb to finish work

Linking words: and / as well as / also / along with

Meeting the new boss

5 ways to win the confidence of the new boss - The Economic Times

Sid What are your plans for this afternoon ?

Viv Well, I need to buy some coffee as well as some milk. How about you ?

Sid Oh, I’ve got to have a meeting with the new director. He seems very strict.

Viv Yeah, I get the impression that he is very serious. However, he is friendly.

Sid Right, he could be an improvement. Having said that, he could be worse.

Viv He seems professional, very neat and tidy. Always a plain white shirt.

Sid Remember the old boss ? Such gaudy ties ! For me, that was unprofessional.

Viv Anyway, is there a convenience store nearby ?

Sid Naturally. Take the second left, then cross over. Can’t miss it.

Viv Brilliant ! You’re an angel.

Dialogue: Talking about Germany

Present perfect, past continuous and questions. Listen for adverbs

Ask Asian Girls: Do Asian Women like Black men? - YouTube

Mary Have you been to Germany ?

Amy No, not yet. Have you ?

Mary Yes, twice. I have (I’ve) visited Berlin and Munich.

Amy Which did you like best ?

Mary Well, Munich is very clean, elegant and stylish, but quite expensive.

Amy And Berlin, the capital ?

Mary I was working there for six months. It was really cool.

How to Solo Travel Berlin like a Boss! - Girl With The Passport

They continue after eating a big piece of pie.

Amy Sounds like you had lots of fun !

Mary Oh, yes ! The food was cheap and the people were incredibly friendly.

Amy How about the weather ? I have heard it can be cold.

Mary It was terrible ! Every day it rained cats and dogs.

Amy You must have been so glad to get back to Vietnam. (glad = happy)

Mary Yes, but I miss the German trains and buses; they were so reliable.

HD wallpaper: people, woman, girl, train, berlin, blonde, commute ...

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Holiday project – Munich, Germany

9th June 2020

Sheet 4 of the holiday project

DISCOVER DEUSTCHLAND !

COME TO GERMANY TODAY !!!

Get a taste of Germany

Pretzels, sausage, sauerkraut and BEER !!!!!!

Book now for 2017 October Beer Festival in Germany’s historic and beautiful city of Munich

Sensational atmosphere – make friends for life

Direct return flight from TP HCM. Hotel transfer.

Half-day city tour: Museum, parks and souvenirs

3-day festival pass – drink ALL you want !

Interpreter services available

Mr Paul tours – visit our website mrpaultours@ukonline.co.vn

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Holiday project – Ha Noi, Viet Nam

9th June 2020

Sheet 3 for holiday project

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM !

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO VISIT OUR CAPITAL CITY

The pride of Vietnam

Exclusive four-day tour including day trips to Halong Bay and Sapa

in Ha Noi – the best museums

in Ha Noi – the best food

in Ha Noi – the friendliest people in all Vietnam

See the UNESCO heritage site Halong Bay, or visit Sapato see traditional

Vietnamese culture and customs

Tours tailored to your needs:

Arrive by plane, train or overnight bus (free wifi).

Hotel choice – in Old Quarter 1*, 2*, or 3*

Free breakfast

Organised visits to –

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

War Museum

Famous fish restaurant

Evening of traditional Vietnamese music on traditional instruments

Free city map

Mr Paul tours – visit our website mrpaultours@ukonline.co.vn

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Holiday project – Egypt

9th June 2020

Sheet 2 for the holiday Project

EXOTIC EGYPT

Ancient Empire

Home of Pharaohs and queens

View the breathtaking pyramids

Solve the mystery of the Sphinx

A holiday you will NEVER forget

Stay in Cairo. Visit Egypt Museum. Day trip to Pyramids

Camel-rides. Experience local cuisine.

Half-day boat ride on the enchanting Nile river

Return flight, hotel, half-board, transfers, private bus

Best prices !!!

A Holiday You Will Never Forget

Mr Paul Tours – visit our website mrpaultours@ukonline.co.vn

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Holiday project – Bangkok

9th June 2020

For these exercises, refer to the previous blog (‘Holiday of a Lifetime’). Put class into small groups and assign a city to each one. The groups have to make a presentation, using advertising-style language: hyperbolic adjectives, expressions, phrases. Furthermore, they must really ‘sell’ the holiday, so they can practice their intonation and stress skills.

The blurb contains the selling points, while the practicalities has information. The style should change for these two parts – the teacher can demonstrate.

The first city is:

BANGKOK

Jewel of Asia

Fly to Thailand’s Royal Capital

The blurb:

3-day city break.

Tour to Royal Palace (see the Emerald Buddha)

Famous temples, mouth-watering food

Malls with the latest in fashion and technology

traditional music and dance

Nightlife second to none

This city will stay with you forever

The practicalities

All-inclusive package – flights, transfers, half-board,

3*** hotel in downtown area, close to skyrail

Mr Paul tours – visit our website mrpaultours@ukonline.co.vn

Students are encourages to add their own information and to make use of classroom facilities such as internet, Google images etc to enhance their presentation.

