Shopping and Prices Video

My latest Youtube video shows how to talk about prices when shopping.

If you like this video, please click 'like' and subscribe to my Youtube channel.

Here's the script of the video:

In this video we will learn how to talk about prices and some of the language we need when shopping.

To ask the price of singular items we can say:
How much is the t-shirt? It's 60 dollars.

To ask the price of plural items we can say:
How much are the jeans? They're 150 dollars.

To comment on the price, we can say:
It's expensive.
It's reasonable.
It's good value.
It's cheap.

Let's look at some examples.

How much is the dress? It's 500 dollars.
It's expensive.

How much are the gloves? They're 4 dollars and 50 cents.
They're cheap.

Now let's review big numbers.
ten million
one million
one hundred thousand
ten thousand
one thousand
one hundred
ten

Now let's combine these big numbers.
ten million five hundred thousand
one million five hundred and fifty thousand
one hundred and fifty-five thousand
fifteen thousand five hundred
one thousand five hundred and fifty
one hundred and fifty-five
fifteen

Let's practice big numbers in a pet store.

Customer: Do you have goldfish?
Salesclerk: Yes, we do.
Customer: How much are they?
Salesclerk: They're 5,000 Won each.
Customer: I'll take two, please.

Customer: Do you have monkeys?
Salesclerk: No, I'm sorry, we don't.

Customer: Do you have cats?
Salesclerk: Yes, we do.
Customer: How much are they?
Salesclerk: They're 300,000 Won each.
Customer: That's too expensive.

To talk about near items we can use this for singular things and these for plural things.
For far items we can use that for singular things and those for plural things.

How much is this watch? It's 25,000 Yen.
How much is that umbrella? It's 850 Yen.
How much are these earring? They're 4,900 Yen.
How much are those shoes? They're 35,000 Yen.
How much is this belt? It's 10,000 Yen.
How much is that handbag? It's 49,000 Yen.
How much are these high heels? They're 29,000 Yen.
How much are those socks? They're 250 Yen.

Here's a homework assignment. Answer these questions by putting your answers in the comments and I'll check your answers.
1. What was the last piece of clothing you bought?
2. What colour was it?
3. How much did it cost?
4. Where did you buy it?
5. When did you buy it?
Answer in full sentences.

Describing People Video

My latest Youtube video shows how to describe people.

If you like this video, please click 'like' and subscribe to my Youtube channel.

Here's the script of the video:

In this video we will learn how to describe people's appearance and personality.

Here are some adjectives we can use describe someone's personality.
honest
talkative
shy
funny
outgoing
nice
patient
confident

What's she like? She honest and patient.
What's he like? He's funny and kind.

There are many things we can talk about to describe someone's appearance. Let's look at each one in turn. To talk about someone's attractiveness, height and weight, we can ask one simple question.

What does she look like?
She's cute.
She's pretty.
She's beautiful.

He's handsome.

He's short.
He's average height.
He's tall.

He's thin.
He's slim.
He's average weight.
He's muscular.
He's a little heavy.

She has short hair.
She has medium length hair.
She has long hair.

She has straight hair.
She has wavy hair.
She has curly hair.

She has blond hair.
She has black hair.
She has brown hair.
She has red hair.
She has grey hair.

He is bald.
He has a moustache.
He has a beard.

To talk about someone's age, we can ask: How old is he? There are a number of different ways we can describe someone's age if we don't know their exact age.

He's in his early twenties.
He's in his mid-twenties.
He's in his late twenties.

She's kind of young.
She's kind of old.

She's around 20 years old.
She's around 30 years old.

We use the present continuous to talk about the clothes someone is wearing. What is he wearing? He's wearing a blue t-shirt and blue jeans. Let's review clothing vocabulary.

a blouse
a skirt
a jacket
a sweater
jeans
boots
gloves
a scarf
high heels
a dress

a suit
shoes
a jacket
a shirt
a neck tie
a belt
pants
a t-shirt
flip-flops
shorts
sunglasses
a uniform

There are a few items of clothing that weren't in any of those pictures.
sneakers
socks
a hat
glasses
a raincoat

Now we have all the vocabulary we need, let's look at some examples of questions and answers.
What is she like? She's outgoing.
What does she look like?
She's pretty.
She's average height and slim.
She has long, straight, brown hair.
How old is she? She's in her mid-twenties.
What is she wearing? She's wearing a white blouse and grey skirt.

What is he like? He's honest and kind.
What does he look like?
He's handsome.
He's tall and muscular.
He's bald.
How old is he? He's around 30 years old.
What is he wearing? He's wearing a purple sweater, blue jeans and tan shoes.

What's she like? She's shy.
What does she look like?
She's cute.
She's short and slim.
She has long, curly, brown hair.
How old is she? She's kind of young.
What is she wearing? She's wearing a blue school uniform.

What is he like? He's funny.
What does he look like? He's cute.
He's short and slim.
He has short brown hair.
How old is he? He's kind of young.
What is he wearing? He's wearing a red t-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers.

