Irregular Verbs

English verbs are easier than most other language verb structures. However, the irregular verbs are a source of confusion for language learners.

This is a set of 174 flashcards that help you to more easily remember English irregular verbs. 

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Personal Pronouns

Many of my students, no matter how good their English, confuse personal pronouns.

Pronouns like he, she, it and one, I, you and they, me, you and them, we and us, cause endless confusion for students.

This video aims to put this confusion to rest once and for all.

With visual clues to help you remember, this English language video will help you avoid making the same mistakes with personal pronouns. This aspect of English grammar can be very awkward.

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The Moon and Her Mother

This is a short video English lesson bringing you Aesop's fable, the Moon and Her Mother.

The moral of this story is that those who constantly change never get what they truly desire. You have to be consistent and single-minded to achieve your goals. Being consistent and single-minded in your English studies is necessary if you want to achieve a high level.

This video complements the video Lunacy and Lunatics, which tells you all about the phases of the Moon.

There is also an exercise under the video where you have to rewrite the story.

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Past Simple Regular Verb Endings

If I had a dollar for every time an English student mispronounced the simple past form of regular verbs, I would be a rich and happy man. As it is, I'm a poor and happy man.   I'm happy because I have created a video that will stop students putting an extra syllable in walked and lived.

This video lesson will show all students how easy it is to always pronounce the ed ending as either /id/, /t/ or /d/.

Watch this video a few times and you will be sounding like a native English speaker before you can say "I have learned the secret!" (without the extra syllable in learned)

This video was created to answer a question by Maria (YouTube name - rockmusicM), a student in Spain, so all thanks due to Maria.

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Vegetables

There are many dozens of names for vegetables in English. Here are 34 of them with phonetic transcripts and pronunciations for every one.

Most are written as single nouns, though of course many of them have plurals. Plurals are normally formed by adding -s or -es. Some are uncountable and do not take a plural.

The cooks among you will find this lesson very interesting, and I hope you all find it enjoyable.

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Furniture

Furniture and furnishings in English.

This lesson will help you to learn, understand and pronounce the words we use in English to describe items of furniture.

Every word has both a pronunciation and a phonetic transcription to help your improve your pronunciation.

The words range from the common words like table and chair to the less common like settle. Each word is accompanied by a high-quality image to help you learn more effectively.

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Transport

This lesson looks at various forms of transport. Some are common forms of transport, some are less well-known.

I guarantee that however good your level of English you will learn some new vocabulary here.

Each word has a phonetic transcription to help you improve your pronunciation.

The video has a lively soundtrack and is packed with colours.

There is a related Crossword Puzzle and Hangman Game here: Games

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What Do Nouns Do?

Are nouns lazy? No! They're just as hard working as online English teachers. They have important jobs to do in an English sentence.

It's important for English language students to fully understand and appreciate the jobs that nouns do. Being able to identify what the noun is doing is very important to the understanding of the English language.

There's a huge amount of extra information to go with this video, including lots of exercises to help you learn and remember.

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What Are Nouns?

This colourful, tuneful, fast-paced lesson takes a close look at nouns and answers that all important question: Do nouns have sex?.

If you already know about nouns, this will be a great piece of revision for you.

If you don't know much about nouns, this is the best place to start.

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Clothes Alphabet

This lesson looks at the names of clothes in English.

It also helps you learn the phonetic alphabet.

The phonetic alphabet can really help you to pronounce words properly. Every good dictionary will give you a phonetic transcription of every word.

Learn the phonetic alphabet and never worry about mispronouncing a word again.

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Animal Alphabet

This lesson looks at the names of animals in English.

It also helps you learn the phonetic alphabet.

The phonetic alphabet can really help you to pronounce words properly. Every good dictionary will give you a phonetic transcription of every word.

Learn the phonetic alphabet and never worry about mispronouncing a word again.

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Fruit and Nuts

Do you like fruit? Do you like nuts?

Fruit and nuts make up an important part of our diet. Because of this it is important to learn the vocabulary of fruit and nuts.

As you learn the vocabulary in this colourful, fast-paced English lesson, you can also practice your pronunciation.

Don't forget to put the vocabulary in your Personal Vocabulary Dictionary. That way you will not quickly forget what you have learnt.

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Present Simple

An introduction to or a revision lesson about the English present simple.

It looks at the form of the present simple tense.

It looks at

• the affirmative
• the negative
• the question forms

of the present simple tense.

Other lessons about the present simple are: The Moon and Present Simple Positive-Negative

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Everyday Vocabulary

Increasing your vocabulary is one of the most important things you can do when learning English.

This lesson helps you to learn and remember 16 common words we use everyday.

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Introducing Phonetics

An introduction to the important area of phonetics.

Phonetics are an essential part of an English student's learning process.

If you learn phonetics, your pronunciation will improve dramatically and quickly.

If you would like coaching on phonetics or pronunciation, please sign up for Private English Classes with me.

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What is an Object?

This is a short lesson that looks at the use of objects in the English sentence.

Remember in the English sentence we use Subject, Verb, Object.

