Complaining

A few students are complaining about a homework assignment. Read their dialogue and answer questions.

This lesson gives you guidelines on how to give, understand, and follow verbal instructions.

Learn the most common phrases used to give advice or suggestions. Then practice
‘softening’ suggestions or advice you give, so that you do not sound rude or overly critical.

Learn how to politely present your opinions in English so they aren’t too strong.

Learn how to use the verbs say, talk and tell correctly, and look at common idioms where they appear.

Idioms are a hard part of English to learn because they are phrases that don’t have literal meanings. These worksheets help you figure out what the idioms mean, and give examples of how to use them.

Learn how to professionally discuss outside sources (news articles, TV programs, etc) in a conversation.

In English, we use certain phrases to tell our audience or listener that what we are saying should not to be taken too seriously or literally. We also use these phrases to distance ourselves from controversial ideas or words.

After hearing a sound clip, identify different parts of a conversation (small talk, informal speech) and answer questions about what you’ve heard. This lesson will help you learn the patterns of conversation that English speakers expect, and how to polite.

English speakers like to talk about traveling, but sometimes we don’t mean we are actually traveling. See if you can figure out if the examples are really about travel, or if they mean something else.

Learn how to politely introduce a speaker by listening to real recordings of people introducing speakers on a university campus.

Learn how to ask polite questions, and what tone is appropriate in different situations.