Practising English

This is a B1 and B2 story with phrasal verbs. Here is the audioscripy for the story: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-284.htm A Christmas Surprise Christmas didn't turn out very well for Flora. She lived in the north of Scotland, where the weather can be a problem in the winter months. She lived in Keiss, a fishing village at the northern end of Sinclair's Bay on the east coast...

This is the story text for the B2 story today: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-283.htm The song in today's podcast is an arrangement by Dmitry Taras - check it out at Pixabay. The Christmas Festival 'So, Miss Jenkins,' said the mayor. 'As the town's new Councillor for cultural events, it'll be your turn this year to organise the Christmas town festival.&apos...

This is the audioscript for today's story and the B1 words studied: Scrooge and the Turkey Scrooge ran to the window, opened it, and put his head outside. There was no fog or mist. The air was clear, bright , and cold. The sun was shining , the sky was blue, and the bells were ringing happily. 'Oh, how absolutely wonderful!' cried Scrooge in a cheerful voice . 'What day is it?&...

Not able to bring my new B2 podcast today so I'm leaving you with an older Christmas story (repeat). Audioscript at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-70.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 t...

This is the text for the B1 story today. Who was the mysterious girl in the park? https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-280.htm A brief meeting at Christmas It was two days before Christmas, and Lucas, a sixteen-year-old boy, was feeling rather lonely. His parents were busy at work, and his older sister was studying in London. To pass the time , Lucas decided to take a walk through the snowy p...

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-279.htm This is a B2 recording today with a story for you to enjoy... Christmas cheer I’m standing in a peaceful, wealthy suburb a few miles from Bristol city centre. Without doubt , It’s going to be a white Christmas, or rather it is already a white Christmas thanks to a generous amount of snow that has fallen on this Christmas Eve. The quiet, snowy road...

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-278.htm This is the story text I'll be using with the B1 words in bold: White Christmas Steve Matlock worked in a car factory in Bristol. Every day at lunch, he sat in the canteen with his colleagues. They had discussions about their families, their aims , and their dreams. It was Christmas Eve, and the canteen felt warm and cheerful . “What are you d...

This is the formal conversation studied today: “Beginning morning food consuming cycle ,” said the father as he entered the kitchen. “Please gather at the table for an efficient distribution of resources .” Mother replied, “Indeed, I have organised a balancedcombination of carbohydrates and proteins, which should provide ideal operating for the day.” The ten-year-old entered next. “Parents, I requ...

Here is the text we are studying today. The Best Way to Learn a New Language If you want to build confidence in English language speaking, rather than silent study, choose conversation activities instead . And try writing short messages instead of only memorising vocabulary lists. Practice speaking whenever you find someone willing to talk, and use new words wherever you go. It does not matter whe...

B2 conjunctions City Life Compared to Country Life Many people wonder whether they would be happier living in the city or in the countryside. City life offers a fast rhythm and many opportunities, and it can be exciting, though it often feels crowded and noisy. Some people imagine that they would enjoy the peace of rural areas, when , in fact, they admit they enjoy the crowds and the lively lifest...

This is part 1 of my TWO podcasts on B1 linkers: The text for today is: Many people want to learn a new language, yet they often wonder what method works best. One helpful idea is to treat the language as you would a musical instrument, practising regularly. Learning can also happen as you travel or do other activities, as practice is important because it keeps the language fresh in your mind. In...

Here is the text for the B2 story today: Priorities Steve was a talented guitarist who had spent years trying to make it big . When his band finally got an album deal, he felt his dreams were coming true. But his wife, Laura, was tired of being alone with their two children. One night, she told him enough was enough : 'Spend time with us, or you'd better leave. We can't go on like t...

Here is the script for today's B1 story: The Sandwich Hero In our town there used to be this chap, Tom. Every day, he sat near the market asking for coins or for a sandwich to eat. His clothes were dirty, and his hair was messy , I noticed he smelled a bit too. People didn’t pay him much attention . I couldn’t say I was fond of him, but I did feel sorry for him. He looked a bit depressed . I...

Here is the B2 story for today: A chance of a lifetime (B2) Sophie had always led a busy life . Between her job at the hospital and her evening art classes, she hardly had a moment to relax. One Friday, after a long shift , she received a last-minute call from her boyfriend, Tom. He insisted she came to the old café by the river. When Sophie arrived, the place was quiet, and Tom was waiting with a...

This is the B1 story I'm going to read to you today and the vocabulary I'll look at: A helpful ghost (B1) Detective Sam Green liked to hang around any place where strange things happened. One autumn morning, he arrived in a small town surrounded by a beautiful landscape of snowy mountain peaks .  The people there seemed friendly, but whenever Sam asked about the old castle on a nearby hi...

Norman Newbury has never won anything in his life, and then when a swimming competition comes up, Norman thinks he could, at last, win the trophy. B2 phrases to listen for. What is the context of each phrase? 1) talk things over with 2) kept in good shape 3) push himself 4) (feel) over the moon 5) took a deep breath 6) taken it for granted The vowels (a, e, i, o, u) have been taken out (unless the...

The B1 story today: The Girl in the Painting Sophie had been meaning to visit the old house on the hill for years, and she was surprised to see the door open, as though inviting her to visit. Inside, the air was heavy and quiet. She glanced around the dusty room and saw an old mirror. In the glass, she saw a handsome young man smiling at her. She turned suddenly , however, there was no one there b...

This is a B2 level podcast: The Magic of True Friendship Have you ever stopped to think what really makes a good friend? We all have people we hang out with, but genuine friendship goes beyond just having fun together. A good friend is someone you can count on , no matter what . They listen when you need to talk, cheer you up when you’re feeling down , and tell you the truth — even when it’s hard...

Today, I'm going to read an article, which is similar to the articles you have to write if you're doing the B1 Cambridge PET exam. Many people enjoy playing games in their free time. Some prefer board games like chess or Monopoly, while others like video games such as Minecraft or FIFA. But which type of game is more interesting to play? Board games are great for spending time with famil...

A B2-level short story for you today... A True Champion Sofia had always dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player. She trained every morning, even when she was tired, because she knew success would depend on her hard work. Some people tried to discourage her from doing so much training, saying she was wasting her time, but Sofia refused to listen. Her first big tournament didn’t go well. S...

The Mystery of the Lake Day after day , Lily walked past the old lake near her village. The elderly people of the village said it was dangerously deep, and that in its depths lived an enormous monster. In all her life, Lily had never seen anything, although she often wondered why there were never ducks or swans on the lake.  One summer morning, she decided to take her small boat and explore the la...

The audioscript for today's B2 story: If only we could go back On Tuesday morning, Alice decided to call in sick , not because she was ill, but because the clouds outside looked like elephants marching across the sky. Today she felt like the little girl that she used to be many years before. She simply couldn’t be bothered to sit at her office desk when such wonders were happening around her....

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...