The object is what the verb acts on.

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Present Simple Positive-Negative

Present Simple Positive and Negative in English.

The lesson has many self-test exercises and a reading.

Other lessons you might be interested in are:

The Moon - Present Simple

Present Simple Positive and Negative

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Numbers

A look at the ways we use numbers in English.

Everything from counting to medicine.

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Capital Letters

Capital letters and the rules of use in English.

A short lesson without a video component

This lesson has some self-test exercises to help your understanding.

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Head and Face

This vocabulary lesson will teach you the following parts of the head and face: angle of the jaw, beard, bridge of the nose, cheek, cheeks, chin, corner of the eye, corner of the mouth, dimple, ear, eye, eyebrow, eyebrows, eyelash, eyelashes, eyelid, eyelids, eyes, forehead, hairline, head, iris, jaw line, lip, lips, moustache, mouth, neck, nose, nostril, nostrils, pupil, sideburn, teeth, throat, tip of the nose, and tooth. The first half of the video is voice only. The second half of the video gives you the words on screen, too.

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There Their They Are

There, their and they're are homophones.

They cause lots of problems for students of English and for native English speakers, too.

This video has been made to put an end to such problems.

There is also a quiz to go with the lesson and extra materials to help you practice the use of these most confusing of homophones.

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The Fisherman and the Little Fish

The Fisherman and the Little Fish tells the moral that it's better to accept what you have than to gamble on what you might not get.

I have rewritten the story using a range of phrasal verbs.

If you are interested in learning some new phrasal verbs, this video is not to be sniffed at. Don't let your interest fizzle out and see what phrasal verbs I have come up with. You won't have to cough up a cent to see them either.

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The Moon

This English lesson looks at the present simple tense using the theme of the Moon.

The lesson looks at when we use the present simple and introduces a lot of vocabulary. It also provides you with a lot of information about the Moon and NASA's Apollo project in the late 1960s.

It includes footage of the Saturn 5 Moon rocket lifting off and gives lots of information about the rocket. It shows footage of Neil Armstrong's first step on the Moon, and his immortal words, "That's one small step for man..." This video is one of the most interesting ways that you will find to help you learn how and when to use the present simple tense in English.

You might also be interested in: Present Simple Positive and Negative and An Introduction to the Present Simple

There is a short related video lesson here.

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The Milkmaid

Have you ever heard of the expression, Don't count your chickens until they are hatched? This expression comes from the Ancient Greek writer, Aesop.

This video about The Maid and Her Pot of Milk tells the story in words and pictures to help you learn and remember vocabulary such as: allowing for, ball, daydreaming, farmhouse, fetch a price, maid, market, mishaps, pail, poultry, propose, toss of the head, and unison.

The story illustrates the moral that we should not consider anything as definite until we have done the necessary work to make it a reality.

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At the Airport

This is a fast-paced English lesson that looks at the language we use at the airport.

You will find vocabulary about people and places at the airport, about the technical aspects of an airport and about the questions we often ask when flying.

You can find a series of exercises to go with the video at my website. These will help you to better understand the language in the video.

The video and exercises also contain phonetics practice.

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Teeth and Dentists

Have you ever been to the dentist?

Have you ever had a filling?

This lesson looks at the vocabulary of caring for our teeth and the consequences of not looking after them.

Watch the video and then do a small, self-test exercise.

Conditional sentences and modal auxiliary verbs are the grammar focus of this lesson.

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Computer Hardware

Do you know your laptop from your palmtop computer?

Do you know the words for many other common pieces of technology?

This lesson looks at many pieces of computing equipment, and also looks at the verbs we use with them.

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Prepositions of Place

What are prepositions?

This lesson looks at prepositions of place. These are the prepositions that tell us where something is in relation to other things.

They include above, below, beside, between, in front of, in, inside, near, next to, on, opposite, outside, under.

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Prepositions of Movement

What are prepositions?

This lesson looks at prepositions of movement. These are the prepositions that tell us how something is moving in relation to other things.

They include into, out of, over, under.

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The Gnat and the Bull

The lesson about THE GNAT AND THE BULL includes some listening exercises in English. The lesson includes some grammar and vocabulary exercise in English. The lesson includes some reading and some writing exercises.

All the listening material has been recorded by a native British English speaker without any strong regional accent.

It is based on the original text "The Aesop for Children" published by Rand McNally & Company of Chicago in 1919.

It includes illustrations from the original book, and also from other books.

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The Kid and The Wolf

The lesson includes

• listening exercises in English
• grammar and vocabulary exercises in English
• Some reading exercises
• Some writing exercises

All the listening material has been recorded by Richard, a native British English speaker without any strong regional accent.

It is based on the original text "The Aesop for Children" published by Rand McNally & Company of Chicago in 1919.

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The Young Crab and His Mother

Aesop's fable - The Young Crab and His Mother.

It is based on the original text "The Aesop for Children" published by Rand McNally & Company of Chicago in 1919.

It includes illustrations from the original book, and also from other books.

