ESL News New Zealand

ESL News New Zealand is a site to listen to news, spoken slowly and clearly, using easy vocabulary. The news mainly revolves around what is happening in New Zealand and in that part of the world. The audio file is downloadable and there is always an accompanying transcription of each news item.

In ESL News New Zealand lower level English students can read and listen at the same time, or just listen to practise listening comprehension, or listen then read and listen again.

There is also a glossary which helps with some difficult words, expressions and cultural references. 

Everyday conversations

Practice everyday conversations with these short lessons from ShareAmerica, a site managed by the Bureau of International Information Programs within the U.S. Department of State.

Everyday conversations offers sixty lessons plus through around everyday situations (making suggestions, greetings, invitations, advice, expressing opinions) and topics (the environment, recycling, hobbies).

The lessons all follow the same format: Learners listen to a short dialogue (from one to three minutes) the transcript of which is available. Some of the vocabulary items and phrases in the dialogue are highlighted because an explanation of their meaning and use is given.

Everyday conversations is a wonderful site for students at elementary and early intermediate level, although stronger students will also benefit from some of the vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that come up in the conversations.

 

Madrid Teacher: William's Personal Information Video

Bill, from MadridTeacher.com, gives elementary students (Básico 1 and Básico 2) a good revision of wh- questions, yes-no questions and the present simple.

Just watch the video and follow his instructions to practise these grammar points.



Hi, I’m Bill Christensen and I’m from MadridTeacher.com.  This is an activity of elementary English.
I'm going to ask some questions, you right down the questions.
What's my name?
What date is today?
How old am I?
Where am I from?
Am I married?
Where’s my wife from?
What's her nationality?
How many languages does she speak?
How many languages do I speak?
How old is my wife?
How old am I?
What's my wife's job?
Do I have any children?
How many children do I have?
Does my wife have any children?
How many children does she have?
What does she do?
What do I do?
Does my wife like her job?
Do I like my job?

Hello, I’m Bill Christensen, from MadridTeacher.com.
Today is April 5th 2007.
I'm fifty-four years old.
I'm from three places:  Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Now I live in Madrid.
I’m married.
My wife is from Peru. She is Spanish.
I speak two languages, Spanish and English.
My wife speaks three languages, Spanish, English and Quechua.
My wife's age is… sorry, she has for children.
She works for the Spanish tax service.
She likes her job
I work for MadridTeacher.com.
I like my job. Students are fun, the people are nice.
It's very cold here because it's early spring.
I’ll be talking to you later. Bye!

Hello again. These are the questions and that the answers
What's my name?
My name is Bill Christensen.
What is the date?
The date if April 5th 2007.
How old am I?
I’m 54.
Where am I from?
I’m from Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Am I married?
Yes, I am.
Where is my wife from?
She's from Peru.
What languages do I speak?
I speak Spanish and English.
What languages does my wife speak?
She speaks three languages, she speaks Spanish, English and Quechua.
What's my wife's name?
My wife's name is Betsy.
How old is she?
I don't know.
What does she do?
She works for the tax service in Madrid.
What do I do?
I'm a teacher, I'm a teacher at MadridTeacher.com. 
Do I have any children?
No, I don’t.
Does my wife have any children?
Yes, she does.
How many children does she have?
She has four children.
Do I like my job?
Yes, I do.
Do I like being a tourist in Madrid?
Yes, I do.
But do I live in Madrid?
Yes, I live in Madrid.
Do I like accordion music?
Yes, I live accordion music very much.
Do I like bells?
Yes, I like bells very much.
It's a beautiful day today. Nice talking to you. Bye!

Madrid Teacher series: Thomas' personal information

This week's Madrid Teacher series post is intended for lower-level (elementary) students. Thomas is asked some personal questions.

Before you watch the video, here are Thomas' s answers. What are the questions?

Thomas.
Boston.
I’m 23.
I’m a teacher.
Yes I do, I have a sister.
She is… twenty-eight.
She’s a manager of a café.
The Fresh Pot Café.
She, er, sorts out timetables and takes care of orders and stocking and general maintenance of the café.
Erm… the Godfather.
Because it’s a long story that includes, er, interesting characters, and has a fantastic plot. And it takes place in my hometown, New York. Ah, very interesting.
Yes I am.
The book is called the House of Leaves.
It’s about a family that moves into a house that has many, many more rooms than anybody could have imagined.
My father’s name is Donald and my mother’s name is Pamela.
Erm… Donald is retired, and my mother owns a teashop.

Now watch the video and check whether you got the questions right.