Here's a homework assignment. Pause the video and describe these two people in the comments in as much detail as you can and I'll check your answers.

Health Problems Video

My latest Youtube video shows how to talk about health problems and solutions.

If you like this video, please click 'like' and subscribe to my Youtube channel.

Here's the script of the video:

In this video we will learn how to talk about health problem and solutions. There are lots of adjectives we can use to describe feeling unwell.
I feel terrible.
I feel horrible.
I feel awful.
I feel unwell.
I feel sick.
I feel sad.
I feel really bad.

Now let's look at some health problems and solutions.
I have a cold. You should eat some chicken soup.
I have a stomach ache. You should lie down.
I have a backache. You should take a hot bath.
I have the flu. You should go to bed.
I have a sore throat. You should drink some hot tea.
I have a headache. You should get some rest.
I have a fever. You should take some medicine.
I have a cough. You should see a doctor.
I have a toothache. You should see a dentist.

Let's review and learn some more language by listening to a conversation.
A: I feel terrible.
B: What's the matter?
A: I have a cough.
B: That's too bad. You should see a doctor.
A: I think you're right.
B: I hope you get better soon.

Daily Routines Video

My latest Youtube video shows how to talk about daily routines.

If you like this video, please click 'like' and subscribe to my Youtube channel.

Here's the script of the video:

In this video we will learn how to talk about daily routines. First, let's review some vocabulary for things we do every day.
get up
take a shower
get dressed
have breakfast
go to work
start work
have lunch
finish work
arrive home
have dinner
watch tv
go to bed

Now let's look at some questions we can ask about daily routines and the answers we might hear. What time do you usually wake up? I usually wake up at 7 o'clock.
Note the difference between wake up and get up. For example, I usually wake up at 7 o'clock and then I get up or get out of bed ten minutes later.
What's the first thing you do after you get up? I shave.
Do you ever skip breakfast? No, I don't. I never skip breakfast.
How do you get to work? I usually walk.
What do you usually have for lunch? I usually have a salad.
What do you usually do after you get home? I usually take a nap.
What do you like to do in your free time? I like to read books.

Now we will hear what Emily does on a normal day. This story is in the third person present singular so we add an S to the verb. To help describe her daily routine we can use sequence adverbs.
Emily usually wakes up at 7:30.
First, she has breakfast.
Then she brushes her teeth.
Next, she takes a shower.
After that she gets dressed.
Then she puts on make-up.
She goes to work at 8:30. The subway ride takes 20 minutes.
She starts work at 9 o'clock.
Later, she has lunch.
At 5 o'clock she finishes work and goes home.
When she gets home she cooks dinner.
She sometimes goes to the gym in the evening.
Finally, she goes to bed at 11 o'clock.

Here's a homework assignment. Answer these questions by putting your answers in the comments and I'll check your answers.
1. What time do you usually get up?
2. Do you ever skip breakfast?
3. What do you usually have for lunch?
4. What do you usually do after you get home?
5. What do you like to do in your free time?
Answer in full sentences.

Family Video

Here is my latest video about the family.

If you like this video, please click 'like' and subscribe to my Youtube channel.


Here's the script of the video:

In this video we will learn how to talk about family. First let's review the vocabulary by looking at a family tree.

Hi. My name's Rick. Let me tell you about my family. I'm married. This is my wife. I am her husband. We have two children. One son and one daughter. I have an older brother. His wife is my sister-in-law. They also have one son and one daughter. Their son is my nephew and their daughter is my niece. Then there's my mother and father. At the top of my family tree, there's my grandmother and grandfather.

Now let's review some of the questions we can ask about family and the answers you might hear.

How many brothers and sisters do you have? I have two sisters.

How many brothers and sisters does Jason have? He's an only child.

Do you have any siblings? Yes, I do. I have two brothers.

Does she have any siblings? No, she doesn't. She's an only child.

Tell me about your family. I come from a big family. I have a baby sister and an older brother.

Tell me about her family. She comes from a small family. She has one younger brother.

Are you married? Yes, I am. Do you have any children? Yes, I do. I have a son and a daughter.

Is he married? No, he isn't. He's single.

Jobs Video

Here is my latest video about jobs.

If you like this video, please click 'like' and subscribe to my Youtube channel.


Here's the script of the video:

First let's review the vocabulary for some common jobs.

What does Lucy do? She's a housewife. What does a housewife do? A housewife manages her home.

What's Derek's job? He's a dentist. What does a dentist do? A dentist cares for teeth.

What's Sarah's occupation? She's a pharmacist. Where does a pharmacist work? A pharmacist works in a pharmacy.

What does Colin do? He's a mechanic. Where does a mechanic work? A mechanic works in a garage.

What does Mark do? He's retired. What did he do before he retired? He was an accountant.

What does Claire do for a living? She unemployed, but she has an interview for a job today.

Now we will review some follow-up questions related to jobs.