It also includes listening material to help you with your listening skills and your pronunciation.

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Prepositions of Time

Prepositions of time tell us when something happened.

These prepositions include: at, by, for, in, on, before, after.

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Comparatives and Superlatives

This is an English language lesson looking at how we compare things.

This language lesson examines the formation and use of comparative and superlative adjectives in English.

This is a better lesson about comparatives than you will find anywhere else.

This is the best lesson about superlatives.

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Descriptions

A lesson that forms an introduction to or a revision of the language used to describe people's appearance.

Why do we say that someone is like someone else?

What's the difference between a full beard and a goatee?

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Going to the Toilet

Here is a subject you won't find in any detail in any of your English textbooks.It's strange really, when you consider that each and every one of us does this at least once or twice a day.Yet many people, and the English in particular, are rather embarrassed when talking about going to the toilet.The English, being somewhat reluctant to admit that they do go to the toilet, have invented many expressions to sanitise this rather natural bodily function.

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Months of the Year

There are four seasons in an English year. In English these are spring, also known as springtime, summer, which is also called summertime, autumn, or fall in the English of the USA, because it is the time when leaves fall, and winter or wintertime. Each season lasts for 3 months and there are 12 months in a year. 

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Days of the Week

It’s not easy remembering the days of the week, even if you are a native speaker. It’s like learning to tie your shoelaces. I’m sure you had some problems learning the days of the week in your own language. I mean, it’s not as if the days of the week coincide with anything on a particular day, is it?

This video aims to make learning the days of the week as interesting and entertaining as possible.

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General Weather

If it wasn't for the weather, the English would have nothing to talk about. Accordingly, this introduction to a series of five weather videos should give you all the weather words you need when talking about the weather.

This video looks as general weather words and expressions used in English. Expressions like "Red sky at night..." "Red sky in the morning..." "Nice weather for ducks!" "Turned out nice again." "Raining cats and dogs." and more.

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Thank You Cleaners

Do you ever stop and think about what the world would be like if we didn't have cleaners? Do you work as a cleaner or in the cleaning industry yourself?

We should all be very thankful that there are people in the world who toil away every day to clean up the mess the rest of us make.

Cleaning may not be the most glamorous job in the world, but it surely has to be one of the most important.

This video is my way of saying thank you to all the cleaners of the world, while teaching a good bit of vocabulary connected with cleaning, too.

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To Too Two

There are three small English words that cause a lot of difficulty for many people. To, Too and Two are homophones and even native English speakers confuse them, too.

This video has been created to help you avoid confusion in the future. It aims to entertain you, too.

There are self-test questions under the video to help you practice what you have learned in the video.

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Seafood Idioms

You won't need a loan shark to enjoy this video about seafood idioms - it's free to watch. It'd be a fine kettle of fish if it wasn't.

I've cast my net wide in searching for these videos and I know that you're going to have a whale of a time learning these new videos.

There are homophones here, too.

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Fruit Idioms

If idioms have been driving you bananas, here is just the video you need.

It's a peach of a video, packed full of juicy idioms.

After you have mastered these idioms, life will be just a bowl of cherries.

This is the latest fruit of my labours and the apple of my eye.

Don't be a rotten apple, share this with your friends on YouTube and on the Internet.

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Dairy Idioms

It was a long time coming but this video is certainly the cream of the crop when it comes to my English language learning videos.

Now that it's finished, I look like the cat that got the cream.

I'm overflowing with the milk of human kindness so I'm sharing it with you in the hope that you will enjoy learning these 21 English dairy idioms.

If you know what side your bread is buttered, you'll take the time to watch it a few times

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Egg Idioms

This video English lesson looks at all of the egg idioms I could think of.

Eggs must play a very important part in British life because there are so many idioms that mention them.

So be a good egg and get cracking on this video. If you don't learn them all, as sure as eggs is eggs, you'll have egg on your face. They might not be easy to learn, but you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs and at least you don't have to shell out on this video - it's free.

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Chilli Con Carne

There are many recipes for chilli con carne, but this is mine. It has taken me over 25 years to perfect the recipe and it's a secret that I'm going to share with you today. I'm sharing it with you on the understanding that you keep it a secret.

Not only will you learn how to cook the best chilli con carne you have ever tasted, but you will also increase your English vocabulary and learn about countable and uncountable nouns.

Vocabulary words include the verbs, chop, cut, peel, crush, fry, stir, boil, simmer and more. There are also nouns to do with cooking including the ingredients and the utensils such as pestle and mortar, frying pan, cleaver, hob, dessertspoon, tablespoon and more.

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Lunacy and Lunatics

Do you know what a lunatic is? Do you know what lunacy is?

What is the difference between a waxing gibbous moon and a waning gibbous moon? Why are some tides so much higher than others? Does the Moon really influence the brain or even a woman's menstrual cycle?

These questions and more are answered in this English language lesson about our nearest celestial neighbour, the Moon.

There is a short related video lesson here.

