Intensive Listening Course: Cafe conversations

In this video, we hear the first part of my conversation with Ginny. We talk about arriving in a new city and learning how to get around, how to use the shared bikes, how to learn a new language and general chit chat.

Let's look at the grammar behind the language focus.

Part 2 of the conversation with Ginny. Listen out for the idioms this time.

See how much of part 1 of the conversation you understood with these mutiple choice listening comprehension questions.

Listen to this story tells about her cycling and camping trip to Europe and answer the comprehension questions at the end.

A listening test about shared bicycles in Chinese cities. What's the problem?

Listen to some of the vocabulary from the listening test

Listen to Stephen talking about living in rural China and listen out for the target language which is all about conditionals.

Let's have a listen to the language we've heard in the first part of the conversation.

Stephen tells us about the renovation at his house and why he chose to buy his house.

An analysis of what you've heard on the second part of the conversation including the expressions.

These questions follow the second part of the cafe converation with Stephen.

A little quiz to see how well you understand conditionals.

This listen test remains of the same theme - rural life. There are comprehension questions too.

Your turn to speak - listen to the correct pronunciation and copy it to speak like a native speaker.

A stoy of Stephen's first Christmas in rural China. What happened and why? Listen and answer the questions at the end.

There are several writing exercises on the attached document. There is one essay title and one graphical data to interpret. I cannot mark these writing tests, but I am putting them here for you to sue for your own purposes.

This is the language focus of our chat today. You can skip this if you like, and go straight onto the conversation. It's up to you.

Listen to me talking to Ans about her new shared office and how she greets people of different nationalities.

Listen to the second part of the conversation and see if you can hear what different nationalities do when they meet each other.

How much did you understand? Listen to the comprehension questions and then check the answers by listening again or look at the attached document.

try to see if you can use intensifies and quantifiers correctly with these three grammar exercises. Good luck!

Listen to a reading about free hugs and answer the comrehension questions at the end.

Listen to Ans' story about going out with a group of friends and how she embarrassed herself with a Frenchman! Comprehension questions at the end. Good luck.

If you need some practice with your writing, have a look at the two exercises I have put here for you.

This time we're looking at Modal Verbs and how they're used in every day situations.

Paul tells us about working in cafes and about travelling back to the UK.

Let's look at the target language used in the conversation and at the common expressions used.

Listen to the second part of the conversation and the try to answer the comprehension questions. You will also get an explanation of the useful expressions used in the conversation.

How much of the conversation did you understand?

A short listening test about therapy animals

A short grammar quiz about modal verbs. How many can you get right?

Listen to some words from the listening tasks which might be new to you and try to copy the pronunciation.

Here is a variety of writig tasks for you to try.

John talks about how best to have a balance between your studies and social life in your first year at university.

John talks about how to cope with cooking and keepig healthy at university

John talks about what to do if you need help at university

Listen to John's story about his football team at university. It's funny!

Listen to advice about how to survive your first year at university. See how much you understand - test yourself with the comprehension questions.