To make it more competitive, the students have to vote on which holiday sounds most impressive.

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Holiday of a lifetime !

9th June 2020

Activity: Holiday advertisement language

Present a holiday using a mixture of advertising slogans and practical information. Remember:

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it

Make your voice sound excited, as if this were the best holiday ever !

Students can choose a destination of their choice. In the following blogs, I’ll include some examples from different cities.

Holiday terms:

transfers / half-board / inclusive / amenities / package tour / itinerary

Language:

breathtaking / stunning/ sensational / incredible / remarkable/ exclusive /

once in a lifetime experience/ never to be forgotten / unbeatable prices

book now to avoid disappointment/ best decision you’ll ever make

holidays to suit all budgets, from 7* luxury to backpacking

Structure:

To begin with / furthermore … additionally / the fact is … / therefore

Demonstration with an advert for London:

Best Summer Holiday Ideas for London - Picniq Blog

Now is the perfect time to visit London, England’s glorious capital. The weather is perfect for walking, so you can enjoy the lush parks, world-famous museums and incredible, unbelievable shops. There is something for everyone … and more ! Like sports ? Go to one of the many Premier League football games. Love shopping ? Everything is here – shop till you drop ! Adore culture – soak up hundreds of years of history.

Flights from TSN airport daily. Seven-day all-inclusive package tour starting from only 50m VND ! All transfers and transport included. Air-conditioned mini bus with Vietnamese-speaking guide.

Asian Tourist in London Taking Stock Footage Video (100% Royalty ...

Holiday advertising vocabulary:

Try to use as many of these adjectives and expressions as possible:

breathtaking / spectacular / unforgettable / magnificent / unique / exhilarating

once-in-a-lifetime / never-to-be-forgotten / unmissable / natural beauty

Practical Information

visa / currency / package tour / independent traveller / full-board / excursions

Seahorse Productions: ‘Shadow Sonata’ 2014

8th June 2020

‘Shadow Sonata’ was my first film shot in London since the early 1990s, and how things have changed. I started with a Bell & Howell 8mm cine camera, splicing film by hand and playing back on a projector; now I was working on a pocket digital camera and cutting on computer.

The title is a reference to the short story collection ‘Shadows of a Sound’ by the Korean writer Hwang Sun-woo, an author mentioned in the Korean film ‘My Sassy Girl,’ and the book plays a key part in the film. The influence of Asia and Asian culture should be discernible throughout.

Shadows of a Sound by Hwang Sun-won (1990, Hardcover) for sale ... — The short story collection

‘Shadow Sonata’ is a non-linear story of a man living in London, obsessed by an old love affair, while dreaming his way out of his depression. The topography of London helps the viewer place the action in the past, the present, and what could be the future, or pure imagination.

The Man starts by meeting his blonde girlfriend by an old museum in Walthamstow, north-east London. From the sunny exterior we move to the inside of his small London bedsit, decorated with Asian posters, and full of books by Asian writers.

Walthamstow Village - Wikipedia — Old Walthamstow

He walks around London, alone, the city appearing grey, cold, emotionless. He keeps seeing a beautiful Asian lady and feels very attracted to her … if only he could meet her.

I shot this film over two days on my Samsung W200, a camera that cost me around 80 UKP. It lasted until 2017 when it just died on me but anyway, mobile phones now have better cameras (I currently use an iPhone 6s).

Samsung W200 Full HD Waterproof Pocket Camcorder: Amazon.co.uk ...

Furthermore, I was very lucky with the weather; I had bright sun for the flashback sequence and dull wet grey rain for the present.

The was for the old love affair was played on an instrument I encountered in Sweden, a nyckleharpa:

The dream or future sequence uses ‘Oriental’ from Granados’ ‘Spanish Dances’, while the melancholic ending is a late String Quartet by Beethoven. These small scale pieces fascinate me, especially considering they followed the epic 9th Symphony … but that is possibly a theme for another blog or film.

As always, thanks so much to the actors who gave their time for free:

Mr Martin O’Shea, Ms Michelene P. Heine, Mr Stephen Grey, Mr Alex Loveridge, Ms Angie and introducing Ms Emily Yue.

And now

LIGHTS

CAMERAS

ACTION !

The link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_e3DOCT36o

Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Home is where the heart is.

8th June 2020

Today, lots of new words to help you describe the area in which you live (the area you live in). For my classroom-students, I can listen to pronunciation and help them with natural rhythms but online students should use a dictionary with sound … then practice, practice, practice.

Vocabulary booster

Where do you live ? What’s the area like ?

Căn hộ Homyland Riverside | Gia Phát Investment — Apartment block in District 2, Sai Gon

Two-up two-down - Wikipedia — Two-up, two-down houses in UK

Happiness Full Hanok Guesthouse, Jeonju, South Korea - Booking.com — Traditional house in Jeonju, South Korea

South Side Chicago Neighborhoods | South Side Chicago Projects ... — The Projects, South Side, Chicago

Istanbul Buildings - Turkish Building Design - e-architect — Apartment in Istanbul, Turkey

Lagos shanty megastructures — Lagos, Nigeria … a plan for the future ?