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Capricorn

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between December 22^nd and January 19^th, then your star sign is Capricorn. Capricorn's element is Earth. Capricorn's ruling planet is Saturn. Capricorn is loyal with a good sense of humour. Prone to pessimism, they need the support of family and friends, even if they don't show it emotionally.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Sagittarius

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between November 22nd and December 21st, then your star sign is Sagittarius. The symbol of Sagittarius is the archer. Sagittarius' element is fire. Sagittarius' ruling planet is Jupiter. Sagittarius cannot exist without their freedom. They need continual challenge in their work and relationships, and hate claustrophobic conditions.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Scorpio

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between October 23rd and November 21st, then your star sign is Scorpio. The symbol of Scorpio is the scorpion. Scorpio's element is Water. Scorpio's modality is Fixed. Scorpio's polarity is negative or feminine (yin). Scorpio's ruling planet is Pluto. Scorpio has a massive amount of emotional and physical energy that needs to be channelled positively if stagnation and depression are to be avoided.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Libra

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between September 23rd and October 22nd, then your star sign is Libra. The symbol of Libra is the scales. Libra's element is air. Libra's polarity is positive or masculine. Libra's ruling planet is Venus. Libra is rational and fair, but the need for balance creates paralysing indecision. This English lesson will help you understand the vocabulary used to describe people in general and Libra in particular.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Virgo

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between August 23rd and September 22nd, then your star sign is Virgo. The symbol of Virgo is the Virgin. Virgo's element is Earth. Virgo's polarity is negative or feminine. Virgo's ruling planet is Mercury. Virgo is charmingly modest with a strong critical faculty. They are the busiest people and will do anything for anyone.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Leo

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between July 23rd and August 22nd, then your star sign is Leo. Leo's symbol is the lion. Leo's planet is the Sun. Leo's modality is fixed and Leo's polarity is positive.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Cancer

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between June 21st and July 22nd, then your star sign is Cancer. The symbol of Cancer is the crab. Cancer's ruling planet is the Moon. Cancer has a profound need for family, though their powerful emotions can be smothering. They have a keen intuition that can be spoiled by a tendency towards anxiety.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Gemini

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between May 21st and June 20th, then your star sign is Gemini. The symbol of Gemini is twins. Gemini's element is Air. Gemini's modality is mutable. Gemini's polarity is positive or masculine (yang). Gemini's ruling planet is Mercury.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Taurus

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between April 19th and May 20th, then your star sign is Taurus. The symbol of Taurus is the bull. Taurus' element is Earth. Taurus' modality is fixed. Taurus' polarity is negative or feminine (yin). Taurus' ruling planet is Venus.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Aries

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between March 21st and April 19th, then your star sign is Aries. The symbol of Aries is the ram. Aries' element is fire. Aries' modality is cardinal. Aries' polarity is positive or masculine (yang). Aries' ruling planet is Mars.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Christmas Food

Just like the festivals of Saturnalia and Yule from which it sprang, Christmas is a time of feasting.

Everyone eats and drinks much too much.

This lesson looks at the food eaten at a traditional British Christmas.

This lesson is part one of a five part series looking at the British Christmas.

Watch and Listen videos have no on-screen words to help your listening skill development.

1. The Origins of Christmas | Watch and Listen
2. The Symbols of Christmas | Watch and Listen
3. Father Christmas | Watch and Listen
4. The Death and Rebirth of Christmas | Watch and Listen
5. Christmas Food | Watch and Listen

The video lessons use words, sounds and images to help you learn not only the vocabulary of Christmas, but also the interesting history of this most popular of festivals.

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The Death of Christmas

The Puritans banned Christmas in 1647.

People rioted, but Christmas was not restored until 1660. Even then the Church of England frowned on the celebration. Things got so bad that writers like Charles Dickens decided to revive Christmas by making it popular again.

Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol which helped create our modern Christmas.

The Victorians invented the Christmas card and Christmas crackers. Our commercial Christmas was born.

This lesson looks at the death of Christmas in Britain and at how it was resurrected in the Victorian era.

This lesson is part one of a five part series looking at the British Christmas.

Watch and Listen videos have no on-screen words to help your listening skill development.

1. The Origins of Christmas | Watch and Listen
2. The Symbols of Christmas | Watch and Listen
3. Father Christmas | Watch and Listen
4. The Death and Rebirth of Christmas | Watch and Listen
5. Christmas Food | Watch and Listen

The video lessons use words, sounds and images to help you learn not only the vocabulary of Christmas, but also the interesting history of this most popular of festivals.

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Father Christmas

The most recognisable symbol of Christmas is Father Christmas.

Santa Claus, as he is also known, has a long history that goes back to the Germanic gods. He is a fusion of Christian and pagan figures merged into the figure we know today as recently as 1822.

The Santa we recognise was first drawn by Thomas Nast in 1863.

Before then he wore a green cloak.

Nast added his reindeer – a suggestion, perhaps, of Odin’s horse Sleipnir.

This lesson looks at the evolution of Santa into the jolly, bearded fat man children and marketers love today.

This lesson is part one of a five part series looking at the British Christmas.