What's your job? I'm a salesperson. How do you get to work? I usually drive? I sometimes take the subway.

What's your occupation? I'm an office worker. What days do you work? I work Monday to Friday.

What do you do for a living? I'm an engineer. Do you like your job? Yes, I do. It's interesting.

What's your job? I'm a travel agent. Where do you work? I work for ABC Travel Company.

What do you do? I'm a student. What do you study? I study economics.

Now let's play a fun game. I'm thinking of one these jobs. Can you guess who I'm thinking about by asking yes/no questions?

Do they wear a uniform? Yes, they do.

Do they wear a hat? No, they don't.

Do they help people? Yes, they do.

Can you guess who it is?

Is she a nurse? Yes, she is.

Let's play again. Can you guess who I'm thinking of?

Do you they use tools? No, they don't.

Do they wear a hat? Yes, they do.

Do they work on a plane? Yes, they do.

Is the person a flight attendant? No.

Then it must be the pilot. Yes, you're right.

A Fun Game for Kids. Bingo

Bingo is a great game to play with children. It builds vocabulary, improves listening skills and it's fun. Students need a piece of paper and a pencil. First choose the vocabulary list that you want to teach to the students, such as buildings, jobs, fruit or animals (see below for a list of jobs). Ask the students to tell you the vocabulary that they know. Write the words on the board. Once the students have given you all the words that they know, you can add more words to the list. Choose words that are most relevant for your students, such as common animals in that country or the jobs of your students' parents. Be ready to help the students understand what each of the words are in their language - flashcards are a great way to do this.

Then ask the students to randomly choose six words from the board (or any number you want) and write them on their pieces of paper. Once every student has done this, slowly call out words from the list. Say each word twice, so that all the students can hear. As you call out the words, write down or check off all the words on a piece of paper. Don't check them off on the board as this is a listening activity. Tell the students that the first person to cross off all of their words should shout BINGO! Then ask the student to read out their words, so you can check that you did indeed say those words. That child is then the winning. A small gift to the winner motivates the children and makes the game even more fun.

One way to make the game more difficult and to keep it fresh and challenging is to ask questions instead of calling out the vocabulary words, for example: Who flies a plane? or Who works in a library?

Here is a list of jobs which you can use. Add other jobs that you think are relevant to your students.

teacher
police officer
fire fighter
doctor
chef
pilot
nurse
waiter
dentist
librarian
bus driver
baker
farmer
mail carrier
mechanic
professor
accountant
civil servant
veterinarian
salesclerk
photographer
fisherman
flight attendant
hair dresser
butcher
soldier

English Chit Chat. Countable and Uncountable Nouns Video

The grammar of countable and uncountable nouns.

This video describes how to quantify nouns with lots of examples. A shopping list is made for the ingredients to cook lasagna.

If you like this video, please click 'like' and subscribe to my Youtube channel.

Here's the script of the video:

Let's start my looking at these nouns. Which ones are countable and which ones are uncountable? These nouns are countable.Notice that each of these nouns take the plural s. We often talk about countable nouns in the plural, for example: I like doughnuts and Do you have any eggs? Countable nouns take the article in the singular, for example, an egg and a banana. These nouns are uncountable. It would be difficult or impossible to count these things. These nouns do not take the plural s, nor an article. We often add another noun to count these nouns, such as a bar or piece of chocolate. A spoonful of sugar. A loaf or slice of bread. A cup of coffee. A grain or bowl of rice. We can also measure these nouns, for example, one grams of sugar. 200 millilitres of coffee. With money we usually talk about countable units of currency, such as ten dollars and 50 cents.

Let's look at how we quantify nouns. For apples we might ask 'How many apples are there?' 

There are a lot of apples.

There are a few apples.

There are some apples.

There aren't many apples.

There aren't any apples.

We can say the number amount of countable nouns. There is an orange. The are two oranges. For milk we might ask 'How much milk is there?'

There is a lot of milk. Note: we would never say there is much milk.

There is a little milk.

There is some milk.

There isn't much milk.

There isn't any milk.

As an example I'm going to make some lasagna. It's my favourite food from Italy, but I'm not sure if I have all the ingredients.To make lasagna I need a lot of beef, a few onions, some garlic, a lot of tomatoes, one carrot, a lot of milk, a little flour, some cheese, a lot of butter and a lot of pasta sheets. Let's check the fridge. I think I'll need to make a shopping list. I have a lot chicken, but I don't have any beef. I should buy a lot of beef. I only have one onion, so I should buy one more onion. I have some garlic, but I don't have many tomatoes, so I should buy a lot of tomatoes. I have a lot of carrots, but I only have a little milk, so I should buy a lot of milk. I have flour and pasta sheets in the cupboard, so I don't need to buy any more. I have some cheese, but I don't have any butter, so I should buy some butter. That will give me all the ingredients I need to make lasagna. Now tell your partner what food is in your fridge at home. Be sure to use the correct grammar we have learnt in this video.