What’s your name?
Thomas.
And where do you live?
Boston.
How old are you?
I’m 23.
And what do you do?
I’m a teacher.
Have you got any brothers or sisters?
Yes I do, I have a sister.
How old is she?
She is… twenty-eight.
And what does she do?
She’s a manager of a café.
And what’s the name of the café?
The Fresh Pot Café.
And what does she do in the café?
She, er, sorts out timetables and takes care of orders and stocking and general maintenance of the café.
OK thanks. Erm, what’s your favorite film?
Erm… the Godfather.
And why do you like it?
Because it’s a long story that includes, er, interesting characters, and has a fantastic plot. And it takes place in my hometown, New York. Ah, very interesting.
Erm, are you reading a book at the moment?
Yes I am.
What’s the name of the book?
The book is called the House of Leaves.
And what’s it about?
It’s about a family that moves into a house that has many, many more rooms than anybody could have imagined.
Ah, interesting. Erm, what are your parents’ names?
My father’s name is Donald and my mother’s name is Pamela.
OK. And what do they do? Erm… Donald is retired, and my mother owns a teashop.

Madrid Teacher series: There is and there are

Our Madrid Teacher series this week is intended for Básico 1 and Básico 2 students and deals with questions with the verbs there is and there are.

Before you watch the video, list as many types of shops in English you can think of.

Now watch the video and check which of the shops you thought of are mentioned.

Watch the video for a second time and note down all the questions with there is or there are the girl is asked.

Now answer the same questions about yourself.



Is there a swimming pool near your house?
Yes there is.
And where is it?
It's just around the corner from my house.
Okay. Is there a supermarket near your house?
Yes, there is.
And where's the supermarket?
The supermarket is down the road from my house.
And do you go shopping there?
Yes, I do.
Is there a library near your house?
Not very near to my house, no.
Where is it?
It's in the next suburb.
Ok. And do you ever go there?
Yes, sometimes.
Ok. Is there a train station near your house?
No, there isn't.
Is there a post office near your house?
Yes, there is.
And where is it?
It’s in the shopping centre near my house.
Ok. And is there a bank near your house?
Yes there is.
And where is the bank?
The bank is across the road from my house.
Okay, good. Where do you go for your food… where do you go shopping for your food?
I go shopping at the supermarket.
Ok. Are there any butcher’s or greengrocer’s or shops like that near your house?
Yes, there is a butcher, a butcher shop just around the corner from my house.
And do you ever go there?
Sometimes, but I prefer to buy meat at the supermarket.
Ok. Is there a cinema near where you live?
No, there isn’t.
So where do you go when you want to watch a film?
Usually I go and I hire a film from the video shop near my house.
Oh, ok. And where’s the video shop?
It’s also in the shopping centre near my house.
Everything's in the shopping center.
Yes.

Madrid Teacher series: Louise's daily routines

This week's Madrid Teacher video is intended for Básico (elementary) students. Louise tells us all about her daily routine.

Here are the answers Louse gives to her friend. Before you watch the video, can you think what the questions are?

I wake up at eight-thirty, usually.
I have to have a cup of coffee, and usually some cereal.
I go to work around ten o’clock.
I have lunch around one o’clock.
I like to eat a sandwich.
I finish work at six o’clock, or six-thirty in the evening.
I walk.
It’s a twenty minute walk.
When I get home, I start to cook dinner, and while I’m cooking dinner, I watch television.
I eat dinner at eight o’clock.
I watch more television.
I go to bed at eleven o’clock.

Now watch the video and check whether your questions were correct.




1 So, what time do you wake up?
I wake up at eight-thirty, usually.
2 OK. And do you brush your teeth after that?
No. First, I like to eat breakfast.
3 OK. What do you have for breakfast?
 I have to have a cup of coffee, and usually some cereal.
4 OK. And after that, do you brush your teeth?
After that, I take a shower.
5 OK. And then what time do you brush your teeth?
After the shower. OK.
6 What time do you leave your house to go to work?
I go to work around ten o’clock.
7 And what time do you have lunch?
I have lunch around one o’clock.
8 What do you usually have for lunch?
I like to eat a sandwich.
9 And what do you drink with your sandwich?
More coffee.
10 OK. What time do you finish lunch? Not lunch, work?
I finish work at six o’clock, or six-thirty in the evening.
11 And how do you get home from work?
I walk.
12 How far is that?
It’s a twenty minute walk.
13 OK. And what do you do once you get home?
When I get home, I start to cook dinner, and while I’m cooking dinner, I watch television.
14 At what time do you eat your dinner?
I eat dinner at eight o’clock.
15 And, what do you do after you’ve eaten your dinner?
I watch more television.
16 What time do you go to bed?
I go to bed at eleven o’clock.
OK. Thank you.