Watch and Listen videos have no on-screen words to help your listening skill development.

1. The Origins of Christmas | Watch and Listen
2. The Symbols of Christmas | Watch and Listen
3. Father Christmas | Watch and Listen
4. The Death and Rebirth of Christmas | Watch and Listen
5. Christmas Food | Watch and Listen

The video lessons use words, sounds and images to help you learn not only the vocabulary of Christmas, but also the interesting history of this most popular of festivals.

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The Symbols of Christmas

There are many symbols associated with Christmas.

The most famous is Santa Claus, but there are others like holly and mistletoe.

These evergreen plants have their roots in the ancient festivals of Yule and are still important today.

This lesson explores the Christian symbols and those connected with Yule and Saturnalia.

It also looks at more recent developments that have made Christmas so commercial.

This lesson is part one of a five part series looking at the British Christmas.

Watch and Listen videos have no on-screen words to help your listening skill development.

1. The Origins of Christmas | Watch and Listen
2. The Symbols of Christmas | Watch and Listen
3. Father Christmas | Watch and Listen
4. The Death and Rebirth of Christmas | Watch and Listen
5. Christmas Food | Watch and Listen

The video lessons use words, sounds and images to help you learn not only the vocabulary of Christmas, but also the interesting history of this most popular of festivals.

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The Origins of Christmas

This English language video lesson looks back in time to the ancient festivals that came before Christmas. The pagan Yule festival and the Roman Saturnalia being the most important.

It explains the importance of the Winter Solstice and the reason we celebrate Christmas on December 25^th. It also gives the other names of Christmas that you will meet in English – Yule, Xmas, Noel and Yuletide.

It answers that question that has always puzzled English speakers – why do we say Xmas?

This lesson is part one of a five part series looking at the British Christmas.

Watch and Listen videos have no on-screen words to help your listening skill development.

1. The Origins of Christmas | Watch and Listen
2. The Symbols of Christmas | Watch and Listen
3. Father Christmas | Watch and Listen
4. The Death and Rebirth of Christmas | Watch and Listen
5. Christmas Food | Watch and Listen

The video lessons use words, sounds and images to help you learn not only the vocabulary of Christmas, but also the interesting history of this most popular of festivals.

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Question Tags

Question tags are those small questions that we add to the end of sentences, aren't they?

They cause problems for even the most advanced of student, don't they?

This video English lesson will give you all the rules you need to never make a mistake with question tags again, won't it?

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Blood

Blood is the most important thing in our bodies.

Lose too much and we die.

It is so important that many expressions in English use the word, Blood.

This lesson looks at the language of blood and the expressions that we make from the word.

Expressions like: Blood is thicker than water | Bloodshed | Cold-blooded | In cold blood | Blood run cold | Hot-blooded | Blood up| Blood boils | Blue blood | Fresh blood/new blood | Half-blood | To run in the blood | Own flesh and blood | Young blood | Blood clot and more.

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Influenza

The influenza virus has been killing people for thousands of years.

The virus mutates rapidly, sometimes creating deadly strains against which we have no defence.

There is a current deadly strain called swine flu that has been declared a pandemic. Thousands of people have died, and thousands more are expected to die.

This video looks at this disease, examining the symptoms and providing useful medical vocabulary for English language students.

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We Are Family

We are all of us part of a family of one sort or another.

Family members have various names in English and some of them like husband, wife, uncle, aunt, nephew and niece, are among the few English words that have gender.

This video shows how the members of an extended family are related to each other. From grandfather and grandmother though parents - father and mother - to sons, daughters, brother and sister, grandchildren and cousins, this video Lesson gives you all the words you need to describe your own family in English.

A related Crossword Puzzle and Hangman game can be found here: Crossword Puzzle

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Heart

The heart makes many expressions in English, and not just to do with love and romance.

There are many common expressions that use the word heart in this video lesson.

If you can find it in your heart, do this lesson.

Don't let your heart sink if you can't get all the answers right away. Watch the video as many times as you want.

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Expressions with Eye

Eyes play a part in many English Expressions. This lesson looks at 47 of the most common.

Do you know what connection eyes and the belly have?

Do you know how a man with brown eyes can be called a blue-eyed boy?

Have you got eyes in the back of your head?

Has anyone ever given you their eye?

These questions and more are answered here in this Video English Lesson. The English in the lesson is mainly British English.

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Weaponry

An English lesson like no other before. It's not a typical ESL subject, weaponry, but the language is interesting.

The lesson traces the development of weapons from a simple rock to the atomic bomb.

Replete with sound-effects, images, pronunciation and phonetics, this memorable lesson will help you to improve your listening and pronunciation as well as your vocabulary.

Prepare to be blown away by this lesson.

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Spanish Omelette

This lesson not only teaches you English, but it also shows you how to make a delicious Spanish potato omelette.

It teaches some of the vocabulary used in cooking, and gives you the recipe for making this delicious and popular Spanish dish.

There is a video of how to make the omelette, and some test questions about the content of the lesson.

You also have two exercises that challenge you to reassemble the recipe.

