Practising English

The story audioscript for the story. The B1 words are shown in black. The missing actor Detective Anna Jones had a long career solving strange crimes . One rainy night, the police had called her to a dark hotel outside the village to help them. A film actor and celebrity , John Kelly, had disappeared from his locked room. The manager had knocked on the door, to bring his dinner, but there had been...

B2 story and vocabulary today. Here is the audioscript of the story and the B2 words in bold. The Crown Thief Detective Harris was on the point of leaving the police station when the phone rang. A robbery had taken place at the old museum. He grabbed his coat and hurried out. At the scene, the guard looked bad-tempered . “This is a disgrace !” he shouted. “The thief just walked in and out. Nobody...

A B1-level podcast today with a story and a test on the B1 words and expressions: A frightening experience at the airport Read the audioscript of the story at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-260.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 Bu...

This is the B2 podcast for this week. Aidioscript: The Fresh-food Market See audioscript with B1 words highlighted at https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-259.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...

I'm back from my holidays! Today I'm publishing the first B1 podcast of season 5 - five years helping intermediate students pass Cambridge exams. I also have news of my new book just published on Amazon "B1 English Vocabulary Builder" 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases  Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam.  Hear more on the podcast! See audioscript with B1 words...

This favourite story for learners of B1 will be the last of the summer episodes before my return for season 5 next week. Enjoy the story! 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 Nee...

Here are some words that are not B1 and you'll need to understand the story. Words which are outside the A1 to B1 levels *Greenhouse - a building with glass sides and roof for growing plants in. *Skin - the outside of some types of vegetable and fruit. *String - a long piece of material used for tying things together. *Ultraviolet (light) - a blue light with wavelengths shorter than violet li...

This lovely story from the the American writer O'Henry, I completely re-wrote for B2 level.  Here is the vocabulary discussed: Just around the corner . The means a place further on where we cannot see but is very close. English proverb: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence . This means that life is better any place but where you are now. hesitation - worried about doing...

Here is Part two of my popular story, Tsunami for learners of B1 English 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 th...

I am still on holiday during August, so today I bring you a favourite of many listeners - the B1 story of Tsunami! (Part 1). Part 2 next week. Enjoy it and enjoy your summer! Mike Bilbrough 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 Sto...

While I'm on my summer holiday, here is a repeat of a lovely B1 story - Part 2 of "Dad". I published Part 1 last Wednesday. The verbs we are studying today are: realize drop call out weigh admire encourage dive appear breathe hug At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages. https://...

I'm on holiday so I'm leaving you with a favourite story of mine "Dad" in 2 parts. This is a repeat of a podcast from September 2023. Next Wednesday, I'll publish part 2. This is part 1 of a B1-level story for learners of English, especially Cambridge English. The story is called Dad. It's about a family fishing trip in Spain. Vocabulary about the sea, boats and fishi...

Comprehension questions for this B2-level story. (I'm on holiday at the momento so leave you with a repeat episode.) Enjoy! 1) What reasons did Alberto's mother give Alberto for leaving the Alpujarra? 2) What did Gustavo mean by the comment "we're just victims of nature"? 3) The story says, "When Alberto saw the pink clouds at dawn, he knew bad weather was on the way&...

This is about the trial in Australia that finished just last week and is popularly known as "The Mushroom Murders". Today, I'll ask the famous detective, Hércules Poirot (from Agatha Christie's novels) to explain to his exclusive audience of people involved in the crime and to us, the listeners of the podcast, what happened exactly, and who the murderer is. This is a B2-level p...

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 m...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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.practisi...

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 Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingengl...

I apologise for not bringing you a new podcast this week. I leave you with chapter 1 of the Tudor Conspiracy (from an audio book and reader I published a few years ago). Hope to be with you next week with a new podcast episode! Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm My NEW book: " B1 Eng...

These are the words I discuss today. They are linking words, essential for your B1 and B2 writing papers in the Cambridge exam. Moreover In addition, Besides What is more, Furthermore, Yet To begin with, In the same way, Similarly, Consequently, See audioscript of story at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-239.htm Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Prac...

How to use 'if so' and 'if not' in dialogue. A conditional clause to refer a previous direct or indirect 'yes-no' question where the answer might be ‘yes’.  Do you think we could study more grammar? If so, could you give us more help with tenses? Is it possible to pay by credit card? If so, which card do you accept? Does Mrs Smith like wine? If so, does she prefer whi...