Madrid Teacher: Natalia's personal information

This week's Madrid Teacher episode is devoted to Básico 1 and Básico 2 students. One of the Madrid Teacher is interviewed and she tells us basic personal information about herself.

Watch the interview through and just find out about Natalia.
Watch the interview again and note down the questions that she is asked.
Watch the video clip for a third time and note down Natalia's answers.

You can check both questions and answers with the transcript below.



Now it's over to your. Answer the questions Natalia was asked about yourself.

Hi, what’s your name?
My name is Natalia Perkalovich
And where are you from?
I am from Warsow, Poland.
And how old are you?
I am 34.
Have you got any brothers or sisters?
Yes, I have one older sister.
And how old is she?
She is 43.
Err… what does she do?
She is an editor.
And where does she live?
She lives in Mexico.
What’s your favorite film?
My favorite film is an American film called Stand-by me.
And who is in the film?
One of the actors is River Phoenix.
Very good. What’s your favorite type of music?
Hmmm… I would have to say pop.
And your favorite singer or favorite band?
Hmmm… yes my favorite singer is George Michael.
And what’s your favorite song by George Michael?
Wow, only one? Well, I really, really love all of them, but…
Your all time favorite.
Father Figure.
OK. Very good. What are your parents' names?
My parent’s names are Andrea and Teresa.
And what do they do?
My father is a scientist and my mother is a nurse.
And where do they live?
Right now they are living in the United States.
Err… which city?
College Park.
And what kind of house do they live in?
They live in an apartment. It’s a regular size.

Madrid Teacher series: Ashley's personal information

In this week's Madrid Teacher series, we are showing an interview with Ashley, a Scottish girl who lives in Madrid. It's suitable for Básico 1 and Básico 2 students (elementary) and it gives an opportunity to revise information questions and get acquainted with a Scottish accent.

Watch the video through and write down the questions Ashley is asked.
Watch the video again and note down Ashley's answers.

You can check everything with the transcript below.



What's your name?
My name is Ashley.
Ashley, where you live?
In Glasgow, Scotland.
Oh, excellent. How old are you?
I’m twenty-two.
And what do you do?
I work for a big public relations company, so I write press releases and send them out to journalists hoping that they get published in a newspaper.
Nice. Have you got any brothers or sisters?
Yes, I have one brother, he's younger than me. He’s twenty-one.
Okay, and what does he do?
He’s in the British Army, he works as a royal engineer.
Wow.
Yeah.
So, Ashley, what do you do with your free time?
With my free time I like to go to concerts, I really enjoy live music and socializing with friends.
What’s your favorite kind of live music?
Favourite kind of live music as dance music, I like DJs and electronic music.
And if you had to pick a favorite place to travel, where would that be?
I would love to go to South America, anywhere in South America to practise Spanish and learn about the culture and definitely I want to go there in the future.
Thank you.
You’re welcome.

Madrid Teacher series: A day in the life of an English teacher

Today's lesson from Madrid Teacher is devoted to elementary students (Básico 1 and Básico 2) and deals with daily routines. Victoria Fontana, an English teacher who lives in Madrid, tells us about a typical working day in her life.

The video is divided in two parts. The first part (up to 3'00") shows us Victoria telling us about her busy lifestyle. The second part is, in fact, a repeat, but everything that Victoria says is subtitled, with what she makes sure we fully understand everything.

I must say Victoria is a bit of a fast talker, so we may need to listen to her several times to understand her comfortably.

Watch the video clip. What does Victoria do at these times?
7'00''
8'30''
1'00''
4'00''
4'30'' to 8'30''
9'00 to 10'00''



What do you usually do on a typical working day?
Do you have any hobbies?
Do you have any classes?

Madrid Teacher series: Questions with 'hom much' and 'how many'

Our Madrid Teacher series post of this week is devoted to elementary students (Básico 1 and Básico 2).

In this video, a girl bombards a boy with How much and How many questions. Remember that we use 'how much' with uncountable nouns (that is, nouns that never take plural and never take an 'a/an' article), and we use 'how many' with countable nouns.

Watch the three-minute video and note down the answer the boy gives to each question. You may wish to pause the video player to give yourself a bit of thinking time. Then, answer the same questions about yourself. You can find the questions below.



How much coffee do you drink?
How many cups of tea do you drink?
How much chocolate do you eat?
How many pieces of fruit do you eat every day?
How much money do you spend on food every week?
How much money do you spend on clothes every week?
How much sport do you do?
How many times do you go on holidays every year?
How much television do you watch every day?
How much time do you spend on the internet every day?
How many times do you go to the cinema every week?
How many times do you brush your teeth every day?
How many times do you wash your hair every week?