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Money - The Basics

This lesson looks at basic vocabulary used when talking about money:

• earn
• account
• bank
• banknotes
• borrowed
• change
• coin
• currency
• lent
• note
• salary
• spend
• sum
• wages
• waste
• win

There is an self-test exercise for each of the words.

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UK Obesity Epidemic

The U.K. is on the brink of an obesity epidemic, one that will cost as additional $90 billion per year by 2050, says a study called The Foresight Report. This is a government-led research project that says that by 2050, 60 per cent of adult men, 50 per cent of adult women and about 25 per cent of all children under 18 could be obese.

"Britain has become a nation where overweight is the norm," reads the report.

This lesson looks at the language of obesity and weight loss.

The news reporter's accent is Canadian English.

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Phrasal Verbs Separable

170 flashcards giving definitions and examples of the most common separable transitive phrasal verbs.

These flashcards will help you learn and remember this difficult aspect of English.

Separable transitive phrasal verbs are those in which the verb can be separated from the particle, and which need an object to complete the meaning.

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Phrasal Verbs Inseparable

130 flashcards giving definitions and examples of the most common inseparable transitive phrasal verbs.

These flashcards will help you learn and remember this difficult aspect of English.

Inseparable transitive phrasal verbs are those in which the verb cannot be separated from the particle, and which need an object to complete the meaning.

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Phrasal Verbs Intransitive

110 flashcards giving definitions and examples of the most common intransitive phrasal verbs.

These flashcards will help you learn and remember this difficult aspect of English.

Intransitive phrasal verbs are those in which an object is not needed to complete the meaning.

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Belling the Cat

The lesson about Belling the Cat includes some listening exercises in English. The lesson includes some grammar and vocabulary exercise in English. The lesson includes some reading and some writing exercises.

All the listening material has been recorded by a native British English speaker without any strong regional accent.

It is based on the original text "The Aesop for Children" published by Rand McNally & Company of Chicago in 1919.

It includes illustrations from the original book, and also from other books.

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Sinclair ZX

This lesson is a short look at the history of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer from the 1980's.

It introduces some basic computer vocabulary and is based on an authentic English text taken from the Internet.

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Borrowing

If you are a business person, or anyone interested in borrowing or lending then this is the English language lesson for you.

This is a short lesson that briefly looks at the terminology of borrowing and lending.

Very useful if you are confused by the terms, "borrow" and "lend".

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Creepy-Crawlies

What makes an insect an insect? Many people think that any tiny creature is an insect, but they would be better off using the non-scientific term, creepy-crawly.

While some insects, such as the mosquito, spread disease, most would be sorely missed if they were to disappear. Pollinator decline is the reduction of insects which have evolved as the only pollinators of flowering plants.

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The Butterfly Dream

Do you ever find yourself wondering how you can achieve all you want to achieve in life? Do you find that there are so many things you want to do that you never seem to get round to doing any of them? I used to be like that, too. These days I achieve all of my goals. Why? Because I learned to stop chasing butterflies.

The butterfly dream introduces this video. It is a short but interesting philosophical idea from the Chinese philosopher Chaung Tzu (Zhuangzi) 369BC.

The swallowtail butterfly was filmed in Seville, Spain using a Samsung H200 high definition digital camcorder, coincidentally made in China.

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Vegetable Idioms

I've spilled the beans on English vegetable idioms in this video English lesson.

Now you'll be as cool as a cucumber when you hear or use these common expressions. No more will you go as red as a beetroot because you don't know the difference between a couch potato and a hot potato. Never again will you be in a pickle over these idioms.

There are also extras to help you learn, remember and use these idioms.

I've included an interactive quiz this time, too. I hope you enjoy completing it.

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Meat Idioms

All the idioms in English that are associated with meat.

If you don't know your red meat from your white meat, your mutton from your lamb, then this is the video for you. You will learn Idioms like bringing home the bacon, ham-fisted, mutton dressed as lamb, no spring chicken, and chicken feed.

Don't be sheepish. Watch this video now and you won't have to run around like a headless chicken trying to remember meat idioms. You'll take to them like a duck to water and when your chickens come home to roost, you'll have all the right answers.

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Colour Idioms

This English lesson looks at all of the English colour idioms I could think of.

You may be feeling blue about your English studies but I'm giving you the green light to pass any test with flying colours.

If you don't know the difference between a scarlet woman and a red herring, you will be tickled pink by all the idioms in this video.

So don't be yellow; watch this video all the way through and you will be able to do the extras with flying colours.

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Valentines

February 14th is Valentine's Day.

Named after a 3rd Century Roman priest, Valentine's Day is a celebration of romantic love. The day is an opportunity to show your feelings for someone you like. It is a day when flowers, and roses in particular, become move valuable than gold, and chocolates acquire bigger boxes and price tags.

Whether you intend to celebrate the day or not, this video will introduce you to some of the truths behind the fiction of St. Valentine's Day. It will also provide you with lots of new vocabulary and the means to learn and practice your new found words.