Remember to link words together – it’s called ‘chunking’ in IELTS language.

I live in a:

quiet, residential street. Peaceful at night.

lively and busy commercial area, many shops

dirty and dusty industrial part of town. Very noisy.

What Happened To County Kilburn? | Londonist — How would you describe living here ?

My home is a / an:

apartment and I live alone

rented room which I share with friends

house and I live with my family

Things you wanted do know when visiting an Indian home for dinner ... — Their home is _____

advantages and disadvantages pros and cons

adverbs of degree

(quite, rather, very, extremely, incredibly, remarkably, unbelievably)

I travel to work by motorbike. It’s quite far and extremely stressful.

Using Grabbike. It’s very convenient albeit rather expensive.

On the bus. Although it’s incredibly cheap, it’s not very pleasant.

Bangkok by Bus: A cheap way to see the top sights,or simply get ... — does she get to work ?

Idioms and expressions

At work I:

find myself doing the same thing day in day out. It’s tedious.

am always busy, attending meetings or writing reports.

have a variety of different jobs, I don’t have time to get bored !

Asia business woman success celebration keeping arms raised at ...

Notice the collocations

In my free time I:

enjoy watching films and playing sports. I am competitive !

adore hanging out with my friends and family.

love shopping. I can spot a bargain and I hate being ripped off !

Spice Souk, Old DUBAI - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | Visit dubai, Dubai ... — What does she like doing … ?

Learning English is, for me:

easy, a piece of cake. It’s very important and fun.

vital for the future. In my opinion it’s imperative we learn.

a necessary task. It’s awkward and frustrating, but I need it.

highly enjoyable and relaxing. I love to improve my mind.

English Classes - International Linguistic Program - Destination ... — An international English class in Canada

The War Remnants Museum is

extremely popular with tourists, a major attraction in the city.

well laid-out and organised. The exhibits are fascinating.

very somber and thought-provoking. Well worth a visit.

educational and essential. We can discover much there.

not suitable for children, though I would recommend it to adults.

Ho Chi Minh City: where bikes rule the roads | Mascaras and Backpacks

Increase your word power

Match the basic words with others of similar meaning (synonyms)

For example boring = tedious

interesting / on time / forgetful / live (I live in) / happy / unhappy / get (a qualification) /

reside / punctual / fascinating /absent-minded / jovial / miserable / attain /

smart (clever) /place / tired / reliable / great ! / try /

brilliant / exhausted / intelligent / endeavor / environment / dependable /

honest / make / bad (evil) / small / unimportant / not often /

prepare / seldom / nasty / insignificant / trustworthy / minute

Now make sentences with the new words e.g. (for example)

After studying for three years, Jenny attained her BA Degree.

Beautiful Chinese Graduate Stock Photos - FreeImages.com — Congratulations, Jenny !

Music vocabulary

What do these words means ?

rhythm / melody / lyrics / beat / solo / orchestration

Genres (types of music):

pop / rock / country and western / punk / classical / jazz / blues

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Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Quick review

7th June 2020

10 more common verbs in present and past tenses

to find	found
to give	gave
to tell	told
to work	worked
to call	called
to try	tried
to ask	asked
to need	needed
to feel	felt
to become	became
to leave	left

Answer these questions, using the past tense:

That is a great hat ! Where did you find it ? // I find it at Diamond Plaza

You look exhausted ! Did you work today ? // Yes, I work all day

What happened to Tony ? // He become rich and left work.

The neighbours are so loud ! // Yes, I ask them to be quiet

What is your dog’s name ? // She is call Annie.

Beagle Dog Breed » Information, Pictures, & More — My dog is ___________ Annie

ONLY one verb in the past tense

I tried to call you last night. I wanted to meet you and drink some Czech (check) beer.

Using adverbs of frequency

always frequently often sometimes occasionally never

100 % / 85 – 90 % / 75 % / 30 – 50 % / 15 – 20% / 0

Ask each other questions:

How often do you drink beer ? Go to the cinema

Buy a new dress visit the dentist

update your Facebook status watch the news on TV

eat western food cook traditional Vietnamese food ?

Today, I went to have a hair cut

(Men = barber / Women = stylist, Both = hairdresser)

Traditional barber's pole outside a shop in central London Stock ... — Traditional UK barbers for men with red and white pole

Le Posh Hair Salon - 130 Photos & 329 Reviews - Hair Salons - 2286 ... — Ladies hair salon

I went to a local (in the area / near / close) hairdresser. After, we went shopping and while there, we bought special beer from Czech Republic – it is my favourite, and also some junk food.

SONG:

To help you with the ‘fre’ pronunciation, here’s a song from one of my favourite bands, REM. It’s called ‘What’s the frequency, Kenneth ?’