Changing 'y' to 'ies' or 's' to make the plural

It's been quite a long time since we last posted about Joanne Rudling and her Spelling blog.

In early August Joanne published this lesson for elementary students (Básico 1 and Básico 2) about when to change final -y into -ies to make the plural (or the third person singular of present simple, for that matter).

The 5-minute video is self-contained. Learners have the opportunity to listen to Joanne explain the rules, with lots of examples and visual aids. In the end, a short test is given.



Drop by Joanna's webpage How to spell and click on the tag lessons for more tips on how to spell correctly.

Madrid Teacher series: Louise's personal information

This is our second episode of the Madrid Teacher series. Today's post is aimed at elementary students (Básico 1 and Básico 2) and we are going to watch a short interview with Louise.

Below you can read the questions she is being asked in the interview. Note down the answers.

Then answer the same questions about yourself.

You can check the answers by activating the CC subtitles on the lower side of the screen.



What’s your name?
And how old are you?
Where are you from?
And, where were you born?
And how many people are there in the town? What’s the population of this town?
Have you got any brothers or sisters?
And what are their names?
Very good, and what are your parents’ names?
And what do your parents do?
And what do you do?
And where do you work?
OK. And what’s your favorite type of music?
OK. And your favorite singer?
Where is she from?
And what’s your… what are your favorite types of films?
Do you have a particular favorite?

Speakout starter: Plans (jobs)

This is the last episode of the Speakout video podcasts for beginners, from Pearson Longman. The topic of today's video is jobs, and passers-by answer questions related to their professional life.

What did you want to be when you were a child?
Do you like what you do?
What’s your perfect job?



Now it's over to you. Go over the questions above and answer them for yourself. Try and use some of the expressions you heard on the video.

You can read the transcript here.

Speakout starter: Shopping

In another installment of our Speakout series, the video podcasts of the textbook from Pearson Longman, passers-by answer questions about their shopping habits:

Do you like shopping?
What’s the last thing you bought?
What’s your favourite type of shop?
Do you ever make shopping mistakes?



You can read the transcript here.

Speakout starter: Places (Holidays)

In a new installment of our Speakout series, based on the video podcasts of the textbook from Pearson Longman, this week we are dealing with the topic of holidays.

Passers-by are asked the following questions:

Where did you go on holiday last year?
How long was your holiday?
What did you do on holiday?
Did you have a good time?



Now it's over to you. Answer the questions above about yourself. Try and use some of the expressions the people in the video used.

You can read the transcript here.

Speakout starter: When's your birthday?

In a new video podcast from Speakout, Pearson Longman, suitable for beginners and elementary students (Básico 1 and Básico 2), passers-by answer these questions:

When's your birthday?
What do you usually do on your birthday?
Where were you on your last birthday?



Now it's over to you. Answer the questions above about yourself. Try to use some of the expressions you heard on the video.

You can read the transcript here.

Speakout starter: Journeys

Journeys is the title of this week's video podcast from Speakout, Pearson Longman. It is a nice follow-up to yesterday's post on What is bicycle travel?

Watch the video and note down the answers to these questions:

How do you get to work?
How long does it take?
Do you like the journey?
How much does it cost?



Beginners and elementary students can find it difficult to understand and use the question How long does it take? For a more detailed explanation of this question, read this entry from our Real English series.

Now it's over to you. Answer the questions above about yourself. Try and use some of the expressions the people interviewed used.

You can read the transcript here.

Speakout starter: Routines

In a new episode of our Speakout series for beginners, Pearson Longman, passers-by answer the two questions below about their weekend routine:

What time do you get up at the weekend?
What do you usually do at the weekend?

Watch the video clip and note down the answers pedestrians give. Then answer the questions about yourself. Try to use some of the expressions you heard on the video.



You can read the transcript here.

Speakout starter: Life (free time with friends)

In a new episode of the Speakout video podcast series, Pearson Longman, a group of passers-by answer questions on free-time activities.

What do you like to do with your friends?
What do you like to do on your own?
Do you go to concerts, plays or films in London?



Now you can answer the same questions about yourself.

You can read the transcript for the video here.

Speakout starter: Things

In another episode of our Speakout series, from Pearson Longman, people in the street are asked these two questions:

What’s in your bag?
What are your favourite clothes?

The video is an excellent opportunity for Básico 1 and Básico 2 students (elementary) to get familiar with the name of everyday objects and clothes.

After you have watched the video several times, try to answer the two questions above about yourself.



You can read the transcript here.