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Pisces

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between February 19th and March 19th, then your star sign is Pisces. The symbol of Pisces is two fish. Piscess element is Water. Pisces displays an immediate, generous and overwhelming emotional response to everything. They find it difficult to see the truth of things through the poetic, romantic cloud in which they hide reality.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Aquarius

This is one of a series of English lessons based on the theme of astrology. They are designed to teach you vocabulary, and especially personal descriptive adjectives.

If you were born between January 20th and February 18th, then your star sign is Aquarius. The symbol of Aquarius is the water carrier. Aquarius' element is air. Uranus rules Aquarius. Aquarians are individualists. They build their lives on their own inclinations and can have trouble relating to other people.

Other star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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An Introduction to Astrology

Life is uncertain. All of us would like to feel that there is a plan set out for us. Astrology has fascinated people for centuries because it claims to be able to provide us with a glimpse of this plan of our lives.

Astrology has been rejected by the scientific community as superstition, but many people still believe in the claims of astrologers. People consult their daily horoscope in the newspapers. Romances are decided on the matching of star signs. Some people plan their lives around their horoscope.

Star signs: Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces.

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Love and Marriage

This is video 8 of a series of 8.

These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the words of Ambrose Bierce and his obvious dissatisfaction of marriage and his cynical opinion of love.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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How to Stay Married

This is video 7 of a series of 8.

These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the life and works of Benjamin Franklin, the great American polymath.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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Warnings Against Marriage

This is video 6 of a series of 8.

These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the words of King Vidor, the acclaimed American film director. It also looks in detail at two early 19th Century humorous engravings by James Gillray, published on 25th October 1805.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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In Favour of Marriage

This is video 5 of a series of 8.

These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the words of Samuel Johnson. Johnson was in favour of marriage, even if it was to a much older woman.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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Why Marriages Fail

This is video 4 of a series of 8.

These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the words of an anonymous person plus the painter Hogarth. The video gives one reason that so many marriages fail to survive.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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What Makes a Good Marriage

This is video 3 of a series of 8. These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, an English writer. He shows what makes a good marriage, at least for the Emperor Kublai Khan, if not for himself.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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Defining Marriage

This is video 2 of a series of 8.

These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the words of Sydney Smith, an English clergyman and wit. He gives us his definition of marriage.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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The History of Marriage

This is video 1 of a series of 8.

These videos look at marriage through the words of some famous people.

This video uses the words of Voltaire and Will Rogers. They tell us what they think of marriage and divorce.

The other videos in this series are:

1. The History of Marriage
2. Defining Marriage
3. What Makes a Good Marriage?
4. Why Marriages Fail
5. In Favour of Marriage
6. Warnings Against Marriage
7. How to Stay Married
8. Love and Marriage
   

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Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes is the greatest detective that ever existed.

Nowhere in the universe would you find another who shares his singular ability to deduce the truth. And there's his friend Dr. Watson.

This joke centres on Watson's attempt to out-deduce Holmes himself.

You might have heard this joke before, but it's never been told like this.

Learn dozens of new words and expressions in English and have a good laugh at the same time.

I'm sure Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have approved of this English lesson.

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Homonyms

There are certain words in English that are confusing because we spell them the same, they sound the same, but they don't mean the same things. These words are called homonyms.

Saw is a homonym, as is rose, and countless others.

This video lesson introduces some of these homonyms and helps with your understanding and pronunciation. You will never again be confused by the verb to tire or the noun, tire (or tyre).

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Materials Recycling

This lesson looks at language used in recycling common materials such as metals, plastics, glass, wood, etc.

There are extensive self-test exercises to complete, and a short article to recycle.

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Medical Collocations 1

Here are some exercises to help you learn 10 common medical collocations.

These words and expressions are used not only by medical professionals, but are also commonly used by the public when talking about medical matters.

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The English are German

The lesson is about the origins of the English and the fate of the original Britons.

It looks at some collocations, several phrasal verbs, some vocabulary of England, and some adverbs.

The lesson has a 2'45" video listening, a 405 word typescript to read, many self-test questions, a linked crossword puzzle and a Hangman game.

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Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

This lesson looks at Intransitive Phrasal Verbs and how they are used in English.

Links are provided to extensive sets of flashcards.

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English Humour

English jokes

A lot of English humour depends on word play.

Many words in English have more than one meaning and it is this double meaning that gives a joke its humour.

For example:

What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?

Find out in this lesson.

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The Zero Conditional

This lesson looks at the zero conditional, its form and its use in English.

There are other lessons available on Linguaspectrum that will help you understand

The First Conditional

The Second Conditional

The Third conditionals

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The First Conditional

A lesson looking at the form and use of the English first conditional.

There are other lessons available on Linguaspectrum that will help you understand

The Zero Conditional

The Second Conditional

The Third conditionals

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The Second Conditional

A lesson looking at the form and use of the English second conditional.

There are other lessons available on Linguaspectrum that will help you understand

The Zero Conditional

The First Conditional

The Third conditionals

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The Third Conditional

A lesson looking at the form and use of the English third conditional.

