Starting a conversation To start a conversation in an informal social situation - like a party - it’s a good idea to find light, friendly topics to talk about. For example you could: offer a compliment: A: I like your shoes. B: Oh thanks, I bought them last week. Or, find something you have in common, like work, studies, movies or sport: A: What are you studying? B: I’m studying zoology at La Trobe. A: Really? Do you have Professor Duncan? Or you could ask about something more general,...

Complimenting food There are a number of ways that we can compliment food, or the person that prepared the food. Here are some of the most common phrases and expressions that we can use. When you have just been given a plate of pasta: This lasagna is delicious. You have just tasted some soup: I have never tasted a soup like this before. You have just eaten a tasty salad: This is the most delicious salad in the world. You have just had some apple pie: This is the best pie that I have...

Ed Regular verbs in the simple past end in ‘ed’. There are three ways that we can pronounce a word that ends in ‘ed’ Can you hear the difference? Called Asked Acted In ‘called’ you can hear a /d/ sound. Listen for the /d/ sound in these words: Played Cared Cried In ‘asked’ you can hear a /t/ sound. Listen for the /t/ sound in these words: Missed Placed Shipped And in ‘acted’ you can hear a /id/ sound. Listen for the /id/ sound in these words: Crowded Ended Floated Flickr CC:...

Certainty and uncertainty ‘Certainty’ is the firm belief that something is true. ‘Do you think it will rain today?’ ‘I am certain it is going to rain.’ You can express certainty by saying: ‘I am confident it will rain.’ ‘I am positive it will rain.’ ‘I am sure it will rain.’ ‘It will definitely rain today.’ Uncertainty is the state of being unsure. You don’t know if something is true, or you haven’t decided. ‘Do you plan to go to university when you finish school?’ ‘I’m still uncertain...

English has a large number of similar sounds with only very small minor variations. Today, we are going to practise two similar vowel sounds; /e/ and /eɪ/; wet /e/ wait /eɪ/ test /e/ taste /eɪ/ Listen to the following words and put them into the correct columns. I will say each word two times: /e/ /eɪ/ waited ✓ wreck rake saint sent hail hell shed shade bend vetted Come back tomorrow and check your answers. Flickr CC: Jeff Golden