This song is currently one of the top singles in the UK, by American singer Jason Mraz. Read the lyrics and try to guess which word fits in the gap before you listen. Think about the meaning of the song and which words have similar pronunciation to help you.
Lesson by Caroline
Here is another Ted lecture and a lesson that will help you live longer, be more successful and feel as if you’ve eaten lots of chocolate without the calories! Listen to the lecture and see if you can answer the questions below true or false. I recommend you listen at least twice and listen carefully, as the man giving the talk, Ron Gutman, speaks quite quickly! Excellent English practice and hopefully a lesson that will stay with you for a while!
This song could be particularly useful for you if you are studying in (or wish to go to London), as the singer has quite a strong London accent. Her name is Kate Nash and she is famous for writing songs that don’t romanticise love and dating.
Read through the lyrics of this song first and then listen and try to complete the gaps with the missing words.
Cellophane: A see-through material used to wrap food.
We all sometimes feel like we need more attention, but this character from Chicago feels completely invisible! Read through the lyrics to the song and see if you can guess which word goes in each gap, then listen and check your answers. Do you relate to the singer, or do you think he is just complaining about nothing?
This is my favourite poem by the wonderful slam poet Sarah Kay. It is rich in vocabulary and full of beautiful imagery and I really wanted to share it with all of you. Due to the length of the poem, this lesson may take you a bit longer than usual, but I think it’s worth it! On the link, the poem is in the first four minutes. After that, Sarah gives an inspiring lecture which is also worth listening to. So listen to the poem and complete the gaps with the missing words. Then let us know your opinions and also if you have a favourite poem…
I kind of like this song...but don't tell anyone! Why? Because it's a guilty pleasure, something we like even though we know we shouldn't. A guilty pleasure will usually cause your friends to laugh at you and remind you of how silly you are constantly. Listen to this song by young boy-band One Direction (oh the shame) and fill the gaps with the missing words. Then let me know your guilty pleasures, if you dare!
Lesson by Caroline Devane
This song describes the difficulty of finding yourself single after an important relationship. Do you usually read through the lyrics and guess which words fit the gaps before you listen to the song? I’d like you to try that today, you may be surprised at how well you can understand the context! As always, please let me know if you have any requests for songs or artists in the future!
This song by Pixie Lott is a perfect example of the 'casual' spelling and pronunciation of some English words. In words ending in 'ing', people often drop the last g. For example 'singing' becomes 'singin'.
Remember: It is useful to be aware of casual or 'slang' English, but it is usually only used in informal situations.
Misty Copeland is a ballerina who is currently dancing for American Ballet Theatre (ABT). I was lucky to see her perform with the company earlier this year and witnessed her wonderful stage presence and beautiful dancing. I found this interview with her and think it is worth listening to, even if you are not interested in the dance world! Misty has overcome many obstacles to become a successful dancer and her story is very inspiring. Listen to the interview and then try and answer the true or false questions below. Are there any other professional or aspiring dancers out there?
This is one of my favourite songs to listen to on lovely days, it reminds me of summer. Listen to the song and complete the gaps with the missing words. This time there is no list of missing words to choose from!
Lesson by Caroline