There are other lessons available on Linguaspectrum that will help you understand

The Zero Conditional

The First Conditional

The Third conditionals

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Inseparable Transitive Phrasal Verbs

This lesson looks at English Inseparable Transitive Phrasal Verbs.

A link is provided to extensive sets of flashcards.

Phrasal Verbs Intransitive Flashcards

Phrasal Verbs Inseparable Flashcards

Phrasal Verbs Separable Flashcards

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Separable Transitive Phrasal Verbs

Some transitive phrasal verbs are separable.

This lesson takes a look at such verbs and gives practice in using them.

There is also an extensive set of flashcards giving definitions to 170 separable phrasal verbs.

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How to be Happy

Would you like to learn the secret of happiness while learning English?

We are happy to release this English language lesson which lets you do that.

Based on an authentic English text, the lesson looks at various aspects of the text and provides plenty of multimedia, interactive activities for you to enjoy.

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English Conditionals

This English language lesson is an introduction to English conditionals.

There are other lessons available on Linguaspectrum that will help you understand

The Zero Conditional

The First Conditional

The Second Conditional

The Third conditionals

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Healthy Heart

A short English language lesson based on an authentic text that introduces some basic medical vocabulary related to the heart.

The original title of the article is: "How conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduces fat deposits in arteries by 30%".

This lesson will be of interest to medical professionals.

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Introducing Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are one of the most confusing parts of the English language. This introduction to phrasal verbs will help your understanding.

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A Life Going Begging

This is a Video English Lesson in two parts. Part one has no on-screen text to help develop your listening skills. Part two, which begins at 10:33, has the words on the screen to help with your understanding.

In this video, I'd like to share with you some of my observations about one all-pervasive aspect of life here in Spain -- begging.

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Aircraft Anatomy

Since the days of the Wright brothers’ first powered flight in 1903, aircraft have become ever more sophisticated and bigger. The Wright brothers’ Flyer had a wingspan of 12.3 metres and weighed 274 kg. In comparison, the Airbus A400M military transport plane has a wingspan of 42.4 metres and has a maximum take-off weight of 141,000 kg.

This Video English Lesson looks at the differences between the Wright brother's Flyer and the new Airbus Military A400M transporter.

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The Ant and the Grasshopper

The Ant and the Grasshopper is a famous fable by Aesop. Here it has been given a slightly different message with the help of a few dozen ant actors.

I made this video to test out the capabilities of my new HD video camera.

I hope you find the story interesting and the hard-working ants fascinating.

This video is aimed at students with a very high level of English. It contains a lot of difficult vocabulary and many expressions that may be new to you.

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North Wind

This video English lesson brings you Aesop's Fable, the North Wind and the Sun. The moral of this story is that pursuasion is better than force. It's easier to get people to do what you want them to do if you make them want to do something.

There is also an exercise under the video where you have to rewrite the story.

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Key Law

This lesson looks at 30 words that are used extensively by the legal profession and in general life when talking about law and legal matters.

The words are chosen from the following words: accuse, appeal, arrest, binding, breach, case, charge, civil, claimant, commit, contract, convict, court, crime, criminal, damages, defence, defendant, dispute, evidence, fine, guilty, hearing, injunction, innocent, judge, judicial, jury, lawyer, legal, offence, plead, prosecute, sentence, settlement, trial, tribunal

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Flight 1549

Miracle of the Hudson.

At 3.30pm on January 15th 2009, an Airbus, Flight 1549, crash lands in the Hudson River, New York.

All the 155 passengers and crew survive thanks to the skill of the pilot, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger.

This lesson looks at this remarkable story.

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Continuous and Simple Action and State

This advanced-level lesson examines the use of the present continuous and the present simple tenses when used with English state verbs and action verbs.

It contains many self-test exercises that will help the student come to grips with this aspect of English grammar.

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Practice Using Phrasal Verbs

This reading is rich in phrasal verbs.

It will give you a way to test your knowledge of phrasal verbs.

The text is followed by a series of interactive exercises designed to develop your understanding.

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Political Correctness

A term that has become increasingly popular in English since the 1970s has been political correctness or PC.

In simple terms, this means avoiding the use of words or phrases that might upset someone's sensibilities. 

In more complex terms, this means being afraid to say what you think because it just might be deemed offensive by the PC Brigade. It is a curtailing of our freedom of speech.

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Cat and Dog Idioms

Idioms are like phrasal verbs; difficult to comprehend and remember, yet essential to everyday English.

I've chosen 13 common idioms that use the words dog or cat or both.

Idioms like A dog's life and Let the cat out of the bag.

These idiomatic expressions are used in everyday situations and it's important that more advanced students know them and understand their meaning.

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Playing Cards

Cards play a big part in modern life, and I don't just mean in card games.

Gambling aside, cards collocate with many other words to make numerous common expressions like birthday card, credit card, etc.

This lesson looks at playing cards, gambling, a technique for improving your memory, collocations and phrasal verbs.

The video cannot be embedded, but you can watch it here.

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